Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Yes, it was them again. At this point, I had to wonder if they actually liked me. The way they followed me everywhere I went suggested as much. Weren’t they just like little boys desperately trying to show their interest? If we ran into each other much more, I felt like we’d start getting attached.

‘’They’re probably going to say I had the nerve to show my face somewhere like this, right?’’

I cut a piece of strawberry-topped cake and put it in my mouth as I watched them. I simply waited for the words I expected to come out of their mouths.

“Oh my, who is this? You have some nerve, showing your face so brazenly at Her Highness the Imperial Princess’s tea party!”

Wow… she nailed it. How does she never miss a single guess?

“You know her?”

A woman sitting at the same table turned to the Three Musketeers with a puzzled look. A birdlike young lady nodded in response.

“Ahem—you don’t know, do you? This is the secretary of House Cuvershaiden. Just an employee there.”

“Ah, so that’s the one I’ve heard rumors about!”

Huh? That one?

It sounded as if she already knew me. But for the life of me, I couldn’t think of any gossip-worthy topic about the Cuvershaiden secretary. A tangle of questions knotted in my mind. Yet with cake still sitting in my mouth, I couldn’t even muster the composure to ask.

“What do you mean by that?”

And before I could reply, the birdlike woman piped up first, speaking for me.

“She’s the one who came as the Duke’s partner to the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet—and the Hunt Festival too. There’s been so much chatter about who got that seat beside him!”

Her eyes sparkled as she answered, as if thrilled to face the truth behind the rumors. The Three Musketeers’ faces, meanwhile, were sour as vinegar. Ah… I found them rather amusing. I quickly swallowed my cake and opened my mouth with a swagger.

“Yes! That’s me! Word’s already spread about my relationship with the Duke, huh? I’m flattered.”

Truth be told, things between us had only just started recently. But what did that matter? I wanted to see these spiteful girls boil with rage.

“W-What did you say?!”

One of the Three Musketeers cried out, furious. Her shrill yell, from a woman who’d been sitting there with a prim, demure face, made me jump so hard I nearly flew out of my seat.

“Huh? W-What is it…?”

For a moment, my whole body shrank in surprise. I answered in a shrinking voice. The woman with long black hair had her pretty face flushed crimson. Even tears had welled up in her eyes. Good grief, anyone would think I’d been bullying her.

“Oh, please—don’t say such strange things!”

And just then, the birdlike woman barged into our conversation and shouted. She patted her friend’s shoulder a couple of times, then glared at me with a fierce gaze.

“Fine, maybe she came as a partner because she’s the secretary. But ‘relationship’? Don’t use that word like there’s something special between you! It’s just employer and employee!”

The women at the same table all turned to look at me as her words continued. Their eyes seemed to demand an explanation. If I let it slide, I’d clearly be the one who looked strange. Besides, that black-haired woman seemed to like the Duke. So, a bit spiteful as it was, I needed to warn her not to covet my man.

After taking a moment to compose myself, I tilted my body askew. Then, wearing an expression anyone would call arrogant, I propped my chin on my hand.

“It *is* a special relationship, you know?”

“What did you say?”

“Mm… Want me to say it again? The Duke and I—we have a special relationship.”

“…….”

“Guess this kind of thing hasn’t spread as a rumor yet? Well then, you should start spreading it for me.”

But the moment I actually said it, I felt terribly embarrassed. I could feel my face burning hot. Still, I forced myself to keep an expression like nothing was wrong.

“Oh my, does that mean you two are lovers now? It’s just like a novel I read yesterday!”

The woman who had been watching me with sparkling eyes clasped her hands together as she asked. For some reason, she seemed to find the story about me and the Duke *fascinating*, just like the ladies-in-waiting back at Cuvershaiden.

“Yes, that’s right.”

I masked my embarrassment with a front of shamelessness. Then, I casually lifted my eyes to check the Three Musketeers’ reactions. I met the gaze of the black-haired woman, whose pupils were shaking as if she couldn’t believe it.

‘Hey, what are you looking at me like that for?’

I couldn’t let her *win*, so I furrowed my brow for a split second. Soon, a sharp-edged woman’s voice sliced through the air at my ear.

“It seems the Duke is just humoring you, after all. So don’t go getting delusions.”

Her words were absurd. That woman was being overly emotional right now, completely unable to rein herself in. And I was starting to get angry myself. Honestly, not many people could stay calm after hearing something like that. That was exactly why words spilled from my mouth without thought. I stared straight at her, twisting my lips in irritation.

