125. The Capital

“Ahem, ahem.”

As the carriage that had been running for a long time stopped for a brief rest, Caitlyn cleared her throat. Looking at her face in her hand mirror, she was indeed flawlessly beautiful today as well.

Of course, who else but me could become the crown prince’s bride?

Intoxicated with her own face, Caitlyn asked her maid.

“Where is he now?”

“The knight, Miss? He’s outside tending to the horses.”

Beautiful long blonde hair, precise movements, and impeccable manners. Add to that excellent swordsmanship—Sir Lucion, the exemplary knight!

During her stay in the North, Caitlyn’s attention had been entirely focused on Sir Lucion. She couldn’t help but envy Anette, who as the lady of the Grand Duke’s household could summon Sir Lucion whenever she wanted.

‘She already has a handsome husband, why does she need a handsome knight too?’

Once she became the crown prince’s bride, all the renowned knights of the capital would surely pledge their loyalty to her… but until then, Caitlyn thought it wouldn’t be bad to meet with Sir Lucion.

If she wanted to interact with the crown prince, shouldn’t she hone her romance skills first?

Since ancient times, knights had been good companions for noble ladies.

“Open the door.”

“Yes, yes, Miss.”

The maid quickly opened the carriage door, showing how intimidated she had become from Caitlyn’s constant nagging in the cramped carriage.

“Sir Lucion! There you are!”

Caitlyn, who had stepped down from the carriage, called out to Sir Lucion who was tending to the horses, her eyes sparkling. There were other knights nearby, but in Caitlyn’s eyes, no one but the handsome Lucion even registered as a person.

Seeing a lady addressing a knight privately, the other knights tactfully slipped away.

“Miss Caitlyn.”

However, unlike Caitlyn who was overjoyed, Lucion’s response was stiff.

“Oh my, how my sister drives everyone so hard. I suggested we plan the journey with breaks for the sake of the servants, but she wouldn’t even stop at an inn once, making everyone sleep on the road.”

Caitlyn lightly touched her head as if to say, how could a delicate lady like me who would fall at the slightest breeze endure this journey?

She had just said this to start a conversation with Lucion, but thinking about it, it was true.

That nasty Anette. Even when I suggested we stop at that nice inn I stayed at on my way to the North, she ignored me.

〈Am I taking you on a pleasure trip? Stop where? Sleep in the carriage. What inn? We’re in a hurry.〉

Sleeping in the carriage was so uncomfortable that Caitlyn sometimes even missed the terrible guest room at Castle Inkheart, with its fireplace that would go out and the noisy sounds from beyond the wall.

“Hohoho! You must understand, my sister has always been this stubborn. She never listened to others even as a child. If she were the only one suffering, I wouldn’t say more, but because of her stubbornness, even you knights are having a hard time. I feel so sorry.”

As she said this, Caitlyn was about to casually place her hand on Sir Lucion’s firm arm.

“When Madam came to the North as a bride, she also slept in the carriage without stopping at inns. To save time.”

Sir Lucion pulled his arm back. A slight look of disgust crossed his face.

“This is simply Madam’s customary way of traveling.”

“B-but my sister and I are different. My sister might be insensitive enough to sleep anywhere she can rest her head, but I’m delicate. Alas, being in a shaking carriage all day has left bruises all over my tender flesh from hitting against the seats.”

Caitlyn rolled up her sleeve, saying “Look at this.” Her slender arm was clearly exposed before Lucion’s eyes. It was her best attempt at seduction.

“Is that so? But as I am also an insensitive man, I cannot distinguish bruises on a lady’s body. I have many tasks to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”

“No, Sir, Sir! Sir Lucion!”

Caitlyn screamed shrilly, having been blatantly ignored. He had been so polite when escorting her to Castle Inkheart, but now he seemed like a completely different person.

“These Northern men! I thought this one might be different, but they’re all the same! How dare he reject a woman like me when I extend my hand? Just wait until I become the crown prince’s bride! I will certainly demand an explanation for this!”

Filled with indignation, Caitlyn kicked at the dirt.

* * *

Splash, splash!

‘How unpleasant!’

Meanwhile, Lucion, who had parted from Caitlyn, was also in a foul mood, vigorously washing his hands in a basin of water. As if trying to remove a stain.

Recalling Caitlyn’s sticky gaze and flirtatious voice, Lucion shuddered.

‘To think Madam had such a sister! No, such a woman is neither a sister nor anything else!’

Lucion had learned about Caitlyn, whom he had thought was Madam Anette’s precious sister, after arriving at the castle.

