Chapter 69 - Please Stay Away From Lady Maristella (1/2)

Chapter 69 – Please Stay Away From Lady Maristella

“Really?”

“Who?”

Dorothea felt an inexplicable pleasure surge at the sudden focus of attention. “Didn’t you all see his dance partner today?” she asked the group.

“Wasn’t it Lady Maristella?”

“Yes! Didn’t you notice anything strange?” Dorothea prompted.

“Well, I don’t know,” one lady said hesitantly.

“I heard that Lady Maristella’s carriage accident was the Duke’s fault…” another lady replied.

Everyone knew that, but Dorothea spoke in a hushed voice as if there were more to it.

“Isn’t that just how they got acquainted?”

“Just like Lady Cornohen said, Lady Maristella is the Duke’s dance partner, but it’s no surprise.”

Dorothea shook her head. “His Grace is nice to all the ladies on the outside, but you can sense the walls around him, right? He doesn’t seem to hang around anyone unless he’s really close with someone.”

“I think so, too. His Grace doesn’t easily let other people be with him.”

“Wow, I envy Lady Maristella. Do you think there’s a subtle atmosphere between the two that we don’t know?”

“But that’s not what matters.” Dorothea changed the direction of the conversation in a rather serious voice. ” Don’t you all see anything strange?”

“What is it?”

“Lady Maristella.” Dorothea’s voice had a tremor of displeasure and anger when she spoke her friend’s name. Some of the ladies who noticed it thought it strange, but did not comment on it for fear of worsening the mood.

“Last time she was involved with the Crown Prince, and this time she’s with the Duke. Isn’t that fishy?” she said conspiratorially.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s two-timing them,” Dorothea said.

There was a moment of silence, then stunned exclamations poured in from all sides.

“What?”

“Oh my word.”

“Really?”

Dorothea pushed on without regard. “From what I know, she often goes back and forth to Thurman Palace. I’m sure of it. Lady Maristella is playing the two.”

“But aren’t the Crown Prince and the Duke Academy colleagues? I know they’re close.”

“It’s common for friendship to be tossed aside for love. But they’re high-ranking people, right?”

It was true that all sorts of rumors abounded in the Empire’s social circles, but Claude and Xavier were of very high status. Therefore, the young nobles were also cautious of making fun of such topics. Dorothea, however, did not seem to care, and whether it was out of courage or foolhardiness, she continued to run her mouth.

“I’ve known Marie since we were kids, and she’s like a fox—” she nattered, when a voice suddenly interrupted her.

“You shouldn’t speak of someone when they’re not there.”

The voice clearly sounded displeased. The other nobles who recognized the newcomer panicked and shut their mouths.

“I knew that you had a rude character from the start, but I didn’t realize it would be to this extent.”

It was Odeletta.

Dorothea fixed a stare at the other woman. “Am I?” she said haughtily.

“Who do you think you are? Aren’t you a friend of Lady Maristella’s? I don’t understand how you can just talk behind someone’s back,” Odeletta chastised.

Dorothea gave a scoff. “Ha. When did I talk behind someone’s back?”

“What you did just now is called talking behind someone’s back. Gossiping in the absence of the other. Don’t you feel ashamed?”