I Stole the Prince's First

Chapter 17:

Tea party (2)

‘What’s this?’ Bewildered, Retina began to sit down but stopped with an awkward posture. Do I really need to greet you so formally? Doesn’t everyone know my face here? As she contemplated whether to greet again, she felt uncomfortable gazes. From head to toe, eyes scan her up and down, as if assessing her worth. Retina’s eyes turned to one of the young women diagonally across from her.

“Oh my, isn’t this Retina, who doesn’t even talk to anyone unless it’s His Royal Highness or for official matters? But you’ve attended the Duchess’s tea party. I thought this was an event only for young ladies.”

Oh? Oh?? Right as she arrived, she heard a bright and cheeky tone criticizing her. They’re openly mocking me from the start, huh? Is this what noblewomen’s banter is like in these novels?

“Surprised by what I said? But it doesn’t seem like I’m wrong.”

All the attention of the young ladies gathered here was now focused on her. Some were disapproving, others curious about how she would respond, but mostly they eyed her with suspicion.

Can you really be this openly hostile at the Duchess’s tea party? The atmosphere seemed even more tense than what her brothers had described. Retina’s lips curled uneasily. Even if she didn’t know the etiquette of high society, this was undoubtedly a tea party hosted by the Duchess, and openly starting a feud here…

‘Oh, the Duchess hasn’t arrived yet.’

Without a central figure to guide the party, it was becoming a free-for-all. Flames of excitement kindled in Retina’s chest as she decided to warm her insides with a cup of tea. After taking a deep breath, she glanced at the young lady who had initiated the conversation and spoke.

“I want to dance, but my two older brothers won’t let me. They say I shouldn’t strain myself due to a childhood illness. Still, at the party, I only danced with the person my brothers approved of. I wonder if that offended the young ladies?”

Retina lightly touched her chin with her finger and tilted her head. Weak body, my foot. Retina, who had never missed first place in the endurance tests throughout her three years at the academy, was robust enough to eat a roasted chicken bone and all.

In other words, what she was saying right now was all a lie.

Who knows if her brothers really said that or not. Occasional glances from her academy peers, looking at her suspiciously, were neatly ignored.

“When you say ‘offended,’ it’s like Retina is speaking as if we’re bad people. We’re just letting you know that this is what the reputation of young ladies is in high society. You keep acting so freely at social gatherings; maybe you still don’t know.”

But Retina didn’t stop there. If she’s going to make such an appearance in a place like this, she must have a considerable position and influence in high society…

“Reputation? Oh… you’re talking about my reputation. You make it sound like Retina Young Lady is a villain. I just wanted to inform you that this is how your reputation is in high society, because you keep behaving so inappropriately at social gatherings.”

She wouldn’t stop at just this jab. Retina was aiming for a reaction, maybe some tears and an apology for her harsh words.

“Reputation? Oh… you’re talking about my reputation. You make it sound like Retina Young Lady is a villain. I just wanted to inform you that this is how your reputation is in high society, because you keep behaving so inappropriately at social gatherings.”

Helen, without any sign of restraint, laughed and muttered, “A bastard who hasn’t even received the title of ‘lady’ is talking about family? My, my.”

Retina’s expression turned chilly as she looked directly at Helen. She had intended to let things slide until the Duchess arrived, but Helen’s response had taken a different turn.

“Could you repeat that?”

“It seems that Lady Retina might not be in good health, even her ears, is that so? We just asked if you had the right to call the Duke’s children ‘brothers’ in regards to being a bastard who hasn’t even received the title of ‘lady.’ There was no ill intention.”

To openly insult like this and then claim there was no ill intention. The words didn’t match.

Translator: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

Retina ground her teeth at this. Although the Deneuve brothers attended the party with her, Retina had been so good at avoiding crowds and staying out of sight that very few people knew who she was in relation to the Deneuve’s.

Even if they saw her with the Deneuve brothers, Retina never pretended to be anything more than she was, so it was natural that they wouldn’t remember how the brothers had treated her.

However, those who had seen the Deneuve brothers treat Retina even once all shared the same thought about this situation: that Helen had messed with the wrong person.

“To openly flaunt being a bastard, aren’t you even ashamed?”

