TPES 29

Chapter 29

“Miss. A letter and an invitation have arrived from the House of Duke Ameron.”

After handing over the letter she had brought, Tonin went to the sofa and started eating the snacks on the table.

Ever since she revealed that she was an employee of the intelligence bureau, she seemed to have realized that she no longer needed to strictly perform her duties as a maid in front of me. Lately, her behavior had become noticeably more relaxed. It seemed she had figured out that I couldn’t fire her.

“The invitation is probably for an art auction. But what’s the letter from the ducal house about?”

“It had Miss Flaria’s name written on it.”

Tonin replied with a cookie stuffed whole into her mouth.

“Flaria?”

The contents of the letter were more surprising than I had expected.

Espin, Mother says she wants to talk to you. Could you visit the residence today?

It was a message saying that the Duchess of Ameron wanted to see me.

It seemed the Duchess had taken quite a liking to me for speaking highly of her. After all, from what I’d seen, Flaria didn’t seem the type to do such things for her own mother. Perhaps the Duchess needed to hear those words.

“What does it say?” Tonin asked.

“She says the Duchess of Ameron wants to see me and is asking me to visit the residence today.”

“Today? But aren’t you supposed to go look for a dress today? You said you don’t have anything to wear to the imperial banquet. Alterations take a few days too, so you really should go today…”

“What?”

At Tonin’s words, a memory flashed through my mind.

“When is the imperial banquet again?”

“Exactly one week from now.”

“Let’s go. Prepare the carriage, quickly.”

“To buy a dress?”

“No. To the House of Duke Ameron. This isn’t the time for that.”

* * *

“Miss Espin. You’ve arrived.”

The butler of the House of Duke Ameron greeted me as if he had been expecting me.

“Her Grace was just about to have lunch. Would you like to join her?”

“Ah… yes.”

The butler led me to the dining room.

Once this meal was over, turmoil would erupt within this family.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Espin, come over here.”

“Oh, Espin was coming today?”

Just like in the novel, the Duchess, Haren, and Flaria were eating together.

“I greet the Duchess.”

“I asked to see you—hopefully I haven’t troubled you unnecessarily.”

The Duchess of Ameron was a woman of immense influence in high society. In the novel, she used that influence to harass the female lead, Chloe, making her a villain. But from my perspective, since I was on her good side, she wasn’t a bad person at all.

“Not at all. It’s an honor.”

At my earnest display of social etiquette, Flaria and Haren frowned.

“What’s wrong with Espin?”

“I don’t know. Don’t stick close to her—go away.”

“If you don’t know, then who would?”

They whispered among themselves, but the Duchess—clearly used to this—ignored them and looked only at me. Once again, she seemed quite pleased with my answer.

“So, did you go to the auction?”

“Yes. It was a wonderful experience.”

“I see. You should have bought a piece yourself, Espin. You never know how many works by Melchaski might appear.”

“Haha. They were far too expensive.”

“Well, this piece sold for 250,000 Ritas, didn’t it? Baroness Scunt was reckless. That’s a huge sum given her family’s situation.”

“Two hundred fifty thousand Ritas?”

Haren, who had been listening, exclaimed in surprise.

“How can a single painting cost 250,000 Ritas?”

“It was an unpublished painting by Melchaski.”

“An unpublished painting? Don’t tell me… Is the painting newly hung in our lobby that one?”

“I’m glad my son hasn’t completely forgotten about art. I thought he’d lost all sense of noble refinement since he only works with the knight order these days.”

“How much is the painting in our lobby worth?”

“Haren. Thinking of art only in terms of money is unbecoming of a noble.”

Instead of the Duchess, Flaria answered.

“Two hundred thousand Ritas.”

“Two hundred thousand Ritas?! Mother!”

“Haren, do you know how valuable Melchaski’s paintings are?”

“Valuable? It just looks like a child’s doodle to me.”

Muttering disgruntled words toward the Duchess, Haren continued his meal.

“That painting will become the face of the House of Duke Ameron. It must show our family’s prestige.”

The painting the Duchess expected to become the face of the Ameron family would instead become the cause of her disgrace.

Because society believed that nobles who were scammed were at fault for being foolish, when it was later revealed that all of Melchaski’s paintings were forgeries, people pointed fingers at the Duchess.

It became the incident that damaged her reputation in high society.

Still, it’s better for the Duchess of Ameron to dominate society than for someone else to do so…

Moreover, the next person to rise to the top of high society would be someone who befriended Countess Leon. That would undoubtedly make Countess Leon unbearably arrogant—and that wouldn’t benefit me in the slightest.

“About that painting… wouldn’t it be a bit early to display it publicly?”

“What did you say?”

“Rather than hanging Melchaski’s painting immediately as if to boast… how about displaying it only temporarily on a certain day? As if to say, ‘We don’t particularly treasure such a painting; we simply hung it to suit the atmosphere of the banquet.’ Wouldn’t that better elevate the dignity of the House of Duke Ameron?”

“She’s right. Honestly, that painting doesn’t match the atmosphere of the residence at all. The overall color scheme clashes badly.”

As if she’d been waiting for this, Flaria chimed in. It seemed she hadn’t liked the painting to begin with.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. After all, everyone already knows—at least vaguely—that the Duchess of Ameron won Melchaski’s painting at auction. Wouldn’t hiding it away instead of showing it off spark people’s curiosity even more?”

The Duchess nodded at my words.

“Very well. That’s a good idea. Butler, remove the painting immediately and put the original one back up.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Espin. You’re more thoughtful than I expected.”

“Not at all. I still have a long way to go before I can measure up to you, Duchess.”

“There’s no need to be so modest. You’ll become a truly splendid noble someday. Come to think of it, the imperial banquet is soon, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Espin. Do you have a partner?”

“Ah, well…”

“She does! And he’s impressive!”

Haren’s excited voice echoed through the dining room.

“Haren, why are you acting like that… could it be? I approve.”

“Approve of what?” I asked.

“Of Haren and Espin becoming partners. I had some preconceptions since you often spend time with Flaria… but after speaking with you like this, I see you’ve become a very fine lady.”

“What are you talking about? Espin’s partner is the commander.”

“The commander? You mean Grand Duke Holt?”

“Yes. Espin is—”

“Haren.”

I cut him off before he could spread yet another strange rumor.

“Don’t say unnecessary things.”

“Unnecessary? It’s the truth.”

“Anyway, Haren, who are you taking with you?”

“Obviously, I’m going with Flaria.”

“What do you mean?! Flaria is supposed to go with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“No. I’m going with Haren.”

When Flaria stepped forward and said she would go with Haren, the Duchess pressed her fingers to her temple.

“Children who need to get married, behaving like this… you’re giving me a headache.”

“Are you all right?”

“If only my children were even half as much like you, Espin.”

Just as the Duchess was rubbing her head in frustration, the butler—who had gone to change the painting—came running back.

“My lady! The Duke has arrived!”

“Why all this commotion, Butler? What about the painting?”

“The painting has been changed, but… that’s not the problem.”

Seeing the butler’s pale, flustered expression—

It seemed the events of the novel were finally beginning.