Chapter 30: Chapter 30

“Miss Maria is not, strictly speaking, a lady, correct?”

Maria had only entered society through the goodwill of her relatives. Her father held no land, nor even a nominal title.

Arthur’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Yes. But what does that matter?”

“It matters because you’re a high-ranking noble. Let me ask you a question: do you know what a noblewoman’s duties are?”

“Managing the estate’s finances, supervising the staff, maintaining connections with other families, and overseeing the estate in her husband’s absence… correct?”

“You’re not entirely ignorant about a woman’s role. Now tell me, could a common-born young woman step into those responsibilities immediately after marriage? Even a couple of missteps could ruin her reputation.”

“…I understand your point.”

Arthur’s clear gaze fixed on Natalie as he spoke.

“In that case, I’ll handle the duties of a noblewoman myself.”

Oh, for heaven’s sake.

Natalie swore silently, her feelings a mix of exasperation and admiration.

It’s easy to say, but damn it, a man like this should’ve gone to Doris!

Arthur, his anxiety slightly eased, continued, “Is that all the advice you gave to Miss Maria?”

“….”

Seeing that Arthur might walk away if she didn’t act, Natalie carefully selected another piece of bait from her arsenal and tossed it out.

“We chatted for quite a while about various things, including how the man you fall in love with and the man you marry can be two different people.”

“Ah…”

“It’s true, isn’t it? Young debutantes dream that their first love will lead to marriage, but it’s common for the hand they secretly hold for the first time to differ from the one they exchange rings with at the altar.”

“…That… yes. Marriage is, after all, grounded in reality.”

Arthur’s confidence visibly waned. Natalie suppressed a smirk.

Look at him. This guy isn’t just infatuated; he must’ve at least held Maria’s hand.

It was endearing, really. He was so sweet she wanted to wrap him up and hand him over to her sister as a gift.

And Doris doesn’t dislike the young duke either.

Natalie could still recall how Doris’s eyes had lit up the moment Arthur’s name was mentioned during the botanical garden event. She must’ve developed a fondness for him through reading about him in the newspapers.

I’ve never seen her look that eager—except when there’s food involved.

Unaware of Natalie’s musings, Arthur asked with an earnest expression, “What kind of person does Miss Maria want to marry?”

Suppressing the urge to blurt out, Who cares? You should marry my sister instead, Natalie replied calmly, deciding to take it slow.

“One question before I answer. Has my sister, Doris, behaved like a proper lady in front of you? She’s quite shy, and I’ve been worried about her social skills.”

“No! Miss Doris is exceptionally articulate. Her level-headed advice left me thoroughly impressed…”

“Advice? What kind of advice?”

“Ah.”

Arthur clamped his mouth shut but then, realizing he couldn’t concoct a convincing excuse, hesitantly admitted, “It’s a secret, but… I have a crush on Miss Maria.”

“What a groundbreaking revelation.”

“Haha, you’re too kind.”

Damn it.

“And somehow, Miss Doris ended up offering to support me in my feelings and help me.”

“Wait! What do you mean ‘somehow’? What exactly happened?”

“Oh, the song’s over. You should attend to the other guests now, Miss Redfield.”

Damn, damn, damn!

What happened between them?!

The tables had turned.

But Natalie, maintaining her dignity as if she still held the upper hand, pretended to be indifferent and gracefully excused herself to mingle with other guests.

Mother passed by, whispering, “Everything’s going well, right? I knew you’d pull it off!”

Natalie simply nodded, unable to muster a response.

Doris. What are you doing offering love advice when you’ve never been in love yourself?!

Two songs later, Natalie found another chance to corner Arthur, who eagerly asked, “Miss Redfield, what kind of man does Miss Maria prefer?”

“She said she wants a husband who makes her feel like the house is full even when they’re alone together.”

“Could that be me?”

“She didn’t mean physically large men, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Oh.”

“Now it’s my turn. How did Doris end up advising you on this?”@@novelbin@@

“Well…”

Arthur explained that it all started when he danced with Doris at a royal ball. Apparently, they’d decided to cooperate—Arthur to win over Maria, and Doris to secure Tristan’s affections.

So Doris wasn’t just sitting idly by… impressive.

It was admirable, yet for some reason, Natalie felt a pang of irritation.

Before she could dwell on it, Arthur obliviously added, “Miss Doris truly cherishes her fiancé, doesn’t she?”

“…What?”

“She kept praising His Highness—how he’s the most handsome, how even I couldn’t compare, how his elegant demeanor should be a model for all men…”

“…What?”

“Tristan must be lucky to receive such love.”

“…What?”

“Miss Redfield?”

Natalie’s mind went blank. Or rather, it was filled with one singular thought:

Doris, when did you lose your mind?!

Love? Doris? For Tristan?

