At the same time, the guardians who enjoyed this kind of gossip were paying lip service. They, too, were well aware of Shartus's womanizing.
Even after he changed into another young lady, he had never opened his heart to the young ladies he spent even a short time with, as shown by how cold his gaze was.
Even so, how many women have had their hearts pounding at his cold demeanor and eye-catching appearance?
Who knows if that maid wasn't sent by His Highness? Maybe she had to pester her to bring her here.
It was a pretty astute guess. It wouldn't have been difficult to deduce, since it was something they would have done themselves. But seeing them feign ignorance and expose it in front of the group, it felt like they were indeed Arolne's rivals.
Their whispered conversations, as if they were talking amongst themselves, with their lips covered by a fan, had already spread throughout the entire room.
Rosentine looked at the salon's hostess. Therese Margus. She simply observed the situation and raised her glass. It was a movement of utmost elegance.
'And usually people in that position don't move much.'
The mistress wouldn't stop them, and the guardians would welcome the gossip that had intruded into their tedious daily routine. Mariette's group was giggling with beautiful smiles, as if they were being treated to a feast.
If Arolne is the rose in the garden, then Mariette is the peony in the bouquet. Looking at them, adorned with wealth and beauty, Rosentine quietly took her time.
Arolne was never hasty. She knew well what key she held. The brooch that Shartus gave her.
That one thing would be enough to silence the current, ridiculously cackling crowd. Perhaps in the future, we'll see, but for now, it was a very appropriate policy.
Arolne also thought. The effort she had put in over the years was slowly paying off, and Shartus would have her by his side again. Arolne opened her lips, which had been closed by seduction.
"There's a group of people here who try to fill their shortcomings with imagination."
The attack from Arolne's side also began.
"That's what I'm saying. Where did I hear that sound?"
"It looks like the chatterbox fairy is talking."
"If she's a fairy, is it the fairy queen who loved donkeys?"
"Oh my, it's embarrassing..."
It was a rather direct insult. Rosentine, watching them swing their spears at each other freely within the confines of this salon, was reminded of a battlefield.
Certainly, it wasn't all that different from insulting an opponent, sending out a knight, and engaging in a one-on-one military battle. Mariette blushed at being likened to a fairy who loved donkeys.
It was a slight fever rising from anger. Mariette stopped Young Lady Crolle from standing. Even if she showed her anger here, it would be they who would tear the sword's packaging. She needed to think a little more.
'Should I wait one more time?'
The atmosphere was slowly heating up, and the powerless young ladies could only hold their breath and watch the situation unfold.
The guardians, more powerful than either of these two groups, were more focused on Rosentine than on the fight between the two. Shartus Kartazen's personal maid, what would she do?
At this point, the support of Shartus was nothing more than who had the biggest diamond, and Rosentine hoped that Mariette's group would attack Arolne once more.
She hopes she can turn the situation around dramatically.
"If you're a woman who loves donkeys, I'm reminded of you, too."
And then the time came. Rosentine caught the corners of Arolne's mouth tightening. Mariette lowered her eyes, as if sharpening a knife.
"An affair with Count Otron… "
The young ladies of Arolne's group held their breath. It was clearly a taboo, something they couldn't say directly.
The story of Otron, who had been spreading rumors that were too much to even mention in social circles, spread quickly after the news of his proposal to Arolne.
It was the story of his affair with his father's mistress. Rosentine had heard this story from ghosts while traveling the empire. A little startled by the direct words, he turned his gaze to the ceiling in sadness.
'Oh, she's in the corner.'
It must have been a blow too much for Arolne to bear. A woman with such pride, only to be used as a foil to cover up a mere adultery scandal.
The lofty glory that had graced her at the tea party the other day had suddenly turned to mud. So it was understandable why she turned her gaze even more toward Shartus.
I wanted to shake off the dishonor, Arolne thinks, her lips quivering as she clenched her fists. Rosentine felt that it was now time for her to step forward.
"Excuse me, Lady Arolne?"
Rosentine opened his mouth naively. Even when she looked away, all the attention that had been on Arolne was focused on her.
Everyone was focused on her. Rosentine knew them, so she didn't bother raising her voice.
If she had the appearance of an innocent and foolish maid, that would have been enough.
"When should I give this to you? It's too precious for me to keep, so I want to give it to its owner as soon as possible."
“Yes.”
Arolne's eyes lit up. She opened her fan again. Tension flashed through Mariette's group's eyes.