While puzzled by Anette’s seemingly unwelcoming attitude toward Caitlyn, he had heard about Caitlyn’s misdeeds through Apple.

Caitlyn, no, not just Caitlyn but the entire Pochet family, were not Anette’s family but her enemies.

‘To think they joined forces to torment a poor child left alone after losing her mother at such a young age, instead of taking care of her!’

Lucion continued scrubbing his hands thoroughly, hoping Caitlyn would never speak to him again. He felt utterly disgusted.

〈Alas, being in a shaking carriage all day has left bruises all over my tender flesh from hitting against the seats.〉

When Caitlyn had raised her arm for him to see, what Lucion recalled was Anette’s hands he had seen once. Hands dirtied with soil from personally reclaiming the cotton fields.

〈My hands are like this, how embarrassing.〉

Remembering Anette who had smiled and hidden her soil-stained hands, saying they were unladylike, Lucion’s movements slowed.

The lady of the cotton fields.

With his heart fluttering, Lucion pressed harder on his washing hands. He didn’t want to encounter Caitlyn again.

* * *

Hearing that Caitlyn had openly courted Lucion only to be rejected without the slightest chance, Darius smiled in the carriage.

“Our sister-in-law is quite an interesting person.”

“She insulted Rose, not even knowing whose sister she was, saying it was ugly to see her crying. Sir Lucion has good reason to dislike Caitlyn.”

I don’t think that’s it.

Darius secretly guessed that Lucion had treated Caitlyn so coldly mainly because he had learned how she had tormented Anette in the Pochet Marquis household.

His wife was very sensitive to hostility but often failed to notice when someone harbored good feelings toward her.

“But who is your sister-in-law?”

Anette opened her eyes primly.

“Why would she be my sister-in-law? She’s not related to me at all.”

It was actually Anette who had earlier told him to call Caitlyn his sister-in-law. However, as a wise married man, Darius did not contradict this fact.

If my wife tells me to call her sister-in-law, then she is; if she says she’s not, then she’s not.

“The servants say your half-sister has been tormenting her own maid that she brought along. Finding fault with everything.”

“Hmph, is her maid the only person she can bully here?”

“I wonder whether Anette resembles no one, or whether Caitlyn inherited none of the Pochet family’s good qualities. Why is our Anette the only kind one?”

Darius agreed with Anette, who snorted, and buried his face in the nape of her neck.

The woman who had boldly proposed that he take her away from the Pochet mansion when they first met still had a fresh scent on her nape.

〈If you marry me, you won’t regret it.〉

He hoped Anette also thought she was happy to have married him.

* * *

People flocked to the tea gathering hosted by Margarita of the East today as well.

Which lady was virtuous, who was the rising star of the social scene. Such tributes were all meaningless.

Margarita of the East and Star Rose Tower of the West.

Both were daughters of renowned grand nobles, excellent ladies with both beauty and refinement.

Especially the black-haired beauty Margarita, despite being a grand noble’s daughter, was popular for her kind and unaffected attitude toward everyone.

So it was only natural that people always gathered around Margarita.

“Have you heard?”

Someone said, trying hard to catch Margarita’s attention.

“It seems the Pochet family still hasn’t given up on their dream.”

“Pardon? What about that family that insisted they could form ties with the imperial family?”

“The Grand Duke Inkheart is entering the capital this time. It seems he will declare his full support. For his sister-in-law, that is.”

A brief silence fell over the gathering at the uncomfortable news that there might be one more candidate to compete with Margarita.

“Pfft, are they really comparing that Southern country bumpkin?”

“Hahaha! My, I wondered what made those heavy bottoms that always stay put in the North finally move.”

“Does the Pochet family truly believe that just by getting Caitlyn’s name on the Golden Plate, she could become the crown prince’s bride?”

“Caitlyn…… Is Caitlyn really the most refined lady the South can send? Goodness. What rudeness to compare Miss Margarita with Miss Caitlyn!”

Laughter continued for a while in the reception hall as if they had heard an amusing joke.

Margarita also smiled quietly. A diamond pin sparkled in her jet-black hair.

Diamonds—gems whose exact source was still unknown, making everyone stomp their feet in desire. Even Margarita, despite her high status, had acquired them with great difficulty.

The first person to appear in society wearing this jewel was Princess Raniana.

At that time, Princess Raniana had whispered only to Margarita:

〈The gems set in this necklace were sent from Inkheart.〉

The hidden source of the trend was coming to the capital. And as a sponsor for an unexpected new candidate, no less.

Margarita smiled awkwardly. She needed to learn more about Inkheart.