“Yes?”
Bianca asked back with a look of incredulity.
“Who is controlling whom?”
The Ariadne that Bianca knew... she couldn't guarantee that she would never manipulate anyone, but at least she wouldn't do that to Alfonso.
"Rumor has it that our young lady begged the Prince not to go to Taranto! Countess Contarini is scary! That's why the Prince had a huge fight with His Majesty the King!"
Ariadne answered with a cool smile.
“Does it matter? Well, indeed, we won’t go down anyway.”
"The Prince said he would never go anywhere with Contarini, so we can't go! You'll end up like a seed of discord, and your reputation will be ruined!"
“It’s better than Alfonso getting cursed at.”
Ariadne picked up an apple from the table and crunched it. When things got tough, adding sugar was the answer.
Sancha grumbled.
“It really feels like you’ve suddenly been possessed by some saint.”
The faithful Sancha wished that her master would walk around the palace with the title she deserved.
"The Princess's independent budget, provided by the General Affairs Department to maintain three maids, is unpaid! You haven't received it all, and you haven't said a word!"
Ariadne reassured her.
“Sancha. It’s not like I don’t have money to bring a maid.”
But the fury of her closest confidants was unstoppable. They knew better than Ariadne what she had missed.
“My lady, do you think that’s all? The title and right to be addressed as ‘Principessa Consorte,’ the right to receive a six-gun salute to the Prince’s royal fanfare, and the right to stand at His Majesty the King’s left at official functions as the third noble in the royal family, after His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Prince, since His Majesty’s place is vacant—all of it belongs to you, my lady!”
Ariadne simply laughed. But when Sancha, who hadn't noticed the signal, showed signs of grumbling further, she cut her off mid-sentence.
“Let’s attend this meeting.”
It wasn't because she had any expectations that Grand Duchess Rubina would help her obtain the title of Princess Consort.
In any case, she needed to get acquainted with the powerful figures in the palace at least once. Rubina's offer to help her with that wasn't a bad idea.
“Bianca’s coming too, so nothing’ll happen, right?”
Bianca had to return to Taranto soon. It was better to handle the complicated matter while she still had at least one more ally at the palace.
Ariadne replied that she would attend. Bianca, on the same piece of paper as Ariadne, also signed her attendance. This was a sign that Bianca of Taranto stood firmly behind Ariadne at the Prince's palace.
But Ariadne had to realize that the concept of this crazy palace was far below her common sense.
“Oh my, welcome, Countess de Mare.”
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, stood up from her seat as if she was very happy to see Ariadne and grabbed her gloved hand.
The venue was Rubina's luxurious reception room. As Sancha, who had brought out Sir Manfredi as a puppet, had meticulously arranged with Deborah, Rubina's maid of honor, the tea party table was round, obscuring the hierarchy of the attendees.
Rubina's seat and Ariadne's seat also had the requirements of being 'far from the entrance' and 'having a good view', so the issue of who would sit in the upper seat was clearly resolved.
But Ariadne wasn't looking at Rubina or the table layout; she was staring intently at the other members of the room.
“This is it now...”
The first thing that caught her eye was Princess Julia Helena of Manchike.
With her cute, round cheeks, she smiled brightly and waved as soon as Ariadne entered. It was the reaction of a fan meeting a socialite she truly wanted to become close with.
Regardless of Princess Manchike's own willingness, Ariadne and Julia Helena were a group of attendees that no typical tea party host would ever bring together.
A foreign Princess who has crossed the sea to be engaged to a Prince. And a noblewoman from her own country who has already held a secret wedding with that Prince.
‘Even if my hair is grabbed, I have nothing to say...’
A responsible hostess would have kept the two separate in case of an accident.
Ariadne's side, as someone who had been invited to the tea party, felt it would be rude to ask who all the attendees were, so she could not ask in detail.
But even if that had been possible, she wouldn't have asked if Princess Julia Helena was coming. It would have been a question on the level of asking if insects were on the menu. And yet, that's what happened.
However, the Princess herself, who could not even grasp Ariadne's hair, was just smiling brightly and welcoming her.
'Princess Julia Helena doesn't seem to have any intention of grabbing my hair, so let's say it's okay...'
The next guest was even more unexpected.
'Why is that thing sitting here?'
The second participant was Isabella, Countess Contarini, who wore a net over her face like a Moorish lady.
If Princess Manchike had to be ruled out because of the possibility of grabbing her hair, here Isabella has already definitely grabbed her hair.
