Erin thought it was a natural reaction, so she tried not to approach or pay attention to them.
Since the divorce controversy, Erin’s status had risen even further. No matter how quietly she tried to stay, many people approached her, keeping her busy.
“Lady Rianster, nice to see you here,” the wife of Viscount Sernian approached.
She had a modest personality similar to Erin’s age, and they maintained a good relationship.
“There have been various changes in the social circle lately,” she said.
“Is that so?”
“And there have been new people appearing,” referring to Julia.
Viscount Sernian’s wife glanced at where Julia was and spoke.
“Have you spoken with Lady Charte?”
“Yes, I greeted her last time.”
“She’s still a naive lady. They say she lived freely in the countryside for a while. It’s difficult for her to blend into the social circle overnight.”
“Nevertheless, she seemed to adapt well at the last reception.”
“That’s true. The Viscount and his wife were there. It’s her first time coming alone today, so I hope she’ll be okay.”
“She’ll be fine.”
Erin responded without much worry.
The discomfort about the sudden appearance of a stranger was inevitable.
However, it wouldn’t be a big obstacle for Julia.
“You seem quite confident?”
“People are still very interested in her.”
Erin spoke while glancing in Julia’s direction.
“Julia has a charm that grows on you as you talk to her. People will like her soon.”
Erin sincerely believed that.
“I hope so.”
Lady Hujak smiled as she looked at Erin, with a veiled expression.
“By the way, I’m planning to host a small tea party next time. Please come.”
“Sure. If you invite me, I’ll come.”
“You’ve promised.”
Lady Hujak exchanged a few more words with Erin and then walked away, mentioning that she would send an invitation to Erin.
After that, some noble ladies approached Erin and had brief conversations and exchanged greetings.
Erin didn’t plan to stay until the end of the event.
She intended to observe the situation for a while and then return to where Aiden was.
“I don’t need to stay here for long.”
It was when Erin was watching the ongoing party.
Erin’s gaze turned towards where Julia was.
Julia was among the ladies.
The laughter never ceased, even audible to Erin at a distance.
At first glance, it seemed like people were building camaraderie.
But Erin sensed something strange.
There was something subtly bothering Erin.
That was the laughter.
The ladies usually didn’t laugh out loud.
And when they did, it was brief.
The incessant laughter meant it was forced.
As if someone was being ridiculed.
Erin continued to watch Julia.
A lady linked arms with Julia.
Another lady frequently exchanged smiles with Julia.
Erin’s brow furrowed.
It seemed like Erin’s ominous suspicions were being confirmed.
The other ladies were subtly tormenting Julia.
“Oh, Julia dear. What’s that on your wrist? Is it a scar?”
“It’s from a cut with a knife. But it’s faded a lot.”
Julia said, raising her hand to check.
A short sigh passed around.
When Julia raised her hand, the calluses and scars on the back of her hand were visible.
“Why are your hands so rough?”
“From enduring so much for so long……”
“Don’t worry. If you take good care of them now, the calluses will disappear. Can’t guarantee the scars will, though…”
While outwardly pretending to sympathize, they were intentionally speaking loudly to shame Julia without considering her feelings.
“…….”
Everyone pretended to support and care for her while not hesitating to speak rudely.
Julia pursed her lips several times as if wanting to say something, then closed them again.
It seemed like Julia found it difficult to follow their conversation.
When Julia couldn’t speak a single word, the other ladies became even more brazen.
Watching them, Erin’s face stiffened as she looked around the entire ballroom.
Apart from those surrounding Julia, others were mingling with their acquaintances, chatting with each other.
Among them, the noblewomen gathered by the window occasionally glanced in Julia’s direction while conversing.
“That’s her.”
Erin approached them naturally, so as not to be noticed.
“Her life has turned upside down overnight.”
“How can we know what kind of life she lived before?”
“She doesn’t have a trace of nobility.”
There were voices expressing disdain for Julia.
Most were sneering, with occasional snickers among themselves.
Julia Charte received warm receptions in many places since her return. Even at the royal court, the Marquis de Charte and Julia received congratulations and gifts, and wherever she went, she was the center of attention.
Because so many people wanted to see her, Julia attended various events as soon as she arrived in the capital.
She was the only legitimate daughter of the hard-to-find Marquis de Charte, so the many reactions were inevitable.
“So they probably don’t even want to accept her.”
Erin, the character from the original work, had similar feelings, so it wasn’t hard to understand.
She likely knew what the emotions of the people present here were toward Julia.
