Episode 9. Vengeance is Mine
When Adele came back from the fountain, everyone's eyes were on her. When they went to look for her, they found only a naked man tied up. Furthermore, Eaton, who had done something shameful and ended up like that, kept his mouth shut. Everyone thought that only Adele knew the whole story.
“Adele, where have you been?”
Mia ran over and asked.
“I was feeling tipsy, so I went for a walk.”
Adele's answer was calm. It seemed as if she had no idea what was going on with that man.
“Mrs. Oswald?”
At that moment, a young girl with a still young face approached.
“She is the Princess.”
Mia whispered in her ear. Adele had seen Princess April a few times at banquets. It was the first time they had greeted each other.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Princess.”
She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am!”
April smiled cutely and grabbed Adele's hand.
“I was just about to go back, but I was so sad because I thought you were leaving without seeing me.”
Adele was embarrassed when April acted too friendly. It goes without saying that the people watching were also bewildered. They had no idea that the Princess would like Adele, the outcast of the high society, so much.
“I’m sorry. I think I’ve been walking for too long.”
That was when.
“Just a minute, April.”
Christine came up next to April. He was wearing the jacket he had given Adele. She had given it back to him through Zimmer. Christine whispered something to April. Then April whispered something back to him. The two of them looked very natural. Except that April’s blushing cheeks had become even blusher.
“I think I should go back now.”
After finishing whispering with Christine, April looked at the people with a regretful expression. Then, she made a special request to Adele.
“Can I invite you later? We can talk more, then.”
Adele was confused by the word invitation. If it was an invitation to the imperial palace, to me? At that moment, April whispered softly so that only Adele could hear.
“Please tell me the story of the Count.”
And then, her young face blushed shyly. Anyone who saw her would know that she was a lovely woman in love.
“Yes, of course.”
Adele smiled quietly at the lovely Princess. April also turned around, winking as if she were some kind of accomplice. Behind her, Christine was waiting with one arm outstretched. April naturally linked arms with him. The Princess's maids and Christine's men followed in line. Everyone watching had a gut feeling.
“There will be a royal wedding soon.”
“It’s a shame, but it suits you well.”
Adele couldn't take her eyes off the two people walking away. The lovely Princess and the hero of the empire. Even in her eyes, they were a dazzlingly matching pair. Perhaps that was why she felt even more shabby.
“Adele, did you hurt your hand?”
It was Mia who brought her back to reality. After Christine left with the Princess, all that was left to Adele was his handkerchief tied in her hand.
“Ah, I fell down while I was walking.”
“What happened? Did you apply the medicine?”
“I can apply it when I get home. Let’s go back now.”
Adele's expression was more determined than ever. Mia, who realized that, nodded as well.
“Yes. But are you really okay? Your face is pale.”
“I’ll feel better if you rest. What happened to you? You don’t look well.”
Instead of answering, Mia just smiled slightly.
"You’re lucky today, Mother.”
Adele turned around at Seira's voice.
“You’re out of luck, Seira.”
And Adele approached Seira and glared at her coldly.
“I will settle my debt to you with today’s actions. Be careful next time, because I don’t know what I might do.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about all of a sudden.”
Seira tried to keep her cool, but her face looked a little tense. Most of the bad rumors about Adele were her own making. But there was something about Adele that was definitely unsettling.
“Tell Mrs. Hans I said hello. It was an unforgettable party.”
With those words, Adele left Madame Hans' mansion.
“What did you say to Seira just now?”
As they rode back in the carriage, Mia asked curiously.
“It’s nothing.”
“By any chance, by any chance... were you okay after drinking the alcohol I gave you earlier?”
“...”
As Adele stared at her, Mia began to cry and confess the truth.
“After drinking that, I was dancing and suddenly collapsed. I thought I was drunk because it was strong alcohol, but I think it was the alcohol that was strange.”
Adele groaned deeply. She had thought she was the only one who had been drugged, but Mia's drink had also been drugged. After all, there was no way she knew which glass of drink was being consumed by either of them.
“So you’re okay? You’re not hurt?”
Mia nodded weakly.
“When I opened my eyes, I was lying in the living room. Fortunately, I got better quickly.”
"Thank god."
Mia asked cautiously again.
“Adele, are you okay? I thought about it carefully, and it seems like they were after you. Was it Viscount Eaton? Or Seira?”
“I would say it was a collaboration between Seira, Viscount Eaton, and Lady Hans.”
“Really! Just give me these!”
Mia was ready to turn the carriage around and grab them by the hair.
“Calm down. Fortunately, nothing serious happened.”
“So it was really you who made Viscount Eaton like that?”
Adele hesitated for a moment, but decided not to mention Christine.
"...Yes."
