Chapter 44

GW begins!

By the way, it's my birthday today.

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Red liquid is splashed on Emma.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Contrary to her words, a young lady stands in front of Emma, showing no remorse at all. She is the daughter of the Duke of Delacour, Francesca. Behind her, the slightly plump daughter of the Earl of Filch, Matilda, and the tall, slender daughter of the Earl of Malamud, Haley, are grinning and watching the scene.

The words "villainess and her minions" floated into Emma's mind.

Today is the royal party held before the academy's enrollment. The Stewart triplets, who are about to start school, were also invited. Emma, escorted by Georg and William, stepped out of the carriage for her first social event.

Her white Emma Silk dress is adorned with intricate embroidery in a special purple thread, and she wears a thin veil to hide the scars on her face. The trend in the capital's dresses has been increasingly revealing, but Emma's dress is extremely modest. Unfortunately, her chest development is also lagging, and she remains slender overall, with little to show.

Georg and William are also dressed in shirts with the same pattern of purple embroidery and black formal attire. Georg has grown significantly taller over the past year and looks very handsome in his formal wear. William, as always, is a beautiful young man.

Upon entering the grand hall, Georg goes to look for drinks, and William heads to greet a friend from a neighboring territory he already knows.

For a moment, Emma is left alone, and it seems the red wine is splashed on her dress as if waiting for this moment.

This is the first party, and having wine spilled on her dress is a scenario she has read about several times in her previous life. Emma stifles a laugh. The young lady in front of her is holding an empty wine glass with a triumphant expression.

Although the party hasn't officially started, and one might expect the surrounding guests to be surprised by the incident, many faces show signs of resignation and weariness. The guests are limited to students of the academy, and while there are some adults who might intervene, everyone pretends not to notice.

Perhaps this is an annual event.

As if to prove it, a few waiters calmly and quickly approach, offering Emma a cloth to wipe her dress.

"Thank you."

After thanking the waiter, Emma starts wiping the stained carpet. Seeing this, the daughter of the Duke of Delacour, Francesca, speaks up.

"Are you stupid?"

Normally, the most important thing to worry about is the dress. A royal party is a grand stage for noble young ladies, and if the dress is ruined, one would have to leave immediately.

The calm waiters also rush to stop Emma from wiping the carpet.

The usual pattern of crying while wiping the dress, unable to remove the red stain, and then going home is quickly breaking down.

This is the first prince faction's initiation, which starts and ends before the royal family arrives, a swift and efficient bullying. The first prince faction includes many high-ranking noble families, and the young ladies who undergo the initiation can only cry and give up.

Every year, young ladies from the second prince faction are targeted, and they either skip the party or gather together to avoid trouble.

Given this, it was inevitable that Emma, standing alone, would be targeted. The Stewarts are rumored to be the leaders of the second prince faction in the capital, but they are unaware of this.

Holding an empty glass, the daughter of the Duke of Delacour, Francesca, speaks to Emma, who is gently tapping the carpet, still fighting the red wine stain.

"Are you stupid?"

She is flustered by Emma's unusual behavior. There is still time, but she wants Emma to leave quickly. If Emma just cries, it would be easier.

Francesca cannot see Emma's expression because of the veil.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

"Is there anything wrong, Emma?"

"Poor Emma, that must have been scary, right?"

Several young noblemen intervene.

These are the children of the nobles from the Palais area who have regularly attended tea parties at the Stewart residence over the past year. After Emma's face was scarred, she appears more fragile and vulnerable, stimulating the protective instincts of the young noblemen, and the tea parties have continued unexpectedly.

To these young noblemen, Emma's stifled laughter looks like trembling from fear, and her bent posture while wiping the carpet seems like she is about to faint from anemia.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Emma reassures the worried young noblemen. Despite being told repeatedly by her mother before leaving not to cause any trouble, this incident has already occurred before the party has even started.

"Wait, are you misunderstanding something? I accidentally spilled red wine on her dress! I already apologized!"

Surprised by the sudden support, Francesca hurriedly starts to make excuses. Until now, no one had ever come to her aid... It was just an accident, and she had apologized.

The young noblemen from the Palais area, who live away from the capital, were unaware of the first prince faction's initiation, making them different from the other guests.

To them, Emma is a quiet and shy girl, and they are always ready to protect her, so they do not hesitate.

However, the young noblemen are taken aback by Francesca's words. Some even break out in cold sweat.

"What's going on?"

Francesca becomes uneasy at the young noblemen's reactions.

"Red wine on Emma's dress?"

"Stewart's dress?"

"How much will it cost to compensate?"

"Emma Silk...? 100 gold coins might not even be enough?"

The young noblemen's faces shift from concern for Emma to pity for Francesca.

Upon hearing "Emma Silk," Francesca's face turns pale. She remembers the highest-quality silk produced in the Stewart territory, Palais.

"I did apologize!"

Cold sweat trickles down Francesca's face. 100 gold coins is an amount she cannot afford.

"Is something wrong?"

Joshua, who arrived late at the venue, notices Emma and the commotion and approaches.

He recently obtained a baron's title in exchange for a large sum of money and will be attending the academy with them. He has grown taller over the past year, and his previously lanky body has gained muscle through secret training.

Georg and William also rush over, wondering what happened while they were distracted.

"Joshua! You're here at the right time! How many gold coins is Emma's dress worth today!?"

One of the young noblemen asks Joshua out of curiosity.

Looking at the red-stained cloth in Emma's hand and the faces of Francesca and the young noblemen, Joshua, who has a vast network of information throughout the kingdom, understands what has happened.

"Sister, you were told not to cause any trouble..."

William sighs as he wipes Emma's dress with a handkerchief.

"Your Highness, Emma was just caught in the middle. It's more your fault for not keeping an eye on her!"

Joshua's indulgence knows no bounds.

"I, I should take my leave now."

More guests are gathering in the hall.

Deciding it's not wise to draw more attention, Francesca tries to make a quick exit, but the hall suddenly buzzes with excitement. Following the gazes, she sees the second prince, Edward, entering.

The royal family was supposed to enter after all the guests had gathered, but the second prince has arrived earlier than usual. He stops the nobles from bowing and looks around, spotting Emma's group. He walks straight toward them, and the guests move aside to clear a path.

Francesca, unable to escape, bows and bites her lip, anticipating the impending condemnation.

Following her lead, the Stewart triplets, Joshua, and the young noblemen from Palais also bow.

"Francesca Delacour. I've heard rumors that you bully weaker young ladies every year. What is this commotion about?"

The second prince's cold voice questions Francesca.

The beautiful black-haired prince, who has been working hard to become a suitable match for Emma over the past year, has gained the king's respect for his sincere interactions, diligent public duties, and self-discipline.

The story of the first prince faction's initiation had reached the second prince, Edward, by chance. Despite never wanting the throne, he was tired of the factional disputes. Upon learning that the initiation happens every year, he decided to attend in person.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Despite the obvious situation, her attempt to deny it evokes disgust.

At the feet of the young lady standing quietly next to Francesca, a wine stain is visible. Feeling sorry for her, he suggests she change into a replacement dress.

"No, it's fine, Your Highness. This dress is waterproof."

Recognizing the familiar voice, Edward's heart skips a beat.

It is the voice of the girl he has longed to see for the past year.

"Emma?"

He kneels and peers at the young lady's face.

Emma lifts the left side of her veil and smiles.

"It's been a while, Your Highness."

Her green eyes reflect Edward.

The prince's cold expression softens, and he smiles, following Emma's lead.

"Yes, it has been a while... Emma"