Chapter 58
Returning to the banquet hall, Catherine was nearly at her wit’s end. She had missed the chance to speak with Sawyer because his friends had surrounded him. And in that time, Aicel had naturally slipped into the group.
Before she knew it, Aicel was chatting with Sawyer and his friends like they’d been close since childhood.
That was thanks to the fact that, unlike other noble ladies, Aicel wasn’t shy or flustered when speaking to men.
Catherine paced in place, anxious, wondering how to break into their circle.
Just then, a low voice spoke to her.
‘Catherine.’
It was Eclipt. Catherine perked up, hoping he might offer her a wise suggestion, and listened closely.
‘Yes, Eclipt?’
‘Don’t worry about anything else. First, get that girl away from Sawyer.’
‘Get her away?’
‘You could win Sawyer over at any time. But if she keeps sticking close to him like this, it might become more difficult.’
Eclipt chuckled as if he found something amusing. Catherine stared at Aicel, laughing brightly among the boys, and agreed silently.
“Yes… That’s probably for the best.”
With that, Catherine approached Sawyer’s group.
Sawyer turned his head toward her mid-conversation.
“My Lady?”
The group looked at Catherine like she was some outsider. She tried to hide her discomfort and said,
“Ah, I came to call for my sister.”
“Me? Why?”
We’re having so much fun.
Aicel tilted her head with a suspicious look.
“I wanted to introduce you to the other young ladies.”
Catherine smiled sweetly as she answered.
What now? Aicel stared at her, eyes narrowing.
Perhaps it was because she had grown up freely in an orphanage until age ten, but Aicel didn’t care much whether someone was a man or a woman.
But things were different in noble society.
Indirect jabs and veiled insults were a common form of communication—especially among women.
And the young ladies Catherine intended to introduce her to? Aicel could already guess what they’d be like.
They were bound to be girls who prioritized status and wealth. But Aicel had one sure weapon to win them over.
“…All right. I’ll be back shortly.”
“See you soon, Aicel,” Sawyer said, looking visibly disappointed to see her go.
“What are you scheming this time?”
The moment Sawyer was out of earshot, Aicel dropped her pleasant mask. Her voice turned sharp and cynical.
Catherine let out a dry laugh. It was almost laughable. How could someone this cunning have lived like a timid little mouse in her room for five years?
“Just what I said. I’m introducing you to the other girls. Ever heard of kindness?”
“Kindness?”
Aicel laughed, like she’d just heard the world’s funniest joke.
“Kindness coming from your mouth? Please. That’s like the devil volunteering at church, Catherine.”
Even with Aicel’s blunt sarcasm, Catherine merely twitched her lips and said nothing, then led her toward the other girls.
“Oh, Lady Catherine.”
Several young noble girls—around Aicel’s age, not yet debuted—were enjoying tea in a corner of the hall.
Catherine held the highest status among them.
The girls flinched, surprised to see Catherine and Aicel together.
“Oh, and who is this?”
“This is my sister, Aicel. She was adopted into the Grand Duchy of Ernst.”
“Adopted?”
In the noble world, where bloodlines meant everything, the word adoption was anything but welcome.
Catherine had deliberately emphasized it, and the girls’ gazes toward Aicel sharpened at once.
But Aicel wasn’t one to quietly take a hit. She stepped forward and greeted the ladies cheerfully.
“Hello. I’m Aicel de Ernst, adopted from the Marquisate of Pereshte into the Grand Duchy of Ernst.”
“Pereshte?”
Sorry, Catherine, Aicel thought, but I have a little magic word of my own—
Pereshte.
She curled her lips up slightly, so subtly none of them noticed.
“Pereshte… as in that Pereshte?”
Instantly, the “magic” worked. The girls’ cold eyes melted away.
Curious about why someone from the House of Pereshte would be adopted into Ernst, they began to gather around Aicel.
“Oh my, why were you adopted though?”
The question sounded more like: Why would someone from such a prestigious house drop to a lower-ranked one like Ernst?
Catherine couldn’t hide her displeasure and glared at them. But none of the girls paid her any mind.
Their eyes were glued to Aicel as they crowded around her, bombarding her with questions. She answered them all calmly and gracefully.
In the blink of an eye, Catherine was pushed aside.
Shoved back by the wall of girls, Catherine let out a dry, bitter laugh.
Just moments ago, those girls had welcomed her with open arms.
But the instant Aicel uttered Pereshte, they’d changed sides in a heartbeat. How two-faced.
Catherine’s face turned beet red. Her hands, hidden in her dress, trembled with rage.
Aicel stole glances at Catherine while chatting with the girls. She had won—completely and effortlessly—at this party.
The winner was, without a doubt, Aicel.
In that moment, their eyes met across the room.
