Chapter 123
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123
The moment the article about Harriet hit the papers, Bella was swamped with "concerned" inquiries from her social circle.
"There’s a rumor that Harriet’s been summoned by the Imperial Family. After all, she essentially deceived the throne."
"I heard someone saw her leaving Kailas Mansion the other day. They say the Grand Duchess was quite fond of that soap, so she must be absolutely furious, don't you think?"
"Oh dear, what will happen? Won’t this bring trouble to your family as well?"
Her friends, having somehow gathered every scrap of gossip in record time, relayed everything Bella had been dying to hear.
Harriet must be losing her mind by now. The accusations aren't entirely baseless, so she’ll be hard-pressed to find an excuse.
If she let her guard down for even a second, Bella felt she might burst out laughing. The situation was unfolding exactly as she’d hoped; her only regret was that she couldn't be there to witness Harriet’s pale, shocked face in person.
Of course, she allowed none of that satisfaction to show on the surface.
"I don’t understand why everyone is so angry," Bella said softly. "What’s so bad about Harriet being the owner?"
"Good heavens, Bella! How will you ever survive being so naive? The problem isn't just that she’s the owner."
"Then what is it?"
"Until now, <Clarissa> posed as a brand born from the Saint Clarissa Convent, didn't it? People bought those products because they thought they were supporting the convent or the orphans."
In truth, for the nobility, the connection between <Clarissa> and the convent was a secondary concern. How many of them had actually purchased the soap out of the goodness of their hearts?
But Bella had commissioned the article specifically to make it seem as if the public had been moved by such goodwill—and that they were now suffering a profound sense of betrayal. Thanks to her framing, people were now deluding themselves into believing they had been motivated by charity all along.
"Surely Harriet didn't keep all the profits for herself?" Bella asked. "I’m sure it helped the convent too."
"They say she’s made a fortune and spends it all at the Angelic Party. I heard dropping a hundred thousand Dirham in a single night is nothing to her."
"W-wait, the Angelic Party? What’s that? Is it not a regular party?"
"Don’t even ask. They say the most unspeakable, vulgar acts happen there! As if she wasn't already a loose woman..."
Just as the disparaging remarks reached a fever pitch, Bella burst into the tears she had been holding back—or rather, carefully cultivating.
"P-please, don't say such things. Harriet isn't that kind of girl! She’s just lost her way for a moment. I’m sure she’ll come back to us eventually."
As Bella buried her face in a handkerchief and sobbed, her friends looked on with pity and patted her back. None of them could see her grinning like a madwoman behind the lace, nearly dying of joy.
Once Bella finally managed to stem the flow of tears, someone spoke up, desperate to lighten the mood.
"Isn't there any cheerful news to discuss instead of all this gloom?"
"Oh! Duke Kailas is attending the Imperial Banquet next week. Young Master Dawson, his close friend, will be there as well."
At the mention of high society’s most eligible bachelors appearing at the banquet, every eye in the room began to sparkle. As for Harriet, no one cared what happened to her anymore; the topic was discarded as quickly as a worn-out shoe.
"What kind of woman will Duke Kailas marry? What would it feel like to be the wife of such a perfect man?"
"Oh, I think it would be more of a burden. People would expect the Duchess to be perfect too, wouldn't they?"
"Exactly. To avoid being overshadowed by his looks, you’d have to be someone like Bella."
The ladies all nodded in agreement, until one of them spoke up tentatively.
"I, for one, prefer Young Master Dawson over Duke Kailas."
"Kyaa! Me too! I’ve completely fallen for his roguish yet refined charm!"
Edgar, who had returned after two years of studying abroad, was even more charismatic and witty than before. Anyone who spoke with him found themselves charmed. He lacked the Duke's heavy, serious air, but he never seemed frivolous either—largely thanks to the sharp glint that occasionally flashed in his eyes and the considerate manners he extended to even the smallest details.
"Who will those two dance with at the banquet?"
At the question, several women blushed, wearing peculiar smiles. Every one of them harbored the secret wish that they might be the lucky lady.
