Chapter 3 - I Like The Crown Prince Too (1/2)
Chapter 3 – I Like The Crown Prince Too
I poured hot tea into the empty cup on the table. Although I wasn’t fond of social gatherings, interacting with others wasn’t too bad, and so I inserted myself into the conversation as naturally as possible.
“What were you all talking about?” I asked.
“Oh, Lady Maristella.”
“It’s been a while, Lady Bellafleur. You’ve only become more beautiful.”
“Thank you. You’ve become more beautiful as well.”
I recited the pretentious and ceremonious words that I had seen countless times in the novel, while deliberately excluding Dorothea. I wanted her to feel the same way Maristella must have felt—alienated from the conversation like an invisible person. How painful that must be.
“Lady Labrium is getting married this time.”
“Oh really? To whom? That young nobleman from the other day?”
“Ah, she was dating that man? She lied and said it was her first time with him!”
Frankly speaking, this kind of conversation was not very enjoyable, but I chuckled and replied “Yes.” There was a pressure to react nicely to everything. Fortunately, the atmosphere was not as difficult to adapt to as I saw in the book, and I could still manage to talk to peers of my own age.
“Oh, you’re all here,” a strange voice interrupted. I turned my head towards the woman who spoke. She was a young lady with light pink hair and mysterious black eyes, but she didn’t seem to have a bad reputation, as everyone around me suddenly brightened and greeted her warmly.
“Lady Trakos! Come join us.”
“Would you like a cup of tea, Lady Odeletta?”
Odeletta. That was a familiar name. How could I now know it? While Maristella was a supporting character in the story, Odeletta was a woman who was revealed to be a villainess. She was a social celebrity with excellent speech and elegant behavior, and she quietly tried to hit Dorothea, the main character, from behind. Odeletta had such a vicious impression that I wondered if she was “like a fox” just as Dorothea described.
When I looked at Odeletta, however, I saw that she had a gentle and innocent face. I remembered that the author favored Dorothea as well. I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“No thank you. Actually, I had enough to drink at the other table earlier,” Odeletta declined demurely.
“I expected you to be busy because you didn’t show your face…but you really must have been busy,” another lady piped up.
“I’m sorry. That’s why I showed up so late.”
“What do you mean, late? Don’t say that, Lady Odeletta. You’re still very early,” the lady replied, and the others followed with small titters. I laughed awkwardly along, when coincidentally Odeletta’s eyes and mine met.
‘Ah…’
I panicked inwardly. Odeletta was not a minor character in the novel like Maristella, but was a starring villainess. I did not want to let her know that I was embarrassed, so I remained as composed as possible. However, Odeletta did not break eye contact, and instead started talking to me!
“Lady Maristella. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, Lady Odeletta. It really has been.”
Maristella did not frequently interact with Odeletta, as she was Dorothea’s friend, not Odeletta. Dorothea was too jealous to let her friend interact with a woman that she disliked. Of course, Dorothea only saw Maristella as a maid rather than a friend anyway.
“I believe the party was the last time. I think I saw Lady Dorothea back then too…” Odeletta said prettily.
Finally, Dorothea was mentioned by the host, Odeletta.
“It’s been a long time, Lady Odeletta,” Dorothea replied in a cold voice.
“Yes, Lady Dorothea. You’ve become even more beautiful since I last saw you.”
“My father bought me expensive cosmetics this time. I can give them to you if you wish, Lady Odeletta.”
“Ha ha.” Odeletta laughed as if she didn’t know what was in Dorothea’s mind. “Thank you very much for the offer, Lady Dorothea. But I still don’t need makeup on my face.”
“…”
Dorothea turned white when she noticed that Odeletta was insulting her. One had to be a fool to miss it.