Chapter 30 - Shouldn't You Have a Debutant Prom Too?

  


The Eucharistic Mass in question was conducted without problems with Arabella's modified version of the Mass Brevis. The composer's name was corrected to 'Isabella Arabella de Mare', and the slight rudeness on the first day of concert practice seemed to have gone well without such a rumor. 

On the Eucharistic Mass, people praised the outstanding talents of the de Mare sisters, and Lucrezia enjoyed the attention of her daughters instead. However, Isabella, who was unfamiliar with her friends, did not go out to the Great Hall on the day of the Communion Mass, which was extremely unusual in view of her usual habit of liking attention, and after that, she remained away from home for a long time.

Camellia de Castiglione spread an exciting rumor in the social world. Julia de Baldesar did not go so far as to completely end one of her friendships, but decided to distance herself a little, and smiled at Lucrezia, who was galloping out in the front row during the Communion Mass. 

In the summer of that year, Arabella was put on probation by Lucrezia and was unable to come or go. After coming to San Carlo, Ariadne, who had not yet made friends the same age as Queen Margaret and other aristocratic wives of her mother's age, stayed in the study, and the family spent a relatively quiet summer. In the meantime, an invitation to the family after a long time. It was sent by The Marquess of Chibo, an aide to Queen Margaret.

"Dear Ariadne de Mare, on the last Friday of August, I would like to open a salon where young people can enjoy art. Thanks to the arrangement of merchants from the Republic of Porto, we have been able to showcase many precious works. A number of nobles from prestigious families, including Prince Alfonso, have decided to come and honor the event, so I hope this will be an opportunity to expand your friendship. I hope you can come and have a chat."

Marquess Alejandra de Chibo.

Nowhere on the invitation was Isabella's name mentioned. She called for Maletta in haste, as Isabella was dismayed.

"Maletta! Is this the only invitation that has arrived?"

""Yes, My Lady."

A separate invitation to Isabella did not come out. In fact, since the wife of Marquis of Chibo the closest aide to Queen Margaret, it was natural, in a way, that she did not send a separate invitation to Isabella, the daughter of Lucrezia. Lucrezia originally did not have much acquaintance with the Queen's bodyguards, and not long ago, at a mass in her palace, the Queen even issued an order for her to be a guest of honor for Lucrezia. However, Isabella was doubly distressed when she assumed alone that this was due to the impersonation of a composer during the Eucharistic Mass.

'Everyone will be laughing at me. I have to make it up somehow...'

The fact that she was not invited to the salon, which even Prince Alfonso attended, hurt Isabella's pride. So, with the conviction that if I didn't have it, no one else would have it, Isabella decided not to let Ariadne go either.

"Are you going to the salon of the Marquess of Chibo?"

At the dinner table where everyone gathered, Isabella started talking as if she was worried.

At the dinner table where everyone was gathered, Isabella started talking as if she was worried. All of her family looked at Isabella in unison, except for Arabella, who will still on probation and could not come to her table and was eating only dry bread in her room. Isabella deliberately smoothed her voice.

"No, I am not telling you not to go. But things are a bit like that. You're not even debutant yet. You can't go out without a guardian."

It was a rare truth among Isabella's stories. The treatment of the aristocratic daughter of San Carlo was greatly divided before and after the debutante ball. Before the debutante ball, they were treated as children, so they couldn't move without a guardian accompanying she was recognized as a proper lady, so she was able to visit 'decent' places such as church, picnics, and friend's houses for a day without the accompanying guardian.

"my mother was humiliated the other day at the Queen's Mass because of you, so you can't ask your mother to accompany you here, can you?"

Lucrezia's impression hardened at once. When Ariadne received the invitation from the Marquess of Chibo, it seemed that she hadn't thought that far. Isabella yelled at Ariadne in a sweet voice.

"Wouldn't you? You are a good daughter."

Ariadne didn't answer that right away. When Ariadne didn't immediately respond, Lucrezia's fever flared up.

'That's...!'

The moment Lucrezia was angry that she couldn't go even if she died, while they were eating, Cardinal de Mare clattered and put the tableware down.

"Yes, the time has come."

"Yes?"

"When?"

Cardinal de Mare looked at Ariadne and said.

"It's time for a little mourning debutante ball."

Ariadne looked at Cardinal de Mare in surprise. She was bewildered. In her past life, she had an engagement ceremony with Cesare de Como without even having a debutante ball. After that, Ariadne had never been treated like a girl who had just made her debutante ball, as she had been treated like a married woman. Borrowing the name of Count de Como, she only attended various social events and charity of noble ladies. But now she can have a solo debutant prom...!

It was like an event that compressed Ariadne's changed status compared to her previous life and brought it together. A small smile appeared on his lips spontaneously. Contrary to Ariadne who couldn't control her joy, Isabella become angry.

"Father? How is she going to do her debutante ball? Is this year's debutante ball already over?"

This was also true. The debutante ball was an event where noble ladies and their daughters went to greet each other at the royal palace every April. in the blooming spring. It was already August when the fresh green was lush.