“Wow, Adele! I thought so, but I didn’t think it would happen. It's a sight to behold! He's been tormenting you like that for a while, and now he can’t even lift his head.”
He had no one to complain to since he had suffered a terrible fate while trying to do something bad to Adele. Furthermore, since he had shown such a thing to the Princess, it was obvious that not only would the family be ashamed, but the social circles would be noisy with the story for a while. There was no shame like this.
“It’s all his own fault.”
Mia, who looked like she was going to cry, glared at Adele.
"What?"
“And today’s party wasn’t all bad. Thanks to it, I got a chance to become close to the Princess.”
Mia eventually burst into tears and hugged Adele tightly.
“Wow! Adele, you are such a good friend! If I ever go back into society, I’m not human! I’m never going back!”
Mia seemed to have lost all sense of pride in the social world. She had been used to trap Adele. Today's events must have been quite painful for Mia as well. Adele patted her sobbing friend on the back.
“I'm really okay.”
Mia, who had been sobbing like that for a while, suddenly wiped her tears and smiled brightly.
“So I did something I thought would be revenge.”
"Revenge?"
"Yes!"
Same time.
“Oh my, Miss Seira, what’s that on your head?”
“My head?”
Seira stroked her neatly trimmed blonde hair and accessories, wondering. Then, her face suddenly distorted. She had touched something sticky.
When Adele came back from the fountain, everyone's eyes were on her. When they went to look for her, they found only a naked man tied up. Furthermore, Eaton, who had done something shameful and ended up like that, kept his mouth shut. Everyone thought that only Adele knew the whole story.
“Adele, where have you been?”
Mia ran over and asked.
“I was feeling tipsy, so I went for a walk.”
Adele's answer was calm. It seemed as if she had no idea what was going on with that man.
“Mrs. Oswald?”
At that moment, a young girl with a still young face approached.
“She is the Princess.”
Mia whispered in her ear. Adele had seen Princess April a few times at banquets. It was the first time they had greeted each other.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Princess.”
She lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am!”
April smiled cutely and grabbed Adele's hand.
“I was just about to go back, but I was so sad because I thought you were leaving without seeing me.”
Adele was embarrassed when April acted too friendly. It goes without saying that the people watching were also bewildered. They had no idea that the Princess would like Adele, the outcast of the high society, so much.
“I’m sorry. I think I’ve been walking for too long.”
That was when.
“Just a minute, April.”
Christine came up next to April. He was wearing the jacket he had given Adele. She had given it back to him through Zimmer. Christine whispered something to April. Then April whispered something back to him. The two of them looked very natural. Except that April’s blushing cheeks had become even blusher.
***
“I think I should go back now.”
After finishing whispering with Christine, April looked at the people with a regretful expression. Then, she made a special request to Adele.
“Can I invite you later? We can talk more, then.”
Adele was confused by the word invitation. If it was an invitation to the imperial palace, to me? At that moment, April whispered softly so that only Adele could hear.
“Please tell me the story of the Count.”
And then, her young face blushed shyly. Anyone who saw her would know that she was a lovely woman in love.
“Yes, of course.”
Adele smiled quietly at the lovely Princess. April also turned around, winking as if she were some kind of accomplice. Behind her, Christine was waiting with one arm outstretched. April naturally linked arms with him. The Princess's maids and Christine's men followed in line. Everyone watching had a gut feeling.
“There will be a royal wedding soon.”
“It’s a shame, but it suits you well.”
Adele couldn't take her eyes off the two people walking away. The lovely Princess and the hero of the empire. Even in her eyes, they were a dazzlingly matching pair. Perhaps that was why she felt even more shabby.
April... And Christine's voice calling the Princess's name lingered in her ears. It was the first time she had heard someone call another woman's name in such a soft voice. But why did her heart keep aching?
“Adele, did you hurt your hand?”
It was Mia who brought her back to reality. After Christine left with the Princess, all that was left to Adele was his handkerchief tied in her hand.
“Ah, I fell down while I was walking.”
“What happened? Did you apply the medicine?”
“I can apply it when I get home. Let’s go back now.”
Adele's expression was more determined than ever. Mia, who realized that, nodded as well.
“Yes. But are you really okay? Your face is pale.”
“I’ll feel better if you rest. What happened to you? You don’t look well.”
Instead of answering, Mia just smiled slightly.
"You’re lucky today, Mother.”
Adele turned around at Seira's voice.
“You’re out of luck, Seira.”
And Adele approached Seira and glared at her coldly.
“I will settle my debt to you with today’s actions. Be careful next time, because I don’t know what I might do.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about all of a sudden.”
Seira tried to keep her cool, but her face looked a little tense. Most of the bad rumors about Adele were her own making. But there was something about Adele that was definitely unsettling.
“Tell Mrs. Hans I said hello. It was an unforgettable party.”
