Humiliation

As expected from the Landrophil Marquis family, famous for their beautiful gardens, the party was held in their garden.

As soon as Dahlia entered the mansion, she couldn't help but be surprised by the bustling crowd in the garden.

"I thought it would be a small party."

She had expected no more than five or six people, but the party far exceeded her expectations.

At a glance, it seemed that at least twenty people were gathered, chatting in small groups.

As Dahlia awkwardly glanced around, the hostess, the Marchioness of Landrophil, approached her with a welcoming smile.

"Welcome, Duchess Seyer. It's been such a long time! I heard you were away on a trip. You must still be tired, but thank you so much for coming."

"Thank you for inviting me. But..."

Dahlia looked around with a slightly surprised expression.

"I thought it was supposed to be a small tea party, I didn't expect so many guests."

"Spring is almost over, and we can't let it pass without a proper farewell. Come, please sit here. We have so much to catch up on."

Following the Marchioness's lead, she moved towards a long table with the names of the guests written on it, arranged on either side of the host.

"Your seat is here, Madam."

"Thank you."

Dahlia's seat was right next to the Marchioness. After sitting down, she began to admire the beautifully decorated table.

"This is so extravagant."

The center of the table was adorned with a variety of flowers, and above it, a canopy fluttered in the breeze, resembling something straight out of a fairy tale.

"It's truly beautiful, Madam. This is the first time I've attended such an extravagant tea party."

"Thank you for the compliment. Please enjoy yourself today. I have a special gift prepared just for you."

"A gift?"

"Yes. Oh, here it comes."

As if the gift had wings, Dahlia turned her head in the direction the Marchioness was looking. There, at the end of her gaze, was...

"...Rosé?"

It was none other than Rosé Hertz. She had heard she received an invitation recently, and it seemed that it was from the same Landrophil Marquis.

Dahlia looked surprised upon seeing Rosé, and the Marchioness added with a knowing smile.

"I invited her."

"...I see."

"But why is Rosé my gift?"

Moreover, Rosé seemed awkward and unsure, as though she was lost at her first party, but the Marchioness, the host, made no move to guide or welcome her.

"Something feels off..."

It wasn't just the fact that she referred to Rosé as her gift, but more importantly, it was the issue with Rosé's seat.

Dahlia looked at the nameplates on the table and then at Rosé, who had taken her seat.

Rosé had taken the seat furthest from the host, the very last seat at the end of the table.

Dahlia wasn't well-versed in the etiquette or culture of such gatherings, but she understood the significance of being assigned a seat in the corner.

"They must be trying to make a fool of Rosé."

In a tea party, who sat next to you indicated your status. But the people sitting next to Rosé didn't look like high-ranking nobles at all.

In fact, considering the standing of the Hertz family, Rosé should have been seated somewhere closer. The Hertz family was a noble house with a long history and tradition.

After realizing the true intentions of the Marchioness of Landrophil, Dahlia began to feel uncomfortable being in this seat.

"This is my fault."

Before advising Rosé to accept the invitation, she should have known how the noblewomen felt about her. It wasn't her own party, but she felt guilty for encouraging Rosé to attend.

As she watched Rosé sitting in the corner, unable to speak to anyone and bowing her head low, her concern grew. At that moment, the Marchioness stood up and tapped her glass with a teaspoon.

"I would like to thank all the distinguished guests for attending my tea party. Before we begin the festivities, please open the gift boxes in front of you. They are a small token of my appreciation."

At her words, people began opening the boxes around them. Inside each small box was a butterfly-shaped letter opener.

"Oh, how beautiful!"

Everyone around her was admiring the letter openers in front of them, but Rosé couldn't do the same. Whether by mistake or intention, there was nothing placed in front of her.

"The Marchioness is so cruel. How could she leave out a gift?"

Realizing this too late, Dahlia let out a hollow laugh. The behavior was childish. She had thought the Marchioness was mature and insightful, and her disappointment was great.

But regardless of Dahlia's feelings, the maids standing behind began serving tea, and the tea party started.

