Chapter 9 – A Shaken Heart (Part 6)

When Tartenon first received his crown as Grand Duke, Viverna did not attend. Instead of supporting Tartenon, who took over the title after his brother’s death, she showed an attitude of not recognizing him as the Grand Duke, and the northern nobles witnessed this.

As a result, he had very few supporters. Without the support of a few, Tartenon might not have been able to maintain his position as Grand Duke. This was why he spent so much time on the battlefield at the borders.

As he gained followers and supporting nobles, Viverna’s attitude remained unchanged. Initially, Tartenon thought she was trying to toughen him up as his only family.

‘There was no other way.’

Knowing how kind Viverna had been when his father was alive, Tartenon couldn’t believe she was truly hostile toward him. But as time passed, he realized that Viverna not only disliked him but also hated him. He even suspected she might have been involved in his father’s death.

“Th-The gift…”

Tartenon observed the hesitant attitude of Countess Pellito. Though she hesitated, it seemed she had prepared a gift, glancing at Viverna for approval. Reubellina undoubtedly noticed what Tartenon had already discerned.

“You seem to have brought a gift?”

“Ah…”

Countess Pellito continued to fidget, nervously glancing at Viverna. Reubellina silently watched her, while Tartenon glanced at Viverna. There was no change in Viverna’s face or demeanor.

Tartenon stifled a sarcastic laugh at her unyielding attitude, not even turning her head toward Countess Pellito.

‘She’ll probably say she didn’t bring it.’

“I-I didn’t bring one.”

“Is that so? Then the Countess has no right to be here, so please leave.”

Reubellina’s order to expel her was clear. The nobles who had been watching the confrontation clicked their tongues. Being expelled from the banquet celebrating the wedding meant the Pellito family could no longer set foot in the social circle. Even if Viverna reclaimed her position as the leader of the social circle, it would be the same.

“What are you doing?”

“The Grand Duchess leads the social circle in this manner, I see.”

Though spoken softly, everyone in the banquet hall could hear it. Viverna’s counterattack was just beginning.

Viverna stepped forward.

“You can’t properly lead the social circles by insulting and intimidating those you dislike. I should help you.”

“Oh my, this is the first time I’ve heard an outsider talk about the northern social circles.”

Reubellina wasn’t easily intimidated. If this continued, the standoff between the two would persist.

Tartenon knew he would have to intervene at some point. However, stepping in as the Grand Duke in social matters could make Reubellina look weak, so he remained silent.

He believed Reubellina could wisely navigate the situation. Yet, he wanted to support her, to let her know that someone who cared for her was there, encouraging her to fully demonstrate her capabilities.

He didn’t want Reubellina to feel the same isolation he once felt when no one helped him. Despite knowing Reubellina’s wishes to handle it herself, Tartenon could no longer remain silent.

“I don’t know who you consider an outsider.”

As soon as Viverna finished her last words, Tartenon didn’t wait any longer.

“I have no kin in the North.”

It was a calm but powerful declaration. All the nobles in the banquet hall looked at him with astonished eyes. Noticing their shocked gazes, Tartenon spoke again.

“I cannot acknowledge as kin someone who contributed to my father’s death.”

Reubellina turned to Tartenon. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she couldn’t hide the anticipation in her golden eyes.

‘Impressive.’

She hadn’t expected Tartenon to openly take her side. He was the Grand Duke of the North and the leader of the North, so he had to be fair above all.

She was a bit pleased by his words rejecting his aunt Viverna, but she was also worried. She didn’t want rumors to spread that Tartenon, the Grand Duke of the North, had abandoned his family.

So she kept silent. If it had been her usual self, she would have already responded with, “Is that so?” But she couldn’t say that here. Despite her strong personality, Reubellina had survived in the social circle because she knew when to speak and when to stay silent.

“Tartenon, how could you…!”

“When my father was alive, you frequented Speraum Castle, but after his death, you stopped coming.”

“That was because I felt guilty!”

“If you felt guilty, you should have visited me often.”

Every word from Tartenon, spoken as if chewing them out, was filled with resentment.

Reubellina finally realized that Tartenon, who had held onto the family bond for so long, was now ready to sever it.

“That’s what you should have done. That’s what a true elder of the North should do.”

“That’s correct.”

The Marquis of Istorium supported Tartenon’s opinion. Northern nobles, sensing the emotion in his words, bowed their heads. An elder of a family should protect its heir. But Viverna’s attitude had not been that of a protector.

When the previous Grand Duke died in a hunting accident, Tartenon was a young noble who had just come of age. Although he was old enough to inherit the title of Grand Duke, he lacked power. It would take time to prove his abilities, so it was right for the family’s elder to protect and support him.

But Viverna did not do so. The northern nobles tacitly knew this but remained silent. They didn’t want to get on the bad side of Viverna, who coveted the Grand Duke’s position.

“I was the same. I couldn’t support His Grace, who had just taken the Grand Duke’s title. Any northern noble would have done the same. We couldn’t support an unproven heir.”

The Marquis of Istorium continued smoothly.

