After being caught in her secret, Diana certainly seemed to have changed her mind.
âOh, youâre finally here!â
I hummed.
Finally, the long-awaited invitation came. We invite you to tea time with Diana and her friends!
But no hair was pulled out. The date on the invitation was the very next day. She wouldnât give me time to prepare.
Itâs annoying, but itâs not like I canât get over it.
âPhew, donât you think I should dress up?â
I can never beat Diana by appearance. Sheâs the beauty of the world from the start. Sheâs a good girl, pretty, and the male characters in the novel couldnât help but fall in love with her.
Therefore, we must compete in a thorough atmosphere. It is important to firmly build my own image that Diana cannot imitate.
I rushed for Clarice and Tekima.
âTomorrow is the tea time of her majesty the crown princess. But I want to be perfectly prepared.â
Clarice opened his mouth with a serious look.
âFirst of all, make sure to wear the seal ring. Thereâs nothing like showing your authority at once.â
Tekima also said, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
âDo you have any direction or strategy in mind? Weâll pick your outfits and accessories accordingly.â
I lined up all my clothes and accessories in front of them. At the unfolding spectacle, some of the maids did not leave the room and snooped around.
âWell, thatâs all I have. I want a color that is completely contrasted with her highness. I donât have to look good.â
It was not only to Tekima and Clarice, but also to the ladies of the house.
What do I need now? Itâs collective intelligence!
When I gave permission, each of them began to speak up. The room soon became noisy.
âWhy donât you wear all black? Your hair color is black, so I think itâll look good on you!â
âIt would look like the crown prince. Rather, Lady Hestia, the people there are mostly single young girls, so how about a dignified atmosphere?â
âOh, my God, Lady Hestia is the same age!â
I guess it was pretty loud. In the middle of the noise, I heard a gentle tap on the open door.
âLady Hestia. Itâs Uross.â
I suddenly came to my senses.
âOh, was it too loud? I should have kept the door closed.â
âHaha, itâs not. Itâs just that the master is curiousâŠ.â
Gosh. There is a person at home who is quietly studying diplomatic secrets, but I stopped him by bothering him.
My face turned red apologetically. Just when I was in a hurry to tidy up.
âSomethingâs intense. Can I join you?â
âOhâŠ!â
My favorite is here! He tied his long silver hair to the back to show off his pure beauty! Oh, whereâs the gun? There canât be two suns in the world, so I should shoot the sun in the sky right now.
The people gave way to Kaelus. He sat next to me with his long legs crossed, quite rightly.
âKeep going.â
Oh, Iâm getting hit. This proud and imposing figure.
âWell, thenâŠ.â
I slipped my hand onto the burning cheek. Itâs hot.
After coughing once, Clarice continued what she was really doing.
âIâd like to recommend some heavy colors, too. But considering your age, itâs not a bad idea to expose yourself as boldly as young ladies.â
No, exposure?!
âOh, the lady-in-waiting thinks the same as me. It would be pretty cool to paint on the exposed skin.â
What? What are you drawing on my skin?
But what a great idea this is, the ladies of the house began to exclaim.
âWhat a great idea!â
âNo one will be able to take their eyes off of you!â
Then Kaelus asked suddenly.
âWhere are you going? Why are you thinking so hard?â
âHer highness the crown princess invited me to tea time. With her young friendsâŠ.â
As I answered, my voice gradually became smaller. In the end, I was struggling not to fall behind Diana.
ââŠ.â
Kaelus was silent, too.
Shame is shame, and anyway, shouldnât we solve whatâs coming tomorrow? Itâs in front of Kaelus, but I have no choice but to put an iron plate on my face*.
*TN: put on a strong front
I raised my red face, and continued to prepare.
âWell⊠letâs pick the right dress.â
At my word, Clarice quickly picked up a dress.
âThis color looks just right, Lady Hestia,â
Tekima quickly helped.
âIâll have to touch the shoulders and chest. I can do it in no time.â
âOkay, letâs decide on this.â
A quick decision.
Clariceâ choice of dress fell into Tekimaâs hands. He scrambled without hesitation even though everyone, including Kaelus, was watching. Maybe itâs because he knows itâs not a very expensive fabric, so heâs very bold.
âItâs done. Marchioness, would you like to try it on?â
I woke up and said to Kaelus.
âIâll go change.â
âYes.â
He answered by nodding, his finger supporting his head.
Inside the dress room, Clarice and the maids helped me change. How the cut fits so well, Tekimaâs dexterity should be recognized anyway. The end of the freshly cut fabric are not finished, so itâs a little loose, but it canât be helped right now.
I came out after changing clothes.
âWell, what do you think?â
Skin that shows more boldly under the collarbone line. Almost all sleeves were cut off to make it a sleeveless dress.
Tekima diligently picked out the accessories by wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
âPut on these long gloves that go up on your elbowsâŠ. Oh, bracelets are perfect for your wrist.âŠâ
âWhat about the necklace?â
Even though Kaelus casually asked, Tekima was not detered at all.
âWell, I wish the rope were thicker, but thatâs fine. If we paint on the skin, itâs better that the jewelry isnât too intense.â
âWhere and what are you going to draw?â
Somehow, questions and answers only come and go between Kaelus and Tekima.
