Chapter 16
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#16.
When I returned to the Hall, I tilted my head at the sudden murmuring around me. It sounded like trouble was starting again.
'What's going on?'
As I walked forward in confusion, I heard a loud commotion followed by someone falling.
And of all people, it was Diana Rike who had fallen.
"Rhoena. Waaah."
The moment Diana saw me, her eyes glistened with tears and she wore a pitiful expression. Standing before her was Arkid.
Arkid looked flustered when he saw me. I glanced back and forth between Arkid and Diana.
Diana fallen and Arkid panicked? Surely not...!
I could already picture exactly what had happened, so I rushed straight to Arkid.
"Arkid, are you alright?!"
"Huh?"
"Did Diana harass you again?"
"No, I..."
I bit my lower lip as I watched Arkid, rendered speechless like a fool once more. Then I immediately glared at Diana, who was sitting on the floor.
How dare you lay a hand on my husband?
I fixed Diana with a fierce, tiger-like stare.
"What are you doing?"
"R-Rhoena! I didn't do anything! It was actually the Crown Prince who pushed me down..."
Diana wore an aggrieved expression, clearly not expecting me to defend Arkid.
But I had no intention of taking her words at face value.
"My husband wouldn't suddenly push you over."
"What?"
"You must have done something wrong. Or maybe you tripped over your own feet."
That's right. My kind-hearted Arkid would never push someone down. Diana was clearly trying to frame him.
When I naturally took Arkid's side, Diana clutched at her dress hem. Her shocked expression was quite a sight.
"H-How could you do this to me!"
As Diana trembled, her group of friends began to defend her.
"We saw it. The Crown Prince pushed Diana."
"That's right! I wasn't lying! You have no idea how scary your husband was to me!"
Diana burst into tears, her posture screaming injustice.
I glanced at Arkid in the face of their accusations.
He opened his mouth with a stern expression, trying to say something in his defense, but I turned my gaze back to Diana.
And like Rhoena in the original story, I spoke arrogantly while leaning on one leg.
"So what?"
"What?"
"Why are you complaining to me about falling? Who do you think you are?"
"How could you not take my side?"
"That's absurd. Why should I take your side over Arkid, who is family? We are husband and wife."
"Me, husband and wife? We're friends."
"To be precise, we were friends."
"...!"
"But not anymore. I'm tired of playing with you all. So stop bothering my husband and get out."
I smiled brightly and pointed kindly toward the door.
Rhoena had always been fickle by nature. Diana had simply tolerated her whims well enough to maintain their long acquaintance.
There was no harm in hastening the end of a relationship that was already creaking at the seams.
Besides, my reputation was already in ruins, so it mattered little what Diana might gossip about behind my back.
Diana's face twisted with contempt as she suddenly shrieked.
"Fine, then we're done!"
Yes. Exactly what I wanted.
I nodded with a bright smile, and Diana trembled violently before abruptly standing and disappearing.
I waved farewell to the group trailing after her.
'Disgusting. Let's never see each other again, you lot.'
Then I turned to Arkid with a spin.
"Are you really all right? They didn't bother you, did they?"
How despicable of them to gang up on one person like that.
I should have stayed glued to Arkid's side if I'd known this would happen!
I arranged my expression into deep concern, imagining how difficult this must have been for him. Arkid then asked, looking somewhat bewildered.
"If I had really pushed Miss Rike on purpose, what would you have done?"
There was a hint of confusion in his eyes. He probably hadn't expected me to take his side.
I grasped his hand and smiled broadly.
"Did you really push her?"
"No. I didn't."
"I knew you wouldn't."
My Arkid wasn't the type to act violently toward just anyone.
I nodded immediately, and Arkid gave me a peculiar look. He gazed intently at my hand holding his and murmured.
"It wasn't all right before, but now it is. Because Rhoena took my side."
As he said this, he squeezed my hand tightly—like a large, devoted dog.
I was mesmerized by Arkid's flawless beauty, then my eyes widened as I replayed his words.
"W-what did you just say?"
"I said thank you for taking my side."
"No, what did you call me before that?"
"You mean when I said Rhoena?"
Yes! That's it!
I gasped as Arkid's words suddenly struck me.
"Y-you just called me by my name, didn't you?"
"Yes. That's right, Rhoena."
Arkid smiled softly and gently caressed the back of my hand.
Was it just my imagination, or did he seem pleased?
What's this? Why did he suddenly start calling me Rhoena?
