“Bold thing to say, isn’t it? Baroness Estelle.”

“…… Excuse me?”

“What you said just now is an insult not only to Countess Rachel who invited me, but also toward his excellency, the Duke, who brought me here. Can you take responsibility for your statement?”

“Hmph… what do you mean? I was just pointing out that someone doesn’t fit in this place.”

Baroness Estelle cleared her throat at the unexpected reaction and suddenly remembered a time five years ago. She was in the middle of gossiping about Rowena with one of her closest friends in the powder room when they were caught red-handed by Rowena. She thought that Rowena might get angry or take revenge. However, contrary to her expectations, Rowena was a woman who fled the scene, rushing out of the powder room like a sinner. Her heart was pounding; she was worried about what might happen next, but after a while, nothing major happened, and all her wariness gradually faded, and a feeling of superiority came over her.

Rowena was a woman who occupied a place next to the Duke, whom she seduced by using her face and body, even though she had nothing to offer in terms of status or lineage.

When she heard that such a woman was discarded cruelly five years ago before the Duke’s sudden marriage, she was inwardly delighted.

However, to think that she would come back again… The moment she heard the news, a sense of inferiority and jealousy welled up in her heart. She felt like she could only breathe if she dragged Rowena down to the ground and smeared her with filth by any means necessary. So she tried to form a public opinion around Rowena but was interrupted by Countess Rachel, which made her angry. And then to have this woman sitting next to her!

“Miss Philone, you don’t seem to know this because you didn’t learn much, but there are certain things one should do and certain things one absolutely should not do. This is all determined by your class and status.”

The flustered Baroness softly admonished her. Rowena, who had been listening to her with an open mind, despite the imposing and condescending tone, laughed and nodded plainly.

“I see.”

“That’s right. It’s fine as long as you know it now.”

“Yes. Thank you for teaching me. Is it okay if I ask you just one thing?”

“What?”

The feisty Baroness looked up. She intended to mock Rowena as much as she could, but the face of the woman staring at her was so cold and frightening that it pierced her to the very core. 

Rowena asked in a clear tone—her face so expressionless that it was hard to believe she had just laughed.

“Is it right to spread false rumors about the royal bloodline? Or is it something that should never be done?”

“Wha— What are you saying?”

Everyone gasped at the sudden explosive statement. The Baroness turned pale; just a second ago, she didn’t see that coming.

“That… it’s just… I just said it without thinking; we were just having a light chatter; you can’t call that with an expression like rumor…..”

“Is that so? Then let’s go together.”

“What?”

“You said it was a light chatter, right? If you can repeat in front of the Duke, I will let the matter go.”

“What—!”

The Baroness, panicked by Rowena’s unwavering approach, turned around, begging for help with her eyes, but everyone just avoided her gaze, and no one stepped forward.

****