Chapter 31
. The Next Day
I went to the meeting place at five in the afternoon. Really, just being notified of the time and place unilaterally… is this how all high-ranking nobles act? Their behavior is no different from Rion’s. The meeting place was a small hat shop on the same street where I used to go with Leuké to the dress shop. I had never been there before, but despite its small size, it had a lot of elaborate decorations.
When I arrived, the receptionist led me to the back of the store. The door looked like a fitting room door, but inside, it resembled a parlor of some mansion. Katia was sitting there.
“Ah, you’re here.”
“You called me.”
“How’s Leuké?”
“She’s excited. She has a rough idea of the dangers, too.”
“You trust that it’s safe since it’s a royal agency, don’t you?”
Katia curled her eyes teasingly and smiled.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
“I want to draw you in quickly.”
“Why?”
“You’re in the way.”
Katia continued to smile mischievously.
“I’ve been watching you since you started selling your portraits. I was already planning to target the Duke, and your portraits poured fuel on the fire, which made me very pleased. The Duke would become more anxious, act recklessly, and eventually destroy himself. But… at some point, your activities suddenly stopped. The troupe is safe, too.”
“Is that all?”
I deliberately smirked at her, as if to say it was a hasty judgment. Katia shook her head calmly.
“You know it can’t be that simple. I have no idea what kind of magic you used to stop the Duke. But there’s another reason I suspected it would happen. Leuké.”
I had no choice but to nod. She was observant enough that just from the tea party, she could have figured it out.
“I’ve seen you before. Leuké was so pretty and cute that my eyes kept going to her. But when I saw that she couldn’t say a single word in front of others, I thought, ‘With that face and she can do nothing.’ Seeing your aunt, I could imagine her situation as well.”
Darn. I thought she was only judging from the tea party, but she had more evidence. If I had known, I would have been more careful. But if she had thought so little of the sisters, why invite them to the tea party?
“Then why did you invite us to the tea party? Were you trying to embarrass us? Did you need a scapegoat?”
“I don’t do such lowly things. I don’t need to.”
Katia chuckled.
“I just needed a pretty person at the gathering. There are fun people and smart people, but it’s hard to find someone pretty. I wasn’t sure you’d come, but you did. You were beautiful, so I was willing to overlook some other shortcomings… The outfit, hair, makeup, accessories that day. Everything was perfect. And the conversation was fun too. You probably didn’t receive a proper budget or education, yet I was amazed. Then I saw you looking at your sister as if she were your daughter.”
“Because she’s pretty.”
“Enough explanation. You have the ability to influence others. I want to get that in my hands.”
Half of what Katia said was probably true. More accurately, it was that I couldn’t be near the Duke, so she wanted to tie my hands. The Duke didn’t know how to control others and couldn’t get rid of someone controlling him. He couldn’t have someone close who compensated for his biggest weakness.
“You already have this ability, so I have no reason to need you.”
She was saying she wouldn’t join. Even if I went, nothing good would come of it. Staying still might seem tempting because it resolves problems, but once it’s over, I’d be the first to lose my head. It would be safer to be near the Duke and deal with them there.
Katia’s expression hardened.
“Your judgment is clouded. Even just not becoming my enemy would be advantageous to you.”
“And what would be advantageous for you?”
“Of course, to strengthen the family’s standing and raise its name.”
She was already the daughter of a powerful family. Even if she was considered an adult earlier here, a teenage girl working this hard to elevate the family? And she claims to have no personal desires? Ridiculous.
“What do you want besides Schacht, then?”
“You think that too? That I’m just my father’s puppet? Oh, did Brabant say that?”
“No. Last time, you said, ‘I am on my own side,’ right? I was just thinking that your gain may not always align with your family’s benefit.”
Katia seemed like someone with definite desires. There had to be another reason she was so stubborn. But if everyone thought she was Count Schacht’s puppet, did they really have a good father-daughter relationship? Was she treated properly at home? I wanted to probe that gap.
Katia sighed deeply.
“I understand your intentions, but I have none of those imagined problems. Ha, what would you know?”
She meant that someone without power like me wouldn’t understand, but somehow I sensed a hint of regret in her voice. She gave off the vibe of a child starving for parental recognition and a professional frustrated by mistreatment.
“I just thought maybe there’s a third good path.”
“Stop.”
Katia sounded irritated.
“There’s no third path. Let me say it one last time.”
Katia looked straight into my eyes as if trying to hypnotize me. Her charisma was intense for her age.
“Abandon the Duke and come to us. Then I’ll make sure your marriage to Burrington is stopped, and Leuké can become an actress, everything will go smoothly.”
“No.”
“Then I have no choice but to make you experience it directly.”
Katia stormed out of the room.
As soon as I got home after meeting Katia, I passed out and didn’t wake up until late the next afternoon. I had been drained all day yesterday, and even waking up to the morning sunlight, I couldn’t muster the strength to get up.
Leuké’s angelic face was right in front of me, as if she had something to say.
“Melias, were you very tired?”
Even possessed, it’s too much to be busy, but facing Leuké’s worried face the moment I wake up… heaven.
“Just a little… were you waiting for me to wake up?”
“No. I just came into the room. What did you do yesterday? You went out for a bit and then slept until now… Have you been very busy lately?”
“Just a bit. This and that.”
Leuké pouted.
“You won’t tell me again. Am I that untrustworthy, sister?”
“Ah, no.”
I couldn’t tell her about yesterday’s events. That would make it seem like I didn’t trust her. Even pouting, she didn’t pry. That expression was so cute. How can she make so many different expressions with such a pretty face? How can each expression be so charming? Seriously insane.
“By the way, I almost forgot something.”
“Hm?”
Leuké handed me a silver envelope.
“I wanted to give this to you directly.”
Inside was an invitation. It was for Katia’s troupe’s inauguration.
“Don’t worry if you’re too busy.”
“No, of course I’m going! I have to go!”
Now that I was Leuké’s agency representative, I had to go! I needed to see if anyone disrespected her, the atmosphere of the troupe, and how well she was treated. I also needed to assert my presence subtly to Katia, hinting that anyone who touches my sister won’t be safe.
“Many important people will come, and we’ll send an invitation to our aunt as well. Hehe… you’ll probably be surprised when you see the performance.”
“Will the Crown Prince attend?”
“Yes, and probably the Duke too.”
As expected, it wasn’t just a simple inauguration but a declaration of intent. Even though it’s called the Schacht Troupe, it’s essentially the Crown Prince’s.
“I’ll also think about what to wear to the inauguration. This time, we’ll make a lasting impression. It’s a big event!”
Preparation wasn’t just about outfit or concept. We needed to anticipate the declaration Katia would make. Her next step would probably involve trying to control other troupes besides her own.
“I’m going out for a bit.”
“Going out again?”
I put on a simple linen dress and left the house. Now, I had to see the Duke. At this point, I had no choice but to rely completely on Rion.
