Chapter 9 – A Shaken Heart (Part 5)

Despite Viverna’s greeting, Tartenon did not open his mouth. As the Grand Duke of the North, he hadn’t spoken to anyone. If he responded to Viverna, it would mean acknowledging her as being above him.

Unable to tolerate that, Reubellina stepped forward.

“I clearly said to enjoy the banquet comfortably…”

It was a small voice, but in the deathly silent banquet hall where even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard, everyone could hear it. When Reubellina looked at the orchestra playing the banquet music, they slowly started playing, albeit while glancing at Viverna.

As the music started, Reubellina very slowly looked around the banquet hall. Wherever her eyes landed, the nobles coughed awkwardly or turned their heads. Only the Marquis of cristal  and his wife stood quietly in their place.

Viverna also did not move from the spot where she had greeted. At her unwavering gaze, Reubellina slightly raised her chin, just enough for Viverna to notice.

As expected, Viverna’s shoulders shook slightly upon realizing it.

‘Ho.’

Reubellina inwardly praised Viverna’s patience for not falling for the provocation and then opened her mouth.

“Who are you to carelessly call His Grace the Grand Duke by name?”

Reubellina saw Viverna’s eyes flash but spoke again.

“I asked, who are you?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“My concern?”

“Yes, yours. I am Tartenon’s aunt, so an outsider like you should step back.”

“Outsider?”

Reubellina’s eyes narrowed upward. Even the nobles who openly opposed her did not dare to call her an outsider in front of her. That was because Reubellina was the Grand Duchess of the North now. When Tartenon was about to speak, Reubellina tightly grasped his hand.

“Isn’t it you who’s the outsider?”

A cold remark escaped her lips. The nobles, tense and holding their breath, couldn’t help but notice.

‘When Tartenon needed you, you were holed up in your villa, gathering power, and now you call yourself his aunt?’

At first, Reubellina thought Viverna would do well since she was his only family. But that was naive arrogance before knowing the full truth.

While Tartenon risked his life to fulfill his duties as Grand Duke, Viverna coaxed the nobles. It would have been fine if it ended there, but Reubellina couldn’t tolerate Viverna using some of the loyalists of the previous Grand Duke as her private guards.

They were Tartenon’s vassals. They could not be Viverna’s personal guards. It was Viverna who dragged them into a dirty fight. Reubellina recalled the information she had gathered about Viverna.

“You seem young, but your tongue is quite sharp.”

“This young person you call is the Grand Duchess of the North. So, don’t you have something to say?”

Reubellina’s indirect reprimand for not greeting her first made Viverna laugh instead.

“Then I suppose I should ask you.”

‘Ask me?’

“Why didn’t you come to greet me?”

Viverna confidently waited for an answer. No matter what Reubellina said, it was a breach of northern customs, and she knew Reubellina wouldn’t be able to answer properly.

With Tartenon supporting her, the world might seem easy, but that was the North without Viverna. Now that she was back, she intended to show that a young lady raised in the capital couldn’t easily stand out.

‘There’s no more splendid return than this.’

The northern social circle was not an unimportant place, but a social circle was still a social circle. For a woman to hold power, it was the first place she had to secure.

Viverna arrogantly smiled at Reubellina, who remained silent.

‘In the end, she’s just a child who hasn’t even lost her downy hair.’

The northern social circle wasn’t a place for a child raised in the capital to act up.

Viverna raised her chin at Reubellina. It was a warning to Reubellina, who looked down on her from above. She was willing to overlook it once if Reubellina bowed to her now.

She waited for Reubellina to open her mouth. Depending on what Reubellina said, she had to prepare her next attack.

“How is it that everyone has the same repertoire? It’s boring.”

Reubellina muttered to herself with a bored expression. But Viverna knew better than anyone that those words were directed at her.

“What?”

Reubellina confidently declared to the slightly contorted Viverna.

“Only adults who act like adults deserve to be greeted.”

As soon as Reubellina finished speaking, Viverna’s face hardened, and Reubellina smiled serenely.

