Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 53

As Silveston returned, he stumbled in, still nursing the effects of the alcohol. “It’s a joyous day, and this old man couldn’t control himself,” he mumbled, apologizing repeatedly to Lobelia and Jade.

Lobelia patiently waited until he finished his apologies before extending her hand. “Miss Lobelia?”

“Let’s shake hands, Silveston,” she replied.

Silveston cautiously shook Lobelia’s hand. “Take care of the mine until I return.”

“You can count on it!” Lobelia said, her plea making him bow his head in gratitude.

****

After bidding farewell to Silveston and returning to the hotel, Lobelia’s group fell into a deep slumber. The next day, armed with the tickets Joachim had secured, they boarded the train to the capital. Worried about being recognized, they booked separate rooms.

Upon reaching the capital, Jade immediately returned to his aristocratic duties, while Lobelia headed to the academy. “Welcome back, Miss Lobelia!” Bridgina, who had been covering for her absence, sighed in relief upon seeing her.

Lobelia spent the next few days quietly at the academy. Soon, news spread that Aina and Marlon had returned to the capital, causing a stir at the academy.

“Did you hear? Count Evelentia went so far as to recruit thugs to intimidate a commoner.”

“I know. Wasn’t it a chaotic scene? All that trouble, and in the end, they couldn’t even secure the mine.”

The academy, though closed off, couldn’t escape the spread of rumors. Students buzzed about the embarrassing incident involving the renowned Count Evelentia in Merdania.

As Lobelia witnessed Marlon’s reputation plummet, she couldn’t help but smile contentedly. While dealing with Marlon a blow wasn’t part of her original plan, even the unexpected seemed to work in her favor, and everything was progressing in a positive direction.

Seated in a sunlit corner of the library, Lobelia contemplated her next move. In her hands, she held an elegant invitation stamped with the Empress’s seal.

After the rumor about Marlon swept through the academy, students, especially the female ones, began to get excited about a different topic. The captivating news was the upcoming Empress’s Salon Party.

“Oh, I would die happy if I could attend the Empress’s Salon Party at least once!”

Academy female students, without exception, idolized the Empress. The talk of the Empress hosting a salon party created a lively buzz among them.

“I’ll never be able to go in my lifetime.”

“Who knows? Maybe someone will miraculously obtain an incredible connection and get an invitation.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. The Empress’s Salon Party is exclusively for selected members of the high nobility!”

Students lamented their inability to attend the Empress’s party, but amidst this regret, a strange and peculiar rumor began to circulate.

The rumor was…

“There’s someone from the academy who got invited to the Empress’s Salon Party!”

During the break before the music history class, a female student rushed in and excitedly shared the news with everyone in the classroom.

“What?”

“Someone got an invitation to the party? From the academy?”

“No way!”

Students found it hard to believe her words, but she was confident.

“It’s true! I saw the Empress’s messenger personally visit the academy today! They must be here to receive the response to the invitation.”

The mention of the Empress’s messenger changed the expressions of the students in the room.

“Could it be true…?”

The students began to buzz with excitement. “Who could it be? Who is fortunate enough to enjoy such luck?” They now started speculating on who might have the honor of being invited to the Empress’s Salon Party.

“Is it you? Could it be you?”

“No way! Why would it be me?”

“It must be the heir of a remarkable family. Not just anyone can attend the Empress’s Salon Party, right?”

“But have we ever had such an outstanding person in the academy? Unlike the men who enter the academy for fame or pure scholarly pursuits, most women entering the academy aim to become respectable brides from mediocre families.”

While women from average households might not be prestigious enough to marry into noble families solely based on their family’s reputation, they were often too noble to become maids or marry commoners. These women, seeking to increase their value, attended the academy for bride training.

“Yeah, no matter how much I think about it, there’s no way one of us could be chosen, right? We’re all just from ordinary families.”

The lively debate among the students gradually died down. That’s when the classroom fell silent.