Chapter 44
“Huh?”
Suddenly? And with that grimace? I had no idea what he meant.
“Hoo, that’s enough.”
“Dad, what did you mean by that?”
“Grab your sword.”
Instead of explaining, Hale just threw me into brutal training.
Thanks to that, my body turned into jelly in no time. I skipped breakfast and stumbled straight back to my room.
“Oh? You’re back already? What about breakfast?”
“I don’t even have the strength to eat right now.”
With every step toward my bed, I peeled off my training clothes like a shedding snake.
Then I flopped face-first onto the bed. Turning my head to the side, I saw Rita standing by my desk, organizing something.
“What’s that?”
“An invitation.”
“Invitation? From Shia?”
“Nope.”
“Then from who?”
Instead of answering, Rita just gave me a mysterious smile.
That smile alone told me one thing—the sender was definitely not someone I’d be happy to hear from.
I didn’t even want to check.
“…Just throw them all away.”
“I don’t think that’s an option.”
“It’s fine, I don’t care.”
“You have to go to at least one of them.”
So basically, I was expected to make an appearance somewhere. I didn’t know there was a social circle here too.
The noble society—those annoying, headache-inducing gatherings meant to “foster camaraderie.”
Just thinking about it dragged up memories from my past life, ones I didn’t want to revisit.
“Haah…”
Back when I was a princess, social gatherings were things I avoided at all costs. From small tea parties to grand balls celebrating some trivial event—if it wasn’t absolutely mandatory, I didn’t go.
Because of that, rumors spread that I was hideous, or that I was deathly ill…
So many ridiculous rumors back then.
Even if I went back in time, I wouldn’t have corrected any of them.
Anyway, I really hate social events—especially those invisible power plays and two-faced conversations.
I forced my tired body up and stood before the desk. Twelve invitations lay neatly stacked there.
“All from houses I’ve never even heard of…”
“They’re from the Twelve Elders’ children.”
“What?”
Why the hell would they send me these? Don’t most of those old geezers hate me?
Wait a second. The Twelve Elders’ children? That means… Rickt’s included too? That temperamental jerk actually got married?
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Some of them were probably forced to send them.”
“Yeah, that figures.”
It wasn’t hard to guess why they’d sent them.
Even if they hated me, I was still the clan leader’s daughter—the next clan head.
With so many eyes watching from outside, they probably thought they should at least pay lip service.
Not completely brainless, I see.
Hmm… if I have to go to one of them anyway, then obviously, I’ll choose that one.
I skimmed through the envelopes until I found one bearing the name House Peronis.
Rickt Peronis.
Before taking down the man himself, maybe starting with his daughter wouldn’t be such a bad move.
He probably didn’t even expect me to accept—the invitation letter was laughably sloppy.
“Send a reply saying I’ll attend this one.”
I handed the Peronis invitation to Rita.
The moment she saw the name written on the front, she jumped and protested, saying I absolutely shouldn’t go.
But I wasn’t changing my mind. After all, she said I had to attend one.
“Oh, and add a note saying to invite the other elders’ daughters too.”
If I was going to suffer through this, I might as well deal with everyone at once.
Rita, realizing my decision was final, let out a long sigh and nodded.
Honestly, even I regretted it a bit. I was basically walking into enemy territory alone—it was nerve-wracking.
Still, skipping it wasn’t an option either.
If they said something I didn’t like, I’d just smack them lightly on the forehead with my wooden sword. That’d teach them.
Two days after I received the invitations, the day of the Peronis family tea party arrived.
One o’clock in the afternoon—the perfect time for chatting over desserts after lunch.
But I had no intention of arriving on time. I planned to be about thirty minutes late.
“You know you can’t let them intimidate you, right, my lady?”
Rita knew as well as I did that today wasn’t just any ordinary tea party, so she’d gone all out with my hair and outfit.
“What’s there to be intimidated about?”
I said that confidently, but truthfully, I was a little nervous.
Even being around friendly people could be draining—but being surrounded by hostile dragons? That was something else.
At least Joshua would be with me until the tea party ended. If things got really bad, I could always ask him to hand me my wooden sword.
“Shu-shu, let’s go.”
With Joshua at my side, I stepped into the Peronis mansion.
