The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 84

Countess Glenn rose from her seat and walked slowly to the window. As the maid flung it open, the Countess leaned out, almost like a young girl, and closed her eyes to savor the fresh air. She turned back slowly, a serene smile gracing her lips.

“The breeze is warm, and the scent of flowers is so sweet,” she murmured in a gentle voice that made Yulie swallow hard.

“It’s the perfect weather to enjoy tea with lovely women,” the Countess continued.

Yulie stiffened, her mind racing.

“We must invite your cousin-in-law from the annex. The poor child must be so lonely,” her mother added, her smile deepening.

A shiver ran down Yuli’s spine at the sight of that smile. It was the kind that concealed more than it revealed.

“Luckily, there’s a troupe sponsored by the Marquis of Lauren in town. We should ask Lord Lauren for a favor,” the Countess said.

‘Lord Lauren… he’s Nasser’s uncle,’ Yulie thought, remembering her cousin’s face from the wedding. She hadn’t imagined that would be her last time seeing him.

The Countess, noticing her daughter’s sudden silence, scrutinized her before rising from her chair.

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“Yes, Mother,” Yulie replied, bowing with excessive politeness, almost as if she were greeting a lord rather than her mother. The Countess watched her with satisfaction.

“Tell your friend in the annex that I miss her dearly.”

“…Yes,” Yulie said, keeping her head bowed until her mother had left the room. Once the overpowering scent of perfume had dissipated, she straightened up.

Her mother was the most daunting and fearsome person in the world, yet also the one she missed and longed for the most.

It’s been so long since we last met. Did Mother ever miss me? Yulie wondered, shaking her head to dispel the thought. She needed to focus on her purpose here.

With renewed resolve, Yuli made her way to the annex to visit Evelyn Maduse, the Duke’s wife, to keep her company.

***

When Yulie arrived at the annex, an unwelcome guest was already there. Evelyne’s hands trembled as she watched the woman across from her sip tea with an air of nonchalance.

“Lady Luten, aren’t we a bit too distant to be having tea together?” Evelyn asked, unable to hide her disdain.

Michelini laughed heartily, bending over as she did. The sight of her merriment made Evelyn’s chest tighten.

“I was visiting the tower to see the physician and thought I’d stop by. Who else do I know here besides you?” Michelini replied.

“Aren’t you close with Countess Glenn?” Evelyn asked, her teeth almost grinding at the thought.

Michelini swept her hair back roughly, a gesture unbefitting a noble lady, which made Evelyn’s eyes widen.

“On that day… the day I entered His Highness’s chambers…” Michelini began, but Evelyn felt a fiery anger rise within her. In the past, she would have buried her feelings, deeming herself unworthy of jealousy. But now, she allowed her resentment to surface, directed at the woman who had tried to seduce her husband.

After a moment, Michelini spoke again, her voice hesitant. “I’m sorry. I’ve wanted to apologize for a long time but never had the chance.”

The sudden apology caught Evelyn off guard. Michelini continued in a matter-of-fact tone, “Even if I was blinded by the ambition to become Duchess, I shouldn’t have done what I did. I’m ashamed of my actions.”

“So, you did it because you wanted the title, not because you loved His Highness?” Evelyn asked innocently. Michelini chuckled softly.

“His Highness is indeed impressive. I understand how you feel, but not every woman adores him,” she said, watching Evelyn’s cheeks turn crimson. After a moment of silence, she continued, “After I was expelled from His Highness’s chambers, I went straight to see Countess Glenn.”

“Why?” Evelyn asked.

“To confront her. Countess Glenn had filled our family with false hopes for a long time, telling us that divorce was inevitable once His Highness returned.”

Though the words were true, they pained Evelyn, who lowered her head. Michelini watched her before speaking again.

“She promised to make me Duchess. Until I was thrown out of His Highness’s chambers, I never doubted her words. I was a fool,” Michelini said with a bitter laugh.

Evelyn looked up, meeting Michelini’s eyes. “I would have believed her too. After all, she’s a respected elder of the Duchy.”

“That esteemed elder of the Duchy was trading the Duchess’s position like a commodity,” Michelini replied, her voice dripping with irony.

Evelyn’s eyes widened in shock.

“Before the war ended, His Highness’s side had already been decided. They say it’s the Emperor’s daughter.”

“The Princess?” Evelyn’s voice wavered despite her efforts to steady it. She had known that the world would never leave such a remarkable man alone once she was gone, yet the reality struck her cold.

“She’s not the Empress’s daughter, but the child of the Emperor’s favorite concubine. The only flaw is that she’s still very young.”

“It’s inconceivable that Countess Glenn, being part of the royal family, wouldn’t know about this,” Evelyn murmured.