It seemed they had already known about Ariadne's presence. Ariadne showed no sign of surprise. And even beneath the heavy veil, her expression was clearly one of excrement.
“Grand Duchess .”
Bianca of Taranto, who entered the drawing room with Ariadne, pointed out in a loud voice.
“Why is Countess Contarini here?”
Bianca, tall and slender, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail and leather boots, glanced at Isabella, who was about half her size, with a repulsive look.
Isabella, with the mesh covering her face as her only armor, pretended not to hear anything, lowered her gaze, and stared straight out the window.
Rubina answered in Isabella's place with a big smile.
“Bianca.”
Bianca's expression twisted slightly. She was not at all pleased with the King's government's feigned friendliness toward her.
Had Bianca been more reactive, she might have once again addressed Rubina with respect, signaling her unwillingness to close the distance between them. But Rubina was quicker, more experienced, and far more reckless.
“Countess Contarini is Countess de Mare’s sister.”
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, smiled brightly like a flower and said.
"Blood is thicker than water, isn't it? I invited you here so they could meet and reconcile."
It might have worked well in a place with a mix of men, but in this place made up entirely of women, it's a meaningless laugh.
As expected, this laughter had no effect on Bianca at all.
“Sister, let’s go out.”
Bianca lowered her voice and whispered to Ariadne. It's hard to win against someone in a dogfight.
It would have been outrageous to come to a social gathering, check the attendance, and then leave, but now, in this situation, Isabella being on the attendee list was even more outrageous.
At this point, even if bad rumors spread later that 'Countess de Mare left the tea party right away', if you reply that 'The late Grand Duchess Rubina had Countess Contarini sit in that seat without warning', everyone would say 'Ah...' and accept it.
Ariadne nodded. Bianca was right. She had come with good intentions, but the other person turned out completely differently than expected, so there was no reason to stay.
Just as she was about to turn away, Rubina stopped her with a stern voice.
“This position was created by a special order given to me by His Majesty Leo III.”
Ariadne slowly turned her upper body and looked at Rubina. Rubina looked her up and down with a hint of pride. Rubina was confident.
'I have sold His Majesty's name, how can you dare to leave?'
There was a tense standoff between Grand Duchess Rubina and the Prince's consort, Countess de Mare.
Sparks were about to fly. Julia Helena, sitting behind her, realized too late that she was struggling to breathe due to the pressure.
But this tension did not last long.
After some time had passed, Ariadne chuckled.
She turned around and walked towards the reception room door.
“Lord of Taranto, let us go.”
It was a leisurely pace. If no one was watching, it seemed as if she would at least turn a deaf ear.
If she were so terrified of selling the King's name, she wouldn't have even come into Palagio Carlo in the first place.
Rubina's face turned pale as her conversion was defeated.
'What a poison!'
As Ariadne strode forward, Rubina's attendants began to panic. They couldn't allow the noble guest to crash into the door, much less open it with their own hands.
In the end, they had no choice but to open the doors to the reception room wide on both sides.
As she was about to take a step out through the open door, Rubina spoke again.
“You know that the relationship between His Majesty the King and the Prince is not very good right now, right?”
Ariadne's movements stopped.
“You two fought because of the Countess and Countess Contarini.”
Bianca's face flushed bright red as she walked out with her. It wasn't a fight between the two, but Leo III's unilateral intimidation of Alfonso.
“That’s...!”
But before Bianca could say anything else, Rubina looked straight at Ariadne and asked.
"Countess. What if, as the next monarch's wife, you become not only a help but also a political burden to him?"
Ariadne's turned silhouette wavered for a moment. Rubina seized the moment and approached them. Then, with a feigned benevolence, she placed a hand on Ariadne's shoulder.
“If the Countess were to speak with Countess Contarini here today, His Majesty the King would be greatly pleased.”
Rubina lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Men should take care of men's work. It's our job to not make unnecessary noise outside."
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, glanced at Isabella behind her with a very cold expression.
“It’s not like I like that woman.”
Isabella stared at the distant mountains, either unheard or pretending not to. Rubina whispered softly again, almost a whisper.
“Sit down. For the Prince.”
Ariadne eventually gave in and submitted to Rubina's grip, pulling her inward.
“Countess de Mare. May I call you sister?”
Princess Julia Helena was the epitome of courtship to Ariadne. Without even a glance toward Isabella, she slapped Ariadne hard.
“As you see fit, Your Highness...”
“Please speak comfortably.”
Julia Helena smiled bashfully and linked arms with Ariadne.
