Chapter 21

After that, I attended several tea parties and built relationships with various young ladies and madams.

I mainly participated in tea parties with nobles who had connections to the Bernhard Duke family. If I didn’t narrow it down, there would have been countless options to choose from.

Even so, there were many nobles with ties to the Duke family, and it was quite challenging.

Moreover, they were mostly high-ranking nobles, with whom I had almost no interaction when I was a countess. I was very nervous.

To be in a position where people who couldn’t even greet me a month or two ago were now greeting me in return was nerve-wracking...

I usually went to the tea parties alone, greeted everyone, and had pleasant conversations.

Occasionally, someone like the Count of Chiltaris would bring up business matters, but I declined all of them.

The worst was when someone who knew I was a poor countess’s daughter came to mock me while proposing business.

I thought Natasha was the only one like that, but there were more than I expected. It wasn’t a young lady like Natasha, but a chubby man from some count’s household.

"You know, your family, the Count of Ingrid, has borrowed money from me many times. So, isn’t it only right that you give me something in return?"

He said this with a smug look, which irritated me. It was more like a threat, demanding money from the Bernhard Duke family.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. Do you not understand, a poor countess’s daughter?"

...Even now, thinking about it makes me irritated. But I responded with a smile.

"Is that so? Then I will inform the Duke of Bernhard, Lord Alan, that you are asking for a return in the form of money."

"Huh? N-no, no, I wouldn’t dare say that to Duke Bernhard. I was talking to you, the Countess of Ingrid..."

"I am not just a countess’s daughter; I am the Duchess of Bernhard. So, asking me for money means asking the Duke family for money. I cannot make such a decision alone, so I will report it to Lord Alan."

"...No, no, there’s no need for that. Ah, I don’t need any return, it’s fine, yes. Don’t say anything, absolutely not!"

He left in a hurry, sweating profusely.

Of course, I reported this to Alan... and later, the count came to the mansion to apologize, but he was turned away at the door.

I probably won’t see that count again.

However... the Ingrid Count family, my family, had borrowed money from other nobles as well. I didn’t know much about it, but perhaps we were even poorer than I imagined.

I’m not really interested in it anymore.

"Sophia, are you okay?"

I was startled when Alan, sitting across from me, spoke.

"Y-Yes, I’m fine, Alan."

We were in a carriage on our way back from a dinner party. It had been very challenging, and I had been a bit dazed.

"You seem quite tired."

"Well, yes... It’s not physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion."

"I see. But social events like dinner parties and tea parties will settle down soon. Today’s dinner with His Majesty and Her Majesty marks the end of it."

"...Yes, that’s a relief."

Indeed, today I had dinner with His Majesty and Her Majesty.

It was really nerve-wracking...

I had met the King before when I was a countess, but it was just a brief greeting in a large social setting where all the nobles were present. I had never had a personal conversation with him.

Suddenly being invited to a dinner... I was really surprised. Moreover, it was at the palace, so I was so nervous that I don’t remember much of what I said... But it was okay, right? I didn’t do anything rude, did I?

But one thing I do remember...

"Does the Duchess have any particular things she likes about the Duke of Bernhard?"

The Queen was surprisingly playful and asked me this. I was nervous, and when asked what I liked about Alan, I panicked...

"Everything!"

I answered. There was a moment of silence, but then the Queen got very excited.

"Oh, really! The Duke of Bernhard is indeed a good person!"

The Queen reacted like a young lady.

But I think the Queen was around thirty, so maybe she enjoys such conversations.

The King and Alan seemed to be quite close, and they had made plans to have dinner together again.

The Queen also invited me to have dinner with her, but I couldn’t refuse.

Well, no date has been set, so it might just be a polite invitation.

But I had suspected that Alan and the King were close.

That’s why in the future I saw in my premonition, the Crown Prince and Rebecca were engaged.

I didn’t see the Crown Prince today, but I think I’ll have the chance to meet him again.

Will Rebecca and the Crown Prince get engaged as in my premonition? If they do, how will it be decided?

Probably Alan and the King will discuss and decide it...

"Alan, how old is the Crown Prince?"

"The Crown Prince? I think he’s twelve."

Twelve years old, two years older than Rebecca. It’s a good age for an engagement.

"Um, has there been any talk about Rebecca’s engagement...?"

"The Crown Prince?"

"Yes."

"No, not yet."

"Good, so there hasn’t been any talk of engagement yet."

"Why did you suddenly ask about that?"

Alan tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, since the King and Alan seemed close, I thought there might be such talk."

"Not yet, but Rebecca is only ten. Both the King and I think it’s too early to talk about engagement."

"I see..."

"Do you think it would be good for Rebecca to be engaged to the Crown Prince?"

"No, not at all."

Indeed, the way the conversation was going, it might seem like I was thinking that.

But I think the opposite.

In my premonition, Rebecca was engaged to the Crown Prince, didn’t receive his love, and ended up being executed.

So, I think it would be better if she didn’t get engaged to the Crown Prince. Of course, she might seek love no matter who she’s engaged to because she was starved for love.

But I think it’s improving because I’m showing her love now.

"I want Rebecca to be engaged and married to someone she truly likes. Someone who loves her."

Yes, that’s very important. If she’s loved, the future I saw won’t come to pass.

She’s such a cute and angelic child; in a normal social setting, she would be highly sought after.

I can’t understand why the Crown Prince didn’t fall in love with her.

"Hmm... I understand. I’ll do my best to make it happen."

"Really? You will?"

"Yes, no problem. We don’t need a political marriage."

"I see..."

Alan and I have a contract marriage, but it’s not a political marriage.

The Bernhard Duke family doesn’t need to marry into another noble family to increase their power or status.

Alan chose a contract marriage because he found love to be troublesome, but he seems to recognize free love.

"I was a bit surprised. I thought you didn’t support love marriages."

"I don’t necessarily oppose them. I just wasn’t suited for a love marriage. I could see that from my parents and my brother’s marriage."

Parents and brother’s marriage?

I think my brother’s marriage was more about having a mistress. He didn’t love Rebecca, so he was a terrible parent.

But what about Alan’s parents?

I’ve never met them. Were they also not in a love marriage?

"I wasn’t in a love marriage either, but perhaps I was suited for one."

"Huh?"

"I seemed to be liked by my wife."

"Ah..."

I blushed at his words. He was probably referring to my “Everything!” answer at the dinner party.

"N-No, that was just because I was confused by the sudden question!"

"...Heh."

As I started to make excuses, Alan smiled slightly.

"Sorry, I was teasing you."

"R-Really, it’s not like that. Do you understand?"

"Heh, I understand. But don’t deny it so much, I might think you dislike me."

"S-Sorry, I don’t dislike you."

"Ah."

Although I was teased, I felt a bit happy. I never thought we would have such a conversation when we first met.

And his words made it sound like it’s okay for me to like him. But I have a contract that says I shouldn’t love Alan.

I need to be careful not to misunderstand... or rather, I don’t want Alan to misunderstand!

"Huh? What’s with the glare?"

"...Nothing."

"Okay."

I glared to prevent him from misunderstanding, but it didn’t seem to get through.

After that, we returned to the mansion in the carriage.