Chapter 35
Frozen, Britney looked around the dining hall.
Just a moment ago, a servant came to ask if she was going to have breakfast. Not knowing that Keivrand was back, she thought Iris would be having breakfast by herself.
Duke Whittle and his wife said they would eat in the West building’s dining hall, while Britney decided to head to the main building’s dining hall.
Because there was something she wanted to talk to Iris alone.
But Iris wasn’t alone in the dining hall.
There was Wallace, Nathan, Celestine, and Countess Melanie.
“Britney.”
Britney quickly came to her senses at Iris’ call.
She became furious when she saw Iris’ smile.
‘See here, Britney. Celestine and Melanie, who you’re struggling to get along with, are so close to me like this. Aren’t you jealous? You wanted to get close to these people, but you can’t even talk to them properly.’
That’s what Iris seemed to be saying with her smile.
‘How dare she!’
She wanted to grab Iris by the hair like before and scold her for smiling like that. She wanted to teach her, who didn’t know her place, how to behave.
However, she was able to hold onto reason in front of Celestine and Melanie.
“Yes, Irie.”
She smiled and kindly said Iris’ nickname, which she rarely did.
Like an older sister who loves her younger sister.
“I came here because I wanted to have breakfast with you, but was I not supposed to be here?”
“No. Let me introduce you. This is Countess Melanie Jennel, and this is my husband’s sister, Celestine Green. Oh, you must have known each other since you went to parties often.”
Of course she knew them. The problem is that they have never spoken.
Britney wanted to shut Iris’ mouth before she said anything unnecessary.
Melanie and Celestine nodded slightly, but didn’t introduce themselves or greet Britney.
“Come to think of it, my sister often says she’s very popular at parties. She said she knows many people, including Melanie, and everyone wants to be close to her. So surely she’s close to Melanie.”
Britney stared at Iris with her mouth shut.
‘Stop saying unnecessary things!’
“I wasn’t aware I had such a friend.”
Melanie replied coldly.
Britney’s face turned red at the apparent rejection and ridicule.
“Ah…hahaha…When did I ever say that…You’re lying like that again. I’m going back because you seem busy.”
Britney had no confidence to sit here and eat casually. And she didn’t have the confidence to deal with Iris who had changed.
Surrounded by Melanie and Celestine, Iris was, by all appearances, different from the Iris that she knew. The eyes, the posture, the way she spoke and acted, everything. It was like someone else was in Iris’ body.
Britney was about to turn her body when Iris spoke.
“Where are you going? Didn’t you say you wanted to eat with me? Sit down.”
It was a soft but commanding tone.
Britney clenched her fists and forced a smile.
“No. You must be busy preparing for the wedding. I don’t think I should have come all the way here…I hadn’t thought of your situation because I missed my sister.”
“You don’t have to think about it. Sit there and watch my face to your heart’s content.”
An elegant smile spread across Iris’ lips.
Britney managed to suppress her breathing, which was getting rough with anger. If she goes back after Iris said that, she’ll look like a defeated dog. She also didn’t know what Iris would say to them after she left.
She had no choice but to sit next to Iris, where she had pointed.
Celestine and Melanie sat next to Wallace and Nathan while Iris and Britney sat next to each other.
The four were observing the two daughters of the Whittle family.
Britney had a hard time raising her face.
‘I’m sure they’re comparing my face to Iris’.’
She has been through such a thing often since she was young. She knew that the nannies and maids whispered behind her back, saying, ‘Miss Britney’s looks can’t keep up with Iris’.’
‘Even Rafford…No, let’s stop thinking about Rafford.’
Britney picked up the fork in front of her and decided to focus on eating.
She had to show the dignity of the real princess of Duke Whittle, which Iris is inferior to.
‘Iris, although you married Count Green, you don’t seem to know how high the sky is. Eventually, it’ll be revealed how low blood you are.’
It only now seems that Iris is invincible.
Keivrand’s fascination for Iris’ appearance will only last a while, and he will surely get sick of her in less than a year.
Iris had a pleasant chat with Celestine and Melanie as they ate. Occasionally Wallace and Nathan joined the conversation, and their respect for Iris could be felt in their tone.
Britney’s barely suppressed irritation rose again at the sound of Iris’ laughter.
‘That’s not your seat. Iris! It’s supposed to be my seat! ‘
If it wasn’t for Iris, Britney thought it would have been her to marry Keivrand.
All Keivrand wanted must be the connection of Duke Whittle, and Britney, the real princess, was the only one who should have brought him that connection.
‘Count Green doesn’t know that Iris has the blood of a commoner. Maybe he just picked Iris out of the blue. He must have wondered about the woman called the flower of Duke Whittle.’
By any stretch of the imagination, Britney seems to think that Iris has taken her place.
“Britney.”
At Iris’ call, Britney snapped out of her thoughts.
“You haven’t talked much. Are you uncomfortable?”
A worried tone that didn’t match Iris’ eyes.
“No, why would I be uncomfortable? It would be bad for you if I opened my mouth.”
Britney said with caution.
