Chapter 22
Countess Hyacinth held my hand firmly and led me to the greenhouse garden where the gathering was held.
“Lady Adeline has arrived,” she announced.
I gathered my dress and curtsied lightly. As I took in the large number of guests and the lavish tea and food on the table, I realized this was more of a party than a simple gathering.
“Lady Adeline, please sit here,” Hyacinth said, offering me the seat right next to her.
In gatherings like this, the seat beside the hostess was usually reserved for the guest of honor. It seemed that today, I was the main guest.
I had heard that a war recently broke out in the eastern nation. I assumed she would be grateful, but I hadn’t expected this much. Business was already going well for her, and she’d been appreciative before, but clearly, kindness always pays off. My first choice had been the right one.
Sitting beside her, I maintained a humble expression as I spoke.
“To express my gratitude for today’s invitation, I’ve prepared a small gift.”
Hyacinth’s maid fetched the package from my carriage.
“I prepared these especially as a gift for the ladies here.”
The maids distributed the gifts to the ladies.
“Oh my!”
“Isn’t this that rare item…?”
“Thank you, Lady Adeline.”
Exclamations and words of thanks filled the air, and I waved my hands modestly.
“I’m so glad you’re happy with them. It’s truly my pleasure.”
I could see the excitement and satisfaction in the faces of Countess Hyacinth and the other noblewomen, blending into expressions of joy and wonder.
“You didn’t have to go through the trouble of preparing such a gift. I planned this gathering to show my appreciation for you, Lady Adeline,” said Madame Hyacinth.
Feigning surprise, I widened my eyes. “Oh? Madame, for what exactly?”
“If it weren’t for you, we would have faced a great disaster. The Earl, though unable to attend today, is deeply grateful to you, Lady Adeline. You are a treasured friend of our family.”
Even though I was a candidate for sainthood, being called a friend by a noble was something special—especially in the Kinsteria Empire.
With an emotional look and tears welling up in my eyes, I said, “Madame, to be called a friend?”
With a declarative tone, she repeated, “Our family will stand by Lady Adeline from this day forward.”
This was, in essence, a declaration—a promise of patronage.
I was genuinely surprised by the unexpected success. This meant that if anything were to happen to me in the future, the Count’s family would serve as a shield.
Madame Hyacinth saw the surprise on my face and took my hand, and her warm touch felt reassuring. I was glad I had chosen to help her. It felt like I’d gained a friend who was like family—a feeling of belonging, something I’d missed since coming to this unfamiliar place. Gratitude and pride in my profession filled me to the brim.
While we enjoyed tea, she shared vivid stories of the eastern war and a major event in the west. I could almost see the level of favor toward me skyrocketing as she spoke.
Lady Cordelia, who was sitting toward the middle of the gathering, also looked pleased.
* * *
Three days later, deep into the night, Zion visited me discreetly.
“His Highness has granted permission.”
Perhaps because he had involved the prince in such a matter, his expression bore a heavy sense of guilt. I was the one who had pushed him into this over a minor incident. Given the situation, he had no choice but to comply. I didn’t want to bring any harm to Ilias; after all, I had always felt sympathy for him, even as a reader.
Hoping that I hadn’t pushed someone in a difficult situation even further, I added softly, “Thank you. I’ll make sure you don’t regret your choice today. And if you ever need my help, I’ll gladly be there for you.”
* * *
Over breakfast—potato soup, salad, and freshly baked bread that Sarah had prepared—I was lost in thought. Now all that was left was the temple, but the prospect of persuading that conservative place filled me with dread.
The temple would never allow any disruption to its current structure. They were the ones in power, after all. No matter how many arguments I presented, they would likely side with Viscount Graine, who was one of their own.
‘The temple acts less like a religion and more like a mafia,’ I thought. ‘“My side is always right” is such an outdated mentality.’
“Lady Adeline, please focus on your meal during meal times. You’ve already been studying late every night—you need rest, or your body won’t keep up. Your face is already showing the strain.”
The expanding dark circles under my eyes and the loss of elasticity and brightness had cast a shadow over my once-beautiful face.
“My mind is so busy that I can’t sleep.”
Recently, Cordelia’s divorce had been granted.
The process for trials in the empire went like this: once someone applied for a trial, it could proceed if the reason was deemed valid. If not, it was dismissed. This meant that applications from non-temple supporters were often denied. Since the empire didn’t have prosecutors or lawyers, people would either speak on their own behalf or use a representative.