Unlike the others who were chatting in groups, Rosé sat alone, like a person stranded on a deserted island, her head bowed in silence.

"This can't continue."

Unable to bear it any longer, Dahlia stood up to go to Rosé, but suddenly the Marchioness spoke to her.

"Oh, by the way, Madam, did you know that Duke Seyer is at our estate right now?"

"The Duke? I knew he was going out today, but I didn't realize he was here."

"Oh dear. It seems I unintentionally spoiled the Duke's surprise gift."

"Haha..."

Dahlia awkwardly smiled and brushed it off.

She was slightly surprised to know Clayton was in the same place, but Dahlia had no energy to focus on him right now.

Dahlia answered the noblewomen's questions politely before turning her head. To her surprise, Rosé's seat was now empty.

"Where did she go?"

As Dahlia looked around for Rosé, another lady noticed and spoke up.

"If it's Rosé Hertz, she left her seat earlier. I wonder if she's crying somewhere now."

"The woman who never blinked an eye in the palace? I bet she's grinding her teeth out of frustration."

"...."

Unable to listen to their conversation in silence any longer, Dahlia stood up. She was going to find Rosé.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rosé, whom Dahlia was looking for, was sitting alone in the forest behind the garden, wiping away her tears.

She had come to the social gathering full of expectations, but she never imagined she would be treated with such disregard and neglect.

"This isn't what I had imagined..."

She had always thought that tea parties were about sipping tea, discussing the fashionable dresses of the year, and sharing secret feelings about the men they liked.

Yet, she hadn't been able to speak a word with the hostess and was stuck in a corner, overhearing the gossip about her.

Rosé recalled the women who had been whispering next to her just a moment ago.

"How can someone be so shameless? She's been by the side of a married man, came to the palace, and now she's attending the wife's party? Honestly, if they were going to send her an invitation, they should have just ignored her properly..."

"Well, a woman who is the Duke Seyer's mistress should have that kind of boldness, shouldn't she?"

At first, she didn't realize they were talking about her. But as soon as the name Duke Seyer was mentioned, she realized they were gossiping about her.

"How could I be treated like this..."

This was the first time she had ever been humiliated like this.

While she was indeed influenced by the Seyer family, her own family had been a respected count family for a long time.

She had always been treated with respect in her household, never having heard a harsh word growing up.

She could even feel the absence of her parents, who had passed away long ago. The more she thought about it, the more her frustration built up, and Rosé kept wiping away her constantly flowing tears with her handkerchief.

But even that was interrupted when a sudden gust of wind blew.

Rosé stared blankly at the handkerchief that had blown away and fallen to the ground. It seemed as though the handkerchief lying alone on the dirt was a reflection of herself.

Even the wind couldn't comfort her. The thought that no one in the world was on her side caused her shoulders to slump.

"I should just leave."

"Staying here will only make things worse. I should just go." With that thought, she stood up to pick up the handkerchief from the ground.

As she walked toward where the handkerchief had flown, she continued to wipe the tears lingering in her eyes with the back of her hand.

Just as she was about to bend down to pick it up...

"Huh?"

A man had already picked up the handkerchief before her.

Rosé was momentarily startled by the fact that someone else was there, but when she saw who had extended the handkerchief, she held her breath.

It was Clayton Seyer, with dark hair reminiscent of the night sky and intense red eyes that seemed to be studded with jewels.

Rosé's eyes widened as she realized who the man was. She didn't even question why the Duke was there.

She couldn't even think of asking for the handkerchief he was holding.

She was so shocked to encounter an unexpected man in such a strange place that she couldn't do anything.

As a result, the tears she hadn't wiped away streamed down her cheek.

The man, silently watching her, extended the handkerchief he was holding. His touch was indifferent, with no trace of emotion. But...

Sunlight, hidden behind clouds, suddenly poured down upon him.

The sight was ethereal, beautiful, and sacred, as if he were a savior sent just for her.

The wind, which had felt so cruel, now gently tousled his hair, and it unsettled Rosé's heart, causing it to stir in confusion.