~Chapter 80~
I was surprised when Armians, who I thought would just ignore me, suddenly became serious.
“I think Bella is perfect as she is… but if you really want, I will ask Mrs. Wellington for help.”
“Mrs. Wellington?”
It was surprising not only that he hadn’t refused, but also that he immediately mentioned someone’s name.
“She was once a leading lady in the capital’s social scene, but she retired due to health issues. However, recently she has been feeling better and is planning to make a comeback.”
The maids, who usually stood quietly, whispered among themselves, saying, “Her?” and “Will she really come?” It seemed she was a well-known figure.
“By playing the role of Bella’s chaperone, she could naturally help Bella debut in society. She would not refuse such an opportunity.”
At first, I thought the name sounded strangely familiar…
“It’s been a while. No, it’s really been a while, my lady.”
The lady I had seen in Ermel had arrived.
At that time, she had been dressed simply as an estate inspector, but today she wore an evening dress fit for a social gathering. It was clear she was putting a lot of effort into her appearance.
“I hope you’ve been well.”
She made a somewhat sour face but quickly grabbed me to stop me from bowing too low.
“Now that you are going to be a duchess, you shouldn’t make the same greetings as commoners.”
“I haven’t yet made a pact with His Highness, so I’m not a duchess yet. Therefore, you’re still of a higher rank than me.”
After a few minutes of silence, Mrs. Wellington shook her head.
She seemed a bit surprised, but there was a faint smile on her lips.
“My lady, you haven’t changed at all. Most people change once their status rises.”
“….”
“Now I understand what His Highness the Duke meant.”
“What did he say?”
“He said you wouldn’t be able to refuse when you met me… and that you would like me even more.”
“??”
“I’m getting old, and my joints hurt. May I sit down?”
I nodded, and she sat on the reception room chair.
“Honestly, I was planning to refuse the Duke’s offer. I didn’t want to hear that I, a former woman, would use my title to dominate society.”
“Former woman? You’re still beautiful.”
“Thank you for the compliment, but…”
Mrs. Wellington paused.
Her words weren’t empty, though. Her forehead, which had once been filled with a headache, was now smooth. The laugh lines around her mouth and jaw were still delicate and neat.
She still walked lightly and had an elegant aura. As I observed her, I wondered what her youth had been like.
“So, would it be difficult for you to help me?”
“I won’t be acting as your chaperone, but I can certainly offer some advice.”
It wouldn’t be right to turn away someone who needed help.
“If there’s something I’m lacking, please tell me right away. If I’m sticking to the wrong etiquette…”
“No. Your etiquette is flawless.”
That didn’t seem possible.
Even though I gave her a doubtful look, Mrs. Wellington smiled.
“Do you know why etiquette was created?”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t studied that deeply.”
“It’s to show respect for others. It’s about treating someone as they deserve according to their status.”
“….”
“But you already have the mindset of respecting others. That’s the foundation of good etiquette.”
“Then…?”
“What you’re lacking is authority.”
“Authority?”
That was an unexpected response.
“A duchess is second only to the Empress. Whether you like it or not, people will judge you. The first thing they will notice is your clothes, but what will remain is your attitude.”
“…Ah.”
“You tend to pay too much attention to others and sometimes even worry about what they think. Some might see you as down-to-earth and easygoing, but others might look down on you and disrespect you.”
“….”
“And that, in the long run, will not be good for you.”
My expression became serious, just like Mrs. Wellington’s.
There was no flaw in her words.
Mrs. Hilton had once been cold and harsh, but that was because she had to deal with many troublesome requests after she became successful.
‘So, should I become like that too?’
“Don’t worry, my lady. It’s hard to lower the head of someone with a stiff neck, but it’s easy to do the opposite.”
Mrs. Wellington smiled gently and changed the subject.
“I heard you’ve been overwhelmed with all the invitations.”
“Yes. As you can see, I’ve received so many invitations…”
I had Marina bring the invitations over. Mrs. Wellington casually glanced over the opened envelopes and said:
“There’s a simple solution.”
“What is it?”
“You can just decline them all.”
“?!”
That was one way to handle it… but is it okay to do that?
“As I said before, my lady, you lack the authority and weight that a duchess should have. You’re also weak in asserting yourself.”
“….”
“Even now, you’re struggling to make a decision because you’re thinking about the pride of those who sent these invitations. You can’t figure out what you really want to do.”
“Well… that’s not it.”
‘I’m just thinking about my own well-being.’
I wanted to argue, but it didn’t seem like a bad thing to look like a good person in her eyes, so I stayed quiet.
“I’m not saying you should simply step on others. That would have its own side effects. But if you don’t assert yourself, people will ignore you. You can’t just go along with everything and think it’s fine. Understand?”
“Uh, hmm… Yes.”
Mrs. Wellington wasn’t saying something I didn’t already think about during my regression.
But no one had ever told me this kind of thing. I could tell she truly saw me as someone she needed to guide and protect. It felt strange.
“Then, let’s write the replies right away.”
“What?”
“Your assertiveness shines when you present different opinions. I’ll teach you polite ways to decline. You should send replies to all the invitations.”
I could say I had turned down the position of personal apothecary before…
But it didn’t feel like the right time to say that. I sighed and instructed the maids to prepare writing tools.
Unlike Bella, who spent the whole day writing replies to letters, Armians entered the palace and returned in the evening.
“I’m back, Bella.”
He smiled brightly as he entered, but his expression froze.
“Oh, um, you’re here?”
Bella’s behavior was different from usual.
She seemed hesitant, maybe even embarrassed.
“What happened?”
It was only a moment later that Armians remembered that Bella had met Mrs. Wellington today.
“What did she do to Bella?”
When introducing her, Mrs. Wellington had been polite, but now Armians immediately changed his tone, thinking that she might have done something harmful to Bella.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, a noblewoman came down the central stairs and knelt to greet them.
“I hope I’m not being rude, but may I speak of something unworthy?”
Bella, unsure of what to do, looked at her. Armians raised his eyebrows because he didn’t like that Bella was trying to gauge the noblewoman’s reaction.
If Bella was the owner of this estate, then the woman was the guest. There was no reason for the owner to act nervous in front of a guest.
“Speak.”
“Before I proceed, may I ask, Your Highness, do you truly intend to make a pact with my lady?”
“…And if I do?”
‘Is she trying to bring up something about Bella’s family and tell me no?’
Mrs. Wellington was also Isabel’s etiquette teacher, which was why Armians immediately thought of her when he heard that title.
But if she dared to interfere with the royal family’s matters, Armians was prepared to act. Of course, he would do so discreetly, so the retaliation would only go as far as “interfering with her debut in society.”
“Then the procedure is wrong!”
“…What are you trying to say?”
“My lady says that His Highness has not given her any gifts.”
“Well, um, madam, that…”
“My lady, please remain quiet. Your Highness, no matter how many dresses you buy, they are just clothes. Although my lady isn’t yet the official mistress, if there’s a promise for the future, there must be a token of that.”
Armians released the fist he had been holding tightly.
