TCBCVF 40

~Chapter 40~

“N-no…!”

“That’s not what we meant…”

The ladies all deflated under pressure.

“First of all,” the princess said, narrowing her eyes, “let’s define what a real friendship is.”

“You girls seem to think treating someone like a maid qualifies as friendship?”

“……”

“……”

The ladies flinched and stiffened.

Well, of course they did.

They were all Seraphina’s followers.

And followers tend to mimic the behavior of the one they follow.

‘Besides… it must’ve been convenient.’

Easier to follow Seraphina’s lead and treat me like a servant.

But now, here I was, shedding that role thanks to the princess.

‘No wonder they’re unhappy about it.’

I glanced at Seraphina.

Her face was frozen, as if made of ice.

“Did you say Lady Ansi deceived me?” the princess asked, voice cool and sharp.

“Well, too bad for you. I’d rather associate with a cunning Lady Ansi than with idiots who can’t even tell friendship from subservience.”

“P-Princess, we—”

“At least when I’m with Lady Ansi, I have fun. As for the rest of you…”

The princess looked them up and down and sneered.

A cold, cutting smile.

“Not so much.”

Their faces flushed with shame.

But the princess wasn’t done.

“You’d also better be careful moving forward.”

It was a clear warning.

“The name of House Claudius is not something so light that just anyone can talk about my friendships however they please.”

“……”

“……”

At the mention of House Claudius, the ladies turned pale.

“Hmph,”

The princess gave a scoff and dropped a bomb.

“The party hosted by the House of Count Gusto—is it on July 5th?”

At that, Seraphina’s eyes filled with visible alarm.

Smirking, the princess made her declaration:

“On that same day, House Ansi will be hosting a party of its own.”

She lifted her chin proudly.

“And I’ll be attending.”

A loud murmur rippled among the nobles who had been quietly eavesdropping.

“What?!”

“The Claudius princess?!”

And Seraphina—

The color drained from her face.

‘Wow…’

I was amazed.

Whether the princess knew what she was doing or not—

That one line struck Seraphina with a huge blow.

The Gusto family’s summer party was the social event in the southern region.

And Seraphina, as the most closely associated lady with the Count’s second son, always shined at that party.

Her appearance there reinforced her status in southern high society.

But now?

‘Even if she has the Gusto family behind her—’

I shrugged.

‘—she can’t compete with the only daughter of House Claudius.’

That one statement from the princess had just thrown Seraphina’s biggest spotlight moment into crisis.

Honestly, the strategic timing of it all…

‘I might seriously be falling for the princess.’

“Which party you attend is entirely up to you…” the princess added sweetly, before twisting the knife.

“But if I don’t see your faces at the Ansi party…”

She flashed a wicked smile.

“I’ll be so terribly disappointed.”

The ladies turned to each other in shock.

‘W-what do we do?!’

‘How did this happen?!’

Their eyes darted in every direction, desperate.

But the princess turned to me with a firm tug.

“Let’s go. I don’t want to be here another second.”

Grabbing my wrist, she cast the ladies one last contemptuous glance.

“If I keep hanging around idiots like that, I’ll lose brain cells.”

And with that—

The princess stormed out with me in tow.

‘Oh, wow.’

‘I need to start a fan club right now.’

The name will be:

<E.J.S.> — Evangeline, Just So In Love.

And I’ll be the founder, president, and fan #1.

Meanwhile…

‘How… How could this happen?’

Seraphina could hardly believe what she’d just witnessed.

The Claudius princess had just grabbed Laritte by the wrist and left the café.

Their interaction was so familiar.

As if they really were close friends…

‘Unbelievable.’

Seraphina clenched her teeth in frustration.

Princess Evangeline of House Claudius.

From the moment Seraphina first saw her, she had hated her.

With her perfectly sculpted features, golden-blonde hair, and brilliant blue eyes…

With her elegance, her status, and her wealth.

She had it all.

At first, Seraphina had hoped to use the princess for her own gain.

But—

“Why should I take tea with Lady Lopez?”

That cold, cutting voice.

The Claudius princess had been the first wall Seraphina had ever hit in her otherwise effortless life.

The only one who didn’t respond to her with favor.

And it terrified her—like a wall she would never be able to climb.

But now—

‘Why Laritte?’

Laritte had managed to win over the icy princess in no time.

And not only that—

Laritte herself had changed dramatically.

The old Laritte would have begged for forgiveness by now.

‘Why is everything slipping out of my control?!’

Seething, Seraphina gripped her fan so tightly that her knuckles went white.

“Seriously, what’s with Lady Ansi? Who does she think she is?!”

One of the other ladies, sensing Seraphina’s fury, raised her voice in protest.

“Exactly! Lady Lopez has been nothing but kind to her!”

“This is betrayal!”

But the tone… was oddly deflated.

It lacked conviction.

Then—

One of the ladies hesitantly spoke up.

“Still… I didn’t think the princess would openly take her side like that.”

Seraphina’s heart dropped.

They’d noticed.

They all noticed just how close the princess and Laritte had become.

After that, more comments followed.

“Honestly, we weren’t trying to pick a fight with the princess…”

“But it really does seem like she’s fond of Lady Ansi.”

“I was surprised too. Attending the Ansi party, of all things…”

The first lady looked around nervously.

“If we’ve already upset the princess, wouldn’t not going to the party make things even worse?”

Seraphina looked around, horrified.

‘What are you all saying?!’

But it was too late.

Once opened, the floodgates of gossip wouldn’t close.

“I mean… isn’t Lady Ansi the heir to House Ansi?”

Another chimed in.

“Right. She’s the next head of a noble house. Maybe we’ve been too rude to her all this time.”

“There was no need to be so harsh, honestly.”

Their attitudes flipped faster than a coin toss.

The ladies exchanged uneasy glances.

As if silently wondering—

‘Wait… were we wrong?’

Meanwhile, Seraphina’s mouth went dry.

‘No. I can’t let this happen.’

The momentum was shifting, and she couldn’t afford to lose control.

“Oh dear, Lady Palen.”

She stepped in with a graceful smile, ready to interrupt and redirect.