“…….”

Ansi looked down at the beige day dress she was wearing and swallowed hard.

“So I ordered those poor souls to be given bread.”

“Oh my, how generous of you, Lady Marianne!”

“The place you made for them must have seemed like heaven!”

“Ansi, you’ve come!”

The nobles who had been responding to Marianne’s words turned around. They saw Ansi and murmured quietly.

“It seems someone has come to the wrong place.”

“Is this perhaps a theater stage? The protagonist is supposed to stand out, after all.”

Those seated burst into laughter. Subtle remarks mocking her attire followed.

It was understandable. Everyone except Ansi was wearing black clothing.

Since Viscount Gelsha, who had been part of yesterday’s gathering, had died, today’s tea party was held after attending the funeral. So even if one hadn’t attended the funeral, it was proper to wear black out of respect.

However, Ansi was wearing a bright beige outfit. As if she had decided to stand out among the black attire.

“My, didn’t I say it was a gathering after a funeral? Did you not have any black clothes?”

Marianne asked, lowering her eyebrows. At her voice, which seemed regretful, Ansi’s cheeks somehow flushed.

Marianne looked down haughtily at her daughter-in-law, whose eyes were trembling with embarrassment.

She had no intention of defending or protecting Ansi. That had been decided from the moment Damion said he would take a woman from the Rubella family as his wife.

No matter how much she might become a person of Orphe, the blood of Rubella wouldn’t disappear.

Besides, who knew what this child had been up to for a year? Damion was said to have been at his own mansion, but well, could one believe the words of such a cunning child?

She had no desire to be ridiculed along with this child by needlessly shielding her. The best way to avoid that was to lead the mockery first.

“There’s no way she doesn’t have black clothes, madam.”

“That’s right. She must have been wearing them even when all her other clothes were confiscated.”

“Perhaps that dress was originally black but faded.”

Some nobles snickered. They were mocking the fact that when her family’s assets were confiscated was when Ansi’s father and brother’s funerals were held.

Ansi gripped her skirt tightly.

Humiliation crept up from her toes through Ansi’s body. She wanted to strike back at all the ridicule pouring down.

But she knew she shouldn’t do that now. Even if she said that Marianne’s invitation didn’t mention such a thing, no one would believe her anyway.

No, they wouldn’t even feel the need to believe.

Moreover, Ansi had no intention of making Marianne her enemy right now. What Ansi wanted was to bring Orphe down in an instant, and Marianne had the obligation to take Ansi to the edge of the cliff for that fall.

“I’m sorry. Please forgive my carelessness, Mother. I failed to check the invitation properly.”

Ansi clasped her hands and bowed her head. She couldn’t quite hide the slight trembling in her voice.

“It can’t be helped, Ansi. I’m afraid it won’t do for today.”

Marianne spoke.

The fact that she apologized immediately instead of making excuses showed she wasn’t a foolish child. Then she must have realized her place even more quickly.

It was right to send her away before that clever but pitiful child burst into tears and ruined the mood of the gathering.

“Another day……”

“I’m also sorry to the others who must have been disturbed by my inappropriate attire.”

But Ansi bowed her head to the nobles as well.

“Ah… Is that so.”

The nobles looked at Marianne. They hadn’t thought about how to react when faced with such an outright apology.

Meanwhile, Ansi showed a truly unexpected response.

“Mother, could you perhaps lend me a change of clothes? I couldn’t possibly go back from the first tea party you’ve invited me to.”

Marianne pulled her lips into a long smile.

She thought Ansi would stutter in embarrassment and go home, but she’s even asking to borrow clothes? Her actions were bold, but her choice of words was irritatingly polite.

“Very well.”

Marianne smiled kindly.

Perhaps she could use this child as a pawn to manipulate Damion.

Ansi, who had changed into the black dress left by Marianne’s maid, lifted the curtain slightly to look outside. The people in the garden were laughing and chatting happily.

A cold gaze was directed at them.