âAs I recall right now, Iâm going to draw a long curve up and down all over one of her arms⊠then the side of the neck and shouldersâŠ.â
I turned gently around not to disturb Tekimaâs inspiration.
âIâm planning to draw petals and stems in a curved shape, but do you want anything else?â
Snake. Viper. Itâs going to be very intense.
But I murmured inwardly. Because if I really did, there would be a flock of sheepâwith pure expressions.
âHmmâŠâ
Kaelus looked at me with serious eyes.
ââŠâ
Ugh. I donât know. My favorite is staring at my body. My face is bleeding like itâs going to explode.
At last he spoke.
âFlames.â
â?â
I didnât understand as quickly and just blinked. On the other hand, expert Tekima was much faster than me.
âOh! Thatâs a very good idea, marquis.â
âInstead of red, Iâd do blue.â
Kaelus added with an indifferent look. Tekima nodded and took notes.
âYes, I see. Blue flames are hotter by nature.â
I canât stop laughing at Tekimaâs face.
~~~~~
Tekima quickly returned to the studio, saying he would complete the reformed dress. Clarice and other maids moved in perfect order and organized the room.
Meanwhile, I poured coffee for Kaelus.
âIt was too loudâŠ?â
When I asked awkwardly, an unexpectedly simple answer came back.
âNo. It was a rare sight in this house, so it was quite fun.â
I calmly explained how I was invited to Dianaâs tea time.
âActually, Madame Harmonia asked me desperately. There was no suitable advisor around her, and she said she wanted me to be close to her.â
âOh, but you donât like her very much.â
âHonestly⊠I donât like her personally, but I donât want to completely ignore madamâs request. Whatâs more surprising is that the crown princess sent me an invitation.â
ââŠ.â
Kaelus looked down slightly, as if he were thinking something.
Iâm going crazy. Iâm starting to get excited by myself again. The pure, silver-haired, cold-looking man whoâs lost in thought!
Before the round of silly comments spread out of my head, I quickly took a sip of coffee. Wake up, wake up.
A faint sigh came out of his lips.
âThe crown princess seems to be in a pretty bad situation.â
âOh, you think so, donât you? I guessed similarly.â
I added with a wry smile.
âI donât think she invited you in a good way. She might rebuke you on the spot again. Still, itâs a pretty bad choice for a change of pace in her situation.â
âHmmâŠâ
Kaelus touched his chin and slowly shook his head.
The surrounding area became quiet, and only me and Kaelus were left in the room.
Let me ask him again at this point. I wonder if itâs inconvenient for him to confront Diana so fiercely.
âWell, Kaelus.â
â?â
Kaelus raised her eyes indifferently.
âPlease let me know if it bothers you. I mean, this is how I meet with the crown princess.â
âHmphâŠ.â
He twisted the tip of his lips slightly.
âTo be honest, I donât care. But sometimes I think about this.â
A lonely continuation of words.
ââŠwhether I like it or hate it, I wonder why Iâm so eager when itâs annoying to have âemotionsâ in any way.â
It was something that only those who truly felt skeptical about life itself could say. It breaks my heart that I seemed to have tasted his pain that is still in progress.
Even if the outward life was slowly returning to its former days, the wounds deeply engraved on his heart were not easily healed. Maybe I can never erase it.
There is no such thing as a wound that disappears with a wash. It may fade a little over the years, but it is impossible to live as if it never existed.
So you shouldnât hurt someone recklessly. Whether itâs big or small, the wounds of the heart can remain like scars for the rest of his life.
ââŠ.â
I bowed my head. No matter how much I make a fuss, I canât completely heal that deep wound in Kaelus.
However, instead of me who is doing my best to heal his wounds, I am just acting as a person who sympathizes with his pain and represents revenge that he cannot do.
When is the most unfair and resentful time in your life? Itâs hard and painful for me, but itâs time for my opponent to stretch her feet.*
*TN: Diana canât be sitting peacefully anymore so she needs to prepare to run
However, such emotions are possible only when there is some strength left in the body and mind. If life has collapsed beyond even this.
As Kaelus said a while ago, even âbeing unfair and resentfulâ becomes difficult. I donât want to feel any emotion, Iâm just dazed and barely holding my breath.
Is it frustrating? Why donât you take revenge quickly? Do I want to use that hate as leverage to urge him to stand up? But thatâs the arrogance of a woman who hasnât lost everything.
âTomorrow, I wish you good luck.â
Kaelus laid down his coffee cup on the table. And as always, I slowly got up and walked.
ââŠYes. Iâll be back.â
I feel like crying for no reason.
~~~~
Despite the tight schedule, Tekima stayed up all night to finish and brought the finished work early the next morning.
âAs I said yesterday, Iâll draw a picture on the exposed area, marchioness.â
Another important weapon along with the dress.
Even though we arenât painting all over the body like modern artists do, this âtemporary tattooâ that Tekima decided and prepared was also a kind of body painting.
A protective sheet was laid on the bed. I lay on my stomach in comfortable pajamas.
When I put my exposed arm on the pillow, the work finally began.
âIâm going to use an indelible pigment for hours. It doesnât spread easily even if sweat or a little bit of water touches it.â
I was slightly impressed by Tekimaâs explanation.
