When My Enemies Began to Regret

“Right. It’s been a while since I’ve been busy to see your face, but I’m glad to meet you like this.”

“Every time I see you, you’re getting taller and taller. Is it thanks to the blood of your great ancestors?”

“Hahahaha.”

Huh? Fanora felt a small sense of incongruity here. What is this? In the original version, he spoke highly of the princess when they first met. Was it because the first meeting in the original was when he was still a little Duke, and now he had succeeded to the title?

Vasago’s eyes turned this way in the midst of confusion.

“Greetings, Princess. It’s an honor to be invited here. How have you been?”

“This summer has been eventful. Well, there was a big flood in the capital…”

Fanora greeted her perfectly without any fault. Vasago looked over her manners and smiled happily. It seemed that Fanora had passed the first gateway.

“I’m looking forward to what kind of conversation we’ll have at the salon today. Well then, have a nice day.” Vasago, who finished talking, moved her seat.

Many nobles wanted to talk to Vasago, so it was natural that she was busy. However.

“That crazy thing…”

“!”

As soon as Vasago disappeared from view, Aloken spat out curses in a small voice that only his fiancée could hear.

“What’s going on?”

When Fanora looked up, his eyes looked as if he would eat Vasago at any moment. But they already arrived at their seats. He soon returned to his noble elegant face and whispered to her.

“She talked about bloodline from the first greeting.”

When Fanora blinked at this, he smiled and added an explanation.

“Ah, you don’t know?”

Thanks to his smile, the two appeared to be lovey-dovey.

“Guelder is a duke family that descended from the royal family with a title, but my family’s root is not even Kasius.”

“…Are you saying that she mocked your bloodline?”

“It’s really ridiculous for a subject that even recently couldn’t produce the queen.”

Aloken stopped escorting Fanora and put his hands on his cane. How he tapped his index finger on top  of it was frightening.

It’s very different from what I was thinking.  At this rate, it seemed that the cane would be used as a blunt weapon rather than for decoration.

Fanora tried to hide her embarrassment and told him. “N-no way. She must have said it without thinking. If you actually have a deep conversation, her impression might be different.”

“…”

“Ah, and Princess Guelder is very beautiful, right? How does it feel to see her this close? You have eyes too…”

Aloken answered his fiancée with a perfect smile.

“There are two women who scratched my insides today.”

“…”

“Why don’t you sit down instead of talking nonsense?”

Fanora couldn’t say anything more when she heard the answer.

It was a little later. The salon was ready to open. Around the stage that was padded with planks, the participating nobles sat around on wooden chairs.

I’ve only heard of it, but it’s the first time I’ve really been to a salon.

The salon held by Madam Creed was simple. Presenting ideas according to a given topic, discussing with each other, and accumulating knowledge by talking to each other was like a matter of amusement.

“Everyone, shall we talk about paintings today?”

The subject this time was the work of a certain artist.

“Today, we invited an artist who is active in the capital.”

The organizer, Madam Creed, beckoned, filling the empty stage. With long wavy hair, the painter bowed in front of the nobles.

“My name is Mago, who painted <Sheep on the Hill> and <Alito>.”

“Oh my god. If it was Mago, did that person draw the portrait of the Marquis?”

“As expected from Madam Creed. I can’t believe she brought such a famous person.”

He had lost his words a while ago, probably because his teeth weren’t good, but he seemed to be such a great person that you didn’t have to worry about that. The painter soon brought the paintings he called his new work in a row into the parlor. What followed was an explanation of the painting.

“…!”

While the man standing on the stage passionately explained his work, Fanora could tell what the tiles of these were just by looking at the first painting. These paintings became famous as soon as they were revealed to the world.

A few minutes later, Fanora enjoyed the paintings while drinking the juice prepared in the salon. The announcement of the artist’s new work has come to an end. She lightly stretched out and at the same time, noticed Aloken sitting next to her…

Ah, he said artistic things aren’t fun, right? Aloken didn’t say anything but seemed on the verge of dying from boredom.

“Where are you going?”

So, as soon as the explanation of the new work was finished, Aloken got up from his seat. Fanora looked at him and asked this, but there was no answer. Eventually, he was guided by the Creed family servant and disappeared somewhere in the hallway.  

He should at least talk to Madam. Well, it’s up to him anyway.

As he left, everyone briefly focused on the door, then turned back to the stage.

“That’s a good piece of work. Did you all have fun?”

“Of course, Madam Creed.”

“I was impressed with the metaphor contained in the work.”

Now the appreciation was over, it was time to discuss the art piece. Excluding Fanora, who was sitting quietly, the nobles gathered in the chairs began to express their opinions one by one. They also praised the technique used in this work. They tried to interpret the work from a philosophical point of view and discussed painting and perspective.

“…”

Among them, a noble advised, “If you change this part, it will be better.”

Fanora listened calmly to all of this and was silent.

“Today, some people came to our salon for the first time. Um, Lady Celsius?”

“Yes, Madam.”

“What do you think of Lady Celsius? This person’s painting.”

“It’s so old-fashioned.”

