chapter 14
“Polius, we’re precious friends, aren’t we? Remember? You promised you’d always be by my side when I needed you.”
“Mm-hm, that’s right.”
“So please, stay with me like this. I was so sad today.”
As Clara nestled into Polius’s arms, she recalled what Melanie had told her.
“The woman who once shared a bed with Polius — that’s Lady Josephine Ingda.”
Clara looked at Josephine again and gave a teasing smile.
“If I smile in Polius’s arms right in front of her, she’ll probably love that, don’t you think?”
She must have enjoyed it when she smiled in front of Melanie. But how does it feel when the tables are turned?
“Lady Martis, you…!”
As expected, Josephine’s carefully maintained elegance shattered. She even dropped her fan, her trembling hands barely holding it together — she looked about ready to explode.
Not stopping there, Clara pulled Polius’s head closer so his gaze wouldn’t wander to Josephine.
“Uh…”
Polius looked flustered as Clara pressed against him. Yet, he didn’t push her away — just gave an awkward, troubled expression.
Meanwhile, Josephine’s face grew redder and redder.
“Stop pretending to be so sweet…”
“Eek, Polius! Lady Ingda is glaring at me — she’s scary!”
Finally, Josephine couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out in anger.
“Polius! Don’t let Clara Martis trick you! She’s one of the people who humiliated me today!”
“Humiliated you?”
“I mean…”
But Clara wasn’t going to sit quietly while Josephine tried to explain.
Why do you think I even came here?
Clara pouted her lips and put on a teary expression.
“Polius, is it true that you’re engaged to Lady Josephine?”
“Well…”
“You have no right to interfere, Lady Martis! And get away from Polius immediately!”
“Haha, but Clara seems to have her own reasons too…”
Seeing that Polius didn’t push her away, Clara felt something click inside her.
He wanted to keep Melanie as his fiancée. He wanted to be close to Josephine. He didn’t want to lose Clara either.
That was Polius’s true nature.
Josephine, who had been so serious about him — even attacking Melanie over it — and now he was holding Clara right in front of her?
Why did I ever think Polius was a good person?
She’d believed he was kind and gentle. That’s why she’d dated him. He wasn’t particularly wounded or broken, but his fairy’s blessing had a calming, soothing effect…
“I’m a bastard child… so it’s okay if you leave someday. I’m used to getting hurt.”
When he’d said that, she’d felt that leaving him would make her no better than the people who mocked him for his birth.
“I know Polius is kind and gentle!”
“Thank you. You’re not like the other women, Clara.”
Clara had thought she was the only one who would fight for him — the only person in the world who truly gave to him.
But how many women had he seduced like this? Why couldn’t he give his whole heart to just one?
He had to know that every woman around him truly loved him.
Only after hearing Melanie’s words did Clara realize how twisted this entire situation really was.
“Polius himself isn’t that special. It’s the people helping him who make him seem that way.”
“Then what should we do?”
“Simple. The first thing is to drive a wedge between Lady Ingda and Polius. He mustn’t grow closer to her just because he’s broken off his engagement with me.”
Remembering that conversation with Melanie, Clara decided to move on to the next part of their plan.
“Polius, I met Lady Melanie Clotilde at the social gathering today.”
Polius’s body flinched slightly.
“Lady Ingda here said she’s your fiancée, and when I mentioned that, Lady Melanie looked visibly shaken…”
“What, Melanie?”
“But Lady Clotilde didn’t seem to have any lingering feelings for you at all.”
Josephine quickly jumped in, flustered. But Clara calmly continued, smiling.
“So that’s why Lady Ingda is angry, isn’t she? Because she’s afraid she can’t compare to Lady Clotilde?”
Let Polius become even more obsessed with Melanie Clotilde — and in the meantime, let Josephine’s jealousy burn her alive.
“Polius, don’t listen to that woman’s lies!”
“Hm… I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”
While Polius pretended not to understand, Josephine shouted, furious.
“Clara Martis! Why are you lying right now?!”
“And since Lady Clotilde didn’t mention her relationship with the Tower Master, I’d say they’re not that close.”
But Polius wasn’t paying any attention to Josephine anymore.
He was focused only on Clara’s words — because she was talking about Melanie.
