Everyone's attention fell on Shioana, then shifted to the shoes. Contrary to Diana's words, the shoes gleamed brightly.
“I will do it!”
Martha threw herself first for the sake of her beloved Shioana. Kneeling, Martha quickly reached out to wipe Diana's shoes with her sleeve.
Shioana bit her lip tightly out of pity at what had happened before anyone could stop it.
"... Martha."
A fire blazed in Diana's eyes as she was displeased with the situation.
"Who told you to do it?"
She picked up her shoe and stomped hard on Martha's hand.
"Oh my!"
As a startled Martha struggled to free her trampled hand, Shioana stepped forward. She shoved Diana away and rescued Martha.
"Martha, are you okay?”
"I am perfectly fine, Miss."
Even though the back of her hand was bleeding from being cut by a shoe crease, Martha just kept smiling. That smile made Shioana so upset that she clenched her fist.
“Apologize right away.”
"... What?"
"I apologize for hurting Martha."
“Why should I do that?”
Diana smiled as she watched Martha stifle a groan while clutching her hands.
"Is that what you should be saying right now after hurting someone?"
"Well, I don't see anyone here."
A sigh escaped Shioana's lips at Diana's words, spoken with a sweet smile. They had never really been able to communicate, but to think it would be this bad.
'Right. There is no way that arrogant young lady would apologize to a maid.'
Rather, it was highly likely to cause greater harm to Harriet and Martha.
'I can't stand to see an innocent person get hurt more.'
Shioana spoke to Raul, who had a troubled look on his face while leaning against the door.
"Raul, please take care of Martha and Harriet."
“Don’t worry.”
Raul, holding the terrified Harriet, immediately helped Martha out.
"Isn't it a bit funny that someone actually lives in a place like this? Even a pigsty would seem wider and more pleasant than this..."
Diana walked around the small house once, tapping objects with the tip of her fan.
At her touch, the wooden block castle Harriet had stacked tumbled to the floor. And Harriet's vest, which Martha had been knitting by hand, was also trampled under Diana's foot.
"...Ha."
Shioana walked briskly and picked up the tattered hem of the vest from Diana's feet.
"You’ll have to compensate me before you leave. Even though this house is more shabby than a pigsty, it is my precious home."
"Looks like you have some pride, considering you're a noble?"
"It’s not because I'm a noble; I think it’s a thought that anyone could have."
Even in such a shabby house, Shioana was not intimidated at all.
Diana was seething with anger at the confident demeanor that actually surpassed hers. She had dressed up to the fullest, intending to trample her to the brim.
'Why am I feeling this way about a girl in such a worn-out dress with not a single piece of jewelry on her?'
Diana smiled as she gently shook the red gemstone ring on her finger.
"I mean, who else is here besides me?"
"I don't care whether you see me as a human or a beast. If you have everything you need to say, please leave."
She was sick and tired of not only the Duke Bernhard family, but nobles in general. Nothing good had ever come of her getting involved with them.
'I am a noble myself, though.'
Shioana was trying to clean up the messy house when Diana approached, stomping loudly.
"How dare you mess around while I'm talking!"
She raised her hand to slap Shioana's cheek. Shioana, raising her head, quickly dodged Diana's attack.
"I won't sit idly by next time, Miss."
"...What!"
Diana was greatly flustered, as she had grown up physically abusing everyone she disliked.
"What are you going to do if someone like you doesn't stay quiet?"
As Diana fumed, Shioana calmly lowered her eyes.
"You know this isn't Zone 1, right? It will be difficult to guarantee your safety in Zone 8 with just the bodyguards you brought from outside."
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"This is a place where no one knows even if someone dies next door. It's a place where you just throw things into the sea, and that's it."
"Who, who would be scared by words like that?"
However, her pale face looked as if she were truly terrified. As Shioana watched Etienne in his broken state, she tried hard not to think about revenge or anything like that.
'I can't become a monster too.'
However, seeing Diana like this, the sorrow and resentment that had been building up boiled over to an unbearable degree.
So she played a little prank on them.
'Well, it’s not exactly a fabricated story.'
Because District 8 was a lawless place.
"Okay, anyway, what I wanted to say is... I think I have some good news coming up soon, so I came specifically to let you know."
Diana smiled with satisfaction, holding her belly, which was noticeably fuller than before.
"You understand what that means, right?"
Just then, there was a commotion outside; someone came in, and the door slammed shut.
