To You, So Noble and Vulgar (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Several long tables were set up in the spacious greenhouse. Nobles invited to the party sat at their assigned seats, enjoying an elegant formal banquet.
Dishes made from rare ingredients sourced from Seoryeong delighted their palates, and the music played by the orchestra was beautiful.
At the table where Duke and Duchess Bronte sat, high-ranking nobles from the capital joined them.
Among them was Duchess Juliana Loventa, and Rachel was most concerned about Juliana—after all, Juliana was not only the emperor’s female cousin but also the most influential figure in the capital’s social circles.
When the formal meal ended and the women gathered among themselves while the men did likewise for tea time, Juliana spoke up.
“By the way, I don’t see your household’s second young lady anywhere.”
“Oh, she’s unwell…”
“She’ll be here shortly, Duchess.”
Helena interrupted Rachel.
Rachel turned to Helena in surprise, but Helena ignored Rachel’s gaze.
“Helena, what do you mean? Ariana said she wasn’t feeling well today and couldn’t attend the party.”
“Me?”
At that moment, a clear voice echoed from the direction of the greenhouse door.
Everyone’s eyes turned that way.
The nobles attending the party witnessed a strange sight they had never seen before.
A girl with shimmering pale sky-blue hair, skin as fair and smooth as pearl, a delicate face, features so beautiful they seemed crafted by the gods themselves, and a posture that was upright, dignified, and graceful.
The girl, whose beauty was hard to look away from, wore an old, thin dress so shabby that even a noble household’s maid wouldn’t wear it.
Yet the extraordinary grace emanating from her made her seem as splendid as if she were dressed in royal attire.
“Ari… Ariana.”
Rachel nearly shrieked but barely managed to suppress her voice.
Ariana gave Rachel a fresh smile like a spring breeze.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Mother. No one told me the party time.”
Rachel glared, but Ariana neither bowed her head nor fled from the spot.
Victoria was just as flustered.
She had clearly instructed the maids to send Ariana a dress and accessories—so why had she shown up looking like this?
Seeing Ariana remain unflustered despite appearing utterly pitiful compared to the other nobles present sent chills down Victoria’s spine.
‘No.’
Something was wrong.
‘I have to send her away.’
She had expected Ariana to appear in a childish dress unsuitable for her age.
She had anticipated the noble ladies and young misses mocking Ariana for her tightly braided pigtails.
Then Ariana would be flustered, cling desperately to Victoria, and try hard not to leave her side—thus showcasing how much more mature and elegant Victoria was by comparison.
But instead, Ariana not only remained composed under everyone’s stares but even wore a faint smile. Her straight back and slightly raised chin exuded confidence and dignity.
Just then, Helena abruptly stood up without a hint of tact and walked toward Ariana.
“Ariana, you’re finally here?”
“Miss Helena.”
Everyone gasped and held their breath at the sight of Ariana addressing her own elder sister with such deferential honorifics, as if she were a maid.
But Helena, who had always been addressed that way, didn’t realize anything was amiss and gently linked arms with Ariana.
“Come here. We were just about to have tea.”
Rachel glared fiercely at Helena and Ariana, but Helena didn’t notice, and Ariana pretended not to see.
Helena seated Ariana beside her and turned to the noble ladies.
“This is my younger sister, Ariana. Isn’t she pretty?”
Helena’s question was meant mockingly—after all, she thought someone dressed like a maid couldn’t possibly have a single attractive feature.
Yet the noble ladies present all thought that despite her appearance, Ariana looked far more noble than Helena ever could.
Noticing the shift in atmosphere, Rachel suppressed her anger and asked sweetly,
“Ariana, didn’t you say you were feeling very unwell today? You even sent away all the maids I’d sent to help you dress—so why did you insist on wearing that outfit? Where did that dress even come from?”
The Ariana Rachel knew would have stammered and fidgeted helplessly at such a question, lowering her head and hunching her shoulders.
But Ariana defied Rachel’s expectations.
“I’m hungry because I haven’t eaten properly, but I’m not unwell, Mother. Thank you for your concern. And this is the only dress I have. Though I hesitated because it’s inappropriate for such an occasion, Miss Helena’s maids scolded me, insisting I absolutely must attend the party, so I had no choice.”
As she spoke, Ariana gently raised her hand and swept her hair back.
When Ariana lifted her arm, her already short sleeves slid further up, revealing her forearms.
So thin that her bones showed from malnourishment, and bruised all over from constant pinching and beatings.
The people seated at this table happened to be the most prominent noble ladies in the capital. From Ariana’s words and the forearms hidden beneath her sleeves, they could easily guess how she was treated in this household.
Rachel felt the atmosphere turn icy cold from just a few words from Ariana. She knew she had to send Ariana away, but couldn’t think of what to say.
Whatever she said, if Ariana kept responding like this, her later denials to the noble ladies would clearly fall on deaf ears.