With those words, Adele left Madame Hans' mansion.
***
“What did you say to Seira just now?”
As they rode back in the carriage, Mia asked curiously.
“It’s nothing.”
“By any chance, by any chance... were you okay after drinking the alcohol I gave you earlier?”
“...”
As Adele stared at her, Mia began to cry and confess the truth.
“After drinking that, I was dancing and suddenly collapsed. I thought I was drunk because it was strong alcohol, but I think it was the alcohol that was strange.”
Adele groaned deeply. She had thought she was the only one who had been drugged, but Mia's drink had also been drugged. After all, there was no way she knew which glass of drink was being consumed by either of them.
“So you’re okay? You’re not hurt?”
Mia nodded weakly.
“When I opened my eyes, I was lying in the living room. Fortunately, I got better quickly.”
"Thank god."
Mia asked cautiously again.
“Adele, are you okay? I thought about it carefully, and it seems like they were after you. Was it Viscount Eaton? Or Seira?”
“I would say it was a collaboration between Seira, Viscount Eaton, and Lady Hans.”
“Really! Just give me these!”
Mia was ready to turn the carriage around and grab them by the hair.
“Calm down. Fortunately, nothing serious happened.”
“So it was really you who made Viscount Eaton like that?”
Adele hesitated for a moment, but decided not to mention Christine.
"...Yes."
“Wow, Adele! I thought so, but I didn’t think it would happen. It's a sight to behold! He's been tormenting you like that for a while, and now he can’t even lift his head.”
He had no one to complain to since he had suffered a terrible fate while trying to do something bad to Adele. Furthermore, since he had shown such a thing to the Princess, it was obvious that not only would the family be ashamed, but the social circles would be noisy with the story for a while. There was no shame like this.
“It’s all his own fault.”
“...I’m sorry, Adele.”
Mia suddenly muttered with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
"What are you talking about?"
“If anything had happened to you, I... I...”
“It’s okay, Mia. Nothing happened.”
“But it almost went wrong because of me. It’s all my fault. Because I insisted on coming to this party without knowing my place. Ah, you useless piece of vanity!”
Adele stopped Mia from banging her head to make a sound.
“Don’t be like that, Mia. You’re more attractive when you’re a little vain.”
Mia suddenly muttered with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
"What are you talking about?"
“If anything had happened to you, I... I...”
“It’s okay, Mia. Nothing happened.”
“But it almost went wrong because of me. It’s all my fault. Because I insisted on coming to this party without knowing my place. Ah, you useless piece of vanity!”
Adele stopped Mia from banging her head to make a sound.
“Don’t be like that, Mia. You’re more attractive when you’re a little vain.”
Mia, who looked like she was going to cry, glared at Adele.
"What?"
“And today’s party wasn’t all bad. Thanks to it, I got a chance to become close to the Princess.”
Mia eventually burst into tears and hugged Adele tightly.
“Wow! Adele, you are such a good friend! If I ever go back into society, I’m not human! I’m never going back!”
Mia seemed to have lost all sense of pride in the social world. She had been used to trap Adele. Today's events must have been quite painful for Mia as well. Adele patted her sobbing friend on the back.
“I'm really okay.”
Mia, who had been sobbing like that for a while, suddenly wiped her tears and smiled brightly.
“So I did something I thought would be revenge.”
"Revenge?"
"Yes!"
Same time.
“Oh my, Miss Seira, what’s that on your head?”
“My head?”
Seira stroked her neatly trimmed blonde hair and accessories, wondering. Then, her face suddenly distorted. She had touched something sticky.
“Oh my, isn’t this caramel?”
“Caramel?”
Seira doubted her ears when she heard what the people were saying. Why was there caramel on her head...?
“Just wait a minute. Someone must have put it there while eating, and it’s tangled with your hair.”
“I think you should cut it.”
“Thank you for your hard work today, Count.”
April spoke cautiously in the carriage back to the palace. Christine, who was staring out the window absentmindedly with his chin resting on his hand, turned his gaze to her.
“No, I enjoyed it too.”
He said it with a smile, but his expression was not at all pleasant. However, April's heart pounded even at this indifferent face. Those blue-gray eyes, framed by silver eyelashes, were beautiful even when indifferent.
“Just now... I was surprised when you called my name.”
Seriously, at that moment, her heart sank.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Christine looked indifferent.
“No, if it’s okay with you, I think it would be better if you called me by my name in the future.”
“...”
As he just looked at her without answering, April spoke in a slightly quieter voice.
“Even when it’s just the two of us...”
“Let’s try.”
“Ah! Really?”
She tried to get her eyes to sparkle and ask for confirmation, but Christine had already turned his gaze out the window.
“But she was more beautiful than I thought.”
“...”
“She is the Marchioness of Oswald.”
