Celebrity Lady - Chapter 137

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 137
* * *
The fashion show had begun.
The quiet opera house lobby.
Victor, who had been waiting to greet late arrivals, welcomed a man who appeared twenty minutes after the show started.
A man in an elegant black coat, walking with dignified bearing.
“Good evening. Thank you for attending the Blanc de Rubis New Year Fashion Show. Please show your invitation.”
At Victor’s gruff words, the man—Leonard Diolus, the Duke—removed his leather gloves and produced a VIP invitation.
“Your son didn’t come with you? I recall sending two invitations.”
“Biego didn’t come.”
“Ah, I see. Good thing we didn’t see any puppies on the guest list. Do go in.”
Leonard let out a soft laugh at the sight of Victor standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
“You talk big and storm off—turns out your new job is just your sister’s business?”
“Just? Employee benefits here are top-notch.”
“Stop fooling around and come home, Victor.”
“Why would I go to your house?”
“I’ve heard from Biego what’s happened to Rubetria. Not everything, of course, but enough.”
“So what?”
“I have questions for Rubetria too. Don’t make her suffer needlessly—come home with me now. Who do you think you are, taking my daughter away?”
“She’s not your daughter—she’s my sister. And I won’t set foot in that house until every last parasite infesting it is exterminated.”
Victor shrugged his shoulders and added with a sneer,
“Yet here you are, brazenly showing your face for a glimpse of Ruby, when you supposedly heard everything from your son. I haven’t heard anyone say the parasites are gone.”
…….
“Excommunication is expected. As for High Society—burying them there and dumping the entire lot in some remote backwater estate is the bare minimum for my satisfaction.”
The anger that had simmered in Victor flared up anew at the sight of Leonard’s face.
“But you and your son have no intention of doing that, do you?”
Victor, teeth clenched, leaned close to Leonard and whispered,
“You knew all along what Ruby endured, yet you kept those parasites close, and now that you’ve heard everything, you take no action. That says it all, doesn’t it? You’re just going to keep playing happy family with them.”
“Victor.”
“Going to keep laughing and joking with those things, aren’t you?”
Leonard, pulling his gloves back on, placed his hand on the excited Victor’s shoulder.
Then he whispered into his ear.
“That won’t be enough.”
His voice was cold as frost.
Victor shivered involuntarily.
“I’ll kill them.”
In Leonard’s voice was a killing intent unlike anything before.
……?”
Victor’s brow furrowed as he rolled only his eyes to study Leonard’s face.
His face remained as perfectly sculpted as always, but the corners of his mouth curled up faintly.
He was smiling, yet his expression was blank.
Or rather…….
Not blank—the fury and murderous intent layered within were hidden so completely that no one could detect them.
‘What did he just say? Kill them?’
Was he using such language metaphorically—to bury them socially?
Perhaps sensing Victor’s confusion, Leonard continued in barely a whisper, his voice sending chills,
“Literally. I mean it literally.”
Victor went rigid.
Soon Leonard chuckled softly at him and patted his shoulder encouragingly a couple of times.
“So don’t worry. Resist a little if you must, then come inside. My son.”
Leonard headed into the hall.
The sound of his footsteps echoed through the quiet lobby as he receded.
Victor slowly turned to look back, watching Leonard’s retreating form grow smaller, and swallowed hard without meaning to.
* * *
Ten Imperial knights crowding one corner of the standing section.
The poster hanging over the railing gleamed.
♡Ma
♡dam
♡Ru
♡by♡
It was a poster brought by Walter, a member of the 1st Knight Division and self-proclaimed number-one fan of Madam Ruby.
“Wow, this is incredible. Really…….”
Elegant models walking under brilliant lighting.
Beautiful and distinctive uniforms and evening dresses in design.
This modern-style fashion show, somewhat unfamiliar to imperial citizens, left a profound impact and impression on people of all ages and genders.
“This is truly amazing!”
“So this is how you do publicity?”
Already, the opera house was filling with voices asking about the release dates of the new products.
