AWWEWNR Chapter 18

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The invitation to the palace from the princess arrived sooner than expected, thanks to Hanaella’s letter. 

 

She set the invitation down and let out a long sigh. 

 

As long as the Thearine siblings didn’t touch her, she had planned to stay out of their way and live quietly. 

 

But the Thearine siblings were persistent in their efforts to make her into Tharrott’s wife, as they had done in the past.

 

‘They say it is polite to accept a fight that has been fought, and I accept it, Tharrott, and Rosaryn. I will be a wicked woman without blood or tears for you both.’

 

Hanaella stared out the window, thinking of ways to torment the Thearine siblings and how she could meet Lloyd at the palace.

 

💫

 

Arriving at the Princess Palace, Hanaella glanced at the Crown Prince’s Palace to the right of the Princess Palace. 

 

A large garden separated the two palaces. The garden was definitely the place for tea time. It wasn’t too far from the Crown Prince’s Palace.

 

‘If I want to see the Crown Prince, I have to get into the Palace somehow, and if I get caught, I’ll just tell them I took a wrong turn because the palace is so big.’ 

 

Taking a short, deep breath, Hanaella made her way to the tea party where a maid was leading her. 

 

The three young ladies she’d met at House Thearine’s tea party were seated there, followed by Rosaryn. 

 

As Hanaella greeted them lightly, she heard the Princess’ voice behind her.

 

“Thank you all for accepting my invitation.”

 

Hanaella, Rosaryn, and the three young ladies rose from their seats to greet Princess Leige.

 

“I hope you have been at peace, Your Highness.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It’s good to see you again, even though it’s only been a short time since we met at Lady Rosaryn’s tea party. How have you been?”

 

Sitting down, Leige instructed her maid to pour the tea, addressing the young ladies.

 

“I’m more curious to know how Lady Hanaella has been than we are.”

 

The three young ladies and Leige turned their attention to Hanaella as Rosaryn smiled brightly and looked at her. 

 

Hanaella had expected her to bring up the subject of her relationship with the Crown Prince at the tea party. 

 

Whether or not she was dating Prince Lloyd, was a pretty awkward subject to discuss in front of the Crown Prince’s sister.

 

“So, Hanaella, what has happened to you?”

 

Leige asked, looking at Hanaella. Without the slightest hint of embarrassment, Hanaella smiled brightly.

 

“Yes, much has happened.”

 

The corners of Rosaryn’s mouth twitched upward at her answer.

 

“I actually met the next Legionnaire of the Knights, and I healed his severed arm.”

 

“Oh, really?! Oh, I’ve heard of that, too. I heard that Ariel’s House can use dark magic to heal people in the Knights. Were you able to do that even though you weren’t a Lord yet?”

 

“Yes. It was probably because I’m the next head of the family, and he’s the next head of the Legion, that I was able to use the healing magic without difficulty.”

 

“Isn’t there more to it?”

 

Rosaryn asked, lifting the tea to her mouth. Hanaella glared at her. 

 

When she made eye contact, Rosaryn smiled brightly.

 

“I heard something.”

 

“Ah— I see you have heard something.”

 

‘Yes. So tell the Princess in your own words. You and the Crown Prince have such a relationship, so I can know if what you say is true or false.’

 

Pfft!

 

Rosaryn smiled, and Hanaella smiled back at her.

 

“If you’ve heard, I’ve heard, and by the way, I’ve heard a rumor from Lady Rosaryn.”

 

“…What rumors?”

 

“Ah— Oh, well. It’s a little hard for me to say…”

 

“What is it?”

 

As the impatient Leige asked Hanaella curiously, Hanaella gave Leige the most embarrassed look she could muster.

 

“It’s… it’s an ugly rumor, to say the least…”

 

Hanaella trailed off and glanced at Rosaryn. Her cold, condescending gaze offended Rosaryn, and she frowned inwardly.

 

“I don’t know what the rumors are, but rumors are rumors.”

 

Rosaryn said, taking on an offended demeanor.

 

“I see, Lady Rosaryn, you are of the same opinion as I. Yes, rumors are rumors.”

 

Pfft—

 

Hanaella laughed, ‘Aha!’

 

Having said in her own words that rumors are just that, rumors, Rosaryn found herself uncomfortable asking about Hanaella’s relationship with the Crown Prince.

