MLIIWTFL Chapter 175

 

 

 

After stepping down from the stage, the performers now had to take on the role of hosts and engage in conversation with the guests.

 

But before they could disperse, they were interrupted by Matthias, who had come to offer his compliments, pushing their duties back slightly.

 

“…Allow me to thank you for providing us all with such a delightful evening.”

 

“If our humble skills brought even a sliver of joy to Your Highness, then we are more than honored.”

 

Seraphina, representing the group of seven, accepted the praise. Her elegant light violet dress, adorned with a simple pearl chain, left no trace of her earlier collapse. Her face, neat and composed, bore no sign of distress either.

 

“You’re being too modest. Even noble connoisseurs of music wouldn’t find fault in your performance. And what a noble cause—transcending factional lines to support a neglected orphanage. Such selflessness is exactly what the Empire needs, and His Majesty himself praised it.”

 

Dressed in a refined navy suit that suited him perfectly, Matthias looked quite princely as he delivered those words.

 

With his chiseled features added to the mix, it was clear the debutantes’ flushed cheeks weren’t just from flattery.

 

Giselle and Vanessa looked visibly thrilled, their eyes sparkling as they gazed at Matthias. Dayna and Evelyn tried to maintain their composure, but the excitement still showed through. Even Audrey couldn’t take her eyes off him, her cheeks pink as she accepted his praise with delight.

 

In contrast, Letticia wore only a smile on her face—inside, she was analyzing Matthias’ sudden compliments.

 

‘What’s he playing at, acting all kind now?’

 

Sure, the concert had gained favorable attention, and if the Emperor had praised it, it wasn’t unusual for the Crown Prince to echo that sentiment among nobles.

 

But the fact that it was Matthias saying it caused Letticia’s trust in him—already on the floor—to plunge even further into the negatives.

 

If only he had shown a bit of genuine emotion, like Eustace did, she might’ve believed he meant what he said. But Matthias’ expression was as detached as if he were merely relaying the Emperor’s message.

 

Whether Seraphina felt the same was unclear, but she too remained composed, maintaining her polite smile without getting swept up in the praise.

 

“We simply fulfilled our duty as nobles. When there are children suffering in poverty without even daily sustenance, it’s only right to extend a helping hand.”

 

“Then was it out of devotion to that duty that you pushed yourself to the point of collapsing earlier on stage?”

 

Matthias’ question made everyone’s eyes light up with curiosity.

 

Whether out of concern or to find fault, no one could resist wondering about that part.

 

Back in the days—fifty to sixty years ago—when corsets were in fashion, it wasn’t uncommon for noblewomen to faint just from slightly bending at the waist due to breathlessness. But nowadays, unless someone was truly frail or ill, fainting was rare.

 

And in Seraphina’s case, she had managed the greeting just fine, only collapsing mid-performance. To those unaware of the full situation, it could only mean one of two things: either she was hiding an illness, or she was so nervous that she fainted.

 

If it were the former, the best approach would be to explain it as a momentary dizziness brought on by overexertion.

 

Being physically weak is considered a major flaw in noble marriages, where producing heirs is of utmost importance.

 

And if it’s the latter—that Seraphina fainted from nerves—it would brand her as someone too frail to even handle a musical event. For someone considered a potential crown princess, that too would be fatal to her prospects.

 

Yet Seraphina calmly responded without a hint of emotion on her face.

 

“It seems I unknowingly overworked myself while preparing for the event. I failed to properly assess my condition before taking the stage. I ended up troubling others and alarming our guests. It is all due to my own shortcomings.”

 

Letticia turned to Seraphina in surprise. But Seraphina showed no sign of retracting her words.

 

Matthias, too, had likely already received a report about why she collapsed.

 

‘If she just said it was an allergy, people would’ve accepted that explanation right away. Why go out of her way to hide it?’

 

Matthias seemed to share that same thought, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at Seraphina.

 

“You didn’t realize your own condition? You never struck me as someone so careless, Lady.”*

 

“Still, it’s the only explanation that fits. While I cannot claim to be particularly brave, I had no reason to suddenly be nervous in front of others. If I collapsed, it must have been due to my body, not my mind.”

