“Aaaahhh!”
A gut-wrenching scream echoed throughout the attic. Her eyes couldn’t see straight and her stomach was churning, she had to vent her anger somehow.
Diane threw whatever objects she could get her hands on and kicked anything that landed near her feet. The table toppled over with a loud crash and trinkets spilled out everywhere.
Today she’d received the biggest insult of her life. The sight of that lowly bitch threatening her and being all sarcastic was so insulting, she couldn’t bear it.
Just a few years ago, Hestia Welter was a toy that she’d played with at the academy, but that lowly bitch, who can’t even reach the same level as her own feet, dared to try and climb up to the top.
A noble, but of low status, and from an estate of unknown origin, she was an eyesore from the start, always smiling brightly.
At the academy, commoners and nobles were educated in separate areas, and the most influential person in the noble class of their grade was herself.
However, Hestia was different from the other people who tried curry favor with the Haleson family in any way they could. It seemed obvious that she’d grown up with a lot of love surrounding her. She hated seeing that shining face.
So, she slowly isolated her. Flirting and scheming were her specialty, and with her angelic face, no one would’ve imagined she would do such a thing.
It wasn’t that difficult for Diane to lay the groundwork and spread rumors when Hestia wasn’t quite in her right mind after the death of her father.
They succeeded in isolating her in that way. It was so enjoyable and satisfying to watch her slowly darken with the mental torture.
Holding a person in the palm of the hand and playing with them was something that suited those in the highest-class best. It was always fun to feel a sense of satisfaction and superiority through this.
But how dare that bitch bare her claws at her? Diane gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She wouldn’t let this go. She’d gather every speck of dirt she could and get her kicked out.
“Ha, whoa-”
She took a breath and calmed herself. She couldn’t let this slide.
Insulting her was akin to insulting the whole Haleson family. This humiliation would surely be repaid several times over, no, thousands of times.
Diane shook her head, then took another deep breath and stood up, adjusting her clothes and hair. Her pristine appearance looked completely at odds with the messy attic. She pulled the string in the room, calling for her maid, and soon her personal maid came in and bowed her head.
“Did you call for me, my Lady?”
“I’m going to send a message to Baron Ximen.”
“All right.”
“And go to the information guild and find out everything you can about the Carlton family.”
* * *
Back at the Carlton mansion, Hestia explained to the eagerly anticipating Countess Carlton that she could not, and would not, introduce Daisy to Diane, as she was not well acquainted with her.
But Countess Carlton thought that was just Hestia being modest. The next day, Hestia was invited to a dinner party at the Haleson’s.
“Wow, even their paper is luxurious!”
Daisy’s heart swelled with pride as she carefully stroked the invitation, which bore the Haleson’s coat of arms.
A tea party was good enough, she thought. But a dinner party? Tea parties were for the young ladies to meet others their age, but a dinner party was different.
The dinner party would also be attended by Marquess Haleson and his wife, as well as the next successor, Lord Haleson.
“When will the new dress I ordered arrive? I’m going to wear the light pink chiffon dress!”
“They’ll be arriving at the mansion this afternoon.”
Daisy jumped up and down with excitement, holding the invitation. Sir Adrian Kingston might be going to the Haleson’s dinner party as well.
That evening just happened to be the day when Lord Haleson would be hosting a hunting club meeting before the dinner party.
It was the first hunting club meeting held since the social season began. Attending a hunt gave the young men a chance to show off their skills to their peers.
If a bear or a prized marten were brought in, the speculation over who would receive the pelt would be the talk of the town for some time at tea parties, dances, and embroidery gatherings. So, most men would join in the hunt.
“Fortunately, Hestia, your dress will be finished in time for the dinner party.”
“I am always grateful for your consideration, Madam.”
Countess Carlton was thrilled. Hestia couldn’t bring herself to talk about the invitation, they wouldn’t be able to attend the event if it wasn’t for her.
The only name written on the invitation, was Hestia’s.
Hestia had to remind herself of her place in the Carlton household. She was merely a stepping stone, a bridge, a way for the Carltons to enter the capital’s social scene.
Since Hestia was the only one invited to the Haleson family’s dinner party, Countess Carlton and Daisy wouldn’t be able to participate unless she was there as well.
Hestia had to accompany them. That was Diane’s intention, to summon Hestia to that place no matter what. It was impossible not to know that.