While the title of "lady" held its charm, being called by my name felt oddly thrilling—as though I were finally being acknowledged as myself.
They said a name existed to be spoken by others, and when Arkid uttered mine, a wave of emotion crashed over me like a tsunami.
When I found myself speechless with joy, he leaned forward to meet my gaze, then lowered his eyes slightly as he asked.
"Does it bother you? Should I not call you that?"
Was it my imagination, or did I hear something crack?
I quickly shook my head.
"No, no! Please do call me that! I like being called lady, and I like being called Rhoena too."
Fearing he might never call me by name again, I made a fuss—and he smiled as though he'd expected exactly this, his grin widening.
"Yes, Rhoena."
That smile, dangerous to my heart, was right before my eyes.
* * *
Meanwhile, the noblewomen were absorbed in a chess game at the Hadelus Family Villa. Elena was just about to topple the king with her bishop.
"Wahhh, Mother!"
Diana Rike burst into tears and threw herself into Countess Rike's arms.
The Countess abandoned her chess and cradled Diana's face in her hands. "Diana! Why do you look like this? Did someone hurt you?"
"Dana! Why does your face look like that? Did someone bully you?"
"Sob... Rhoena... the Crown Prince..."
Diana gasped for breath, unable to continue.
Elena stared intently at Diana, who had interrupted her on the verge of checkmate.
It was because Rhoena and Arkid had been mentioned. The Countess, noticing Elena's expression, hastily covered Diana's mouth.
"Child, there are adults present..."
"What happened?"
Elena pressed Diana with a gentle smile. Diana recognized her and hiccupped.
"Hic!"
"My, you must have been quite startled. May, bring the child some water."
"Yes, ma'am."
May, the maid attending Elena, poured water into a cup and offered it to Diana. Diana gulped it down.
"So then, what happened that made you mention the Crown Prince and his wife?"
"Please don't concern yourself, Grand Duchess. Children quarrel sometimes, after all."
The Countess laughed awkwardly in protest, but Diana's mouth opened.
"Rhoena said she was tired of playing with me and told me to get lost. Sniff."
Diana had twisted the story entirely in her favor. The Countess's face hardened instantly.
"What?"
It was plain to see she was displeased that her carefully raised daughter had been told to leave. Elena, still holding her bishop, murmured quietly.
"I wonder what she said."
Then, as though it were nothing, she toppled the Countess's king with her bishop.
"Checkmate."
At the maid's words, Elena nodded lightly and rose from her seat. The Countess spoke.
"Grand Duchess, are you leaving just like this?"
"Didn't you just say children quarrel sometimes when left to their own devices?"
"But for the sake of discipline...."
"Getting involved in children's quarrels as an adult is rather unseemly."
As Elena's expression remained unmoved, Countess Rike spoke with greater firmness.
"Still, without proper discipline from a young age, children tend to grow up undisciplined. Regardless of it being a childish matter, using language that lacks propriety deserves a sharp rebuke...."
"Countess Rike."
Elena paused mid-way through putting on her outer robe and swept her gaze across Countess Rike and Diana Rike.
Diana's tears ceased and her mouth fell open at the sight of Elena's dazzling platinum hair.
They said the blood of the Royal Family flowed through her veins, and that platinum hair shone like the sun itself, blinding to the eyes. Elena spoke with her brow furrowed.
"Advice is something given by those of appropriate standing."
"...."
"If anyone conducts themselves without discipline, it's rather someone like Countess Rike."
"Your Highness, the Grand Duchess."
"Let us conclude this. My chess opponent has become far too tedious to continue."
With those words, Elena walked toward the door with graceful steps.
But moments later, Elena paused at the threshold, as if something had occurred to her, and turned back.
"Ah, Countess Rike."
"Yes, Your Highness, the Grand Duchess."
As Countess Rike answered while suppressing her humiliation, Elena smiled radiantly and spoke.
"My children are my responsibility to manage. So perhaps Countess Rike should first see to muzzling her own child?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Countess Rike shot up from her seat as if she could no longer contain herself. But Elena had already left the room.
"Hic!"
Diana resumed her hiccups, which had stopped from sheer shock.
Her mother's gaze looked as though she might seize and strangle someone at any moment.
As expected, Countess Rike's face flushed crimson, and her fury turned toward Diana's back.
"These wretched hiccups—can't you stop them!"
As if everything were somehow the fault of the hiccups.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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