A woman brushed off the knight’s arm and confidently stepped forward.
“My name is Hyacinth Simon. I heard the rumors of the Duke of Solzberry, so I came all the way here.”
‘…Simon?’
The name sounded familiar. Was it mentioned in the original work? Or, was it a name from the noble lineage that Gloria memorized discreetly after possessing her?
‘Hmm.’
Without giving an answer, I observed the woman silently. Upon closer inspection, she was dressed in fine silk, her hands were delicate, and her hair seemed well-maintained.
Since she didn’t seem to be involved in farming or labor… she might be the daughter of a bourgeois or a noble young lady.
‘Judging by her arrogant attitude, she seems like a noble.’
After a moment of contemplation, I spoke.
“Sorry, but which family does Simon belong to? I’ve never heard of it.”
The woman, with a very bewildered expression at my words, quickly turned angry as if offended.
“Absurd. How can you not know the Viscount Simon’s family? It’s one of the most prominent families in the Elowin Kingdom…!”
The woman seemed extremely upset, thinking that I deliberately ignored her family. The other women standing on both sides of her were also looking at me with a hint of awkwardness.
Whether I say anything or not, I calmly replied.
“I might not know. I’m from the Ainsten Kingdom.”
“…….”
After a moment of absent-mindedness, the woman returned with an angry face. Then, in a tone that conveyed utter incomprehension, she questioned.
“You are currently the Duchess of Solzberry, so isn’t it common sense to know which families are in the Elowin Kingdom…? Are you even disregarding the Elowin Kingdom to that extent?”
The nobles in the Elowin Kingdom seemed to enjoy using straightforward language in social circles, and it appeared to be true. If it were the Ainsten Kingdom, I would have gracefully dodged the question instead of bluntly rejecting it.
I didn’t have a clear idea why this woman came to the villa, but her honesty wasn’t bad. She didn’t seem to have any ill intentions… Nevertheless, I would say what needs to be said.
“Did you say your name is Hyacinth Simon? Simon, are you the one ignoring me?”
“What? What in the world…!”
Hyacinth Simon, who was about to retort emotionally, momentarily stopped at my counterargument. Yet, it seemed like she realized her mistake almost instantly, although her reaction suggested she wasn’t particularly smart.
“I heard that the Elowin Kingdom has a free atmosphere, not emphasizing social status too much. They value individuals regardless of their background. I also think highly of such an atmosphere. However, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to be rude anytime, right?”
I clenched my fist and raised my chin. Stepping forward with that posture, Hyacinth Simon visibly flinched.
“Even though I’m not a monarch, being a royal from another country, shouldn’t I maintain proper etiquette befitting that position, Miss Simon?”
… It wasn’t intentional, but the speech style of the Ainsten Kingdom was coming out. Is this also a habit engraved in Gloria’s body?
Hyacinth Simon seemed to immediately understand the meaning of my words, which implied, ‘It was rude of you to lecture me on common sense,’ but she bit her lips and remained silent.
I sighed as if exhausted and asked, “I’m curious, Miss Simon. Why did you come to this villa? Perhaps… it’s not for the reason I thought.”
It might be because of that reason. If she has a minimum sense of conscience, she would pretend not to be in front of me, the spouse of Grayan. She would at least act as if she wasn’t aware for the sake of her dignity… But surprisingly, Hyacinth Simon admitted it quite willingly.
“That’s the reason. Yes, I came here to become the partner marked by Duke Solzberry.”
…Could it be that she lacks brain cells?
The knights made an audible sound of disbelief. The awkward expressions they had moments ago were now more like staring at Hyacinth Simon as if she were insane.
I shared similar sentiments.
“…Miss Simon, are you in your right mind?”
“Of course, I’m in perfectly good condition. Duchess of Solzberry, you… are a foreigner. Moreover, I heard you have a disgust for merfolk. Marrying Duke Solzberry must have been a scheme. You’re probably going to divorce him soon, aren’t you? So, if the Duke marks someone, it should be someone who genuinely cherishes and loves that person.”
In summary: You’re a merfolk hater! I genuinely like Duke Solzberry, so I should be the one marked as a partner!
…To openly express such thoughts, it was so absurd that a dry laughter involuntarily escaped. Suppressing my laughter, I asked.
“Are all Elowin nobles like Miss Simon?”
“Well, at least they’re not as insidious as the Ainsten nobles.”
“Miss Simon seems to dislike the Ainsten Kingdom a lot.”
“Who wouldn’t hate the Ainsten Kingdom in this country, especially if they are known to despise merfolk?”
As we continued talking, I could gather a few facts.
Firstly, Hyacinth Simon seems to intensely dislike the Ainsten Kingdom, even to the point of trembling if it’s mentioned.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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