âWhen the hell did you study this stuff?â
âMadam marquis. I have a party going on all day long in my head.â
I lay face down and laughed. The wind made Tekima look serious.
âOh, I canât draw if you shake like this.â
âOh, Iâm sorry.â
The room soon became quiet.
Tekima concentrated horribly. Even though he must have been tired from working all night, he was full of energy as if he were not tired at all.
A colorful pattern was soon formed on the flat skin.
Blue flames. The image that came to mind when Kaelus looked at me.
ââŠ.â
My heart is throbbing. My heart is bursting with emotion.
I got a big present, unexpected. Something incredible that I dare not price.
Iâm so thankful for Kaelus that I donât have any regrets even if I die like this.
Blue flames. Blue looks colder than red, but itâs actually much hotter.
Well, it seems too self-conscious to give this meaning, but whatever. How can a successful fan be like this? An invincible fan who survived transmigration. Arenât I the obsessive reader who regained the second lead that was blown away from the original after the original?
When the work on the arm was finished, he moved to the back of the neck this time. The tip of a careful brush passed cautiously over the skin.
I wish there were pictures in this world. I miss it, too.
The painting was finished before I knew it.
âThank you for your hard work. Marchioness, itâs done.â
Tekima sighed loudly and backed away. I stood up in front of the mirror.
âWowâŠ.â
âDo you like it?â
âOf course! How wonderful.â
âItâll be better if you put on your dress, marchioness.â
Tekima smiled confidently.
In that case, we need to check it out. With the help of the maids, the dress was quickly put on.
âOhâŠ!â
Indeed, his confidence was not in vain. The blue flame, which rises from the long gloves and spreads on the forearm, itself was a colorful accessory.
Clarice, who was smiling with satisfaction, nudged.
âKaelus would love to see it. Why donât you go there?â
 âDo you think so?â
Pretending not to be able to ignore the invitation, I found Kaelusâ room looking ready to go out.
âWellâŠ.â
I couldnât enter confidently and knocked on the open door. Fortunately, he recognized it.
âHess?â
âHahahaâŠ.â
I hesitated into the room. I lifted my arm slightly and turned around in place.
âItâs complete.â
âWhoaâŠ.â
Kaelusâ purple eyes were rarely enlarged. It looks pretty good to him, too.
âThanks to you, it became a wonderful work. Thank you.â
âYouâre welcome. Iâm glad it suits you.â
I canât express my gratitude for him in words, but I still want to say it.
âI mean it. Blue flames. Iâm so grateful that you thought of this image after seeing me. I feel like I got the biggest gift in my life.â
ââŠI donât think youâve ever received a gift, have you?â
âHa ha, thatâs not it, that means itâs the most precious.â
I laughed out loud.
âThen Iâll be back.â
ââŠâ
Instead of talking, Kaelus responded by raising his hand lightly.
~~~~
âHmphâŠ.â
As soon as I entered the palace, I felt peopleâs eyes catching. The court ladies who were passing by even stopped walking.
I canât help but stand out. Iâm not wearing expensive jewelry, but I have something more beautiful than jewelry.
As Clarice advised, a seal ring was proudly placed on the finger. None of the young lovers attending today owned the familyâs seal ring. So this ring suggests that the water we play are different.
I headed for my destination with a brisk step. The patronage of the lily palace. It was a place full of flowers that Diana took care of herself.
Diana was also talented in gardening in the original work. Original fans used to refer to her as Druid.
âOh, Marchioness Hestia!â
Madam Harmonia, who was here first, greeted me warmly.
âHow are you, Madam?â
âOh, myâŠ.â
Her reaction is very dramatic, after all, when I deliberately took it in a nonchalant way. Breathing in and covering her lips with her hands, she looked at the guests once and came back to me.
âOh, my God, Iâve never seen anything like this before!â
âWhoa, thanks to a good designer. Oh, and this flame pattern was my husbandâs idea.â
I stretched my chest.
Young ladies my age couldnât take their eyes off me. Iâve brushed you off at banquets, but itâs my first time greeting you formally, so I introduced myself with dignity.
âMy name is Hestia. Itâs a pleasure to meet you.â
I winked at Harmonia. Obviously, she promised to be on my side here? Didnât she tell me before that I just had to stay put?
âHo-ho, youâve come all the way here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, marchioness.â
She, who was also experienced, soon noticed the meaning of my eyes.
There was no aristocrat who didnât know the uncomfortable relationship between Diana and I. The young ladies also exchanged eyes with each other, and finally one brave person came forward and greeted me ceremonially.
âIâve heard a lot about Lady Marquis. I hope you enjoy the refreshments and go home.â
There is a sense of vigilance that is not completely hidden. But I didnât bother to be offended. Iâm not here to make friends.
Meanwhile, as Harmonia said, there were attendees who were curious about me.
âWell, if you donât mind, may I ask how you dressed up?â
âOh, of course.â
I replied with a beaming face.
âYou know, her majesty likes to be frugal. So instead of fancy dresses and accessories, I drew pictures using skin as a canvas.â
âOh, ohâŠ.â
It wasnât originally intended like this, but itâs a better interpretation than a dream, and itâs a good meaning, so itâs enough to say it on the spot.
Anyway, the important thing is to emphasize to them that Iâm not here to fight Diana.