 

“Your Highness, may I be allowed to speak?”

 

At that moment, Audrey stepped in, almost pleadingly. Matthias regarded her for a moment before giving a small, indifferent nod.

 

“Lady Eskis, as the overall organizer of this concert, worked tirelessly to make it a success—even pushing herself too far. But with so many people involved, differences in opinion were unavoidable, which must have caused a great deal of mental stress. It’s no wonder she couldn’t endure the pressure on stage.”

 

Letticia glared at Audrey in disbelief. Audrey, of all people, had no right to say that—she had been one of the very people making the group uncooperative. And now she was basically airing their dirty laundry in front of everyone.

 

‘So now she’s painting it like she tried to be accommodating while we were the stubborn ones?’

 

Matthias, too, seemed amused by Audrey’s statement, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

 

“If what Lady Wallace says is true, then Lady Eskis collapsed because of the other members in the group?”

 

“Of course, we’re also at fault. Even though we were part of the same group, we failed to notice how much Lady Eskis was pushing herself. And when she finally collapsed, all we could do was continue the performance—we couldn’t help her at all.”

 

“Still, at least you fulfilled your role. Better than not doing it at all.”

 

Audrey’s face brightened a little at that. She clearly hoped that maybe he’d go further and praise their performance. Letticia wanted to tell her not to get her hopes up.

 

And, just as Letticia expected, Matthias swiftly turned his attention away from Audrey.

 

“In any case, it seems safe to say that tonight’s concert was a success. At least Lady Eskis’ return to the stage had its rewards. I’m sure your goals were all achieved.”

 

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but there’s actually one more thing I hoped to express through this concert.”

 

Seraphina straightened her back and swept her clear, firm gaze across the crowd.

 

In her emerald eyes—sparkling under the chandelier—was the same passion she’d shown earlier when speaking earnestly to Letticia.

 

“Charity has long been considered a duty of the nobility, but unfortunately, it’s not easy to confirm whether that duty is truly being fulfilled. Was the money truly used for its intended purpose? Did it reach those in real need? Are those in need continuing to receive help? Without clear answers to these questions, we can’t claim we’ve fully carried out our obligation.”

 

As soon as Seraphina said that, Letticia barely held back a sigh.

 

Dayna and Vanessa’s eyes went wide in disbelief—as if they never imagined that topic would come up here. Audrey frowned, clearly thinking this was inappropriate. Giselle and Evelyn wore similar expressions.

 

But Seraphina, unwilling to miss a rare opportunity, continued with firm determination.

 

“So rather than donating to charity events like this one, I believe it would be more effective for like-minded individuals to establish foundations—to build hospitals for the poor, and schools for orphans—and then direct donations to those institutions.

I humbly suggest that this might be a better way to fulfill our duties of charity.”

 

“A foundation, you say… It just so happens that aligns with what I’ve been considering,”

 

Matthias replied with an unexpected smile, folding his arms.

 

“I’ve heard that in the East, several noble ladies have formed societies that carry out regular charitable activities. That sounds far more effective than irregular events limited to the capital’s social season.”

 

“Yes, and as I mentioned before, I believe we must also verify that donated funds are used as intended. We should establish a system where donors are informed of how their money is handled—where it goes, and how it’s used. Furthermore, I believe we need to create a neutral oversight agency that audits these foundations, and laws that support such transparency.”

 

Letticia, taken aback by the sheer scale of Seraphina’s suggestion, unconsciously stepped forward.

 

Improving perceptions of charity was one thing—but now they were talking about legislation and institutional reform?

 

‘Why is she suddenly charging ahead like this—especially here of all places?’

 

The Seraphina Letticia knew would’ve accepted the compliments, said a few polite words, and let the matter rest.

 

Unlike Letticia, who usually followed her own impulses, Seraphina had always been one to value harmony and pleasant relations with those around her.

 

 

🍓; *Expressing disappointment or disbelief, saying that he/she didn’t think she was the type to be so inattentive or negligent.