HRNGDS 68

~Chapter 68~

Ivelina turned her head, looking caught off guard.

“D-Discrimination by the family?”

“Didn’t you bring me to this dessert shop on purpose? You know I always wanted to try the desserts here, but I never could. You and Aunt always came here without me. You’re not trying to mock me, right?”

“Delphina, I said I’m sorry. That was my parents’ fault, not mine.”

“But you enjoyed that discrimination. You called me a beggar and said I should be thankful Uncle took pity on me.”

Delphina tilted her head in confusion.

‘Why does that man look more shocked than Ivelina?’

Each time Delphina spoke, the man (not Ivelina) grew paler, almost clutching his chest by the end.

Delphina narrowed her eyes and looked at the man.

<Alphong(?)>

A man claiming to be Alphong, feeling shock and anger while watching Delphina and Ivelina.

Delphina tilted her head.

‘Why is he angry?’

A man she’d never seen before trembled with anger every time Ivelina spoke.

Ivelina answered in a sharp voice.

“It’s true my parents took you in. If my father hadn’t shown you mercy, you would have frozen to death on the streets!”

Delphina just watched Ivelina’s behavior.

“Does it really matter what happened in the past? Like you said, you always wanted to come here. Shouldn’t you be thankful I brought you to the dessert shop you wanted to visit?”

It was true. The dessert shop was the most famous in Rikeion, and Delphina had always wanted to try it.

But her uncle’s family always left her out of their outings.

So this was Delphina’s first time at the shop.

‘Did Ivelina really think I’d be happy just because she brought me here?’

Delphina thought Ivelina’s self-centered thinking was always surprising.

Even after more than ten years of knowing Delphina, Ivelina never changed her view.

Delphina tried to push the cake plate aside.

‘It looks good.’

The cake wasn’t guilty. If Delphina didn’t eat it now, Ivelina would probably throw it in the trash.

Delphina squinted and checked the cake’s system window.

<Hertha Dessert Shop’s Masterpiece.>

Strawberry whipped cream cake.
A masterpiece made with care by Hertha’s top pastry chef in Rikeion.
Grade: B

Delphina thought,

‘The cake is innocent.’

Delphina said to Ivelina,

“List all the wrong things you did to me.”

“What?”

“You want forgiveness, right? If you know what you did wrong, I can decide if I’ll forgive you. Tell me everything, and I’ll judge.”

Ivelina gritted her teeth and began listing her wrongs to Delphina. But Delphina focused on what she wanted to do.

She started eating the cake, not holding back. The soft sweetness of the whipped cream melted on her tongue. Just as it started to feel too rich, the strawberry balanced the flavor.

Delphina immediately understood why the shop’s strawberry cake was famous.

Food really is innocent.

While Ivelina listed her wrongdoings, she suddenly noticed Delphina eating cake with shining eyes, as if she didn’t care at all.

“Maybe I should try making a strawberry cake next time. Northern strawberries taste great.”

Delphina muttered odd things, but Ivelina let it go, waiting for the right moment.

After Delphina finished the cake, Ivelina tipped her cup, spilling tea on Delphina’s clothes.

Splash.

The tea was cold, so it didn’t hurt, but it was enough to ruin Delphina’s mood.

“Oh my, Delphina, I’m so sorry. There are a lot of people outside, you can’t go out looking like that! I can’t let your reputation be ruined. What would people think if you look so messy?”

“There are a lot of people outside?”

“Yeah, I invited my friends here. Honestly, I rented the whole place, but it’s impossible for just us two to eat all these desserts. I invited others too.”

“…”

“Roni, bring clothes from Delphina’s carriage! There should be a spare dress.”

Delphina looked calmly at Ivelina, then turned her head.

Ivelina’s maid was already in the dessert shop, holding clothes that looked like they matched the outfit of Alphong.

Delphina let out a small laugh.

“What is this, Ivelina?”

“Oh, I just told them to bring your spare dress from the carriage.”

“Are you saying there was a dress like that in my carriage?”

“Of course. Everyone outside saw it come from your carriage.”

Ivelina looked at Delphina with an innocent face, as if she knew nothing.

“Hmm, Delphina, is this something you wanted to hide? Did I bring something I shouldn’t?”

Delphina shrugged.

She tore off the wet hem of her skirt.

Her bold actions made Ivelina jump in surprise. Delphina, without hesitation, grabbed her tea and poured it on Ivelina’s head.

No hesitation at all.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“It’s colder than the soup you tried to dump on my head once.”

“That’s an insult to a noble…”

“You’re lower in status than me.”

Ivelina’s face turned red.

It was true—Delphina’s status was higher now, so she wouldn’t be punished for this.

“Ivelina, there are recording orbs installed all over this shop.”

“…”

“Not just inside, but outside too. What were you hoping to record?”

Ivelina’s eyes widened. She was shocked Delphina knew about the orbs.

Recording orbs were rare, expensive magical items. Ivelina had spent a lot of money from the Rikeion family to buy them.

“How did you know about the recording orbs?”

Ivelina didn’t know, but Delphina had the power of the system. She closed her eyes and prayed to Lord Frad.

‘Thank you, Lord Frad, I love your favoritism.’

Delphina had Sana steal the orb from Ivelina and place it in her own carriage.

“You’ve always been too simple-minded. If you can use a recording orb, why wouldn’t others? Was there really an orb in my carriage, or not?”

Most likely, the scene of Ivelina’s maid putting clothes into Delphina’s carriage had been recorded.

Delphina understood right away what Ivelina’s plan was—to make a scandal involving Delphina and the man inside.

Ivelina frantically searched her things.

“M-My recording orb!”

“Sorry, Ivelina. Looks like your trial will take even longer now.”

“You… how dare you!”

Ivelina lunged at Delphina. Delphina shut her eyes tight.

‘I’ll let her hit me a bit. That way I can get even more compensation if the Rikeion house goes bankrupt.’

The orbs in the shop would make great evidence.

“Let go, what are you doing?!”

Delphina slowly opened her eyes at Ivelina’s angry shout.

She saw one person holding Ivelina’s arm—the man, Alphong, who had been watching everything.