âI was thinking about what I should draw, but my husband gave me the answer. So like thisâŠ.â
I showed the blue flame on my arms and neck. A small exclamation burst forth among the ladies.
Someone threw it out of course.
âMarquis Kaelus seems to be very fond of the marchioness, doesnât he?â
Itâs finally out. Curious pride that Kaelus would love a woman other than Diana. Itâs just bad luck because they are Dianaâs friends.
I raised my chin leisurely.
âTo be exact, Iâm fully acknowledged as a trusted companion to the marquis. Doesnât that sound like Kaelus?â
I glanced indifferently at the colorful gaze at me.
âLove is indeed a sweet dream. But life is a reality. My husband and I agreed to stick to this reality.â
 âThen are you very satisfied with your present life?â
Another asked. I nodded my head as if it were natural.
âWhat can I say? I couldnât be happier.â
Their eyes slowly shrunk from my unabated attitude. Thatâs right. The world thinks the pushover is more easy.
At the time when we were fighting with young ladies.
âHer highness the crown princess is coming in.â
A solemnly ringing voice. We all rose from our seats to greet the elders of the imperial family.
Soon Diana, accompanied by the maids, appeared.
Pink hair swaying in the air, blue eyes that seem to capture the ocean as it was, and spotless white skin.
It is a beauty that you have no choice but to admire every time you see it. A creature so loved by God that on the surface she was an unquestionable saintess.
We all bowed down to be polite.
âHonor to the great little moon of the empire.â
I deliberately lowered myself a beat behind the others. I donât forget to make eye contact with Diana at that short moment.
âHonor toâŠ.â
A smile flashed around my mouth. Diana, how can you entertain me in front of me today?
ââŠ.â
It took a moment of hesitation to respond.
Her feelings were felt in between. Shewouldnât want to accept the courtesy until sheâs satisfied, but there are other young lovers besides me, so she had no choice but to open her mouth.
ââŠEveryone get up.â
Raising myself, I smiled broadly. Iâm so glad to see her.
~~~~
A fresh scent of flowers and the murmur of water flowing from somewhere. It is a landscape that seems to be in the middle of Mother Nature.
âI really donât know what to do with you showing me such a wonderful place, your highness the crown princess.â
Itâs the first time Iâve been invited to her private meeting, so of course I should be grateful. However, it is important to watch carefully what kind of expression Diana makes at this remark.
Diana looked straight at me with a faint smile.
âI invited you here because I thought I would talk to you a lot in the future. Do you like it?â
Oh, look at this. Somethingâs definitely changed.
Unlike before, when she openly showed off her dislike with a stiff face, now she seems to have some kind of revenge on me.
Of course, if she was as good at facial expressions as I was, she wouldnât have noticed at all, but unfortunately she was a beginner.
In the past, when she only lived as a cider heroine, what would she have done to hide her true feelings and devise a scheme? I have the absolute advantage in this kind of underwater fight, as a woman whoâs been good at stealing.
âYes, Iâm so thrilled. Isnât this the place where only your beloved friends come in?â
âThatâs a little exaggerated. Anyone who wants to chat with me can see this garden.â
Wow, our actress has improved a lot. I canât believe you can smile so brightly on the outside while holding a knife inside.
Then Iâll have to raise my eye level a little. You canât get stabbed if you let your guard down.
Dianaâs maids poured tea into the guestsâ teacups. Of course, a light full-color liquid was filled in front of me.
ââŠ.â
Just looking at it, it doesnât look like itâs going to taste good. Where else are you bringing a cheap tea and forcing it to be frugal?
Dianaâs friends, including Harmonia, were already familiar with the tea. They all had their teas gracefully, without a change of expression.
You guys are amazing. Should I pretend to drink, too?
âBy the way, Marchioness Hestia.â
âYes, go ahead, your highness the crown princess.â
For some reason, Diana spoke to me first. Itâs unusual, so Iâm determined.
âI heard from the templeâs priests that you have not yet prayed for repentance in the temple.â
âOhâŠ.â
I glanced at Harmonia with an embarrassed smile. What? Thatâs a different story. You said she wouldnât attack me!
But Harmonia also seemed surprised. As soon as she met my eyes, her face quickly turned red.
I knew this would happen. I just sighed.
âIâm sorry, Your Grace. The construction was busy so I couldnât leave. Iâll be sure to stop by soon.â
âIt is said that you were diligent in attending social events. No matter how busy you are, donât you always have to keep your priorities?â
Thatâs your priority. Iâm different.
But Diana would never admit it, so Iâll have to make a decent excuse.
âYour words are right. Even though I couldnât find the temple myself, God knows my sincerity in asking for forgiveness. You are the one who always sees the heart of the heart.â
Even if you go to work regularly in the temple, itâs useless if you donât have sincerity. Then the opposite should be admitted.
Little by little, there was tension.
Fortunately, the youngsters did not rush to help Diana. You may have been tipped off by Harmonia in advance, or you may have been sympathetic to the cause of Countess Erinnis.
Whatever it is, just staying still is a great benefit to me.
As Diana and I slowly showed signs, Harmonia quickly intervened, thinking that this should not be the case.
