If that's the story about Leo III, then that innocent festival encounter soon turns into an affair with a married man.
'It's so dizzy...'
Bianca wished the world were a more equitable place. Adulterous couples would meet in unhealthy settings, leaving village festivals as healthy and desirable venues for encounters. Monogamy would be best maintained, but if that's impossible, she wished people wouldn't reminisce about their first encounters with the same man in the same place and at the same time.
Julia Helena, who wished this tea party would continue a little longer, asked in a disgusted manner, pretending not to know anything.
“Wow, a neighborhood festival? How romantic. So how old were you when you met?”
Rubina frantically calculated in her head. At what age should I have met Count Biagio de Como?
In fact, Rubina Tullia caught Leo III's eye while hanging out as a courtesan in the private salons of high-ranking officials. She was considered a once-in-a-decade beauty, and her stock was skyrocketing. At the time, Leo III was still a Crown Prince.
But it's not something that can be said outright.
“That’s... the age I got married...”
She barely received her pseudonym at the age of twenty-four, just before giving birth to Cesare. Assuming that the day she received her title was the day she married Mr. Biagio, then the date she first met him had to have been at least a year earlier, given the pregnancy and the courtship.
“I was twenty... three, I think...”
Hearing that story, Bianca let out a breath of pure admiration, seemingly without even realizing it. At that moment, for the first time in her life, Bianca felt a slight attraction to Rubina.
“Twenty-three? Were you single until then?”
Bianca was simply tired of her nanny, Baroness Giannelli's, nagging to get married as soon as possible, and was glad that there was a woman who remained single even after the front seat was changed.
But to Rubina, the Grand Duchess, who was a generation older, it sounded like this.
'You weren't that popular?'
Rubina's face flushed bright red. Rubina's self-importance, however, caused Bianca to conjure up words she had never imagined.
'So you couldn't have a normal marriage and ended up becoming the King's mistress?'
“Oh no!”
She instinctively denied it.
“I was popular! I had a choice position!”
Rubina's pride was that she always attracted the attention of men wherever she went. It was true. Of course, it was uncertain whether a court lady could become the mistress of a proper noble family, but Rubina was confident.
“There were always men chasing after me!”
Then a sharp, pretty voice flew in.
“Oh, so you were weighing the options among several men before finally meeting His Majesty?”
It was Isabella who had escaped from the brink of being beaten only a few minutes ago.
Rubina's pupils shook uncontrollably.
Everyone is talking about Mr. Biagio de Como with one mind and one heart right now, and what are you talking about?
'There she is, there she is!'
Rubina desperately nodded towards Julia Helena and sent a silent telepathic message to Isabella.
'It's not even confirmed yet that she's going to marry Cesare! What if she hears he's officially an illegitimate child and runs away?'
You're such a troublemaker, you're causing trouble again less than 10 minutes after apologizing!
But Isabella pretended not to hear.
This impulsive action wasn't motivated by emotion. It was a thoroughly calculated move, the result of tremendous execution.
'Princess Julia Helena, if you still don't know the exact identity of Grand Duke Cesare, listen now.'
It didn't seem like there would be another day, other than today, when she would have the chance to have tea with the Princess. It was pointless to even submit a complaint. If she tried to search for the handwriting and all, things would get complicated. Isabella decided to use the slip of the tongue as an excuse to reveal the truth.
'You say you're from a noble family. Are you going to marry an illegitimate child?'
But Julia Helena was no slouch in her own strength. She spoke with a picturesque smile on her face.
“The porcelain used in San Carlo seems really good. The tea hasn’t cooled down yet.”
The Princess sat upright, sipping her tea. Her expression didn't change a bit.
'I know everything. If you're thinking of judging me with something like that, don't even dream about it.'
It was a match of dominance versus dominance, strength versus strength.
Ariadne, who had been keeping silent and rolling the warm teacup in her hand, also stuck out her tongue inwardly this time.
Isabella's decisive move and Princess Julia Helena's unwavering demeanor were certainly impressive. But what truly surprised her was how shallow Rubina had hoped for a fluke.
'Rubina... I really thought the Princess didn't know yet?'
The position of "the King's official mistress" was transferred from her to Isabella after Princess Julia Helena arrived. Even if the rumors were vague, the people of Manchike would have confirmed the name of his former mistress in official documents by then...
On the contrary, Rubina felt a moment of relief. It was because she had confirmed from Princess Julia Helena's attitude that either she already knew, or she didn't understand, or at least that her feelings hadn't changed.
But that was only for a moment. Soon, her face contorted like a demon's. She realized, belatedly, how Isabella had tricked her. Anger welled up within her.
'Should I just catch this guy and whip her?'
But Isabella turned her head sharply. It was as if she was going to hit her.
