The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 158

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

The Duke was someone who didn’t care whether his name was on other people’s lips or not.

But as soon as the story of ‘Eloise Devin’ came up, Tesagh cut off the conversation.

‘Come to think of it, he wouldn’t have chosen the identity of someone who had no connection to Tesagh at all. It would be troublesome if the story didn’t match up later.’

So what kind of relationship exists between Countess Devin and Tesagh? I was thinking about it.

Valerie’s words brushed past my ears.

“Yes. He’s still unmarried, and there’s not even talk of an engagement, so it’s somewhat mysterious, you know?”

I often forgot, but anyway, Tesagh was a Duke.

Since he was a Duke, there must have been countless marriage discussions.

But why hadn’t he married or gotten engaged until now?

‘I’m sure I never heard news of the Duke’s marriage in my previous life either.’

Was he too busy because of the Rugenote theft incident?

Or perhaps there was another reason?

‘Maybe, like a political marriage, he already has someone he’s had his eye on for a long time. Then could Countess Devin be… no, wait.’

Why am I worrying about this?

I shook my head vigorously and pretended to pat my cheeks.

‘It’s because Tesagh’s reaction was strange when we talked about that. It’s just curiosity, that’s right.’

But somehow the reason my heart was sinking couldn’t be explained by curiosity.

‘Why did I ask about that story last, as if I was concerned about it?’

I was deep in thought when I lifted my head with an “ah.”

‘That’s because Tesagh didn’t eat the cookies.’

No matter how ugly the cookies were, not even tasting them!

And when I asked for his contact information, he immediately refused!

So my current mood is hurt because of that.

‘I was flustered and just said anything. That’s right.’

Clenching my fist, saying I wouldn’t even give him cookie crumbs next time, I looked at the party venue we had arrived at.

‘They must have spent a lot of money decorating the showroom?’

The showroom magnificently decorated in the center of the square was so splendid it felt rather cluttered.

With crystals and sparkles poured all over the floor, my eyes were getting sore.

Frowning, I got in line at the entrance gate with the red carpet.

But then.

“Princess, you cannot enter.”

A guard blocked me.

Because his voice was so loud, people’s gazes focused on me.

I calmly opened my mouth.

“Why? Is there some problem?”

“I heard we should be wary of uninvited guests since it’s a place full of expensive jewelry, but I never thought something like this would actually happen!”

“So what kind of thing is this?”

“Look at this!”

The guard who had been sighing theatrically for everyone to hear widened his eyes.

“Isn’t Princess’s invitation different from other people’s invitations!”

He thrust out two invitations.

I narrowed my eyes and looked down at the invitations.

My invitation was.

…You are invited to the ‘Snowflake’ launch party…

The other invitation?

…You are invited to the ‘Snowflake’ launch commemoration party…

“Ah, so my invitation doesn’t have the word ‘commemoration’?”

The guard waved the invitations around for everyone to see.

People murmured.

“That woman… isn’t she the pawnshop owner, no, the adopted daughter of His Grace the Duke of Alchemia?”

“So you’re saying she forged the invitation? Because she wanted to come here?”

Someone walked out from among the whispering people.

The person looking down at me with a dignified and arrogant expression was.

“Oh my. It seems the rumor that my brand launch party is grand has flowed all the way to those dark streets?”

It was Edwina.

Edwina Hestian, who had tried to push my shoulder at the Founding Festival but ended up falling and embarrassing herself.

“It seems Snowflake is going to do well. Seeing how such a mouse has been drawn in.”

Covering her mouth with a fan and sneering, unmistakable superiority rose in her eyes.

“Oh my, a mouse! Ahaha!”

“She must have been planning to spy because Snowflake looked good to her, right?”

“But to be caught before even entering! How pitiful. Please show mercy, she looks so wretched being embarrassed like this.”

The young ladies beside Edwina who were pretending not to but encouraging her were also snickering.

“Should I? It’s a good day after all.”

