PHATFO 94

~Chapter 94~

“What a brilliant idea! How did you ever think of that?”

How did you ever…

The Countess’s brows twitched slightly at his choice of words before smoothing back into place.

“I was just thinking I must do whatever I can for you and our family, and the thought came to me.”

“Is that so? Ha ha.”

Even though it was flattery, the Count was pleased.

“Do you need anything for it? Money? Do you have enough?”

“A new dress would be nice. I’ll be sitting among other noble ladies, and if I wear something shabby, I’ll stand out in the wrong way. I’d like to order one that matches their level.”

“Of course, buy one. When have I ever told you to be stingy with that? Get whatever you want. Ten dresses, twenty—even more if you need.”

“Thank you so much, dear.”

She dabbed at nonexistent tears with her handkerchief.

But because the Count was a man who valued practical gain above all else, he didn’t let her linger too long in her act of emotion.

“So, when exactly is this tea party being held?”

“Today, isn’t it?”

Madam Hilton asked while holding up different ornaments against my hair.

“Lady Wellington’s tea party.”

“Yes.”

Normally, this would have been a maid’s duty. But since Madam Hilton had fallen out of Armians’s favor, she wanted to use me as her shield.

Part of it, though, was simply because she liked dressing others up.

“Bella, emerald necklaces suit you so well… but since something important may happen soon, it’s better to keep accessories to a minimum, isn’t it?”

“Probably, yes.”

My makeup was kept pale and light. Jewelry—just one pair of earrings.

When I put on a white dress and looked into the mirror, I saw myself looking almost the same as I had two years ago when I toppled Charlotte.

I was satisfied, but Madam Hilton was not.

“Going into battle, one should wear battle clothes… a shame you can’t wear red.”

“I think assassination suits me better than open battle. This much is enough to avoid attention, don’t you think?”

“…When you put it that way, I can’t argue. After all, Charlotte and the Countess never even knew who stabbed daggers into their backs, did they?”

Madam Hilton laughed.

“Which is why they still flail around, unable to see the truth.”

But her laughter carried clear scorn.

“Come to think of it, you haven’t changed at all. Your complexion is better, but otherwise—you look just as you did two years ago. How have you been living all this time?”

“They’ve been the most peaceful two years of my life. While you worked hard, I lived in comfort.”

By “worked hard,” she meant managing the Rohiltern family’s assets.

“Well now, don’t call me an unpaid laborer. I did it because the rewards were guaranteed.”

“Rewards?”

“His Highness granted me trade rights. Thanks to that, my merchant guild can now export our main goods abroad. Trends differ, but other nations still have noble circles and people who appreciate fine jewels.”

She showed me her hand. On her middle finger was a ring set with topaz—fashioned in the style popular in the Kingdom of Arkan.

“That’s from the guild’s side. But I also had a personal reward.”

“What was it?”

“Revenge.”

I fell silent.

“Charlotte, the Countess—it didn’t matter. They both spoke of me as they pleased. I can understand the shock of seeing my situation suddenly change, being the same age as their daughters. But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed being called a woman who got lucky by marrying well.”

“……”

“So, in return, I tightened their throats a little. If I’m a woman whose life turned easy by marrying well, then they are parents whose lives were ruined by having the wrong daughter, aren’t they?”

It wasn’t even that much. Armians wanted House Rohiltern to appear intact on the surface, no matter what.

So—she had only blocked them from selling land or buildings freely, stopped the Count from starting foolish ventures, and paid off the compensation for the forged-painting scandal to prevent their honor from dropping too far.

All of it taken from the Count couple’s yearly household budget.

And to make sure they didn’t try to use local taxes to cover the shortfall, that was cut off too. Thanks to it, the Rohiltern lands were quite stable.

“It wasn’t anything grand… but still, revenge felt good.”

“……”

“And I realized—what I truly wanted revenge against was not them, but my past self. The foolish me who gave Charlotte that necklace and said nothing.”

Madam Hilton smiled faintly.

Her smile lacked its usual social charm, brief but genuine, and it made her look at peace.

“I didn’t want the necklace itself. I only wanted proof—that the me of then and the me of now are different. That I no longer suffer quietly. That’s why I wanted the necklace.”

She lifted her sleeve slightly. Wrapped around her wrist like a bracelet was the moonstone necklace.

“The moment I realized how much I’d changed, the freedom and relief I felt… No one else could ever understand it.”

I thought back to when I left the Rohiltern estate.

The wind in my hair, the mansion shrinking in the distance.

That mix of emptiness and exhilaration had been so refreshing.

She was right. That kind of triumph would never be forgotten.

“You wish to take revenge without relying too much on His Highness’s strength, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then I, who arrived first at the destination, will wish you good fortune.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

I thanked her as I once had before, and she laughed just as she had that day.

“I hope you too will become free.”

And in her laughter, I heard the kindness she tried to hide.

—As I have become.

News that Lady Wellington was hosting a tea party shook the entire capital’s social circle.

After all, she carried the reputation of once being the current Emperor’s tutor in etiquette—something that never lost its weight.

Mothers with daughters were eager to attend, hoping she might act as a chaperone for their girls.

Others, wanting to build ties with such a hidden giant of high society, also scrambled not to miss the chance… and among them was Bella.

“She must be trying to strengthen her position as future Grand Duchess by making connections with someone so influential. That girl really doesn’t know her place.”

Abigail clicked her tongue.

Because so many declared their intent to attend, Lady Wellington decided to move the tea party from her residence to an external location.

It was her first public appearance in over ten years of seclusion. She didn’t cut down the guest list to only the major names, but generously welcomed everyone.

The chosen venue was none other than the Hall of Honor.

It was the same hall used for royal social functions. For Lady Wellington to be granted permission to hold her tea party there was clear proof of her close relationship with the Emperor.

Since the hall belonged to the royal family, she paid no rental fee, but she was responsible for the decorations.

Abigail scowled as she took in the lavishly decorated space.

“A washed-up woman flaunting wealth…”

The balance between splendor and restraint showed just how much thought Wellington had put into this. But the Countess dismissed it.

“As if anyone couldn’t do the same, if they only had enough money.”

She sat down at a random seat. The name card placed there wasn’t hers, but she didn’t care. Two hours still remained before the tea party began, and the hall was nearly empty.

Her reason for arriving early wasn’t to admire the decorations.

It was to find a chance to meet Bella privately, outside the Grand Duke’s protection.

“No matter how I think about it, the only way to raise the money Jacob demanded… is to wring it out of Bella!”

She had told her husband she was working on a desperate plan for House Rohiltern—but that had been a complete lie.

“Even if my husband loses the mines, all he’ll face is humiliation from Marquis Blancia. But me? If that secret comes out, I’m dead.”

Abigail bit her nails—then quickly stopped, realizing how unrefined such a gesture was for a noblewoman.