Timid and Shy - Chapter 3

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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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3.

Sophia first delivered the letters from Ellie and Alex, as well as the letter from Baron Ariel, to Madame Pene.
“I brought them along on the way. There’s a letter for each of them inside the envelope.”
Madame Pene shook her head as she looked at the letters and the boxes being carried into the house.
“The letters alone would have been more than enough.”
“It’s nothing much. Father sent along some medicinal herbs. I heard that in the Capital, there’s been a fashion lately for processing natural materials directly. Please think of it as the feelings of House Ariel’s family.”
House Pene lacked for little, while House Ariel had little to spare. Yet the medicinal herbs and botanicals that came from Ariel, nestled below the Titania Mountain Range, were respectable goods. The quality was exceptional, refined as they were by both Baron Ariel and Sophia.
Madame Pene spoke with delight.
“Thank you so much. You’ve taken such care. You must be overwhelmed with the Debutante Ball preparations.”
“I’ve only barely managed a token gesture, I assure you. We received everything you sent to Ariel in good order. Simply having Ellie come to Ariel is something for which we’re grateful, and now House Pene has helped us in so many ways. Everyone sends their thanks. It’s little enough, but I wanted to offer something in return. Please accept it as a token of our regard.”
“Not at all. I’m relieved to hear you speak that way. Ellie is a spirited child and hasn’t much to offer in return.”
“Please, speak to me without such formality. We’ve become family, didn’t we say so? Helen and I both feel at ease together. Surely you needn’t maintain such ceremony with me.”
Helen spoke up as well.
“That’s right. I call her Sophia, so how can you use such formal language with her?”
Madame Pene gave Helen a sidelong glance, then turned to Sophia with a smile.
“I’m an old-fashioned woman, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Speaking formally to each other is what puts my mind at ease, so don’t trouble yourself, Sophia.”
“House Pene is both a benefactor and family to Ariel. And these days, there are many people who interact comfortably regardless of station. If you treated me more naturally, then I’d visit House Pene more often.”
Helen interjected again.
“That’s right. You have to be relaxed so that Sophia visits us more. At the Wiscom household, it doesn’t feel like you can be comfortable for even a moment. You need to be at ease with us, at least.”
Madame Pene sighed deeply and said,
“I’ll do my best, but it still takes time. Helen! Isn’t it enough that you’re at ease with me?”
Since Madame Pene had declined, Sophia said no more. Helen took Sophia by the hand and gave her a tour of the house. Madame Pene sighed as she watched them go.
Sol patted Madame Pene’s hand as she observed the three of them talking.
“Miss Sophia truly means to put you at ease.”
“I know that. That’s precisely why I cannot. I’m grateful, aren’t I? Everyone is so kind to Ellie and loves her so much—it’s harder than it seems to be casual about it.”
The truth was that Madame Pene did regret Ellie’s marriage. When she had visited Ariel herself, the circumstances there were worse than she had imagined. Yet she harbored no regrets.
Madame Pene had heard far too many unhappy stories of bourgeois women married to nobility. As long as House Pene helped support Ellie’s life in Ariel’s circumstances, there would be no hardship, and she would live loved and cherished going forward.
The Ariel family had eased away many of the concerns that Monsieur Pene and Madame Pene had harbored.
While Sophia and Helen chatted away, Madame Pene observed Sophia carefully. She was aware that there had been no contact between House Ariel and House Wiscom. Yet Sophia had suddenly invited her to Ariel, which had troubled her.
When the conversation between Sophia and Helen paused for a moment, Madame Pene spoke.
“How was the Duchess of Wiscom?”
Sophia paused to consider, then answered.
“She was different from what I’d imagined. Since she’s famous as the Cinderella of Uranos, I thought she’d be a brilliant beauty.”
Sophia asked Madame Pene,
“Do you happen to know anything about Isabel Wiscom?”
The answer came not from Madame Pene, but from Helen. Helen spoke with excitement.
“Isabel Wiscom? She’s the muse of every artist who frequents House Wiscom. And they say she’s quite close to Prince Robert, who’s friends with Philip Wiscom?”
Madame Pene raised an eyebrow as she looked at her daughter. Seeing that expression, Helen made excuses.
“Mother, the Duchess is a Cinderella. Do you know how many people are interested in Isabel? She hasn’t even had her Debutante Ball yet, but every magazine is running stories about her—though they call her ‘I’ to be discreet. There are only two Grand Duchesses in the empire, her parents’ love story is famous across the entire continent, and her brother’s friend is the Prince himself. She’s practically the protagonist of a living romance novel.”
Toward Madame Pene, who was regarding Helen’s enthusiasm with disdain, Helen continued,
“I’m not the only one. Among girls our age, there’s hardly one who doesn’t know about Isabel.”
“Helen Pene. If you directed your interest toward something more productive….”
Sophia quickly spoke up to come to Helen’s aid.
“I know how famous Isabel is too. I was just wondering if there were any other rumors, anything more specific.”
Helen nodded.
“It’s something I heard during a brief respite from my studies. The kind of gossip you can hear just by keeping your ears open. But Sophia, you’re curious about her. Since you’ll be debuting together, you’d naturally want to know more.”
Madame Pene sighed and looked at Sophia.
