Chapter 5 - Big chance

A day has gone since the father and daughter had their talk. It was a bright, sunny midday, and everyone had gathered at the dining hall for luncheon.

It was abnormally quiet, Jefferson thought as he bit on the tender meat, making an unpleasant noise in the silent hall.

He had only been away from the countship for three days to work in the imperial palace, yet there seemed to be a great disparity in the atmosphere between when he left and when he returned. Even the servants standing behind them, like his family, were unusually awkward.

Jefferson gazed at her younger sister, who sat beside their mother across. He observed how Pepper poked the meat while catching a glimpse of their parents from time to time.

"What happened?"

Jefferson eventually broke the silence, which had grown louder as everyone's cutleries stopped moving in their hands.

Count Fernando coughed deliberately as he proceeded to eat the food on his plate. The sound of the plate and fork colliding continued.

"Pepper is interested in marrying the Grand Duke of Hellisi."

It wasn't the count who said those words, but the countess, who couldn't keep it together and finally burst. Jefferson's blue orbs and mouth gaping in disbelief at what he heard.

After a brief moment of shock, he regained his composure and stared at everyone. The Count, who remained silent, the countess, whose gaze was drawn elsewhere, and Pepper.

Pepper ignored her brother's probing gaze, instead, focusing her stare on her mother.

Jefferson was so confused that he just wanted to laugh it out.

"You said you'd grant me whatever request I made, no matter how impossible."

Pepper wailed, not even denying what her mother had stated.

"I was very drunk that time, Pepper."

The Countess fought Pepper's unmoving glare, her eyes filled with both regret and annoyance. She felt bad about making her drunkness as an excuse to dismiss her daughter's request, but she really hated the thought of her and the Grand Duke.

"I'll give you anything except that."

The Countess didn't feel bad about giving her daughter that 'one-time request' as her present. However, she resented how she had spoiled Pepper since she was a child, and now she had grown into a compulsive, hardheaded and hot-tempered lady befitting of her name, who couldn't even spare a woman's drunken words.

"That's..."

Pepper, unable to bear her mother's gaze for any longer, turned to her brother with a sad expression.

She went back in time to the day when her mother told her that she had a greater gift in store for her to be told in the gift-giving on the day of her birthday celebration. She became even more irritated all of a sudden.

"Happy Birthday, Lady Pepper."

"Thank you."

The banquet for Pepper's coming of age celebration had been going on for who knows how long. Everyone was having fun with intensions of their own—to flirt, to gossip, find fault and connections, brag about, or simply sit in the corner to taste an expensive wine—rather than just celebrating Pepper's birthday, which seemed bizarre in the celebrator's eyes.

Pepper, with her tired face—because of the nonstop pleasantries, she needed to return with a nice smile—sat along with Sunny and other noble ladies who whispered hot gossip going on in and out of the empire. It was her first time sitting with noble ladies without her parents' presence since she was now a pledged adult. That was why she found how amusing it was that these noble ladies, pretending to be chummy with each other with compliments and smooth talks, stuck their tongues out when they were by themselves. She knew that it was happening since she was an observer despite having no interest in social affairs and what was happening in the empire. A boring hobby she had.

"So, Lady Pepper, do you have someone you fancy here?"

Lady Aristella Sperdo, the daughter of Viscount Polvo Ron Sperdo, asked Pepper with plainly phony smiling purple eyes. Everyone at the table looked at Pepper for a split second before shifting their gaze to the man with shining blonde hair near them.

"Lord Rezer looks stunning, he's so fabulous."

"How about Lord Rezer? Lady Pepper, what do you think?"

Lady Aristella asked in a contemptuous tone. She was completely looking down at Pepper just because she had a wild reputation in public.

Some of the noble ladies around them might disregard Lady Aristella's question as mere ladies' discussion, but Pepper knew it wasn't.

Lady Aristella was simply attempting to ship Pepper to the man whose name was often next to scandals, and this was a great hole she could dig to find fault with.

Pepper concentrated her sight on the man who made the ladies' eyes sparkle. She was disgusted by the number of ladies he held by the waist.

'She probably assumed that since I am now 18, I would uphold my status and respond as a respectable lady would. Dumb woman, I will never fall for your manipulative question and claim that Lord Rezer is a catch just because some ladies like him, when he isn't even slightly likable. I feel like throwing up.'

"He looks like fish bait. You know, the wriggly one."

"L..lady Pepper?"

Everyone at the table was flabbergasted by Pepper's statement. While others were covering their laughter with handkerchiefs and fans, including Sunny, who didn't even made an effort to hide hers, others were displeased.

Aristella's left eye twitched as she forced a grin on her face. She looked ashamed, ridiculous in Pepper's view. Pepper impishly smiled back before pulling her eyes away.

Looking back at Rezer, Pepper forthwith returned the spotlight inside her head on the Grand Duke, which had been distracted by Aristella's foolish question.

