73. Ladies’ Association

“Madam! Please tell my parents quickly that it would be better to cancel this engagement. If you speak to them, they’ll listen!”

As if I had such power?

“But Rose is so prim that she says she hates things even when she likes them.”

“What?”

For example, me. How much did Rose hate me at first? Actually, I’m not worried about this engagement. Rose had a habit of dishonestly saying she hated things when she would eventually like them.

Of course, if she truly hates something, she’ll hate it till the end.

“How could even you, the madam I trusted, say such things! That’s too much! I trusted you!”

All adults are dirty traitors, my dear.

“Now, now, calm down. You haven’t even seen your fiancé’s face yet, have you? If you keep crying like this, your fiancé might run away first, thinking you’re a crybaby.”

“That’s—!”

Rose didn’t say “That would be good.” This young lady needed to be the one doing the rejecting, not the one being rejected.

“Hmph, I’m sure he’ll be desperate to take me to the East as soon as he sees me!”

“Yes, that’s why you’ve been crying your eyes out, as if your departure to the East is already confirmed.”

This confidence soaring to the heavens that no one with eyes could help but fall for her. Even Evangeline couldn’t be this bold. Rose truly is a formidable opponent.

“Rose, who should we invite to tonight’s pajama party?”

At my question, Rose sniffled her still-wet nose and answered.

“Apple. I like Apple because she tells interesting stories. And I want to wear different pajamas than last time.”

To have her attention shift so quickly to a pajama party after changing the subject once. She’s still young, very young. But is it really okay to have someone as young as Rose engaged?

I can only hope that the Temeri family has carefully chosen a fiancé who matches well with Rose.

* * *

Lady Gilette was the leader who guided the ladies’ association. The Inkheart Ladies’ Association—a gathering of wives whose husbands wielded considerable power in Inkheart Castle.

The ladies’ association, which had originally been nothing more than a social gathering, suddenly grew larger following the death of the previous Grand Duchess.

Duties that should have been handled by the Grand Duchess were transferred to the ladies’ association, and Ygret did not reclaim that authority when she took over internal affairs.

〈It’s so reassuring to chat with such distinguished ladies. Let’s continue to work well together.〉

Instead, she strengthened her friendship with the influential members of the ladies’ association.

Looking back, those were good times. The times when Lady Ygret and the ladies’ association got along well.

The ladies’ association, which had seemed like it would roll along smoothly forever, recently faced a crisis. It had become public knowledge that Inkheart’s new mistress, Lady Anette, did not favor the ladies’ association.

〈I think we’ve had enough tea meetings to get acquainted, so this time let’s meet at the site. The hospital needs volunteers because of the slave market issue.〉

To think they should tend to patients when they were neither maids nor servants!

‘And to care for slave patients at that?’

There could hardly be a more disrespectful way to decline a meeting.

Lady Gilette’s dignity, which had been pushed aside for mere slave patients, was in tatters. The ladies’ association needed the participation of the highest-ranking lady in Inkheart to maintain its authority.

‘I’ve donated enough funds to the hospital to save face, so she should come this time. What excuse could she possibly have?’

Lady Gilette smiled as she looked around at the ladies who had arrived on time.

“Lady Temeri, it’s been a while.”

“I’ve been remiss. Lady Gilette, Lady Maude.”

“You must have been very busy? You should come more often like this. I’m so delighted to see you after such a long time.”

Lady Temeri, who belonged to the class of noble ladies qualified to attend the ladies’ association as a prominent figure of the castle, was one of those who avoided the association.

‘She’s saying she has a solid connection to the Grand Duke’s family. Hmph.’

Lady Maude’s husband was an important man, but she lived as if she had no mouth, so there was no need to worry about her.

Meanwhile, it was quite welcome news that Lady Temeri, who usually kept her distance from the ladies’ association, had attended.

“A castle maid is coming. I suppose the madam is arriving.”

The maid bowed her head.

“Lady Anette has sent word that she will not be attending today’s ladies’ association meeting.”

Lady Gilette’s smile, which had risen high, crumpled.

“What did you say?”

“‘Again’?”

“Why? I heard she’s not even doing the hospital volunteering that she was so diligent about for a while.”

“She’s not coming late, but not coming at all?”

“It’s due to the madam’s personal circumstances. She sends her apologies for missing today’s meeting and asks for the ladies’ understanding.”

“Personal circumstances?”

“Ah, come to think of it, I heard that Miss Temeri has been crying and clinging to the madam these past few days? Could it be because of that?”

“Miss Temeri?”

“Because of that famous engagement decision.”