Bianca asked back with a look of incredulity.
“Who is controlling whom?”
The Ariadne that Bianca knew... she couldn't guarantee that she would never manipulate anyone, but at least she wouldn't do that to Alfonso.
"Rumor has it that our young lady begged the Prince not to go to Taranto! Countess Contarini is scary! That's why the Prince had a huge fight with His Majesty the King!"
Ariadne answered with a cool smile.
“Does it matter? Well, indeed, we won’t go down anyway.”
"The Prince said he would never go anywhere with Contarini, so we can't go! You'll end up like a seed of discord, and your reputation will be ruined!"
“It’s better than Alfonso getting cursed at.”
Ariadne picked up an apple from the table and crunched it. When things got tough, adding sugar was the answer.
Sancha grumbled.
“It really feels like you’ve suddenly been possessed by some saint.”
The faithful Sancha wished that her master would walk around the palace with the title she deserved.
"The Princess's independent budget, provided by the General Affairs Department to maintain three maids, is unpaid! You haven't received it all, and you haven't said a word!"
Ariadne reassured her.
“Sancha. It’s not like I don’t have money to bring a maid.”
But the fury of her closest confidants was unstoppable. They knew better than Ariadne what she had missed.
“My lady, do you think that’s all? The title and right to be addressed as ‘Principessa Consorte,’ the right to receive a six-gun salute to the Prince’s royal fanfare, and the right to stand at His Majesty the King’s left at official functions as the third noble in the royal family, after His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Prince, since His Majesty’s place is vacant—all of it belongs to you, my lady!”
Ariadne simply laughed. But when Sancha, who hadn't noticed the signal, showed signs of grumbling further, she cut her off mid-sentence.
“Let’s attend this meeting.”
It wasn't because she had any expectations that Grand Duchess Rubina would help her obtain the title of Princess Consort.
In any case, she needed to get acquainted with the powerful figures in the palace at least once. Rubina's offer to help her with that wasn't a bad idea.
“Bianca’s coming too, so nothing’ll happen, right?”
Bianca had to return to Taranto soon. It was better to handle the complicated matter while she still had at least one more ally at the palace.
Ariadne replied that she would attend. Bianca, on the same piece of paper as Ariadne, also signed her attendance. This was a sign that Bianca of Taranto stood firmly behind Ariadne at the Prince's palace.
But Ariadne had to realize that the concept of this crazy palace was far below her common sense.
***
“Oh my, welcome, Countess de Mare.”
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, stood up from her seat as if she was very happy to see Ariadne and grabbed her gloved hand.
The venue was Rubina's luxurious reception room. As Sancha, who had brought out Sir Manfredi as a puppet, had meticulously arranged with Deborah, Rubina's maid of honor, the tea party table was round, obscuring the hierarchy of the attendees.
Rubina's seat and Ariadne's seat also had the requirements of being 'far from the entrance' and 'having a good view', so the issue of who would sit in the upper seat was clearly resolved.
But Ariadne wasn't looking at Rubina or the table layout; she was staring intently at the other members of the room.
“This is it now...”
The first thing that caught her eye was Princess Julia Helena of Manchike.
With her cute, round cheeks, she smiled brightly and waved as soon as Ariadne entered. It was the reaction of a fan meeting a socialite she truly wanted to become close with.
Regardless of Princess Manchike's own willingness, Ariadne and Julia Helena were a group of attendees that no typical tea party host would ever bring together.
A foreign Princess who has crossed the sea to be engaged to a Prince. And a noblewoman from her own country who has already held a secret wedding with that Prince.
‘Even if my hair is grabbed, I have nothing to say...’
A responsible hostess would have kept the two separate in case of an accident.
Ariadne's side, as someone who had been invited to the tea party, felt it would be rude to ask who all the attendees were, so she could not ask in detail.
But even if that had been possible, she wouldn't have asked if Princess Julia Helena was coming. It would have been a question on the level of asking if insects were on the menu. And yet, that's what happened.
However, the Princess herself, who could not even grasp Ariadne's hair, was just smiling brightly and welcoming her.
'Princess Julia Helena doesn't seem to have any intention of grabbing my hair, so let's say it's okay...'
The next guest was even more unexpected.
'Why is that thing sitting here?'
The second participant was Isabella, Countess Contarini, who wore a net over her face like a Moorish lady.
If Princess Manchike had to be ruled out because of the possibility of grabbing her hair, here Isabella has already definitely grabbed her hair.