“That’s an interesting idea.”

The only opinions that have been brought up in the salon so far have been high-quality opinions as if to prove that they were descended from a prestigious noble family. Fanora was also confident that she would be able to complete a perfect review by putting together the knowledge she knew.

“Which part did you find so old-fashioned?”

But what was needed here wasn’t perfection.

“I wonder if the time has come to change the museum itself in Kasius.”

“Oho.”

“When I learned the art from the academy, isn’t it said that they call famous artists because they make their paintings according to their style? But these days, new artists have a common style.”

“Let’s hear more.”

“There are too many paintings in the market these days that praise the royal family.”

When Fanora uttered this sentence, the salon’s atmosphere subsided momentarily. This place was actually a den of royalists, so even if there were no royal family present, it was inevitable.

“How can I, a citizen of Kasius, not know the achievements of the great Balmong Dynasty? Now, the current art world is overflowing with paintings intended to express the dynasty in a sacred way.”

Nevertheless, Fanora continued to raise her voice. “I’m so sad that their creations are suppressed.”

Now, look, Vasago Guelder. She was sure that when she finished her sentence, Vasago would give a reaction. Because she had the truth of this world that appeared every midnight. From the day she returned to the past, Fanora read the daily life of Vasago without exception. Now she knew Vasago’s tendencies better than anyone else.

“Are you a good painter only when you draw dragon patterns well? Do you really need to express the light of the kingdom strongly?”

“…”

“Wouldn’t art develop further if these elements were excluded and art was freely developed?”

Princess Guelder didn’t want the perfect opinion in this salon.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Fanora came up with decisive words. “That’s why the painting in the middle saddened me. It’s like a beautiful expression of oppression.”

The one in the middle was none other than the artist’s self-portrait. However, the background was hung with dragon-patterned silk representing the sacredness of the Balmong Dynasty.

Fanora, who finished speaking, finished with a smile. …But unlike her relaxed face, she waited anxiously for something inside.

Bite it. Bite it. Bite it. The same words lingered in her throat over and over again.

“Hmm. That’s definitely a different opinion—”

It was then. As the nearby young master opened his mouth, a shrill voice cut him off and echoed through the salon.

As the nearby male aristocrat opened his mouth, a shrill voice, cutting off his words, sounded the saloon.

“That’s wonderful!”

“!”

Vasago Guelder. That woman finally broke the silence.

“My thoughts are the same as Lady Fanora’s. I feel that the current art world is stuck with outdated ideas.”

“I-is that so?”

“Even if we don’t mobilize the art world, our Kasius is highly prestigious.”

“Hmm.”

“In addition, if you look at how the art world of the new kingdom, which used only works praising religion as a style, has declined…….”

The counterargument disappeared when Vasago, who was second only to Aloken, stepped up at this discussion. Everyone even helped Fanora, saying she was right.

As Fanora predicted, Vasago was interested in ‘people who have the same thought as herself.’ In other words, she was a noble with antipathy towards the Balmong Dynasty.

28. I Like Them All…

The long discussion was over. Afterward, she was treated to dinner prepared by Madam Creed, which was unusual.  

“It’s like…”

“A small party.”

Salon participants were free to enjoy the food prepared in a buffet style on one side of the hall and gathered in groups of two or threw with whoever they wanted to enjoy an after-party.

“So, did you have a good conversation with Vasago?”

“Not yet.”

“Should I help you?”

“No.”

Fanora glanced up at Aloken, who had already returned to his seat. However, Aloken, who was looking straight ahead, made an expression of discovering something.

“Oh my, does the food suit your taste? Lady Celsius.”

When she turned her head, Vasago was approaching them.

“Lady Celsius is close to our territory, so perhaps we have similar tastes.”

“Haha.”

“Ah, by the way, I heard your opinion at the salon earlier, which was very interesting.”

Vasago, with wine in his hand, offered kindly to Fanora. As a treasure Kasius boasted of, every gesture and voice she made was as delicate as a jewel.

“So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have an in-depth conversation about today’s topic…”

While Fanora was inadvertently distracted by her eyelashes, Vasago secretly glanced at the black-haired man beside her.

“…”

Aloken would never have acted the way Vasago had hoped. But as if he couldn’t help it, he took a half step back.

“Go and talk. Fanora, I’m thinking of saying hello to Lord Cornwell over there.”

“!”

When he stepped out tactfully, Fanora bowed in gratitude.

So Fanora and Vasago headed to the terrace of the mansion. At this time, the sunset was beautiful, and there was no space like this to inquire into each other’s true feelings.

“Wow, the scenery is wonderful! The people who live in Creed’s mansion must be happy.”

It would be nice if it wasn’t for that intrusive servant who followed and escorted Vasago. Fanora looked at the man on the other side of the terrace door, pretending to see the scenery. That man was the former slave and became the butler who appeared in the midnight novel.

He’s small. However, in the storyline, there were narratives that he had undergone a high level of training to protect Vasago. It will be difficult to handle him with bare hands.

Did the other person know that Fanora was having such vicious thoughts? Vasago smiled brightly as if she had no doubts.