Chapter 68. Acting Crazy

“That’s…….”

Iris, who had been opening and closing her mouth, spoke in a trembling voice.

“……Yes, that’s right. You’re correct.”

She clutched her teacup as if it were a lifeline. She was still clearly in a state of panic.

“But, that marriage talk…… at that time, I thought it was possible……! It was a marriage supported by none other than His Majesty the King……!”

“That’s just what you believed, but it’s different from the truth.”

At my rebuttal, Iris immediately shrank back, as if she had never been so vehement. It seemed she was quite shocked by me falling into the water. Seeing her so cowed, she didn’t look much like the cherished princess of the Marquis family.

“……Yes, it was different from the truth……. Because His Highness the Grand Duke had feelings for you.”

Her voice was filled with sadness and self-pity. All those emotions were for herself. That’s the kind of person Iris is.

“Still…… I thought you would feel a little sorry for me. Do you have any idea how pitiful my situation has been? Everyone looked at me with pity…… It was really…… hard to endure.”

“…….”

I wanted to ask what she expected me to do about it, but I held back and remained silent. As expected, Iris was another person with whom talking was impossible, albeit for different reasons than Helene. She was wrapped up in self-love and self-pity…….

“And honestly…… I must say this. You know that your status is not suitable for His Highness the Grand Duke, right? He is a member of the imperial family. Although he is an illegitimate child of the former king, Lady Theresia is the youngest daughter of Margrave Rubel of noble blood. But you…… even though you are the legitimate daughter of the Lopez family, you’re only half-blood, aren’t you? Moreover, your mother is…….”

Iris paused as if lamenting. I felt my heart slowly growing cold.

“……Your mother is a half-blood Katarian. And she even suffered from madness……. Among the conservative nobles, there is ongoing talk. No matter how resolute His Highness the Grand Duke is, they wonder if it’s right for someone unqualified like you to become part of the imperial family…….”

After finishing her words, Iris belatedly observed my reaction. I gave her a quiet smile, then slowly lifted my teacup and took a sip of the lukewarm tea. When I glanced at Felix, I saw him glaring at Iris with a frown.

I placed the teacup back on the saucer. The soft sound of porcelain clinking echoed. How should I describe my feelings right now? Anger? Naturally, I was angry. But at the same time, it was laughable.

The prejudice against Katar and, more broadly, the continent of Almaira, was so outdated. Although the gentry were gaining power and changing the world’s dynamics, the nobles remained the leaders of society.

Whether it was right for these nobles to cling to old superstitions and hatred, unable to read the changing times, was secondary. What was certain was that it was a foolish act that did nothing for the national interest.

I spoke with a small smile.

“Marquis Philoan is a man who reads the political winds well, but why is his daughter like this?”

“……What……?”

Iris looked at me with an expression of disbelief. It was the reaction I expected. I continued speaking with a more pronounced smile.

“Do you know that the business the Marquisate of Philoan recently started received investment from a high-ranking noble of Katar?”

“That’s…… I…… I’ve never heard of that…….”

It seemed like an unfamiliar story to a lady who had lived surrounded by flowers and silk, ignorant of the world’s affairs. I nodded knowingly and took another sip of tea. Felix’s peculiar gaze reached me from beside, but I pretended not to notice and continued speaking.

“It’s okay if you don’t know. But…… if you say the same things you said about my mother’s origins to the Katarian investors, it will become a big problem.”

“That’s…….”

Iris, who had been hesitating, soon nodded quietly. However, her face was filled with displeasure. It seemed highly humiliating for her to receive such advice from someone she had always looked down on.

“And His Highness the Grand Duke was the one who chose me.”

“…….”

“If you have any complaints, why don’t you say them in front of him? I wonder why everyone becomes so talkative only in front of me. Is it because they fear Enoch but find me easy to target?”

I chuckled while sipping my tea. Iris stared at me without a word, her eyes filled with barely concealed hostility. It seemed she intended to continue hating me. Or perhaps, she hated me even more from today.

“Is it so upsetting and unfair to be criticized by me?”

“……!”

At my direct question, Iris trembled with indignation, her lips quivering. She clutched her dress tightly with both hands. I didn’t stop and drove the point home.

