Chapter 13:

If she said that, it meant she already knew that I had broken off my engagement.

I quietly looked at the woman who had spoken.

Yes, I knew her.

“Viscountess Poire.”

My relationship with her was a little complicated.

On the surface, she had nothing to do with me or the Otreha family.

But because I had lived through my previous life, I knew something.

Her older brother’s family had invested in the Oker Merchant Company.

And I had been one of Oker’s investments.

Pascal Oker’s plan was to marry a noblewoman like me, gain an advantage in the capital’s merchant world, and eventually dominate the business community.

Now that his plan had fallen apart, she probably disliked me.

“There was a marriage proposal, but it didn’t work out.”

“Oh, Lady Otreha. I’m glad you came to the flower gathering. The garden is so beautiful that even flowers that have fallen from their branches don’t ruin the scenery here.”

A few women around us laughed.

“What happened with the Oker family? I heard the head of the merchant company even went through the trouble of decorating your old baronial family tree with gold because he wanted to marry you.”

I smiled sweetly at her.

“Thanks to that, I was lucky enough to discover a rotten fruit before I ate it. It looked beautiful on the outside, but inside, worms had already eaten it and new sprouts were growing.”

The noblewomen watching our little battle became interested.

I calmly smelled the flowers blooming on a nearby tree and continued.

“He was a very hardworking man who had already prepared to continue his family line before even getting married. Unfortunately, that was more than I could handle, so I politely refused.”

“If you care so much about the Oker Merchant Company, perhaps you should find him another bride.”

Viscountess Poire frowned and covered her mouth.

Apparently, she hadn’t known that Pascal had a pregnant lover.

One of the women, who didn’t understand the situation, suddenly said in surprise,

“Oh my. Is having illegitimate children becoming fashionable among young people these days?”

A terrible silence fell.

Everyone realized that her comment also included the rumor about the Duke of Voltane.

The woman who had spoken looked around nervously and quickly shut her mouth.

Countess Chastang broke the silence with her cold voice.

“An illegitimate child… You mean the rumor that has been spreading through the dress shops in the capital?”

“That Duke Voltane has been carrying around some mysterious child and acting like a lady’s escort?”

Countess Chastang’s sharp eyes moved to the green jewel around my neck.

“Lady Otreha, I hear you’ve been spending quite a lot of time with the Duke of Voltane lately.”

“Have you actually met the main character of that ridiculous little play?”

My mood suddenly became much worse.

I thought of Lucian’s adorable face.

That innocent and lovely child should never have become the subject of such vulgar gossip.

Who dared to talk about him like that?

“I don’t know about anything else.”

I carefully continued speaking in a slow, elegant voice.

“But I do know that His Grace loves that child very much.”

“If someone were to discuss the child’s birth in front of him…”

“I think he might consider it a challenge to the honor of the Voltane family.”

“Hah!”

A sharp voice came from among the women.

“Whether that child carries the Voltane blood or belongs to some other vulgar man will become clear soon enough.”

“Exactly. Who could trust the purity of a woman who had a child without getting married?”

“Besides, the current Duke of Voltane is known for his strange behavior. He suddenly entered the Magic Tower because he wanted to become a mage…”

“Why does the royal family even value someone like him?”

Viscountess Poire followed the conversation carefully before turning her eyes toward me.

“Oh. Come to think of it, isn’t Lady Otreha a mage too?”

So she was going to attack me with that.

In noble society, magic was often considered a low and disgraceful profession that insulted the divine.

This was an attack I couldn’t avoid.

Among the nobles, mages were considered lower-class people.

Magic was dirty, difficult work, and some even considered it blasphemous.

But I liked being a mage.

If I hadn’t become a mage, how could I have escaped that marriage?

That alone made becoming a mage worthwhile.

“Yes. I am a certified mage from the Magic Tower.”

“They taught us there to look at what is inside, rather than judging someone by their outer shell.”

“And I am proud of it.”

“Ah, I see.”

Viscountess Poire smiled as if she had found her opportunity.

She gently tapped the corner of her mouth with her handkerchief.

“I was wondering why, no matter how many beautiful jewels you wear, you still smell like dirt.”

“Your family tree certainly seems to be becoming quite colorful.”

“Viscountess Poire.”

Countess Chastang’s voice immediately silenced the room.

“Mages certainly have dirty and difficult work.”

“But they also have the honor of joining the Knights Order without being knights themselves.”

“Do not forget that.”

Her voice was cold as ice.

“Unless you intend to insult my sons, who are hunting monsters outside the peaceful walls of the capital.”

I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

There was a reason Countess Chastang had such enormous authority in the capital.

Her family owned the Behemoth Knights Order, which hunted monsters.

Her husband and two sons were also honorable knights who personally went out to hunt monsters to set an example.

And they fought alongside mages from the Knights Order.

Viscountess Poire’s face instantly turned pale.

She hurriedly apologized.

“Countess Chastang, I didn’t mean it that way…”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“Do not come to my estate again until you receive another invitation.”

Countess Chastang still had a cold, frightening gaze as she turned toward me.

“Lady Otreha. I’m sorry you had to experience something unpleasant today.”

“Not at all.”

“I’m actually very happy that I got to see your famous glass greenhouse for myself.”

“No. Still, this wasn’t right.”

She gently raised her fan.

Several maids carrying small boxes approached us.

They took me to a small side room and put a new set of earrings and a necklace on me.

They were made of slightly pink pearls and diamonds.

Anyone could tell they were extremely expensive.

I came out of the room looking confused, followed by the maids carrying the boxes.

When the countess saw me, her expression softened slightly.

“Yes. These pearls suit Lady Otreha much better.”

“Today, you will leave wearing something chosen by Countess Chastang.”

“I’ll have your previous jewelry sent to your carriage.”

“Countess, this is far too generous…”

“Refusing an older person’s kindness is also against proper etiquette.”

Countess Chastang then raised her voice toward Viscountess Poire and the other women, who were staring at us in complete shock.

“There are far too many people here who don’t know how to appreciate flowers.”

“If you have no intention of enjoying them, you should leave.”

At Countess Chastang’s command, the noblewomen quickly scattered.

I touched the necklace around my neck, still feeling confused.

Countess Chastang watched me for a moment before coming closer and quietly whispering,

“Lady Otreha.”

“I didn’t help you simply because you’re pretty.”

I froze and looked at her.

Countess Chastang was a true noblewoman with almost no expression on her face.

I had no way of knowing what she was thinking.

“My second son seems to have something to thank you for.”

“I’ll invite you again soon.”

The countess calmly turned away.

Suddenly, the pearl necklace around my neck felt as heavy as a lump of lead.

Countess Chastang’s second son?

“…Who is that?”