NRAL | Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Conditions for a Debutante

“I’m, I’m sorry. Why did I misunderstand like that…? Maybe I overreacted because of old memories. Oh, it’s absolutely not because of Ellie, though.”

Nora, who quickly stood up from the floor and sat back in her seat, responded without backing down.

Eleanor thought highly of her for that.

If Nora had continued to insist that Eleanor tried to hurt her, the duke, who didn’t like unnecessary commotion, would have scolded her. Since there was no proof and the incident wasn’t that serious, raising the issue again would only embarrass her.

Instead, pretending to be the victim by bringing up the past and acting as if she’d been wronged by Eleanor was a reasonable choice. The timing wasn’t great, just like earlier, but it worked.

“Be more careful from now on. Causing a scene at the dining table and bending over to pick up a fork yourself are both against noble etiquette. It’s only natural you wouldn’t know, but… you have a lot to learn.”

As Eleanor sighed lowly, as if concerned, a mocking tone crept into the gazes of the servants.

‘Now that I think about it, she still hasn’t shed her maid-like mannerisms.’

‘She’s pretty, but she’s not elegant.’

‘She’s lived in poverty her whole life, what could she know?’

Just a few days ago, these same servants had praised Nora’s character, saying she understood their hearts, having grown up under difficult circumstances. But now they quickly turned against her, belittling her. Sitting right next to Eleanor didn’t help; every gesture and every expression was being compared.

‘This annoying woman…!’

Nora, realizing the situation, shot a sharp look at Eleanor. She couldn’t afford to back down now. Biting her lip, she quickly countered.

“As you know, I’m not well educated. It’s embarrassing, Ellie.”

“Yes, embarrassment can be a great motivator for learning. To avoid dishonoring the name of Astria, you should work hard.”

“Yes, fortunately, the duke has arranged excellent teachers for me. I didn’t expect as much, but… it’s truly a blessing. I’ll study hard so I can be like you soon, especially with the debutante just around the corner.”

“Like me? That won’t be easy. Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

It’s just that it’s better to set realistic goals. Eleanor added kindly.

‘Ha, so you want to delay my debut, huh?’

Nora’s lips twisted in irritation. In her eyes, Eleanor was scheming to delay her entry into society by speaking ill of her in front of her father. It made sense. Nora’s official debut under the name of Astria would mean Eleanor’s fall from grace.

Imagining Eleanor’s anguished face as she watched her brilliant debut filled Nora with satisfaction.

“Don’t worry. It’s embarrassing, but… people say I learn quickly. For the honor of Astria, I’ll make sure to present myself as elegantly as you at the debutante.”

Eleanor struggled to suppress a smile as she watched Nora glare at her challengingly. Debutante. Given how often Nora mentioned it, it seemed to be quite important to her.

Eleanor also thought it was time to introduce Nora to society, but seeing that bright face of hers made her want to tease her a bit.

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”

“…Pardon?”

“As you said, For the honor of Astria, it’s only right that you possess at least the same qualities I had when I debuted. We wouldn’t want to be criticized. Right, Father?”

Nora sneered as she watched Eleanor make her suggestion to the duke.

‘You idiot. Don’t you have eyes? The duke is on my side now!’

Nora firmly believed that the Duke of Astria, who had already chosen her side, wouldn’t back Eleanor.

But there were two things she hadn’t considered.

One was that the duke’s expectations for any member of Astria, aside from Demian, were quite high. The other was that despite his shift in loyalties, the duke currently wasn’t very fond of Nora.

His anger over being deceived by the crown prince hadn’t subsided yet, and now she was openly mentioning teachers and the debutante.

Nora didn’t know how much pressure Arlo had put on the duke or what lies Eleanor had told before her arrival, but regardless of the reasons, the Duke of Astria found her attitude displeasing.

“Yes. That way, there won’t be anything to be ashamed of. Nora, I’ll make sure to tell your teachers the same. If you don’t want to miss the debutante, you’ll have to study diligently.”

With that, the duke coldly concluded.

Nora seemed flustered and gaped for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll definitely do that.”

