“……”
For a moment, everyone in the room silently turned their gaze toward one person.
It was Luca della Valle, one of the Priori.
His neatly combed tawny hair, the small round glasses he wore, and even his tidy and modest beard—all of it gave him the appearance of a model scholar.
Normally, he would have been composed and serene, befitting his scholarly demeanor. But now, he was so shocked that his light purple eyes were trembling uncontrollably.
“Buonaparte, that statement….”
“The promise will be kept. The agreement with Della Valle was to marry ‘Buonaparte’s daughter’ to ‘Della Valle’s son.’”
“But, but then Lucrezia….”
Cesare gazed steadily at Luca della Valle. His dimples and smiling eyes could not conceal the coldness in his gaze.
“Does Lady Lucrezia della Valle have any relation to me?”
“……”
“She is a beautiful lady and will soon meet a good match and marry. Isn’t that truly a joyous occasion for the Della Valle family? After all, she won’t have to marry a scoundrel like me from the Buonaparte family.”
Luca della Valle, with a grave expression, said no more. The other Priori were the same.
There was too much entangled in this matter to dismiss it as merely a marriage between two families.
Some welcomed it, some opposed it, some were indifferent, and some had yet to decide their stance.
“You all seem to enjoy romance so much.”
Fully aware of all these calculations, Cesare simply smiled pleasantly, as if to say, ‘These old folks are so adorable.’
“……”
And there was one person silently observing this bold conversation.
The chairwoman of the Signoria and the head of Santenare.
Eva Buonaparte.
*** *** *** *** ***
The butterfly effect Cesare had stirred in the Signoria reached Adele a few days later, turning into a storm.
Adele, who was resting after a hearty lunch, was approached by Epony, her face pale.
“Miss, the Chairwoman has come to see you.”
“…What?”
Adele responded a beat late.
“The Chairwoman has come to see you.”
“……”
Epony repeated herself. Adele blinked a few times, unable to find words to respond to her statement.
“Not ‘summoned’ but….”
“She has come to see you.”
Epony replied as if she understood. She, too, looked flustered by the situation.
“Is she outside the room right now?”
Adele asked, glancing toward the reception room beyond the tearoom where she currently was.
“Yes. She said she was sorry for coming without prior notice and that you could take your time to prepare as she would wait.”
“……”
Every word Epony uttered left Adele more bewildered.
From the fact that the elder of this great family had come to see someone as insignificant as Adele, to her saying, ‘Sorry for coming without notice’—everything was baffling.
Epony, too, seemed flustered, her words coming out in a rush.
“I told her you would need time to prepare your attire and suggested escorting her to the ‘Room of Stars.’”
“Yes, go ahead and tell her that.”
“Understood.”
Epony quickly disappeared in the direction of the reception room.
Adele folded the corner of her book and rose from her seat.
“Sir Aegir.”
“Yes.”
A man who had been standing silently behind her responded. A young man clad in a black cloak and holding a black cocked hat over his chest met her gaze as if he had been waiting.
He was Aegir Korre, a Bracciere assigned to Adele after the ballroom incident.
“You’ve heard the situation, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Should you accompany me to meet the elder?”
Aegir replied in a low, rough voice.
“The family head’s orders were to stay by your side at all times. However, since the elder has requested a private meeting, I cannot escort you.”
It was a response laden with implications.
‘So, Eva’s authority takes precedence over his orders.’
Adele nodded in understanding.
At that moment, Epony returned with quick steps.
“Miss, let me assist you in preparing your attire.”
Adele and Epony headed to the toilette room, while Aegir, unable to enter the ladies’ space, waited outside the door.
“Is she someone who usually visits so suddenly?”
Adele asked as she sat at the dressing table, letting Epony tend to her hair.
“No, not at all. Normally, she never does. Even the young master had no intention of presenting you to the Chairwoman until the time was right.”
“Then why….”
“It seems to be because the young master publicly announced your existence to the Signoria.”
“So, my brother’s announcement prompted the elder to act?”
“Yes. In social circles, it is considered impolite to approach matters that have not been ‘publicly announced’ by the other party, unless the relationship is particularly close.”
How strange. It almost sounded as if Cesare and Eva were strangers.
Noticing Adele’s realization, a bitter expression appeared on Epony’s face.
