Chapter 3 – Imperial Palace Banquet (Part 2)

“Reubellina.”

“Welcome, Melanie.”

Even if her heart felt differently, Reubellina could not dismiss the person standing right in front of her. She greeted Melanie enthusiastically with a smile.

“Congratulations on your engagement. Being engaged to the Grand Duke of the North is quite an achievement.”

“Oh my, ‘achievement’ you say. Anyone listening might think I did something improper to His Grace. But those who committed the real misdeeds are elsewhere.” 

Reubellina’s gaze lazily drifted towards Bellaruse and Inferno. She couldn’t fathom why she had ever liked Inferno, whose behavior was utterly disappointing. He didn’t even dare to come and directly question her, instead just aimlessly staring from afar. Reubellina inwardly clicked her tongue, finding Melanie’s bold approach much more commendable.

“Who do you mean by ‘those who committed the real misdeeds’?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? The Second Prince asked to break off our engagement first. He said he loved the Lady Jeraon.”

“My goodness, Reubellina. That must have been heartbreaking for you, to have devoted more than a decade of your life to him, only to be abandoned for a mere baron’s daughter. How tragic.”

‘Is that so?’ 

Reubellina thought, recognizing the triumphant smile on Melanie’s face as she delivered her subtle jab. Looking straight at her, Reubellina delivered a heavy retort.

“Fortunately, that led me to meet my destiny.”

“Destiny?”

“Yes, my destined one.”

Reubellina leaned her head against Tartenon’s arm. As her red hair fell across his arm, Tartenon fixed her disheveled locks.

“You don’t have to pretend to be fine in front of me, Reubellina. How can you be unaffected when a woman without any outstanding qualities in the family only in looks has stolen a man away from you?”

‘Wow, did she really just say that?’

In a nutshell, Melanie was implying that Reubellina was not as pretty as Bellaruse, which is why the Prince abandoned her and played around with the baron’s daughter.

The noble young ladies, having grasped the hidden meaning behind Melanie’s words, couldn’t suppress their laughter. Their eyes narrowed and hid their smiles behind their fans.

It would have been more satisfying to open the fan and move their lips in retort, but Reubellina regretted not having a fan in her hand at the moment. Determined to be more confident and brazen now, she decided to respond.

“Well, that’s true. But the important thing is that I’ve finally met someone right for me, haven’t I?  Melanie, you should also find your person for the sake of the worried Marquis of Essent. It’s time to stop lingering around the path of the highborn.”

The “highborn” Reubellina referred to were Inferno and the Crown Prince. Melanie, unable to give up her dreams of social advancement, had been persistently trying to get closer to the imperial family. There were even rumors that the Marquis of Essent was in contact with the imperial family, trying to place her as the Crown Prince’s consort.

It was not to Melanie’s liking, and so she worked tirelessly to seduce Inferno, Reubellina’s fiancé. That was the only way for her to avoid becoming the Crown Prince’s consort.

‘She could have been betrothed to someone else, but I don’t think Melanie had anyone else in her sights.’

Reubellina looked at Melanie with pity. Feeling her sympathetic gaze, Melanie’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Is it any different for you, Reubellina? You were standing in front of the Grand Duke as soon as the Prince broke up with you.”

“Oh, yes, Ren was in my path!”

Reubellina raised her voice cheerfully, drawing the attention of the nobles.

“He caught me just as I was about to stumble. I only then realized how considerate he was.”

People were surprised to hear those words.

The story of Tartenon, who had subdued the barbarians invading the border and then attended the victory banquet, scolding the clumsy noble lady who stumbled in front of him, was still being talked about.

‘A noble young lady who can’t even walk properly, you need to relearn your  etiquette again.’

With his icy gaze and cold tone, Tartenon’s indifference had spread even faster. Despite this, the hopeful young noble ladies had continued to linger around him, only to be met with his chilling stares and retreat.

“His Grace caught you when you were about to fall?”

“Yes. He even rolled on the floor with me.”

“My, how unbecoming of a noble!”

Melanie’s sharp voice rang out in the banquet hall as if she had seized an opportunity. However, the nobles didn’t sympathize. They had seen the sudden change in Tartenon’s eyes.

Melanie realized she had made a mistake, but she couldn’t take back the words she had already uttered. She straightened her posture, trying to appear composed. After all, no matter how much of a Grand Duke he was, he couldn’t reprimand a noble young lady for a mere slip of the tongue.

Despite her calm face, a cold sweat broke out on Melanie’s back. She was worried that the news of her provoking Tartenon’s temper would reach the ears of her father.

“To speak of the Grand Duke in such an unbecoming manner.”

A feminine voice broke the silence. It was Bellaruse.

‘Why are you coming out here?’

Reubellina tightened her grip on Tartenon’s hand.

Bellaruse, throwing a subtle glance at Tartenon, exuded an aura of innocence to anyone’s eyes. The white dress she had prepared for today made her look even more delicate.

‘She must have gotten another dress fitted elsewhere after the embarrassment in the Scheh’s Boutique.’

Reubellina looked at Bellaruse, who was tucking her hair behind her ear, with cold eyes.

The nobles held their breath, observing the confrontation between the two women. Inferno, who had been left behind, hurriedly approached and stood by Bellaruse’s side.

But Tartenon’s expression remained calm, as if Bellaruse wasn’t there in front of him.

He continued to keep his eyes on Reubellina and Melanie. This reassured Reubellina. A man who was pining for her as if Bellaruse wasn’t there. She quite liked that.

“Melanie, which is more important to you – reputation or love?”

Reubellina asked Melanie. She had been looking at the suddenly intruding Bellaruse but then turned her attention back to Melanie.

It was a difficult question to answer. If Melanie said that reputation was more important, she would be seen as someone who disregarded love. But if she said love was more important, then her previous attack would become meaningless.

Melanie bit her lip. Her perplexed expression made Reubellina grin triumphantly.

‘I’ve won!’

Melanie had always found petty faults with Reubellina. She had to respond elegantly in the past to maintain her reputation as the “Stella” of the social circle. But today was different. Once she went to the North, she wouldn’t need to care about her reputation, so she felt much more at ease.

‘Come to think of it, I was the one who made things difficult for myself.’

As Reubellina reflected on the past, she shifted her gaze from Melanie to Bellaruse. Naturally, her eyes also fell on Inferno, who was standing next to her.

He was certainly thinking that treating Bellaruse as if she didn’t exist was tantamount to ignoring himself as a noble.

‘It’s obvious.’

While Melanie was pondering, no one else spoke up. The observing nobles were impressed by Reubellina’s clever wordplay. No matter what answer Melanie gave, no one would agree with her opinion anyway.

“I think you’re being too mean, Reubellina.”

This time, Bellaruse intruded again. Her perplexed expression, as if she had no choice but to get involved, was truly a sight to behold. If this were a private setting, Reubellina would have grabbed her by the hair.

‘Twice in a row, really?’

It was when Reubellina couldn’t bear it anymore and was about to retort that Tartenon grabbed her hand and intervened. Without even glancing at Bellaruse, he shouted.

“There seems to be an imbecile in the imperial palace banquet hall who knows no etiquette. Bruelin!”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

“How did you handle the invitations?”

“Ah, well…”