“Indeed. However, unfortunately, a long conversation would be a bit difficult today. I have a prior engagement.”

Caleb spoke politely. From the conversation, it seemed he had no particular scheme prepared for today. Then, was today’s encounter pure coincidence rather than something planned? I relaxed my guard slightly.

Right, no matter how cunning Caleb might be, he couldn’t openly cause a disturbance at Duchess Chenonceaux’s salon, who was a veteran of high society and of imperial lineage. I nodded slightly toward him and stepped back. Then I briefly watched him start a conversation with someone else before turning my gaze away.

Still, somehow feeling uncomfortable being nearby, I grabbed Mélisande’s arm and headed in another direction. We were passing the oil painting exhibition by a rising artist that Duchess Chenonceaux had recently discovered.

“Oh my, Mademoiselle Levizet, and—Marchioness Levizet.”

A grating high tone mixed with nasal sounds and heavy musk.

“We finally get to meet.”

Countess Fontaine, standing at the head of a group of noble ladies following her, smiled while waving her fan.

“……Countess Fontaine.”

How insolent.

Only royalty could have maids attending them in the imperial palace, yet this mere mistress dared to appear at Duchess Chenonceaux’s salon, who was of imperial lineage, leading noble ladies and attended by maids like an empress.

Though I greeted her without violating etiquette, the malice that seemed as thick as the musk perfume scent Countess Fontaine had sprinkled made me feel queasy. By the way, what was with those words as if she’d been waiting? I glanced slightly at Mélisande, and she too seemed to sense something strange, her expression slightly stiffened.

“By the way, I didn’t know the new Marchioness Levizet liked to appreciate artworks. In the provinces, it must be difficult to encounter painters. What style of paintings do you usually prefer?”

It was a way of indirectly mocking her—you came up from the countryside, so do you even know art? If Mélisande answered something like ‘Actually, I don’t know much,’ she would immediately be branded as an ignorant country person. She needs to answer well. I watched anxiously as Mélisande opened her mouth.

“Personally, I find Sir Brooke’s painting style appealing. Though it’s regrettable that he’s returned to Andrette and can no longer be seen.”

Good, that’s a decent answer so far. Mélisande continued.

“Poet Reine said that painting is preserving a moment in eternity. If we evaluate based on that poetic inspiration, Sir Brooke is surely one of the painters with the most outstanding talent for maximizing and engraving the beauty of a moment, isn’t he? Looking at the world contained in those delicate brushstrokes, it feels as if one can glimpse not just the outward appearance, but the essence of the subject that the painter has read.”

Countess Fontaine seemed slightly flustered by the answer that showed more extensive knowledge than expected, only waving her fan. Where did she learn that? Mélisande smiled brightly and whispered very quietly, just loud enough for me to hear. ‘Actually, Her Highness the Princess told me yesterday in the gallery.’

Ah, so that’s what it was? I almost let out a hollow laugh but held it back. What does it matter, cheating is also a skill!

Countess Fontaine, who quickly recovered her expression, arrogantly lifted her chin slightly.

“By the way, seeing the painting displayed here reminds me of a story.”

What painting?

I looked around at the painting displayed nearby. It was a painting that roughly but powerfully depicted an eagle soaring toward the sky with bold brushstrokes.

“I’d really like to tell that story to the marchioness.”

“Dangelose.”

A noble lady standing beside the countess made a gesture as if to dissuade her. However, Countess Fontaine ignored her and began speaking.

“One day, the birds gathered to choose a king. They decided to make the most splendid and magnificent bird their king.”

I’m not curious at all. But having missed the timing to leave, Mélisande and I had no choice but to quietly watch Countess Fontaine.

“All the birds adorned themselves to show their best. But the crow, black from head to toe, decided to use trickery instead of polishing itself. The crow secretly stole feathers from other birds and attached them to its body. Peacock’s blue-green feathers, parrot’s yellow feathers, eagle’s white feathers…… The crow adorned with colorful feathers was eventually chosen as the king of birds. But, oh my, what happened then?”

Countess Fontaine dramatically inhaled.

“The first to notice was the parrot. The parrot screamed that its feathers were there. And the gathered birds realized that what was stuck on the crow’s body were their own feathers. The angry birds rushed at the crow and plucked out their feathers.”

At some point, everyone in the salon began to pay attention to this side. But our Countess Fontaine was absolutely undaunted. Rather, she seemed to enjoy the gathered attention.

If you like attention that much, you should have been born a jester instead of a noble lady. It would suit your aptitude perfectly. I looked at Countess Fontaine with coldly cooled eyes. Though court jesters had disappeared hundreds of years ago, if that system were to be revived, I would recommend Countess Fontaine as the perfect candidate.

