Value (2)
Countless social societies, salons, academic circles, and academies centered around the Ebelstein Noble District all claimed different purposes, but in truth their greatest goal was the same.
It was to gather the most renowned figures of this splendid High Society in one place and play at networking.
Of course, lower-rank nobles who went in and out of social groups looking only for connections were obvious at a glance, so most of them pretended to sincerely take interest in whatever subject the group dealt with.
Whether it was magic, tea ceremony, history, art, or cultural refinement, one had to possess at least a minimal level of knowledge to maintain dignity. That was also why so-called Young Ladies of noble houses devoted themselves to study all day long.
And competition between such groups could not help but be fierce. Noble connections were always limited.
Whenever rumors spread that someone from a certain family was coming to Ebelstein, many academies and salons would grow desperate to offer them a seat.
Especially in the case of Young Lady Delia, since she had already begun to make a name for herself in the art world, all sorts of art academies were drooling over her.
And among such social groups, the Rosea Salon, which reigned like a queen, also sought to bring in Young Lady Delia, because there already existed an unspoken rule shared among Young Ladies.
The children of the three great noble houses, considered the most noble even in the southwestern part of the Empire, all went to the Rosea Salon.
That great premise had never once been broken.
That was the reason why the Rosea Salon could exert the strongest influence among the countless social groups.
"I hear Young Lady Delia does not attend any salon or academy at all, and has no interest in social activities."
"Has she come?"
"I did hear that there are many such people among frontier nobles, but then why would she come all the way to the Ebelstein High Society…"
"Indeed… If Young Lady Delia were willing, I wanted to at least have a cup of tea together…"
Aiselin, attending a gathering of the Rosea Salon for the first time in a while, heard such conversations being exchanged among her followers.
It was a rumor that her most beloved younger sister, Delia, showed no interest at all in social activities.
If that was truly what she wanted, who would dare say anything, but in the end, for a noble Young Lady, connections and refinement were social influence itself, so from the position of an elder sister, she could not help but worry.
Duke Duplein was a person who cared greatly about noble authority. Their mother, Miriela, was the same, and so were all the other family members.
No matter how much one became the mistress of a mansion and separated from the main family, one could never escape such social roles forever.
Even the lazy Young Lady Denise attended all the basic gatherings, so that said it all. These many honors and this great mansion were not given for free.
Aiselin sat at the huge tea table with a worried expression.
At every such large gathering, this was the table that received the admiring gazes of countless Young Ladies.
At the large round table where Aiselin sat were Young Lady Ellente of the Belmiard Family, and Young Lady Denise of the Beltus Family.
Young Lady Ellente, who was brushing down her blazing red hair, wore a somewhat displeased expression. It seemed she too had heard the rumor on her way to the gathering.
"There are all sorts of rumors about Young Lady Delia's recent behavior. What do you think, Young Lady Aiselin?"
"Well… In truth, Delia has always had a strong sense of self even within the family, so once she makes up her mind, no one can really stop her."
"I'm not the type to cling too much to the traditions of the Rosea Salon, but still, if the unspoken rule that the Young Ladies of the three great noble houses must come to the Rosea Salon is broken… the salon people probably won't like it very much."
Rules are hard to break the first time. From the second and third time onward, they do not feel so difficult anymore.
If Young Lady Delia truly decided to put all social activities behind her, the Rosea Salon might even have its unique position threatened as the place where the honored guests of the three great noble houses gathered.
For this generation, with Ellente, Aiselin, and Denise present, it would still boast great prestige and influence, but in the long run… Delia's deviation was close to bad news.
In the end, while pretending it was nothing, a subtle undercurrent was flowing among the members of the Rosea Salon. All three Young Ladies could feel it to some extent.
If Delia would just enter the Rosea Salon, it would give them reassurance that this unique position would remain firm.
However, those who had once seen Delia at a gathering all realized it instinctively.
The youngest daughter of Duplein was not someone anyone could persuade. She seemed to maintain at least a minimum level of dignity, but she was far fiercer than one could imagine.
She had a side that did not care about consequences, enough to clash even with Young Lady Denise at their first meeting, and if something rubbed her the wrong way, she was ready to become hostile no matter who it was.
That person, who looked closer to a ferocious dog or a wild beast, had only been socialized to this extent thanks to meeting a teacher named Derrick. If Derrick had not firmly taken matters in hand, it would have been impossible for her to even enter High Society at all.
Thinking about it that way, Delia's debut in High Society was itself a cause for celebration, but in any case, there were still plenty of unresolved problems.
In the end, the only person the people of the Rosea Salon could rely on at the last moment was Aiselin.
She was someone Delia at least respected and considered, and she was also the most acknowledged girl in the Duplein Ducal House… in the end, the only one who might be able to control Delia was her.