Christine turned around again when Adele's story came up.
“She was so different from what I had heard. Such a beautiful and elegant woman. She was enough to move the Count’s heart.”
Christine furrowed her brows in displeasure, but April didn't notice.
“I mean, the handkerchief that the lady was wearing earlier. That’s the Count’s. It’s the one you had pinned to your chest when you came in...”
“I just lent it to her to help her heal her wound because she hurt her hand. Please don’t imagine anything.”
A voice as cold as a blade.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
April was flustered and didn't know what to do.
“And the Princess is also beautiful.”
She looked at him in surprise at the unexpected words.
“...Is that really... true?”
But Christine just stared out the window again. There was a dull silence inside the carriage, and only the sound of horse hooves and wheels rolling could be heard. But April had been busy interpreting his words just now. She had never dreamed that such praise would come from this indifferent man.
'I wonder if Count Weiss has any feelings for me?'
Before she knew it, the splendid lights of the palace were visible outside the window. From afar, the guards could be heard shouting as they opened the gates, and the sound of them saluting with their swords raised. April sighed in regret. It was soon time to part with Christine. In fact, today's escort was an opportunity she had earnestly requested from the Emperor.
“Caramel?”
Seira doubted her ears when she heard what the people were saying. Why was there caramel on her head...?
“Just wait a minute. Someone must have put it there while eating, and it’s tangled with your hair.”
“I think you should cut it.”
***
“Thank you for your hard work today, Count.”
April spoke cautiously in the carriage back to the palace. Christine, who was staring out the window absentmindedly with his chin resting on his hand, turned his gaze to her.
“No, I enjoyed it too.”
He said it with a smile, but his expression was not at all pleasant. However, April's heart pounded even at this indifferent face. Those blue-gray eyes, framed by silver eyelashes, were beautiful even when indifferent.
“Just now... I was surprised when you called my name.”
Seriously, at that moment, her heart sank.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Christine looked indifferent.
“No, if it’s okay with you, I think it would be better if you called me by my name in the future.”
“...”
As he just looked at her without answering, April spoke in a slightly quieter voice.
“Even when it’s just the two of us...”
“Let’s try.”
“Ah! Really?”
She tried to get her eyes to sparkle and ask for confirmation, but Christine had already turned his gaze out the window.
“But she was more beautiful than I thought.”
“...”
“She is the Marchioness of Oswald.”
Christine turned around again when Adele's story came up.
“She was so different from what I had heard. Such a beautiful and elegant woman. She was enough to move the Count’s heart.”
Christine furrowed her brows in displeasure, but April didn't notice.
“I mean, the handkerchief that the lady was wearing earlier. That’s the Count’s. It’s the one you had pinned to your chest when you came in...”
“I just lent it to her to help her heal her wound because she hurt her hand. Please don’t imagine anything.”
A voice as cold as a blade.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
April was flustered and didn't know what to do.
“And the Princess is also beautiful.”
She looked at him in surprise at the unexpected words.
“...Is that really... true?”
But Christine just stared out the window again. There was a dull silence inside the carriage, and only the sound of horse hooves and wheels rolling could be heard. But April had been busy interpreting his words just now. She had never dreamed that such praise would come from this indifferent man.
'I wonder if Count Weiss has any feelings for me?'
Before she knew it, the splendid lights of the palace were visible outside the window. From afar, the guards could be heard shouting as they opened the gates, and the sound of them saluting with their swords raised. April sighed in regret. It was soon time to part with Christine. In fact, today's escort was an opportunity she had earnestly requested from the Emperor.
Clang! When the carriage stopped, April grabbed the hem of her dress and gathered her courage.
“Would you... Kiss me, Count Weiss?”
Just the sight of him lingering on her made April's heart pound like crazy. She grabbed the hem of her dress tighter and mustered up a little more courage.
“Can I get a good night kiss too?”
But he opened the carriage door and got out as if he hadn't heard anything. Then he held out his hand to escort April.
'It's not working after all.'
April smiled bitterly and took his hand as they got out of the carriage. That was the moment.
“Sweet dreams, Princess.”
Christine's lips lightly touched the back of April's hand.
“Yes, the Count, the Count too...”
She barely managed to answer with a bright red face.
“Would you... Kiss me, Count Weiss?”
Just the sight of him lingering on her made April's heart pound like crazy. She grabbed the hem of her dress tighter and mustered up a little more courage.
“Can I get a good night kiss too?”
But he opened the carriage door and got out as if he hadn't heard anything. Then he held out his hand to escort April.
'It's not working after all.'
April smiled bitterly and took his hand as they got out of the carriage. That was the moment.
“Sweet dreams, Princess.”
Christine's lips lightly touched the back of April's hand.
“Yes, the Count, the Count too...”
She barely managed to answer with a bright red face.
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