While I was bewildered by the feeling like Iām being watched, Miriallia dropped a bomb with a smile.
āThere is something I want to ask Lidiana-sama by all means. I have heard from my father that Crown Prince fell in love at first sight, but⦠where did you meet Crown Prince?ā
āEhā
āMy!!ā
Marianne splendidly sunk her teeth into the words that followed. Aah, her eyes are sparkling.
Speaking of myself, I desperately resisted spurting out tea.
Wait a moment. Where did she hear that from.
ā⦠Miss Mirialliaā¦Excuse me, but I wonder where has the former Marquis Lowe heard that storyā
Wanting to know the source of the rumor I carefully probed her, but the response came all too easily.
āHe has heard it from His Majestyā
ā⦠I seeā
⦠No way, from the top of the country. That certainly is unexpected.
āMore importantly, Lidiana-sama! Please tell us about your encounter with His Highness the Crown Prince. I certainly do wish to hear about itā
More importantly my foot.
With everyoneās gazes gathered on me due to Marianneās statement, my shoulders dropped.
Thereās no escape.
ā¦. Yup, I know. I was prepared for the barrage of questions today.
Iām supposed to be the host, so why do I feel like a victim.
Thinking that thereās no way I can tell about being locked-on during the masquerade ball, I spoke.
ā⦠After our engagement was decided, His Highness came to the mansion to see me. At that time, I received the official marriage proposalā
I remember how the surroundings froze and I had no choice but to accept the engagement.
I was truly at a loss when he suddenly kneeled before me at our first meeting.
Actually, far from our first meeting, he was the partner I had severe sex the previous day.
Letās pretend our first encounter was at my house. Iāll have to match stories with Freed later , thinking so I sighed in my mind.
Hearing the story, Lambert sisters put their hands to their cheeks and let out deep sighs.
āLove at first sight, it sounds like a story. I have also heard His Highness is extraordinarily infatuated with Lidiana-sama. I long for being loved by such a wonderful gentlemanā
āI can understand if it is about Lidiana-sama, Elder Sister. We members of āCheering Associationā are beyond joyousā
Two dreamy maidensā¦
Unfortunately, Freed is not such a desirable prince.
Iāll say it as many times as it takes, heās just a black-bellied unequalled Crown Prince.
While thinking theyād surely be disillusioned if they knew the reality, I twitched at the words āCheering Associationā.
āCheering Associationā⦠I sincerely thought it was Marianneās joke, but it appears to really exists.
And, theyāre also its members.
I hung my head disheartened, when Miriallia asked curiously.
āāCheering Associationā? What is that?ā
āIt is an association to cheer for His Highness the Crown Princeās and Lidiana-samaās love! Ah, we have to change the name to āCrown Couple Cheering Associationā from now onā
Marianne proudly explained in response to Mirialliaās question.
I didnāt miss her face twitch for an instant.
⦠Yup, no surprise. Thatās the correct reaction.
ā⦠Isnāt that enough of that talk. Arenāt there other interesting stories?ā
āInteresting⦠stories? In that caseā¦ā
Wanting to be spared from more I changed the topic, to which Cecilia spoke as if she remembered something.
āRight, itās a story from about half a month ago, but Marquis Muller-sama happened to overhear singing from a bar he passed by in town, and exceedingly pleased by it, invited him to his mansion. The song seemed to be unlike any heās ever heard beforeā
Everybody paid attention to Ceciliaās story.
Speaking of Marquis Muller, heās a famous for loving evening parties. Itās not particularly strange even if I hear heās scouted a minstrel in town to have him sing at evening parties.
Come to think of it , Miriallia began talking.
āI have also heard about it from my older brother, but Marquis Muller-sama said he would bring him along as entertainment for the next evening party in the Royal Palace. Perhaps we can meet him thereā
I see⦠He wants to brag.
He wants to gather attention by bringing along a singer whoās attracted everyoneās interest. His thought process is trivial to understand.
According to Mirialliaās story, as fellow marquises Lowe and Muller houses seem to have a relatively close relationship.
I have no doubt thatās how sheās heard that story.
However, what in the world is that song unlike any heard before. Is it a song passed down by few tribes? Iām a little curious.
I could perhaps learn about it if I asked Brother, but somehow, Iām looking forward to the next evening party.
āI am looking forward to it. I cannot wait for the next evening partyā
Marianne began in high spirits.
Then, she looked at me, and asked a little anxiously.
āLidiana-sama is attending the next evening party, are you not. Is your physical condition alright?ā
āEh⦠Yeah, thanks for the concern. Recently my condition has been good, so I intend to attendā
I feel sorry for misleading Marianne into thinking Iām feeble.
If itās like this, letās shift the trend to me becoming gradually healthy.
Because itās been exposed to Freed and Father that Iām healthy, I wonāt be allowed to be absent from evening parties anymore. Itād be meaningless too.