However, Aiselin also could not help but let out a deep sigh.
Delia respected Aiselin, but that did not mean she would move according to her instructions or requests.
"Since we're talking about Delia, I heard that she was rude to you last time, Young Lady Denise. As her elder sister, I wanted to apologize."
"Eh? Me?"
Young Lady Denise, who for some reason looked absent-minded, reacted quickly.
Since taking Derrick as her teacher, she seemed to be looking tired more and more often.
Whether it was Aiselin or Ellente, they both seemed to have a rough idea of what was behind her chronic fatigue.
Indeed, since Derrick was not a teacher just anyone could handle, Ellente merely offered a silent prayer in her heart.
"Please don't worry too much.
"Delia does have that kind of temperament, but she's not a bad child at heart. Please, for my sake, I hope you can let go of any ill feelings toward Delia."
"Ill feelings? I don't have anything like that at all."
Denise rather regarded Delia as a benefactor.
Whenever Delia was mentioned, the people around Denise or her followers would watch Denise's reaction, but Denise did not care at all.
Rather, she was in the middle of wondering what kind of favor she should return to that petite, cute, doll-like girl. Because she was the only person who could save her from Derrick's clutches.
And paradoxically, that calm attitude of hers was instead raising her reputation within High Society.
After all, it could not have been easy to maintain dignity in front of that wild-horse-like noble Young Lady.
It did not end with the rudeness at the tea party; even after that, Delia would occasionally throw out remarks toward Denise that were little different from insults. When they happened to meet, she would openly ignore her greeting, or glare at her with furrowed brows.
Eventually, one of Denise's followers who could not stand it any longer even scolded Delia, telling her to show a bit more dignity and manners, saying that this was not proper behavior toward Denise.
However, a rumor even spread that Delia had poured wine over that follower's head and scolded them not to forget the difference in status.
It seemed that rumor was true, and among the noble Young Ladies, she was already beginning to be regarded as an uncontrollable natural disaster.
'If we bring her into the Rosea Salon like this, I wonder if Delia will really be able to adapt properly.'
Aiselin was lost in such anguish.
Even if she had to borrow the strength of Ellente and Denise, it seemed she would have to find some decisive measure to control Delia.
Before long, Aiselin looked quietly at Denise with a serious expression.
Denise tilted her head slightly, looking awkward under Aiselin's gaze.
"There's something I'd like to ask of you, Young Lady Denise."
*
A huge mansion that stood out even on Ebelstein Central Street.
As Delia carefully inspected its interior, the servants following behind her supported her quietly.
The pretty frilled dress that reminded one of a Duchess further highlighted her petite side, but when one thought of her reigning like a tyrant in this mansion from now on, that small body looked as huge as a giant.
Delia was checking whether the construction of the mansion had been properly finished, while also busy preparing for the debutante that would take place next month.
Even while quietly receiving the maids' assistance in the neatly arranged dressing room, she was sending her gaze around, checking whether there were any parts the servants had overlooked.
Under the sharp gaze of that tiny girl, all the servants were trembling in fear.
"Young Lady Delia. A letter has arrived from the Rosea Salon. It contains the schedule for the next gathering."
"I went once and showed my face, that should have been enough. Why are they asking for so much?"
"It seems the salon wants to formally accept you, Young Lady Delia."
"Again, again, that stupid unspoken rule and whatnot, trying to tie me down. I absolutely won't go anywhere my heart doesn't move."
Young Lady Delia said firmly.
Even her older sister Aiselin could not bend her will.
In the days when she rampaged like a ruffian, that willful temperament often turned into arrogance and caused trouble.
But after gaining a bit of social sense and understanding reality a little, that uniqueness became a personality hard to approach, and a quality of a ruler that could not be judged lightly.
She was still very young, but she was already becoming someone whom many retainers in the Duplein Ducal House were beginning to follow.
It even looked as if, once she grew a bit older, she would truly become someone who could threaten even Valerian or Raig.
A kind, benevolent person who looks after those below and is good in all things earns everyone's favor. Such a person is suitable as a leader.
But a person suitable as a ruler was subtly different from that.
They had to know how to grip people, not be swayed by the moods of those below and ruin grand judgments, and know how to place the world beneath their feet and knead it at will.
Under heaven and earth, I alone am supreme.
That was the most fitting phrase to describe the little tyrant called Delia.
"Ever since I came to check on the mansion the day before yesterday, did some rumor spread or something? Why are there so many visitors? Bringing gifts, saying they're distant relatives, saying they've admired me for a long time. They're all so interested in networking, yet their magic level is all about the same."
"There are many visits scheduled for today as well. It seems your grooming will take a bit longer for receiving guests."
"Just do it roughly. No, honestly, I don't even know if they're people worth meeting. They all have nothing but greed in their eyes, acting as if their own ambition for success isn't obvious. When will they realize that their filthy inner thoughts stink to high heaven?"
