Chapter 72
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Tea with Melinda
Ellensia left without much further ado after that. Her mood had soured.
Rosanne flashed a triumphant victor's smile and vanished somewhere. From the direction, it looked like toward the Imperial Palace.
And so, the princess's first tea party ended in shambles almost as soon as it began.
"Shall we take a walk before heading back?"
Melinda decided against returning right away and opted for a short stroll instead. Even after just one bite of the sandwich, it sat heavy in her stomach.
Without realizing it, her footsteps carried her toward the Southern Palace—the place where Lady Philomel was said to be staying.
'She won't want to see me. She was always so kind to me, yet last time at the debutante ball, I didn't even greet her properly.'
Melinda had briefly locked eyes with Philomel while passing at the debutante ball.
She had desperately wanted to rush over and chat happily, but wary of others' eyes, she'd merely bowed her head.
These days, most nobles were trying to gauge Philomel's position.
Her status—from fake princess to state guest now—was unprecedented and utterly ambiguous, leaving them without certainty.
Would getting close to her now bring no future backlash?
Melinda's father, Count Rusan, was no different.
The count felt grateful to the former princess for helping treat his wife's illness but had cautioned his daughter to observe the situation for the time being.
That was the nature of noble society—a world where no one could see even an inch ahead. Hadn't the once-unrivaled Elos family crumbled overnight?
But then, as Melinda trudged along the path to the Southern Palace with no real expectations, the person she'd longed to see came into view.
"Think you can just cause trouble and run off? Until you apologize properly, I won't say a word to you, Rguin."
Someone was scolding a cat.
"……Lady Philomel?"
Philomel turned toward Melinda and let out an "Oh."
"Lady Rusan!"
She beamed brightly.
Philomel invited Melinda to the Southern Palace garden.
Unlike Melinda's worries, Philomel welcomed her warmly, showing no hint of displeasure.
Gazing down at the modest tea spread, Philomel said sheepishly.
"I threw it together in a hurry, so it's nothing special."
"No way! It's incredibly delicious!"
Melinda waved her hands dismissively. It wasn't mere politeness—it truly was delectable.
The lavish desserts at Princess Ellensia's tea party had tasted like chewing sand, but this melted tenderly in her mouth.
And to top it off, it was tea personally brewed by Philomel!
When asked why no maids were around, she replied that she wanted to handle simple tasks herself from now on.
Somehow, that attitude struck her as admirable. The queasy feeling in her stomach vanished in an instant.
'Time with someone you like really is relaxing……'
Watching Philomel's easygoing manner, Melinda grew even more ashamed of herself.
To shun such a wonderful person over needless fretting about an unknowable future.
'I won't do that again!'
She vowed never to repeat the mistake.
And she wanted to get along well with Philomel. Surely, with the right persuasion, her father would understand—he was kind-hearted at his core.
'Later, I'll convince the other ladies too.'
Melinda recalled the few ladies who still admired former Princess Philomel.
That was when she spotted the cat sprawled on the grass.
"I had no idea you kept a cat."
"……Yeah, well. It just sort of happened."
Philomel replied with an awkward expression for some reason.
"We have two cats at home too. They're adorable little things. I'd love to show them to you if I could, Lady Philomel."
Melinda paid no mind to Philomel's demeanor. Thrilled at finding common ground, her eyes sparkled.
"Then, might I visit the Rusan estate sometime?"
"Goodness! Really?"
"As long as your family approves?"
"They will! Even if not, I'll make sure they do!"
Philomel chuckled at Melinda's exuberant joy.
"I'll send a formal invitation later, so you have to come! Promise?"
"Of course."
Melinda basked in happiness.
The cats were veritable lucky charms.
"By the way, what's Lady Philomel's cat named? Earlier, it was Gweng…… Gweng-something, right?"
Suddenly, Philomel's expression clouded slightly.
"Gweng……."
"Gweng?"
"Gwengwen!"
Melinda tilted her head at the peculiar name.
'Gwengwen……?'
For some reason, the cat's gaze toward Philomel seemed none too fond.
But Melinda was delighted to uncover this new facet of her.
'I thought she was perfect at everything, but her naming sense falls short.'
No one could excel in every way! Somehow, even that felt endearing.
Melinda kept firing off questions about the things she'd always wondered about Philomel. She wanted to learn more.
"Do you use formal speech with Gwengwen, Lady Philomel?"
"……I always speak formally to cats."
"I see. But why were you scolding Gwengwen earlier?"
"It got into some mischief."
"What kind?"
"It broke a porcelain vase in the room."
"Our cats do that all the time. Can't leave anything out in the house."
Philomel said with a playful lilt.
"Sheesh. Gwengwen's been causing so much trouble lately. Making noise for no reason and constantly rubbing up against everything."
Melinda wanted to be of some help to Philomel. And so she blurted out.
"Isn't that a sign of heat?"
"……Pardon?"
"I mean, Gwengwen's in heat—mmph!"
Philomel shot up from her chair and clamped a hand over Melinda's mouth.
"Best to stop there, Lady Rusan."
Once Melinda departed for her estate after enjoying tea time, the garden fell back under Philomel and the four men's domain.
"Crack up! Heat! Heat! Oh, our Gwengwen's in heat?"
Cardin doubled over in raucous laughter.
"……."
With a grinding crunch, moments later he was trussed up tight and hung upside down from a tree.
"Ow! I was wrong! Let me down! Blood's rushing to my head!"
Philomel shot Jeremiah a reproachful look. He was the culprit who'd leaked Melinda's words to Lexion and Cardin.
"Anyway…… Heh, we should…… be more careful…… from now on…… Good thing that lady…… didn't catch anything crucial…… or it'd have been a hassle."
Lexion managed beside her, stifling his laughter.
Rguin glared, and he shrugged.
Philomel voiced the question she'd asked before.
"……Rguin, you really won't touch Melinda, right? It's not out of malice."
Over the course of their chat today, Philomel and Melinda had agreed to use given names. Melinda had been overjoyed, calling it an honor multiple times.
"I told you, I won't. Do I seem like that much of a villain to you?"
The same firm assurance came from Rguin yet again. Only then did Philomel relax a bit and rise from her seat.
"Then I'll head out for a bit."
"Where to?"
"Someone smashed a national treasure, so I'm off to apologize to the Emperor."
She had to report the Rguin-induced porcelain incident to Justis.
'Why'd it have to be a national treasure, of all things.'
"I'll cover the compensation."
Rguin grumbled.
"No need. What, suddenly got money lying around? My guess is…… they won't make a fuss over something like this."
Philomel brushed it off lightly and turned to go.
She strolled all the way to the Imperial Palace entrance. But an odd spectacle was unfolding there.
Rosanne, seized by the palace guards, was shrieking furiously.
"How dare you lay hands on me! Do you know who I am? You won't get away with this!"
Evidently, she'd been stopped trying to barge into the Imperial Palace without permission.
Philomel sauntered past unhurriedly.
One guard who spotted her greeted her.
"Lady Philomel, good day!"
"Working hard, I see."
"All in a day's duty! Please, go ahead."
As Philomel entered the palace, a wretched wail exploded from behind.
"Why let her through and block me?!"
What stamina.
To Philomel, Rosanne and her kin seemed hell-bent on charging into ruin's abyss.
Rosanne's escapades were infamous—you couldn't miss hearing about them if you tried.
Philomel shook her head.
At least savor that bliss while it lasted, before the fall.