Chapter 54
Catherine quickly picked up her pace. Iset was sly like a fox. Who knew what she might pull with Sawyer while Catherine was away?
She bit her lip and re-entered the banquet hall, which buzzed with the chatter of invited guests.
“Huh?”
No matter where she looked, there was no sign of Diana.
Alicia and Calypso were missing too, suggesting they had moved elsewhere. Catherine suppressed her rising irritation with a small sigh.
“Where on earth did she go?”
She searched thoroughly, but not even a glint of golden hair like Diana’s could be seen. The hall may have been wide, but this confirmed Diana wasn’t here.
Eventually, with a sour feeling, Catherine turned back toward the terrace.
“Oh my, Catherine.”
At the familiar voice, Catherine looked up upon arriving. Her lips parted slightly in disbelief.
There was Diana, laughing and chatting with the noblewomen—not in the banquet hall, but on the terrace.
Calypso was nowhere in sight, and Alicia stood behind Diana, not partaking in the conversation, just nibbling pastries out of boredom.
How pathetic.
Catherine glanced briefly at her miserable-looking mother, then turned her gaze back to Diana.
“I must’ve missed you. I was looking everywhere.”
Diana smiled innocently as if nothing had happened. Catherine clenched her fists behind her dress, but kept a fake smile plastered on her face.
“Why were you looking for me?”
“There was something I needed to tell you.”
“Something you needed to tell me?”
Of course, there was no such thing. Diana merely wanted to separate Catherine from Sawyer and Iset.
With a face that didn’t look the least bit apologetic, Diana offered a token apology.
“Sorry, it slipped my mind. I must be getting old.”
“Old? Your Highness, you look even younger than me!”
“Oh my, that can’t be.”
Just like that, Diana returned to chatting with the noblewomen, as if Catherine didn’t exist.
Catherine turned from her and looked again at her mother. Her pitiful stance, silent and shrinking, was deeply frustrating.
“Your mother is standing alone, I see?”
The sarcasm in her tone was hard to miss. One of Diana’s brows twitched. Even though Catherine was ashamed of her mother, she still tried to defend her.
“Oh no, Catherine. This is Alicia’s first time at the Ducal estate. She was just busy sampling our famous desserts.”
Diana emphasized the word “first” deliberately. Then she called out to Alicia, who was standing awkwardly in the back.
“Alicia, if you’re done eating, come here.”
“Y-Yes, Your Highness.”
Alicia’s expression immediately brightened, and she hurried to stand beside Diana—completely unaware that the ‘first time’ comment had been an intentional slight.
Catherine shook her head in disbelief and stormed off in search of Sawyer again.
Soon after, a noblewoman with orange hair and freckles fanned herself and spoke:
“So this is your first time visiting the Ducal estate?”
She looked Alicia up and down, clearly judging her clothing choices without needing to say anything.
“And which house do you belong to?”
She clearly didn’t recognize Alicia. Another woman standing beside her nudged her and whispered:
“She’s Lady Blair—the physician with the Duke’s family.”
“Oh…”
Curiosity in the woman’s eyes quickly turned to contempt.
So Diana’s famous ‘saintly friend’ wasn’t someone from a great house after all. Her disappointment was clear.
Alicia lowered her head and glanced at Diana. If she looked sad and pitiful enough, Diana always stepped in to defend her.
Once that happened, that contempt would turn to admiration—because Alicia was Diana’s most cherished friend.
Trembling her lips, Alicia bore the insult. Soon, Diana would save her. As always.
“Did you not receive an invitation, Lady?”
The noblewoman went one step further and asked something quite rude.
Diana let out a soft chuckle.
Yes, this was Alicia’s position—so low that she had no choice but to bow her head even when insulted.
In a tiny voice, Alicia replied:
“I-I came with the Duchess…”
She glanced at Diana, silently pleading for help. But oddly, Diana said nothing.
“…Her Highness… invited me…”
She trailed off, struggling to continue.