It seemed they had already known about Ariadne's presence. Ariadne showed no sign of surprise. And even beneath the heavy veil, her expression was clearly one of excrement.
“Grand Duchess .”
Bianca of Taranto, who entered the drawing room with Ariadne, pointed out in a loud voice.
“Why is Countess Contarini here?”
Bianca, tall and slender, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail and leather boots, glanced at Isabella, who was about half her size, with a repulsive look.
Isabella, with the mesh covering her face as her only armor, pretended not to hear anything, lowered her gaze, and stared straight out the window.
Rubina answered in Isabella's place with a big smile.
“Bianca.”
Bianca's expression twisted slightly. She was not at all pleased with the King's government's feigned friendliness toward her.
Had Bianca been more reactive, she might have once again addressed Rubina with respect, signaling her unwillingness to close the distance between them. But Rubina was quicker, more experienced, and far more reckless.
“Countess Contarini is Countess de Mare’s sister.”
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, smiled brightly like a flower and said.
"Blood is thicker than water, isn't it? I invited you here so they could meet and reconcile."
It might have worked well in a place with a mix of men, but in this place made up entirely of women, it's a meaningless laugh.
As expected, this laughter had no effect on Bianca at all.
“Sister, let’s go out.”
Bianca lowered her voice and whispered to Ariadne. It's hard to win against someone in a dogfight.
It would have been outrageous to come to a social gathering, check the attendance, and then leave, but now, in this situation, Isabella being on the attendee list was even more outrageous.
At this point, even if bad rumors spread later that 'Countess de Mare left the tea party right away', if you reply that 'The late Grand Duchess Rubina had Countess Contarini sit in that seat without warning', everyone would say 'Ah...' and accept it.
Ariadne nodded. Bianca was right. She had come with good intentions, but the other person turned out completely differently than expected, so there was no reason to stay.
Just as she was about to turn away, Rubina stopped her with a stern voice.
“This position was created by a special order given to me by His Majesty Leo III.”
Ariadne slowly turned her upper body and looked at Rubina. Rubina looked her up and down with a hint of pride. Rubina was confident.
'I have sold His Majesty's name, how can you dare to leave?'
There was a tense standoff between Grand Duchess Rubina and the Prince's consort, Countess de Mare.
Sparks were about to fly. Julia Helena, sitting behind her, realized too late that she was struggling to breathe due to the pressure.
But this tension did not last long.
After some time had passed, Ariadne chuckled.
She turned around and walked towards the reception room door.
“Lord of Taranto, let us go.”
It was a leisurely pace. If no one was watching, it seemed as if she would at least turn a deaf ear.
If she were so terrified of selling the King's name, she wouldn't have even come into Palagio Carlo in the first place.
Rubina's face turned pale as her conversion was defeated.
'What a poison!'
As Ariadne strode forward, Rubina's attendants began to panic. They couldn't allow the noble guest to crash into the door, much less open it with their own hands.
In the end, they had no choice but to open the doors to the reception room wide on both sides.
As she was about to take a step out through the open door, Rubina spoke again.
“You know that the relationship between His Majesty the King and the Prince is not very good right now, right?”
Ariadne's movements stopped.
“You two fought because of the Countess and Countess Contarini.”
Bianca's face flushed bright red as she walked out with her. It wasn't a fight between the two, but Leo III's unilateral intimidation of Alfonso.
“That’s...!”
But before Bianca could say anything else, Rubina looked straight at Ariadne and asked.
"Countess. What if, as the next monarch's wife, you become not only a help but also a political burden to him?"
Ariadne's turned silhouette wavered for a moment. Rubina seized the moment and approached them. Then, with a feigned benevolence, she placed a hand on Ariadne's shoulder.
“If the Countess were to speak with Countess Contarini here today, His Majesty the King would be greatly pleased.”
Rubina lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Men should take care of men's work. It's our job to not make unnecessary noise outside."
Rubina, the Grand Duchess, glanced at Isabella behind her with a very cold expression.
“It’s not like I like that woman.”
Isabella stared at the distant mountains, either unheard or pretending not to. Rubina whispered softly again, almost a whisper.
“Sit down. For the Prince.”
Ariadne eventually gave in and submitted to Rubina's grip, pulling her inward.
***
“Countess de Mare. May I call you sister?”
Princess Julia Helena was the epitome of courtship to Ariadne. Without even a glance toward Isabella, she slapped Ariadne hard.
“As you see fit, Your Highness...”
“Please speak comfortably.”
Julia Helena smiled bashfully and linked arms with Ariadne.
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