It was Celestine, not Iris, who responded.
“Why would it be bad for my big sister if you open your mouth? I thought you cared about your sister, but I guess you’re holding onto my big sister’s weakness?”
Britney’s expression appeared as if she had let a secret slip and said something she shouldn’t have said.
Celestine, Melanie, Wallace and Nathan’s cold eyes turned to Britney. They were glaring at her with the expression of, ‘go ahead, talk about our Iris.’
At this moment, Britney realized that no one would take her side no matter how much she talked about Iris.
“No, it’s just…I was just kidding.”
“I see. It’s not very funny.”
Britney has never felt so humiliated in her life.
Celestine and Melanie’s eyes became friendly again as they discussed with Iris about the dresses for the wedding.
‘That’s supposed to be me!’
To be called big sister by Celestine, to be advised by Melanie about dresses, to be respected by Wallace and Nathan.
It had to be all hers.
‘Iris, you stole what’s mine again! You always do!’
Britney gulped back the tears from anger and stared at her plate with half the food left.
‘Yes, you take the seat of that crappy Countess Green. I’m going to be Empress.’
Iobet, the crown prince of the Gavizar Empire, for some reason has yet to choose a wife. The crown prince and his wife were existences that would later become Emperor and Empress.
Before most princes are 20 years old, they choose a distinguished family to be associated with and seek the crown prince position with their help.
Although Iobet has endured all this time with his outstanding talent and virtue, these days it has become quite dangerous, so he was looking for a woman from a distinguished family to become his wife.
As far as Britney knew, the Duke Whittle family had some pieces in the royal court and one was expected to be promoted.
‘As long as I become Empress, I will return this humiliation today. Celestine, and Melanie. To you too.’
* * *
Keivrand came to the dining hall as everyone was about to finish breakfast.
Britney straightened herself up and managed to keep a straight face, but Keivrand strode toward Iris without giving her a look.
“Irie.”
Standing next to Iris, Keivrand bent down and kissed her cheek lightly.
Britney’s face turned purple at the sight.
“Are you done eating?”
“I’m almost done. Have you eaten breakfast?”
“I had a sandwich while processing paperwork. Let’s go out together when you’re done eating.”
“Hey, brother. We’re here too, you know?”
Celestine waved, drawing Keivrand’s attention. It was only then that he looked back at her and smiled.
“Cel, Countess Jennel. Excuse me, my wife is so bright that I couldn’t see anything else.”
“Heuk.”
Melanie had an appalled look on her face.
Celestine, Wallace and Nathan also looked as if they were going to throw up.
And Britney couldn’t believe what was happening in front of her.
‘Has he lost his mind? Is this really Keivrand Green?’
The last time Keivrand visited Duke Whittle and proposed to Iris, she thought it was a pretense to marry Iris.
She thought he would be as cold as when he was at the party. Instead, he was looking at Iris, who had been embroiled in a scandal with Viscount Hutch, passionately.
“Look at that, he’s like that all the time now.”
Celestine said as if she was tired.
‘All the time…He really acts like that all the time in front of Iris? That’s ridiculous.’
Keivrand was even treating Britney sitting right next to Iris as if she didn’t exist.
‘No, I’d rather not stand out. That’s not the Count Green I know.’
While thinking so, Iris pointed to Britney and spoke.
“Kei. She’s my sister. Britney.”
“Oh.”
Even though Iris introduced her deliberately, Keivrand only said that one word. There was no bowing or nodding.
The eyes that stayed on Britney for a very short time, went back to Iris, as if that short time had been wasted.
‘How can he be so rude!’
Regardless of Britney’s mood, Keivrand looked at Iris and spoke.
“Irie, finish your meal. There’s a place I want to go with you.”
“Where?”
“Secret.”
“Well, then…”
Iris turned towards Celestine and Melanie.
Melanie was giving her the look of, ‘I don’t want to see that disgusting thing,’ and Celestine shook her hand as if to hurry up and go away.
Iris stood up with a smile.
“I’ll leave first.”
After Iris left, Celestine spoke to Melanie.
“See what I mean?”
“I didn’t know Count Green could say something like that…It’s appalling.”
“Yes, sometimes I get goosebumps all over my body. The boss’ hips even shakes when he’s working because he wants to run to his wife.”
Added Nathan.
Britney sat in an uncomfortable mood.
No one paid attention to her. She wanted to leave, but couldn’t without saying anything, so she thought about how to leave naturally.
She felt like crying.
‘Why do I deserve this? Iris, what the hell did you say to these people? Why is everyone treating me like this?’
If they had rather asked Iris what Britney did, Britney could have turned Iris into a liar by saying it never happened.
But they didn’t point anything out to Britney.
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Britney knew that indifference was scarier than bullying.
It was the first time she had been beaten, so she didn’t know how to respond.
Eventually, Britney was able to escape the hellish dining hall after Celestine said, ‘Let’s go.’
== Translator’s Note ==
1. Please report any typos, grammatical/spelling errors, sentences you find weird, and other etc…in the comment section .