"Ariadne has already sent greetings to His Majesty the King and his wife."

It referred to the audience with the Queen to whom Ariadne was bestowed with the 'Heart of the Blue Sea.' The debutant ball had a specially made fruit wine drinking party and a waltz order in which the debutantes of that year paired up, but in fact, its essence was to greet the King bad Queen and those who were qualified to enter the court.  It was in the part where it was confirmed that he was a descendant of an aristocrat.

"It is said that you already have the qualifications to enter the court, but then all that remains is to say hello to the social world. You can do that by throwing a separate ball and inviting people. It is not without precedent."

If a person who clearly has the right to enter the court, such as a descendant of a royal family or an aristocrat who grew up as a playmate with a prince or princess childhood, could not attend the debutante ball due to travel or illness, a separate ball was held to announce the debut of the social world. It was a special privilege that only very precious people could enjoy. Isabella's face contorted.

"Father, are you really going to do that to her?"

Isabella asked with a look as if she was grabbing a straw. Cardinal de Mare was his father, who always cared only for himself. He couldn't give the rolling stone the privilege she didn't even get. However, Cardinal de Mare's reply mercilessly betrayed Isabella's expectations.

"You should be friendly with your sister, Isabella."

He looked at the eldest daughter from a distance, as if a little pitiful.

"Ariadne is also a member who will raise the name of the de Mare family. After the debutante ball, Ariadne's range of maneuver will be wider. We can do more."

He turned to Ariadne and spoke.

"You are doing very well these days, Ariadne. I couldn't even take care of you much, but it's commendable.'

"No, Your Eminence Cardinal. I am always grateful for your grace."

Ariadne stopped eating and felt like her stomach was bubbling, so she couldn't put any more rice in her mouth. She always responded to Cardinal de Mare with a double layer of pretense, but today's thank you was a little sincere.

"Let's talk separately before the debutante ball. I have something to tell you about me. At that time, Lucrezia, you should also come with me for a while."

"Yes, I understand."

"Yes, yes."

Lucrezia looked at Ariadne with a distorted expression. Isabella and Lucrezia exchanged glances. Isabella brought her words out in her sarcasm.

"If the debutante ball is held separately, it will be early fall at the earliest because it will take time to prepare. Oh my, what to do! This salon is the last week of August, but until then you can only go outside with a guardian, right?"

Lucrezia took the board that her eldest daughter had laid.

"Yes, it is absolutely impossible for me to go to the salon of the Marquess of Chibo now."

She took a turn and started playing weak against Cardinal de Mare.

"It's been so hot lately that my body hurts. I will never forget the look in her eyes the last time the Marquess of Chibo looked at me at her Queen's mass. You know that when I get a headache, it keeps hurting, right? As long as it's in this state, ah, really..."

Cardinal de Mare was giving himself a headache at his wife's whining. He had to send Ariadne to the salon, so he felt like his wife wouldn't let her go if he insisted Ariadne to going. Second, since they decided to hold a debutant ball, wouldn't it be okay not to go to the salon held by the Queen's aides at least once? It was certain that Lucrezia would become a borrowed bag or barely if she went there, and it was true that she had no one to take on the role of her guardian except for her.

"As a daughter who had become a child, how could I think only for myself and ask my mother to go to an uncomfortable place?"

While contemplating how to speak, Ariadne spoke first in a calm manner with Cardinal de Mare in front. Isabella and Lucrezia exchanged glances of 'what's wrong with her'. Isabella struck out.

"Then, it's too bad this time, but I can't go, can I? The Prince is coming too, so sorry."

"It is not."

Sure enough, Ariadne never missed an opportunity once it came in.

"Madame Romani, the Gallic tutor, is a distant relive of the Marquess of Chibo. Coincidentally, she knows Madame Romani's house is under renovation, so she will be staying at Marquess of Chibo's house anyway for the rest of this month. May I ask Madame Romani if she can be my chaperone to accompany me to the salon that day/"

Lucrezia's jaw dropped. Madame Romani was a tutor whom Lucrezia, eager to join among the ladies of the Queen's entourage, had sought out in case she could help Isabella make friends. She thought that through Madame Romani, she might be able to build her bridge to the Marquess of Chibo. She was just not the kind of person Madame Romani would be, and Madame Romani wasn't the kind of person who would actively arrange things for her, so Lucrezia didn't benefit from that. Her salary was low and she worked diligently, so Lucrezia didn't even bother to fire her, she just forgot about it.

'I can't believe she picks up and eats this!'

Unaware of Lucrezia's fidgeting speed, Cardinale de Mare was delighted that the troublesome matter had been resolved and readily agreed.

"Yeah, right. I think I had heard that Madame Romani was a distant relative of the Marquess of Chibo. It's a good picture of each other. Let me ask you a favor. Be sure to indicate your last name."

"Yes, Father."

Ariadne quietly bowed her head.

"You take care of the child separately so that she can show her last name."

Lucrezia, who seemed like she would be dying to go, but had to take care of the money, took another hit.

"...Yes, yes."

"Do I have to take care of all these things? Oh, stop talking!"



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