Chapter 6

“His Majesty was most pleased with your desserts. He has therefore ordered that you supply desserts to the Imperial Palace on a regular basis. Here is the contract, with all the details.”

The Emperor’s chief chamberlain, stepping down from his carriage, held out the supply contract to Adele.

“Miss!”

Beside her, Tanya’s face lit up as she watched.

If she supplied the Imperial Palace on a regular basis, she’d never have to worry about making a living again. And once word of this got around, the other nobles would surely come rushing to place their own orders.

Already, a line of carriages belonging to other nobles stood behind the imperial carriage.

“Please, come inside.”

Adele showed the chamberlain and the waiting nobles into the house, then read carefully through the contract.

It simply required her to supply whatever desserts she chose, in whatever quantity she chose, once a month. There was nothing underhanded buried in the terms, so Adele signed without hesitation.

After the chamberlain had taken his leave, the other nobles who had been waiting came forward.

“Those cookies that day were absolutely wonderful.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about them even after I got home.”

Adele was bewildered. It was the first time she’d ever received such a warm reception from the nobility.

“You should try this one too. I just baked these — crisp on the outside, soft on the inside!”

Mia, just as excited, held out a cookie Adele had baked for everyone to taste.

“But tell me, Madame — what exactly is your relationship with Count Weiss?”

one of the guests ventured, carefully.

This, in truth, was what they’d really come for.

“My relationship with the Count?”

Adele’s expression stiffened, but no one seemed to care in the slightest.

“The two of you looked so good together at the banquet that night.”

“Really. Who knew a black dress could look that stunning?”

“And I heard the Count paid you a visit just a few days ago?”

Honestly, gossip in Greenhill traveled at a speed that was almost frightening.

“I heard the Count is about to become Captain of the Imperial Guard — do you think you could arrange an audience with His Majesty for us?”

“My son has failed the Imperial Guard examination three times already. I do wish he’d finally pass.”

Every one of them had come with an agenda.

The Imperial Guard, who protected the Emperor.

The Captain who commanded them was the only person permitted to stand armed at the Emperor’s side. Naturally, he was the man the Emperor trusted above all others — and his word carried real weight in the Emperor’s decisions.

“It seems you’ve all gotten quite the wrong idea.”

Adele said firmly, after taking a sip of her tea.

Left unchecked, the rumor would spiral out of control. Christine was soon to be in marriage talks with the Princess — a strange rumor like this now would be a disaster.

“It’s true that Count Weiss came here, but he only stopped by to pay his respects.”

But the women only smiled knowingly at the fresh flowers standing in the vase.

“So he really did come visit, then.”

“My, it looks like he bought out an entire flower shop. This many flowers, in the dead of winter.”

Adele’s face crumpled.

Whatever she said, they twisted it to fit what they already believed. And that belief, in their minds, was becoming the truth.

“The Count and I aren’t what you’re imagining. The truth is, he and I — well, what I mean is, the Count is my—”

Adele caught her breath, then said it more plainly.

“Yes — the Count is my younger brother!”

“…!”

Everyone’s jaws dropped in shock.

Tanya and Mia were no exception.

“We grew up together like family, ever since we were children. So he’s as good as my own blood brother.”

Still, no one looked convinced. However you looked at it, Christine seemed far more like an older brother.

“It’s just the one year between us. He used to be so much smaller and so much cuter.”

Seeing their faces grow even more disbelieving, Adele cleared her throat.

“Then, after my mother passed away, I went to live at House Grilles, with my father. After that, we grew apart.”

“So you’re truly saying you aren’t involved with the Count?”

they asked, still wearing faces that refused to believe it.

After all, the two of them dancing together that night had looked anything but brotherly. And the Count hadn’t danced with anyone else since.

So it was only natural that those who loved to talk had spun up countless rumors.

As if claiming Adele had lured him into her bedroom weren’t enough, it seemed only a matter of time before someone invented a secret love child. Adele knew exactly how rumors like this behaved — and she knew, too, that nothing short of “he’s my actual brother” would make them die down.