“Isn’t that right? An aunt who didn’t even come to her nephew’s wedding. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

When she held out her palm in the direction of the servants, Sandy quickly approached and placed a fan on it.

“Moreover, adults should know how to show generosity. But you’re so narrow-minded. When I first came to the North and was preparing for the wedding, you didn’t even send an invitation.”

The nobles in the banquet hall widened their eyes. According to social etiquette, Reubellina should have gone to greet her first, but she couldn’t just show up without any pretext.

Viverna hadn’t sent the invitation herself. Doing so would have meant lowering herself to Reubellina, so she went through Paddington.

Since there was no official invitation from Viverna, Reubellina could confidently continue her story.

“Isn’t it unreasonable to visit without an invitation?”

Her murmured words pierced the ears of the nobles.

“If that’s true, Lady Viverna made a mistake…”

“Shh!”

“Oh my, does that mean everything she said was a lie?”

“My goodness.”

Quiet whispers were heard quite loudly. As Reubellina gained the upper hand, the ladies of the social circle began to move. The biggest hindrance to them now was Viverna.

During the wedding banquet, the northern social circle had somewhat settled. The women who attended the banquet from the beginning could become close to Reubellina and wield power.

However, with Viverna’s appearance, they felt threatened that their hard-earned power might shift to her entourage.

“Your words are a bit harsh.”

Countess Pellito, one of Viverna’s close associates, stepped forward. The Countess was very close to the Phineus family. But that was all. After the fall of Count Phineus, it was Countess Pellito who seized control of the northern trade guild.

The northern nobles already knew it wasn’t appropriate. Had it not been for the many senior nobles supporting Viverna, it could have been raised in the noble council. But they chose to stay silent. They didn’t need to use the Pellito guild; they had other options.

They were waiting for the Pellito guild to fall naturally and then seize the guild themselves. Even Tartenon knew this but didn’t intervene. The northern trade controlled by the Pellito family was very small.

The fact that Tartenon entrusted the supplies for the knight order to the Musen trade guild showed his intent clearly. Reubellina felt the same. If she ever returned to the capital, she intended to leave a part of the trade to the northerners.

“There is no reason for Lady Viverna to contact and invite you first. If you, the Grand Duchess knew the etiquette, you should have attended other nobles’ tea parties to pay her respects.”

The Countess of Pellito basked in the attention directed at her, puffing up with pride. It was such an absurd and laughable situation that Reubellina didn’t even feel it was worth stepping in.

“What are you saying? Are you suggesting that Her Grace should appear at any random tea party?”

The Marchioness of Istorium stepped forward to defend Reubellina.

“Oh my, isn’t it natural since it’s her first time in the North? If she had at least hosted a tea party, we would have attended, but she didn’t even do that.”

“A tea party? Countess, aren’t you thoughtless for demanding such from someone busy with wedding preparations after arriving in the North?”

“How lightly must she have regarded the northern social circle to not even spare time for a tea party?”

“If that were truly the case, you wouldn’t even be here, Countess.”

The Marchioness of Istorium scoffed. Just as the Countess of Pellito was about to retort, not backing down from the insinuation about her social standing, a cold voice echoed through the banquet hall.

“Enough.”

Reubellina’s voice cut through the air.

“I didn’t know the Countess had the right to demand a tea party from me.”

Although she said it with a smile, the meaning behind her words was undeniable. Someone of a lower rank could not order someone of a higher rank to host a party. Reubellina’s words, implying the Countess’s ignorance of etiquette, made the Countess of Pellito’s face flush red.

“Moreover, the Countess didn’t show her face throughout the banquet and only appeared today? Let’s see what great gift you’ve brought then.”

“…Wasn’t the gift presentation already over?”

“Not only did you show your face shamelessly, but you didn’t even bring a gift?”

Although her words were directed at the Countess of Pellito, everyone understood they were also aimed at Viverna. Reubellina smiled faintly and looked at Viverna.

‘What will you do now?’

Tartenon struggled to suppress his laughter as he watched the unfolding events. It was rare to see Viverna so cornered, unable to speak and keeping her mouth shut. This was the first time he had seen her so subdued.