New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 64: THEY WILL BE SAFE

Chapter 64: THEY WILL BE SAFE

Aristia sniffed and shook her head sadly. Her nose turned red, making her look even more pitiful.

They could just forgive her for leaving without informing anyone about where she was going. It wasn’t her fault. She was just curious. Wilson finally gave in.

He couldn’t think of another reason why Aristia would follow the Marchioness if not that she was curious as to why the Marchioness was alone and sad.

’After all, she is still a child. She doesn’t understand these things. She only knows that the Marchioness was sad and tried to comfort her,’ he thought. ’She’s changing.’

Aristia was oblivious to his thoughts and if she knew, she would have been confused at the meaning of his words. What she did know, was that she had won.

She turned to the other side where her face couldn’t be seen, still in Catherine’s embrace, and a victorious smile appeared on her face.

After she had appeased the two, Aristia returned to her room.

"Sigh," a sigh escaped Catherine’s lips few minutes after her daughter left.

"What’s wrong, dear?" Wilson turned to his wife in worry.

"It’s Tia, she’s changed," Catherine said thoughtfully as Wilson gently kissed her forehead.

"I’ve noticed. But this is also good," Wilson replied.

"And she feels bad for the Marchioness," Catherine said with brows knitted in puzzlement, as if she didn’t understand why Aristia would feel bad about what happened to the Marchioness when she shouldn’t understand it. When it was none of their concern.

"She said that the marchioness looked sad. Perhaps it made her feel bad. It’s reasonable and expected that the marchioness would be saddened by her husband’s infidelity. We know the type of person she is." Wilson said.

Wilson recalled the rumours surrounding the Marchioness about her husband’s infidelity and the evidence that was the boy.

However, both he and Catherine had long been aware that they weren’t just rumours, even before the Marquis and his family came to the capital for the banquet.

"Of course. She keeps to herself mostly, the Marchioness." Catherine continued. Even as she said it, her tone was uninterested, as if she was just stating random facts.

"We’ll just watch," Wilson said.

Of course, he didn’t need to say it. They just observed without interfering.

***

The next day, the preparation for the banquet was even more detailed than the last. It was, after all, the day of the anniversary so it would be the busiest and the merriest.

"Do we have to wear this?" Serina held up a beige colored dress.

"Yes, we do if we don’t want to be found out easily." Beatrix replied her younger sister.

"Isn’t there something better than this. Something not so...plain?" Serina asked.

"Tia says we have to blend in," Beatrix replied.

They were picking out commoner clothes. They were planning to sneak out of the palace to attend the festival tonight. They would go out in commoner clothes so that they wouldn’t be noticed.

"Fold it," Aristia said and stood up from her bed.

"Alright," Beatrix and Serina replied simultaneously, looking very much excited.

"Someone’s coming. Quick, hide the clothes under the bed." Aristia said hurriedly when she heard the sound of footsteps.

They then pretended like they were just talking.

The person on the other side knocked on the door and opened it.

"Princesses," Adeline bowed and approached.

"Oh, it’s just Linny." Aristia sighed in relief. "Did you get the potion?"

"Yes, Princess." Adeline nodded.

She took out the potion and handed it to Aristia. "Good. Everything’s ready. Now all we have to do is wait."

"But.. Princess."

"What is it, Linny?"

"Should I come with you? What if something happens?" Adeline asked.

"Nothing bad will happen, Linny." Aristia assured. "And you can’t come with us, else we’ll be discovered quickly."

"If you say so, princess." Adeline sighed. Aristia was still as stubborn as ever.

"Stay safe, princesses. I will take my leave," she bowed.

Aristia placed the potion next to the folded dresses under the bed.

"Let’s go," she said to Beatrix and Serina.

They walked out into the corridor and met with two young ladies who were coming in their direction.

It was Rosalind and Sienna, Beatrix and Serina’s maids.

"Princesses," they bowed in greeting.

"We have checked out the location and everything is ready." Rosalind said.

"They are under the bed. You know what to do." Aristia said and the maids nodded with a bow.

Aristia hummed in satisfaction, then turned to her sisters. "Let’s go have some snacks," she smiled.