“You’re probably not close to Isabel yet. From what I hear, she’s said to be beautiful. But there are also whispers that she isn’t quite as beautiful as all that. The Duchess of Wiscom herself is no beauty, after all. Some even say the Duchess has the artists she patronizes praise Isabel in exchange. That’s why Isabel keeps postponing her Debutante Ball, they claim—her appearance doesn’t live up to the accolades the artists have spread, so she avoids appearing before people.”
Helen smiled wryly as she spoke.
“Ellie and I happen to enjoy gossip purely because we inherited it from Mother, you understand.”
Madame Pene shot Helen a sharp look. Helen laughed it off and continued her mother’s thought.
“I’ve also heard that she doesn’t compare to Parma of House Gareth. The theory is that Isabel’s excessive praise was spread as a way of being mindful of her rival, Parma Gareth. There’s even talk that the Lady of House Gareth will participate in Isabel’s Debutante Ball. If they stand side by side, everyone will be able to confirm all those rumors.”
“The Lady of House Gareth?”
“House Gareth and House Wiscom are famous for being at odds. Naturally, the two young ladies of similar age are rivals as well. Parma Gareth is said to be famous for both her temperament and her beauty. There are stories that she’s skilled at intimidation and threats, in keeping with House Gareth’s reputation, but when it comes to beauty, she’s said to be unmatched.”
Helen continued, watching Sophia’s face.
“Isabel Wiscom keeps postponing her Debutante Ball partly, some say, out of concern about Parma. But the truth will come out soon enough. That’s why Isabel’s Debutante Ball is drawing considerable attention.”
Helen looked at Sophia with concern as she spoke.
“You can’t imagine how shocked I was when I first learned that Sophia was going to make her Debutante Ball debut together with the Duchess’s daughter. Truthfully… I know I shouldn’t say this, but it’s better to know these things beforehand than to hear them whispered behind your back later.”
Madame Pene shot the words at Helen.
“If it’s something you shouldn’t say, then don’t open your mouth about it. Helen.”
Helen spoke with an aggrieved expression.
“But it concerns Sophia too.”
Sophia looked at Helen with concern and spoke.
“Tell me. I’d feel easier knowing about it beforehand.”
Helen said:
“Apparently they were looking for a debutante to stand beside her. Isabel said she’s so self-conscious that there’s no way she could make her debut alone. But you know how rumors spread through the Capital’s noble circles. If Isabel isn’t as beautiful as the rumors claim, wouldn’t the other debutante who debuted alongside her fall out of favor with House Wiscom? And if she really is a beauty, then being her companion at the Debutante Ball would make you nothing but a supporting player anyway.”
She spoke while looking anxiously at Madame Pene and Sophia.
“For noble ladies, the Debutante Ball is supposedly the one defining moment of their lives. No aristocratic family wants their daughter’s entrance into High Society to go that way. That’s why it wasn’t easy to find a suitable lady. I heard this directly from the older sister of a friend who works at Madame Poche Dress Shop.”
Madame Pene sighed, thinking that Helen’s love of gossip was something that would never be cured. Even so, her worried gaze turned toward Sophia.
Sophia actually seemed quite composed.
“If that’s the reason, then I think I understand why the Duchess summoned me, though I’m not sure how she found out that I haven’t had my debut yet.”
Helen asked Sophia:
“Are you all right with being a supporting player? I heard that a successful Debutante Ball makes it much easier to find a marriage prospect? Since your reputation in High Society is determined by how you debut.”
“Yes, I’m fine with it. I was worried there might be something bigger hidden beneath all this. But if it’s just being a companion, then it’s all right. Oh! I was planning to go into town today. Helen, what are you doing today?”
“Of course I’ll go with you, Sophia. Is there anywhere special you’d like to go?”
“First, I need to buy a dress and accessories. Ready-made rather than custom. And I want to look at jewelry in a more modest price range. I got a list from Ellie.”
“Wait! Wouldn’t a custom dress be better? You still have a whole month left.”
“Like you said, since this is just a supporting role, there’s no need to spend a lot of money on the dress. I’m going to choose something suitable. I think it’s better to buy more everyday clothes and other things instead. Something I can wear only once isn’t worth the investment.”
Helen nodded in agreement.
“If you’re going to buy ready-made, don’t rush into it. Let’s walk through all the shops in town, get a real sense of the current fashions, and then decide. Leave it to me—I know several shops with reasonable prices. There are plenty of places worth visiting besides what’s on this list. Some new ones have opened up too.”
“That’s a relief.”
Even as Madame Pene saw off Sophia and Helen as they excitedly headed into town, her worry did not fade. If House Wiscom was truly just looking for a debutante to stand beside Isabel, it wouldn’t have been difficult to find one in the Capital—contrary to what Helen had said.
Poor noble ladies crowded the Capital in abundance. Was she brought in because of kinship, or could there be another reason, just as Sophia had feared?
Madame Pene decided she would ask her husband to look into the matter. She hoped that a young lady like Sophia, who had matured so early, would not come to be wounded.
‘She would bear the hurt and the slights for the sake of her family without showing it. But that mustn’t be allowed to happen….’

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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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