Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“How dare a Viscounty’s daughter enters a venerable Duke’s family?”

However, she couldn’t stand those words. Undoubtedly, very few people knew the details of her and Zachary’s marriage, nonetheless, that ignorance was no reason to insult the only Duchy of the Empire.

“Even if we don’t consider the Young Duke, still, bringing in a Viscount’s daughter…”

“Honestly, Countess Laurent deserved to be dissatisfied.”

Apparently, the lady who was talking about now seems to have a pretty close relationship with County Lauren.

The madam laughed.

“Is it because their eyes are clouded that they pushed out the daughter of a Count’s family and brought in the daughter of a Viscount’s family?”

“….”

Iellie clenched her fists tightly.

A blatant disregard for her was tolerable, though this rudeness of expressing the marriage between Zachary and her because the Duke’s eyes got cloudy?

‘Of course, status and power determine how we treat people, but…’

When she was by Zachary’s side with the title of ‘Lady Hessenweitz, all of those women were kind to her. Obviously, they didn’t even talk about the Duke in front of her.

‘…Yet they dare to argue about the Duke?’

Iellie’s eyes went cold as she moved her steps. The ladies who saw her were astonished.

“Oh, ladies.”

“What, what’s your business?”

Knowing that they were being rude, the ladies stiffened their shoulders and faced her. Iellie smiled bitterly. This was why they should not have spoken offensively to others in the first place.

“You seem to be telling a very interesting story, so I got in on it without realizing it.”

“…Lady Blanchett?”

“I don’t mind if you insult me…”

Saying so, Iellie tilted her head obliquely. The pale green eyes, like buds, were deeply sunken as she continued.

“How dare you insult Duchy Hessenweitz.”

“What, what do you mean an insult?”

“Don’t be rude!”

The ladies were furious. However, Iellie still had an expressionless face. She repeated her words again.

“As for the reason why the Duke chose me as the Young Duke’s wife, he made his own assumptions.”

“That…!”

“You said it was because the Duke’s eyes were clouded. Is that right?”

The ladies clenched their teeth.

…The Lady of a Viscounty, but the next Mistress of Hessenweitz.

They completely forgot that the Young Duke was rumored to be a monster and avoided marriage, so they thought that Iellie was a lady who was fortunate enough to raise her status through marriage. Needless to say, there were people who felt jealousy towards her.

‘When she’s just a Viscounty’s lady, presumptuously.’

‘Isn’t it because she was incorporated into a high-ranking nobility through marriage?’

The atmosphere that had secretly spread among some nobles in the social circles was heightened after her divorce. Iellie, who became a Viscounty’s lady again, was an easy opponent, so they were going to gossip…

‘…I was so excited that I even said things I shouldn’t have talked about.’

At the thought, the ladies had dismayed expressions.

Iellie looked at the faces of the bewildered ladies with a calm face.

“It’s really disappointing to see the ladies like this.”

“Lady Blanchett?”

Her ladies looked at her with a stern look. Rather, if Iellie had been angry or raised her voice, they could have protested, saying how dare she be rude.

“Since when did the Duchy was in a position to be in the gossips?”

However, Iellie was not angry. She only pointed out their faults with a cold voice.

“We, we didn’t mean to say that…”

“Oh my, ladies.”

While she was smiling brightly, there was no warmth in that smile at all. Iellie added, “The intent is invisible. Usually, someone’s intentions are judged by their actions.”

“….”

“….”

A cold silence passed.

After glancing at the people in front of her, she then persisted with a cold gaze.

“I understand that you are very interested in my divorce, but it is such a vile act to do.”

At those words, it felt as though they had been stabbed. The ladies’ faces turned bright red.

Iellie sighed briefly.

“Honestly, I am very disappointed.”

Then, she shrugged her shoulders lightly. There was nothing wrong with Iellie’s words on its own, so the ladies took a step back no matter what she said. They didn’t want to cross her anymore here.

“Of course, I know the ladies didn’t act that way because they were malicious.”

When Iellie spoke in a somewhat subdued voice, the ladies stared at her with their brows narrowed.

“However, I don’t care how you evaluate me though I think you should be careful about what you say about the Duchy.”

“….”

“I think it would be much wiser for the ladies to maintain your dignity.”

Having said that, Iellie eventually turned around with a respectful greeting. At that moment, a loud voice rang out.

“His Majesty enters!”

The eyes of the nobles quickly turned to the door where the Emperor entered. Iellie frowned unknowingly.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Like a wave, people bowed to greet him one by one. The Emperor wore a good-looking smile on his handsome face. Apparently, he took this banquet quite seriously.

‘At regular banquets, when the Emperor enters, the servant does not even announce his entrance.’

Iellie thought so. Only the Emperor, the Imperial Family, and the highest nobles have the right to be announced of their arrival. Despite the fact, there was a possibility that they could break the pleasant atmosphere of the banquet, so they sometimes also avoided it whenever possible.

‘Who will His Majesty ask first today?’

People rolled their eyes, observing whom the emperor would speak to first.

‘It was usually considered an honor for the Emperor to speak to them first. However…’

Iellie, who bowed her head politely, thought to herself that it shouldn’t be her.

