Victoria watched the departing figure, and the lady spoke.

“Youngest Princess could have taken a walk with us.”

Rachel smiled awkwardly.

“We had planned to spend time among ourselves today. The child would only be a nuisance.”

“But isn’t our house’s Youngest Princess much more mature than her peers? Praise for the Youngest Princess is plentiful.”

Rachel’s ears did not register the lady’s praise.

‘Why was Victoria here?’

She had firmly told her to stay in her room today. It could have been Helena, but Victoria was a clever child and wouldn’t disobey Rachel’s command.

‘What happened?’

Rachel watched Victoria’s retreating figure for a moment. If something had happened, she would have turned her head and subtly signaled with her eyes, but seeing her just walk away, it seemed that nothing was wrong.

‘Yes, no matter how mature she is, she’s still a child. She must have been curious about what was going on.’

There was no room to worry about Victoria with such important matters ahead.

The ladies invited to this tea party numbered ten, and among them was the Countess of Ketterion from the Empire.

She was invited so that she could witness today’s events and spread rumors amongst the Imperial ladies, as she had not yet returned to the Empire.

The Countess of Ketterion had no good feelings towards Rachel due to the incident at the garden party, but she didn’t want to outright snub Rachel, so she accepted the invitation.

Rachel knew that the Countess was wearing a sullen expression throughout her visit to the Bronthe mansion.

‘That feeling will change soon.’

Her heart was a complex mixture of feelings as the white clothdraped pergola came into view.

Ariana’s life would be completely overturned by the events to unfold.

Riga, the famous loafer among the city’s women, secretly meeting Ariana to drink potions and roll around.

If an unmarried woman is caught alone with a strange man, her reputation would plummet, even more so if Ariana had lured the man into the mansion’s forest.

The incident at the garden party would be forgotten, and only the accounts of what happened inside the pergola would remain.

Ariana, flaunting her status as the daughter of the Empress. Ariana, ignoring even her mother Rachel. Ariana, bullying her sisters. Ariana, pretending to be abused at the garden party to inconvenience her family. Ariana, bringing the street loafer into the mansion in her infatuation.

An indelible stain would be marked on Ariana.

As the pergola drew near, Rachel spoke.

“Shall we rest for a moment? Although it’s chilly, the view of the winter pond from here is exquisite.”

Inside the pergola was silent. There were no shadows on the thin, white cloth, but Rachel didn’t think it strange.

By now, there had been enough time for the act to finish, and for the two to embrace each other in sleep.

Rachel took a covert deep breath and pulled back the cloth.

“Mother, what is this…!”

Intending to scream without even checking the situation, Rachel belatedly realized that the sofa was empty.

At the same time, the lady standing beside her screamed.

“Kyaaaaaaaaak!”

A loud scream, enough to disturb the quiet winter forest.

The other ladies, having glimpsed inside the pergola over the shoulder of the screaming lady, also screamed, and two of them went pale, trembling before fainting.

Only then did Rachel discover ‘it.’

A man lying down, his neck twisted into a strange shape.

Rachel stared at it, dumbfounded.

‘What is this?’

Her mind went blank at the unexpected sight.

‘What is this? Why… Why is this man like this? Why is he lying there, so grotesque?’

The thought that it was a corpse did not even cross her mind.

There was no reason for the man she had brought to be found dead.

Rachel’s ears, blinking her eyes, picked up the voice of the Countess of Ketterion.

“How pitiful.”

Rachel snapped to her senses as if doused in cold water.

She had failed.
라운더가 저렇게 된 이유는 알 수 없지만, Rachel’s intended incident did not occur.

In the sternly guarded forest of Duke Jacob Bronthe’s mansion, a man died, and the noble ladies witnessed it.

Then, they must somehow take advantage of this situation.

Rachel muttered as if in great shock.

“Oh, Ariana… why… why…?”

Then, as if she had misspoken, she covered her mouth with one hand.

The Countess Ketireon, who was beside her, heard it.

“Ariana… do you mean the second princess? Why is the second princess’s name mentioned here? Is there a connection between that man and the second princess?”

“No, there’s no way. There’s no way, Countess. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“But didn’t you clearly call the second princess’s name just now?”

“No, I didn’t. You must have misheard.”

Rachel faithfully acted like a mother trying to shield her daughter.

Countess Ketireon did not inquire further but looked at Rachel’s face with suspicious eyes. That was enough.

‘Suspicion has sprouted. These talkative ladies will now speculate and spread rumors on their own. I don’t know why that man is dead, but I can certainly use this situation.’