IWSC CHAPTER 15, EPI 73

“Then…?”
At Metis’ question, I fell into thought for a moment.
How could I deliver the most decisive blow to that shameless faction of Leia Saturnos?
I pondered what they feared the most. It was obvious—the Empress. The Empress was the only one capable of firmly suppressing the reckless Princess Ariel. Moreover, Princess Ariel had already bowed her head to me twice. Both times were the direct result of the Empress openly supporting me.
First, there was the royal banquet invitation incident, and now the attack during the hunting tournament. Despite being chastised so harshly by the Empress for these events, Princess Ariel still hadn’t come to her senses.
Even now, when ridiculous rumors were spreading at her tea party, she kept harping on about evidence and cautioning against a counterattack! The sheer absurdity of it left me speechless.
“…Since she slandered me without evidence, she’ll have to pay the price. I should write a letter to Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Are you planning to make these rumors public?”
“I’d like to, but there’s no need for me to act directly. It only takes one move from the Empress.”
“Hmm.”
“The sooner I act, the better. Her Majesty must be flooded with letters from countless nobles, so I need mine to catch her attention as quickly as possible.”
“Why not request an audience with her outright?”
“Her Majesty is a very busy person. Requesting an audience just to complain about baseless rumors wouldn’t leave a good impression. A letter is the better choice.”
What could be more pathetic than whining, ‘Your daughter has been badmouthing me behind my back!’ It would be disgraceful to request an official audience with the Empress of this nation over such nonsense. I couldn’t tarnish the name of Uranos like that.
In truth, I had never been the type to react emotionally to every vile rumor about me. I’d always had many enemies in social circles, particularly among young noblewomen who were just well-off and attractive enough not to see me, Bianca Uranos, as an unattainable idol.
To climb to my position in society, half-hearted efforts wouldn’t suffice. These women had no idea how hard I’d worked to reach the pinnacle of the social hierarchy. Instead, they belittled my efforts, made up falsehoods, and spread malicious gossip.
They never even tried to surpass me through their own endeavors!
It was childish jealousy at its finest. Dealing with them would only drag me down to their level, forcing me to engage with their crude and petty envy.
You can’t win everyone’s favor, anyway. So I chose to ignore them, letting the rumors die out on their own. People eventually realized such lies stemmed from nothing more than envy toward the renowned Bianca Uranos.
The gossip at Princess Ariel’s tea party this time fell into the same category.
But there was one difference.
Up until now, the people spreading rumors about me out of jealousy were merely ordinary noble ladies. But this time, it was Princess Ariel herself leading the charge.
Although she didn’t act directly, she had listened to her followers spread baseless rumors and subtly incited them by telling them to “find evidence.” That manipulation enraged me more than anything else.
And soon, my anger shifted toward Leia Saturnos as well.
What a wonderful friend she had! To think, my former friend—Leia, who had once loved the same man as I did—now stood idly by while I, Bianca Uranos, thoroughly overwhelmed her. Thanks to her close friendship with the princess, she didn’t have to lift a finger yet still reaped the benefits. Such a touching display of friendship, truly.
From Leia Saturnos’ perspective as the protagonist, Princess Ariel was an essential ally—a force strong enough to stand against the unbeatable Bianca Uranos, the so-called villainess.
But this time, I firmly resolved not to sit idly by as I had before. No, I would not remain silent. I would stake my entire reputation, built through years of effort, and spend what little free time I had to make sure they tasted the bitter defeat they so richly deserved.
Among all things, the claim that the hunting tournament—where Ares had returned gravely injured—was some kind of scheme for my personal gain was something I could never let slide. That insult was not only an affront to me but to Ares as well. Ares was not a man to be used for anyone’s petty ambitions. He was noble, beautiful, and faithful—a person more extraordinary than anyone else in this world.
And Leia Saturnos, of all people, should know better. How could she not realize this was an insult to the man she claimed to love?
And to think she called herself the protagonist!
Metis brought me the finest stationery and pen. After practicing my words a few times on scrap paper, I swiftly completed the letter to Her Majesty the Empress in one flowing motion.
“Phew…”
Letting out a deep sigh after writing the final sentence, I steadied my breathing. I’d been so focused I’d forgotten even to breathe.
“Wow, Bianca Uranos. You’re incredible. Once Her Majesty reads this letter, I doubt Princess Ariel will get away with just a mere reprimand,” Metis said, her eyes wide, showering me with uncharacteristic praise.
For someone who usually wasn’t generous with compliments, her words left me feeling a bit embarrassed. Well, well.
“We should properly reward the young lady who provided that valuable information.”
“I’ll handle that. You focus on Princess Ariel.”
“Thank you, Metis.”
