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Return Of The Female Knight - Chapter 181
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Sarah was on her way back from her usual visit to Helen’s mansion, but today, however, there were many beggars on the street crowding around the carriage.
“Please help.”
“I haven’t eaten for two days.”
Sarah delicately pinched her nose with one hand, then leaned over to speak to the carriage driver.
“Can’t you go a little faster? “
“I’m sorry, My Lady. The beggars are blocking the road.”
“Ugh.”
She scowled, when suddenly—
Hwiig!
The carriage window opened and a hand burst in. Sarah was too frightened to scream, and she froze as the hand dropped a letter into the carriage, then quickly disappeared.
“Kya-kyaaa!”
Sarah finally let out a scream, but by then everything had already passed. The driver looked back in alarm.
“What’s going on, My Lady?”
“That…”
Sarah pointed a trembling finger at the letter, but as her reason gradually began to return to her, she realized that something was strange. She had visited Helen’s residence countless times, and never before were there so many beggars in this alley. Why did they surround her today? More importantly, the sudden intruder did not hurt Sarah. The beggars likely weren’t beggars at all, and she had been approached for some purpose.
‘Perhaps…’
She quickly came to herself, then looked outside the carriage window. The beggars that surrounded them had scattered, as if their task was complete. Doubt turned into conviction. This was all a ruse to deliver a letter to her.
‘Who sent the letter?’
Sarah’s confusion turned to scrutiny. The driver, unaware of what was going on, spoke with a worried voice.
“My Lady, are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. It’s nothing.”
Sarah picked up the letter from the floor and opened it. She first began reading the letter with skepticism, but her expression gradually darkened. When Sarah finally arrived home…
“My Lady!”
The servant was startled when he opened the door to the carriage. Sarah was sitting inside, looking pale and completely exhausted. Servants of the Jenner family hurried to help her, but she bit her trembling lips and tucked the letter away.
What was inside…
No one should know.
*
*
*
The day of the party was fast approaching. As promised, Isaac delivered the results of his work to the Elena after three days. Everything was going as planned, and all that was left was to draw Helen into their snare.
Seueug, seueug.
There was the smooth sound of silk as Elena tied the cravat on Carlisle’s neck. It was part of her daily routine now, and she was far more skilled at it now than her first awkward attempt. She firmly kept her gaze away from Carlisle’s piercing eyes as she worked, but he spoke up in a low voice.
“Has there been a change in heart?”
Her cheeks suddenly turned pink in guilt. She spoke carefully, worried that her feelings about him were written all over her face.
“Why are you suddenly asking me?”
Carlisle glanced at Elena’s dress and jewelry, which were far more ornate than usual.
“You’re dressing up more beautifully than you usually do, but I don’t think it’s for my eyes.”
“Ah…”
She realized what he was talking about. Carlisle’s observation wasn’t wrong: today, Elena put in tremendous effort to make herself look as beautiful as possible. She wore rare and distinctive emerald jewels that she had received from Carlisle, and chose the most striking dress that Mirabelle had ever created. If Carlisle showed up at the party now when there was talk of him taking a second wife, it was obvious that everyone would look at Elena. She didn’t intend to be discouraged in front of the other nobles.
“I…I’m not sure, Caril. But for women, a beautiful dress is like a weapon in society.”
Carlisle gave a soft chuckle.
“Everyone should be nervous to see you fully armed.”
Carlisle didn’t know that it was he who made her nervous. Dressed in a handsome black swallowtail coat, he was guaranteed to catch the attention of all the women at the party. Elena wanted to stand in the place where everyone else coveted—next to Carlisle. His right-hand position was entirely her own.
“I’m finished.”
She smoothed over the cravat with one hand, and before she could stop herself, she looked up in Carlisle’s eyes. She saw him looking at her, a soft smile in his gaze.
Dugeun, dugeun.
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, but she managed to give a calm smile in return. Every moment with Carlisle was like a gift. As she cautiously admitted her feelings, she was fully able to experience the thrill.
“Why don’t we get some air after the party?”
“Air?”
She looked at him curiously, and he replied in a gentle voice.
“You’ve never gone outside the Imperial Palace since we married. You must be frustrated not having the chance to go out.”
“I don’t know…palace life is busier than I expected.”
But somehow, Carlisle managed to sneak his way into Elena’s heart.
“Think about it.”
Carlisle extended his hand to Elena, his face as handsome as ever. Now that they were fully prepared, it was time to go to the party venue. Elena gave a small nod and took his hand without a word. As their pair exited the palace, Zenard, who was waiting at the entrance, heralded their appearance.
“Hail to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess!”
The people outside the palace gave way to them. Everyone bowed and chorused loudly,
“Hail to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess! Eternal Glory to the Ruford Empire!”
The voices swelled together as if it were a single loud shout, and Elena and Carlisle slowly boarded the golden carriage. The journey seemed quite noisy at first, but she gradually became accustomed to it.
Elena stared at Carlisle’s profile. When she first met him, she proposed to him to fulfill her own purposes…but now she hoped she could be with him for a long time.
As if he felt her gaze, Carlisle turned his head from the window to look into her eyes. He looked like an image from a dream, leaning on his elbow as the warm afternoon sun washed over him. His sapphire blue eyes burned with a mysterious heat as he fixed his gaze on her.
“Don’t be too beautiful, my wife. If you keep staring at me like that, I’ll want to take you away somewhere else.”
Elena couldn’t help but give a small laugh. He was looking at her so sweetly it tickled her heart.
For Helen, today’s party was nothing less than a battle. She had prepared the aphrodisiac for Carlisle, but even then she had beautified herself as much as possible. After all, she was nominated as the Madonna of the ball, and although she had been overshadowed by Elena, she was proud to be one of the belles who represented the southern region.
Helen attired herself today in the finest dress ever made in the Freegrand Kingdom. In addition, she adorned herself in the most expensive jewelry that she had, and completed her hair and makeup at the most famous beauty salon in the capital. She was confident that she was more exquisite than any woman at the party today.
Presently, Helen was in her carriage, muttering to herself as she kept checking her appearance in the mirror.
“I think it’s better to change the hair decoration to the left.”
Helen had asked the beauty parlor to place it on the right, but now looking at the mirror, she thought it better placed on the left. She was forced to call the maid sitting on the carriage floor.
“Come here and do my hair.”
“M-me, My Lady?”
It was Tilda who accompanied Helen to the party today.
“Who else would it be? Shall I ask the driver to touch my head? Huh?”
“Oh, no, My Lady.”
When the carriage stopped momentarily, Tilda hurriedly moved from the floor to the seat where Helen was sitting.
“How would you like me to do it?”
“Remove the ornament from here and switch it to the left.”
“Y-yes.”
Tilda carefully pulled off the hair ornament when—
“Ah!”
Helen gave a short yelp, then slapped Tilda on the cheek.
“Can’t you do it right? Do you know what day it is?”
“I-I’m sorry, My Lady.”
Helen’s sudden assault caused Tilda to fall to one side of the carriage, but the maid quickly pulled herself up. She knew from experience that if she didn’t do it properly, Helen wouldn’t stop there. Tilda’s shoulders were tense as she touched Helen’s hair more carefully.
A few moments later, Tilda successfully changed the position of the hair ornament. Helen studied herself in the mirror, and spoke to Tilda without even looking at her.
“Tsk, if things go wrong today, it will be your fault.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Tilda had done everything Helen had asked for, but there was no praise for the maid. Tilda tried to return to her original seat in the carriage,when the carriage suddenly slowed as they neared the party. Helen turned to Tilda with a ferocious glint in her eye.
“Sit on the floor and hide. I don’t want other people to see that you’re in the carriage with me.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Tilda quickly lowered herself and hid from view from the window. Helen glanced at the maid, then looked out towards the nobility standing outside the party hall.
“Where is Sarah at this moment? I would look better if she was in front of me…”
Helen looked down at Tilda again with a frown.
“You, find Sarah and bring her to me.”
“N-now?”
“Hmm. You can go find Sarah’s carriage later.”
“Y-yes, I understand.”
“Don’t speak to me twice.”
As Helen’s irritation flared, Tilda quickly shut her mouth. Helen hated exchanging words with lower-class servants for any extended period of time.
Finally, the carriage stopped completely. Helen rearranged the sneer on her face and stepped out of the carriage with a gentle smile. Tilda was accustomed to Helen’s moods, and withdrew in fear as she looked at the lady’s retreated back.
Ttogag ttogageu—
Helen was greeted by nobles from all sides as she entered the party.
“Oh, is that Lady Selby? She looks absolutely stunning.”
“Where did she get that dress? Oh my god, it’s so beautiful.”
No one would dare speak ill of the queen’s lady-in-waiting. Helen wore a proud smile on her face as she walked through the hall.
“It’s no use telling you were I got the dress. It’s so expensive it that not anyone can buy it.”
Some people froze awkwardly at Helen’s words, but soon the nobles smiled like proper society folk. As Helen sensed the eyes of countless aristocratic men on her, her spirits soared.
‘Where is the Crown Prince?’
She wanted to show Carlisle this beautiful image of herself. Helen was talking a solitary stroll through the party when—
Beolkeog!
The entrance door opened, and a man shouted in a loud voice.
“Their Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are here!”
All men and women in the room bowed down to greet Carlisle and Elena as they entered the room. Carlisle was a grand sight, but Elena even more so. Helen clutched at her bosom as she looked at Carlisle’s handsome figure.
‘That position should be mine.’
It should be her next to Carlisle, not Elena. Carlisle and Elena looked beautiful enough to make her jealous, but today Helen felt that she wasn’t far behind. The amount of money she poured into her current dress and jewelry was astronomical.
Helens’s heart pounded in excitement as she touched the bracelet on her wrist, specially designed to pour aphrodisiac when it was turned.
And tonight…
She would make Carlisle her own.