Vanessa’s face cracked the moment she was suddenly singled out.
She quickly composed her expression, but Elinor saw the disturbance underneath.
“No, shouldn’t we be admiring Lady Stikov’s generous heart for willingly sharing a carriage with a commoner orphan?”
Mary Duvar smiled subtly. There was hostility and disdain toward Vanessa in her demeanor.
It was the same atmosphere Elinor had felt when she’d faced the villainess who hated Lydia.
“Vanessa is truly remarkable. Born a commoner orphan, receiving the baron’s patronage, and even riding a carriage equally with Lady Stikov. I suppose one doesn’t have to be born into noble blood to succeed.”
Cora Duvar followed her sister’s lead. Except for the ever-cheerful Carol Duvar, a strange tension filled the space between the four women.
The Duvar sisters’ hostility toward Vanessa was thick in the air.
Elinor glanced at Vanessa, whose fists were clenched. She’d expected a sharp retort, but surprisingly, Vanessa remained silent.
“But now that the true blood of the baron has arrived, the difference is clear from birth. Before this, seeing Vanessa parade around in such gaudy dresses like a clown made my heart ache.”
Mary Duvar lowered her gaze and feigned a sympathetic expression, clearly aware that such false concern would be more effective at wounding her opponent’s pride.
So much for assuming a provincial lady would be innocent and simple.
Elinor realized that the same detestable social power games she’d witnessed in the Bairn social circles were being played right here in Levin.
Even the subtle attempt to draw her to their side was the same.
“Did you know, Lady Stikov? Before you came, Vanessa acted as if she were the baron’s daughter.”
“That’s right. So arrogant and presumptuous.”
“She treated our family’s servants with disdain as if she were a noble, cut ties with her old commoner acquaintances, and even acted haughty in Oklahoma. That’s what the migrants from our territory are saying.”
Cora Duvar whispered slyly. Mary chimed in with occasional nods and agreeing hums.
How is it exactly the same? Elinor barely held back a laugh.
Back in the academy, a girl who liked Ernst had approached Elinor with these exact kinds of words.
As if she thought the extra sister who existed just to support the female lead would side with her.
Elinor had flatly shut that girl down. She didn’t want to risk being dragged into a villain’s role by getting too close.
After a few rejections like that, no one approached Elinor to join in hating Lydia anymore.
And since she had kept her distance and only mingled with Stella, she’d mostly avoided factional disputes.
“But now that the true daughter of the baron is here, I’m sure Vanessa will keep her head down. Surely she won’t dare show off in front of you, Lady.”
Mary Duvar smiled wickedly.
Elinor had come to Levin because she heard the Duvar sisters had interactions with Vanessa.
She was curious whether Vanessa was truly trying to seize control of everything in Oklahoma with ambitions for the lordship.
But now that she was face-to-face with them, it was easy to imagine just how much the Duvar sisters must have tormented Vanessa under the pretense of “interaction.”
They probably said all kinds of things while sitting her down in front of them. Whatever the reason—be it her commoner birth or something else—Vanessa had likely been unable to defend herself in front of them.
Whether she got beat up or not isn’t my business.
Regardless of how she felt about Vanessa, Elinor could see the Duvar sisters were trying to sloppily slander her.
If Vanessa had truly behaved that way, her aunt would never have allowed it.
Elinor glanced sideways and saw Vanessa trembling, yet her face remained expressionless. There was no sign of resistance—only familiar resignation and endurance.
Just like Elinor had done in Bairn.
This doesn’t feel good.
Seeing the Duvar sisters corner Vanessa, who reminded her of herself back then, made Elinor uncomfortable.
So that’s what I must’ve looked like.
Now she understood why Stella used to get so furious all the time.
Just as Elinor had endured as the “extra sister” for the sake of Lydia, Vanessa was enduring her role as the baron’s sponsored child.
“Ladies Duvar.”
Elinor spoke calmly. Her voice carried weight, drawing everyone’s attention.
Even if they were rivals internally, to outsiders, Elinor and Vanessa were both from Oklahoma and Ponfurry.
Therefore, Elinor had to support Vanessa—for Oklahoma and Ponfurry.
“If Vanessa behaved rudely toward you, I apologize on her behalf.”
“Huh? Oh no, Lady, there’s no need for you to—”
Cora Duvar looked flustered by Elinor’s unexpected show of solidarity.
“But my heart aches.”
Elinor cut her off and looked directly into her eyes.