Michelini nodded. “Using the nonexistent position of Duchess as bait, she extorted a massive amount of money from my father. So, I confronted her.”

Evelyn looked at Michelini with newfound respect. “That’s quite brave of you. Countess Glenn is a powerful figure in the duchy and part of the royal family. Weren’t you afraid?”

“I was too furious to think clearly at the time. And I did pay the price for it,” Michelini admitted.

Evelyn glanced around and whispered, “So, your kidnapping was connected to Countess Glenn?”

“That’s the most likely scenario,” Michelini said with a mischievous smile. “Which is why I want to ally with you. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”

Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. After a moment, she extended a hand to Michelini, who took it somewhat reluctantly. She shook her hand firmly.

“There’s a saying: yesterday’s enemy is today’s friend.”

For the first time, the two women, who had always been at odds, smiled at each other.

“Someone’s here to see you!” The commotion outside broke the moment. There were sounds of hurried footsteps and the clamor of boots, followed by the frantic voice of Arsace. Evelyn turned to the door, wondering what was happening. Suddenly, the door burst open, and a large woman stormed in.

“Countess Edith! The lady is currently with Lady Luten—”

“Yulie,” Evelyn greeted her awkwardly, unsure how to react to the woman who had lingered at the entrance of the Tower of Penance the previous night.

“Evelyn, another friend? I want to join in too,” Yulie said, extending her hand toward Evelyn and Michelini, who quickly withdrew her hand, maintaining a haughty expression.

“It’s been a while, Countess Edith,” Michelini said, greeting Yulie.

“Huh? Do I know you?” Yulie asked, squinting as she scrutinized Michelini from head to toe.

“We’ve met a few times at Countess Glenn’s. It was before your marriage, so perhaps you don’t remember,” Michelini replied, an amused smile playing on her lips.

“I’m Michelini Luten, daughter of Count Luten. My father often interacts with your husband, Count Edith. Haven’t we met before?” Michelini explained.

Yulie still looked puzzled, and Michelini couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation.

“I don’t know about such things… I was told I didn’t need to know anything,” Yulie muttered sullenly. Evelyn quickly stepped in between the two women.

“Yulie, come sit down. Let’s have some tea together.”

Yulie’s mood brightened almost instantly, and she took a seat. Evelyn personally poured her a cup of tea. The steam rose from the pale green liquid, its spicy aroma making Yulie wrinkle her nose.

“Evelyn, don’t you have any red tea?” Yulie asked.

“Oh? You must like black tea. I’ll get some right away,” Evelyn said, heading toward the cabinet displaying various jars of tea leaves. As she searched for the black tea, Yulie, feeling bored, wandered over to join her. She examined the elegant jars with interest and pointed to one.

“Evelyn, do you like this one too?”

Following Yulei’s gaze, Evelyn’s eyes widened. The luxurious blue porcelain jar contained tea Countess Glenn had once brought to the annex. Remembering the tea’s blood-red color sent chills down her spine.

‘Who could have given Yulie the contraceptive tea? Her husband? Her mother?’ It was harsh, no matter who it was.

“Let me get it for you. You’re too short,” Yulie said, reaching for the jar before Evelyn could stop her.

Crash! The small jar slipped from Yulie’s grasp and shattered on the floor, spilling its contents. Yulie sank to the floor, on the verge of tears.

“I’m so sorry, I was just trying to help… I must be so clumsy.”

“It’s okay. It was tea I was going to throw away anyway,” Evelyn reassured her, crouching down to pat Yulie’s back gently.

“What happened?” Michelini, who had been lounging with a bored expression, hurried over. Her face quickly fell at the sight of the spilled tea leaves. Muttering a curse under her breath, Michelini looked at Evelyn, who shook her head. After a moment of fuming, Michelini announced she would leave and exited the room.

“It’s my fault… Lady Luten left because of me,” Julie said.

“It wasn’t your fault, Yulie.”

Evelyn continued to comfort Yulie, patting her back for a long while. She couldn’t help but recall the radiant smile Yulie had when she was with Libe. Evelyn swallowed her bitterness, focusing on consoling Yulie.

****

After the two women left, Evelyn skipped dinner, lost in thought. Yulie seemed to have a deep affection for children, judging by how she interacted with Libe.

If Count Edith was the one who gave her the tea…

The thought brought tears to her eyes, even though it wasn’t her concern.

She also recalled what Lady Luten had said. His Highness’s side would soon be filled. No, it was already filled, and she was merely delaying the inevitable. Imagining a younger, prettier princess standing beside him made her heart ache.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” a voice interrupted her.

The prospect of parting with the man she once thought of as a distant future was now looming over her, closer than ever.