“Ahem! This is Madam Ruby for you!”
Walter felt genuinely proud watching his fellow knights admire the show.
The final part of the show was a segment featuring congratulatory messages sent directly by VIP customers of Blanc de Rubis.
Each time the names of prominent nobles scrolled across the large screen, the knights marveled at Madam Ruby’s connections.
“Huh? Wait, who’s that?”
“Isn’t that the Diolus heiress?”
And then, a woman suddenly appeared on stage.
The face captured large on the screen was none other than the Diolus heiress, Rubetria.
“Was the heiress here all along? Wow, what luck!”
“It looks like the heiress is going to give a congratulatory message herself?”
“Madam’s connections are really something.”
The chattering knights suddenly fell silent and fixed their gaze on Rubetria.
“Wow, she really is incredibly beautiful.”
“Whoa, no way. The Crown Prince has already claimed her.”
Her auburn hair swept up elegantly, her crimson evening dress, and the luxurious stole draped over her shoulders.
Indeed, since the Debutante Ball last year, she had surpassed Madam Ruby and held an unshakeable first place as “Lady of the Month” for three consecutive months.
“Good evening, everyone. I hope you’ve been having a wonderful time today?”
Rubetria’s voice rang clearly through the vast opera house via an amplifying Magic Tool.
Before such a large audience, she stood with confidence, her gestures assured and her bearing beautiful, and everyone held their breath, watching her intently.
“Blanc de Rubis, which started small in Leuben the summer before last, has grown to operate seven stores across the empire, thanks to the love and support of our customers.”
Whether it was a congratulatory message from an invited guest or a history of the company’s achievements, Rubetria’s words continued to pour forth.
“Last December, we achieved our highest sales since our founding…….”
A few of the knights, who had been watching her numbly, murmured with a sigh,
“Walter, I’m sorry. Starting next month’s popularity vote, I’m voting for the heiress.”
“Me too…….”
Walter’s expression darkened.
“Look at these faithless bastards.”
Tearing his eyes from the traitors, Walter steeled his resolve.
“Wait until Madam reveals her face later, and you’ll all sing a different tune. You’re unworthy, all of you!”
Nineteen-year-old pure-hearted Walter, number-one fan of Madam Ruby, remained unwavering in his conviction.
Ever since Madam Ruby first appeared in the empire, he had nurtured endless fan devotion and admiration for her, along with a touch of personal interest!
“……I sincerely thank you for the love you’ve shown us. Going forward, Blanc de Rubis will continue to strive to meet your expectations.”
No matter how beautiful Rubetria Diolus the heiress was!
I, this pure-hearted Walter, will……!
“I have been Blanc de Rubis’s representative, Madam Ruby, Rubetria Diolus. Thank you.”
?????
In that moment.
A heavy silence fell over the theater.
“Huh?”
“What did she just say?”
The silence stretched on a moment longer.
Then, as the knights grasped what had been said, their jaws dropped one by one.
“W-what did she say?”
“For real?!”
“Oh my…….”
Everyone stared in shock, question marks floating above their heads in unison.
“So Madam Ruby is? The heiress? They’re? The same? Person?”
The first-floor audience was equally astonished, with a few confused murmurs mixed in.
Clap-clap-clap-clap!
Even amid the bewilderment, nobles rose from their seats in unison and began clapping and cheering with all their might.
“Wow, this is……. I’m shocked.”
“Yeah, me too. Totally shocked.”
“H-hey, Walter. You okay, man?”
And Walter…… crumbled into white dust.
* * *
Rubetria Diolus, the heiress.
The legitimate daughter of the Diolus ducal house, said to be the empire’s most distinguished noble family,
Representative of the empire’s most popular boutique, Blanc de Rubis,
And a woman rumored to be the Crown Prince’s lover, so openly spoken of as the future Crown Princess…….
“Straighten your shoulders, kid.”
……She remained someone too distant to reach.
At the encouraging voice of one of his comrades, Walter, who had been stealing glances at Rubetria from afar, nodded weakly.
