“Hrrk—!!” I nearly choked on my dinner. After cautiously swallowing it, I turned to face Father.

“F-Father, could you repeat that?”

“We’re visiting the main estate, and I would like for you to come with us,” Father explained. “I know it’s sudden, but we have to celebrate you being invited to the First Prince’s party together!”

Was that invitation really that big of a deal? I knew it was exclusive and all, but to warrant a celebration at the main estate? Visits to that place really were saved for the upmost importance of occasions.

I still couldn’t believe it. I had barely started my training, and I was already going on vacation. Was it really just a coincidence, or was the world really didn’t want me to train? Why, world, why?! It wasn’t like I was super OP! I needed that training!

Either way, I wanted to protest. However, as a daughter of a strict family, that probably won’t do me well, especially with Mother on the other side.

Looking at me, Father raised an eyebrow. Oops, did I accidentally let my emotions show there? Complaining wouldn’t end well, so I kept quiet as I fixed my posture.

That didn’t stop Father from looking though. He narrowed his eyes, rubbing his beard. Then, his eyes lit up in an eureka! moment. 

“Ah, I see. So that’s how it is,” he said with a smug grin.

What? What could you possibly see from me slumping my shoulders?

Father nodded a few times, like a detective who figured it all out. “Don’t worry, Carine. I know you two just met after a long time, but you won’t leave Feyt’s side for long! We’ll be back from the visit in no time,” he said so matter-of-factly.

I nearly did a backflip. And Mother nearly choked on her dinner. If I was still chewing on my steak, I would probably choke too. 

Father talking about Feyt like that in public was one of my biggest fears. I eyed the butlers and maids standing behind us. They all looked nonchalant about the banter, but they better not spread them!

“Father! Please stop talking about that.” I said, barely holding back a blush from embarrassment. 

“Haha! Didn’t know you could blush!”

Gah! This guy, I swear!

“Ehem!” Mother quickly and elegantly wiped her mouth before facing Father. “Dear, refrain from such talk in front of others. You are the Duke, have some respect for your seat.”

Yes! Go at him, Mother!

“I better not hear any rumors about Carine and that kid around the estate, do you understand?”

Took the words out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe I was saying this but, I was on her side for this.

“Calm down, Reina. It was just a litte jest!” Father flashed a gentle smile.

Mother didn’t look too pleased though. “You think of it as a jest? Our daughter’s reputation is at stake. If I hear even a single word of this from the staff or students…” She trailed off, but the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. “I’ll handle it personally.”

Well, that was quite the escalation. Turns out that siding with her was a bad option after all. I bit my tongue and quietly picked up my fork. No more siding.

“You’re right, forgive me,” Father relented. “Let us continue with our dinner.”

“Let’s,” Mother said briskly, resuming her meal.

With dinner continuing as normal… at least, as normal as it could be, I switched my focus to the other me. Trying my best to ignore the tense air.

—

I was eating dinner in my room, blissfully alone. Compared to the tension-filled dining room where the other me was, eating by the bed felt like a slice of heaven.

The warm milk slid down my throat, soothing my nerves, but it did little to muffle the chatter drifting in through the walls. Being Feyt had its perks… and its curses. One of those curses was my ridiculously sharp hearing, which picked up just about everything happening in the East Wing.

It ranged from people complaining about work, lack of rest, snores, et cetera. Tonight was significantly more noisy than yesterday. I wondered if the incident with Raymond was the cause. Could I even sleep in this noise?

One of the things I had no option but to listen was a very hush-hush conversation happening near the main hall.

“Another day, another student ends up on the stretcher,” a soft, feminine voice sighed. “The Duchess is a little extreme, don’t you think?”

“Don’t talk about that,” a man’s voice muttered back, followed by the squeaky rhythm of glass being wiped. “Focus on work. If the Duchess hears us, we’re done for.”

“Hah,” the first voice scoffed. “You worry too much. It’s not like anyone can hear us here.”

Oh, my sweet, summer children. Sorry but, I could hear everything.

I tried to tune them out, focusing on the comforting warmth of my milk.

And then, like clockwork, another conversation hit my ears. This one echoed faintly, likely from the servants’ bathhouse. Two men, speaking in hushed tones that carried a little too well.

“By the way, have you heard about Lady Carine?” one of them asked.

My grip on the milk glass tightened. 

The rumors better not be spreading already.

I swallowed hard, listening despite myself. Sorry, East Wing. Privacy isn’t an option tonight.

“What about her?” the second man asked.

“I heard she’s the one who beat up that kid earlier.”

My eyes widened.

Excuse me, what?

“No way,” the other replied, skeptical. “But… I mean, she is the Duchess’s daughter… The apple falls near the tree, I think that’s what people say.”

I blinked. Twice. Thrice for good measure. 

Apparently, a more troubling rumor sprung up. The nobles I’d met here were far more compassionate than the stereotypical tyrants found in most typical stories. Yet here I was, being painted as one of those tyrants instead. A true trailblazer, indeed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep