Chapter 53 - 18. The Refreshing Protagonist (2)

“I never thought the round wind would come like this…”

“What did Lady just say?”

The next afternoon, I looked tired as soon as I returned to my room after lunch. It was because when I opened the door, the first thing I saw was invitations piled up like a tower on my small desk.

“The child who carried this must have died.”

“Lady Vanora! Here’s a letter from the Jalier family—”

“Ah, that’s fortunate you’re still alive.”

Creek.

When the door opened again, a new letter was delivered. I tapped the shoulder of the servant who brought it and looked at him pitifully. The young servant looked surprised at the warm treatment.

“When will I finish this?”

When the servant closed the door and disappeared, I fluttered the letter from Aloken in my hand and sat at the desk.  

“Cecil, this knife has become too blunt. Please sharpen it and bring it back to me.”

“Yes, Lady.”

By the way, in my previous life, did I even get a single letter after my debutante?

The way they changed their behavior towards me made me want to laugh.

The Duke’s fiancée, the goddaughter of dignified Madam, what’s with all those facades? The person sitting at this desk is a murderer who can even be immediately dragged to prison.  

“Well, I’m the same as them.”

As Cecil left the room, I picked out the letter with a sneer around my mouth.

There were only one criteria for me choosing the invitations. Whether it will help me approach Vasago or not?

Judging that way, half of the letters piled up like a tower were thrown on the floor, and this time, half of them burned when I picked out which of them was the one more helpful. In the process, Aloken’s letter also went to the fire pit.

“Then, first of all, the first thing to do in society is…”

All leaves were letters enough for me to hold them all with one hand. Cecil, who had been on her errand, brought in a letter knife, and I opened the letter skillfully.

“Cecil, do you have free time on the second day of next week?”

“Pardon? Yes. I have no plans to take a vacation.”

“Come with me to Baroness Bourbon’s party.”

Cecil nodded to this, and the schedule was confirmed.

Perhaps because I got used to overwork after regression, I moved my hands without a break when the first party appointment was scheduled. After opening all the remaining letters and writing a reply expressing my intention to participate, it was already sunset.

* * *

The first week after my debutante has passed.

“The schedule for this month is already full.”

What can I do if I’m busy?

After entering the social world, I chose Vasago Guelder, the novel’s protagonist, as my first revenge target. A criminal like me needed to try as much as I set the ideal high.

And it’s already midnight on the first day of the week.

“10 seconds…9 seconds…8 seconds…”

I had been holding back my sleep to look at the pages of a midnight novel, despite having an appointment tomorrow. And a few seconds later, the long-awaited text appeared in the air. I skimmed through the words that appeared and stopped looking at one part.

「Haures: So how was it? Did you spend time alone with the princess?

Naverius: Of course! Besides, how close and kindly she treated me. Especially considering that she even prepared her family’s carriage when I returned. It’s clear she has a crush on me too.

Haures: Eii, but you already have a partner.

Naverius: Are you crazy? Why are you bringing her up? I don’t even want to think about that stinky woman!」

Ah, come to think of it.

“He appeared today.”

After the appearance of Naverius, who fell in love with Vasago at first sight in the novel’s debutante, a new character was mentioned with him.

Haures Hopen.

Haures, Naverius’s old friend, plays a role of no importance in the novel as a whole.  Even after my death, I couldn’t forget this man’s name. Because he was the mastermind who made me want to die and the person who built my tombstone.

“But as expected.”

Something was off.

This is what I felt when Haures was first mentioned in the midnight novel, but the way he spoke and looked while alive was very different.

I’ve already confirmed what the characters say are the same lines when given the same situation as in the novel…

Haures raised his family status, who had been poor quickly. He, who had been exceptionally smart since he was young, was so knowledgeable that he took over the parliament seat at a young age. Perhaps that is why Haures, whom I actually met, used a very cultured tone.

He said that he drove me like that because I’m merely a piece of paper.

“Why does he act differently?”

However, in the novel, Haures recited lines like a neighborhood rascal on the same level as Naverius. Unlike the reality I know, he didn’t even particularly act smart.

Why did this difference occur? This novel seems to be about me before my regression, so I have never intervened.

“…”

As expected, there was no way to point it out, but is that possible?

Then how old is this world already?

I feel worried for a moment. But this worry didn’t last long. I can’t be late for the first party after my debutante.

I eventually finished thinking and lay down. After struggling to sleep, the morning sun gently raised its head, and I finished dressing up with the help of Cecil.

“Come on, hold my hand and come up. The carriage is a little high.”

“Yes, Lady.”

I wore ivory attire today, the dress code for the tea party. However, I didn’t forget to wear a wide-brimmed hat, which is now popular in the capital.

I was too lazy to wear an outdoor dress in my previous life, but now I’m dying to do something I’ve never done before.

Before I knew it, the carriage departed and arrived in front of the garden of the Baron’s mansion. Tables and white chairs prepared in advance for party attendees were lined up in the garden landscape.  