Well, even jesters need to be smart enough to time their entrances and exits well. Considering Countess Dangelose Fontaine’s light brain, if she became a jester, she would follow in the footsteps of the many jesters whose heads ended up on castle walls for displeasing the king.

“In the end, the crow, whose black and shabby body was exposed, ran away to the forest in shame and never came out again!”

Countess Fontaine, who had dramatically exclaimed like a prima donna singing the climactic aria of a tragic opera, stared directly at Mélisande.

“It’s a story about how those who swagger around with borrowed things that aren’t entirely their own will meet a miserable end. Quite instructive, isn’t it?”

Anyone could see this was a direct attack, right? Mélisande’s lips stiffened. What she was wearing today were the dress and accessories I had given her. Countess Fontaine smiled with rapture. Proud in having succeeded in a quite damaging attack.

I felt heat rising slightly to my face. It was the moment I was about to open my mouth to say something.

‘Alix.’

Mélisande whispered barely audibly and tapped my hand. My anger subsided as if swept away by her calm touch. Right, fighting here would only lower me to the same level as someone like Fontaine. I breathed deeply in and out to calm my mind.

Then, I noticed Caleb watching from afar. With the intuition of someone who had spent a long time together, I felt a faint smile cross his lips. I saw him soon turn his head and say something to his companions, but the true face beneath the mask of feigned concern would surely be showing mockery.

Did you orchestrate this?

Well, someone as foolish as Countess Fontaine couldn’t have immediately thought up such a story. She found herself a good puppet. He stays completely out of it while the puppet does all the drumming and gong-beating. I gritted my teeth.

“What is this commotion!”

I saw Duchess Chenonceaux approaching with an angry face. Thank goodness Mélisande stopped me. If I had joined the fight here, there was a high probability that Duchess Chenonceaux would have marked all of us. That damage would have been greater for Mélisande, who was a newcomer, than for me or Countess Fontaine, who had established positions in the imperial palace.

I watched as Duchess Chenonceaux severely scolded Countess Fontaine’s group, and the pale-faced group scattered like hens meeting a fox, but the anger that had settled in my heart didn’t easily fade. After returning to my room and just drinking cold water, Mélisande asked quietly.

“Are you alright, Alix?”

Her porcelain doll-like face was stiff. I asked her back.

“Why are you only asking if I’m alright?”

“……Pardon?”

“You surely didn’t fail to notice. Countess Fontaine, that woman……”

“……Yes. She was trying to insult me.”

I asked Mélisande, who slightly lowered her eyes.

“Mélisande. Aren’t you angry, Mélisande?”

“……”

Is it because she’s still before her awakening like in the original, so she’s just trying to swallow it inside? That appearance of being good to the point of being a pushover. People should let out their anger when they’re angry.

“……Sigh. Well, if it doesn’t bother you, that’s fine.”

I gave up and turned around. As I was about to leave the room, Mélisande spoke quietly.

“……I am angry.”

“……Pardon?”

When I turned back while holding the door handle, I saw Mélisande with her head deeply bowed, muttering.

“I’m also human. Even if I try to endure everything, bear it all, swallow it inside and smile, I can’t help but be angry.”

I let go of the door handle and listened to Mélisande’s words.

“It’s not my fault that I was born into a humble family in the countryside. It’s not like I grabbed Marquis Levizet’s ankle and threw a tantrum to force him into marriage when he didn’t want to.”

Mélisande began pouring out her words.

“What do they gain by insulting me to such an extent?”

“……Mélisande.”

“That’s right. I, who am not even qualified, luckily fell in love with a great noble and entered court. Before marriage, my father told me. It’s a marriage where I’m getting much more than I deserve…… so even if I face unfair treatment, I should endure it.”

Mélisande bit her lip. I didn’t feel like approaching rashly and just stared at her blankly.

“So I decided to endure it. Even if my fiancé, who whispered love until before marriage, suddenly changed his heart after becoming my husband and stopped seeking me out, even if the maids mocked me for being cast aside, even if I heard whispers that I was a scarecrow who couldn’t even get a proper room or establish authority despite wearing the marchioness’s hat.”

I saw a tear well up in Mélisande’s large blue eyes and fall with a plop. The hem of her skirt that she clutched in her hands became spotted and darkly stained.

“I could endure it, I decided to endure it. I thought I could bear it because you were there, Alix.”

“……Why do you only try to endure?”

When I spoke heavily, Mélisande answered gloomily.