It was more annoying than frightening. Disappearing after a year meant that she’d be leaving as soon as she obtained the right to report her location.
There’s no way Diane didn’t know that… Hestia didn’t want to have to endure another year, and was wondering what Diane was hiding behind that angelic face of hers.
“Ha…”
While Countess Carlton and Daisy chatted happily for a while, Hestia secretly took a deep breath.
Tired. She was just so damn tired of this world that just couldn’t leave her be in peace. She no longer wanted to participate in these exhausting dances and tea parties while being forced to smile the whole time.
“I need to get my hair done since I’ll have on a new dress for dinner!”
“I will prepare bath water and perfume.”
Daisy excitedly went up to the bathroom, holding the Haleson family’s invitation in her arms.
Hestia quietly approached Countess Carlton, who was watching Daisy with a happy smile. The maids noticed and left the room without a sound.
“Hestia, I will give you a small portion of the scented oil, if you need it.”
Countess Carleton offered, her voice was sweet and kind. But Hestia shook her head politely.
“Madam, I have something I’d like to speak with you about. I’ll just say it straight out, after this dinner party, I will no longer be participating in social events.”
“Oh. What do you mean by that?”
“Miss Carlton must now establish herself in the capital’s social circles as Miss Daisy Carlton, the daughter of Count Carlton, rather than as the mage’s relative.”
What Hestia said was true. All of the invitations they’d received after the imperial ball were to ‘Miss Hestia Welter’ and ‘Miss Daisy Carlton’. There were no invitations with just Daisy’s name on it.
“After this dinner party, invitations will only come for Miss Carlton. As her chaperone, I must step down when appropriate. Now is that time.”
“Hmm, that makes sense.”
This was the reason the chaperone was usually an older woman.
When they’re together, the reason the attention wasn’t focused on Daisy and directed toward Hestia instead, wasn’t just because she was a mage. Hestia was too young and too pretty.
As she said, putting Hestia on the front line was good for gaining access into the social world early on and making the name of the Carlton family known, at a time when no one knew them, but it wasn’t a long term solution.
“But I can’t send you back to the Carlton Estate alone.”
She made it sound like she was worried about Hestia traveling alone, but she just wanted to keep her around in case she could be used again at some point.
Her contract with Melda still had a lot of time remaining, and the wise Countess Carlton was not one to waste an opportunity.
“I know. Just give me a small side room like I have now. I will remain there, quietly and in seclusion.”
If she was lucky, Daisy might get engaged quickly, by the end of social season. If Hestia offered to help prepare for the engagement at the capital’s mansion, Countess Carlton would gladly agree.
Even if Daisy didn’t get engaged and left for the estate again, if she asked to stay at the capital mansion, The Countess would probably allow it as a reward for all her hard work.
Countess Carlton was also aware that Ted continued to make advances on her.
And since Ted would need to marry a woman from a more powerful family than theirs, she didn’t want Hestia to stay by his side forever. If she were to give birth to Ted’s illegitimate child, they would be in trouble.
And before the next social season began, Melda’s contract with Countess Carlton would end. At the same time, Hestia would also gain the right to report where she would move.
“If this dinner party goes off without a hitch, I will accommodate you as much as possible.”
Finally, Countess Carlton nodded. Hestia thanked her and left.
* * *
The next day, when Ted arrived at the mansion in his carriage, having fled from the tavern, he found his ankle even more swollen than before, and summoned Tom, the butler, in a rage.
“Get me a magic potion to cure my bruises at once!”
But the answer he got in response was, “These days, all traces of magic potions related to bruises have dried up in the magic shops. I’m sorry.”
Magic potions were very expensive and hard to come by. Even the average noble family had only a few restorative potions for life-threatening injuries.
You had to be a member of the royal family to be able to easily obtain and drink potions that would heal a bruise. In other words, it wasn’t Tom’s fault that there were none availible.
“What were you doing not having them on hand, aren’t you the butler?”
It was Count Carlton who slapped Ted on the back of the head when he lost his temper.
“Do you even know how expensive that potion is, how could we have it on hand? You fool, you don’t even have a grain of sense in your head! And how many times have I told you not to mess with Tom? You’re worse than a blockhead!”
Count Carlton didn’t hesitate to use harsh words towards Ted ever since his mistakes on the day of the imperial ball.
He’d even give his younger sister, Daisy, plenty of pocket money and bought her new dresses and jewelry. Ted was furious and lashed out at the Count.