“…You must find it odd. I cannot explain in detail, but your assumption is correct. They are not on bad terms, but they do not interact much either.”
Adele ended the conversation with a nod.
In truth, Adele had simply chosen not to delve deeply into it, but there was indeed something peculiar about Cesare and Eva’s relationship.
Cesare was exceedingly devoted to his grandmother, Eva.
This was a fact known to everyone in Fornatti. There had even been a newspaper article highlighting how he had built an opera house for her.
Yet, strangely enough, Adele had never seen the two of them together in the mansion.
At first, she thought it was simply because she rarely left her room.
But that was not the case. The two genuinely had no points of contact.
“The elder wishes to receive another report regarding Cesare.”
“It was the usual report. The one submitted to the Chairwoman about the young master.”
And a grandmother who regularly received reports about her grandson’s personal affairs?
At first, Adele thought it was because Cesare’s authority within the family was still lacking.
But as she spent more time there, she realized that was not true at all. Cesare had complete control over the mansion.
“……”
Thinking about Cesare briefly brought back memories of the incident in the bedroom, and irritation surged within her.
That crazy scoundrel who had tried to seduce her, gotten excited, and then completely changed his demeanor to flash a cold smile.
And yet, he was annoyingly handsome. When he approached her with his crescent-shaped eyes, her thoughts momentarily froze. It was the first time she had seen his tear mole up close.
‘Still, he’s just a perverted, philandering scoundrel.’
Why on earth would he get excited when she was clearly rejecting him?
No, she knew the reason, but the fact that he thought she would fall for it made her angry.
“Hoo.”
“Do you know much about the Chairwoman?”
Epony’s question cut through her train of thought.
Adele looked at Epony through the mirror with a blank expression.
“Only what is publicly known.”
“I advise you not to show too much emotion. Also, do not lie. If you’re in a difficult position, simply remain silent.”
“Okay.”
“The Chairwoman is likely aware of the ‘prank.’ She probably also knows why the young master brought you here.”
“Okay.”
“…You’ll do well.”
Epony spoke in a tone lacking confidence.
Adele looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was time to meet the grandmother of that crazy Cesare.
*** *** *** *** ***
In front of the ‘Room of Stars.’
Epony and Aegir agreed to wait outside.
Adele took a deep breath before grasping the door handle.
The heavy door opened smoothly, without even making the sound of brushing against the carpet. Soon, the full view of the ‘Room of Stars’ appeared before her.
The ‘Room of Stars’ was exceptionally beautiful, even by Buonaparte standards. When Adele first visited while familiarizing herself with the inner palace’s layout, she had involuntarily gasped in admiration.
The room was surrounded by black marble on all sides. Between the marble sections were carved star shapes inlaid with blue lapis lazuli, the symbol of the Buonaparte family.
Around the stars, tiny milky-white, gleaming jewels were embedded like the Milky Way, creating an elegant dignity.
The room was unusually dark for Santenare, where the weather was mild year-round.
However, when sunlight entered, the tiny jewels embedded in the walls reflected light, making the entire room shine brilliantly.
Eva Buonaparte was steeping tea at the center of this room.
Clink.
Her short white hair, cut neatly below her ears, must have been the same bronze color as Cesare’s in her youth. Her sharp nose bridge and profile also resembled Cesare’s.
She wore light indoor clothing with green arabesque patterns printed on a white background. Though she appeared modest, Adele remained vigilant.
‘In Gimora, letting your guard down means death.’
Adele slowly walked forward, stepping on the black carpet with constellation patterns.
“Again. Your head is swaying.”
“Again! Walk as if you’ve become a tree!”
Gracefully.
As if walking lightly on water.
The teachings of the late Madame Flavia were truly excellent.
Adele mentally praised her as she stopped at an appropriate distance.
Clink…
Eva, who had been brewing tea, raised her head.
“……”
Golden eyes, piercingly bright like Cesare’s, turned toward Adele.
After their eyes met, Adele gracefully curtsied.
“May the goddess’s peace be with you.”
“……”
“I apologize for the late greeting. I am Adelaide Buonaparte.”
Normally, it was customary for the superior to acknowledge first. But with Eva, the situation was slightly different.
Even after Adele’s greeting, Eva continued to stare at her intently with the clear, water-like gaze characteristic of the elderly.
