How to Get a Stolen Husband Back - Chapter 39

‘What are they saying?’

Aristie and Vivian were the only ones not joining in the atmosphere. Vivian glanced disapprovingly at the other young ladies and whispered to Aristie.

“Is she holding this event just to receive such nauseating compliments?”

“Who knows, except for the person involved.”

Aristie replied blandly, then added in a low voice.

“Just stay quiet. They must have some scheme involving you. The target is obviously me, so just watch.”

“But…!”

Vivian tried to argue, but Aristie shook her head. Then she raised her voice and called out to Estelle.

“Lady Vascus.”

“……?”

When Estelle turned around, Aristie spoke calmly.

“Thank you for the invitation. And congratulations on becoming a saintess. I’m looking forward to your future endeavors.”

Estelle smiled brightly as she accepted the congratulations.

“I’m honored to receive your personal congratulations, Lady Aristie. I’ll do my best for the empire with my limited abilities.”

It was a neat response. She was originally an actress, and it seemed she had adapted quickly even after falling into another world. She could easily be believed to be a noble by birth.

‘I’ve played along with your act, so now show your true colors.’

Aristie urged inwardly.

Meanwhile, Estelle urged the guests to do something else.

“Please, help yourselves. The servants prepared these delicacies knowing important guests would be visiting. I hope they suit your taste…”

As soon as she finished speaking, the villain trio showered praises as if Estelle had personally prepared the food.

“It’s perfect. Especially the bavarois and soufflé are just to my taste, hoho.”

“This cabinet pudding is the best I’ve ever had!”

“You’re amazing. The fruits seem to come from different origins, how did you manage to procure only the finest?”

The trio was now in a competitive atmosphere among themselves.

Knowing that a connection with the saintess would soon lead to a connection with the temple, each of them was subtly vying for Estelle’s closest friend spot.

“……It’s delicious.”

Vivian tasted the cake and inadvertently made a remark. However, she soon reproached herself for praising the enemy without thinking and hastily drank her tea.

Estelle sat at the center where goodwill and malice were divided.

“By the way, are the wedding preparations going well, lady?”

Estelle, with a cat-like expression she had shown before, asked Aristie. Aristie thought the inevitable had come and answered calmly.

“Thanks to the help of those around me, it’s not too difficult. His Majesty is also looking after it.”

“His Majesty?”

A woman, who was one of Selona’s limbs, questioned. It was a subtly mocking tone.

The woman’s name, which had been flickering in her memory, seemed to be ‘Roxana’ as she had briefly heard earlier. She was a woman who had once tried hard to enter under Aristie but was only causing trouble and was driven away.

“I’m envious, having His Majesty personally look after it. But it seems His Majesty is quite busy with various things besides wedding preparations.”

“That’s right. I heard rumors too. He was often seen coming out to the streets in disguise until recently, wasn’t he?”

As Roxana opened the conversation, Selona and Annelize quickly followed up. As if they were a genuine trinity.

“With a mysterious woman, they say. Everyone who witnessed it said it seemed like an unusual relationship.”

“Oh my, no way. Surely he wouldn’t do such a thing when an imperial marriage is imminent?”

“There’s nothing he can’t do. All men are like that, once they fall in love, they can’t get out of it…….”

At that moment, a sharp voice interrupted the trio’s conversation.

“You’re going too far! How dare you reduce the Empire’s Sun to just a man!”

The person who stood up angrily was not Aristie, but Vivian. Vivian raised her voice with a flushed face as if she had been insulted herself.

“Moreover, here is where Lady Yentrice, soon to be Her Majesty the Empress, is present. Don’t you think it’s rude?”

As she directly mentioned Aristie, the atmosphere quickly turned cold. The young ladies looked at Aristie and apologized.

“I’m sorry, lady. It’s just that such rumors have been circulating lately…….”

“Since we’re in a private gathering, I guess I let my guard down without realizing it.”

“I thought you wouldn’t care much since it’s a political marriage anyway.”

Selona’s added remark pierced Aristie’s heart. Pretending to be innocent, but the content was clearly intentional.

As if she was saying, after all, aren’t you just a shell of a spouse?