âBy the way, I heard something very interesting from people from Illion.â
âOh, what is it?â
The young ladies, who had been looking around, also welcomed the change of the topic as if they had waited. Harmonia gained more strength when it gained support.
âThe marchioness is providing cheap soap to the people of the country. I heard that ordinary people are very satisfied with the quality.â
âOh, you mean that.â
I smiled.
âAs a commoner, being in a noble family made me want to share the good things widely. Cleanliness is also important to God.â
âOhâŠâ
âFirst, I started supplying Illion, which I controlled. We have to help the people of the land maintain a clean body and mind at all times.â
After I finished speaking, I looked at Diana with a defiant look.
Now, what do you think? What are you going to pick on?
ââŠâ
Invisible flames are popping fiercely in the tightly pulled air.
Then Diana opened her mouth.
âSoap⊠âŠIâve heard rumors. They say itâs very fragrant even though itâs cheap.â
âI wanted to make it feel as luxurious as possible. My husbandâs advice was very helpful.â
I said with a pleased smile.
Then some young lady responded favorably.
âI guess Lord Kaelus is really interested in Lady Hestia. I canât believe he advised the marchionessâ soap business as well as the flame youâre decorated with today.â
âLady Marquis is truly incredible. You were recognized by the cold marquis.â
Aha. Are these the kind that Harmonia talked about? A bunch of people who said they liked me.
Iâm sending them heart-shaped eyes, too.
âYouâreâŠâ
The voice of Diana, who sank steadily.
ââŠyouâve encouraged me to admire the nobility.â
â!â
She set her eyes straight on me with firm confidence in oneâs logic.
âScent actually doesnât play a big role in the cleaning power of soap. Instead of removing the scent, it could have been supplied more cheaply, or even for free.â
ââŠ.â
Wow, itâs more than I expected. I was wondering what you were going to find fault with, and this is how it goes.
I shut my mouth in silence. Dianaâs counterargument continued.
âIf you really cared about commonors, you should have supplied it for free instead of reaping the benefits. The really poor will not even be able to pay for the soap.â
ââŠ.â
âBut you didnât do that. On the contrary, even if it costs more to produce it, you purposely made soap that smells like what aristocrats use, and you made the common people buy it and use it to admire and praise the lives of aristocrats.â
ââŠ.â
âItâs a truly clever and thorough governance strategy. Isnât the marchioness also a commoner? Why didnât you look a little lower?â
ââŠIâm sorry.â
For now, letâs listen to the end of what that righteous heroine says.
 âHestia, itâs a pity if your soap business is to deny your origins and fuel the desire to rise in status for the common people.â
My origins? The one I was set up as a commoner extra? What about you, Diana? Werenât you originally a commoner?
Is she going to say that raising the status of the common people is not right while being so good-natured? Whatâs so wrong with a normal person pursuing a way to eat and live well?
I slowly raised my head. Itâs time for a counterattack.
âYour highness, holy lady. Arenât you the same as me?â
â!â
Dianaâs big eyes were distorted for a moment.
Harmonia whispered urgently.
âLady MarquisâŠâ!â
I didnât even look at madam.
âYour Highness Diana. Your highness, as a commoner, will you not deny that you have risen to this position?â
âHestia, Iâm not like you. Thereâs a misunderstanding.â
âWhat do you mean by misunderstanding?â
Tea time is completely ruined.
Harmonia bowed her head. Sheâll be ashamed to see me. She promised me everything would be all right, just sit down and go, but it turned out like this.
However, it was rather good. Youâre not going to push me to be Dianaâs advisor anymore. If I turn my back on Diana perfectly today, itâs the icing on the cake.
Diana replied quite proudly.
  âI didnât make any effort to become a nobleman. I just did my best in my position. And so I made a covenant with Helios, and as a result I became a crown princess.â
So according to her logic, itâs not her fault that she became a royal by dating? Am I wrong because I became an aristocrat by contract marriage?
I twisted my lips up.
âThen you deny all kinds of political marriages. Iâm sure some of the young people here are having such a political marriage, but arenât you going too far?
All the young lovers who were brought in by surprise held their breath. Diana immediately refuted.
âThe need-to-take political spirit and your case are completely different. What on earth would Kaelus propose marriage to get from you? All you had was the status of the adopted daughter of the lord of Elea.â
Thereâs nothing I canât say.
âEveryone in the world knows it, but they donât dare to say it. While Caelus was wandering because of my marriage to Heli, you were..â
Ha. I canât listen to it anymore.
âI took the marchionessâ place with a cheap trick. For your own benefitâŠ.â
Laughter.
â?!â
â!â
People were silently appalled by the blatant ridicule.
I showed my twisted smile to my heartâs content, as if I were dying of joy.
âAlright, Diana. Since everyone here refuses to say it, Iâll say it while Iâm at it.â
I love this close tension just before it explodes.
I pointed my finger at the tea cup.
 âEveryone, did you enjoy your tea?â
~~~~
A pale color that is not thickly brewed.
An incredibly low-grade tea served by the royal family to the nobles. If you pick rosemary growing somewhere in this garden and brew it, itâll be thicker and tastier than this.
I asked again with a grin.
âIs this tea really worth drinking? Even I, a commoner, canât drink this tea.â
Amid all the blatant complaints.