Iāll appeal that Iām healthy so much itās unnatural. Otherwise, these questions will always be brought up. Whether I can bear an heir with my feeble body, for example.
At my answer Marianne smiled happily.
āMy, then I will finally see His Highness and Lidiana-sama together. Because I could not participate in the victory celebration party last time, I am very much looking forward to it!ā
āI donāt think thereāll be anything interesting to see thoughā
As I muttered unconsciously, Miriallia quietly said āI participated in itā.
As Marquis Loweās family member she had the qualifications to participate. Thereās nothing strange about her being in that place.
āIt appears hidden today, but on her chest was a magnificent āKingās Flowerā. I never would have imagined she would already be granted the āKingās Flowerā. Everybody has been saying that Crown Prince loves Lidiana-sama greatlyā
āā¦!!ā
It got exposed!!
Of course Iām talking about the āKingās Flowerā being seen there at that time.
Because I didnāt want to tell that story I specifically wore such a high-necked dress, and yet it all got ruined with this.
The young ladies who were given the finest bait, looked at me all at once. Their eyes are shining just like starved beastās. Scary!!
āI have also heard of that rumor!ā
While raising her hand, Siris joined in.
āLidiana-sama is wearing a high-necked dress today, so I was wondering about its veracity! After all the rumor was true!ā
āYeah, it was a splendid blue roseā
I find Miriallia who answered hateful.
Whatās with that child. Did she come to trouble me.
I thought weād manage to finish without it being touched upon, and yet just what has she done.
āLidiana-sama! Please tell us that story in detail!!ā
⦠Marianneās eyes are sparkling.
Iām aware.
When sheās like this, Marianne will never stop.
I breathed out in resignation. Escaping is no longer possible.
It was at that moment I understood how celebrities being interviewed on-the-spot while surrounded by reporters feel.
āāā
āLidiana-sama, do you have a moment?ā
I went to entrance hall to see off the young ladies, when Miriallia called out to me.
The tea party, that became a barrage of question afterwards, somehow ended without an incident.
After all Marianne is amazing.
To extract information she wanted to hear she had me in the palm of her hand, ultimately she made me reveal various things leaving me in a near-death state.
In spite of this, Miriallia kept asking questions that aroused her interest. I was at my witsā end against their combined play.
⦠I donāt want to host tea parties for the time being anymore.
As all the young ladies got on carriages to head home, only Miriallia was left.
I thought sheād go home together with Marianne, but looks like itāll be different.
āSomehow or otherā
As I tilted my head, not understanding why she chose this timing, after looking hesitant for a little while, she spoke with determination.
Her eyes were frightfully earnest.
āDoes Lidiana-sama⦠love Crown Prince?ā
āEhā¦?ā
I became lost for words as she went straight to the point.
Looking at her face I finally realized.
Why she used such forceful measures to meet me despite the fact we shouldnāt have interacted before.
āāāā She likes Freed.
Seriously at that.
Having until now observed women swarm around him only due to his status or appearance, I understand.
The firm glint in her eyes is more earnest.
Looking at her who was fixedly staring at me, I relaxed my body.
If sheās serious about liking Freed, Iād be rude to strangely mislead her.
I should face her seriously without lying.
Thinking so, I once again faced her.
ā⦠I have a favorable impression of His Highness. That much is true. But, if asked whether I love him, I still canāt answer clearlyā
ā⦠Ehā
Being frankly informed of my current feelings, her eyes opened wide.
āYou donāt⦠love⦠Crown Prince?ā
āI wonāt declare that, but everything happened too suddenly for me to keep up. I am going to face His Highness without rushing from now onā
Iām thinking about Freed properly. However, as I honestly told her that I need more time, she looked me with eyes that seemed like they were seeing something unbelievable.
āEven given āKingās Flowerāā¦.? Am I⦠so muchā
āMiss Miriallia?ā
Seeing Mirialliaās strange state I tried approaching, but she suddenly drew back and bowed. I had a hunch her tightly clenched fists trembled.
Wondering whatās wrong I tried approaching, but Miriallia she spoke to reject me.
ā⦠Excuse me, Lidiana-sama. This is all. Thank you for todayā
āEh, yeahā
I could not say anything more to her who spoke as if stifling her emotions.
She turned on her heel and silently boarded a carriage, while I saw her off, she looked back only once, in her eyes was intense emotion, that seemed like fury, directed at me.
I donāt know why in the world she got angry.
The first thing that comes to mind is jealousy, but I feel itās slightly different.
āI donāt really hate her⦠I wonder if I offended herā
Was it bad to speak honestly.
But, I donāt want to lie to a child whoās earnest about him.
Thatās why I donāt regret it.
ā⦠After all, I wonder if itās my fate to be hated by this type of young ladiesā
Crestfallen, I returned to my room with my shoulders dropped.