Chapter 149……………………………………….
Lisamo was similar to a Liena fan club in that it brought together her followers, but unlike a fan club, Lisamo was a small, private gathering.
A key difference: anyone who loved Liena could join a fan club, but Lisamo accepted only nobles.
And even among nobles, only members from families above a certain standing were admitted.
‘After all, it was originally formed by a few prominent nobles.’
The Duchess Luciano, present here, was also one of the founding members of Lisamo.
“How do you know about Lisamo?”
The Duchess frowned and shook her head firmly.
“No matter how you came to know, I cannot invite you.”
“Why not?”
“Why? Lisamo is a gathering of people who love Miss Liena. You, her enemy, have no place here.”
“So that’s why you’re hostile toward me, Duchess?”
“What?”
“I mean, you act against me because I’m Liena’s enemy. I don’t recall ever directly offending you.”
“Don’t act innocent! Have you forgotten what you did to that delicate girl?”
The Duchess slammed her fist on the table.
“Miss Liena courageously invited you to tea, and you refused! She worked hard for a banquet, and you showed up and ruined it!”
“Accepting or refusing invitations is my choice. I only attended the banquet; I don’t recall ruining it. I didn’t make a scene either.”
“You arbitrarily stole the attention of others!”
“Isn’t that something your delicate Miss Liena often does herself?”
For a moment, the Duchess was speechless.
“Miss Liena doesn’t try to steal attention. Her presence is naturally overwhelming…”
She tried to defend Liena but, noticing my expression, clamped her mouth shut, her face even redder.
She knew it was a flimsy excuse.
“Anyway, I still can’t invite you!”
“Simple enough. Then I won’t sell magical crystals to the Luciano family either.”
“Viscount! You’re being petty like this?”
I shrugged, sipping my tea.
“I’m only choosing not to sell my crystals. ‘Petty’ doesn’t quite fit.”
“I am royalty. Show proper respect.”
“Duchess… no, Your Highness, former princess.”
When I suddenly lowered my voice and changed the title, the Duchess flinched.
“Storming into someone you’ve insulted repeatedly, demanding magical crystals—do you call that the dignity of the House of Astaroth?”
“W-what?”
Good. I had hit the mark.
I began to fully draw on my divine power.
“To my knowledge, Your Highness may have a fiery temperament, but you know etiquette and apologize when unintentionally crossed.”
“You think you know me?”
“I don’t. But this person does.”
I pulled a stack of letters I had prepared from my bag and placed them on the table.
“These are the handwritten letters the Duke Luciano has sent me—over fifty in total.”
At first, his letters were only about purchasing crystals, but after I responded once, revealing the matter between the Duchess and me, the topics changed.
“…My husband?”
She hurriedly scanned the letters.
“It’s his handwriting.”
“And they describe what kind of person you are.”
The love story of Duke Luciano and his wife was fairly well-known.
Years ago, the then-princess (the Duchess) refused an arranged marriage, claiming her fiancé was weak.
But the Duke, deeply in love, won first place at a hunting festival and presented the prize to the princess.
Impressed by his effort, the princess declared she had chosen him, not her parents, and married him.
‘Surely the man who looked too meek to kill an ant at first…’
I recalled the wiry Duke I saw at the Baby Rabbit Guild’s founding banquet.
His calm, quiet personality shone through in the letter’s style.
To think such a man could win the hunting festival—one could imagine how much he loved the Duchess.
“The Duke repeatedly wrote in his letters that you are a good person.”
Watching the Duchess scrutinize her husband’s letters with a conflicted expression, I spoke:
“So, if you truly insulted me without justification, he would realize the mistake and come apologize. He even said he’d bet on it.”
“I—I haven’t done anything wrong!”
“Do you sincerely believe that?”
“Of course!”
“Then leave. If you say so, the Duke will believe you without question.”
“But then, the magical crystals…!”
“The Duke loves a confident wife. He wouldn’t force an innocent wife to apologize just to obtain crystals.”
I picked one letter from the stack.
“Here, it clearly states that, should your words be correct, he would not conduct business with me.”
Knowing his wife’s excessive affection for Liena, Duke Luciano suspected she may have been rude to me.
Yet a part of him did not want to believe she had erred, so he maintained neutrality.
For me, having done nothing wrong, it was ridiculous, but the Duchess seemed affected once she understood her husband’s perspective.
“Tell me to apologize first… and he wrote so many letters even though he’s always busy…”
Her hands trembled as she held the letters.
Such tedious work could have been delegated, yet the Duke, a man of rank, had written them all personally.
Perhaps, like in the past, his effort touched her heart again.
Gradually, her eyes cleared.
I had felt the same when lifting Mikhail’s blessing—true affection from someone precious moves hearts.
She silently read all fifty letters, and I waited.
After considerable time, the Duchess looked at me.
“…After inviting you to Lisamo, what exactly should I do next?”
Duchy of Luciano.
The devoted Duke had built a glass greenhouse a few years ago for his wife, who envied the imperial palace’s greenhouse.
The regular weekly Lisamo meetings were usually held there, unless under special circumstances.
A man wearing a rabbit mask shouted:
“Thank you, everyone, for attending today’s ‘Lovers of Liena’ gathering!”
About twenty members whistled and clapped in response, all wearing rabbit masks that covered half their faces.
The masks had become a tradition since Liena, the event’s original star, once appeared wearing a rabbit mask herself.
Some said it was to remember her rabbit-like charm even in her absence.
The masked participants, excited, were chattering among themselves despite the host speaking.
“Everyone, I understand your enthusiasm, but please pay attention!”
The host raised his voice, drawing their focus.
“Today’s agenda: first, as always, is art time. Each of you has prepared a new piece in honor of Miss Liena, correct?”
One member shouted:
“One? I brought five!”
“Three for me!”
“I have eight!”
Their lively competition quieted immediately when the elderly lady in the front, seated in the most prestigious spot, spoke:
“Twenty.”
She was a founding member and the chair of Lisamo.
“Indeed, Chairwoman!”
“In a league of her own!”
While members admired her, the host continued:
“Second, we’ll announce engagement gifts for Miss Liena, followed by a meal—always her favorite foods…”
With the schedule explained, the host looked at the murmuring members and smiled.
“I know what you’re all thinking. Like me, you’re eager to discuss the happy news in today’s paper.”
Happy smiles appeared on the members’ faces.
“Everyone! Miss Liena’s engagement was postponed, and she had been absent, causing worry. How hard these days must have been!”
For Lisamo, it had been a time of hardship.
“But today, finally, Miss Liena has broken her silence and shared precious words with us!”
Several members’ eyes grew moist.
“Given the unusual event, let’s discuss Miss Liena’s new news together before the first session begins!”
As members prepared to speak, the chairwoman suddenly raised her hand.
“I must say something first. According to the Duchess Luciano, there is someone here who is not a member of Lisamo.”
The host looked surprised at the Duchess.
“I’ve never heard this before. A new member?”
One member shouted in disbelief:
“That’s impossible! New members must be discussed with us first!”
Another added resentfully:
“Could the Duchess have admitted someone on her own? Even for an officer, this is overstepping.”
“Who is it?”
“Where are they? Bring them out immediately!”
As the members clamored, a voice intervened:
“I am that person.”
The speaker appeared from behind some shrubs—the only one not wearing a rabbit mask.
