~CHAPTER 37~
* * *
This is a golden opportunity!
And I’m the one who made this opportunity!
Sylvia was certain.
Before the competition, she had sneaked into the stables and fed chocolate to Jena’s horse.
Of course, it wasn’t an easy task. The fierce horse would throw a fit whenever anyone approached. Seeing her face even made it cry, which put Sylvia in a foul mood.
She had forced the chocolate into the horse’s mouth, fallen over, and kicked around in frustration.
Still, thanks to that, Jena’s horse had gone wild and disrupted the entire competition.
It was a shame no one had been seriously injured, but Sylvia planned to frame someone for the chaos and make it their fault.
“Hehehe.”
If done well, she might even drive Jena out of the North entirely, not just the social circle.
Sylvia let out a sinister laugh.
Since the competition, she and the Hoffmann family had been attacking Jena without fail.
They spread rumors suggesting Jena had caused accidents on purpose out of grudges against Sylvia, claiming her poor horse management was intentional.
Thinking of the truth, it was a completely shameless act.
As the Hoffmanns continued demanding that Jena be punished publicly, Aizen, worried the situation might escalate, decided to call a meeting with the relevant parties under the Duke’s authority.
Otherwise, the Hoffmanns might even sue Jena and the von Kreutz family.
It was better to resolve it while they were still under his control.
Sylvia, unaware of this context, considered Aizen’s decision a boon for herself.
The Duke is helping me too!
She persuaded a few of the attendants her father had sent ahead to support her plan and decided the meeting would conclude with Jena’s expulsion.
To strengthen her act, she wrapped a bandage around her arm as if injured and pretended to be in emotional distress.
You’re finished, Countess.
Sylvia confidently smiled and donned her riding outfit as she headed to the Count’s residence in Callard.
She wore the attire from the equestrian event to claim she wanted Jena judged in a similar state.
Foolish. Thinks it will make a difference.
Clicking her tongue softly, she followed her father into the meeting room.
Apart from Jena and herself, most attendees were attendants of the Duke, so the number was not large.
Sylvia exaggerated her pain while sitting, and soon Jena arrived, unaware of the scheming, walking in confidently.
What? She looks fine. Didn’t suffer or even realize the situation?
Sylvia’s face showed displeasure, disappointed that Jena did not show signs of distress.
Well, someone so oblivious and clueless would probably challenge her from the start.
She needed to set an example so that no other young lady dared oppose her.
Once everyone was seated, Aizen appeared with a sturdy middle-aged man.
He wore a black hat low over his face and a mask as usual.
The man stood behind Aizen and greeted the room.
“Greetings. I am Mark Lindemann, leader of the White Wolf Knights. Due to the Duke’s neck injury, he is unable to speak, so I will be delivering his words on his behalf.”
“My lord, are you alright?”
A concerned attendant asked, and Aizen raised his hand to signal that he was fine.
The meeting began in a solemn atmosphere. The Hoffmanns first spoke, criticizing Jena.
“Because of Countess von Kreutz, countless people were almost injured! If you’re so unskilled at riding, you should have withdrawn or not participated at all!”
“But it was Miss Hoffmann who brought me into the competition. She challenged me first,” Jena raised her hand and tilted her head in objection.
Moreover, it had been Sylvia who pushed her to practice despite her poor riding skills.
If the participation itself were questioned, the one who brought Jena in could not escape responsibility.
“Ahem! My daughter is suffering from aftereffects due to mental trauma caused by your actions! How dare you blame her?!”
The Hoffmann Marquis glared and quickly changed the subject.
Jena remained composed and spoke clearly.
“Well, if Miss Hoffmann suffered harm, isn’t it partly her own fault?”
“Hey!”
“My name is Jena von Kreutz, Marquis. Since I am speaking politely, I would appreciate it if you did the same.”
The Marquis flushed and fell silent. Passing the baton, Sylvia spoke next.
“Regardless, I can no longer face the Countess. Just seeing her reminds me of how her horse charged at me… sob,” Sylvia feigned tears, playing the perfect victim.