'If you were going to hit me, you should have hit me earlier.'
When the story of the origin of Grand Duke Cesare came up, she held back, but when she hit her, Rubina's scheming only became funnier.
And Isabella, with her animalistic instincts, sensed that no matter what she did here today, Rubina would not act any more than she had just done.
She didn't have the insight to see through the exact reason, but it was probably because of Leo III's presence.
'His Majesty stands behind me. For now.'
Isabella was Leo III's "unsleeping woman." After her marriage to Ottavio fell apart, Isabella learned that a man's weakest enemy is a woman he has yet to conquer—or, more precisely, a woman he is on the verge of conquering.
'Isn't it because he cares about Isabella that he told her not to touch me?'
Thinking that way gave her courage. But the real truth was far from Isabella's imagination.
Leo III had today ordered Rubina to reconcile Ariadne and Isabella, and that was now definitely impossible.
As the head chef, Rubina was unable to deliver the ordered menu, and she was too embarrassed to face the King if she fought with Isabella, so she just endured it.
However, Isabella, who was under the illusion that she had the King back, decided to show off her trophy properly since she was already at fault.
“His Majesty is merciful, gentle, and generous, and in my eyes, he is the most wonderful person in the world.”
While Isabella was showing off her trophy, she decided to also show off the woman who stole it from her.
“Wasn’t it the same when the Grand Duchess was twenty-three?”
Rubina's hands trembled. Talking about age was her least favorite topic. And no matter how happy she was to be free from Leo III's clutches, it was another matter to witness the woman who stole her man arrogantly flaunting her power right before her eyes. She wanted to slap Isabella in the face right then and there.
'Oh. I'm going to beat her. What should I do to clean up the mess after beating her?'
While Rubina was pondering what to do after the slap, Isabella was bluntly sarcastic.
“You may not remember clearly. When the former Grand Duchess was twenty-three... wasn’t that around the time His Majesty Justin I founded the Etruscan state?”
She smiled brightly.
“Before I was even born. A long time ago.”
Even when she spoke like this, Isabella's greatest strength was her innocent and kind appearance. It was also a point that made others grab her by the scruff of the neck.
Rubina was on the verge of falling backwards due to high blood pressure when Julia Helena intervened. She was providing cover fire to protect Rubina.
She fired a direct shot at Countess Isabella Contarini, who was twenty-two years old this year.
“Twenty-three, twenty-two. Isn’t that the same?”
'It's so dizzy...'
Bianca wished the world were a more equitable place. Adulterous couples would meet in unhealthy settings, leaving village festivals as healthy and desirable venues for encounters. Monogamy would be best maintained, but if that's impossible, she wished people wouldn't reminisce about their first encounters with the same man in the same place and at the same time.
Julia Helena, who wished this tea party would continue a little longer, asked in a disgusted manner, pretending not to know anything.
“Wow, a neighborhood festival? How romantic. So how old were you when you met?”
Rubina frantically calculated in her head. At what age should I have met Count Biagio de Como?
In fact, Rubina Tullia caught Leo III's eye while hanging out as a courtesan in the private salons of high-ranking officials. She was considered a once-in-a-decade beauty, and her stock was skyrocketing. At the time, Leo III was still a Crown Prince.
But it's not something that can be said outright.
“That’s... the age I got married...”
She barely received her pseudonym at the age of twenty-four, just before giving birth to Cesare. Assuming that the day she received her title was the day she married Mr. Biagio, then the date she first met him had to have been at least a year earlier, given the pregnancy and the courtship.
“I was twenty... three, I think...”
Hearing that story, Bianca let out a breath of pure admiration, seemingly without even realizing it. At that moment, for the first time in her life, Bianca felt a slight attraction to Rubina.
“Twenty-three? Were you single until then?”
Bianca was simply tired of her nanny, Baroness Giannelli's, nagging to get married as soon as possible, and was glad that there was a woman who remained single even after the front seat was changed.
But to Rubina, the Grand Duchess, who was a generation older, it sounded like this.
'You weren't that popular?'
Rubina's face flushed bright red. Rubina's self-importance, however, caused Bianca to conjure up words she had never imagined.
'So you couldn't have a normal marriage and ended up becoming the King's mistress?'
“Oh no!”
She instinctively denied it.
“I was popular! I had a choice position!”
Rubina's pride was that she always attracted the attention of men wherever she went. It was true. Of course, it was uncertain whether a court lady could become the mistress of a proper noble family, but Rubina was confident.
“There were always men chasing after me!”
Then a sharp, pretty voice flew in.
“Oh, so you were weighing the options among several men before finally meeting His Majesty?”
It was Isabella who had escaped from the brink of being beaten only a few minutes ago.
Rubina's pupils shook uncontrollably.
