Chapter 49

After completing a fifteen-day journey, Opal returned to the capital and attended a certain ball the next day.

She knew that Kiemont would also be attending, based on the information she had gathered beforehand.

Although her response to the invitation was late, the hosting Viscount and Viscountess Claude welcomed her with joy.

The moment she finished greeting the couple, Opal found herself surrounded by many people.

"Do you remember me, Duchess of Lucel?"

"Of course I remember, Countess of Kiemont. It's a pleasure to see you again."

Opal answered with a smile, but she was inwardly anxious about a miscalculation.

The Countess of Kiemont was the mother of Kiemont, her target, and a respected figure in society.

There was a chance that Kiemont might not show up at a ball where his mother was attending.

If that were the case, she would have to carefully choose another evening to avoid running into Hubert and the others.

Moreover, the Countess of Kiemont was known for her narrow-minded and arrogant personality, often saying that a woman like Opal, who was promiscuous in her single days, should be excluded from social circles.

Feeling depressed at the thought that she might spend the night without any progress, Opal then heard a familiar voice.

"It's been a while, Opal. I heard you were back, but I couldn't see you at all, so I was worried. Where have you been?"

"…It's been a while, Kiara. The purpose of my return was to inspect the territory, so I was away from the capital for a while."

"Inspect the territory? You don't have to do such troublesome things. You can just delegate them to someone else. Besides, it's not something a lady should do."

"Is that so?"

While thinking that Kiara's imposition of her own values hadn't changed since the old days, Opal forced a smile.

Kiara had been close to Opal before the scandal but had ignored her ever since.

The same was true for most of the people surrounding Opal.

However, she wasn't angry about it.

Of course, she had been hurt and frustrated at the time, but once she realized that it was her pride, not her heart, that was hurt, she no longer cared.

It didn't matter what people who didn't matter to her said.

(Well, it is quite lonely to have no friends in society...)

Opal had already made many enemies in the Kingdom of Taisei.

King Alessandro was not exactly an ally or a friend.

If that was the case, she wanted to at least solidify her base in the Kingdom of Sochieu, where she had an advantage.

Thinking this, Opal answered the people who approached her one after another with a smile, trying to be of some help to Claude.

But the problem was the Countess of Kiemont.

It was hard to believe that the dissolute Kiemont would attend the same ball as his mother, so it was likely that their schedules had coincidentally overlapped.

If Kiemont appeared and she carried out her plan, she would embarrass the Countess and incur her wrath.

Opal was torn between changing her plan and deciding to go through with it.

Everyone should know what kind of person Kiemont is.

Looking around the room, Opal was confident that most people would be delighted by a new scandal.

Some might disapprove of her actions, but there was no point in trying to understand those who couldn't be convinced.

It was better to gain more allies, even if they were few.

While listening to the people around her with a smile, Opal carefully observed them.

Many of the people gathered here wanted something from her.

The once promiscuous girl with a large dowry had become the former Duchess of MacLaud and the Duchess of Lucel, and was also one of the wealthiest people in the country.

The women were trying to figure out how to attract valuable men, and the men were trying to figure out how to get her attention.

Despite this, Opal found herself enjoying the conversation with a few people.

The future society would change dramatically.

With the development of industry, commoners could now acquire the wealth that the upper class had long monopolized.

Those who understood and accepted this and worked hard did not look at Opal through colored glasses.

They treated her as an equal, listened to her opinions, and expressed their own.

Even opposing opinions sparked serious debates that stimulated the stubborn Opal, leading to new insights and goals.

Wealth brings power, and power controls many people.

Opal slowly observed the elegantly dancing people and thought about how many in this room could keep up with the changes of the times.

(I had heard that Viscount Claude was forward-thinking, but it's true...)

While many still held old-fashioned views, the ballroom was filled with relatively progressive people, and Opal realized that she had been trapped in her own fixed ideas.

Tonight, she was able to discuss investments with both men and women, which was a joy and filled her with hope.

(Maybe we can become friends...)

Opal nervously looked at the woman she had spoken to briefly earlier.

Loana, the daughter of Viscount Claude, the host of the ball, was probably not yet debuting when Opal was active in society.

She seemed calm, but she was five years younger than Opal.