“I’m sure you *don’t* want to believe it, but the Duke says he likes me *too much*! And I don’t know what right you have to pick a fight with me. Anyone would think the three of you were the Duke’s fiancées or something.”

“That’s… quite a stretch.”

The black-haired woman let out a hollow laugh, shaking her head.

“It seems our words make you uncomfortable, and you’re trying to pick a fight over them. I’m sorry if we bothered you. Mm… Lady Highen, was it?”

Then she covered her mouth with her fan and continued speaking, her tone laced with deliberate mockery. I watched her in silence. With a flourish, she rounded her eyes defiantly and added another jab.

“We simply can’t help but feel concerned. Because of you, the Duke’s reputation might suffer. But then again… a Baron’s daughter probably doesn’t care about such things. Though I suppose you might be choking on the Cuvershaiden name. I understand.”

Her attitude radiated such open contempt you could almost see it. The table’s atmosphere turned ice-cold in an instant. The other women fidgeted nervously, darting glances around.

“That’s right. And don’t you act like you’re already engaged. It’s just a passing acquaintance—isn’t it ridiculous to meddle so?”

Then a woman with a birdlike face drove the point home like driving a wedge. For a moment, I felt a searing heat flood my head. And that must be why words slipped out again without a second thought.

“I’m not just a passing person to the Duke. We’ll be engaged soon!”

Fine, I don’t even know anymore. I just refused to lose. Especially to that ‘passing person’ remark—I had to deny it somehow. But once the words left my mouth, I couldn’t help tensing up. I hadn’t lived a spotless life free of lies, but I’d never told one this enormous. Still, I couldn’t crumble here, so I forced a brazen expression.

The Three Musketeers’ flustered faces filled my view. Inside, I felt the same. If someone pressed me on what I’d just said, I’d be in trouble. So I decided I should get up—no, I needed to flee.

“The Duke? You mean Cuvershaiden? He’s getting engaged?”

But then a cheerful voice rang out from behind me. The women seated before me rose in unison, offering greetings to its owner.

“We greet the Imperial Princess.”

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

Whoever had approached from behind must be Princess Enshania, who’d hosted this tea party. I tried to rise to show her respect, but she pressed firmly on my shoulder, keeping me in place.

“Stay seated. I have many questions, so let’s skip the formalities.”

The Princess circled around and sat down at the table, then stared intently at my face. Her amber eyes, a mirror of the Emperor’s, seemed to bore straight into me.

“Hmm~ The Duke must like cute things.”

She let out a light laugh, as if murmuring to herself. There was a sharp-edged charisma in the way she carried herself. Her impression was nothing short of benevolent, yet it carried the ease of someone seated higher than most.

“What a shame! I like cute things too.”

Her words, tossed off with a chuckle, left me unable to grasp what the right response would be. So I chewed my lip and just blinked my eyes. Then, suddenly, I remembered the lie I’d told, and my stomach dropped. If it had been any other noble, I could have muddled through with some vague excuse. But a lie to a member of the imperial house? That wasn’t something I’d be forgiven for.

“Your Imperial Highness… actually, about that.”

So if I was going to confess, it had to be now. This place was packed with all the women from the tea party, so humiliating myself was a given, but I couldn’t help it.

“Oh? What brings you all the way here? Come to pick up your fiancé?”

But before I could even get a word out, the Imperial Princess spotted someone and started waving her hand. I turned abruptly to follow her gaze and saw the Duke approaching us.

“My fiancé, you say?”

The Duke, now close by, asked her with a puzzled look.

“She said she’s going to get engaged, didn’t she? This young lady here.”

The Imperial Princess placed both hands on my shoulders and replied. The Duke, without answering, surveyed the scene around us. I could only squeeze my eyes shut and silently wring out tears in my heart.

Good heavens, why did the Duke have to show up here? He must have been taken aback by that unapproved engagement talk. Maybe he was even disappointed in me. But I couldn’t take back what I’d already said. I was so utterly mortified I couldn’t speak. Goodbye, world. Laura Highen departs by death from shame! Or maybe I’ll die for lying to the imperial family! My beloved siblings, you live well without me.

But that train of thought only lasted a moment. Beyond my tightly shut eyelids, an answer I never expected reached my ears.

“Yes. It’ll be soon.”