Then she slowly reached out her hand. In it, she held a notebook and pen from the table.
Scratch. Scratch.
The sound of pen scratching paper echoed through the room.
Her refined demeanor made everything feel more real.
Eva Buonaparte.
A woman who, despite her physical disadvantage, was unanimously elected as chairwoman by all Priori due to her outstanding capabilities.
Shortly after, Eva turned the notebook around to show it to Adele.
[May the goddess’s peace be with you. You can call me Eva.]
*** *** *** *** ***
Adele sat with a straight back, silently savoring the tea’s aroma.
Though sunlight warmly streamed through the windows, to her it felt like standing on a frozen lake.
[How is the tea?]
“The aroma is lovely. What kind is it?”
[It’s root tea from Winter Han.]
“Ah, the famous tea that’s supplied to Soreuk’s Hangbaekgung Palace. I’m honored to taste such precious tea leaves. Thank you.”
[Do you like tea?]
“I can’t say I do, as I haven’t properly learned about it.”
She had merely read a book called, The History of Tea, among the many she’d devoured in the library.
Though she thought she’d given a decent answer, Eva paused her pen and gazed at Adele with clear eyes.
This happened several times throughout their conversation.
‘…This is torture.’
Eva couldn’t speak. Naturally, Adele had to fill the silences.
It would have been better if Eva was the type to just say what she wanted. Instead, she kept asking questions.
As a result, Adele was suffering, trying to avoid answers that seemed like traps, or agonizing over whether the questions themselves were traps.
Eva observed Adele quietly before writing in elegant handwriting.
[You’re a pretty child.]
“You’re too kind.”
[Cesare must like you.]
It was uncomfortable.
To be honest, Adele didn’t particularly revere the elderly. That was partly due to Santenare’s customs, but mainly because she was originally from Gimora.
In those streets where everyone, young and old alike, struggled equally to survive.
For Adele, who came from Gimora, it was impossible to look down on, ignore, or conversely, respect someone solely because of their age.
‘Though I suppose it’s different when it’s Chairwoman Eva Buonaparte…’
[Are you having any difficulties settling in?]
Adele slightly shook her head at the elegantly written question.
“My brother has been taking good care of me, so I’m fine.”
Again, Eva stared at Adele intently.
[That child is taking good care of you? How so?]
Well, like getting excited when I say no?
Adele barely suppressed the irritation and anger rising again.
But then, she had nothing to say.
“…..”
“…..”
It was only a few seconds of silence. But because she had been answering other questions so smoothly until now, the silence stood out.
Eva observed Adele with glass-bead-like eyes before writing something in her notebook.
[I hear you’re to marry into the Della Valle family?]
“…Yes. That’s how it turned out.”
Eva hesitated momentarily. Then, with visibly uncertain hand movements, she scribbled.
[Are you perhaps in love with Cesare?]
“…..”
This time, Adele was silent because she had too much to say.
She could guess what misunderstandings were running through this wise old woman’s head.
“…Absolutely not. Absolutely not.”
[Child, you can speak freely. I’m on your side.]
“Absolutely not. Absolutely not. That would never happen. I wouldn’t dare even entertain such thoughts.”
[I don’t care about your background.]
Please…
Fighting the urge to squeeze her eyes shut, Adele spoke.
“Please don’t test me, Elder. I have not approached ‘brother’ with any improper intentions.”
[Is that so?]
Disappointment appeared on Eva’s face for the first time. She continued flipping through notebook pages, asking Adele the same questions repeatedly until Adele’s face turned pale.
[I’m sorry. I thought it was a facade.]
“…It’s not.”
[If you were truly in love with that child, though it would be wrong, I was planning to arrange for you to enter another family. After all, being from the same family wouldn’t look good.]
Eva explained in extremely concise terms suited for written conversation.
Yet she kept glancing at Adele, seemingly hoping she would whisper that they were indeed in love.
Now Adele understood why Cesare had prevented meetings with Chairwoman Eva.
[So you’re actually a stranger who’s going to the Della Valle family in Cesare’s place?]
The question was too specific to give an evasive answer.
“…It’s what I must do as a member of the Buonaparte family.”
Adele managed to reply.
At those words, Eva smiled for the first time. It was a smile tinged with sadness and sympathy. After hesitating, she picked up her pen.
[Come to me if you need help.]
“Pardon?”
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