If it were me, I wouldn’t even set foot in the capital. When Retina didn’t respond, the triumphant young lady, emboldened by the opponent’s silence, covered her mouth with her hand as she continued to speak. Her arrogance stemmed from interpreting the opponent’s silence as defeat.

Next to her, someone tried to intervene, saying, “It might be better to stop now. Lady Helen Hasting…” This young lady appeared to be Helen Hasting, the second daughter of the Hasting family, known for their heated debates.

Retina’s temples pulsed. She had never been ashamed of the Cecilia name. The Duke tried to change her surname, wanting to avoid branding Retina as a bastard, but Retina insisted on keeping her mother’s name, even if it meant not becoming a Deneuve.

She worried that if she became a Deneuve, her mother’s name might never be mentioned again. Despite concerns that some might take offense, she never wavered in her decision.

‘First tea party, and I wanted to quietly stay in the background so that nobody would become hostile to the family name…’

Retina wasn’t the type to stand by and watch while someone openly insulted her, even if she could ignore whatever others said behind her back.

‘Didn’t my brothers tell me not to trust the nobles but never said not to fight?’ Retina thought.

She had no intention of changing her determined stance, even if it meant appearing crazy rather than appearing weak. After all, it didn’t matter since they wouldn’t meet again.

“Helen Hasting is a respected noble from the Imperial faction, a family known for their noble dignity. Father always said we should respect them as a venerable noble family that never loses its nobility. But I didn’t know that Lady Helen Hasting, with the last name Deneuve, was so poorly educated in etiquette. Should I recommend a private tutor from my family, as Father did?”

Retina, who had kept a stern expression throughout, finally smiled brightly after arriving at the Deneuve estate. Although it appeared as if she was genuinely concerned for Helen, in reality, Retina seemed to be suggesting that Helen, who had not received proper etiquette education due to her use of the Deneuve name, should learn from a superior family tutor.

“No need! Would I learn from a private tutor who taught bastards?! Even for the Hasting family…”

“Oh dear, has Lady Rose become a private tutor already? When Father recommended a tutor for me, he said he was the best tutor in society. It seems that society changes its trends quite quickly.”

Rose Charlotte. Even after leaving high society, she remained the one and only rose, the Empire’s top private tutor. Her exceptional skills were in such demand that even if you made a reservation for your child to be tutored at the very edge of society, you might not get a chance for years.

However, she suddenly disappeared one day, causing a significant commotion in high society, and then announced her retirement. She moved to a secluded place to enjoy the rest of her life, and this was a few years ago

“R-Rose Lady? Are you saying that young Miss received education from someone like Rose Lady?”

“Of course, I just said it, didn’t I? My father employed her as my governess.”

“Rose Lady is teaching a commoner’s child… I can’t believe it…”

That cursed talk of being a commoner’s child It sounded like Mom had clung to Dad. Dad was the one who followed her around after she was left alone. Retina shook her head. Her parents loved each other even though they didn’t have a wedding ceremony. Retina, although born as a ducal bastard, had grown up receiving their attention and love.

“Would I be flaunting myself like this if I had been truly resented by the family?” After Mom passed away and she was left alone, she received constant messages from Dad and her brothers to enter the ducal family. But Retina, who knew better than anyone that her life didn’t fit with the life of a noblewoman, only followed the obligatory duties and never tried to learn the things required to become a proper noble lady, like needlework or flower arranging, unlike the other noble ladies.

“I won’t pay attention to your thoughts, but you should work on your manners, lady Helen.

Retina scolded Helen, who was complaining on her own. The taste of the tea she had just sipped from the grand mansion lingered in her mouth. She hadn’t received an apology yet, but she felt her anger naturally subside. Yeah, what’s the point of fighting with a girl like her? All I’ll get is a worse temper. Retina ignored Helen, whose face was as red as her dress. Even those who had gently indulged her before couldn’t openly take Helen’s side now.

“It looks like everyone’s getting along.”

At that moment, the Grand Duchess entered the greenhouse, putting an end to the argument between Retina and Helen.

“I greet you, Grand Duchess.”

All the young ladies rose from their seats and greeted the Grand Duchess. She sat gracefully in the center of the long table, her posture flawless.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. Please, take your seats.”

Translator: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

The Grand Duchess spoke with a calm expression, as if she hadn’t heard the earlier argument. Following her gesture, the young ladies who had been standing took their seats one by one.