As I requested, all twelve elders’ daughters seemed to be gathered there. I could hear their bright laughter growing louder as I approached.
So they all know each other except me, huh.
Made sense. I was born near the end of the White Dragon family line, and Hale had been overly protective, so I’d rarely met anyone my age outside the estate.
Not that I blamed Hale for that—it was better than being forced into fake friendships.
“So, Rosa was saying—”
The moment I appeared, their chatter abruptly stopped.
The young ladies who’d been smiling so sweetly now turned cold, all eyes fixed on me.
I’d expected this when I decided to make a late entrance, so I kept my face composed and walked right through them.
Stopping before Reina Peronis, whose face I’d memorized beforehand through a photo Rita obtained, I greeted her.
“Lady Reina.”
“Ah…”
Only thirty minutes late, but she looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected me to show up at all.
I thought she’d take after her father, but she seemed more naïve than I’d imagined. Maybe only her face resembled his.
When Reina rose to greet me, the others awkwardly followed suit.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m Reina Peronis. It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Senica.”
The rest introduced themselves too, but I let their names go in one ear and out the other.
I was here for one reason only—Reina.
With a bright smile, I began the line I’d prepared in advance.
“Hmm, the tea party is quite modest, just as the invitation said.”
Modest, my foot—it was absurdly extravagant.
The thought that citizens’ taxes went into this nonsense was irritating, but I had to hide it. I had to sound harmless, like I didn’t have a single bad thought in my head.
Still, Reina’s forced smile began to crack. Clearly, she hadn’t written the invitation herself and had no idea what it said.
That was exactly what I’d banked on—the invitation hadn’t mentioned anything about being “modest.”
“Still, thank you for inviting me to such a heartfelt gathering.”
The other noble girls, more experienced in social games, surely caught my true meaning without needing further explanation.
It was tiresome to even speak this much in such a roundabout way.
“Haha, not at all. I’m the one who’s honored that you’d attend such a humble party, Lady Senica.”
See? Experience counts for something.
Reina quickly smoothed her expression and showed me to my seat.
Except… when I saw the seat she indicated, I almost laughed.
Usually, the host sits at the head of the table—unless someone of higher rank is present, in which case, they give up the seat.
Reina pointed not to her own seat but the one beside it.
Which meant the girl who’d been sitting there, flattering her moments ago, now glared daggers at me for taking her place.
Wow, I already hate this. Would it be bad if I just flicked each of them on the forehead right now?
…Probably too early for that. It hadn’t even been five minutes.
Still, I needed to observe what kind of “social atmosphere” the White Dragon clan had, even if it was uncomfortable.
When I sat down in silence, the others followed suit. I could feel their sideways stares burning into my cheek.
Was it because their seats had been bumped one over because of me?
Ugh, so Reina really is the queen bee around here.
They all acted like her obsessed little followers. Rickt’s influence must really be that powerful.
Before long, servants brought out tea and pastries for everyone. My cup looked slightly different from the others’.
Only Reina had the same color tea as me.
Wow, so she’s drinking something different from the rest, huh?
Clearly a higher-quality blend. Maybe she’d brought it out after my comment about the party being “modest.”
I took a sip.
“How is it, Lady Senica? Fragrant and delicious, isn’t it?”
Delicious, my ass! It was so bitter and awful I almost spat it out.
And she was drinking it like it was nothing?
Trying to keep my face calm, I glanced at Reina, who was sipping the same tea, then shook my head slightly.
You know what’s even more absurd than this bitter tea?
The question just now came from the girl sitting next to me—who wasn’t even drinking the same tea.
She actually didn’t notice the difference. She’d even glared at me earlier for taking her seat!
“Ah, yes. Well…”
“Does it not suit your taste?” Reina asked, seizing the chance.
I had a reasonable suspicion that she’d intentionally served me something nasty—but the color and aroma were identical to hers, which made me hesitate.
Hmm. Maybe she just has weird taste.
I couldn’t be sure.
“I was just surprised—it tastes a bit different from what I usually drink at home. It’s… unique and interesting.”
Instead of calling it good, I called it unique—a polite way to say it tastes awful.
Reina, who’d been sipping confidently, suddenly stopped drinking. Good—seems that landed.
Well then… if the tea’s uncertain, maybe it’s time to test the cookies next.
