A Mad Lady’s Confession - Chapter 40

With Daphne’s arrival, the tea gathering returned to a gentle atmosphere, as if nothing had happened before.

When it was said that they could freely converse and stroll through the garden without being bound to their assigned seats, the noblewomen left their places in small groups.

Daphne Fram took a seat at the table where Princess Alicia and Eleanor were. Perhaps because many sought her out, several noblewomen came over to greet Daphne Fram and exchange brief pleasantries.

Unlike the stiffness they showed when facing Princess Alicia, the atmosphere was warm and lively.

Eleanor secretly observed Daphne, who treated everyone who approached her with sincere friendliness, with a sense of quiet curiosity.

Regardless of age, the noblewomen who interacted with Princess Daphne all showed a sense of affectionate familiarity.

Even amidst that, Daphne maintained her elegance and decorum without fail, truly appearing like someone born for the imperial family.

“Are you alright?”

At the voice from beside her, Eleanor turned her head. Alicia’s thoughtful blue eyes were looking at her. Only then did Eleanor realize that she had been tightly gripping her trembling hands.

“Yes, I’m alright.”

Alicia personally lifted the teapot and filled the teacup, then slid the saucer toward Eleanor. A low murmur followed like a sigh.

“Like someone said, hot black tea on a day this hot. What poor taste.”

“….”

“It’ll help calm your mind. Drink.”

Eleanor reached out and took the teacup.

As the moderate warmth touched her, she realized just how cold her fingertips were. As Alicia said, when she swallowed the tea, her scattered thoughts seemed to settle down.

“Olivia is, as you’ve probably already guessed, Giela’s younger sister. You know? That… the lady, um….”

Alicia looked troubled as she struggled to find the right words.

In truth, the one speaking had no reason to feel troubled. The ‘incident’ Eleanor had committed was far too clear and deserving of criticism.

Eleanor understood that it was consideration, so she quickly responded.

“Yes, I know.”

At the same time, Eleanor’s head lowered on its own.

Watching her, Alicia once again brought up the doubt she had already held several times. Whether the pitiful and delicate woman before her was truly someone capable of harming another person.

Then again, people whose exteriors and interiors differed were already plentiful within this imperial palace alone. Alicia cast a glance around and spoke.

“After Giela’s engagement was broken off and she returned to the countryside estate, she hasn’t appeared at any official gatherings even once. I suppose that’s why she’s so resentful. …Since Countess Düsseldorf isn’t present, the sisters usually attend events like this together, but it seems there was a mistake by the chamberlain in arranging the seating today.”

Even though the seating arrangement for the tea gathering wasn’t her fault, Alicia looked troubled as if it were her responsibility.

Judging by Olivia’s temper, even if they hadn’t been seated at the same table, something would have happened anyway. And in the end, the root of all of this lay with Eleanor herself.

“…Because of me, something like this happened… at such a large event… I feel like I’ve caused great trouble….”

Alicia looked at the woman whose face had turned pale with concern. She seemed as if she might collapse at any moment. Alicia wondered if she should send a message to Matthias, who would be in the cigar room.

“Duchess Nielsen.”

It was a voice with a pleasant rise and fall, like birds chirping. When Eleanor and Alicia lifted their heads toward the sound, another imperial princess, Daphne Fram, was smiling down at them.

“Would you like to take a walk with me and talk, if it’s alright?”

How could she refuse?

Eleanor asked Alicia for permission, then rose lightly from her seat.

Alicia watched for a long while with a somewhat suspicious gaze as the two figures disappeared beyond the canopy, into the long tunnel formed by climbing roses.

“How does it feel to come to the imperial palace?”

The moment Daphne spoke, she seemed to realize something and lightly furrowed her brow.

“Ah, I suppose it won’t remain a very good memory.”

She seemed to be recalling the commotion from earlier. Eleanor shook her head slightly and spoke, “No. The imperial palace is so beautiful and splendid… I think it will remain a good memory for a long time. …As for Young Lady Düsseldorf’s matter, I believe it’s something I must continue to face from now on.”