After the fashion show ended,
Many nobles surrounded Rubetria in the lobby, greeted her, and departed.
The excitement from her revelation hadn’t faded, and they were all eager to exchange even a few more words with her.
“Looks like it’s all pretty much wrapped up?”
Knights who had been waiting for a chance to shake her hand didn’t dare approach Rubetria and lingered uncertainly.
Beside her stood Lark, Victor, Leonard, and Shane.
With the Crown Prince, the Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard, the Duke of Diolus, and the Archmage all gathered in one place, it wasn’t easy to squeeze in.
“Come here, come on!”
Then Lark waved with a bright smile, and the knights rushed over.
Walter followed at a slower pace.
“Your Highness, this is too much. You said you had no interest in Madam Ruby at all!”
“You said the Diolus heiress was far better!”
“You were totally mocking us behind our backs, weren’t you?”
“Ha ha……. Sorry, sorry.”
As Lark and the knights chatted cheerfully,
Victor, who had his arm around his sister’s shoulders, gave Walter a downcast look, then nudged Rubetria and whispered something in her ear.
Walter and Rubetria’s eyes met.
Soon she smiled and pushed past the other knights, approaching Walter.
“Hello, Walter.”
“Y-yes?”
“I saw the poster on the second floor.”
“Oh…….”
She knew his name and was greeting him first?
Rubetria handed a luxurious gold-embossed business card to the stunned Walter.
“When you have time, please visit our menswear section. We’ve just released a new jacket line that turned out beautifully, and I’d like to give you a suit as a gift.”
“……Yes? For, for, for me?”
“Wow!”
“Man, I’m jealous!”
Face to face with Rubetria’s faint smile, Walter felt his chest seize with emotion.
A man’s devotion…….
Though it had dimmed like this.
“I, *gulp*, thank you so much, heiress! May Blanc de Rubis prosper!!”
His fan fervor burned as brightly as ever.
* * *
A fixation and malice so thick it was almost sickening.
“This is troublesome.”
Wishit watched covertly the man whose eyes gleamed with something dangerous, as if he meant to commit some grave deed.
Kade Leuben, the Marquis.
Though his destination was unknown, it was clear that if left unchecked, something would spiral into disaster.
‘My remaining power is so little…….’
Wishit bit their lip and studied their open palm thoughtfully.
‘Should I act?’
The sealed power had already been pushed to its limit.
At this rate, Rubetria’s contract would shatter before even granting her final two Wishes.
All the large and small magic Rubetria had unknowingly wielded thus far.
And even now, disguised as human while hiding their true form…….
The separation was drawing inexorably closer.
‘Still, one more time might be manageable.’
If they used it once more?
After that, they likely would have no further ability to intervene in dangers threatening Rubetria beyond fulfilling her two remaining Wishes.
Wishit’s body pivoted sharply.
‘That’s decided. I’ll just tell her to be careful.’
But then—their footsteps faltered, unable to leave.
“Damn it all.”
Because at that moment when Juliet Karerina’s soul merged with the body, their first meeting.
The ashen face of Rubetria in that moment flashed through their mind.
“……Was I dead? Could it be?”
It had been a terrible death.
Juliet Karerina had been killed senselessly by a man with eyes as sinister as that marquis.
“Curse it.”
Finally, Wishit let out a small curse and tilted their head slightly.
At the same time.
“……Ah.”
Kade Leuben, whose eyes had been burning with madness as he moved toward something, came to an abrupt halt.
His eyes suddenly cleared.
He murmured in bewilderment,
“What was I doing?”
Watching the confused human clutch his head, Wishit gauged their remaining power and sighed.
* * *
The Spirit Spring, the domain of spirits.
At its center, the thick wooden pillar twisted, and the face of Bilkin, the spirit governing order, rose into view.
“Hm.”
When a spirit breaks a taboo or uses power not granted to it.
Bilkin, who sensed all such things instinctively, felt the impact of finally perceiving the Spirit King’s power drained completely dry.
“Good heavens. What have they done?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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