Doris valued intelligence above all else, while Tristan’s only redeeming quality was his face!

Suddenly, a memory from months ago struck Natalie like a thunderclap.

“Doris told me I looked beautiful for the first time…”

Was this a delayed adolescence at age 21? Or had Doris always harbored an appreciation for beauty without realizing it?

Whatever the case—

I shouldn’t have been so flattered by her compliment! I’m not the only one in society recognized for their looks anymore!

Could Doris genuinely have feelings for Tristan?

She wanted to dig deeper, but Arthur retreated first.

“Ah, Miss Redfield, I’ve kept you too long. I’ll see you again in the next dance!”

Without being asked, Arthur withdrew like a well-trained pup. Normally, it would be time for Natalie to find another partner, but her thoughts were too preoccupied to focus on anyone else.

Doris! Picking a man for his looks isn’t inherently bad! But a handsome commoner is the best you can hope to keep as a trophy husband. A handsome prince is nothing but a self-centered headache!

Not to mention, Tristan was losing his hold on the Blue Atrium and had a terrible personality.

Doris… how did you manage to keep your feelings hidden all this time?

Anger bubbled up within her.

Several men approached Natalie to ask her for a dance, only to retreat quietly when they saw the stormy expression on her face.

She wanted to storm into the Sacred Salon, grab Doris, and shake her until she purged herself of this food poisoning of a feeling.

But just a few hours earlier, Natalie had told Doris, “If you truly love him, I might support you.”

If I take back my words now, what happens to my pride as a sister? No matter what… no matter…

The count, oblivious to his daughters’ turmoil, arrived late to the party and asked his wife, “Why is Natalie sitting alone? The men around her seem hesitant to approach. Did something happen?”

“‘Happen’? Of course not! She’s been brilliant tonight. Do you know how much attention she’s drawn? Even the young duke can’t take his eyes off her!”

“As expected of Natalie! And Doris? Don’t tell me she’s holed up in her room again.”

A maid interjected, “Oh no, my lord. I helped her fix her attire earlier. She’s not idle.”

“Really? At least she’s participating. Now, who is Natalie dancing with next—”

Thanks to the maid’s quick lie, the count and countess turned their focus back to the party.

In the center of the hall, Natalie shone like a flame, and Arthur danced like a man utterly captivated.

At least, that’s how it appeared to her parents.

***

As expected, the Sacred Salon's main betting topic of the evening revolved around the upcoming hunting tournament. Even those who typically avoided indulging in the romantic gossip of high society seemed to have joined in, making the scale of participation massive.

Must be because it’s an event that gathers nobles of all ages.

The betting categories were ridiculously detailed.

From guessing who would catch or receive the most game, to predicting who would get injured first, or even who would step in manure first—it covered just about everything.

They’ll gamble on anything, won’t they?

I focused on the few things I remembered clearly: the tournament winner and the lady who’d receive the most gifts. As for the rest, I took a wild guess.

Of course, I made sure to pass crucial information to Rick Ray, wearing his signature skull mask.

“Alex Filman. The young master from the Marquis’ family seems to have inappropriate intentions toward Miss Maria. I think he’ll try to approach her during the hunting tournament.”

“The Marquis’ son, huh? Quite the prestigious young lord. Thank you for the tip.”

You’ll end up grabbing that stuck-up lord by the collar and tossing him aside. And Maria won’t even know about your efforts… the bittersweet fate of the second lead.

“Care for a drink? My treat tonight.”

“Oh, I appreciate the thought, but…”

“It’s not a date proposal, so just take it.”

“Oh, uh, alright.”

I bought Rick a gin and tonic, greeted Lady Witch, and left the salon. I wasn’t drunk, but once again, a salon staff member helped me with my carriage ride home.

By the time I returned to the count’s estate, the party seemed to be winding down. Several carriages were already pulling away from the property. Slipping in through the back entrance, I made my way through the disheveled corridors.

I discarded my coat and mask before stepping back into the party, now in its final stages. The band had long since packed up and left. Instead, a slightly tipsy lady and gentleman were taking turns plinking out melodies on the piano while chatting idly.

A few guests who were about to leave noticed me.

“Oh, there you are, Miss Redfield. You must’ve had a rough time with your sister stealing all the attention tonight.”

“Oh, not at all. My sister’s simply beautiful, that’s all.”

“What a sweet younger sister you are.”

After making the necessary polite exchanges with a few guests, I knew it was time to find my family.

Mother and Father will undoubtedly lecture me all night, so let’s start with Natalie.

I found Natalie seated on a long bench in one corner of the hall, clutching a glass tightly in her hand.

Ordinarily, she would’ve been dancing until the party’s very last moments, but she seemed truly exhausted tonight.

I hurried over to her, eager to express my gratitude.