EWGEW 03

Chapter 03

Camilla walked forward one step at a time.

Her purple hair and almost unnaturally white skin were captivating, but by far the most beautiful feature was her pale pink eyes.

The pearl ornaments placed in her hair shone elegantly under the sunlight. Perhaps because Camilla was wearing a black dress, the pearls stood out even more brightly.

Every time she walked, the hem of her black skirt moved softly.

The black dress only revealed the area below her collarbone, but it emphasized the line of her waist, giving her an elegant yet slightly alluring appearance.

The black dress made Camilla’s skin look even whiter.

And her languid smile.

All of it combined to create a strange atmosphere.

When she appeared at the tea party, Tielin stopped speaking and slightly opened her mouth.

She could not say anything.

After all, the person she had been badmouthing moments ago was standing right behind her.

Tielin belatedly composed her expression and lowered her head.

She was a provincial noble, so even if the person before her was the very Camilla she had been insulting, she still had to bow her head.

Her heart seemed to be pounding loudly.

Looking down at Tielin, Camilla smiled, her eyes curving softly.

“There was something I had to take care of at home, so I was a little late. I’m sorry, everyone.”

When she spoke in a sweet voice, the noble ladies and young ladies sitting at the table welcomed Camilla with bright smiles.

Although they smiled casually, each of them secretly examined Camilla’s expression.

Had she simply ignored what they had been talking about?

Camilla looked completely relaxed.

Not even her complexion had changed.

Seeing her like that, the noble ladies and young ladies looked slightly awkward.

The subject of the ‘rumor’ they had just been discussing had appeared right in front of them.

Talking so openly about gossip like this was not fitting for noble dignity, so they could not help but feel embarrassed.

Noticing their reactions, Camilla smiled brightly.

“Am I too late? I’m so sorry.”

Seeing that smile, the noble ladies and young ladies quietly exchanged glances before laughing naturally as if nothing had happened.

“No, Lady Elkacist. What are you saying? We heard through the servants that you would be arriving late.”

“It’s nice to see you, Lady Elkacist.”

“Please, come and sit down.”

Perhaps trying to make up for their earlier awkwardness, they warmly welcomed Camilla.

Everyone except Tielin.

Tielin was smiling carefully, but her smile was clearly different from the smiles of the others.

“Oh my, thank you for welcoming me so warmly.”

As if returning everyone’s welcome, Camilla smiled softly once again and sat beside Tielin.

“Hello, Lady Barotien. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

When Camilla’s eyes curved beautifully, Tielin’s stiff expression slowly relaxed.

‘Just as I thought. What an idiot. She can’t even say what she wants to say.’

Swallowing those words, Tielin nodded with a polite smile.

“H-hello, Lady Elkacist.”

When Tielin greeted her in a slightly quiet voice, Camilla nodded in response.

Tielin was completely relieved.

After all, this was a woman who could not even make use of what she had in her hands.

Even after hearing someone accuse her right in front of her of not valuing her family as a noble should, she could not even properly defend herself.

So Tielin smiled even more innocently.

Then—

Camilla smiled brightly and spoke to Tielin.

“Why don’t you continue what you were saying earlier?”

Camilla slowly leaned back in her chair.

Tielin blinked in surprise and hurriedly opened her mouth.

“Y-yes?”

“I said you should continue talking.”

While drinking the tea brought by the servant who had followed her, Camilla spoke in a languid tone.

“Ah, no, Lady Elkacist. I, I mean—”

“You always enjoyed talking behind my back, didn’t you? Just like today.”

As she said that, Camilla smiled even more brightly.

Then she added a few words.

“Lady Barotien, when you say things like that, it hurts my feelings. Even if you are not a central noble and did not know that Lord Attoni already had a fiancée… I told you that he was my fiancé and that it would hurt me.”

The noble ladies and young ladies let out sympathetic murmurs at what was happening before their eyes.

Camilla looked at Tielin and covered her face with her fan.

As if she was too sad to show her face.

However, the peacock feathers attached to the end of the fan swayed leisurely.

Just like Camilla’s current feelings.

‘Indeed. Why didn’t she know that if she wanted to hurt someone else, she would have to get hurt herself?’

What an idiot.

Thinking that to herself, Camilla swallowed the words she wanted to say.

She wanted to smile brightly, but here she had to be the tragic heroine.

Tielin’s face had turned pale.

‘Who would have thought that talking behind someone’s back would turn into talking to their face?’

Seeing her expression, Camilla forced her eyes into a smiling curve.

Because Tielin had been moving around subtly and adding to the rumors, it had been difficult to catch her in the act.

But seeing her like this right before her eyes was rather entertaining.

Camilla smiled and leaned a little closer toward Tielin.

Then she lowered her voice as if sharing a secret.

But she spoke loudly enough for everyone sitting at the table to hear.

“I didn’t go into detail because I was thinking about your honor, Lady Barotien. But if you act like this, you hurt my feelings.”

“L-Lady Elkacist, that’s not what I—”

Even after being caught spreading rumors, Tielin could only say things to avoid taking responsibility.