After what happened on the terrace earlier, Catherine was already emotionally shattered.
She had tried to pull Sawyer away and use the girls to her advantage—but that too had failed. She had no energy left to continue this fight.
All she could do now was furrow her brows in frustration and silently turn her back to the cheerful crowd of girls.
* * *
After the party ended, the members of the Grand Duchy began heading toward the mansion’s entrance, where their carriage awaited.
Calypso had already left earlier—it seemed he’d gone ahead, as he was nowhere to be seen.
Catherine had a gloomy face, having gained nothing from the party.
At that, Diana extended her hand toward Catherine—one that looked gentle, but felt like the touch of a beast in disguise.
“Catherine. It’s been a while—ride with your mother today.”
“…Yes.”
Catherine answered meekly, her voice drained of energy. Diana helped her into the carriage first, then glanced briefly at Aicel.
Unlike Catherine, Aicel was smiling cheerfully.
“See you at the mansion, Mother.”
“Take care on the way.”
Diana gave Aicel a soft smile before stepping into the carriage with Catherine.
Once inside, Catherine sat with her head drooped, clearly defeated. If she were still Diana’s beloved daughter, she would’ve seemed pitiful enough to give her anything she wanted.
But that was no longer the case. Coveting what wasn’t hers—and yet acting so sorrowful—it only made her appear detestable.
Diana wanted to push Catherine even deeper into despair. That, she believed, was the only way to relieve the resentment Aicel had once suffered at Catherine’s hands.
She stared at Catherine for a long moment before finally breaking the silence as the carriage began to move.
“Catherine.”
“…Yes. I’m sorry for what happened today. Was the madam very upset? She’s going to be my mother-in-law, and…”
“No.”
“Then… has she calmed down?”
Color began to return to Catherine’s face. But Diana’s expression remained icy cold. That look was rare on her—it was clear something was wrong.
“Is something the matter, Mother?”
Catherine couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice as she asked cautiously. Diana let out a deep sigh, as if the earth itself were caving in beneath her.
“Mother…!”
Catherine’s anxiety only grew at her mother’s silence. She looked at her, desperate, waiting for Diana to speak.
After drawing it out for some time, Diana finally opened her mouth slowly.
“It’s about your marriage.”
At the mention of marriage, Catherine’s eyes visibly shook. A chill ran down her spine. She fidgeted nervously, her hands trembling slightly.
“The Grand Duke’s son will decide between you and Aicel.”
“What…?”
“We’ve decided to give him the choice.”
Catherine’s lips parted in disbelief. What had she just heard?
Who gets to decide what? The Grand Duke’s son—Sawyer—was choosing between her and Aicel?
She had already made a huge mistake at today’s party. And judging by the look in Sawyer’s eyes—likely shaped by whatever Aicel had said—he didn’t seem impressed with her anymore.
If he were to make a decision right now, of course he’d choose Aicel. The two of them already acted like close friends.
Catherine, now pale as a ghost, stammered out in protest:
“Th-this is ridiculous!”
“I’m heartbroken too. I know how much you like the young lord… But after today’s situation with Alicia, I had to do something to appease the lady.”
So in the end… it was because of her mother. Catherine clenched her teeth. Her anger toward Alicia began to boil over.
Alicia had ruined everything. There was no hope left for her. Both the lady and Sawyer had already lost faith in her.
“Ugh, what is this… Why did Alicia have to do something like that…?”
Diana sighed as she gently rubbed Catherine’s trembling shoulder, as if genuinely regretful.
Yet she did not forget to drop Alicia’s name in the process—on purpose.
Sure enough, Catherine clenched her fists over her dress. She bit her lip furiously, and with a voice shaking with rage, she finally said:
“…I can’t forgive her. This is all because of the doctor—no, because of Alicia!”
The way Catherine referred to her had shifted—from “doctor” to “Alicia.”
So, in the end… you’re discarding even your real mother.
Diana pulled Catherine into her arms and held her tightly.
“Alicia may be my dearest friend, but if you wish it, I’ll punish her. You’re far more important to me.”
At Diana’s resolute words, Catherine trembled slightly. Then, as if making up her mind, she opened her mouth with a hardened gaze.
“Please, drive her out.”
“…What?”
Diana had expected Catherine to demand a punishment—but to ask for Alicia to be thrown out of the house? That was unexpected. No matter what, Alicia was still her birth mother.
Too surprised, Diana instinctively asked again. But Catherine was far more cunning and wicked than she appeared.
“Please expel Alicia from the mansion, Mother.”
Her eyes were filled with sincerity.
Things were getting more and more interesting. Diana suppressed the laughter threatening to burst out and stroked her chin, pretending to ponder.
Then, as if she had no choice but to comply, she put on a deliberately bitter smile.