Everyone is talking about Mr. Biagio de Como with one mind and one heart right now, and what are you talking about?
'There she is, there she is!'
Rubina desperately nodded towards Julia Helena and sent a silent telepathic message to Isabella.
'It's not even confirmed yet that she's going to marry Cesare! What if she hears he's officially an illegitimate child and runs away?'
You're such a troublemaker, you're causing trouble again less than 10 minutes after apologizing!
But Isabella pretended not to hear.
This impulsive action wasn't motivated by emotion. It was a thoroughly calculated move, the result of tremendous execution.
'Princess Julia Helena, if you still don't know the exact identity of Grand Duke Cesare, listen now.'
It didn't seem like there would be another day, other than today, when she would have the chance to have tea with the Princess. It was pointless to even submit a complaint. If she tried to search for the handwriting and all, things would get complicated. Isabella decided to use the slip of the tongue as an excuse to reveal the truth.
'You say you're from a noble family. Are you going to marry an illegitimate child?'
But Julia Helena was no slouch in her own strength. She spoke with a picturesque smile on her face.
“The porcelain used in San Carlo seems really good. The tea hasn’t cooled down yet.”
The Princess sat upright, sipping her tea. Her expression didn't change a bit.
'I know everything. If you're thinking of judging me with something like that, don't even dream about it.'
It was a match of dominance versus dominance, strength versus strength.
Ariadne, who had been keeping silent and rolling the warm teacup in her hand, also stuck out her tongue inwardly this time.
Isabella's decisive move and Princess Julia Helena's unwavering demeanor were certainly impressive. But what truly surprised her was how shallow Rubina had hoped for a fluke.
'Rubina... I really thought the Princess didn't know yet?'
The position of "the King's official mistress" was transferred from her to Isabella after Princess Julia Helena arrived. Even if the rumors were vague, the people of Manchike would have confirmed the name of his former mistress in official documents by then...
On the contrary, Rubina felt a moment of relief. It was because she had confirmed from Princess Julia Helena's attitude that either she already knew, or she didn't understand, or at least that her feelings hadn't changed.
But that was only for a moment. Soon, her face contorted like a demon's. She realized, belatedly, how Isabella had tricked her. Anger welled up within her.
'Should I just catch this guy and whip her?'
But Isabella turned her head sharply. It was as if she was going to hit her.
'If you were going to hit me, you should have hit me earlier.'
When the story of the origin of Grand Duke Cesare came up, she held back, but when she hit her, Rubina's scheming only became funnier.
And Isabella, with her animalistic instincts, sensed that no matter what she did here today, Rubina would not act any more than she had just done.
She didn't have the insight to see through the exact reason, but it was probably because of Leo III's presence.
'His Majesty stands behind me. For now.'
Isabella was Leo III's "unsleeping woman." After her marriage to Ottavio fell apart, Isabella learned that a man's weakest enemy is a woman he has yet to conquer—or, more precisely, a woman he is on the verge of conquering.
'Isn't it because he cares about Isabella that he told her not to touch me?'
Thinking that way gave her courage. But the real truth was far from Isabella's imagination.
Leo III had today ordered Rubina to reconcile Ariadne and Isabella, and that was now definitely impossible.
As the head chef, Rubina was unable to deliver the ordered menu, and she was too embarrassed to face the King if she fought with Isabella, so she just endured it.
However, Isabella, who was under the illusion that she had the King back, decided to show off her trophy properly since she was already at fault.
“His Majesty is merciful, gentle, and generous, and in my eyes, he is the most wonderful person in the world.”
While Isabella was showing off her trophy, she decided to also show off the woman who stole it from her.
“Wasn’t it the same when the Grand Duchess was twenty-three?”
Rubina's hands trembled. Talking about age was her least favorite topic. And no matter how happy she was to be free from Leo III's clutches, it was another matter to witness the woman who stole her man arrogantly flaunting her power right before her eyes. She wanted to slap Isabella in the face right then and there.
'Oh. I'm going to beat her. What should I do to clean up the mess after beating her?'
While Rubina was pondering what to do after the slap, Isabella was bluntly sarcastic.
“You may not remember clearly. When the former Grand Duchess was twenty-three... wasn’t that around the time His Majesty Justin I founded the Etruscan state?”
She smiled brightly.
“Before I was even born. A long time ago.”
Even when she spoke like this, Isabella's greatest strength was her innocent and kind appearance. It was also a point that made others grab her by the scruff of the neck.
Rubina was on the verge of falling backwards due to high blood pressure when Julia Helena intervened. She was providing cover fire to protect Rubina.
She fired a direct shot at Countess Isabella Contarini, who was twenty-two years old this year.
“Twenty-three, twenty-two. Isn’t that the same?”
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