In any case, as soon as Viscount Graine, a temple supporter, applied, the trial moved swiftly, and the divorce was finalized in no time. The temple approved, and Empress Sierra, the imperial representative, sanctioned it. Cordelia was practically thrown out with nothing, and Sophia moved into Viscount Graine’s residence immediately.
Even if the imperial family sided with us, if the temple opposed, things would become complicated, and the outcome would be uncertain.
Unable to sleep, I kept running through scenarios in my mind, preparing for the trial.
“Why not meet with that priest? Ask him for information on how to approach the temple.”
“Priest Chris? Would a lower-ranking priest even know?”
“But if you find out who will preside over the trial, you can prepare accordingly. And if he learns anything ahead of time, you can ask him to let you know. You did say he’s a bit different.”
“Good idea.”
“Yes, invite him for dinner. It’s a sort of bribe, so I’ll make sure it’s delicious.”
“Thanks, Sarah.”
I immediately contacted Chris and invited him to dinner.
* * *
Chris arrived with a bouquet of lilies, greeting me shyly.
“Thank you for inviting me, Lady Adeline.”
“Thank you for accepting the invitation, Chris.”
Chris and I sat down at the table, which was set with mushroom soup, rolls, salad, and steak.
Normally, courses should be served in sequence, but tonight’s conversation required a more private setting, so I had everything served at once, and Sarah left the house for the evening. I poured red wine into his glass, and we lightly clinked our glasses.
“May the blessings of the goddess be with us.”
As we ate, we shared small talk about daily life, from Madame Hyacinth to the great success of the incense sticks. The light conversation helped set a comfortable mood.
Toward the end of the meal, Chris looked at me and asked, “Lady Adeline, you have something you want to discuss, don’t you?”
I was taken aback by the direct question.
“Pardon?”
“Please, speak freely. Aren’t we friends?”
I took a deep breath and nodded, smiling.
“Thank you for considering me a friend.”
I began telling him about Cordelia’s situation. Chris listened intently, as though he didn’t want to miss a word. His expression didn’t waver.
Once I’d finished, I felt a bit nervous about his reaction. No matter how close we were, he was still a conservative priest and might not be able to accept the concept of divorce.
But he looked at me resolutely and said, “Though my help may be small, I’ll support you, Lady Adeline. Property division—I wouldn’t have thought of it if not for you. It’s an honor to be able to assist in such a noble cause.”
“Thank you, Chris.”
There was a passionate intensity in his gaze, one that felt almost too strong, making me tense under the fervent look.
* * *
After that, everything moved quickly. I promptly sent Cordelia the documents to file for an alimony claim. And to shape public opinion, I spread the word. Due to the previous incident with Sophia’s outburst, public sympathy leaned toward Cordelia.
Regardless of gender, what had happened was clearly wrong on a human level.
Before long, the people in the capital were abuzz, eagerly awaiting whether the case would be accepted or dismissed. Fortunately, the imperial family approved first, and the temple quickly followed suit.
With permission granted, I moved swiftly, just as I’d planned. I suggested an article about the lawsuit to the newspaper editor, who gladly agreed. The article was subtly biased in Cordelia’s favor, and soon, it became trendy for people to criticize and mock Viscount Graine.
With daily coverage in the empire’s only newspaper, interest in the alimony lawsuit grew day by day.
* * *
I prepared a script for Cordelia, covering everything she needed to say.
“Even if you can’t memorize it all, make sure to remember the highlighted parts and say them as written.”
“I’ll memorize everything. Don’t worry, Lady Adeline.”
Though I wanted to support her as a spokesperson in the trial, I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk exposing my connection to Cordelia. Graine and Sophia couldn’t find out about our relationship; otherwise, it would cast suspicion on the entire divorce case.
We moved as carefully as possible. Then, the day of the trial finally arrived.
“Cordelia, stay strong. I’ll be in the gallery, watching. I’m here for you, so just say everything you’ve prepared and speak your mind.”
“Thank you, Adeline.”
And so, we each made our way to the courtroom.
Since it was an unprecedented trial, the gallery was packed. Quite a few noblewomen had come to support Cordelia, offering her their sincere encouragement.
After her divorce, the one who had taken her in was none other than Madame Hyacinth. The ladies who attended our gatherings also made significant efforts to rally support for Cordelia by promoting positive opinion in various salons.
With the help of so many people, we were able to come this far.
Even though the verdict hadn’t been announced yet, my nose tingled with emotion.
