CHAPTER 12……………………………………..
Meanwhile, at the estate of Count Hubert.
Chloe was in a foul mood.
“How am I supposed to attend the imperial tea time wearing a dress like this? Honestly, Father…”
“Miss Chloe, do you dislike the dress that much? That’s strange—by my eyes, it looks absolutely lovely on you.”
Even as the maid fussed and tried to soothe her, Chloe’s expression didn’t improve.
“The imperial tea time is the most extravagant of all tea gatherings. Everyone will show up wearing the most expensive, prettiest dress they own, just to show off. If I, the ‘flower of tea time,’ attend wearing something like that, what do you think people will say about me?”
“But miss, you’re beautiful and adorable no matter what you wear. There’s really no need to worry so much.”
“You say that because you don’t understand high-society nobles. Do you have any idea how fierce it is? Don’t underestimate it just because it’s a children’s tea time.”
Chloe spoke coldly.
“To high-ranking nobles, appearances are everything. They’re their pride.”
Appearances are everything…
The maid couldn’t fully agree with Chloe’s claim.
“Tell the imperial side that I won’t be able to attend after all. Say I caught a cold at the charity event and have taken to bed. That excuse should work.”
If so, even the princess wouldn’t be able to scold Chloe.
Still, the maid couldn’t understand why Chloe would go so far as to lie about being sick just to avoid the imperial tea time.
“Yes, miss.”
But Chloe looked so displeased that the maid bowed her head without arguing.
Noble young ladies over fifteen compete at banquets, while those who haven’t debuted yet compete at tea times.
And Chloe was the unrivaled “Flower of Tea Time” among them.
Usually, barring any unexpected twists, the “Flower of Tea Time” would go on to become the “Flower of High Society.”
“I’m upset.”
Imperial tea times carefully selected which young ladies even received invitations.
For Chloe, who was aiming for the future title of “Flower of High Society,” this was an event she absolutely couldn’t miss.
“That dress I wore to the charity event… that golden one was perfect…”
Chloe trailed off.
That day, because Ariana had spilled soup on her, the dress had been completely ruined.
Count Hubert had promised to buy her an even more expensive dress, but—
“I’m sorry, my daughter. Business hasn’t been going well lately, and money’s been tight…”
Just yesterday, the count had told her, breaking out in cold sweat, that he couldn’t buy her a new dress after all.
The truth was that Berkshire had demanded documentation proving how the charity donations were used, and the count was scrambling to submit paperwork—but…
He had too much pride to tell even his daughter about something like that.
Father thinks I’m too young to understand things like embezzlement, but I know everything.
Chloe had even overheard the words of the subordinate reporting to Count Hubert.
“It seems Duke Adrian’s side is the most suspicious. We’ll need to be cautious for the time being, Count.”
It must be Ariana. She definitely told Duke Adrian everything about the strange state of the soup. And I even forgave her for spilling it on me.
“Ungrateful and vulgar.”
Chloe hated Ariana.
Of course, Chloe herself had cooked the soup despite seeing the rotten ingredients—but she was generous when it came to forgiving her own mistakes.
She was starving—she should’ve been grateful for any food she got. Was that really something worth tattling about?
“It’s all because of that girl. If she hadn’t spilled soup on my dress, I wouldn’t be missing the tea time.”
“Pardon?”
It was such a leap in logic that even the maid, who was on Chloe’s side, looked startled.
“You were there at the charity event too. That girl who spilled soup all over my dress…”
“Ah… Miss Ariana? The one Duke Adrian supposedly rescued from the slums…”
Chloe’s expression stiffened.
When Ariana had claimed to be a princess of Berkshire, Chloe had dismissed it as nonsense and hadn’t even listened.
I thought it was a lie.
At the time, it seemed absurd that a beggar who deserved Chloe’s pity would suddenly claim to be a princess.
And not just any princess—Berkshire, of all houses.
“…There’s no way. She’s not really a princess, right?”
“Even if she were truly the Duke of Berkshire’s granddaughter, in my eyes, Miss Chloe is far more lovely.”
Chloe felt a little better at the maid’s words—but only briefly.
“You only ever praise me.”
As Chloe frowned and snapped back, the maid fell silent.
Berkshire’s first step in formally bestowing a title was to have the child enter the “Dragon’s Chamber” to verify their bloodline.
In the past, several children with pink hair and pink eyes had claimed to be Berkshire’s granddaughter, only to be exposed as frauds in the Dragon’s Chamber and punished by the Gold Dragon.
That’s why I thought she was fake too.
Though she had already heard rumors, they said Ariana was different from the girls found before.
They said she looks exactly like Moltke.
Truthfully, Chloe wasn’t very satisfied with having Count Hubert as her father.
She wished he held a higher title.
Like Duke Adrian. Handsome, rich, strong, impressive… I wish he were my father.
Even when she tried not to compare, the comparisons came naturally.
Adrian was famous.
A frequent topic of conversation at noble girls’ tea times.
Chloe had once seen Duke Adrian’s victorious procession returning from war, even if only from afar.
I’d never seen anyone so handsome in my life.
No matter what war he went to, the duke always returned victorious.
Adrian was the empire’s hero.
Chloe felt petty for no reason.
Her status as a count’s daughter was by no means low.
And yet, a princess of Berkshire would eventually be treated as more precious even than an imperial princess.
“How wonderful it would’ve been if he were my father.”
“Pardon?”
“If I were Duke Adrian’s daughter. I’d have so much more to brag about to my friends. He’d probably buy me lots of dresses too.”
She was just a child who begged from me.
Her mood twisted further.
It felt like something had been unfairly taken from her.
It seems the young lady is quite upset about the dress.
The maid looked troubled but tried to placate Chloe.
“Don’t worry. Miss Ariana is surely a fake. And even if she’s real, so what? She grew up in the slums. Do you think she received any proper education? She probably can’t even read.”
“…….”
Chloe recalled Ariana in rags, receiving soup rations.
“Miss, I’m actually the lost granddaughter of the Grand Duke of Berkshire. If you take me to the ducal family, His Grace will reward you greatly.”
“…That girl is smarter than she looks. She’s not just some ordinary slum beggar. From the beginning, she was very clear that she was a princess.”
Chloe was only seven years old, but exceptionally sharp.
That was how she became the “Flower of Tea Time.”
She remembered the way Ariana’s eyes had sparkled back then.
“But miss, do you really think the duke will love Miss Ariana?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… if she hadn’t gone missing, wouldn’t Duchess Moltke still be alive? And the same goes for her two older brothers. Don’t you think they might believe they lost their mother because of her?”
That was true.
Everyone knew how devastated the duke had been after losing his wife.
“If it were me, I’d absolutely hate Miss Ariana. She’s an ominous child who killed her own mother.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Uneducated, foolish… and Berkshire isn’t such a lenient house. So don’t worry about her too much.”
“An ominous child who killed her mother… That’s a pretty good phrase.”
Chloe brightened.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you, the Flower of Tea Time, set Miss Ariana’s reputation in advance? Then shouldn’t you attend the imperial tea time after all?”
“…You have a point.”
It was easy to turn someone into a villain.
And this might be her only chance to stain Ariana’s reputation.
Chloe smiled sweetly—a smile as angelic as her appearance.