 

‘You’re going to get away with this? I’m sorry, but you can’t.’

 

“Yes. Rumors are just rumors, but every rumor has a cause, and I’m sure this one has a cause, too.”

 

“Is that really what you think, Lady Rosaryn?”

 

“…Yes, I do.”

 

“In that case, Lady Rosaryn would do well to watch her behavior in the future.”

 

“…What ?”

 

“Because rumors are floating around about Lady Rosaryn’s relationship with Count Thearine that I don’t even want to mention.”

 

“What?!”

 

Bang!

 

Rosaryn cried out in embarrassment, and the teacup in front of her fell to the floor, shattering.

 

“Ah! I, I’m sorry!”

An embarrassed Rosaryn bowed her head to Leige and apologized, and Leige said it was okay and asked Hanaella what she meant. 

 

Hanaella looked at Rosaryn’s hands, which were trembling slightly, and answered.

 

“Rumor has it that Count Thearine and Lady Rosayin are lovers…”

 

“…!!”

 

“Oh my!”

 

“No way…!”

 

“Oh my, what kind of…!”

 

The three young ladies, startled by Hanaella’s words, immediately began to gossip, while Princess Leige stared at Rosaryn in astonishment. 

 

For a moment, Rosaryn’s face turned blue, and she couldn’t say anything, but then she glared at Hanaella and began to grow angry.

 

“What!!! Where did you hear such a ridiculous rumor…!! What kind of ignorant person would start such a filthy rumor?!”

 

Hanaella didn’t bother to look at Rosaryn, instead a leisurely sip of her tea before speaking.

 

“Don’t get worked up, Lady Rosaryn.”

 

“Do I look like I’m not supposed to be agitated?!”

 

“Why do you need to be agitated, if it’s not true, you can just say no.”

 

“…!!”

 

“Yes, indeed, Lady Rosaryn. I don’t know who started that crude rumor, but don’t get so worked up over something that isn’t true. In my experience, false rumors end up being proven false.”

 

“What… who the hell is going around saying such things?! Lady Hanaella, where did you hear this rumor?!”

 

“Are you asking me where the rumors came from?”

 

“Yes, there must be a source, there must be a source!”

 

“I understand the rumor came from the mouths of the maids of House Thearine.”

 

“…!!”

 

Hearing the words of Hanaella, Rosaryn’s face turned even paler than before. 

 

In the past, when Hanaella had married Tharrott and learned of the affair between him and Rosaryn, she had heard from the maids of House Thearine. 

 

Rosaryn had enjoyed the rumors that had been circulating in the house since time immemorial. 

 

Perhaps Rosaryn desired to justify her relationship with Tharrott to the maids, if only to the rest of the household.

 

I told her that the rumor came from the maids of the house, thinking that Rosaryn would not hide their relationship from the maids, even in the present day, whether they saw it or not. 

 

As usual, Rosaryn’s face turned pale, and she said nothing as the rumor came from the mouths of the maids of House Thearine.

 

“Miss Rosaryn. We need to find the maid who started the rumor and set the record straight.”

 

“That’s right. How dare a maid spread such false rumors against her master…”

 

“But why the rumors?”

 

“…That’s right, why did it come out of nowhere against Count Tharrott and Miss Rosaryn…”

 

At the words of the three young ladies, Leige stared at Rosaryn, who sat stiffly with her mouth tightly closed as if she were thinking about something. 

 

Hanaella glanced at Rosaryn, who was sipping her tea leisurely.

 

‘Wait. I need to think about this. If I say something here and now that’s not true, it’s going to be a problem when I go public with my relationship with Tharo.’ 

 

She had originally planned to marry Hanaella to Tharrott, use Hanaella’s Knight to become the Empress’s Hand, and then announce their relationship to the world, but she hadn’t expected it to be exposed here.

 

‘Who is this, and is any of the maids familiar with Ariel’s maid? The rumor cannot be true if it comes from one of my own maids. Otherwise, there’s no way Hanaella would know about my relationship with Tharo.’

 

“Well. If it is a false rumor, as the Princess says, it will eventually be proven false, won’t it, Lady Rosaryn?”

 

“…”

 

“By the way, Your Highness. I have a new dark magic for you, Your Highness…”

 

As Hanaella quickly changed the subject of the conversation, the three young ladies and Princess Leige began to show interest in Hanaella’s latest spell, as they always did.