“But that’s because I acted as a northern noble, not as an elder of Speraum.”

Tartenon’s sharp gaze turned to Viverna. Her face, drained of color, looked ready to collapse.

Reubellina signaled to Sandy. She pretended to rub her forehead in fatigue. Understanding the signal, Sandy quickly ran out of the banquet hall.

“So, Lady Viverna’s actions were wrong.”

“Marquis, how could you do this to me…!”

Viverna’s body swayed precariously. The nobles, seeing her pitiful state, supported her. Viverna, appearing as if she might collapse at any moment, slightly curled her lips as she was helped by the nobles.

Reubellina took in the entire scene, which resembled a farcical comedy. She didn’t forget to observe the faces of the nobles supporting Viverna.

Even in this situation, they couldn’t let go of Viverna’s hand. These were the ones who would abandon Tartenon and align with Viverna whenever they had the chance.

“Are you alright?”

Someone asked Viverna if she was alright. Clutching the arm of the person supporting her, Viverna wore a pitiful expression. Her face, pale as a ghost, made her look like a persecuted noblewoman.

‘Quite the performance.’

Reubellina thought.

Having seen too many noblewomen try to escape situations like this, she was tired of it. She hadn’t expected to see such a spectacle in the northern social circle as well.

While male nobles might not understand, this was a common occurrence in the social circles. Reubellina was glad she had signaled Sandy.

“You can’t ignore your mistakes. You should acknowledge them and bow to His Grace the Grand Duke.”

As soon as the Marquis of Istorium finished speaking, Viverna collapsed on the spot.

Nobles in the banquet hall ran about in confusion. After all, Viverna was a prominent elder of Speraum and the implicit leader of the northern social circles. Her significance was immense. With her collapse, today’s banquet would end in disgrace.

“The physician has arrived!”

Paddington stepped forward to manage the situation. Nobles who had laid Viverna on a long chair added their worried comments.

“His Grace the Grand Duke was too harsh. Lady Viverna is a woman, after all.”

“Exactly.”

“Even if she came with good intentions….”

“Oh my, if someone heard, they would think Lady Viverna truly had good intentions.”

Reubellina laughed at the Marchioness of Istorium’s words, agreeing with her. When Tartenon tried to step down, Reubellina held his hand to stop him, indicating they should wait for the physician’s assessment.

“She’s merely fainted.”

“Is she not ill?”

“Absolutely not.” 

The physician affirmed.

Reubellina slowly stood up.

It was a method often used in the capital’s social circles. When noblewomen pretended to faint at Reubellina’s sharp words, she would have a physician prove there was nothing wrong with them, preventing them from feigning fainting.

The physician gave Reubellina a slight nod, which she acknowledged.

“Oh my, fainting despite not being ill?”

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. As Reubellina descended from the higher platform, the nobles parted to make way for her. She walked towards Viverna through the gap.

“Hmm, it’s strange. She has no chronic illness, right?”

“I can confirm she is perfectly fine.”

Reubellina had brought a noble from the capital. Although a baron, his talent in medicine had earned him a reputation as a famous physician in the capital. He was also an eccentric who decided to follow her to the North, anticipating interesting events in the northern social circle.

“I am Gregory of the Baron Ephen family.” 

The physician announced.

“…I’ve heard his name before.”

Someone from the crowd whispered.

Gregory was especially popular among noblewomen. His headache remedies were so effective that noblewomen from other regions would send people to the capital to buy his medicine.

“In my diagnosis, she is feigning.”

Not knowing who Viverna was, Gregory spoke without hesitation.

“Despite her closed eyes, her trembling eyelids and twitching hands from tension indicate she will soon open her eyes. It appears she has never lost consciousness from the beginning.”

The northern nobles were speechless. No one from the North would dare speak so bluntly to Viverna.

Even Viverna, with her eyes closed, felt her face flush with embarrassment. But opening her eyes now would be even more humiliating, so she stubbornly kept them shut.

The problem was that the time to open her eyes had already passed. Viverna wished she could truly faint, but her strong willpower wouldn’t allow it.

“Oh, really?”

“Indeed, Your Grace.” 

Gregory replied to Reubellina.

No one could argue against the words of a renowned physician from the capital. Even the physician Viverna had prepared couldn’t refute Gregory’s diagnosis. Who would believe a northern physician over Gregory? It would only damage the northern physician’s reputation.

Thus, the northern physician couldn’t step forward. Although he was waiting outside the banquet hall on Viverna’s orders, if word got out that he couldn’t diagnose even a feigned illness, it would be his loss.

He received minor support from Viverna but made most of his money by providing medical services to other noble families. Viverna was very stingy with her wealth, partly due to the North’s lack of resources but also because of her greed.

The northern physician quickly decided not to follow Viverna’s orders.

Since no one else stepped forward, Gregory spoke again.

“Well, since it seems she doesn’t want to get up, let’s move her. She might regain consciousness if we take her somewhere else.”

“Isn’t medication really necessary?”

Reubellina asked sarcastically.

“No, it’s not necessary.”

Gregory delivered the final blow.