Jena quietly looked at her and asked,
“What do you want to do with me, Miss Hoffmann?”
Understanding that she meant to drive her out of the North, Jena slightly frowned.
It wasn’t necessary to go that far, but she had seen many people in past lives dislike others without reason.
Still, Sylvia’s audacity irritated her.
She was probably lashing out because Jena was a penniless Countess. A perfect target for her family’s power.
“Would you have done the same if our positions were reversed?”
“Of course! I would have discreetly disappeared to avoid catching your eye.”
Sylvia declared arrogantly and urged everyone to decide Jena’s fate quickly.
Mark glanced at Aizen and spoke,
“If both sides are finished, I will convey the Duke’s opinion—”
“Wait, I haven’t even started yet,” Jena calmly interrupted and requested the floor.
“Oh, yes. Please go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
She stood, scanned the room, and spoke softly,
“My horse and I bear no guilt or responsibility for the events at the competition. This was a trap set to target us.”
“……!”
Sylvia’s shoulders twitched. The Marquis, unaware of his daughter’s involvement, frowned.
“Hah! What are you saying? If not the Countess, then who orchestrated this?”
“You know them well.”
“Me? Who?”
Jena slowly raised her hand. Everyone followed her fingers.
They pointed to the pale-faced Sylvia.
“Miss Sylvia Hoffmann.”
“……!”
“You are the one who fed chocolate to our horse and caused this incident.”
A sharp, dramatic sound seemed to echo as Jena’s eyes glinted.
Sylvia, her face pale, jumped up and denied it.
“I didn’t do that! Countess, isn’t this too much? Not only did you risk my safety, now you’re trying to frame me?!”
“Apologize to my daughter immediately! Do you think she’s as barbaric as you?!”
The Marquis stood up in support, veins bulging. Yet Jena remained calm, her gaze piercing.
Sylvia froze, her throat dry with tension.
“Miss Hoffmann, you made two mistakes. That’s why your perfect crime failed.”
“W-what mistakes?”
“First, it’s not about meeting me in front of the stables. Your decisive mistake was…”
Jena pulled something from her sleeve. Wrapped in a handkerchief was leftover chocolate.
“First, this piece of chocolate left at the scene. The one you fed to my horse.”
“W-well, I didn’t do it?!”
“You know this chocolate isn’t a common product. The laurel emblem on it is from the North’s most prestigious dessert house.”
“……!”
Caught off guard, Sylvia’s lips trembled. Jena smiled slightly and continued,
“That dessert house is difficult for commoners or lower-ranking nobles like me to access. I even found out it was a limited edition.”
“……So…?”
“I asked the dessert house to check the purchaser list for anyone participating in the competition.”
The stables were restricted; only participants could enter freely, so the culprit had to be a participant.
Sylvia’s face turned even paler.
The Marquis, still unaware of the flow of events, looked proudly at Jena, certain his daughter’s name wouldn’t appear.
But—
“The dessert house said there was only one person: Miss Sylvia Hoffmann. That’s you.”
“W-what?!”
“Since the shop gave me the purchaser list, I will submit it as evidence to the Duke.”
Bypassing the aghast Marquis, Jena approached Aizen, and Mark quickly interjected,
“Give it to me.”
“Oh, yes.”
He received the paper politely and handed it to Aizen. After a quick review, Aizen returned it to Mark.
“Countess von Kreutz is correct,” Mark confirmed after finding Sylvia’s name on the list.
The meeting room buzzed. Flustered, Sylvia began making absurd excuses.
“Th-that alone doesn’t prove I’m the culprit! Someone could have stolen my chocolate and fed it to the horse!”
She even gestured toward Jena while insisting this.
“Ah! Perhaps the Countess was tempted by the luxury chocolate and gave it to the horse herself.”
Amid the murmuring, only Jena remained composed.
She leisurely placed her hand in her riding pocket and smiled.
“No, you are the culprit. There’s one more mistake you made.”
“……!”
