***
***
“Should I call Carlz and ask?”
“You can. It’s really nothing.”
She answered calmly.
After a moment of silence, he let out a deep sigh.
“Marion, let me ask you one more time. If anyone has bothered you, please tell me.”
‘What if it was Lady Nanael?”
She struggled to hold back the words that threatened to spill out of her mouth at any second.
She was scared. She was afraid because he was kind, afraid that there was someone he valued more than her.
Victor might look at her like a jealous mistress, and pick up his sword right away to stab her.
The self-esteem that she had grown while living in the Grand Duke’s mansion had long since been shattered.
She forced herself to smile again.
“It really is nothing. It was my first party, so I was a little tired.”
‘Please leave me alone.’
She looked at him, hiding her earnest feelings.
He grabbed her hand and lifted it up with a trembling gaze.
Even though he had a cold expression, he looked pathetic. He rubbed the back of her hand against his cheek.
“Marion, my Marion… Please tell me. Please.”
“Yes?”
“You can do whatever you want. Anything.”
She laughed helplessly.
“I know.”
***
She was depressed every day.
She talked to Lady Catalina when she was there, but she was too busy to socialize every day. Amarion was almost always alone and had to bear insult after insult by herself.
The week passed in slow agony.
And finally, it was the last day of the week.
Today’s venue was Duchess Mülze’s salon. She said that she was hosting a unique southern tea party that allowed both women and men to attend.
At a southern party, the men’s and women’s tables were initially spaced apart, but after their teacups had been emptied three or four times, they came together. It was not necessary to dance with one partner like at a ball, so young aristocrats secretly said that they looked forward to parties like this.
But however they felt, it had nothing to do with her. All she would hear was insults and ridicule.
Still, knowing that today was the end of everything made it bearable. She took a deep breath and stepped into the greenhouse.
The greenhouse was still dazzlingly beautiful. Sunlight poured through thousands of glass panels, and every table was covered with exotic flowers that she had never seen before.
She sent Carltz to the men’s table and stood alone. She couldn’t find Catalina. Instead, she saw other people she didn’t want to see, so she lowered her eyes and avoided their gazes.
She just had to endure today.
She wouldn’t have to hear their insults nor endure this misery after today.
It was the first time in her life that she had endured something for so long.
As she continued to be unresponsive, her bullies became irritated. Even more malignant words could be heard alongside the beautiful scent of flowers.
The guests bowed their heads and scrutinized the beautiful dress she was wearing. It was a white dress that Sumon had ordered at a very high price, saying it would go well with her platinum blonde hair.
The laces and sparkling pearls were gorgeous.
She suddenly remembered her time in Amari.
She had always liked places with lots of people, but she didn’t have the courage to mingle with them. So she always spied on people from a distance, with a sword in hand. At that time, she looked like a wrong piece cut out of a landscape painting. In the past and now, she was destined to be alone.
“…But isn’t that a bit harsh?”
“It’s a shame that she has a relationship with the Grand Duke.”
The sound of gossip broke her thoughts. She raised her head and followed their gazes.
They were looking at Nanael Welch, who was seated like a queen, and her cruel friends. Her voice was too clear.
“A wandering merchant who came to my mansion told me strange stories.”
“Oh my! Tell us!”
“Well, there are witches in the kingdom!”
At Lady Welch’s words, those around her pretended to be surprised.
“Oh my God, I’m scared.”
“I’ve heard that too. The women do magic by burning the bones of monsters, right?”
“That’s right. He said that they feed the ashes to their husbands to control their hearts.”
“Oh my, that’s disgusting.”
Teetering laughter followed.
Lady Welch spoke with trembling blue eyes, as if afraid of being misunderstood.
“But what I heard was even scarier.”
“What was it?”
“The northern part of the kingdom is very, very poor. So the women there seduce men and give up their bodies just to get something to eat.”
“Oh, how terrible!”
