Chapter 16
The Duchess, who cares more than anyone about public opinion, wouldn’t be able to openly sabotage the wedding of two people under such intense scrutiny.
“Let’s hold the wedding as soon as possible.”
They had already begun looking into venues after registering the marriage on their own, but for some reason, it hadn’t been easy.
Obviously, the Duchess’s interference was the cause.
People likely knew this here and there, but it was a different matter for something to be rumored versus becoming public knowledge.
“She won’t be able to block us with venue issues anymore.”
“What if things hadn’t worked out this way?”
“Even then, there’s no way we wouldn’t have gotten married. Just like Mother always used my background against me, I would’ve used Cedric against her to push through.”
It seemed she had a plan all along.
Ian, in his own way, always seemed to have a lot of useful information, though she didn’t know how.
In truth, Belle hadn’t been very worried ever since Ian said they’d get married. He was someone who kept his word once spoken.
“Leave the wedding preparations to me.”
“All right.”
Truthfully, Belle was kind of looking forward to this wedding.
Even if it was fake, it might be the first and last wedding of her life.
Even if Ian found someone else later and things ended between them, Belle felt she’d had enough of men to last a lifetime—she didn’t think she could meet someone new.
So she planned to enjoy it while it lasted.
“By the way, Annie.”
“Yes?”
“No matter how used to doing everything on your own you are, you still need at least one attendant. I’ll pick someone appropriate for you.”
“Oh…”
“You’re not just a commoner anymore.”
In Agrita, it was natural and expected that she had people waiting on her.
But after marrying into the Rothiers family, Belle had to do everything herself.
No one had helped her.
Not to mention, after living as a commoner named Annie for the past two years, she had become so used to doing things on her own that she even preferred it now.
But Ian insisted this wasn’t how it should be.
“…Who would even want to serve me?”
Even when she had still held noble status, no one had wanted to attend to her.
Now that she was a commoner, there was no need to even ask. Especially the maids who were under the Duchess’s thumb.
Of course, none of them would willingly serve her.
No one wanted to fall out of favor with the Duchess.
“Why are you worrying about something so pointless?”
“…What?”
“Why would I assign you maids who take orders from the Duchess? That would be insane.”
“…Oh!”
Now that she thought about it, that made sense.
If she had one of those maids, every little thing she did would be reported straight to the Duchess.
Her every move would be restricted.
“I’ll find someone for you myself. Don’t worry.”
“…All right.”
“Anyway, things are going to get much busier for you soon. You probably didn’t know, but ever since we showed up at the salon together, a lot of ladies have been sending invitations.”
“Invitations?”
Belle hadn’t received a single one.
That meant someone was deliberately intercepting what was meant for her.
Most likely, the Duchess again.
“How do you know that, Ian?”
“I know everything. So ask me anything. If it’s you, I’ll tell you everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes, everything.”
Belle looked at Ian with a sense of wonder.
From the very moment he reached out to her, asking her to return to this household and get revenge, he’d always been a mysterious person to her.
How could someone make such a proposal to someone like her, who had been reduced to nothing?
Most of all, even though they had touched hands several times while living together, Ian had always remained firmly on her side.
Even though they had only spent two years together, thanks to the way things had unfolded, Ian had become someone Belle could trust completely.
“There’s nothing in particular I want to know.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And even before I ask for help, I know you’ll step in if I’m ever in trouble.”
“You know me well.”
Ian replied with a brazen smile, and Belle soon burst into laughter too. In any case, Ian wouldn’t have brought up the matter of invitations from the noble ladies for nothing.
She should make good use of it.
* * *
Not even a few hours after the conversation, the maid Ian had chosen for her came to introduce herself.
“Hello. I’m Bri, the maid who will be assisting Lady Annie from now on. I assure you I won’t fall short, but if you ever feel something is lacking, please don’t hesitate to say so. I’ll fix it right away.”
“…Alright. Bri, I look forward to working with you.”
“Please feel free to speak casually! There’s no need to use formal speech with someone like me, just a maid!”
“…Okay.”
Since Ian had sent her, she certainly seemed full of energy.
Belle liked Bri too. After all, if Ian had selected her himself, surely he’d chosen someone capable and trustworthy.
“Oh, and here!”
“What’s this?”
“These are all the invitations that had come for you, my lady.”
“…All of these?”
It was a rather thick stack. Belle had never received this many invitations even during her days as a noble.
She looked through them one by one, curious about the senders. It was a varied group, though most were from families that had once looked down on her when she was still Belle.
Given their deep roots in high society, they wouldn’t dare miss out on such a juicy and attention-grabbing topic.
“If I may offer a humble opinion?”
“Huh? Oh, sure.”
“As a capable maid who’s experienced all kinds of ups, downs, and chaos, I’m fairly well-informed about the major families. I’ve sorted through the invitations and picked out the ones I believe are safe for you to attend.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The Berti family would be an excellent place to start building connections. Countess Berti is known for her kindness, and I can personally vouch for her character.”
The Berti family.
Indeed, they weren’t bad. Countess Berti was one of the few noblewomen who hadn’t joined in on tormenting Belle in the past.
However, the Countess was also someone who drew a clear line between those she liked and those she didn’t.
The reason she’d ignored Belle before was simply because she hadn’t considered her one of “her people.”
“If you make a good impression on her, she could become a reliable ally. That said, she’s a gentle soul who dislikes drama. So you won’t be able to make a bold entrance at her event. If what you want is to make a strong impression in society, then you should respond to the invitation from the Duchess of Cassier.”
The Duchess of Cacher? Even after everything that happened that day, she’d still sent an invitation?
She was probably trying to regain face somehow—it was a matter of pride, after all.
Forming social connections might be a good idea, but Belle, who had grown deeply disillusioned with human relationships, didn’t particularly care.
Still, for now, what mattered most was standing out.
“I’ll go with the Duchess of Cassier.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Thank you, Bri.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s just part of my duty as your maid.”
Despite her words, Bri smiled proudly.
“Ah, there is one thing I’m concerned about.”
“What is it?”
“The Duchess of Rothiers. If you accept this invitation and say you’re attending, there’s no way she won’t find out.”
That was true.
With her status, the Duchess had people constantly reporting everything to her.
“So you’ll need to prepare in advance.”
“Prepare?”
“Yes. With someone like her, you can’t take revenge the flashy way. She’ll always try to keep things refined and elegant. We need to break that elegance. Just imagine how satisfying it would be to see her flustered, in front of everyone, in the most unexpected way.”
It was a sweet temptation.
The flustered face of the Duchess—especially in such a public setting—just imagining it made Belle’s heart race with excitement.
“We’ll need to respond to the invitation at the very last minute.”
“Last minute?”
“Yes. So the Duchess doesn’t have time to prepare anything. We’ll say you’re attending right before the event. It’s not the most polite thing to do, but the Duchess of Cassier won’t refuse your attendance, even if she’s offended.”
Before she realized it, Belle found herself listening to Bri with rapt attention.
