SGC 35

CHAPTER 35

Translator: Rae

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Soon, the noblewoman seated beside Vanessa lifted the corners of her lips, as though itching to speak.

“As it happens, there’s a rumor that the actor is Lady Dickinson’s secret lover.”

“How scandalous. Is that really true?”

“Indeed! He was nothing more than a minor performer before. Then one day, he suddenly rose like a comet to take the lead role. And behind it all was Lady Dickinson.”

The noblewomen’s voices, indulging in gossip, were lively with excitement. Vanessa, as though pondering something, dramatically pressed a hand to her chest.

“Could it be that she deliberately approached Lady Dickinson to take advantage of her reputation?”

“That’s exactly it, Your Highness!”

The noblewomen nodded eagerly, like fish finally returned to water.

“A cunning commoner has muddied the waters of the Dickinson Family. He must be using the lady as a stepping stone to climb into high society.”

“Just imagine the kind of wicked things he must have done with that young, gorgeous body. If even someone as virtuous as Lady Dickinson fell for it…”

“Needless to say, it can’t be her first time. Do you really think such a vulgar creature has only ever targeted Lady Dickinson?”

“How filthy. For someone like that to have the shamelessness to step into high society…”

Rosella tightly gripped her teacup, trying to conceal her discomfort. Naturally, the object of the noblewomen’s scorn at that moment was not just the unknown opera singer.

Their amused, sidelong glances landed openly on Rosella, again and again, before scattering away.

Suddenly, she recalled a similar article that had appeared in the newspaper a few days ago.

It had described someone as a fish in muddy waters, using beauty as a weapon to ensnare nobles and pollute high society.

Though the subject had been left ambiguous, it was, of course, clearly aimed at Rosella—the center of recent gossip.

“It’s truly unfortunate. It simply shows that low birth and shamelessness go hand in hand.”

Vanessa, whose fair face tinged with feigned concern, let out a deep sigh. Her sharp words, disguised as pity, pricked at Rosella’s heart.

“People are born with their place already determined, so why is it that they fail to understand such an obvious truth?”

Low birth, shamelessness, a place determined from birth.

She could not deny that this was how they saw her. Nor could she easily refute it.

For she herself knew better than anyone that, standing beside Edmund, she was nothing more than a shameless impostor.

So Rosella closed her mouth and lowered her gaze. Her hands resting on her knees curled in on themselves, her nails digging into her soft skin. It was almost laughable that she still had pride left to wound, even in a moment like this.

The long party continued on regardless. Only as the sunset began to cast its glow did it finally come to a close—later than usual.

As the noblewomen exchanged farewells and began to leave the princess’s palace, Vanessa suddenly called Rosella to a stop.

“Duchess.”

With a radiant smile on her pretty face, Vanessa greeted her readily.

“Do take care on your way home. Today’s gathering was most delightful. You feel the same, don’t you?”

Rosella, who had stiffened for a moment, soon curved her lips calmly.

“Of course, Your Highness. It was a very enjoyable time.”

Vanessa narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and seemed about to turn away, only to pivot back on her heel.

“Ah, could you pass along my thanks to Edmund on my behalf?”

At the unexpected name, Rosella’s ears pricked up involuntarily.

“There was a day when I was terribly down, and he kindly comforted me.”

“...”

“I was in such a state that day I couldn’t properly thank him. Of course, I could always thank him in person, if I wished.”

Continuing lightly, Vanessa cast an overt glance at Rosella. She seemed to be hoping for some visible sign of unease.

Rosella steadied herself and wore a gentle smile upon her face.

“Please don’t worry. I’ll be sure to pass it along.”

Then, in a polite tone, she continued clearly,

“I’ll also make sure to tell him how warmly Your Highness has treated me. I’m certain Ed will be grateful as well.”

"...Ed?" 

Vanessa’s refined face crumpled in an instant. Rosella widened her eyes and covered her mouth as if embarrassed.

“Ah, I’m terribly sorry. It’s just a habit, so I said it without thinking.”

Trailing off shyly, Rosella placed a hand over her chest and gave a gentle bow.

“Then, Your Highness, thank you once again for inviting me to such a distinguished gathering. I look forward to our next meeting.”

Having offered her farewell with proper etiquette, Rosella turned without hesitation.

Despite hearing the irritated breathing behind her, she didn’t stop her pace.

***

Bang!

