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Chapter 60
Why Do You Think I Did It?
June 28, 2022
I toyed with Princess Diana’s invitation.
A luxurious invitation stamped with the Royal Seal of the Royaume. The invitation itself signified I would be treated as an honored guest.
I watched Petricia brushing my hair on the other side of the mirror and asked,
“Petricia, no reply yet, right?”
“No. It seems nobody expected Madam to refuse.”
“They rarely refuse an invitation from the Royaume.”
But I had refused that invitation.
Politely, with no room for complaint.
“That’s the household of Miryu’s fiancé,” I thought.
I had lied to my close friend Lady Nadia, so it was obvious they’d spread odd rumors there too.
“I don’t have a hobby of buying trouble for myself.”
It didn’t seem like anything good would come of going.
“By the way, what about that thing I asked you to check?” I asked.
“Oh, you mean Miss Miryu Jouti. I’ve confirmed the names of the people she met at that time, so you should receive an answer soon.”
The moment I heard about Miryu, I started gathering information.
‘I heard an adopted child of the Libertan household bullied a gentle, weak family girl.’
‘I heard they committed all sorts of crimes and even threatened the family name.’
‘That girl was deeply wounded by that adoptee.’
At first all I could find were rumors, vague and floating.
‘I need to confirm Miryu actually said that.’
So I asked Petricia, who knew the social scene well, to find out.
“I will devote my life to perfectly executing Madam’s orders.”
“…there’s no need for that.”
“Then I’ll devote my soul to carry it out.”
Petricia’s teal eyes shone with solemnity.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected much when I asked Petricia; I had also asked Erich and Betty. But Petricia seemed different.
‘Will you forgive me now?’
Petricia apologized at length, and I let her serve me to calm her down.
That’s also why Petricia was brushing my hair today. Her hands moved oddly as she smoothed my long platinum hair.
‘Her face is frighteningly expressionless.’
Every so often she would hum a little tune and then stop.
‘The more I know her, the stranger she becomes.’
Petricia braided my hair in a zigzag and decorated it with a rose.
“I lightly styled you to suit today’s event. Do you like it?”
“This is the first time I’ve been braided like this — it’s very pretty.”
Petricia nodded without expression.
Watching Petricia’s ever-same face made me feel oddly like laughing.
Today I visited Madame Morse’s salon.
‘It’s pretty sizable.’
This was the salon of Lady Nadia’s mother, whom I’d met at a united kingdoms’ party — and the gathering was held here today.
Salon gatherings were a required step for entering high society.
You made acquaintances and strengthened ties with society people at salons. You could only enter by invitation, and territories and cliques could be a problem, but still—
‘Nadia owes me for that last party — she’ll likely do me a favor.’
In many respects the situation was quite favorable.
On hearing I’d arrived, Lady Nadia came out to greet me with her mother.
“Hello, Duchess Blanchet,” Nadia said. “This is my mother.”
“How do you do? I’m Sistina Morse from Dephep,” her mother said.
Madame Morse was an elegant lady who looked exactly like Nadia. She sighed lightly while looking at Nadia.
“I heard at the last party my daughter behaved rudely to you. Thank you again for your forbearance.”
“Oh no, it’s already forgotten.”
Gratitude flashed across Madame Morse’s face.
“You’re new to the salon today, aren’t you? May I introduce you to the others?”
That was why I’d come — of course.
Madame Morse gracefully introduced the salon attendees.
‘There are more people than I expected.’
The atmosphere at the Morse salon was as relaxed as I’d heard.
People of various ages and genders had gathered without much restriction.
Madame Morse introduced everyone in turn. People blinked as if surprised to see my face.
‘Still, the mood’s pleasant.’
Probably because the host herself had introduced me.
“We’ll all have tea shortly and discuss a new topic,” Madame Morse said. “Since this is your first meeting, please enjoy yourself.”
At that moment I saw an unwanted silhouette on the second floor.
‘Short silver hair?’
From body type to hairstyle, his profile was exactly the same.
‘Why is Liandro Felsis here…?’
I asked Madame Morse.
“Does Young Master Felsis come to these meetings often?”
“Not usually. He’s here to attend on behalf of the Marchioness Felsis, who’s a member.”
That was a relief.
This was a light gathering anyway; after the discussion we could go home.
‘There are enough people here who would back me if needed.’
It felt unfair to miss a good opportunity because of Liandro.