“You look so beautiful today, Lady Blanchett.”

“….”

‘Ah, I knew it would be like this…’

As Iellie chewed the soft flesh in her mouth, the Emperor said softly.

“Raise your head.”

“I am grateful, Your Majesty.”

Iellie smiled while trying to straighten her face, which was about to be distorted. When the Emperor spoke up to her, he emphasized the title of ‘Lady Blanchett.’ It was a title that emphasized that she had returned to an unmarried life.

‘Now, he’s acting openly like that.’

The Emperor’s intent on acting like this was clearly visible—he was going to express his interest in her in earnest. The eyes of those who gazed at Iellie and the Emperor widened, and they tried to hide their surprise.

‘I thought that His Majesty’s look at Lady Blanchett was unusual, but…’

‘I didn’t expect that His Majesty the Emperor would be the first to approach Lady Blanchett.’

People weren’t stupid. At the time of the Emperor’s coronation ceremony last time, there was no way they could not have noticed that the way he looked at Iellie was special. Still, they only pretended not to know because she had Zachary.

‘But now, the lady is divorced.’

‘His Majesty intends to have the Lady as his wife…?’

‘She was once the next Madam of the Duchy, but now she is a Viscount’s Lady.’

People’s eyes narrowed. Apparently, the Emperor was thinking of making her his mistress. Otherwise, there was no way he could show an interest in Iellie so blatantly.

“Lady Blanchett.”

With people’s gazes focusing on them, the Emperor spoke proudly like a peacock with inflated tails.

“Will you allow me to do Lady’s first dance?”

“….”

The next moment, the Emperor reached out his hand in a graceful gesture. Iellie glanced down at the hand that had been extended to her.

“You can’t refuse my dance request now.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Now, the Lady is not without her husband.”

His eyes narrowed.

She expected that the Emperor would act like this. Iellie bit her lip before replying back, “That’s true, but it’s also true that I just got divorced.”

“Well. Lady’s criteria for ‘just got’ seems to be quite different from mine.”

The Emperor opened his mouth softly. At the same time, his dark gray gaze looked at her up and down like a snake.

“Objectively, it’s already half a year. I think you’ve kept enough courtesy towards the Duchy.”

“However…”

“Come on, hold my hand.”

He glanced at his fingertips as if to urge her. After Iellie hesitated, the Emperor narrowed his brow slightly.

“In the past, Lady would have turned down my dance because you had a husband.”

“….”

“You must be well aware that that excuse no longer works.”

What he was saying was that there was no way she could refuse him anymore. Because of that, Iellie swallowed a sigh.

‘I’m going to do this one dance and get out of the ballroom quickly.’

Anyway, she had already attended the New Year’s banquet, so she had to dance to at least one song as a courtesy. Besides, if the other person were the Emperor, it meant that there wouldn’t be anyone who would bother her.

Iellie tried hard to think of it as a good thing.

“Lant Waltz.”

The Emperor gave the order in a calm voice.

Iellie furrowed her eyebrows. It was because Lant waltz was a dance song with a fast beat and was famous for frequent contact between the body of the woman and the man… His intention was clearly visible.

‘He must have chosen that dance on purpose.’

The musicians who received the order hurriedly set their hands on their instruments. The Emperor and Iellie went hand in hand to the dance floor. As the two of them took their position on the floor, the people around rushed back.

“Come on, here.”

Having said that, he pretended to be polite and took one of her hands. Then, with the other hand, he pulled her waist so that their bodies touched each other.

Narrowing her brows, Iellie whispered lowly.

“…Your Majesty, you seem to have pulled my back too hard.”

“I don’t think so. Wasn’t Lant Waltz originally like this?”

She furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure before shooting back in a rather nervous voice.

“Your Majesty. I think it would be better to consider your dignity and my honor.”

The Emperor looked interested.

Even after losing the name of Hessenweitz, Iellie was still proud.

“If you’re going to claim that you want me, shouldn’t you at least show respect for me?”

Having said that, she pushed his body away and glared at him with her eyes narrowed, “And, if we stick together like this, we can’t dance.”

“Ah, there is such a problem.”

The Emperor, who answered with a smirk, then released her waist. After that, he spoke in a pleasant tone.

“Then, let’s talk in-depth about our relationship for once.”

“What do you mean…?”

At the same time, the waltz began to be played. The Emperor pulled Iellie into a near-close embrace.

“Before, the Lady had said some perceptions to me.”

“….”

“…Lady said that I didn’t like Lady as a human being.”

Of course, she did say that. And even now, her opinion has not changed. Iellie looked tired as she thought so.

“You were the Young Duke’s wife, so you asked if I wanted to take you like a trophy.”

“Yes, I have said that before. It wasn’t a perception, it was the truth.”

Freeing herself from his arms around her, Iellie replied coldly. The Emperor curled his eyes softly, seeing her like that.

“Well, that’s why I listened to Lady’s words and thought about it.”

‘What the hell is he trying to say now?’

Iellie decided to focus on taking the steps.

“It doesn’t seem like there is no meaning at all…”

“That’s right.”

“But then, from the moment the Lady divorced… shouldn’t I have lost interest in you?”

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