Diana, who had stood silently until Alicia’s face flushed crimson, finally spoke.
“Alicia begged to come, so I had no choice.”
“Oh, is that so?”
The noblewoman who had been interrogating Alicia now looked awkward. Alicia lifted her chin and glared at her triumphantly.
Now Diana would start praising her. That always happened.
In the past, Diana had shielded Alicia from hatred and ridicule, lavishing her with praise.
Diana had always been Alicia’s shield.
“Even when you leave a family dog behind, you feel bad. Imagine doing that to a person.”
What?
Something about Diana’s tone was… off. Some of the women let out soft chuckles.
Dizziness hit Alicia like a wave. What was this feeling of wrongness?
She looked blankly at Diana in shock. Yet Diana’s face held no malice—just a pure, angelic smile.
No, it must be my imagination. That kind woman could never…
Alicia forced herself to laugh weakly along with the others.
Her reaction made her seem all the more foolish. Diana couldn’t help but smile.
Alicia could only continue to be deceived—because she didn’t want to believe Diana had changed.
Even if Alicia realized the truth, she would choose to ignore it.
Because if Diana no longer cared for her, she’d lose her only card.
Diana was Alicia’s only salvation. Her only asset.
And so, even if it meant turning a blind eye, Alicia couldn’t afford to lose her.
“Yes, it’s hard to leave behind a cute little puppy.”
The noblewomen laughed behind their fans, while Alicia stood there, smiling in humiliation. It was quite the entertainment.
“Madam.”
Calypso suddenly appeared and placed a hand on Diana’s shoulder.
Alicia looked at him as if he were her knight in shining armor.
He seemed to sense the atmosphere. The snickering had surely reached him too. But he had no reason to defend Alicia—not that he ever intended to.
“Did you have a good talk with the Duke?”
“Yes.”
Now that Alicia had been sufficiently humiliated, it was Calypso’s turn.
Diana thought his touch was revolting, but she smiled sweetly and said:
“We were talking about Alicia.”
“…Alicia?”
He flinched slightly, unable to hide his surprise.
“Everyone seemed surprised that Alicia came without an invitation. I was explaining.”
“…I see.”
“Our Duke is very fond of Alicia.”
She turned to the noblewomen.
“Oh my, really?”
They leaned in with curious eyes.
“They make quite the pair, don’t they?”
Diana pulled Alicia to Calypso’s side. Alicia stood awkwardly next to him.
“I guess since she’s my best friend, she gets along so well with my husband.”
Calypso’s face contorted ever so slightly. Being associated with a mere baron’s daughter in front of these women was insulting.
“Sometimes I get jealous, you know? They seem so close—I’m scared they’ll have an affair!”
Diana laughed brightly.
Her words, though wrapped in a smile, pierced like thorns. Calypso began to sweat.
“What a thing to say…”
He tried to speak, but one of the noblewomen interrupted:
“My goodness, in the Empire, adultery is a serious crime.”
“It’s a joke! Of course my husband and my friend would never.”
Alicia’s expression crumbled. This wasn’t good. If things escalated like this, even if Diana were dealt with later, marrying Calypso would be difficult.
She didn’t want a scandal. She wanted a blessed wedding.
Her hands trembled. She wanted to run.
And Calypso felt the same.
But Diana didn’t stop there.
“If someone committed such a sin…”
She turned to look at Alicia and Calypso standing side by side.
“Wouldn’t that be worse than a beast? Worse than trash?”
Her words stabbed into their hearts like blades.
“Such a person…”
Calypso swallowed hard, his mouth going dry.
“…deserves to die.”
A chilling coldness seeped from Diana’s lips. A shiver ran down their spines.
Calypso’s eyes briefly showed fear.
Did she… know?
The pressure weighed on his chest.
But Diana, still smiling like an innocent angel, merely stood there, her eyes twinkling.
As if saying: “I bear no ill will. I know nothing at all.”