‘Let’s pretend not to notice and ignore him.’
Perhaps sensing my odd mood, Madame Morse stayed on the first floor and continued introducing other guests instead of going upstairs.
Thankfully I didn’t encounter Liandro before the discussion time.
Just as Madame Morse was about to introduce the discussion topic — ancient myths — a salon guard rushed to her.
“Madame, you must go outside.”
The guard whispered to Madame Morse. Her face paled slightly.
“…so suddenly?”
“Yes. It’s an urgent matter; they said they could not notify in advance.”
“No matter how urgent—”
Bang—!
A woman burst in.
“I will personally explain the situation to Madame Morse. Once she hears my circumstances she’ll understand.”
She had the Royaume’s characteristic brown skin and chocolate hair tied in a ponytail.
‘Princess Diana?’
I had memorized her general appearance and recognized her at once.
‘She even received a knighthood…’
Princess Diana gave off the air of a wild mare running across a field. Madame Morse spoke to her in an annoyed voice.
“Princess of the Royaume, you cannot enter my salon without my permission.”
Diana bowed with a sharp smile.
“Sorry, Madame Morse. I had an urgent matter and couldn’t delay.”
“At my salon meeting?”
“Yes. Specifically—”
Diana’s bright crimson eyes swept the room and stopped.
They fixed on me.
“You were hiding there.”
Diana muttered, almost chewing the words.
“Sister-in-law, come in. As I thought, you were avoiding things and living comfortably!”
“Diana, don’t make a fuss.”
Diana’s entourage entered through the open door.
Long chestnut hair, fair skin and pale hazel eyes.
A fragile-looking body, delicate features, and a single gold ring hung at her neck.
At first I didn’t recognize her right away.
‘Miryu Jouti?’
She had changed completely.
“There’s a danger of inconveniencing others if you cause a scene.”
Her eyes were downcast; she forced a sad smile and spoke in a deliberately composed voice.
‘Why does this feel awkward?’
Miryu had shown only a meek demeanor in front of the Libertan household people, but this was far too different from that time.
‘She looks like she’s wearing the wrong clothes for her.’
Miryu flinched the moment she noticed me.
“…Estelle.”
“Don’t worry, sister-in-law. Trust me.”
Diana strode up to me and scowled as she scanned me from head to toe.
“Hello, Duchess Blanchet. I’m Diana Royaume. Don’t you have anything to say to my new sister-in-law?”
“Well… this is so sudden…”
I still hadn’t fully grasped Miryu’s situation.
‘Answering hastily will complicate things.’
Feigning ignorance, I asked Diana, “I don’t even know what this is about. Is something wrong?”
“You really mean that?” Diana snapped, pulling Miryu close.
“How can you say such things even when Miryu is right here?”
Miryu’s breathing shook as if she was holding back tears. Her eyes trembled.
“Es—Estelle. It’s good to see you.”
“Miryu, say something. You’re pretending not to know anything!”
I was curious what Miryu would say.
But Miryu didn’t meet Diana’s expectations.
She nervously fidgeted with the yellow ribbon at her throat and grabbed Diana’s arm, voice trembling.
“…Diana, stop. This seems meaningless.”
“Miryu, you’re still scarred in your heart.”
Diana, indignant, looked at me as if I were ludicrous.
“Are you going to pretend you don’t know even with Miryu in front of you? As a noblewoman, you must understand how severe such scars are…”
“Scars?”
“Yes — scars!”
Diana, holding Miryu, shouted as if in outrage.
“You’re the one who slashed Miryu’s throat with a knife!”
“……”
“That scar prevents her from going outside unless she hides her neck. How can you not offer even a single apology!”
Diana’s angry voice echoed in the quiet salon.
People who hadn’t made a sound began whispering. Miryu, trembling, gripped the ribbon at her throat.
“Estelle, I don’t ask for much.”
Miryu finally found courage and spoke.
“If you sincerely apologize for what happened back then, I can forget everything.”
A clear tear trembled at the corner of Miryu’s eye.
“If you feel even a little remorse toward me—”
“Sorry.”
Miryu widened her eyes in surprise.
“…You said sorry?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had such sorrow.”
Everyone was shocked at my quick apology and fell silent. They must have expected me to either rage or brazenly deny it.
But I couldn’t do that.
‘The narrative has already made me the perpetrator.’
Even if I insist on my innocence without evidence, I’d only make a fool of myself.
