RLPE Chapter 52

A few days later.

The carriage arrived in front of a mansion I had never visited before.

The Rose marquisate’s tea party—a gathering notorious for hosting the most distinguished young ladies of high society. It was said that those obsessed with social circles would give anything for an invitation. And now, here I was, standing at its entrance.

“Haa…”

A deep sigh escaped as I stepped out of the carriage.

The mansion was as grand as a ducal estate, but that wasn’t what unsettled me.

Since Armin had visited my house, I hadn’t seen him again. Unlike our petty argument over tea cakes, this was on an entirely different level. We hadn’t fought, so there was no reason to make up. Because of that, I had been losing sleep, completely exhausted.

On top of that, I had never been good at dealing with strong-willed women. And this place was full of them.

The Marchioness’ reception room was decorated entirely to Lady Rose’s tastes. From the luxurious furnishings alone, it was clear how much the Marquis doted on his daughter.

“Oh my, Lady Roha. You’ve arrived.”

At my arrival, Lady Rose stood up, greeting me with enthusiasm.

I had never had the opportunity to see her up close before, but it was obvious at a glance who she was.

Pink hair, rosy cheeks full of life, and a natural air of authority, as if belonging in the center of attention.

She was even more beautiful than the rumors claimed.

The flower of high society. The queen among blossoms.

It was no exaggeration that the family name Rose suited her perfectly.

Her eyes shimmered like morning dew, and the flattering remarks about her being a living embodiment of a rose suddenly didn’t seem entirely untrue.

Surrounding her were numerous ladies, all well-known figures in social circles. Their gazes were far from welcoming.

“Thank you for the invitation.”

I curtsied gracefully, lifting my skirt slightly.

Even though all I did was greet them, I could already tell—I was not welcome here.

I was beginning to regret coming.

“What an honor.”

One lady scoffed behind her fan.

“I heard Lady Roha keeps her head in the clouds, ignoring invitations left and right.”

“That’s a misunderstanding. I simply don’t go out often due to health reasons.”

“Hmph. Yet you visit the Duke’s residence nearly every other day.”

And that’s any of your business because…?

The words sat heavy on my tongue, but I swallowed them back and forced a polite smile. It wasn’t even worth responding to.

Sensing the tension, Lady Rose gracefully intervened.

“Enough, everyone. Lady Roha has a much busier schedule than us. We should be understanding.”

I couldn’t tell if she was defending me or mocking me.

She smiled sweetly and gestured for me to sit.

“Here, have some tea.”

“Ah… yes. Thank you.”

Lady Rose, as expected from someone at the heart of high society, displayed excellent conversational skills. She started with small talk about the weather, then casually discussed the latest trends like frills and lace, and even complimented my dress and makeup.

However, I knew this was just the surface, and such topics wouldn’t last long. After all, the real reason I was here was to clear up the rumors circulating about me, so I patiently waited until she asked the real questions she was curious about.

Women in high society are naturally curious. They spend their time feeding their curiosity, never missing any gossip or events. And considering I’m at the center of the current gossip, they were bound to be interested in me.

Fortunately, the transition into the main topic didn’t take too long. After complimenting my forsythia-colored dress and the ribbon in my hair that matched my eye color, Lady Rose paused for a moment to catch her breath.

The sound of her fingernails tapping nervously against each other filled the room.

“Lady Roha, please, tell me. We have to confirm whether it’s true or not.”

One of the women in the group gently grabbed Lady Rose’s shoulder and encouraged her. Perhaps spurred on by her friend’s support, Lady Rose’s bright yellow eyes finally turned toward me. This was the signal that the real conversation was about to begin.

I too took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the difficult questions ahead, thinking about the possible responses I could offer to protect my peaceful life.

If they asked how I became close to Armin, I would explain that I got to know him naturally through his growing friendship with Sasha.

If they inquired about my relationship with the Duke and Duchess, I would make a wide-eyed, innocent face and claim that they seemed to find me quite charming as they had no daughters of their own.

If they asked about how I earned my medal, I would simply say that I had no idea, I was simply  just doing an errand for Sasha.

I had mentally prepared myself with perfect answers for various potential questions.