âDonât you originally prefer coffee to tea? Of course it wonât suit your taste.â
Only Diana stared at me with her eyes open.
âEven if I enjoy coffee more, Iâm the marquisâ hostess. Iâm not so uneducated that I canât tell the difference between these cheap teas.â
âHow long has it been since you lived as an aristocrat?â
âItâs a lot longer than your highness, who became a royal family at least a few months ago. I had long since acquired a peerage as the adopted daughter of the lord of Elea.â
Maybe it was uncomfortable for me to talk back clearly, but someone tackled me sharply.
âHow dare you. Your HighnessâŠ!â
âShut up. There is no one here but the royal family who is more noble than me.â
I hit back coldly. lifting up a fingerâs seal ring
The âroyalâ who is more noble than me shut up with a stiff expression. Are you afraid of a dark, evil woman who confronts a white saintess fearlessly?
But itâs only the beginning. The blue flame is just burning.
âYou mean this is a treat for the aristocrats who follow you when you serve a bad cup of tea? Please come to our marquis. Iâll give you a taste of the finest Louis Voss anytime.â
âHestia!â
Oh, my God. The good saint is screaming
âWhatâs so evil about letting the common people use some fragrant soap? What sin is it as a human being to pursue a better life by being faithful to his desires?â
âI will never forget this profanity.â
âIs it such a big mistake to become an aristocrat by contract marriage? Then canât those who have lived as nobles even wash away their sins? Oh, by the way, did you repent deeply before God when you became a royal by marriage?â
âShut up, Hestia.â
It was Diana, who imitated a fairly solemn royal family. But you were only a commoner not too long ago.
âAm I greedy because I became an aristocrat by political marriage? Than the princess who has become a crown princess with only one fiery love.â
I let out a cold flame.
âYouâre just very lucky.â
â!â
Diana stood up slowly and caught my eye.
Then there was a move that followed. Her hand picked up the cup in front of her.
ââŠ!â
Thereâs tea sprinkled on my face.
âMarchioness!â
âYour HighnessâŠ!â
I silently took out my handkerchief. The tea is still hot, maybe because itâs not cool enough.
ââŠâ
I wiped his tea-stained face without saying a word. I glanced at his forearm. Fortunately, as Tekima said, the temporary tattoo was fine.
The surroundings were quiet, as if in cold water.
Elegantly, I stood up from my seat. And with the closing comment, I killed her.
âNow that I think about it, Iâm suddenly curious. Madame Merope, who devoted herself to the imperial family, is now doing where and whatâŠ.â
â!â
â!â
Harmonia and other participants turned pale.
Unless youâre a fool, you understand everything Iâm saying. Even if youâre loyal to Diana, youâll be thrown out like Madame Merope.
I bowed my knees in a modest manner and took an example.
âThank you very much for sharing your honest feelings today. I wish you all the best.â
The answer is useless. I turned my back on her.
~~~~
â?â
â?!â
Oh, youâre having a hard time today.
As soon as I took a few steps to leave the garden, I came across a dark shadow at the entrance.
âHestia?â
ââŠYour highness the crown prince.â
I held back my distorted face and bowed. Then, I tried to get out of the position quickly.
But.
âYour clothes are wet⊠Your face is a bit red, too.â
âIâm sorry, Your Grace. Iâll be on my way.â
I canât afford to deal with the male lead right now. Even though I look fine, Iâm actually completely groggy because of the fiery fight with Diana.
At this moment, the voice sounds like a thousand soldiers.
âHelios.â
ââŠDiana.â
Alright, now.
I quickly brushed past her without making eye contact with her.
~~~~
âHaâŠ.â
A long sigh spontaneously broke out in the carriage. Then I laughs and sighs again and again.
âHahahaâŠâ
I want to laugh as loud as I want, but I canât do it well because Iâm exhausted.
What was the last word that pressed Diana? Oh, was, âYouâre just lucky.â
âI was stabbed, and stabbedâ
It is certain that she also has a subtle entitlement. In the original story, there is a tea-sprinkling scene that appears only once in front of the villainess, Letona.
I tried to gently touch the face that was properly drenched in tea.
âOh, my⊠It stings a littleâŠ.â
Itâs not a burn. The tea is so cheap that I donât think itâll affect my skin.
By the way, having stimulated Diana to this extent, there will surely be a backlash later. But there is no need to be scared already.
At a time when all of her troops are lost and only Helios has held firmly, is there anything left for Diana to wield?
On the other hand, todayâs splendid sword dance in front of Diana will bring together anti-Diana aristocrats by word of mouth.
After the death of the Duke Orcus, they dare not rebel against the emperor and Helios. But since Iâve caused such a wonderful accident, everyone will come running and hide behind me.
Iâm good at it, they get the money.
The marquisâ wife, a commoner, will take the lead and carry the gun. Then, when the crown princessâ position is shaken, I will quickly insert my supporters into the position.
A clear picture. I just laugh.
âWell, it doesnât matter.â
Yeah. Honestly, I really donât care.
My ultimate goal is that Diana regrets losing all her people on her side and cry.
My real goal is for Diana to kneel down and apologize in front of Kaelus.
Youâre so lucky that youâve been walking all along the cider road, and when youâre done with the heroine buff, experience the vacancy Kaelus desperately.