For a moment, Camilla’s expression hardened.

More precisely, the polite smile she had been wearing disappeared, replaced by a clear sneer.

Only Tielin, who was sitting close to her, could see the change.

Tielin’s body trembled at the sudden change in atmosphere.

“Do I need to tell you that you were also there when the ice water was poured over them before you will finally shut that mouth?”

At those words, the young ladies and noblewomen began murmuring quietly.

“Lady Elkacist…”

“My goodness.”

“Could it be that Lady Barotien…”

Their whispered voices continued.

Their suspicions about Tielin were slowly turning into certainty.

At that definite accusation, Tielin’s face turned white.

“Lady Barotien, you know what? I actually have a very bad opinion of people who cheat. I don’t even consider them human.”

The other noble ladies and young ladies looked at Camilla and Tielin with curious eyes.

There probably would not be a more exciting piece of gossip in the social circle this year.

The eyes of the married ladies and unmarried young ladies attending the gathering sparkled.

Like hyenas watching their prey.

“L-Lady Elkacist.”

Tielin’s lips stiffened slightly, but she still immediately put on a pitiful smile.

But why was the corner of Tielin’s mouth, and even her slender shoulders, still trembling so delicately?

Almost as if she were trying to provoke sympathy.

Looking at Tielin, Camilla’s eyes curved as she smiled even more softly.

She closed her fan and slowly moved it to her other hand.

Then she spoke leisurely.

“That’s right? Lady Barotien, bark for me. Woof, woof.”

Tielin’s eyes flew open.

Her lips were slightly parted in confusion.

“What?”

The end of her confused voice trembled faintly.

At Tielin’s question, Camilla whispered in a low voice.

“You’re not human, after all. Right?”

With a smile, Camilla calmly drove in the final blow.

Tielin’s face turned completely white.

The meaning of those words was far too clear.

There was now no way for her to escape.

‘So the ‘mistress’ of Young Master Rabelsk was Tielin Barotien?’

The noble ladies and young ladies exchanged glances.

Their eyes were filled with laughter.

Laughter that was almost mockery.

By tomorrow, or within a week at the latest, this story would spread throughout high society.

Camilla looked down at Tielin leisurely, her expression gentle.

Her pink lips curved softly upward.

The warm sunlight of midday shone down on them.

The pearls decorating Camilla’s hair and the jewels that gave off a dazzling glow sparkled brightly.

Very brilliantly.

A pleasant breeze carrying the scent of grass blew through the wide garden where the tea party was being held.

“M-Miss Yuelan!”

After the tea party ended, Tielin hurriedly grabbed the young lady walking ahead of her.

The reason Tielin had been able to attend this tea party was entirely thanks to her.

Yuelan had enough influence to attend the prestigious tea parties hosted by Lady Desty, having been invited to them for a long time.

The reason Tielin, who was not a central noble, had been able to attend this tea party was because Yuelan had recommended her.

If Yuelan had not introduced her, she would never have received Lady Desty’s invitation.

When Yuelan saw Tielin, she suddenly stopped and turned around.

“Why?”

Yuelan looked at Tielin with a slight smile.

Tielin approached Yuelan with a somewhat pitiful expression.

She hoped this expression would help her.

Yuelan was an essential connection for her.

At that moment, Yuelan slightly frowned.

But Tielin failed to notice.

She was simply too relieved that Yuelan had not turned her away.

“I, um—”

“Stop.”

Yuelan snapped open her fan and covered her face as if refusing her.

Her eyes were smiling beautifully, but the mouth hidden beneath the fan was stiff.

The fan between them seemed almost like Yuelan was pushing Tielin away.

Tielin’s expression stiffened slightly.

“-Just as Lady Camilla said…”

“Lady, that’s not me! I mean— I, I can explain everything—!”

Tielin hurriedly shouted at Yuelan’s calm words.

But Yuelan smiled even more brilliantly and said,

“I don’t have a hobby of listening to the words of beasts.”

After saying that, Yuelan gave a small, elegant bow and walked toward the young ladies who were waiting for her.

At that moment, Tielin clearly understood.

They had completely turned their backs on her.

‘It’s over.’

Why?

She had done everything she could.

Tielin had checked the entire list of people attending the tea party today.

There had been no name like Camilla anywhere on it.

Blood vessels stood out in Tielin’s eyes.

She felt wronged.

Far too wronged.

“Ah, really, her expression was so funny! That Tielin, that a-annoying woman! Her expression was just priceless!”

Lesilia, whose red hair was braided and pinned up, laughed brilliantly.

It was completely different from the smile she had worn at the tea party earlier.

This was an honest laugh without any pretense.

Lesilia acted very casually with the person she was speaking to, as if they were quite close.

And there was a reason for that.

The person sitting before her was her ally.

After laughing for a while, Lesilia finally stopped.

Instead, she looked ahead with an interested expression.

“So, what do you think?”

While drinking the tea in front of her, Lesilia smiled again.

Before the person in front of her could even put down her teacup, Lesilia spoke once more.

“You planned this whole thing, didn’t you, Lady Camilla?”