But the question Lady Rose asked was nothing like I expected. It was directly related to the situation that had been tormenting me lately. It felt as if she had been observing my situation closely.

“Lady Roha, I know it may be rude to ask this on our first meeting, but…”

“No, Lady Rose. Please feel free to ask anything.”

“Do you perhaps have feelings for Lord Armin?”

“What? Did you just… ask me that?”

I froze, a little dumbfounded. I had to take a moment to replay her words in my head, trying to make sense of what she meant. The literal translation was clear, but it was hard to interpret. What was she asking me?

“Oh my! Look at this, Lady Roha can’t even answer.”

A sharp voice came from one of the women, who had been glaring at me with clear distaste. She let out a huff, and then began speaking quickly.

“Honestly, we think no one suits Lord Armin better than Lady Rose. They’re a perfect match.”

“That’s right. But recently, we’ve seen him spending quite a bit of time with you.”

“So we’re asking. Do you have any feelings for him?”

It was puzzling why these women were getting so worked up over something that wasn’t even their business. They started chattering loudly like baby sparrows, their voices growing more shrill and insistent.

The words and tone were so overwhelming that I felt my head growing heavier with each second. The look in Lady Rose’s eyes seemed to darken with an added layer of intensity.

“As others have said, do you perhaps… have feelings for Lord Armin?”

“Why aren’t you answering my question?”

“Ah… well, it was an unexpected question.”

I wanted to change the subject out of embarrassment.

Did I like Armin? I had to say no, but it was difficult to give a clear answer. It would have been easy to just say no. I knew exactly what they wanted to hear, but the confusion in my heart kept growing, and I couldn’t ignore it.

“I’m sorry, but…”

Looking at me, Lady Rose’s gaze suddenly hardened. It was hard to believe that just moments ago, she had been looking at me with such softness in her eyes.

“Please answer the question quickly, Lady Roha.”

Lady Rose’s face had completely changed, and her words felt like they were pushing me into a corner. All eyes in the room were now fixed on me.

“Do you have feelings for Lord Armin?”

My heart sank.

Everyone could see it now, the anxious look in Lady Rose’s eyes. It was obvious—she had deeply and genuinely fallen for Armin.

Her face was desperate, but still beautiful. Oddly enough, I didn’t think of myself as someone particularly beautiful, but at that moment, I felt terribly plain. There was no doubt that Lady Rose was the one who truly suited the Duchess title.

Her desperate eyes reminded me of someone else. It was the same look Armin had given me when he came to my house just a few days ago.

“Armin and I… we’re just friends.”

I barely managed to answer, squeezed out between my lips. It was a death sentence for the feelings I had, spoken out loud in front of people I didn’t know. The moment I spoke, Lady Rose’s face began to brighten.

‘I never thought of you as a friend, even for a moment.’

I could almost hear Armin’s voice in my ears. A friend? Yes, saying it aloud only made me realize even more strongly that my feelings for Armin were not just friendship.

But even if I could turn back time, I would still answer the same way.

Despite my feelings for him, I would say that we were just friends. And what filled my chest as I said that was nothing but a deep sense of inferiority. The certainty that someone as beautiful as Lady Rose, like a flower, would be the better match for Armin.

‘I thought I was someone cool, someone who would throw away such childish feelings…’

This world, this place, was so different from the one I remembered in South Korea, and it made me feel bitter.

Having read too many romance novels, I knew, whether I wanted to or not, that the brown-haired girl was never going to be the protagonist. The handsome male lead always ended up with a beautiful woman like her.

The moment my words ended, Lady Rose’s face blossomed into a radiant smile, as if a rose had bloomed.

She suddenly grabbed my hand across from her, and the coldness in her gaze had turned into a warmth that felt like the sun on a spring day.

“Lady Roha, help me.”

“Help… you?”

“Please set up a meeting between me and Lord Armin. I’ve heard that the Grey family hasn’t responded to any proposals, but if it’s through the introduction of your closest friend, don’t you think he’ll take it seriously?”

She spoke as if meeting him would guarantee her place beside Armin. I should have found her behavior ridiculous, but at that moment, I could only envy her confidence, her ability to be honest with her feelings.