(Ah, what should I do? How do you become friends? Do you shake hands and say, 'Let's be friends'?)

Opal, who had no real friends other than Claude, was at a loss.

Her relationship with Claude, who had been with her since childhood, was not a reference.

She was thinking that making friends as an adult might start with exchanging cards when someone spoke to her familiarly from behind.

"Hello, Duchess of Lucel. I'm surprised to see you here."

"…Lord Kiemont."

"I heard you had disappeared after the last ball we attended together, but it's fortunate to meet you again here. Or perhaps, it's fate?"

"It's a coincidence."

Opal smiled and dismissed him, but Kiemont, undeterred, took her hand and kissed it.

"Then, we should make it fate."

She wanted to slap that smirking face.

Struggling to suppress her rising anger, Opal shook off his hand.

"How many women have you made cry?"

"Perhaps as many as it takes to satisfy a noblewoman."

"How low. I don't even want to look at you, let alone talk to you. But there is something I need to tell you, Lord Kiemont."

"Oh? What is it?"

Despite feeling sickened by Kiemont's smirking smile, Opal managed to respond politely.

There were many things she wanted to say.

Even if it didn't directly concern her, she couldn't stay silent thinking about Bess and the women and children she had spoken to at the shelter.

"I expect to receive a certain amount of property division to cover child support. My agent will contact you tomorrow."

"…What? What are you talking about?"

"You?!"

Opal's statement caused a stir, and Kiemont was visibly shaken.

While she had expected this, being called "you" by him made her increasingly frustrated.

"I have no recollection of being called that."

"What do you call a promiscuous woman like you?"

Many women gasped.

Some covered their mouths, looking as if they were about to be sick, and left the scene.

But Opal, her face unchanged, looked at Kiemont coldly.

"There is nothing between us! We only danced once or twice in the past!"

"Yes, that's correct. We only danced once in the past, and once at the recent ball. Yet, you seem to have been talking as if we had a deeper relationship."

"That… that was just… fitting in with the conversation!"

Now, no one was dancing on the floor, and all eyes were on Opal and Kiemont.

The Countess of Kiemont, who had apparently been in another room, hurried over, having heard the commotion.

In the midst of this, Kiemont glared at Opal, his face contorted with anger.

"That was just fitting in with the conversation! Every man lets loose in his youth! We drink, compete in the number of women, and make a fool of ourselves!"

Kiemont appealed to the surrounding men for agreement.

However, the response was cold stares and silence from both men and women.

"It might have been just a foolish act for you, but what about the women whose honor was tarnished? I was burdened with dishonorable rumors, but fortunately, there were people who believed in me, and I managed to recover. What about the other women? The women who were deceived by you, lost their honor, and became pregnant?"

"Other women?"

"Previously, a maid who served in the MacLaud household is pregnant with your child. At the shelter I support, two women who gave birth to your children were fired from their jobs and are now being protected with their children. All three of them say you promised to marry them."

Kiemont showed signs of panic at Opal's words but soon relaxed.

His mother then intervened.

"Jeb, what's going on? Did something happen with the Duchess of Lucel?"

"M-Mother, it's nothing. The Duchess suddenly started making trouble, and I'm surprised too."

"What did you say?"

The Countess, as if protecting a young child, showed open hostility towards Opal.

With her mother's support, Kiemont returned to his arrogant attitude.

"When you say 'other women,' you mean just servants. I would never marry a servant. It's foolish to believe a stupid woman who says such things. Besides, how can you be sure the children are mine?"

"…So you don't deny that you promised marriage to servant women and pursued a relationship with them?"

"So what? They're just servants. There are plenty of replacements."

"This boy was just bewitched by a lowly woman. He has no reason to be blamed."

Opal hadn't expected someone to be so trapped by their privilege and so out of touch with the times.

There were many in the privileged class who shared the views of Kiemont and the Countess.

However, most had learned to mask their true feelings.

In fact, while not openly agreeing with Kiemont, some were showing sympathy.

"I see… Then, since it's difficult for women to work while pregnant and raising children, please take financial responsibility."

"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm not paying!"

"Then, I will do everything in my power to take all your assets."

Faced with Opal's calm declaration, Kiemont's frustration was evident.

Only those who understood the full implications of her words were truly shocked.