Eleanor had debuted officially at the age of just fourteen. She had entered society much earlier than other noble ladies because of the announcement of her engagement to Arlo.

‘A mere fourteen-year-old, and a girl who’s only been with the duke’s family for two years. Do you think I can’t do at least that?’

Hmph, she snickered inwardly.

Their gazes collided in the air, a silent clash between the two Astria daughters. In their purple eyes, though different in shade, there was a mix of composure and mockery.

In the midst of the crackling tension, the duke rose from his seat.

“I’ve lost my appetite today. I’ll be leaving. Demian, come to my study after your meal.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Your Grace, today you’re meeting with the Spiers, right? If you feel like a snack afterward, just let me know. I’ll bring some delicious dessert.”

Nora hurriedly spoke up as if worried the duke might slip away.

The Duke of Astria met with the Spiers regularly, but the dates changed according to the schedule. The fact that Nora knew about today’s meeting meant she was putting considerable effort into winning his favor.

Without much of a response, the duke glanced at Nora once and then turned to leave the dining room.

Thud. As the door closed, Eleanor also wiped her mouth and slowly stood up. Now that the duke had left, there was no need to stay any longer.

“A little flattery is fine.”

She whispered in a voice too low for the servants to hear. Nora furrowed her brow and lowered her voice as well.

“…What did you say?”

“I said using flattery as a strategy is fine. Most men in their fifties appreciate a cute daughter doting on them.”

Eleanor, with Ernst’s help, draped a shawl over her shoulders. Nora looked like she had a lot to say but kept her mouth shut. It seemed she was being careful because Ernst was nearby.

‘Sir Ernst is on my side, so there’s no need to keep up appearances. Or is she embarrassed to reveal her true nature in front of someone she once had a crush on?’

How cute. Eleanor chuckled to herself, then leaned down towards Nora.

“But stop trying to rely on pity. It won’t work. Do you really think my father is someone who would feel sorry for anyone?”

Study hard instead. She whispered this before straightening up and walking past Nora.

“Are you leaving too, fake sister?”

Demian tried to provoke her again, but Eleanor left the dining room without looking back.

That left only Demian and Nora in the large dining room. Some servants remained, but most had followed the duke out, so there were only a few left.

Demian snorted as if bored, then turned to Nora with a mischievous smile.

“Now that I think about it, this is the first real conversation we’ve had, right? I mean, as siblings, not when you were a maid.”

“…That’s true, Demian.”

“It’s Demi, remember? You did well earlier, but you’ve already forgotten?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just not used to it yet.”

“Well, you did call me ‘young master’ for years, so I guess it’s confusing. So, how does it feel to be my sister now?”

“Of course, it makes me happy. I always wanted to have a family.”

“Really? I think it’s a bit of a shame.”

Demian’s gaze slowly drifted down from Nora’s face. As his eyes landed on her chest, barely concealed by lace, he whistled with amusement and smirked.

“It’s a pity that such a pretty woman is my real sister.”

“Oh my, you’re so good at jokes.”

Nora laughed lightly, even though she had already noticed where his eyes were wandering. It didn’t surprise her; Demian had been like this even when she was Eleanor’s maid.

It was annoying that he was flirting with her, despite knowing she might be his real sister and that she was involved with the crown prince. Still, she needed to stay on good terms with Demian. After all, there’s that saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

After making her decision, she smiled, and Demian burst into hearty laughter. He already liked her far more than stiff and boring Eleanor.

“But Demi, I actually have a little problem. Could you help me with it?”

“What is it? Tell me.”

Nora lowered her voice so the other servants couldn’t hear.

“Well… It seems like the servants don’t really like me because of something Ellie said. Is there any way to fix that?”

“Really? How dare those insolent servants… Tell me who disrespected you. I’ll fire them on the spot.”

“No! It’s not that serious. I’d just appreciate it if you could say a few nice words for me…”

Demian’s expression turned disinterested. It wasn’t the exciting request he was expecting, so he lost interest.

“Well, sure. I’ll do it.”

“Really? Thank you, Demi! You’re so kind!”