“I understand, but it doesn’t feel good, so I’d like to drop the subject here.”

Aristie pretended not to know and advised, as getting angry would only make her look foolish. Then she looked to the side and spoke.

“Vivian, you should sit down too.”

“But……! ……Okay.”

Vivian looked aggrieved but didn’t push further and sat down. Still angry, she picked up the teacup she was drinking to calm her heated insides.

It was at that moment.

“Ow!”

Vivian hastily put down the teacup and clutched her stomach. Her forehead was quickly covered in cold sweat, looking very pained.

“Vivian! Are you okay?”

Aristie, flustered, held onto Vivian.

“Suddenly my stomach……, my stomach hurts…….”

“Your stomach? Hold on, I’ll get a doctor……!”

“No! I, I can’t hold it. The bathroom, quickly……!”

Vivian couldn’t even speak properly due to the severe abdominal pain. Aristie quickly turned her head and asked Estelle.

“Where is the bathroom?”

“I’ll guide you. Jena, Becky. Escort these ladies to the bathroom.”

Estelle, mentioning the ‘bathroom,’ seemed to hold back laughter at the crudeness felt in the tone.

It wasn’t just her. The young ladies standing beside her all had the same expression.

‘Trash!’

Aristie held back the curse that was about to slip out and supported Vivian. However, before they could take a few steps, Vivian collapsed onto the spot.

“Oh, no. Sob…….”

Aristie couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Right after Vivian burst into tears, a large stain appeared on the back of her skirt, and a pungent smell began to waft.

“No way. Is that real?”

“How disgraceful. What a shame, really, what a disgrace?”

“I can’t believe it even seeing it. It’s embarrassing, really.”

The trio, who didn’t deserve the title of young ladies, covered their noses and whispered loudly enough to be heard. Even the maids who approached to help had faces full of obvious displeasure.

“I’m sorry, lady. I just…… sob sob…….”

Vivian whimpered with a face full of shame.

“Don’t apologize.”

Aristie shook her head.

“It’s not your fault, lady. Don’t worry and go rest. I have things to do here.”

Aristie patted Vivian’s back and handed her over to Estelle’s maids. While the sound of her sobbing faded away, Aristie turned back to the table.

To gather evidence.

This was clearly a malicious prank to humiliate Vivian.

Since the food was buffet-style, it couldn’t target a specific person, so it’s likely that the drug was put in an individual teacup. If the remaining tea is investigated, surely……

“……Who emptied Lady Guise’s teacup?”

Aristie asked, showing her anger. The tea, which had been half-full, was now completely empty in a short time.

Seeing not even a trace of moisture, it seemed as if the cup had been swapped with a new one. Someone had erased the evidence while she was distracted looking after Vivian.

“I don’t know. I…….”

“Wasn’t it empty from earlier?”

“She seemed thirsty and drank it all at once. Lady Guise did.”

However, no one spoke the truth. They all lied as if they had agreed beforehand.

Filled with anger, Aristie declared in an icy voice.

“The gathering is over. Everyone, go home.”

Then Estelle, who had been quietly watching, intervened.

“That’s difficult, lady. Please remember that I am the host of today’s gathering.”

“Is that so? Then there’s no choice. I’ll have to spread the word that the host was leisurely enjoying a tea party even when a guest was attacked and collapsed.”

“…….”

Estelle’s eyes narrowed.

Since Aristie didn’t avert her gaze at all, the two of them stared at each other with sharp eyes for a while.

“……Thank you for coming. I’ll arrange another gathering next time.”

Ultimately, Estelle dismissed the guests. The trio looked relieved.

Their roles were already over, and the lingering stench was unbearable to endure.

“Thank you for inviting me, Lady Vascus.”

“I truly enjoyed it”

“Next time, I can call you Estelle, right? Since we’re friends.”

“Hehe, of course. See you soon, Selona. You too, Annelize and Roxana.”

The trio worked hard to solidify their friendship with Estelle until the end. They merely nodded perfunctorily at Aristie, with whom they had a longstanding grudge, as they left.

Aristie didn’t care and just wished for them to leave quickly.

Finally, when everyone had left, only Aristie and Estelle remained.