Bella found her friends utterly ridiculous.
Do they not own mirrors, or have they simply lost all touch with reality?
Even she had only just managed to secure James Cheslow.
"Oh, right! Bella, you’ll be dancing with Young Master Cheslow, won’t you? It’s your first major banquet since the engagement, isn't it?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Bella nodded with a shy expression before quickly feigning a look of concern.
"Lady Daphne will likely be attending as well. I’m worried it might create an awkward atmosphere."
"We’ll protect you, don't worry. Everyone will see that you’re a far better match for Young Master Cheslow anyway."
"Thank you," Bella replied with a touched smile.
In truth, she was genuinely looking forward to the Imperial Banquet. She would appear as James’s fiancée, the center of everyone’s gaze, and Daphne would undoubtedly be forced to avoid her.
Harriet won’t even dare show her face.
Yet, a part of Bella wished Harriet would attend. That way, she could watch Harriet play the part of the loser once again. It was Bella’s favorite pastime.
*
The long-awaited Imperial Banquet commenced amidst the lush, vibrant greenery of the season.
Among the various Imperial Banquets held throughout the year, this one was smaller in scale, but the seasonal atmosphere made it quite pleasant.
As Cedric exchanged greetings with acquaintances, Edgar, standing beside him, leaned in and whispered.
"Hey, look over there."
Following Edgar’s gesture, Cedric saw James and Bella entering the hall, arm in arm. A sense of triumph radiated from James’s face, and Bella was dazzling—though perhaps that was mostly due to her attire.
"Wow. Those stones on her dress... could they actually be real diamonds?"
"I wonder."
"Well, knowing her, she wouldn't show up wearing fake sparkles. But did she really get her father to buy that for her?"
"..."
"No, wait. James Cheslow must have bought it. Isn't that the whole reason they're getting married?"
Cedric didn't bother replying. Why waste breath on people he had no interest in?
Edgar, however, driven by his habit of finding information in even the most trivial details, continued to scrutinize them.
"Unless I can have a romance of the century like James Cheslow, I’m not even going to bother."
"Do as you please."
"Hey, this is your friend we're talking about. Show some interest."
Edgar grumbled, sounding disappointed.
Then, as if stepping onto a stage, Daphne Laurel made her entrance.
Bella was radiant, but Daphne was not overshadowed in the slightest. If anything, because she had been absent from high society for a while, her beauty felt even more striking.
The guests’ eyes darted back and forth between Bella and Daphne. Two of high society’s greatest beauties, and the one man who had been engaged to them both. It was a scandalous tableau.
"Oh, Lady Daphne’s timing is a bit unfortunate, isn't it?"
"Why?" Cedric asked. "They’re strangers now. Is there any reason for her to calculate her arrival just to avoid them? Especially someone like Lady Daphne Laurel?"
"...You’re right, Cedric. It’s not Lady Daphne’s place to avoid anyone."
Edgar watched the scene unfold. Daphne, who had arrived with her parents, seemed to falter for only a fraction of a second when she spotted James and Bella ahead of her. She quickly recovered, smiling casually as she exchanged greetings with those around her.
In fact, it was James whose expression had turned rigid.
"Look at that, look at that... It seems he’s already having regrets."
"Still gossiping about other people's love lives?"
"Good heavens, what could be more entertaining than this? Look. The moment he saw Lady Daphne, James Cheslow’s face completely changed."
Edgar was right. Just moments ago, James had looked lost in self-admiration, proud to have secured the most sought-after woman in the capital. But now, his gaze was fixed entirely on Daphne.
"At this rate, he’ll end up losing both rabbits."
"Bella Listerwell won’t let go of that man," Cedric noted, recalling the intelligence he’d gathered on the Listerwell family. "Not unless a better alternative appears."
Edgar, the head of the information guild <Cloud>, chuckled and nodded. To him, the gazes of the onlookers, the simmering emotions, and the shifting power dynamics were all crystal clear.
"Things are getting interesting."