“Sister, why do you keep talking like that? Is it fun to embarrass Mother with such lies?”
Victoria, unable to bear it any longer, interjected.
For a brief moment, the noble ladies’ expressions softened at Victoria’s calm, gentle voice—but then Ariana shrank back as if frightened.
“I-I’m sorry, Miss Victoria. I really shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry.”
“Sister!”
This time, even Victoria was flustered enough to raise her voice.
Ariana lowered her head even further.
“I’m truly sorry. Please calm down, Miss.”
Ariana looked so fragile and small as she raised both arms over her head in a defensive posture, as if accustomed to being hit. And once again, her bruised forearms were exposed.
The noble ladies nearby also noticed the bruises on Ariana’s neck.
“Oh dear…”
Someone clicked their tongue.
Young ladies around Helena’s age exchanged disapproving glances and whispered among themselves.
For Victoria, who had always steered situations exactly as she intended, this was an entirely new experience.
Helena enjoyed being called “Miss” by Ariana, but Victoria had never once instructed her to do so.
Yet airing such details here would be utterly inappropriate.
Ariana, having lived like a servant, had no reputation left to lose—but Rachel, Helena, and Victoria were different.
Having much to lose, they stood to lose even more.
“Sister, I’m not angry. It’s just… there’s something on your face…”
Victoria pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Ariana.
Ariana took it with trembling hands.
“Thank you, Miss.”
“Sister, stop calling me ‘Miss’ all the time. Why are you acting like this? You never did before.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
Ariana maintained her polite speech until the very end.
Victoria barely suppressed a scream and sat back down, her small hand tightly clutching her skirt beneath the table.
‘What should I do?’
She never imagined Ariana would act this way, making it hard to think of a countermeasure.
Moreover, Ariana’s body bore too many signs of abuse.
While Victoria blinked helplessly, Rachel forced an awkward smile.
“Our Ariana got a bit hurt yesterday after falling down the stairs… so she’s probably in a bad mood today. She’s not usually like this—it’s just another one of her mischievous pranks.”
The noble ladies didn’t seem convinced by Rachel’s words.
Even nobles at other tables glanced over curiously, and some whispered loudly enough for Rachel to hear.
“She must be treated poorly since she didn’t inherit Duke Bronte’s blood.”
“How pitiful. She’s still just a child—how could they beat her until she’s in such a state…”
“If they were going to treat her like this, they might as well have just given her to Duke Dongje from the start.”
Duke Bronte’s face turned crimson.
For someone who cared deeply about his reputation, rumors spreading that his wife was mistreating her daughter from a previous marriage were anything but pleasant.
But the moment Ariana appeared in shabby maid’s clothing, covered in bruises, any explanation he offered would surely sound like an excuse.
Even dull-witted Helena realized the atmosphere was ominous and chewed her lips anxiously.
“Um…”
When Ariana opened her mouth, Rachel shot her a sharp look.
Ariana hunched her shoulders and spoke.
“I’m just so hungry… may I have a cookie?”
If another young lady behaved this way, she’d deserve mockery—but the gazes directed at Ariana were filled only with sympathy.
Juliana, who had quietly observed the situation until now, finally spoke.
“Have as you wish, Second Princess.”
“Thank you.”
Ariana reached out, took a cookie, and popped it into her mouth.
Since it was her first proper meal in a long time, the cookie tasted especially sweet.
Rachel and Victoria’s discomfort was as precious as a rare spice.
If they summoned the maids to sort out who was right or wrong, the maids would lie for Rachel—but that would only give the noble ladies another story to gossip about.
For the noble ladies, the open conflict among the Bronte women and sisters was far more intriguing than the truth of the matter.
‘I don’t care if my reputation suffers. I don’t plan to marry anyway. Even if Duke Dongje learns of this side of me and loses whatever little regard he had, it doesn’t matter. All I want is the title of Princess of Dongryeong. As long as I have that, Duke Dongje won’t be able to cast me aside.’
Contrary to her pitiful outward appearance, Ariana’s heart burned fiercely.
Juliana, watching Ariana eat her third palm-sized cookie with pity, spoke.
“You must be thirsty—have something to drink while you eat.”
“Yes, thank you.”
It was time to put her knowledge to use.
Ariana poured hot black tea into her own cup, and Victoria belatedly realized how Ariana intended to drink it.
If Ariana had acted as usual, she alone would have been mocked and the matter ended—but now, the situation was different.
‘I have to stop her!’
But Ariana was faster.
Before Victoria could reach out, Ariana lifted her teacup and poured the tea onto the saucer. Then she raised the saucer, blew on it gently, and slurped it down.
The noble ladies—and even the male nobles watching from afar—gasped in astonishment at her actions.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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I finally found the chapter corresponding to chapter 42 of the manhwa!
Here’s a mother who refutes the “instinctive motherhood” notion.