Isnât it âluckâ that she was born with the best beauty in the world and suddenly gained healing power? It is because of the generous setting of a âGodâ and an âauthorâ who did not put any effort into it.
Then you should be thankful. You must be deeply humble to the grace given unconditionally.
Still, whatâs so good, talking to Kaelus about human morality and holding his neck stiff?
âItâs a real war now, Diana. Iâll hit the ground and make you regret it.â
 Iâm a blue flame.
  Iâll burn everything up for my goal.
~~~~
As soon as I got home, I wrote to the two sibling models who were in the middle of a soap commercial in Illion.
âTo Helena and PolluxâŠâ
At first, I thought about supplying marquisâ soap to the capital here just like Illion. Therefore, they also tried to extend the advertising contract.
But I changed my mind after listening to Diana at tea time.
The supply soap will be kept exclusively in Illion.
Soon the incidence of Illionâs disease will be noticeably reduced. I plan to wait silently until the gap with the capital widens considerably.
One more thing. Itâs right not to release free soap on purpose, as Diana claims. But the reason is different from her conjecture.
You donât know that itâs precious to get something for nothing. Even at a low price, you feel that it is valuable only when you make them buy it with money.
âNow, this time to the soap masterâŠ.â
I also wrote a letter to a craftsman who developed a method of making low-end soap.
Do not manufacture or sell in the capital because the crown princess is displeased.
I deliberately used Diana as an excuse. Without having to explain it for a long time, just say that the royal family hates it, and thatâs the end of the reason.
However, it was decided not to prevent residents of imperial city from purchasing low-end soap distributed in Illion. It would be perfect if Illion is rumored to be a good place to live.
If so, how will the temple power of the imperial city be weakened?
âYouâll be pretty busy. To publicise the property disclosure agendaâŠâ
Of course, it is not something that can be done immediately. First of all, public opinion should be gathered behind the scenes through Harmonia. It is after public opinion has been formed enough to emerge as an official agenda.
And in the meantime, I draw on the corruption of the temple as covertly as I can. We should break bread when itâs crucial, so that people will fall into the temple.
âThereâs no place that you canât brush dust off. Hmph.â
A place where people gather somehow creates a stinky corner. Even if he is a priest who should be clean, isnât he also a man?
There must be money spent without explicitly revealing where it was used. Some of the donated goods as relief goods were used privately by the priests. Maybe they had a big get-together with donations.
All those petty practices will be arrows that fly in and stick in their bodies. One or two will do. Itâs fatal if you get hit in a vital point.
âI want you to sink with the temple, Saintess Diana.â
~~~~
That night, just after dinner with Kaelus, while leisurely drinking coffee, the butler Uross came to my room.
âWell, maâam, itâs late, but we have a visitor.â
âReally? Is it Madame Harmonia?â
âYes. How did you know?â
I was not surprised. After the mess during the day, her seat mustâve felt like thorns.
âLet her in.â
Uross immediately retreated.
Soon after, Madame Harmonia appeared after him.
âLady Hestia.â
An earthy complexion. She looks like sheâs dying.
âWelcome, Harmonia.â
âLady Marquis, I really donât know what to sayâŠ.â
âSit down for now. HahaâŠ.â
I laughed deliberately lightly because I felt so sorry for her.
 I poured coffee before her so that Harmonia could calm down. The butler left the tea behind, but Iâd rather just have coffee than the tea I make.
She raised her glass with trembling hands. After a careful sip, she let out a long sigh.
âI apologize to the marchioness. Thereâs no excuse.â
âWould it be madamâs fault? Itâs largely because I couldnât just accept the crown princessâ provocation.â
âEven so, I was the one who insisted on recommending the marchioness, who refused.â
Harmonia looked at the glass in her hand mixedly.
I smiled bitterly.
âMadam. Did you really think that the crown princess would be willing to listen to my advice?â
âI believed in her good nature.â
âOh, you shouldâve considered that sheâs a stubborn person.â
ââŠ.â
Harmonia bowed her head.
I clicked my tongue.
âBut I didnât expect it either. I didnât think there was going to be a hasty fight with madam and other young people. But now we need to change that notion.â
âSorry, marchioness. Itâs my fault.â
It was rather pitiful of her to shrink so much. It doesnât feel so bad to have this upper hand, but it should be just right.
âWell, itâs alright. Itâs all in the past. Instead, I attended tea time as madam asked, so she should also keep her promise. Got it?â
âThereâs no question, Hestia.â
Harmonia nodded heavily.
I chuckled.
âBy the way, I ran into the crown prince while I was leaving. What happened after that?â
âOhâŠ.â
Harmonia smiled bitterly.
âAs expected, he immediately noticed that the atmosphere was in a mess.â
Helios came in as soon as I left the sponsorship.
[Oh⊠It must be a fun tea time.]
At his words, the participants bowed their heads in unison, and only Diana looked at Helios with tears in her eyes.
[Heli]
[Whatâs going on?]
The young ladies and Harmonia were hesitant about whether to keep their seats or step aside so that the crown prince and his wife could talk.
Then Diana said.
[I had an argument with Marchioness Hestia]
[Iâm here after hearing the news. Itâs surprising that sheâs invited to your tea time.]
Harmonia closed her eyes tightly. Diana would have invited Hestia reluctantly at her strong suggestion.