The person who entered the house was a tall, well-built man. However, judging by his shabby attire, it was clear that he was not exactly a nobleman.
"...How insolent! Who are you making such a fuss in front of?
Startled by the sound of the door, Diana let out a sharp cry, and the man threw away the cloth covering his face.
"...Your Excellency!"
Diana shed tears at the appearance of Duke Bernhard, whom she had been searching for so desperately.
"Do you know how much I have been looking for you? I wanted to comfort you because I thought you must be deeply saddened by the matter concerning the Grand Madam."
As Diana approached him, the Duke took a step back. Etienne Bernhard swore he had no intention of visiting Shioana's space like this.
Because Shioana said she would never see him again.
He didn't even have the right to be distressed by her words.
'I'm sorry, but even if I grant everything else, I don't think I can do that.'
So instead of returning to the mansion, he snuck into the house next door to Shioana that he had found in advance.
He just wanted to stay by her side.
Like the wind.
The old, narrow house separated by a single wall was not well soundproofed.
He could hear the child's breathing, the crackling of firewood, the guests' laughter, and even all sorts of conversations clearly.
'Why did Diana come there today?'
Etienne, whose nerves were on edge, had rushed over in a single breath at the nonsense Diana was spouting. He had already hurt Shioana enough, so he could not do it any more.
"I’m curious myself what on earth this good news for you is."
Diana smiled faintly while rubbing her belly at the Duke's question.
"What else could it be? It is the union of Your Excellency and me. The entire Empire will celebrate."
"Now I see why you and the Grand Madam were so close. You're both completely insane."
It was even chilling to see her believe and act as if her own imagination were real.
"Are you denying our love, Your Excellency?"
As Diana pleaded in tears, the Duke shook his head. Then, Shioana, who had been watching the two of them, draped her cloak over her wrists.
"It looks like you two have a lot to catch up on, so I'll step aside."
"...Where would you go!"
Diana, standing in front of the door, glared intensely at Shioana. The Duke, rubbing the sunken area under his eyes, let out a long sigh.
"Alright. I’ll listen to everything you have to say before I leave. I have no relationship with Diana Vale, and I never will."
“I wasn’t curious.”
As soon as Shioana spoke without even looking at him, Diana started to go berserk.
"Your Excellency! Why won't you even spare me? It's always been like this. Even when it seemed like you were with me, your eyes were only on that woman."
"Shioana. You were the only one for me, and you will always be."
Before the Duke could even finish speaking, Diana stomped her foot in place.
"Argh! Do you think I came here just to hear that kind of nonsense? Your Excellency is mine. Only I can have Your Excellency!"
Just then, a thick ball of breath fell with a thud from beneath Diana's dress. Everyone was so shocked by the sight that they were speechless.
"No. This is..".
Confused, Diana stammered, unable to pick it up or look away.
"...Diana, I have no interest in your games."
The Duke, who had been acting coldly as he watched Diana blush, took the ring off her hand.
"This is not yours."
This ring originally belonged to the previous Duchess who had given birth to him. It was unknown how it ended up in Diana's hands.
The Duke fiddled with the ring and glanced at Shioana.
Because she was the only one who could become the owner of this.
"..."
Her gaze remained cold, and the Duke carefully slipped it into his pocket.
"Ah! Everything is such a mess!"
Diana screamed and ran outside, unable to overcome her shame.
Dozens of employees and guards chased after her, and the bustling street fell silent.
"Sorry."
The fact that he revealed himself like this without permission.
And the thing that caused such a misunderstanding.
"But I was afraid you might get hurt."
Etienne turned around, leaving a brief apology.
“That’s funny.”
"..."
His shoulders flinched at Shioana's words, which were like a dagger piercing his back.
"We are completely unimportant to each other. In fact, we are closer to a cursed relationship. We have nothing but nightmarish memories together, so who are we to worry about whom?"
Shioana was annoyed by the whole situation.
He had no idea how hurt she was in the past when people speculated that Diana might be pregnant with Etienne's child.
'I suspected him until just now.'
However, that was nothing more than Diana's trickery. Shioana was manipulated by her antics and suffered a cut that bled.
'I really hate myself for not being able to properly hate Etienne.'
Seeing him with such a haggard face and having a conversation where they badmouthed each other were both exhausting.
"So please, get out of my life."
Shioana struggled with all her might not to cry.
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