But when Nora stood up, leaned over, and took his hand, his boredom vanished. The deep cleavage just barely visible through the lace was too much of an enjoyable sight to pass up.

Demian’s nostrils flared as he raised his voice.

“Of course! I’m very kind. If you ever need anything else, just let me know!”

“Wow, you’re amazing!”

What a simple idiot.

‘Men are all the same.’

Nora swallowed the curse rising in her throat and giggled. The excited voices of the two echoed through the dining room, seeping out through the crack in the door.

And standing outside that closed door, listening to everything was a woman.

‘Why do I keep ending up in situations where I have to eavesdrop?’

Eleanor smirked sarcastically as she curled up one side of her lips.

Still, this time it wasn’t so bad.

‘I’ll be able to use this someday.’

It was surprising to find that her otherwise useless younger brother might have a role to play.

As of today, it seemed that Nora and Demian would join forces to attack her. They might be a nuisance for a while, but it didn’t seem too difficult to turn the situation around.

Throughout history, the best way to survive conflicts between nations was to pit the enemy countries against each other. Eleanor decided she’d put that ancient wisdom to good use.

Not immediately, but within a few months, those two would end up turning on each other. Even if the knife they held was a small one meant for cutting steak, if it was stabbed with all its strength into a vital point, the other wouldn’t survive.

When those two humans eventually clash, who will the winner be?

Eleanor left the tiresome door with the hope that they both give it their all and destroy each other.

***

After the Friday breakfast, Nora dedicated herself to her studies.

Her claim that she was a quick learner was absolutely true, and the three tutors assigned to her all praised her intelligence and diligence.

Nora’s two maids, Eva and Natalie, also gushed over their mistress with exaggerated excitement.

“Our lady must be a genius! She learns everything so fast. It’s such an honor to serve someone so brilliant!”

“At this rate, the debutante will be a breeze! You’ll put Miss Ellie to shame in no time, hahaha!”

Though the compliments were clearly flattery, Nora wasn’t the least bit bothered by them. In fact, she was pleased.

She loved this.

Seeing people walk on eggshells around her, flattering her with fake smiles as if she were some kind of savior. Watching them praise her as if she were someone who could transform their entire lives.

When she saw this, it made her feel like she was truly someone special—like the beautiful princess in those fairy tales she’d secretly read as a child.

‘I’m even greater than a princess. Once I marry Arlo, I’ll become the empress.’

Empress.

The highest position in the entire empire.

Just thinking about it sent a thrill through her. It sometimes felt like a distant dream, but she had a strong sense that it was close at hand.

After all, hadn’t she taken the place of Eleanor Astria, who once seemed like someone from a different world? Becoming an empress would be no different.

Just as the maids had said, she was a genius.

A genius. Someone blessed with talent from the heavens.

‘Although the heavens didn’t give me a noble birth.’

They had given her other gifts instead.

A clever mind, beautiful looks, an enchanting smile; the ability to stay rational and not be swayed by love; a sharp sense for reading the room…

These were the talents she possessed, but there was one thing that was even more special than all the rest.

It was her determination.

The will to obtain whatever she desired, no matter what it took.

The will that had allowed her to act like a good person for years, to brand her own flesh, to give her body to someone she didn’t love, and to hate someone who had been kind to her so much that she ruined their life—all just to make sure she got what she wanted, even the things she hadn’t been born with.

Some people might look at her and call her a villainess, but she didn’t care.

In fact, Nora wanted to be a perfect villainess. Not one of those pathetic women who commit half-hearted evil acts, regret them, and then get punished by some righteous protagonist.

For now, though, the most important thing was to successfully get through the debutante.

Nora spent most of her waking hours studying. With her sharp mind and hard work combined, she made rapid progress. What would take others months to learn, she mastered in just a few weeks.

Naturally, her confidence soared.

‘She thought she was so high and mighty, huh? She must be boiling right now, hearing how well I’m doing. Probably so angry she can’t even sleep!’

Just imagining Eleanor furious and helpless because she couldn’t stop the debutante made Nora smile. The only regret was that she couldn’t see it in person.

But that smile didn’t last long.

“What? What do you mean it’s impossible to have the debutante now?”