“She didn’t say anything about… changing her fiancé to Damian? Or making it official?”
“No, she didn’t. When someone asked what kind of relationship they had, she didn’t even answer. Maybe that means it’s not serious.”
For someone who claimed not to understand, Polius was asking plenty of questions — and nodding along eagerly.
So, you don’t want to let go of Lady Clotilde either… while keeping both me and Lady Ingda close?
At this point, Clara decided to give him exactly what he wanted to hear.
“Even if you like Lady Clotilde, Polius… I can wait. Because I’ll end up liking you even more than she does.”
“Clara…”
Her soft, teary eyes and sweet voice melted him instantly. His irritation toward Clara for being bold lately faded away.
And of course, this made things even worse for Josephine. She couldn’t even explain what had really happened today.
Polius wouldn’t formally get engaged to her anyway — Melanie Clotilde was the one he truly wanted.
“Clara Martis! Stop saying nonsense to Polius and get out of this mansion!”
“Why? If I go, you go too!”
“Now, now, let’s not fight—”
“I’ll compete fairly with Lady Clotilde! I won’t block Polius’s eyes and ears like Lady Ingda does or spread nasty rumors. I’ll make him like me the most, fair and square!”
She said that boldly, but watching Polius’s pleased expression, Clara felt an odd mix of amusement and disgust.
“This is Polius’s favorite kind of relationship — not a real commitment, but a pseudo-romance under the name of ‘friendship.’”
Everything was unfolding exactly as Melanie had said.
Even from their first meeting, Clara had realized Melanie was no ordinary woman.
Wow… at this rate, even if Lady Josephine complains later, Polius will just believe Melanie Clotilde still has feelings for him.
He’d think all of Josephine’s words were fueled by jealousy — he’d never truly trust her again.
Which means Lady Ingda’s insides will be burning like fire soon enough!
Clara chuckled softly. Everything was going according to Melanie’s plan — and it was both fascinating and satisfying.
She continued to interfere, making sure Polius and Josephine never got a moment alone, until evening came and Josephine finally had to leave. Clara left the Count’s mansion with her.
“Clara Martis… you’ll regret what you did today.”
Josephine must have been seething inside.
But as a powerful figure in high society, she knew that if she lashed out at Clara now, it would only make Polius like her less.
After watching Josephine climb into her carriage, Clara boarded hers too.
She’d have to report all of this to Lady Clotilde later — she’d executed the mission perfectly.
Above, the moon shone proudly in the night sky.
Clara was exhausted after the social event and dealing with both Polius and Josephine, but she felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
“Ah, wait. Turn the carriage around.”
But Clara wasn’t satisfied yet. After a moment’s thought, she gave the driver an order.
“Huh?”
“I said, we’re going back to Count Veldert’s estate.”
And as expected — she caught sight of Josephine’s carriage turning back as well.
“Lady Ingda, fancy meeting you again!”
“Ah! I thought you’d gone home! How—”
Watching the startled Lady Ingda, Clara waved cheerfully.
Well, since I’m already doing this, I might as well do it properly.
It was going to be a long night.
Later…
[Everything went exactly as Lady Clotilde predicted.
The story about Lady Ingda being engaged to Polius was a complete lie — unbelievable!]
A secret letter later arrived from Lady Martis.
As I read through it, I smiled.
Her lively and candid tone alone told me that things had gone well.
[As you requested, Lady Clotilde, I’ll keep working to erode the trust between Lady Ingda and Polius.
Also, as long as I’m by Polius’s side, I’ll report immediately if anything happens.
— From Clara Martis, who has evolved from a fish in the pond to a capable spy.]
Even after all that, it seemed Lady Ingda still hadn’t given up on Polius.
But of course — her feelings weren’t just about love.
What mattered was that he was “the ex-fiancé whom Lady Clotilde once loved to death.”
I had been worried since Tower Master Damian hadn’t yet agreed to the engagement, but Lady Martis’s results exceeded expectations.
For now, I didn’t need to worry much about Polius’s side of things.
As long as Lady Martis kept drawing attention between Lady Ingda and Polius, those two would be too busy fighting each other to bother me.
And I had a business to run — I didn’t have time for their nonsense.
Folding the letter neatly, I sat down in front of Tower Master Damian.
