Chapter 52
I narrowed one eye. Just to Juyeon’s right—so, in the second-most prominent seat—sat a girl about the same size as Princess Risel. She had neatly braided pink hair tied to the side, with a rather flashy floral ornament tucked near her ear. Her appearance was bright and eye-catching… but for some reason, her energy felt sharp. There was something clearly refined and honed about her—a feeling like she had been trained.
Has she been receiving martial arts training?
No matter how I looked at it, her physique suggested she had learned some kind of combat.
Who is that?
“Unnie,” I called softly to the girl who was fidgeting in front of me.
The girl sitting across from me wore glasses and had a somewhat plain appearance. The moment I called her “unnie,” she slowly raised her head. As soon as our eyes met, she flinched and stared wide-eyed at me in shock.
“M-Me? …Are you talking to me?”
What’s with this overly polite tone? I didn’t really like her way of speaking, but I let it slide. I simply lifted one eyebrow slightly and gestured toward the other girl with my chin.
“Yes. Who is she?”
The girl looked in the direction I indicated, and her face noticeably paled even further.
“Th-That’s Lady Tara Limbe. She’s the only daughter of the Captain of the Royal Guard.”
…She’s the daughter of the Guard Captain?
I frowned slightly and observed the girl.
“Since she’s the daughter of Count Limbe, she’s actually quite skilled in martial arts.”
“Limbe?”
A familiar name suddenly surfaced. I furrowed my brow further. Limbe—specifically, Count Christopher Limbe. He was the one the Empress personally brought in before her death. A man who had risen from a provincial martial family to become the Captain of the Capital Guard in one swift leap—a self-made warrior.
But our family had long suspected the Guard of corruption. We believed that because they had been bribed by the Parrot Gang, they turned a blind eye to their activities, neglecting their duties despite having the power to stop them. And the Limbe family was undoubtedly involved in that corruption.
So we meet here, huh?
Well, it makes sense. The Captain of the Guard is a high-ranking position, after all.
“By the way, you said she’s skilled in martial arts?”
“Yes. Among all the noble girls under the age of fifteen in the royal court, she’s said to be the most skilled. The Limbe family is known for their martial prowess—it’s no wonder she’s strong. O-Of course, Miss Sielcar will undoubtedly surpass her as you grow older…”
The girl—perhaps realizing she might’ve offended me—quickly added that last part while glancing at me nervously. It seemed she was trying to appease both the current elite and the powerful Sielcar family I represented.
—She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. That girl couldn’t even compare to the dirt under your fingernails. She really can’t judge people, can she?
Comet suddenly chimed in with a grumble.
Of course, I thought the same thing. Even if this Tara Limbe girl was considered strong among her peers… she was nothing compared to me. After all, I was currently being personally trained in martial arts by Theodore.
Theodore’s comprehensive training was second to none. There’s a myth that geniuses are poor teachers, but that’s all it is—a myth. Theodore explained the logic behind every movement I used to pass off vaguely before. He even taught me how to apply force correctly. He was, without question, the best teacher I’d ever had.
I hoped Grandpa saw me as a good student too. Was that too much to ask?
As I was thinking, I smiled warmly at the girl in front of me before the moment passed. I glanced quickly at her name tag on the table—it said “Rena Passang.” Passang? Like in “tetanus”?
“I see. Thank you for the information… Unnie Passang.”
As I smoothly added her family name, she blushed slightly and smiled.
“You remembered my name. I’m Rena Passang, daughter of the Marquis Passang. I turned ten this year.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Berdette Sielcar, daughter of the Duke of Sielcar, and I’m seven this year.”
Wow, we’re really doing introductions like this. I never believed it even when I practiced with the etiquette tutor. But here we are—announcing our family and title before stating our name. Incredible. I mentally clicked my tongue in disbelief.
Still, why is the daughter of a marquis seated next to me at this end of the table? I don’t know much about politics, but a marquis, especially one from the capital, shouldn’t be treated this lightly. Tilting my head slightly in confusion, I smiled again at her.
She was being polite to me, so I didn’t want to act rude in return. When I smiled, the girl across from me returned it with a sweet, gentle smile. She seemed like a nice person.
That’s when it happened.
“Shall we begin?”
Risel suddenly beamed as she picked up a crystal bell beside her. She rang it gently, and a clear, refreshing chime echoed through the tent. The crystal sparkled as the sunlight hit its finely cut edges.
And so, the tea time began.
Actually, calling it a tea time was generous…
It was more like bullying.
“Anna, you look so cute today. Are you feeling unwell or dizzy at all? Is your health okay? You didn’t feel like skipping again, did you? You always say you’re too sick to play with us. Do you know how much we missed you?”
Risel’s words came with a warm smile, but the intent behind them was crystal clear. A few of the noble girls nearby giggled. Anna flinched and lowered her head. It was obvious to everyone—“Sickness was just an excuse.”
It seemed that Anna often used her illness as a reason to skip these gatherings when the princesses bullied her.
“Yes… I’m feeling well today, and… my mother told me to attend, so… I came…”
Anna replied so meekly, it was almost a whisper. Just then, Findelia scoffed.
“Why are you suddenly healthy today? That’s strange. I thought you’d be sick again. I thought we’d just be seeing your friends today.”
Wow. That’s harsh.
She said it so loudly that even we at the far end of the table could hear it. I raised one eyebrow slightly. Anna must have truly felt the animosity from those two. Her attempt to explain by using her mother as an excuse was proof of that.
But honestly, that wasn’t a very good excuse.
“Oh my, so the Fourth Empress told you to come? But you didn’t want to?”
“Ugh, that’s just awful.”
Just as I expected, Risel and Findelia jumped on her words to mock her further.
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.
I frowned subtly.
Even with us present, the princesses continued to harass Anna without hesitation.
“Our dear Anna is so brave.”
Risel sighed dramatically. Her eyes were soft, but her tone was cutting and sharp.
“Do you remember the last time we had a poetry reading? Anna said, ‘The words are too hard, I don’t understand.’ Sure, it was a classical poem, but it’s considered one of the basics we all learn. And yet, without any shame, she said she didn’t know it. I was honestly amazed by her boldness. She’s so brave!”
I sipped my tea silently, staring directly at Princess Risel while resting my chin on my hand.
What made it worse was that, even while tormenting Anna like this, neither Risel nor Findelia would so much as glance toward me.
And I knew exactly why.
It wasn’t that they were ignoring me out of contempt…
They were just scared.
That’s human nature for you. When something scares you, you can’t even look at it.
Still…
I wonder if anyone will speak up against them.
Shifting my gaze from the princesses, I scanned the faces of the noble girls sitting around the table.