‘First, rile the other side.’
Diana, stunned, snapped at me.
“You think a mere verbal apology in front of people will suffice? Do you think such a trick will work?”
“What else should I do?”
“There’s no sign you reflect on your wrongdoing. Do you think Miryu came here just so you could give that kind of apology!”
Diana advanced on me as if to threaten. Her voice grew louder, as if my mere sitting there irritated her.
“Confess everything you did! What did you do to Miryu! Spill it all and apologize!”
“……”
“Why did you apologize earlier but refuse to say that now?”
Diana smirked like she’d caught something. I asked calmly,
“What wrong do you think I committed?”
“Ha! So you finally show your true colors. I knew it.”
Diana patted Miryu’s shoulder tenderly.
“Please, sister-in-law, summon a little more courage. Show everyone how awful that person was!”
Miryu clenched the ribbon with delicate fingertips.
“But Estelle already had the courage to apologize—”
The ribbon around Miryu’s throat loosened.
On the skin, faintly appearing where the ribbon slid back, a crude wound like a knife cut subtly showed itself.
“That scar, it really is—”
“That rumor that the Duchess Blanchet did it—”
The moment I saw that scar, I blinked widely.
‘Wait a minute.’
The uneasy feeling that had been nagging me clicked into place.
‘So that’s what happened?’
Miryu couldn’t undo the ribbon fully and kept covering her neck as she wailed. Diana held Miryu and cried out.
“Try to look at this scar and tell me you don’t know what you did!”
At that moment a man stepped through the crowd and knelt before Miryu.
“Miss Jouti, what exactly happened?” It was Liandro.
Liandro examined Miryu’s scar with a grave expression.
‘That’s a deep slash, plainly visible.’
A wound that severe suggested an intent to kill.
‘Such cruelty since the past…’
Liandro felt sickened by the viciousness.
While the victim Miryu cried, I looked on impassively.
With my rose-decorated pink platinum hair and all.
Liandro addressed me.
“Duchess Blanchet, apologize to Miss Jouti at once.”
“Wasn’t that what I just did?”
“This is not the time for your wordplay. Do you have no basic human decency?”
“How odd,” I said, tilting my head slightly at Miryu.
“Why would you think my apology isn’t sincere?”
“Because it was a perfunctory apology without true remorse for that scar—”
“But I didn’t make that scar.”
A hush fell over the salon.
“Why do you think I did it?”
At that moment people realized they’d been listening to Diana’s accusations one-sidedly.
Diana reacted harshly.
“So now you make excuses because your apology didn’t work.”
“I’m sorry, but my apology wasn’t about that scar.”
“What did you say?”
“That’s something I need to tell Miryu.”
I moved closer, as if comforting Miryu, and murmured in her ear.
“That gold ring suits you.”
Miryu didn’t understand and tried to let it pass, so I added casually as if moving on.
“Your mother would be pleased to see it.”
At once Miryu’s lips tightened subtly.
“……”
“I’m relieved, Miryu! I wasn’t sure if you would keep this secret between the two of you.”
I stepped back with a gentle smile, as if I hadn’t heard Miryu’s words.
“You really are kind. Then and now.”
Liandro raised one eyebrow and asked,
“What trick are you trying this time?”
“Trick?”
I gently adjusted Miryu’s ribbon, stiff with tension.
“I’ll explain because you all misunderstand. What I meant to say—”
“Wait!”
Miryu cried out with a white face.
“No matter how I think about it, I think I should stop being here.”
Miryu pulled the ribbon tighter as she forced a smile.
“I think there might have been some misunderstanding between Estelle and me…”
Diana scrunched her face in fury and glared at me.
“Sister-in-law, what are you afraid of? That woman threatened Miryu, right?”
“There’s no way I would do such a terrifying thing.”
I looked at Miryu, upset as if hurt.
“What do you think, Miryu?”
My eyes went to the gold ring at her throat.
‘Only I can see it, but—’
At first I thought it was just a necklace Miryu had worn, but while she untied the ribbon I noticed the gold ring didn’t wobble the way it should; it was oddly steady.
‘That ring isn’t actually real.’
It was visible only to me, a fairy.
‘And that ring—’
It must be the secret Miryu wanted most to hide.
“Your gold—”
“Diana, please go! I’m so tired…”
Diana looked at Miryu incredulously.
“Sister-in-law, we mustered up the courage to get this far. Why would you suddenly hide again?”