Without further delay, I took my personal carriage to the palace. It wasn’t difficult for me, bearing my name, to meet a lady-in-waiting to the Empress with whom I was acquainted. I personally handed her my letter, confident it would reach Her Majesty directly.
By the time I returned home, evening had already settled.
During my absence, several letters had arrived. After finishing dinner and taking a bath, I sat at my desk and began reviewing them one by one.
Most of them were invitations to tea parties or banquets, extending yet more proof of my reputation as the “flower of society.” Invitations like these always poured in for me.
However, attending every single one of these social gatherings would not only exhaust me physically but also risk diminishing my value as one of the most sought-after figures in the capital. After all, those who sent these invitations didn’t necessarily expect my attendance. For gatherings where many ladies from opposing factions were likely to be present or where discomfort was unavoidable, I politely declined with carefully worded replies.
The boating event invitation in my hand was one such instance.
The host of this event was a young lady from a marquess family who prided herself on remaining neutral. Ostensibly, she refrained from taking sides in factional disputes, and it was out of courtesy that she extended an invitation to me.
But I was well aware that this gathering would be attended by Leia Saturnos and her close associates. It was similar to how Metis’ salon, while neutral in name, was frequented primarily by those aligned with me.
After a moment’s thought, idly waving the boating invitation in my hand, I wrote a polite note of refusal. My excuse was that I had only recently returned from a trip and had yet to recover from travel fatigue, making it difficult to attend the boating event scheduled in two days.
Amusingly, the marquess’ young lady had gone so far as to mention in her invitation that Leia Saturnos would be in attendance, likely hoping I would decline.
At this point, it might as well have said, Please don’t come.
Though she wasn’t openly antagonistic toward me, it was clear the marquess’ daughter disliked having people who might clash in the same space. Still, by choosing Leia Saturnos over me as her guest, she had effectively aligned herself with Princess Ariel’s faction.
After sealing my refusal to the boating invitation, I picked up the next letter. A smile crept onto my face—it was from Ares.
With excitement, I tore it open. Though it had only been two days since my return from the trip, it already felt like an eternity ago.
As always, Ares’ letter was filled with affection. He described his travels as if they were a dream, admitted he couldn’t stop thinking about me even while working, and poured out declarations of love so earnest they would make anyone else cringe.
But this time, something was different. At the very end of the letter was a single line, saying he had something to ask me.
He also mentioned that he would visit the count’s estate after finishing his work at the merchant guild tomorrow evening.
What could Ares possibly want to ask me? He had always waited patiently for me to speak first, never pressing me for answers. For him to explicitly state his desire to ask a question meant that it must have been weighing on his mind for some time.
My heart sank with unease.
I tried to convince myself that it might not be anything serious. Perhaps it was something trivial, not worth this rising sense of panic. But despite my attempts to remain rational, my pounding heart, trembling hands, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding coursing through me told a different story.
A wave of intense fear washed over me, paralyzing me. My teeth chattered as I spiraled into panic, utterly overwhelmed.
I couldn’t think of anything. Frozen in place, I didn’t even realize tears were streaming down my face as my mind wandered in the dark void of my terror.
…What are you doing, Bianca? Get a grip. This is pathetic.
Don’t panic before even speaking to Ares. That’s not like Bianca Uranos.
You won’t know until you hear him out. It might not be what you’re dreading.
And even if it is—what’s the worst that could happen? You’ll break up?
You’ve prepared for this. You’ve resolved yourself, haven’t you? You never believed from the start that he would be yours forever. So now, are you going to crumble, weak and desperate? Are you going to thrash around pitifully and fall apart?
Open your eyes! Hold your head high until the very end. That is who Bianca Uranos is!
Suddenly, it felt as though I’d been struck hard on the back of my head. At the same time, the darkness clouding my vision cleared in a brilliant flash. The fear and despair that had been consuming me slowly dissipated from my heart. Before I knew it, I had returned to my usual composed self.
Ah. How utterly uncharacteristic of me to lose myself like that. To be so terrified over a single line in a letter—what a pathetic display.
I wiped away the tear tracks on my face. Once I met with Ares tomorrow, everything would become clear. There was no need to tremble in fear before I even knew the truth.
***
The next day, I stayed home all day, making a conscious effort to keep my emotions steady.
The letter I had sent to Her Majesty the Empress through a handmaid yesterday afternoon would still require more time before a reply could come.
The hours until Ares’ arrival at the count’s estate dragged on unbearably, each minute stretching into an eternity. Yet somehow, I endured the oppressive wait.
“Lady Bianca, Young Lord Stanley is here.”
“I’ll meet him in the garden. Please show him there.”
“Understood.”
I took a deep breath and stepped out into the garden.
As I walked, I tried to anticipate the questions Ares might want to ask me. With great effort, I suppressed the gnawing unease that had been clawing at my chest, burying it deep within.