“She’s so sad about going to the East.”

“I heard she’s begging the madam to cancel it.”

“She should just cancel it for her.”

The maid didn’t deny it.

The ladies sharpened their voices, filled with spite.

The news of Rose Temeri’s engagement to the heir of the Eastern Count!

They were all dying of envy.

The heir to the Eastern Count. And a fiancé the same age as their daughters.

Despite being clearly a political marriage with the obvious purpose of uniting the Temeri family, vassals of Inkheart, with the Eastern Count’s family, there was no age gap.

In a few decades, Rose Temeri would become a countess of the East, and the Temeri family would have a Count as their son-in-law. How jealousy-inducing!

“If you’re curious, you could just ask me since I’m right here. It seems everyone has forgotten about me.”

Lady Temeri looked at the ladies’ association with a smiling face.

“My, what brings you to grace us with your precious presence? Come to think of it, there was a joyous occasion in the Temeri household.”

Lady Gilette sneered.

“Thank you for the congratulations. Ah, I can take it as congratulations, right? Surely you wouldn’t say anything unpleasant about such a happy occasion.”

“Sigh, to be honest, I’m worried too. To speak frankly, we’ve all watched Rose grow up. She’s like a daughter to us.”

Lady Gilette threw an affectionate smile.

“Really, we’re saying this out of concern, but wouldn’t such a heavy duty—seeking harmony with the East—be too burdensome for Miss Rose?”

“You seem to have many thoughts about children who haven’t even met yet.”

“How can the young master of the Eastern Count’s family be just any child?”

“From the children’s perspective, it’s just a marriage, but adults know better. The Temeri family is the Grand Duke’s most trusted loyal servant. Sending their daughter to the East is naturally a significant matter.”

“But Rose seems…… too uncertain to accomplish such a great task.”

“Rose hates it so much, it might be good to change the person. I know a good young lady.”

“My, madam. Why are you looking at me while saying that? It’s true that I have an unmarried daughter at home, but still. Hoho.”

At this point, Lady Temeri could no longer remain silent.

“It’s clear that the ladies have been watching our Rose since she was young. Even though Rose is all grown up now, you only speak of how she was as a child. All the ladies here were once young girls too.”

“But even now……”

“As someone who came from the distant South to marry into this family, I suppose it’s inevitable that you have much to say about this matter, madam.”

Lady Temeri continued.

“I’m always grateful that the madam looks upon Rose with such fondness. The madam’s conduct as an excellent lady is always an example to Rose.”

The women of Lady Gilette’s faction laughed.

“We expected that at first too, Lady Temeri.”

“These days it seems to be the opposite. Rather than Miss Temeri’s conduct becoming frivolous by following Lady Anette, it seems Lady Anette is being influenced by Miss Temeri……”

“Lady Gilette.”

When the barbs that had been aimed at Rose now turned toward Anette, Lady Temeri tried to stop them, but they didn’t cease their pretentious gossiping.

“My, I meant she’s become more cheerful! The madam is still in her prime, so there’s no need for her to be as dull as us.”

“But acting too childishly is a bit…”

“If she wants to play like a child of that age, we could arrange that. We can take care of the madam’s duties instead.”

“Oh my, shall we do that then?”

“You’re all talking too much nonsense today.”

Everyone at the gathering doubted their ears. It was neither Lady Gilette’s voice, nor Lady Temeri’s voice, nor the voice of someone supporting Lady Gilette.

“Since when has the mistress of Inkheart been a subject of suspicion?”

“La-Lady Maude?”

“You seem to want to frame it as if Rose received an undeservedly good match due to the Grand Duchess’s favoritism. There’s no point in discussing this further.”

When Lady Maude, who had always been like a statue, opened her mouth, everyone else became speechless.

“Lady Gilette. The ladies’ association is merely a social gathering, and whether the madam attends or not is her freedom. If she comes, it’s our honor; if not, it can’t be helped.”

Lady Maude? Lady Temeri differed in opinion from the people present, but on this one thing, she could sympathize. Had Lady Maude always been someone who spoke at such length?

“What is your sudden intention in slandering me?”

“Sudden? You’ve disliked the madam for a long time. The Grand Duchess is not one to receive your instruction. You have nothing to teach her. So if you feel discomfort at the madam’s actions, that’s your arrogance.”

Lady Gilette’s face turned red, then blue. Lady Temeri wondered if she could have delivered such a satisfying blow to Lady Gilette had she spoken up herself.

My goodness. They say the quiet ones are truly the scariest. That was exactly Lady Maude.