Helios looked around carefully and fixed his expression.
[It wasnât a very dignified argument]
No wonder, the area around the table was very messy with tea water splashed here and there. This was why Helios came in before the maids had finished organizing.
Diana responded coldly.
[I know, right. I came here with a lot of effort, but I ended up showing a poor appearance.]
Harmonia listened to the conversation between the two with nervousness.
Helios also seemed to realize that Diana had become very sharp. Without further ado, he turned back.
[Letâs talk again later, Diana.]
[âŠ.]
Diana did not keep him.
It was impossible to bring the ruined tea time back together. Harmonia rose cautiously, exchanging glances with the young children.
[Weâll be on our way now, your Highness the crown princess.]
[Weâll see you next time you invite us, your Highness.]
They escaped the patronage of the lily palace as if they were running away.
Harmonia sighed long again.
âPhew⊠After that, I led them back to my salon. Because itâs my fault. I forced the marchioness to tea time, soâŠâ
âItâs not just madamâs fault.â
I comforted madam in a gentle tone. She shook her head.
âThankfully, they comforted me, too. It was a topic that I brought up to try to change the uncomfortable air, but it ended up getting worse shape.â
âYou mean the soap?â
âYes, I just thought it was a good thing, and Iâve never thought of it like her highness.â
I know. I was surprised, too.
How can you find fault with that? Why isnât it free after selling it at a low price? Oh, my. Oh, my God. Sheâs just looking for a lot of stuff to bite off.
I giggled.
âThe crown princess is a person who canât take me down somehow. To be honest, Iâm not surprised to see that kind of person very often.â
Of course, the original heroine Diana was not a common kind of human being. In the original work, Diana used to present a âciderâ to such vicious people by sticking to oneâs âbeliefâ.
But I deliberately brought the saintess down to the usual petty human level.
Sheâs no longer the main character, sheâs not a saintess.
âActually, youâve been through a lot, madam. A person who is envious of othersâ success. To me, the crown princess is just that much.â
âYesâŠâ
âOf course, she may have been of such a noble character that madam once admired. But people change one day, right?â
ââŠâ
Harmonia couldnât say anything.
Now that Iâve made Diana a little jealous, I should make her reasonable doubt a more solid fact.
âHarmonia. Why do you think the crown princess is jealous of me?â
âItâsâŠ.â
She couldnât answer quickly, her face hot. Itâs too obvious. And since itâs childish.
âBecause I married Kaelus. The crown princess has pushed Kaelus so hard that she still doesnât want to lose his love.â
âLady MarquisâŠ!â
I giggled at the shrill Harmonia.
âHahaha! Isnât it so funny? The noble saintess is not satisfied with the best man in this empire.â
ââŠ!â
âShe wants everyone in the world to look only at her. Like a queen bee.â
Toward the frozen Harmonia, I spoke in a confident tone.
âSheâs just a self-loving, up-and-coming commoner. Stop denying the truth, Harmonia.â
She was completely discouraged by my bold remark.
âLady HestiaâŠ. Donât tell me youâre talking to someone else like that..â
âOh, no way!â
I laughed and waved my hands.
âIâm not that stupid. But madam was a witness at tea time today, and sheâs a woman I strongly believe in, so Iâve been honest.â
ââŠThank youâŠ.â
Just in case, letâs make sure she joins.
âThat wonât happen again, but please donât tell anyone about me today.â
âDo you mean this, marchioness?â
Harmonia bowed her head.
I clapped my hands lightly to call attention.
âAnyway, Iâm sure the young ladies were really surprised because of me today. Iâd like to apologize, so could you arrange a table soon?â
âOh, marchioness?â
âYes, the location is good here, or madamâs salon is good. Or we can have a picnic on a sunny day.â
Harmonia smiled faintly at last.
âYouâre a desperate woman. Can you go far? If the marquis doesnât mind, why donât we have a meeting here?â
âOh, good.â
Comforting those young people who must be fed up with Dianaâs cheap tea. Honestly, the taste of the tea I made wonât be comforting, so Iâll have to use quality coffee beans.
~~~~
The next morning, a letter from Countess Erinnis came in.
âWhat? The news is so fast.â
As she boasts web-like connections here and there, yesterdayâs tea time seems to have entered her ears. You must have had a connection with someone in attendance.
Anyway, Iâm a woman who can never let her guard down. Erinnis was another source of tension than dealing with Harmonia.
âHmmâŠâ
The content was generally to confirm what happened the day before. It didnât mean anything bad, but she didnât dare imagine it.
Erinnis said that the young ladies were amazed at how boldly I faced Diana. She didnât really need to sugarcoat or hide it, so I mostly admitted it.
I wrote back with a sneer of laughter.
âI wanted to approach young girls more sympathetically, but I was wrong, Erinnis.â
Maybe sheâll find out what I mean by this line. I will put my dissatisfaction with Diana on the surface in front of the captivated young ladies and praise myself as an adult who can bravely step forward.
At the end of the sentence, I wrote that I was going to invite the greatly surprised young ladies to the marquis and soothe them, and sealed the letter tightly.
âHaâŠ.â
Now Iâve lit the spark. When it starts to burn in earnest, even the great male lead will be unable to stop it.