“Vanessa is someone my aunt holds very dear. My aunt personally bought her clothes and jewelry as gifts. Were they distasteful? If Vanessa was mocked for them, I fear my aunt might be hurt by that.”
As Elinor continued, the Duvar sisters—minus the youngest—grew visibly pale.
If those clothes were gifts from the baroness, then mocking Vanessa was tantamount to mocking the baroness herself.
Elinor smirked inwardly. Whatever dress Vanessa had worn, she was sure it came from her aunt.
Even without solid proof, she spoke with complete confidence. After all, who would dare fact-check her?
What Elinor said became the truth in that moment.
The Duvar sisters quickly waved their hands in denial. But Elinor had no intention of letting them off easily.
“My aunt treasures Vanessa. She even told me she treats her without discrimination. And yet… Vanessa acted like a noble? That’s hard to believe, considering she was personally educated by my aunt…”
She trailed off with a sad tone.
Elinor had endured a lot back in Bairn, but only when facing protagonists.
When it came to dealing with other extras, she knew exactly how to strike effectively—like a proper noble lady.
“Surely you’re not saying… you discriminated against Vanessa because she’s a commoner?”
Elinor tilted her head, feigning innocent surprise.
Though there were clear class divisions between nobles and commoners, it was considered vulgar to wield that as a weapon.
Thus, such discrimination among nobles was usually veiled, and commoners simply grew accustomed to it.
In other words, nobles rarely displayed blatant classism.
Especially—
“In Bairn, nobles like that are quite rare. Those who openly discriminate against commoners, I mean.”
—especially among the capital’s nobility.
They were so used to posturing that they rarely revealed their prejudice so bluntly.
And since the former emperor was born of common blood, capital nobles had to be especially cautious with their behavior.
The Duvar sisters looked shaken. Elinor’s words directly clashed with their admiration for the Bairn social scene.
In Levin, discrimination between noble and commoner was accepted—but to hear that in the capital it wasn’t? They couldn’t exactly claim their actions were right.
And if they blamed Vanessa, it would imply the baroness had failed to teach her properly.
It was a dilemma with no easy way out.
What do we even say now…?
Caught off guard by Elinor’s gentle yet relentless pressure, the sisters were too stunned to think.
Still, as the older sibling, Cora Duvar pulled herself together first and forced a smile.
She’d assumed Elinor would side with them without question. Now, she realized she’d been far too hasty.
“We only heard rumors from the servants. We’ve never actually discriminated against Vanessa.”
It was a good enough excuse to offer an escape route. But for Elinor, who had been forged in Bairn’s social battles, it was child’s play.
“Could we bring in the servant who said that? I’d like to hear it myself. Not for any serious reason, of course—if Vanessa was truly rude, the family should apologize. I’ll report it directly to the baron.”
Cora’s lips moved silently. There was no such servant—Vanessa had never been rude to any in Levin.
And if they brought someone in to lie, they risked real consequences if Elinor did inform the baron.
Personal feuds were one thing, but conflicts between families were on another level.
Even if Levin had a larger territory, the baron’s ties to a capital count gave him a stronger network.
Watching the sisters freeze, Elinor gave a sweet smile.
“If it’s difficult to summon the servant, don’t worry about it. No need.”
Mary Duvar was relieved, thinking Elinor was being considerate. But the sharper Cora Duvar paled even more.
Saying she wouldn’t confirm the facts was as good as saying she believed they were true.
But since they weren’t far from the truth, Cora had no retort.
“One last thing. The people who left Oklahoma for Levin likely had complaints about their previous territory. They may already hold grudges against us, so please don’t judge Vanessa based on their words.”
Elinor spoke like a compassionate older sister. It was the first time she said something like this for someone other than Lydia.
Everything she had ever done had been for Lydia.
Well, maybe doing something for someone else isn’t so bad either.
“Vanessa belongs to Oklahoma and the Baron of Ponfurry. I’d appreciate it if you saw her in a favorable light.”
Elinor drew a clear line: she had no intention of siding with them.
Cora and Mary bit their lower lips lightly. A faint sense of shame appeared on their faces.
Elinor figured they wouldn’t be inviting her again anytime soon.
“Let’s all be good friends from now on.”
“Yes, that sounds great!”
Carol Duvar cheerfully replied for the group, the only one still unbothered.
A bright, clueless girl—rare even in the capital.
The beginning was abrupt? Was something missing?