~CHAPTER 38~
Sylvia swallowed hard.
She was so anxious that her hands were trembling because she had no idea what cards Jena was holding.
What mistake did I make this time?
Honestly, she couldn’t remember. She had only just realized she left some chocolate pieces behind.
She had underestimated Jena from the start. She thought that while Jena might be able to talk back a little, she couldn’t do anything else.
But contrary to her expectations, Jena turned the tables and pressed her, leaving Sylvia flustered and unable to think clearly.
“You look like you have no idea what mistake you made, don’t you?”
“……!”
“Then I’ll tell you. Miss, you were wearing boots at the horse show, right?”
Sylvia glanced down at her boots and nodded cautiously. Jena smiled brightly.
“As expected of Miss Hoffman, unlike me, your boots were custom-made from a high-end boutique. How did I know? Secondly, thanks to the footprints left near where Bbingbbing was.”
Jena pulled out a box from under the chair. Inside was a haystack with clear footprints in the mud.
It was something Jena had brought from the stable on the day of the incident.
For reference, Nelle had been a huge help in identifying who the footprints belonged to.
This sole pattern… seems familiar.
Oh, really?
Yes, I think I know which store these shoes came from.
Just like each boutique has unique shoe designs, the soles have distinct patterns.
Nelle had immediately identified the boutique where Sylvia bought the boots just from the footprints. Being fashion-conscious, she had a precise eye.
“Take off one boot so I can compare it.”
Jena had intentionally requested the horse show attire for this purpose and extended her hand.
Sylvia stepped back reflexively, unable to hide her embarrassment.
“Miss, you know doing that just makes you look more guilty, right? If you’re really innocent, compare them and prove it, like I did.”
Jena had worked so hard over the past few days to prove her and Bbingbbing’s innocence.
At the dessert house and the boutique, no one was willing to cooperate easily because Sylvia was the more important guest.
Jena had even vented her frustration to Aizen, but oddly, when she went back, both shops helped willingly.
Because of all that effort, Jena was now confidently facing Sylvia.
“Miss Hoffman.”
“…….”
“Miss Hoffman.”
The repeated, ringing address pressed down on Sylvia like a weight, and she clenched her fists.
This was supposed to be a setup to ruin Jena, yet it seemed her own reputation would suffer instead.
All because of her…!
Although she was the one who caused the trouble, Sylvia resented Jena. Her eyes teared up as she glared, and Jena sighed.
“Admit your mistake even now. It won’t change much, but apologize to me and Bbingbbing.”
“…….”
“Because of you, the horse was seriously injured. Do you know that? If it were worse, its neck could have broken.”
Fortunately, only the left leg was fractured, so there was no life-threatening injury.
Jena was furious that someone had tried to harm an innocent animal just to cause her trouble.
“…So what if I did?”
Realizing Jena’s anger, Sylvia became brazen.
“Fine, I played a little prank. I just fed it chocolate for fun. I didn’t expect it to go this far.”
She shrugged, emphasizing that her target was the horse, not Jena.
But Sylvia didn’t know one thing: Bbingbbing was actually Aizen’s horse, Maximus, which he had raised since it was a foal.
“Miss…!”
Bang!
As Jena raised her voice, Aizen slammed the table in anger.
Everyone’s eyes turned to him. A few flinched at the force that could be felt through the cloth.
He whispered something to Mark, who then solemnly announced:
“The Duke has decided on the punishment for this incident. Please remain seated and listen.”
“Bu-but Duke, I…!”
Sylvia tried to explain one last time, but Aizen raised his hand to silence her.
Only Mark’s heavy voice echoed through the now silent hall.
“Based on the evidence presented by Countess Kroitz, the responsibility for this incident lies with the Hoffman family.”
“……!”
The Marquis realized Aizen had sided with Jena, and he exchanged pleading glances with the other servants. But they had no power now; without evidence, they couldn’t help sway public opinion.
Mark continued calmly:
“The Hoffman family must compensate Countess Kroitz. The amount will be as the Countess requests. Furthermore, the main culprit, Miss Hoffman—”
Sylvia’s face stiffened when her name was mentioned.
Please, just let this pass…!
She had wanted the incident to escalate when attacking Jena, yet now, the heat was on her.
But the momentum had already shifted entirely in Jena’s favor.
“Whatever punishment you intended for the Countess, apply it to yourself.”
“No, no!”
Sylvia recoiled in pale panic.
At her age, just beginning to reach the top among unmarried young ladies, to now be forced out of society herself… she couldn’t accept it.
“It’s unfair, Duke! The Countess started it! I just retaliated…!”
Bang!
Aizen slammed the table again, cutting off Sylvia’s desperate words.
Mark’s explanation was brutally clear:
“The Duke commands you to stop.”
“…….”
“What Miss Hoffman did is close to attempted murder. If the Countess had fallen, she might not even be here today.”
Sylvia hung her head in despair, speechless.
Sniffling sounds followed, but no one comforted her, not even her father, the Marquis.
After the meeting, Aizen was the first to leave, taking off his hat and changing his clothes.
He waited outside until everyone else had left. Ralph followed and asked:
“Duke, a few days ago you said you’d side with the Hoffman family. Why did you side with the woman today?”
Aizen’s original plan was to mediate between Jena and the Hoffmans and have Jena leave society quietly. That would have served his purpose.
But the outcome was the opposite. Even if he had fully supported the Hoffmans, Jena’s victory wouldn’t have been so complete.
“Why did your mind change? Was it because of Maximus? Huh?”
“Too many words.”
“Sorry, but I’m curious why your mind changed.”
“No grand reason. Just…”
He remembered Jena sulking after being turned away at the dessert house and boutique.
Everyone really was too harsh…
If it’s too hard, just give up. Even if you stay in society, people will still look at her unfavorably.
I don’t care about society anymore. But being powerless and poor doesn’t justify being treated unfairly like this.
Honestly, it made me upset. If only someone helped…
He realized he had been secretly pushing those shops to help Jena because he cared about her.
I was worried about her.
That’s why he had gone to the competition in the first place.
But he couldn’t voice these mixed, contradictory feelings, so he just shrugged.
“So, what’s next?”
“That’s it. Just that.”
“Huh? Duke, you’re not the type to just… a cold, pitiless man…”
Slap.
Ralph’s arm was grabbed firmly. Startled, he looked at Aizen, worried he’d overstepped.
“Sorry, I’ll stay quiet.”
“…….”
“……Duke?”
Aizen’s lips were tightly pressed, his face pale. He was restraining a surge from within.
A symptom of hemophobia: blood rushing through the veins to prevent freezing.
Ralph noticed Aizen’s condition and hurriedly supported him.
At that moment, a clear, bright voice cut through between them:
“Darling!”
Aizen and Ralph stiffened, seeing Jena approaching, raising her hands.
Did she hear our conversation?
Jena glanced between them with a subtle expression and finally spoke:
“You two, surely you’re not…”
