“As I told you back in the salon, please feel free to call me Veronica.”

“Then I shall do so.”

“May I sit next to you? Because I don’t see any available seats.”

“Sure. Please have a seat.”

“Gladly.”

The countess, who glanced at Rowena, laughed awkwardly and offered her the seat next to her on the left, which was vacant. Veronica, sitting proudly in her seat surrounded by the noisy atmosphere, spotted Rowena.

“Oh, Miss Philone! you are here too?”

“Lady Taldon.”

Unlike her, her opponent was the young lady of a high ranking aristocrat, so she had to treat her as such. Rowena, who pretended to get up quietly from her seat, bowed and greeted her. Everyone was watching them closely, although they had an awkward look on their faces, considering what had happened the last time the two ladies had met.

In the midst of the tension, Veronica was surprisingly the first to offer a hand of reconciliation.

“I was short on sight the other day. We just bumped into each other by accident, but I overreacted.”

Veronica swiftly changed the topic and looked at Rowena with tears in her eyes.

“I only realized my mistake after I heard from Countess Rachel. Will you forgive me? Please? Miss Philone?”

Her muffled voice was filled with sadness. Making the expressions of the noble ladies soften at the sincere apology of the young girl, which was different than what they had expected to happen.

“How could she be so honest and pure?”

“I know right! It’s not like the rumors.”

“And, that leech of a baroness is not with her today.”

“I’m sure that the baroness was one-sidedly attached. She’s the kind of woman who rushes to the one who she can benefit from, isn’t she? What does the young lady know?”

The atmosphere that had been leaning toward Rowena gradually turned toward Veronica. No one seemed to know that the girl in front of them was the candidate to be the next duchess nominated by the queen herself. Rowena, who had been pondering for a while on what she would say next as she was unsure of how her opponent was feeling, turned to face her and smiled.

“Forgiveness! Lady Taldon. There is no need for that, It was my mistake that I bumped into you there.”

“Aww, you’re just like I heard, Miss Philone, you’re not only beautiful, but you’re also a very kind person.”

Veronica’s eyes lit up with exaggerated admiration.

“I’m glad you two have reconciled.”

The countess, who was sitting in the middle and listening with delight to their conversation, changed the subject. Rowena listened to her words, laughed like everyone else, while she hid her annoyance and discomfort.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ❥ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

“You did a great job earlier.”

Fortunately the inconvenient seating did not last long. The Countess got up with Rowena under the guise of taking a walk for a while . And as soon as they were alone, she immediately asked.

“If you had dismissed her right then and there, I am sure she would have tried to make you suffer even more in the future. I do not know why she suddenly decided to be more friendly, but you must never let your guard down.”

“I understand where you are coming from, Don’t worry.” Rowena said. 

The countess stopped at her nonchalant reply and looked at Rowena with a fixed gaze. Rowena, who had spent three years within the social scene, and the daughter of a noble family, who had just become a lady, both had a different level of experience in the social circles. 

Her worries were perhaps futile, as she was now much more confident than her former glamorous and meek form. However, Rachel was curious about the real intention of the young lady’s sudden change in demeanor. There must have been something there that made her show a more vulnerable attitude, but she couldn’t tell.

Regardless, time will certainly tell..

Rachel then turned to ask Rowena.