Chapter 5 – Part 1

Kristin waved lightly to Rose and Elena, who had been watching her from the garden. Upon seeing this, Elena abruptly turned around and walked back inside with her arms crossed.

Rose pretended not to notice Kristin until she made eye contact with Isabella, Venice, and Ellen behind her. She then greeted them brightly.

“Oh my, I heard our Kristin invited you ladies over. This is quite rare… Lately, Kristin has been doing things she never used to do. If she does anything unexpected, don’t be too surprised. We’re still getting used to it ourselves.”

Her words subtly mocked Kristin.

Yet, despite hearing such comments, Kristin was smiling, and Isabella, unable to understand her, spoke up to Rose.

“The Lady doesn’t seem strange at all. Thank you for inviting us. The cookies and tea were delicious, Viscountess.”

Isabella spoke to Rose but clenched her fist lightly after saying “Viscountess.”

Rose Veronica was the only commoner to have entered the world of nobility. In Isabella’s eyes, she could never see Rose in a good light. Having to call a commoner “Viscountess” and elevate her with such a title made Isabella’s tongue feel stiff with discomfort.

After lightly greeting Rose, Isabella turned to Kristin again.

“It’s clear that Lady Kristin has changed compared to before. Still, I don’t think she’s strange at all. Right, ladies?”

Isabella signaled for Venice and Ellen to agree, and they quickly responded.

“It’s a good thing that her personality has become more lively.”

Kristin watched them lie and scoffed inwardly. But she kept her composure and spoke to them again.

“I think I’ve spent too much time alone.”

“Pardon?”

Her words were true, but they tried not to show their surprise.

“You can very well live alone. It’s even better that you’re like this now. There will be more opportunities in the future. Moreover, Duke Raphael also seems to like you, Lady Kristin.”

“I think I’d better give up on marrying the Duke.”

At the mention of the Duke of Raphael, Venice and Ellen’s shoulders twitched momentarily, and then shook.

One of the reasons they were not fond of Kristin Edith was because of Duke Raphael Rodney.

Although they prided themselves on being the most beautiful of the young ladies and having a great family, they were always frustrated by Kristin.

‘Pathetic. They’ve taken the bait.’

Kristin had deliberately made such a remark to provoke them. However, she spoke to them as if she didn’t realize the weight of her words.

“Duke Raphael deserves a better lady than me.”

“Pardon?”

“I cannot be the Duke’s match. That’s why we didn’t have the wedding. To be honest, I gave up the chance for another noble lady who could be a better match for him. I thought you might be curious why there hasn’t been a wedding, especially since you kindly accepted my invitation to today’s party.”

The complexions of the three noble ladies suddenly darkened after hearing Kristin’s words, but soon brightened up again.

As if they had seen even a glimmer of hope, an ambiguous smile spread across their lips.

‘I’m sorry, ladies, but none of you will be the Duke’s match. Unless you’re the daughter of the emperor who owns the country, Duke Raphael will disregard you.’

Nonetheless, they adjusted their expressions and responded to Kristin’s words.

“Still, it seems like Duke Raphael only has eyes for Lady Kristin.”

“Oh, you flatter me.”

* * *

“What’s all this? Is this a room used by the servants? Or is it a room set up to make dresses inside the mansion?”

Venice, Ellen, and Isabella couldn’t close their mouths in astonishment.

After following Kristin up to the room, they had said,

“We’re so curious about Lady Kristin’s room.”

However, Kristin had never intended to show them her room. Even if the Edith family was falling apart, her room was no different from any other noble ladies. It was also a room filled with memories of her late mother.

She had no intention of allowing these greedy and vile ladies into such a precious and noble space.

The tea party was held in the garden, instead of the mansion, so that they would have less time to stay in the mansion.

Walking around and touching everything in the room would only give her chills.

So she made them stay in the garden as much as possible before letting them into the mansion.

Her room, with its embroidered bedspread, pillowcases, and various decorations, was filled with her mother’s love.

This was the only place in the cold and stuffy Edith mansion where she could breathe comfortably.

Kristin didn’t want to sully the air of this room because of them.

‘This is my space, young ladies.’

“This is Lady Kristin’s room? Then where’s the dressing room? Is there a separate room for jewelry and accessories?”

Isabella’s face looked like she couldn’t believe the situation.

In reality, the room was where Kristin had conversations with Lenci while embroidering dresses.

It had been used as a laundry room inside the mansion, with one side featuring a large wooden drying rack brightly lit by a window.

The beige curtains fluttered in the breeze, brushing against various items displayed for use inside the mansion. Next to them was a small wooden desk, neatly organized with threads of various colors and needles.

Although it was called a “room”, it was almost at the level of a storage room. The ladies probably wouldn’t understand this.

Kristin had already asked Lenci to place a small sign at the entrance of the room, with her name written in English. It was a room she intentionally showed to deceive the ladies.

“There’s no bed, no mirror to look at yourself. And what is this room with this thorny wooden floor that looks like it’s going to get stuck in you? You’re living here?”

“What is this? I thought Lady Kristin’s room would be magnificent. I had heard that she was mistreated by her stepsister Elena and Lady Rose, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

“Lady Kristin, are you playing a trick on us? A countess can’t possibly live in a place like this.”

To show them clearly, Kristin tore off a stale baguette of bread she had left a few days ago and slowly chewed on it.

“Lady Kristin, why are you eating that? There were plenty of expensive snacks earlier.”

She waved her hands in the air as if to say it was okay.

“I prefer this bread. After you ladies leave, I’ll do some embroidery work, as my mother and Elena commanded me to.”

“Why are you the one doing that?” Isabella asked, almost as if on cue.

Kristin then replied to Isabella, as if she had been waiting for the question.

“That’s just how I am. Sometimes I think how nice it would have been if I had been born a commoner. Being a Viscount’s daughter is incredibly precious and dear to me, but it feels overwhelming. Honestly, I would have been fine if I had been born under a bridge. Being able to have a party with you ladies today is the first time in my life, and I’m so satisfied with it.”

They were all speechless.

Just moments ago, Kristin had been preparing for the party with luxurious desserts, but now, she seemed utterly out of her mind, as if she had been severely traumatized.
No one dared to think that this was normal.

She was in a position where she should have been able to hold her head up high, but instead, she looked like she needed some kind of medical attention.

Venice and Ellen whispered to each other, unable to believe what they were seeing.

“What is this? It doesn’t seem like an act. Has Lady Kristin been living like this all this time? In this miserable room, doing embroidery like a servant?”

“I don’t want to believe it either, but looking at Lady Kristin’s face, I think it’s all true, but I wonder if Duke Raphael knows any of this…….”

As doubts arose, they could guess why Kristin ran away from the wedding.

‘She must have been terrified. Even though she is noble, she refers to herself humbly, with trembling hands, afraid of someone like Duke Raphael who is so different from her.’

Seeing Kristin, who seemed to have suffered mental trauma after her mother’s death and subsequent abuse, Isabella, Venice, and Ellen decided to stop their tour of the mansion.

They couldn’t stay any longer, feeling an indescribable unease and sympathy.

However, at that moment, someone was observing the mansion from outside with a small telescope.