“I’ll forgive you for pushing me today, for almost drowning me in the waterway.”

“What? What do you mean……! I didn’t push you! I just knocked the box away! You know that!”

Iris quickly retorted, but I sighed deeply and tilted my head as if I didn’t understand.

“As far as I remember, you definitely pushed me. You pushed me into the waterway.”

“Why…… are you doing this? I just wanted an apology from you……! It’s true that you took His Highness the Grand Duke away from me!”

“So…….”

I massaged my temples. At this point, it seemed like a headache was coming on.

“I have no reason to apologize to you, don’t you understand?”

“Ellenore……. You’re really shameless and mean.”

I found the tone of that ‘mean’ remark oddly satisfying. So I laughed out loud, even though it wasn’t a situation to laugh at. Perhaps thinking I was mocking her, Iris’s expression grew even harsher.

“……No matter how high and mighty you act, you’re still just a fiancée. Did you forget that? Don’t act as if you’re already the Grand Duchess!”

“When did I ever act as if I were already the Grand Duchess?”

“Right now! Look at your insolent tone……! How dare you speak to me like that……. You’re just the daughter of a lowly family……. Even the daughter of a mad foreign woman…….”

Lacking any learning ability, Iris repeated the same story she had been criticized for earlier. I shook my head and sighed.

“Well, why don’t you say that in front of Enoch?”

“You, really……!”

“Aren’t you curious how he would react? And, Iris, you.”

I dropped the formal speech I had maintained. I no longer wanted to argue with someone who couldn’t communicate, and even the minimal courtesy I had kept now felt unnecessary.

“Don’t you dare act like that towards me. As you said, I am the daughter of a madwoman. Did I ever tell you that my mother once poured hot tea on the face of a maid she didn’t like, causing burns?”

As I finished speaking, I lifted the teapot filled with hot tea. Iris, who had turned pale, quickly stood up and backed away. Seeing her pathetic appearance, I burst into laughter.

“No need to be so scared……. It’s a joke, Miss Philoan.”

“You, you…….”

“Why don’t you come back and have another cup of tea?”

I poured tea into her cup. Then, putting down the teapot, I smiled brightly. Iris, now completely dazed, looked at me as if I were a lunatic.

“You…… Are you really the Ellen I knew? ……You seem crazy. You don’t seem to be in your right mind…….”

“You’re the one who’s not in your right mind…… You pushed me into the waterway. No matter how much you hate me, how could you try to kill someone?”

“That was, the box―”

“I heard witnesses think you pushed me into the waterway.”

“……!”

Iris’s eyes widened. I got up and approached her slowly. Iris, retreating, slid down as she was blocked by the door. As she hurriedly tried to grab the doorknob, I grabbed her hand.

Iris flailed her limbs in shock, as if having a fit. I smiled at her with the same saintly expression she often wore when pitying the poor and lowly and handed her the box.

“I just wanted to return this bracelet.”

“…….”

“You pushed me. Why don’t you apologize? Before I accuse you of attempted m*rder…….”

“No, I…….”

Iris, who looked like she had received a huge shock, was now almost in tears. I tilted my head slightly, showing a pitiful expression, and spoke in a resigned tone.

“But causing a commotion over this won’t do either of us any good, will it? I hate controversy…… So let’s agree it was an unfortunate accident. But…….”

I leaned down and whispered in her ear.

“……I’m quite capricious. If you do something that displeases me, I might change my mind.”

Iris gasped for breath, clutching her chest as if she were having a panic attack. I smiled sympathetically and carefully helped her up. Then, reaching behind her, I grabbed the doorknob and turned it.

“Go on.”

As the door opened, Iris rushed out without a word of farewell. Watching her flee like a rabbit with its tail on fire, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

If she was going to be scared when I acted crazy, why did she talk about a madwoman in the first place……. Shaking my head, I turned around and, coincidentally, met Felix’s eyes.

……A moment of silence passed. Soon, I walked over to him with a sheepish smile.

“Finally, we can talk alone.”

Felix looked a bit bewildered, but he smiled faintly at my words. His eyes crinkled kindly, and dimples appeared on both his cheeks. Just like the boy from my childhood.