'I'm sure the Grand Duke never did this in his youthful days. He looks to be someone who will treat the ladies gently and with respect. Now, I wonder how he treated the late Grand Duchess whenever there was a banquet. I bet they look wonderful and sweet.'

Pepper had a flashback to his father's words.

"Besides, I don't think that the Grand Duke will entertain another woman after his late wife. Humor has it that he truly loved her. You better give it up, Pepper."

She felt happy and sad at the same time. However, she quickly shrugged it off by forcing an inner laugh and just thought of her and the Grand Duke together to somehow satisfy herself.

'I'm curious how the Grand Duke will treat me.'

The blood on Pepper's body rushed to her head when she thought about another scene where she and the Grand Duke were together in the banquet as a couple. Ladies would try to catch his attention and catch his eyes, but his gaze was only on hers, and his towering stature made her feel safe while holding her hands, intertwined.

'That's..!'

Pepper had the urge to scream in exultation, but that would be weird, so she calmed her inner self.

She felt embarrassed and sorry for the late Duchess for thinking such ridiculous things to the Grand Duke that she hoped she wouldn't be haunted in her sleep.

"My lady, it's already time for the gift-giving. Shall we head over there?"

Sondrox, the head butler of the Countship who appeared out of nowhere, caught everyone's attention at the table and surrounding them. He kept his head low and gestured for Pepper to move towards the podium in front of the people.

Everyone clapped their hands when Pepper reached the podium. She smiled at her parents that were already there with a much brighter smile than she had.

Her eyes swam the sea of people continuously clapping their hands. She was more bothered by their eyes and smiles than by her heavy red ball gown. So, she just stared at her mother with burning cheeks and neck. Pepper assumed she was already inebriated and was simply trying to keep a straight face for the sake of the onlookers.

'She really has to cut back on her drinking.'

"Everyone, I'd like to thank you for coming to my daughter, Pepper's, birthday celebration. I don't have many words to say, so I'll just go straight to presenting my gift to her."

Sondrox drew closer to them and presented a medium-sized box resting on a royal purple pillow. Pepper's heart beat wildly in anticipation, she was so excited that her mouth started to dry. She immediately opened the box and was astonished, as did everyone else in the banquet hall, except for Count Fernando, who had a proud expression on his face. The audience began to whisper among themselves at the sight of a minimalist necklace with a bright green stone as its pendant, reflecting on the massive chandelier above. They knew that Count Fernando was genuine in his love for her daughter, but they also knew that he just wanted to show off because that was the entire point of gift-giving that was invented by the ancient nobles and aristocrats.

"Wow. This is..."

Pepper looked at her father to confirm her guess.

"Yes. This is a custom item I ordered to be made in the Oblion Kingdom. They're known for their emerald gems, which I know you like because they're like the color of your eyes."

Count Fernando, who was pretending to cough, took a peek at his daughter with a wide smile.

"Thank you, father. I'll cherish this."

After a few more surprises from the Count, which was more overjoyed than Pepper, it was now Jefferson's turn to give his gift to Pepper.

Pepper pulled out the luxurious-looking fan with tussles and flower embroidery from its case. She looked ecstatic by its exquisite beauty.

"Thank you, brother. I really like it."

Jefferson who was just as proud as the Count, brushed his brown hair to the back of his head, which glistened with delight. He blushed at her sister's remarks and thankful expression.

"I'm glad you did."

And for the finale, it was the countess' turn to give her gift to Pepper, which she had personally requested the Count for the honor.

The nobles with their unstoppable whispers grew louder. Pepper's heart began to beat wildly like the murmuring, since she was guessing that her mother would give her something extravagant because she took the honor of being the last giver.

"Pepper, my lovely daughter, as your mother... I should have the most special gift for.... you...! "

Everyone was holding their breath that they couldn't care less about the countess' hiccups and slurred speech. Pepper, in particular, whose lungs are on the verge of popping.

"My gift."

The nobles' whispering continued as if they had finally figured out what the countess' gift was.

"Please don't tell me her gift is...."

"Yes, I have a feeling it is."

Pepper's curiosity escalated from the nobles' muttering.

'Come on mother, what is it?'

The Countess cleared her throat as she gazed at the indeterminable gifts that were lying on the massive table. She thought how lousy could the nobles be just by looking at their gifts for her precious daughter who deserved more than just a diamond.

"My daughter, here listen."

"Yes, mother."

Pepper swallowed her spit as the Countess yelled for everyone to hear.

"I'll grant one request you make of me! Anything, even if it's impossible. I'll give you everything, my precious Pepper Louisa, so think about it carefully, and I'll make it happen no matter what."

The nobility let out a loud gasp, which was quickly followed by cheers and applause.

Peppers' lips spread out as her heart and mind jumped in elation. She hugged her drunken mother, whose words were so uncontrollable that even the Count and Jefferson hesitated in worry. They had no idea that the Countess' present was that absurd thing that only a few nobles could afford. Their proud face had turned sour.

Pepper who sneaked a look at her father and brother merely shrugged off their unfavorable sentiments since... this was her big chance.

'Oh Goddess, what a blessing!'