In their distinguished world, Julia was a foreigner.
They didn’t want to acknowledge or accept her.
“You are different from us. Do you realize how inadequate and lacking you are? It won’t be easy for you to fit in here.”
These sentiments were implicit in everything they said.
Erin’s face, watching from a distance, wrinkled.
Their conduct at the moment was cowardly and mean.
Erin’s heart boiled.
She didn’t want to get involved if possible. She didn’t want to make any connections by keeping her distance.
That’s why she didn’t want Aiden to even take an interest in Julia Charte.
Contrary to Erin’s hopes, Julia was obviously being mistreated.
There was no one around Julia who sided with her.
Among the many people, Julia was all alone.
It was like the majority picking on one person.
Moreover, Julia just sat there with a wistful smile, saying nothing.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Erin’s brow hardened slightly.
Julia had grown up in a remote countryside.
Her life was far removed from etiquette, so everything since coming to the capital would feel strange and awkward.
Especially trying to adapt to the strict standards of high society.
Erin’s expression became subtly complicated.
She knew Julia wouldn’t easily adapt at first.
But she thought it would be a bit uncomfortable at most.
Furthermore, Julia had a resilient personality, capable of handling any issue that arose in the original work.
So she hadn’t anticipated this situation.
“Maybe I haven’t been paying enough attention to high society lately, ” Erin thought.
Except for the recent social gathering she had personally hosted, she had been neglecting high society.
For a while, Erin had a very important issue related to Aiden, and after that issue was resolved, she was busy focusing on Aiden.
Because of that, she became somewhat complacent.
In the meantime, she didn’t realize that things had escalated in unexpected directions.
“What should I do?” Erin hesitated.
Should she step in and help Julia Charte here, or would it be better to watch for now? The Julia she knew was someone who could overcome obstacles on her own, even if they arose.
So, perhaps this level of adversity might be a piece of cake for Julia.
It might even be a necessary process for her, and Erin’s interference could be seen as a hindrance.
Therefore, for now, Erin just watched the situation from a reasonable distance.
Still, she kept an eye on the situation from a distance where she could hear their conversation.
It was when she felt awkward exchanging glances with each other in the seemingly amicable atmosphere.
“Young lady, try this wine. You’ve never tasted it in the area where you used to live. If you don’t cultivate your taste, it will deteriorate.”
Julia accepted a glass of wine at the suggestion of a certain lady. Just as she was about to take a sip, suddenly there was a commotion with a short scream.
“Charte, my dear. Are you okay?”
“Look at your dress. What should we do?”
One of the ladies accidentally spilled the wine glass on Julia. Naturally, Julia’s dress was stained with wine.
“Oh my. What should we do? I lost my balance because my feet got tangled.”
It was unclear what had actually happened. It could have been a genuine accident, or it could have been intentional. However, her expression and the reactions of those around her indicated it was deliberate.
With words insufficient, actions were taken.
“No, it’s okay. It’s just a little spill.”
It was far from just a little spill. Nonetheless, Julia bravely brushed off the dress and smiled. Erin clenched the hem of her dress tightly, causing it to crumple.
“Even so, Julia still looks lovely in this state.”
“It’s not that much spilled, so it’s okay, right?”
“Yes, really, it’s okay. Besides, the dress is dark, so the stains don’t show much.”
Even though the remaining stains on the dress were clearly visible, Julia was trying to appear considerate while speaking.
As soon as she heard Julia’s response, Erin almost bit her tongue. She was taking their words at face value and reacting, even if she couldn’t sense any malice. There was a need to address the rudeness in this situation. Erin narrowed her eyes.
“…”
No, maybe not. Looking at Julia’s face, it seemed like she wasn’t unaware of the malice. It seemed like the muscles in her smiling face were tense, as if there was a spasm.
Yet she awkwardly and embarrassedly continued to smile. Knowing that they were sneering and mocking Julia, she was at a loss on how to handle it, and her response was nothing but a forced smile.
“How disgraceful.”
Erin muttered under her breath in a voice so low that no one could hear her. Her patience was rapidly reaching its limit.
Something bubbled up inside Erin’s chest. Who could willingly accept having to overcome everything alone? It’s uncomfortable for anyone to receive hatred and be alone.
What was most needed in the current situation was someone to hold her hand. Erin knew this better than anyone else.
So, claiming to want to observe more here was just an excuse.
Before she knew it, Erin was clenching her fists, gritting her teeth, and glaring fiercely at them. Eventually, her self-control snapped abruptly.