"Sounds good." Serina and Beatrix nodded.

Beatrix turned to their maids, "Rose, Sienna, you can take a break after you have completed the task."

"We understand, princesses." Rosalind bowed, watching them leave.

After the Princesses were out of sight, Rosalind and Sienna exchanged worried glances.

"I pray the princesses will be safe, sister, leaving the palace on their own and without telling anyone." Sienna whispered to her older sister. They would also be in grave trouble if anyone found out.

Rosalind sighed softly. "I pray so too. There’s no way to convince them otherwise, unless..."

"We inform his majesty!" Sienna piped up hopefully, continuing her sister’s words.

"Let them be." A voice startled them.

They turned around to see the boy they were told was the Imperial Princess’s distant relative, and bowed in greeting. "Young Master."

Owen, who had more or less gotten used to the greetings and bows he received ever since he arrived at the palace, nodded in reply. After all, it was Aristia who had called him her distant maternal relative as a cover-up.

Her words to him had been. ’Owen, you will be representing me. You need to get used to bows and greetings since you’ll be receiving them a lot. Take this as an early experience.’

"Don’t tell his majesty. They will be safe," he assured the maids.

’I will make sure of it,’ he thought, then he left, moving in the direction the princesses had gone.

***

Hours later, all the members of the royal family headed to the temple, staying until it was almost evening time.

The time for the banquet finally arrived.

Carriages arrived at the Royal palace and nobles alighted. A servant stood nearby to lead each family to the venue of the event, the banquet hall of the main palace.

The banquet hadn’t officially started as the King and Queen were yet to arrive. However, the king’s younger brother and his family had made an early appearance.

Aristocrats conversed here and there in the hall, forming groups.

One of those such groups included the Grand Duchess Amberale, Duchess Anton, Marchioness Kiran and Marchioness Eldridge. The four friends stood together as they talked, making it hard for an outsider to join the group.

Even though many others wanted to approach them, with the four ladies of higher statuses together, they wouldn’t know how to include themselves.

"The Marchioness is really pitiful." The women turned to Duchess Alistair Anton when she spoke.

Duchess Alistair had a thoughtful look on her face as she stared off in a certain direction. She didn’t mention names, but they knew who she was talking about. After all, there was only one other Marchioness in the kingdom.

They all turned to the direction the Duchess was staring at. There stood the Marchioness alone at a corner of the hall.

"She has always been quiet," Marchioness Clarisse Kiran said.

"I didn’t know the Marquis to be such a person," Marchioness Avery Eldridge said with a shake of her head.

They turned curiously when the Grand Duchess started to walk toward Marchioness Oswalt. They followed behind her.

Charlotte felt even more awkward standing alone, but she was more or less used to it.

She didn’t want to join a group of ladies where she wasn’t welcome and who didn’t want her presence. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of their veiled or blatant mockery and neither did she have the strength to give a rebuttal.

Contrary to her wishes, she didn’t need to join a group to face such, as they came to her instead.

"Lady Oswalt. It’s a pleasure to see you came. You know, you haven’t been seen attending social events since..." The person trailed off, knowing that she didn’t need to complete her sentence.

Marchioness Charlotte sighed tiredly. Then she turned to the person who spoke. "What is it this time, Viscountess Essylt?"

"Oh, Lady Oswalt, you make it seem as though I have bad intentions. I have nothing of the sort." Viscountess Svetlana Essylt, a woman with auburn hair and hazel eyes said with a smile.

"Yes, Marchioness. We are all just worried about you, after all..." Another aristocrat woman trailed off. She continued, "We can’t blame the Marquis. You couldn’t perform your duty to the Marquis."

Marchioness Charlotte felt an unfamiliar burst of anger rise up in her chest. Weren’t these ladies tired of saying the same thing everytime?

She couldn’t stand it any longer. Why did these ladies have to poke their noses in matters that didn’t concern them?

No one was blaming the Marquis for his infidelity. Was her inability to bear him a child enough reason for him to cheat? And all these ladies who ran their mouths freely. Who was to say that their husbands didn’t have any affairs?

Just as she was about to unleash her fury on them, she heard steady footsteps approaching.

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