TVHR - Chapter 98

The ladies who had been laughing at her stiffened their faces and paused.

"Or maybe I should mention this kind of etiquette as well..." 

Roselyn's smile deepened considerably.

Bewilderment appeared on the faces of the noble ladies, who had been laughing and socializing as always.

"Ah. Or perhaps, holding a rag in your mouth and reeking of a stench while chattering away is the basic etiquette of high society?"

Roselyn smiled beautifully, spread out the fan she had brought, and murmured softly as if whispering.

"Since I am still young and haven't attended many social gatherings, I am not at all accustomed to the customs of high society. It seems that a style of speech similar to that of the commoners is in fashion these days, and there are many things I don't understand. I would appreciate it if you ladies could personally teach me."

When she spoke with a charming smile, calling it an extremely vulgar and cheap way of speaking, the noble ladies' eyes grew even sharper.

"Oh, I don't know why the Princess is acting this way for what we have done."

"We were just having a conversation." 

"Yes, as the Princess mentioned, you have not attended such social gatherings very often, so it seems you were somewhat unfamiliar with the situation. We should have been a little more careful."

"That's right. I apologize if you were offended." 

It's not like she's bowing down to receive a bow, so she doesn't know what they're talking about.

Roselyn looked down arrogantly at them with an annoyed and indifferent expression, then opened her mouth.

"They say that animals don't communicate well with nice words, and it looks like it's true."

The ladies paused at the truly skillful social rhetoric of indirectly calling them beastly offspring.

Of course, they were invited, but it wasn't that they were lacking in any way.

Because the northern region had a harsh environment in many ways, the relationship was closer to a symbiotic one.

In particular, the Duchy of Bellion was surviving for more than two-thirds of the year on food trade with them.

It means that the Duke of Bellion cannot let them go even if he wanted to.

'After all, if sanctions are imposed on one family, the others are bound to join in opposing the Duke's family.'

The point was that while Princesses certainly deserved respect, noble ladies did not have to remain silent after hearing such insults.

Countess Riaku, having quickly made a decision in her head, straightened her chin.

"Are you insulting us? If you knew what kind of relationship we have, this isn't a good way to handle things." 

"If you put it that way, then the Princess would be eating food made by beasts."

"...Ah. It's a relief that you have the brains to understand that much."

Roselyn laughed, having given up on using any more honorifics toward the opponent who had once again made threatening remarks.

"Still, just in case you misunderstand, I’ll say this frankly: if you’re going to come to a banquet invited by others and run your glib tongues reeking of rottenness, I’d appreciate it if you’d just get lost. You might be used to the stench, but I’m sensitive to smells, and I have a weak constitution."

Roselyn smiled brightly and gently lifted the Countess's chin with the tip of her fan.

"I was raised in a privileged environment, so it is a bit difficult for me to listen to your vulgar remarks when you don't even know basic manners."

"W-What... aren't you being a bit too harsh?!"

"See, I gave you a chance. A chance to shut up that filthy, vulgar nonsense and apologize."

Roselyn abruptly stopped laughing and spoke dryly. The others flinched and froze at the chilling sensation.

"We struggled to come all the way here from so far away to get through this winter together, but how can you treat guests like this!" 

Roselyn shrugged her shoulders as one of the ladies raised her voice.

"What is it? Why is the Princess also...”

As the commotion intensified, the Count hurriedly approached his wife.

"The Princess called us rotten, vulgar beasts! How can I trust her and continue doing business with her like this!"

As the commotion grew, all eyes focused on this side.

Roselyn smiled as she watched them suddenly start raising their voices, as if they had decided to win over public opinion first.

“That is correct.”

She folded the fan she had unfolded with a click.

"Roselyn, what are you doing there?"

"...Kaluta?"

"Good heavens, that barbarian at the banquet..."

Roselyn saw Batar standing beside her before she knew it, and looked at the guests with expressions that showed they could not grasp the situation.

"I know. Why would I trust a deal with guys who are just plotting behind my back to stab me in the back?"

Roselyn glanced at Batar, then turned her head back and smiled leisurely.

"...What are you talking about, granddaughter?"

Before anyone realized it, Devon and Cherty had entered the banquet hall.

"Grandpa, these people are coveting the Nollam Mine and plan to threaten us with food."

The ladies gasped at Roselyn's words.

'Of course, I didn't say that, but...'

Seeing the way things were going, it was clear that this was the plan, so Roselyn shamelessly tattled.

The atmosphere turned chilly.

"What on earth is all this bullshit?"

Devon Bellion glared at them with fierce eyes.

Cooung.

A fierce, murderous aura lingered around, and an invisible sense of intimidation hung heavily over the entire banquet hall, threatening it.

In the meantime, Roselyn leisurely took a champagne glass from the stern servant's tray and tilted it.

"mMa'am!"

The Count, flustered by being hit right on the mark, hurriedly looked at the Countess and shouted.

The Countess turned pale and shook her head.

"No. It is a misunderstanding! I never said such a thing to the Princess! It is just..." 

The Countess was about to speak of the conversation they had just shared, but realized that it was something that absolutely must not be said. She froze with her mouth open.

How on earth am I supposed to reveal the fact that I spoke ill of the son and granddaughter of the family that invited me?

"Just? Why are you silent?"

Cherty Bellion, who had approached Roselyn before she knew it, clung to her while openly displaying his displeasure.

"...It's just! We were only discussing her because our opinions didn't match!"

Roselyn tilted her glass in silence.

"I am not sure what you are saying, but it seems you have a misunderstanding, Princess." 

"T-That's right. If our words caused any misunderstanding, we are truly sorry. We apologize."

Roselyn frowned and tossed the champagne glass she was holding in front of the ladies.

Clink-!

The glass shattered with a sharp sound right at the Countess's feet.

"Aaaah!"

The surprised Countess opened her eyes wide.

The Count and the nobles of the other territories were all looking at Roselyn with shocked expressions.

"Why?"

Roselyn smiled brightly.

"Actually, it's fine if you insult me. Well, I am gloomy, and I am timid, too."

Where on earth are you going?

Everyone present looked at Roselyn with expressions that seemed to want to ask back, but she did not take her eyes off the ladies.

"Even now, my heart pounds when I think about getting scolded by Dad and Grandpa later."

Roselyn spoke with an expressionless face.

They couldn't sense the slightest bit of tension in the expression on her face when she said she was nervous.

People stared at Roselyn with their mouths agape at that brazen lie, but Roselyn paid no heed.

"I do understand, because I am aware of that outdated, vulgar way of speaking used to get close in high society."

Roselyn nodded. The expression on the ladies' faces, who had been smiling with an arrogant look, soon vanished.

"They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. They want to keep me as their enemy and hang out amongst themselves, so I won't stop them." 

She strode toward where the Countess was.

"But madam, why are you bringing up my deceased grandmother and mother? Don't you know what virtue is?"

At Roselyn's words, Cherty Bellion and Devon Bellion's faces stiffened.

"If you have a dirty rag in your mouth, why don't you go suck your mouth when you get invited? You stink from ten meters away; you look like a total dog."

The Countess widened her eyes and gaped at Roselyn's blunt words pouring out like a storm.

Hearing such words openly was truly the first time in their lives.

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