New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 65: PITIFUL WADE

Chapter 65: PITIFUL WADE

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

Surprise flashed through her eyes when she saw the Grand Duchess approach with some other aristocrat ladies who had followed when they saw her and her group headed towards the Marchioness. Everyone was excited to witness some drama.

The ladies with Viscountess Essylt, all of whom had lower status than the Grand Duchess and her companions put on flattering smiles as they greeted the Grand Duchess and her group.

Catherine nodded indifferently. "I see you ladies are engaged in conversation. I hope you don’t mind if we join you?"

Viscountess Essylt smiled. "It would be impudent of us to do so, Your Highness. I was just telling Lady Oswalt about how it was her inability to produce an heir for the Marquis that caused—"

"Viscountess Essylt, you look wonderful today."

All of a sudden, Catherine interrupted her.

Viscountess Essylt’s brows twitched slightly at being interrupted but her smile turned even more flattering after she processed the Grand Duchess’ words.

"You flatter me, Your Imperial Highness," she covered her mouth with her fan. Her eyes were filled with pride. She had dressed her best for this occasion.

Catherine chuckled, "Why, it is a pity your appearance does not match the words that come out from your mouth."

Viscountess Essylt’s face paled in embarrassment.

If Aristia was present at that moment, she would have cackled at how savage her mother was right now.

Catherine turned her attention to another noblewoman who gulped nervously and tried to make herself less noticeable, in an attempt to avoid Catherine from turning on her.

The other noblewomen with Viscountess Essylt all held their breath too, unsure of whether they would be the next ones on the receiving end of the Grand Duchess’ sharp tongue.

However, the Grand Duchess didn’t say a word to them, instead her gaze stopped at Marchioness Oswalt who tensed lightly but it wasn’t noticeable as she regained her composure almost immediately.

Catherine, though, caught this. Her smile remained calm.

The noblewomen thought that the Grand Duchess was about to say something similar to the Marchioness and waited in anticipation, only to hear her say,

"Would you care to join us, Lady Oswalt?"

She wasn’t asking. It was a statement, an order even. The ’us’ referred to the other three Madams of high society.

"I dare not refuse Your Highness’s request." Marchioness Charlotte replied calmly with a light curtsey, hiding her surprise.

"We will take our leave, Your Highness." The noblewomen Catherine had thoroughly ignored, curtsied.

Catherine waved her hands with a nonchalant expression and the ladies scurried off, feeling relieved that she did not turn to them. Well, most of them.

They were surprised at the Grand Duchess invitation to Marchioness Oswalt, and jealous that Charlotte had been invited into the group of high status ladies which meant that she had the chance of forming ties with them. Envy ate at them and their hatred for Charlotte increased.

Catherine nodded, then turned to Charlotte who watched her cautiously, as if she was trying to uncover her true intentions. "How are you enjoying the banquet so far?"

"The banquet is lovely as usual. I thank Your Highness for the concern." Charlotte replied with a curtsey.

She was perplexed. She couldn’t sense any malicious intention coming from either the Grand Duchess and her companions, but she couldn’t let her guard down.

If there was one thing she had learnt, it was that the nobility was good at pretending. It was something that was almost inborne; deeply rooted in their bones and mixed in their blood. To them, it was like second skin. They wore it on their bodies and held it in their hearts like a wicked song.

"Oh, you’re too formal." The Grand Duchess waved her hands with a short laugh.

"Those lilies on your handkerchief are very finely detailed." Marchioness Kiran said.

"Very well done, indeed," Marchioness Eldridge nodded in agreement. "Did you embroider them yourself?"

"This?" Marchioness Charlotte raised her handkerchief a little, fully revealing the realistic looking lilies embroidered on the handkerchief. "I am flattered, and yes, I did embroider them myself, but it’s nothing compared to those made by Your Highness. My ears have been graced to hear about them."

And just like that, the conversation flowed.

A distance away, the three princesses were moving sneakily across the banquet hall. They snuck out of the banquet hall unnoticed.

***

Few minutes before Aristia, Serina and Beatrix left the banquet hall...

"Tia!" Aristia turned to the familiar voice with a smile as soon as her family stepped into the banquet hall and mixed with the crowd.

"Laura."

She walked towards the girl and hugged her, the both of them ignoring the disapproving gazes of the nobles that they tried to hide, probably from fear of offending the Grand Duke or the Duke. Or both.

The girl in question was her maternal cousin, Lauren Anton, the second child and first daughter of her uncle, Duke Maxim Anton. They had gotten quite close these past few months.

However, she was closer to the king’s family than the Duke’s.

Aristia was referring to herself. The book Aristia seemed to be closer to the Duke’s family than the king’s.

Lauren ended the hug and held both of Aristia’s hand in hers. "Come on Tia. Liam and Lily are over there." She started to pull Aristia away from her parents and toward the little group of children gathered together in a corner of the ballroom.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw her mother head towards Duchess Alistair Anton and her father head elsewhere. Alaric was in the palace. He had fallen asleep.

Looking at the group of children they were approaching, Aristia could feel a headache coming on.

[These children are soon going to start their bootlicking. Scratch that. These kids are soon going to change their targets for bootlicking.]

She rephrased her thoughts when she realized that she and the princesses had the highest status, so the focus would naturally shift from Liam and the other noble children of higher status, but while she was away, the other children from families of higher status would still be flocked by children from lower ranking families.

But when they arrived in front of the group, they didn’t see any sign of Liam or Lilith in the group of children. Instead, they happened to witness a conversation, more like spitting words one-sidedly at someone.

"... You don’t belong here!"

[Huh? Who doesn’t belong here?] Aristia thought, puzzled.

"Yes, you’re just the son of a mistress. What right do you have to associate with us? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?"

"You even have the courage to appear here. Shouldn’t you be hiding in your mansion?"

"My mother said that your mother is a homewrecker who ruined someone’s marriage!"

[Son of a mistress? Whose mother wrecked someone’s marriage? Could it be...]

As she came closer, the person who all those words were directed to came into view. He was indeed the son of the Marquis with dark, blood red hair and forest green eyes. The only difference was that he had softer features and round eyes. He was adorable. He looked at the surrounding kids and lowered his head.

[He should have been living with the Marquis for six months now.]

He just stood there, head down and not looking up. But Aristia could see his clenched fists trembling.

[Poor kid. No one should be blamed for their parent’s mistake.] Aristia thought sympathetically. [And these children... What are their parents saying in their presence?] She shook her head incredulously.

There were things parents should not say in front of their children. But these parents clearly spoke freely in front of the just-out-of-diapers toddlers.

From the words of some of them, Aristia could tell some of their mothers sympathized with Charlotte, however, that didn’t mean they would like the boy or say anything good about him or his mother.

Their disdain for his mother would only extend to him, and they would make sure their children had nothing to do with him, or in this case, that their children also showed equal disdain toward him.

She shook her head at this. None of this was the little boy’s fault. He was very pitiful, enduring all the hurtful jabs being thrown at him.

As the adult among them who knew better, she decided to intervene and stop injustice from happening to a child.

"What is going on here?" She asked.

The children kept quiet when they heard a voice interrupt. They turned to the owner and saw that it was none other than the third princess.

Remembering what their mothers had told them to do regardless of the third princess’s behavior and reputation, they flocked around the princess, leaving Wade forgotten behind them.

Now they surrounded her, leaving behind the lonesome figure of the Marquis’s son.

[They sure have a way of welcoming someone into nobility.] Aristia thought, holding back an eyeroll.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see the scorn filled gazes of the aristocrats as they gazed at the boy.

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