Chapter 68
“If I were you, I wouldn’t even have the face to show myself. Shameless, truly shameless. How could you dare betray His Highness the Second Prince’s trust? And not with some other man, but his own elder brother. Do you have no sense of virtue?”
“I was never involved with His Highness the Second Prince.”
“Don’t lie! You were preparing for an engagement with him, weren’t you?”
“How could anyone refuse a royal proposal? I was fortunate His Highness the First Prince rescued me. If he hadn’t warned me, I wouldn’t even have known my compatibility with the Second Prince was so poor.”
Sylaria spoke with calm ease.
“My meetings with His Highness the Second Prince… I doubt they even reached five. He proposed the moment we met. So I really don’t understand why I’m being called faithless.”
“M-Meeting numbers don’t matter! No one truly knows the details of a man and woman’s relationship!”
“Exactly.”
Sylaria lifted her shoulders lightly.
“I don’t know why someone not directly involved is acting like they know. Even gossip rags make more sense than you, Aria.”
“Have you said enough?”
“Now, that’s enough!”
As Aria’s nostrils flared and her voice rose, Faustina stepped in hurriedly. Breathing a little fast as if she had rushed over, she addressed Aria with a firm reprimand.
“Aria, control yourself. If those accusations you just voiced were true, would His Majesty the Emperor have permitted Lady Sylaria’s engagement to His Highness the First Prince?”
Faustina’s face hardened, her tone cool and sharp.
“Say any more and it could be considered an insult to the imperial family. For your own sake, hold your tongue. This is a warning.”
“…But that woman was the one who—!”
“’That woman’? Her Ladyship is the future member of the imperial family. Show respect.”
Sylaria studied Faustina closely, sharp eyes glinting. She had assumed Faustina might be observing from the sidelines, letting the confrontation run its course. But for her to step in so decisively and speak such words, perhaps she wasn’t on the Empress’s side after all.
“Cause any more commotion, and you will not be invited to my gatherings again. Do you understand?”
“…I apologize.”
Aria, her face twisted in humiliation, lowered her head under Faustina’s stern warning. With Aria subdued, Faustina turned to address the guests, her voice carrying clearly.
“Anyone who came here to spread baseless rumors, I must ask you to leave. This is a place for social fostering, not slander.”
Sylaria blinked, surprised at the steel in Faustina’s manner. She had not expected her to take her side this openly.
Faustina gave Aria one last cutting look before continuing.
“Her Majesty the Empress herself asked me to recommend suitable young ladies for His Highness the Second Prince and to see that Lady Sylaria was well received in the capital’s society. Would she have said such things if there were truly scandal between them?”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
“Seems those rumors were false.”
“Of course they were. Leap remarriage, really.”
At Faustina’s explanation, the onlookers nodded, murmuring agreement. She had swiftly defused the storm. With a wave of her hand, the quartet resumed playing a lively melody, and the tense air scattered as guests drifted back to their seats.
Faustina gave Aria a final, cold glance and shook her head. From now on, Aria would not see an invitation to any Lacroix gathering. And by the look on her face, she knew it. Aria sagged into her chair, near tears.
Turning away from her, Faustina approached Sylaria, her voice gentle now.
“I apologize, Sylaria. I should have been more careful.”
“Not at all. Thank you for helping me, Faustina.”
Sylaria smiled softly at her. She had not expected Faustina to step forward so assertively. Knowing that the reigning queen of the social circle was not an ally of the Empress eased her heart.
“This way, if you would. Just for a moment.”
Watching Sylaria’s serene smile, Faustina led her aside. Once they were in a quiet corner, Faustina lowered her voice.
“If I were you, I would be careful of Her Majesty the Empress.”
Startled by the unexpected warning, Sylaria blinked. For her to speak so openly… Was this an attempt to probe her, or was she truly opposed to the Empress?
Sylaria studied Faustina warily, but the woman seemed tense, glancing around before continuing.
“What I said earlier was a lie. Her Majesty ordered me to humiliate you.”
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