“Besides, there’s already someone else I have feelings for.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide at this unexpected declaration.

Who?

Even Mia’s eyes rounded in surprise, and Adele mouthed a silent “sorry” to her.

Wait — don’t tell me it’s Mark?

Meanwhile, the other women all crowded forward at once to offer their congratulations.

“Congratulations, Madame Oswald! Well, it has been so long since the Marquis passed — it’s well past time you remarried.”

They meant it, every word. Because with this, Count Weiss belonged to everyone again.

Just then, Madame Hans, who had been sitting quietly, came forward. She was a distant relative of House Oswald, from a family of considerable wealth.

“Congratulations on your remarriage, Madame.”

“I never said I was remarrying!”

Adele protested, but it made no difference.

“My family is holding a New Year’s party soon. It would be wonderful if you came and shared the good news there.”

Madame Hans held out an invitation tied with a red ribbon.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Adele declined, as politely as she could.

“Thank you for the invitation, but if I came, everyone would only feel uncomfortable.”

“Not at all. Truly, everyone wants to get to know you better. If there’s been any misunderstanding, this would be the perfect chance to clear it up.”

At that, Mia whispered quietly.

“Adele, accept the invitation. It’s a good chance to get back into society.”

“I have no wish to.”

Adele was shaking her head when Madame Hans added,

“Do bring your friend along as well!”

“Me?”

Mia pointed at herself, startled.

“Yes — if a close friend comes with her, I’m sure Madame Oswald will feel much more at ease.”

Mia’s eyes welled up with emotion.

“Just the thought is enough to touch me. But I’m so terribly busy, I’m not sure I could find the time. Oh-ho-ho!”

She put on an air of reluctant dignity she didn’t remotely feel, all while shooting glances at Adele.

In truth, Mia had always been eager for a place in society. But no social gathering ever invited a poor, unremarkable baroness like her.

Adele, who had known this for a long time, found it difficult to ignore the longing written plainly on Mia’s face.

“Please, you must come! And I do hope we can keep in touch from now on.”

Madame Hans, sensing the situation, clasped Mia’s hands and made the request earnestly.

“Well…”

Mia, once more, poured everything she had into one last pleading look at Adele,

“Very well.”

Adele accepted, against her better judgment.

---

“Well, there went that. I was secretly hoping something might happen between you and the Count. A brother, of all things…”

Once everyone had gone, Tanya said, her face full of disappointment.

“There went nothing. Now that I’ll be supplying desserts to the palace, we won’t have to worry about money anymore.”

Adele said, comforting her as she changed the water in the flower vase.

“Still, I was hoping you and the Count would end up together, just to knock House Oswald down a peg.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get my revenge by living well enough that everyone can see it.”

“But if you had a brother like the Count all along, why didn’t you ask him for help sooner? Then you wouldn’t have had to go through what House Oswald put you through—”

“Ah!”

A soft cry escaped her as a bead of red bloomed on Adele’s finger. She’d pricked herself on a rose thorn while arranging the flowers.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

Tanya quickly dabbed at the blood with her handkerchief.

“No, it’s fine. I was just distracted for a moment. I’ve forgotten all about what happened at House Oswald, so don’t worry.”

Adele smiled as though nothing were wrong, but Tanya knew better.

She knew Adele would never truly forget what had happened at House Oswald.

How could she ever forget it?

---

A few days later.

In front of Madame Hans’s mansion.

“Adele, do I look all right?”

Mia must have asked that same question dozens of times during the carriage ride to the mansion.

“Yes, you’re lovely.”

“Maybe I should have made my lip color darker.”

“It’s plenty dark already.”

“Then should I wipe a little off?”

Adele smiled at Mia, so uncharacteristically on edge, and took the powder puff from her hand, gently blotting down her overdone eye makeup and lipstick.

It was Mia’s first social gathering in a long time. For today, she had rented an expensive dress and coat from a dressmaker’s in town. She had also carefully polished the jewelry she’d inherited from her grandmother to wear, and worked up the nerve to buy costly cosmetics besides.

