My Ruin to You - Chapter 115

“Have you by any chance heard of the social club called ‘The Donkey’s Neat Smile’?”

“No.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t have. There’s only one member in the garden.”

“Ah, yes.”

“It’s me.”

“I see. I understand.”

“This is a club dedicated to following Lady Celodienne, who stands before me now.”

“……What?”

Roseline’s pupils trembled violently. The young lady tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly.

“Your teeth are as neat as a donkey’s, you see.”

The ambiguous remark, neither quite an insult nor a compliment, was delivered with utter sincerity. How could such a family exist? The Countess harbored grudges and served salt soup, while the Count’s daughter formed bizarre clubs to express her favor—it was unbelievable. Moreover, Roseline was meeting the young lady for the first time.

“Have we met before, my lady?”

“You may not remember, but I’ve seen you many times at banquets. I even attended your academy graduation banquet. You were exceptionally beautiful that day.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Seeing you fills me with endless inspiration. No wonder His Highness the Grand Duke is so captivated. Oh dear, I’ve let my words run too wild again. Hohoho.”

Unable to find a proper response, Roseline awkwardly curled the corners of her lips. The young lady, her laughter abruptly cut short, brightened her eyes and pointed at those very teeth. Uncomfortable, Roseline gulped down her tea in haste, prompting the young lady, who had been observing intently, to murmur, “You don’t raise your pinky when holding the teacup.” She even let out a strange giggle.

Startled, Roseline eyed her warily, and the young lady drooped her eyebrows sorrowfully and apologized, “I’m sorry. I got too carried away.” Though no malice was sensed, such blatant favor was a first for Roseline, making her genuinely miss Valen. Just as she was searching for an excuse to leave—

“Oh my, I was so delighted to share teatime with you that I forgot something important.”

“Something important?”

“Lady Schnitzel is currently staying in our territory. You didn’t know, did you?”

Roseline stared at the young lady with wide eyes, forgetting even to blink. Her pulse quickened. This was completely unexpected. Why was Lady Schnitzel here?

If it were official business, she would have seen other knights from the Marquis’s household, and unless it was an imperial decree, there was no reason for her to come down to Molin during this plague-ridden season.

“Are you perhaps acquainted with Lady Schnitzel?”

When Roseline cautiously asked, the young lady shyly blushed again.

“I’m in charge of the social club ‘The Bear’s Lace Gloves,’ you see.”

“Ah, so you share the same club as Lady Schnitzel.”

It was hard to imagine Schnitzel, who seemed to harbor misanthropy, willingly associating with a social club—but perhaps it was an activity for the sake of her family’s reputation. Though the club’s name was suspicious, someone of a Marquis’s standing would inevitably have to mingle in social circles for prestige and connections, whether they liked it or not.

“That would make sense, but unfortunately, ‘The Bear’s Lace Gloves’ has only one member.”

As if mocking Roseline’s attempt to rationalize it, the young lady continued with a proud expression.

“It’s a club dedicated to following Lady Schnitzel. You wouldn’t believe how thrilled I was when both of you attended the graduation banquet together. My smile from that day still hasn’t faded.”

“……If I may ask, why is the club called ‘The Bear’s Lace Gloves’?”

“It represents Lady Schnitzel’s fierce roar and delicate appearance, I suppose? I simply follow my intuition as it comes. Hohoho.”

Now that she heard the explanation, it wasn’t entirely nonsensical. Schnitzel’s appearance was far from bear-like, but Roseline could vaguely see where the inspiration came from.

The young lady, grinning brightly, covered her mouth as if sipping tea and muttered, “Just as I heard, you are quite curious.” When she set her teacup down, she primly tucked her hair behind her ear as if nothing had happened.

She’s a little scary, though.

Still, it wasn’t Roseline’s place to interfere with whom the young lady admired or followed—especially since it wasn’t harming anyone. There was a far more pressing matter.

“Do you know where in the territory Lady Schnitzel is staying?”

“Of course. There’s only one high-end inn in Molin.”

Her heart pounded violently. She wanted to meet her. But the thought of Valen made her hesitate. It wasn’t as if she was plotting treason with Schnitzel—this would just be an ordinary reunion, completely harmless. Yet, Valen weighed on her mind. A strong premonition flashed through her—if she told him she wanted to meet Schnitzel, he wouldn’t take it well.

“Um, my lady. If it’s not too much trouble, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”