At the thunderous gunshot, small birds fluttered up from the forest.

Men dressed in luxurious hunting attire rode their horses in pursuit of prey. The heat of gunfire erupting from all directions turned the once peaceful forest into a sea of blood in an instant.

Bang, bang!

 

Bullets struck the ground in rapid succession. A fox that had barely escaped with its life tucked its tail and fled into the underbrush.

Tsking, Jasper Lawton clicked his tongue and let out a whistle. Soon, the hunting dogs began chasing after where the fox had disappeared.

As he leisurely waited for the dogs to catch their prey, Jasper cast a sidelong glance at the young duke beside him.

“By the way, you know, I recently came across a rather scandalous piece of new

Deliberately dragging out his words, Jasper stroked his beard slowly.

“A certain noble in the capital has married a woman who was nearly his stepsister—an outrageous, no, downright disgusting affair.”

The young duke, Edmund Hayden, was watching the flock of birds falling from the sky after being shot. When he slowly turned to look at Jasper, his expression was as detached as it had been when he first arrived here.

As Jasper looked at that neat, unreadable face, the sharp corners of his eyes lifted.

“So then, how does it feel to have stolen my bride with such a paltry threat?”

“I’m sorry to hear that you took my proposal as a threat.”

Without avoiding the threatening stare, the young duke replied with perfect courtesy. Jasper let out a scoffing laugh, as if the very notion were absurd.

“If it wasn’t a threat, then with what intention was I supposed to take it?”

Ever since his second wife died, Jasper had lived alone for a full five years. It was a problem that the household had fallen into disorder with the mistress’s seat left vacant for so long, but an even greater problem was how rarely he found a woman to his taste.

Women who would serve for a single night were as common as stones in the road wherever he went, but those were not the sort of women one could marry.

In fact, the conditions he wanted were not all that demanding.

Leaving aside youth and beauty, which every man desired, it was troublesome if a woman was too extravagant or too foolish.

In other words, she had to possess the decorum befitting the lady of the house. But at the same time, she had to be a woman who knew how to behave “vulgarly” when the occasion called for it.

For some reason, there were not many women who met even these simple conditions. The woman who had been his second wife had at least been serviceable, but because he had trained her badly from the start, it had ended in serious trouble.

In a fit of rage, he killed that woman, and it had taken a long time just to clean up the aftermath. Because of that, Jasper had to add one more condition for his future mistress of the house.

A woman without backing—one he could handle however he pleased.

So when the late former Duke Hayden approached him wishing to propose a marriage alliance, he could not help but be astonished. Quite apart from every other detailed condition, the woman’s beauty was magnificent enough to sell off an entire kingdom for.

Thanks to that, Jasper had lately been in the rare position of feeling thoroughly satisfied.

That was, until he received from the young duke before him a letter of threat disguised as a contract for the dissolution of the engagement.

“It was leniency. The only condition I set forth was the annulment of the engagement.”

There was not a hint of insolence in the face that answered back without so much as blinking. Irritated in some strange way by that unshaken composure, Jasper furrowed his brow.

In the documents sent by this noble young duke were attached the crimes Jasper had committed five years ago, supported by rather meticulous evidence.

They were evidence that Jasper had murdered Vivian Hemming, the eldest daughter of the Hemming family and his second wife.

“You are making one mistake. Even if that matter became known, it would not deal me any meaningful blow.”

Swinging his shotgun behind his back, Jasper clicked his tongue at Edmund as though looking at a childish boy.

“Even if, by some chance, murder were proven, who would dare throw me into prison? At most, I would pay a hefty fine and that would be the end of it. So that ‘leniency’ is something I am the one extending to you. Do you understand?”

An unruffled smile drifted across the young duke’s handsome face.

“If thinking so sets your mind at ease, then yes, I understand.”

He could not tell why that impeccably polite tone grated on him so much. Jasper slowly eased the brow he had so harshly furrowed.

All at once, he found himself wondering what might disturb the composure of this hot-blooded duke.

“Well then, let’s leave this unbearably dull conversation here.”

Lightly changing the mood, Jasper shifted his gaze into the distance.

“What I said earlier was only in jest. In truth, I wanted to offer my congratulations on your marriage.”

Watching with satisfaction as the hunting dogs came running from afar with the fox in their jaws, Jasper’s mouth twisted into a crooked smile.

“So then, how did your new bride taste?”

***

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