“…”

However, I didn’t have time to look around and hardened in place. Soon afterward, several nobles who attended the party greeted me.

“Vanora… did your skin become weak? To wear such wide-brimmed hats. You will get less sunlight if you live in the North with me.”

Why the hell is that man here?

“Naverius?”

“S-So this is how we will meet again. How have you been? I saw you during the debutante… and you danced really well.”

Why did he participate?

“Hello! Lady Vanora!”

You might want to ask how the guy who doesn’t like gatherings got here.

I stiffened my expression when I saw the three men at the party. Of course, I couldn’t object to their participation.

Shortly after, Baroness Bourbon, the party’s host, came out and spoke to me.

“Oh my! Thank you for coming here, Lady Vanora.”

“Greetings, Madam.”

“I have reserved a good seat for you. It’s also an honor for the Lords to come to the party I host. Hoho.”

“Hahaha.”

“Come on. Everyone, please don’t stand still. Let’s sit down.”

I looked at Baroness Bourbon and recalled the midnight novel that once appeared.

「Vasago: You attended today’s meeting.

Amore: I wanted to be the person to meet you first after the debutante, but I’m sorry. Ah, I got some nice tea from Baroness Bourbon’s tea party last time. Would you like to join us today?」

‘Amore,’ who appeared in the story, is Vasago’s friend. And the party ‘Amore’ didn’t miss was this Baroness Bourbon’s tea party. So, to explore the people around Vasago first, I chose this place as the first place to show my face.

I wanted to kill those guys…

I swallowed the tears of blood because of the variable I hadn’t thought of and the fact that I couldn’t see Vasago’s friend, who I had hoped for.

“Let’s start the party, announcing the spring of this year!”

Whether or not she knew my burning heart, the host started the conversation with an excited voice that her party level had risen. The main topic was the review of the debutante.

“So, I was surprised. During that time, I could only imagine what Duke Jalier’s fiancee would be like, but she just appeared right in front of me.”

“Hahaha.”

“I really wanted to be close to you, but I’m so happy to have a chance to drink tea together like this.”

“Hohoho.”

I thought about it, listening to the conversation that didn’t matter.

I want to go home.

Why do I have to be here when the person I was aiming for was not here?

But now I had come, it was impossible to go back. Then something happened when I was forced to act courtesy as Lady Celcius.

“By the way, Duke Jalier. I didn’t expect the Duke to announce your intention to participate in this party. I’m sure you must be busy these days, are you alright?”

When the chatty host asked a question, the man who was enjoying tea leisurely next to me answered.

“Today is my beloved fiancée’s first social activity, and I just want to see her face.”

“Oh my~”

“Oh my gosh.”

Several people sitting at the table exclaimed with admiration.

“Then the rumor must be true. The story of Duke came down to the capital, saw Lady Vanora, and fell in love at first sight.”

“I never thought that would happen in my life.”

In the distant seat, the young ladies were whispering to each other.

I watched the scene, quietly shoving the refreshment into my mouth.

Aloken is probably the one that wrote the letter that came to me last time, which I burned…

Looking through the nobles who were chatting, I finally uttered my first proper words.

“By the way, Madam, you have a good connection to send an invitation for the young master of Demangdwi.”

“Oh my? It’s not like that! He personally contacted me saying he wanted to join my party.”

“Aha, it’s Madam’s second tea party, so it’s only natural that your reputation grows. I’m sorry for asking you something I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Hohoho. Don’t flatter me too much!”

The purpose of my words was the question of how he got here. But the answer that came back was surprising.

Did Naverius come to this party to see me?

So, there’s only one question left.

I turned my head and looked at the person sitting at the farthest end of the table. Then, I could see Carl, who had already started talking to the person next to him. 

“But are you really a member of the Andras family? You’re really tall.”

“Yes? Yes…!”

Seeing that he hesitates to talk to the person next to him immediately, he seems very unfamiliar with the party. I soon gave up thinking because I couldn’t even guess why Carl came here.

Still, he came dressed properly for the party.

It has been about an hour since then.

It was around the time when the light topic came and went, which anyone could hear, and the repeated praise for the taste of the snack served by the host.

Huh?

I accidentally raised my head and looked in the direction of Carl, and a situation that bothered me happened. When the nobleman beside him brought up the topic, Carl responded with a few words. Still, the nobleman’s expression gradually darkened, and he closed his mouth with an uncomfortable expression. It was obvious that Carl had made a slip of the tongue.

What kind of mistake did he make?

Carl and my seat were quite far away, so it was impossible to guess because we couldn’t communicate with each other in a low voice. And while I was so distracted, Aloken’s voice next to me was heard.

“Ah, but did you all hear the rumors?”

When Aloken opened his mouth, most people except me focused on his words. Because he had the highest position in that party.

“What rumors?”

“Well, I went to a party a few days ago, and someone said that my fiancée actually had an affair with his lover while meeting me.”