“Adele, you should wear some makeup too. I should have rented something for you when I borrowed my own outfit.”

But unlike Mia, done up to the nines, Adele looked just as she always did.

She wore a drab wool dress buttoned up to the throat, an old gray coat over it, and her hair left long and loose, tied back with a ribbon.

“I’m fine as I am. If anything, people would talk even more if I showed up dressed up. And promise me you won’t take whatever people say to heart either. All right?”

“Of course! Since when am I the type to let anything get me down?”

Mia answered cheerfully and stepped down from the carriage with practiced elegance.

But the moment she caught sight of the mansion ahead, blazing with light, she flinched. And that wasn’t all — a line of grand, ornate carriages, driven by liveried footmen, was already filing in around the estate.

“What business do you have here?”

a man asked brusquely, as the two of them climbed down from their modest hired coach. He was a footman in a fine velvet jacket.

Adele showed him the invitation. He glanced the two of them over and tilted his head.

“You two were really invited?”

At his condescending tone, Adele answered,

“If we hadn’t been invited, we’d have no reason to come.”

He stepped aside with a sour look on his face. But then, just as Adele was about to go inside with Mia, he caught her by the arm.

“Maids use that door over there.”

Mia, who had gone on ahead, spun back and snapped furiously,

“Excuse me, maid?”

That was the moment.

“Oh my, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

At that familiar, unpleasant voice, Adele turned around.

A beautiful woman draped in a luxuriant fur coat was stepping down from her carriage, escorted by finely dressed attendants.

True to her nicknames, “the Empire’s Jewel” and “the Flower of High Society,” she was a beauty with hair as dazzling as sunlight and eyes of vivid blue.

Already, three or four noblewomen had gathered around her, each of them likewise wrapped in costly fur.

Seira and her little gang.

That was what Adele called them. In her head, of course.

“You’ve arrived, my lady!”

The servant who had just taken Adele for a maid bowed so low his back nearly touched the ground.

Ignoring him entirely, Seira looked Adele up and down from head to toe. Then, smiling sweetly, she said—

“I suppose no one told you. The dress code tonight is fur.”

“…!”

Flustered, Mia quickly looked around.

Sure enough, every single guest at the party was wearing fur.

“Oh, you came!”

Just then, Madame Hans’s voice rang out.

Mia, barely holding back tears, managed to say,

“Thank you for inviting us, Madame. Though you never mentioned the dress code tonight.”

“Well… I worried that if I’d told you beforehand, you might have felt too burdened to come at all.”

Madame Hans answered with an awkward expression, and snickers rippled through the crowd nearby.

It meant, of course, that even if she had told them, the two of them would never have managed to get hold of any fur anyway.

Fur was so costly and so rare that even most nobles struggled to come by it.

So this was why she invited us, after all.

Adele realized, belatedly, that she’d forgotten Madame Hans was one of Seira’s little gang too.

“Madame—”

Adele, unable to bear it any longer, started to speak, when—

“That’s why I’ve had fur-trimmed dresses prepared, just for the two of you! I’ve already told the maids, so go on and change quickly.”

Madame Hans said, grabbing hold of both their hands as though doing them a great favor.

“That won’t be necessary. I think we’d best be on our way—”

Adele said firmly, but Mia shook her head.

There was no telling how desperate her expression was.

Mia had spent days preparing eagerly for this one party. Knowing that, Adele couldn’t bring herself to simply turn around and leave.

“I’m fine as I am, but I’d be grateful if you could lend Baroness Bonita something to change into.”

Adele decided to give ground, just this once.

“Is that so?”

Madame Hans said, as though she’d known all along it would come to this, and pulled Mia along by the hand.

Behind her, Adele issued a quiet but icy warning.

“I do hope you’ll see to it that she has a pleasant time.”

Adele was, after all, infamous as the woman said to have poisoned her Marquis.

So even Madame Hans’s face tensed, just a little.