High-ranking figures of Ebelstein, famous merchants, academy officials, and upper-level Mage came to stamp their faces before the youngest daughter of Duplein, but not a single one of them satisfied Delia.
In the end, some backwater lower-rank noble who claimed to be a follower of Denise even came and made some outspoken remarks, and Delia could not help but pour wine over her head.
For a while, rumors about her tyrant-like temperament spread among the salons, but Delia showed no sign of caring at all. Rather, she only left a remark that it was a shame the wine she had poured was high quality.
The maids and the butler attending her could only swallow their dry saliva.
Was there really anyone in the world who could put a leash on this unbridled lioness-like person and bring her to the Rosea Salon?
It would be fortunate if one did not get bitten and eaten instead when trying to subdue her by force.
"Today, high-ranking figures of the Renfel Trading Company and Ms. Odette, a 4-star mage of the Adlan School of Magic, will be visiting."
"A bunch of nobodies. Sure, I can laugh and chat in the audience hall, but I feel like it'll be nothing but a waste of time. Ouch! Are you trying to die?"
Delia was letting out deep sighs when the comb caught in her tangled hair, and she snapped.
The maid who was combing her hair was startled and immediately knelt down, trembling.
"I, I'm sorry! Young Lady Delia…!"
Her cold gaze stabbed down at the maid who was crouching her whole body.
If it had been her at the peak of her ruffian days, she would have kicked the maid away on the spot.
But Delia already knew well enough that gathering the charisma to handle people and committing meaningless acts of tyranny were two different things.
"Don't make a mistake next time."
At those coldly spat words, the maid quickly swallowed her tears and repeatedly apologized.
Fear is the most efficient weapon to handle people. But if you spray it around carelessly, you become nothing more than a lawless ruffian.
The girl had already realized this instinctively since she was young.
"Fine, they're all people who've gathered their hearts together hoping to get one leg into the Duplein Ducal House… but it wouldn't hurt to know them. There might be a good person once in a blue moon. Don't cancel the morning schedule."
"There is another schedule before breakfast. It's not anything particularly important, but a messenger has come from the Beltus Family."
"The Beltus Family?"
Delia shot a sharp glance at the servant.
The servant, who had merely brought the news, had done nothing wrong, but even so he had to swallow once. The Beltus Family was the reverse scale of the girl named Delia.
"Why should I treat their people? Tell them not to open the door and to just leave the letter and get lost."
"B, but is that really alright? The person from the Beltus Family is probably representing the authority of Young Lady Denise…"
"Do you want to make me say it twice? Tell them to be grateful I didn't splash cold water on them… Why is this grooming taking so long? Just finish the combing roughly and be done with it."
Delia brushed off the ends of her hair and sat back down in front of the mirror. She wanted to quickly finish this ceremonial grooming, see the faces of those useless people, and then go practice magic.
It was just as she was entrusting her body to the maid's hands again.
"Th, that is… They say a mage named Derrick from the Beltus Family is coming in person… Is that still alright?"
"…What?"
At that moment, Delia's spine tingled. At the change in the girl that followed, all the servants attending her held their breath.
The expression of that little tyrant, who had just been showing her ice-cold temperament to the world, instantly returned to that of a girl her age.
"What? Derrick is coming in person? I, I heard he hardly ever shows his face anywhere else because he's busy working for the Beltus Family?"
"We, we also don't know the exact circumstances on the Beltus side…"
"Why didn't you say that first? W, wait… I'm meeting him so suddenly?"
Delia hurriedly looked around.
There were only the maids and servants who assisted with daily affairs.
"K, Katarina will be at the main house… Is Lila not here? S, she's the best at grooming…!"
"She is in the kitchen preparing breakfast."
"T, tell her to come up immediately! And I'm wearing such an old frilled dress right now… No, all the high-grade cosmetics I usually use are at the main house…! W, what do I do about this!"
Suddenly, Delia's movements became frantic.
Even though it was just a matter of receiving a letter from the Beltus Family's messenger, she was sweating profusely as if she were more nervous than for the other distinguished guests she was to meet in the morning.
"W, why did you schedule this so urgently! Before breakfast…!"
"Th, that is… It was just something where we only needed to receive a letter… It wasn't like another noble was coming…"
"You should have asked me before deciding something like that! If it's before breakfast… Wait… the time now is…"
Looking out the window, the Beltus Family's carriage was already coming in clattering from beyond the street.
With a stunned expression, Delia hurriedly went and sat at the dressing table.
The way she stamped her feet looked exactly like a small prey animal facing a predator. It made her previous appearance seem unbelievable.
The maids attending her all turned pale.
Because this was the first time they had ever seen Delia like this.
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