It seemed Marianne had intended this from the beginning when she called her.

In fact, it wasn’t a very understandable action. No matter how vexing it was that she had taken away her beloved second son… mocking Ansi like this could lead to Damion being mocked along with her.

‘Does she dislike me so much that she doesn’t care about such things?’

It didn’t matter.

Ansi felt the same way.

She hated them so much she wanted to burn down this house right now, so much she could chew and swallow Orphe alive and it wouldn’t be enough. She even hated herself for taking on the name of Orphe.

Ansi composed her expression. She erased the disgust from her face that had settled in so coldly. Only after confirming a natural smile in the mirror did she leave the room.

“It suits you well.”

Ansi looked to the side.

Kardian, who had been sitting leaning against the window in the corridor, stood up as if he had been waiting.

“Don’t feel too hurt by Mother. It’s a characteristic of Orphe people. Even though she speaks like that, she’s caring in her heart.”

“…Mother even lent me clothes. She’s a kind and grateful person.”

As Ansi answered, pulling up the corners of her mouth like a fool, Kardian burst into a sneer.

“No matter how much you want to be part of that gathering, don’t overdo it, Ansi. That’s unnatural.”

“Overdo what? You seem to have misunderstood something.”

“Ah, is Mion weak to such flattery? That’s good information.”

“I don’t understand why you’re saying such things, Young Master.”

“I want to help Ansi. It’s praiseworthy that you stayed here instead of just going home. But simply complying and bowing your head is no fun.”

Fun? It wasn’t clear whose fun he was talking about. Whether it was the fun of Marianne who led that gathering, or the fun of Kardian watching.

Kardian took a step closer to her. He bent down to look directly into Ansi’s eyes. And he whispered as if telling a secret.

“Just be honest. Say that Mother actually didn’t inform you about Viscount Gelsha’s death notice in the invitation.”

Ansi didn’t answer to those words.

Instead, she lightly tapped her temples and around her ears with both hands.

“…What are you doing?”

Kardian narrowed his brows. Ansi stared at Kardian with an innocent face.

“Ah, I thought I heard the sound of a flying insect somewhere.”

“Are you saying a flying insect has entered this mansion?”

Ansi tapped her ears again. While still staring at Kardian. Realizing the meaning of this action, Kardian raised one eyebrow with a subtle expression.

Then Ansi lowered her hands and narrowed her eyes.

“I tried speaking in the Orphe way too, but was this a bit more fun?”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve become an Orphe person too, haven’t I? Everyone seems to enjoy speaking indirectly like this while saying things they should and shouldn’t say. I tried imitating that way of speaking, so how was it?”

“Hmm.”

Laughter settled in Kardian’s eyes.

“I need to know what you were saying indirectly to judge, Ansi.”

“I tried expressing that after just watching from behind, your comfort and advice now only sounds like buzzing in my ears.”

Kardian nodded quietly. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised.

“Excellent.”

He took a step back. Then he started chuckling as if something was so funny, and soon burst into loud laughter.

“You’re interesting, Ansi. But don’t use it on Mother. She doesn’t like mockery directed at herself.”

“Thank you.”

“This is a gift.”

Kardian held out something he had been holding. It was a hairpin that would go well with the black dress.

“Orphe people shine even when wearing such black clothes.”

Kardian took it and pinned it in Ansi’s hair himself. Then he grabbed her shoulders, turned her body, and pointed somewhere. It was a mirror hanging on the corridor wall.

“This suits you well too.”

“…Thank you, Lord Kardian.”

“Once again, welcome to being a member of Orphe, Ansi.”

Kardian separated from Ansi and turned to walk away. Ansi, who had been biting the inside of her cheek hard, leaned against the wall only after he disappeared from the corridor.

Her legs were shaking.

But she turned her head again to look in the mirror. As she had done earlier, she composed her expression again and headed towards the garden.

It was something she wasn’t used to, but she had to get used to it.

Until the end of her life, she would have to keep hiding her true feelings.