Eleanor thought that the original sin Matthias had spoken of was, for her, ‘that incident.’

At her calm reply, Daphne turned her gaze slightly and looked at Eleanor.

Like everyone else, this was her first time seeing Eleanor Brynhill in person. If she had to describe her first impression of the woman who had been at the center of countless rumors, there was something rather surprising about it.

Daphne’s gaze rested on Eleanor’s gently curved forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her well-defined lips. Saying she was prettier than expected didn’t quite suffice. Eleanor Brynhill was remarkably beautiful.

Once, she had briefly seen Eleanor’s older brother, Count Brynhill. He too had inherited the cyclamen-colored hair of the late Countess, but at the time, it hadn’t left much of an impression.

But the Brynhill before her now created a very special harmony with the brightness of her hair and skin, and her light green eyes. She carried an air that would make even a passerby turn back for a second look.

She was said to be twenty. Her cheeks still held a hint of baby fat, giving her a lovely impression, but one could easily predict that she would become an extraordinary beauty as she grew older.

As her thoughts reached that point, Daphne felt a flicker of unease.

However, that feeling was quickly brushed away like dust. That can’t be. Changing her thoughts in an instant, Daphne spoke as if nothing were wrong.

“May I ask you one thing? I don’t mean anything by it, and if it’s uncomfortable to answer, you don’t have to.”

“If it’s something I can answer, I’ll do my best.”

Even though Eleanor nodded, Daphne paused briefly before asking carefully.

“The incident two years ago… you truly don’t remember it?”

“….”

“Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not asking out of mere curiosity. …From what I see, it’s hard to believe that you would do something like that. Of course, I’m meeting you for the first time today…. But I heard that you don’t remember anything about that night at all, so I wondered if there might be some kind of misunderstanding.”

“My belonging was found at the scene, so it isn’t a misunderstanding.”

“It could have been dropped by accident, or perhaps someone deliberately left it there to frame you, couldn’t it?”

“No, I did it.”

At the firmest answer yet, Daphne slightly raised her elegantly shaped eyebrows.

The woman who had looked timid and frail kept her calm gaze fixed straight ahead, as if something very important were there.

“It’s true that I committed it.”

Eleanor Brynhill’s attitude was clear. Daphne cast a probing look at her, as if trying to find something there, then withdrew it.

For a moment, the two women walked in silence through the tunnel of summer roses.

It was Eleanor who picked up the thread of conversation again.

“That young lady… I mean, Young Lady Düsseldorf… has she left the capital for good?”

“Probably, wouldn’t you think? It’s not just any family, but a broken engagement with the imperial family. The capital’s social circles would be quite uncomfortable for her.”

Eleanor felt a deep sense of guilt. If only Olivia Düsseldorf had slapped her earlier…. Of course, that alone couldn’t atone for her crime, but still.

Daphne glanced sideways at the beauty whose face had sunk deeply into gloom. As if out of consideration, she naturally brought up something she herself was curious about, changing the subject.

“What is marriage like? Does he treat you well?”

At the mention of Matthias, the woman’s face, which had been dulled and sunken, quickly lit up with warmth. As if a little shy, she even bit her lip lightly as she nodded.

“Yes, very much. He treats me very, very well.”

“….”

“I’ve never met someone so kind and gentle.”

The woman’s expression looked sincere. Her cheeks flushed just from thinking of someone, fresh and beautiful. Just like a girl in love.

The tip of Daphne’s thin eyebrow twitched faintly. She relaxed her expression as usual and spoke as if it were nothing.

“That’s really a relief. I was actually worried. A one-year contract marriage, and Matthias disliked it so much at first… I was concerned he might treat his wife coldly even after accepting it—”

Daphne stopped mid-sentence as if realizing her slip of the tongue and quickly covered her mouth.

“Oh my….”

“….”

“I’m sorry… I should have pretended not to know until the end….”

Large light-green eyes sparkled with curiosity.