Edwina, who had been showing off, smiled with satisfaction.

“Well then, I’ll do as you all say. Maybe I’ll give her the chance to watch the show standing without a seat…”

It was when she turned her head toward me with her shoulders raised high.

Edwina hesitated.

“What, what is it.”

Edwina seemed to think I would be sobbing from shame or be very angry.

Maybe she was hoping I would cause a commotion.

Then, according to her anonymous interview, I would be branded as someone ‘arrogant and without any manners.’

However, I.

“Why is she smiling?”

I smiled.

‘Did you think I came here knowing nothing?’

I had already finished investigating that Snowflake was a business of House Count Hestian.

In other words, I had already figured out why Edwina had bothered to invite me.

‘I knew you would do this, you human.’

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I picked up the two invitations and held them up to the light.

“Look. It looks handwritten, but if you look at the ink, this is a printed copy. The paper and format are completely identical, and the Snowflake brand seal is stamped on it too.”

“Wh-what does that matter? The fact that the wording is different still doesn’t change…!”

“They’re ‘identical’ printed copies.”

Cutting off Edwina’s words, I raised one eyebrow.

“You’re not saying that I snuck into House Count Hestian and even stole a printing press just to forge one invitation, are you?”

“Wh-what?”

“But it’s really strange that invitations printed from the same printing press have different wording.”

I stared at Edwina as I spoke.

“It means someone deliberately removed the type for ‘commemoration’ in the middle. Just for this one invitation.”

“What…!”

“So.”

I had hardened my expression as if I was about to interrogate her, but then I just smiled with my lips.

“The Count’s correspondence manager must have made a mistake. Right?”

As if to say, I know all about your sinister intentions, but instead of tearing you apart and humiliating you, I’ll let it slide this once.

“If this invitation had gone to someone other than me who could figure this out, they would have had no choice but to go back.”

“Ugh….”

“If I had made a mistake, you would have misunderstood, thinking it was deliberate framing for counterfeiting. But how could that be? It’s a ‘good day’ after all.”

Edwina’s face turned livid.

Looking at her, I roughly crumpled up the invitation and walked forward with firm steps.

“And actually, for brand launching shows like this, the owner doesn’t have exclusive invitation rights.”

“…What?”

“The person I have business with is someone else. Well then, excuse me?”

I coolly brushed past Edwina and stopped in front of a certain noble.

“Hello, Duke Romanus.”

To him, who looked puzzled as if wondering how I knew him, I slightly bowed and whispered.

“I’ve brought a message from ‘Hyena.'”

“Ah…! So it’s you! I’ve been waiting, come in quickly!”

“I heard you’re an investor in Snowflake. The showroom is quite magnificent.”

“Of course, of course! I’ll introduce you to everything one by one!”

‘Who would be more powerful than a new brand owner? An investor, of course.’

The money source, that is.

Leaving behind Edwina, who stared at me stupidly like a dog that lost its chicken, I smirked and entered the showroom with Duke Romanus.

*

“Aaaaah!”

Thud, thud.

In the office prepared on the 2nd floor of the showroom, Edwina screamed while beating down on a cushion.

“That little bitch really…!”

The way she opened her eyes wide and innocently deflected all her words!

And then she swept right in with investor Duke Romanus so no more fault could be found!

That bitch definitely smirked as she brushed past her. That should have been what she did!

There was one more thing that turned Edwina’s insides upside down as she tore at the cushion.

“Why on earth did you invite that Appraiser, Edwina!”

Her Father, Count Hestian, had been greeting guests when he heard the news and came running up in shock.

Edwina was even more furious about that.

What’s so special about that bitch that she has to hear such words? Just because she’s the Duke’s adopted daughter?

“How was I supposed to know things would turn out like this?! I just wanted to embarrass her a little, since she’s not even the Duke’s real daughter but just an adopted one…!”

“No, no! That woman shouldn’t have come here in the first place!”

What does this mean?

Edwina stared blankly up at her Father’s pale face.

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