The guardians were also looking at Rosentine with interest.
The Second Prince's dedicated maid. Everyone's ears perked up at the mention of her existence as a "precious item."
"Oh, now that I think about it, there was that. I was so flustered when I got here that I didn't ask in advance. Sorry."
"No, I'm just worried that I might be inexperienced."
Rosentine blushed. She looked exactly like a naive new maid. Therese Margus' eyes lost interest.
It was a face that said she wouldn't be surprised by anything she saw. Indeed, that was Arolne's face. Until Rosentine pulled out the jewel box.
"Lady Arolne Mulde, this is a gift from His Highness Shartus Kartazen."
Rosentine took a respectful stance and carefully opened the rectangular velvet box. It opened its mouth like a pearly oyster toward Arolne.
What was inside was a gift from the Second Prince, more valuable than any pearl in the collection. It contained a brooch that spoke of "eternal blessings."
"Oh my god!"
“I can’t believe it!”
A wave of exclamations, even forgetting manners, erupted from all sides. Some of them sounded like screams. Rosentine especially saw that Arolne glanced at Mariette the moment she found the brooch. Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Their faces were filled with disbelief at what they were seeing. That Shartus Kartazen, giving someone a jewel?
Of course, he did give jewelry as gifts; after all, he held a prestigious position. But in a woman's salon, giving trinkets through a maid was a completely different story.
Arolne smiled like a winner.
"How can it be this beautiful?"
It was a dramatic statement.
Rosentine slowly looked around, satisfied enough. Even if she didn't bother to check, she could see that everyone's eyes were on this one jewel.
Well, it was just the beginning. She was going to make everyone here envious of her brooch.
"This is a special jewel, Lady Arolne."
“Special?”
"Yes, it's a jewel that disappeared about 200 years ago."
Rosentine straightened her body and straightened her back.
A captivating atmosphere, something that had not been there until just a moment ago, enveloped her and focused her gaze.
Rosentine subtly angled the jewel to better catch people's attention. Several nearby young ladies exclaimed in admiration as the light scattered and spread.
"It contains the meaning of eternal blessings."
"I've never heard of such a jewel."
"This is a story I happened to read in a book. This jewel contains a beautiful story."
'Now, how should we adapt the story of our ancestors?'
Rosentine rolled her eyes as she thought so. The foundation is in place, and all that remains is to sing like a bard instead of a script. She hummed and whispered.
"Once upon a time, there was a nobleman and his wife. They were said to have been in love since childhood. But unfortunately, the nobleman was ill."
A pitiful gasp erupted. It was a tragic romance story about a man who appeared among the nobility, where political marriages were rampant.
Rosentine mentally listed the things she needed to take with her in this place: the attention she was receiving, and Arolne Mulde, who had to properly capitalize on this rumor.
While we're trying to get her to stick around, we also need to get the attention of other citizens who are avoiding this love fight.
That's why she thought this story was the most suitable. The story didn't deviate much from the original.
The only difference is that Arzen's story is about an unknown nobleman. Perhaps someone will figure out who the main character of this story is.
Rosentine thought so, and if so, the protagonist of the story would also be able to clear his name to someone.
"Everyone said they were a beautiful couple. The husband was kind-hearted, and the wife was thoughtful. Although he was ill, he also achieved great feats with lion-like courage. Their love was short-lived, but it was very fragrant, like the flowers in the garden that the wife tended."
That must have been true. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to speak with that face, so Rosentine thought of the ghost of the noblewoman in that house.
The woman, whose golden eyes seemed to be gazing into the distance, had a very mysterious look in her eyes whenever she recalled a memory.
Rosentine smiled softly as he recalled the memory, wondering how many beautiful memories it would take to shine like that.
The eyes of the noble ladies who remembered the two lovers with him grew hazy. They, too, must have experienced, or dreamed of, such love at some point.
"But the tragic end was near. In the end, the nobleman was unable to get up from his seat because of illness. His wife tried her best to nurse him, but after a while, he passed away."
Rosentine met the eyes of each audience member and sighed in regret.
Legends and love stories have a way of captivating people's attention, especially when they're connected to the jewel she holds in her hand.
The jewel that splits light into various colors came from Shartus, so Arolne held up a fan and waved it around while listening to Rosentine's tale of the jewel's prowess.
The beauty of the jewel and the romantic legend it holds draw people in. The audience began to calmly focus on this.
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