“Yeah, that’s how northerners live. The men are like beasts, and the women have no chastity…”
Her mind went blank after hearing those words.
They were insulting Amari.
She didn’t understand. She had lived her whole life in a landscape dominated by logic.
The sword was their means of communication, and rather than hiding the sword behind her, she always drew her weapon openly.
On top of that, she was the heir of Amari. She was a knight that swore to protect.
‘This is my duty.’
Before she could finish her thoughts, her body moved forward.
No one stopped her from pushing through the crowd.
‘Will this be okay? Will it be a nuisance to Victor?’
Her thoughts were engulfed by her pounding heartbeat. It was then that she finally realized.
She was really angry. It had been so long since she had felt this way.
“As you said, you are ignorant because you are not from the North. But I am familiar with the etiquettes of the North.”
The women, who seemed a little startled at her appearance, covered their mouths with fans and giggled.
She exhaled.
“I understand that the Lady has insulted me.”
The smile faded from Nanael’s face.
She lifted her gloved hands to her eyes and pretended to wipe away tears.
“Your highness the Grand Duchess, how could you speak so harshly?”
Amarion glared at her without a word.
She didn’t know what Lady Nanael expected, but where she was from, if you insulted someone you had to be willing to face the consequences.
In the distance, she saw Carlz running towards her.
She spoke quickly before he reached her.
“I am asking Lady Welch to duel for my honor.”
The ladies around them snorted.
“Do you think the Grand Duke’s knight will duel with a Welch knight?”
“Why would someone else fight for me?”
She asked coldly.
Carltz rushed through the crowd and grabbed her arm. She continued regardless.
“I am no ordinary knight, Lady Welch. You have insulted a knight, and you have insulted my land. You must pay the price.”
The ladies’ fanfare stopped.
She turned her back on them.
***
The dueling arena was set up in the backyard.
Those in attendance watched without a single thought. This event was being viewed as a new form of entertainment during the social season.
She was disgusted by the serpentine gazes of the bored nobles.
Carlz, who followed her in a hurry, begged her to stop.
“Madame, no. You can’t duel at a tea party.”
She stood next to him and examined the sword she had been handed. It was a bit heavy, but that didn’t matter.
What bothered her most was her dress. She wanted to cut it short, but she knew exactly how much it had cost. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“Lady!”
Carlz, who was restless, raised his voice. She looked back at him quietly.
“The lady has insulted my land. Do you tolerate insults in the Empire?”
“Of course not, there are duels in the Empire too! But… d*mn it. At least let me fight.”
“Does a good knight ever leave their duel to another?”
“No, but… oh, d*mn it.”
He ran his hands through his fiery red hair. She suddenly felt sorry for him. He had worked hard for her all week.
He likely didn’t know her situation.
She comforted him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain it to his highness. This is just a quarrel, typical in the social world.”
“What kind of quarrel involves a sword?!”
Carlz made a sound like he was sick.
“Don’t kill him, madame. It would only make things worse.”
“All right.”
“Do you really not know your strength? Madame needs to be more aware! You mustn’t duel him like you did with the Grand Duke!”
She looked at him strangely.
Whoever the opponent was, of course, they would be different from Victor. He was the strongest swordsman she had ever seen.
She took off the pointed shoes that suffocated her feet and held her sword, barefoot. Nanael’s knight approached from the other side.
Lady Welch always had three or more escorts with her. She noticed that the approaching knight was the tallest of them all. He was at least two heads taller than her.
From his short hair to his stout physique, he had the appearance of a perfect knight, but without the intimidation of Victor.
He clearly expressed his unwillingness to follow through with this confrontation.
“Lady, please let Sir Carlz fight. I don’t want to hurt a Lady.”
“Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”
The referee stood between them.
Carlz shouted again from behind. “Madame, you must not kill him!”
At the same time, the referee raised his arm.
She moved forward without hesitation.
***