Chapter 64

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 64

Chapter Title: No Invitation, No Entry

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Evangeline's aides, quick to grasp the situation, sprang into action.

They had always attacked Evangeline's enemies in this manner, so their coordination was seamless.

"How could you stoop so low!"

"Were you trying to humiliate Lady Evangeline by pulling a stunt like that?"

"There's no way you'd buy such a fine dress for a mere maid. This is clearly a deliberate insult aimed at Lady Evangeline!"

Their voices rose in a cacophony loud enough for everyone around to hear.

In the meantime, the dragon eclipse was slowly coming to an end.

The shadowy dragon form that had obscured the sun suddenly shifted aside, then vanished without a trace.

With it, the darkness draped over the ground lifted, and daylight returned.

Evangeline wailed dramatically.

"Explain yourself! Why are you doing this to me? What have I ever done to deserve it?"

Hilia didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at Evangeline's victim act or her aides' protests.

She merely looked down at them with a mocking smile.

Finally, Hilia's lips parted.

"I haven't done anything to you, Evangeline."

"What are you talking about? The proof is right there!"

Unable to hold back, Evangeline pointed accusingly at Annie, the maid standing beside Hilia.

"If not, then why is that maid wearing the exact same dress as me?! At least try to come up with an excuse!"

"The world is full of coincidences, Ruth Marquis's Daughter."

Evangeline's shoulders flinched.

She had been addressed not as Evangeline, but as Ruth Marquis's Daughter.

'That wench Hilia is looking down on me right now!'

To Evangeline, that single title rang out like this:

'I'm the proud Crown Princess, while you're just some marquis's daughter.'

A blatant insult and mockery.

And to top it off, Hilia was standing boldly right next to Arpad.

Evangeline felt her insides burning black with rage.

Moreover, she couldn't explain the bizarre phenomenon earlier—the descent of what seemed like a dragon.

She wanted to deny it, but deep down, Evangeline already knew.

'If this goes on, there's no stopping Hilia from being recognized as the Crown Princess!'

Anyone with eyes near the capital must have witnessed that eerie eclipse.

Rumors were probably already spreading that it was Artanus himself, appearing to acknowledge Hilia.

'Even if Hilia herself denies it, Arpad will make sure it's spun that way.'

If that took hold, an empty Artanus Hall wouldn't matter one bit.

Evangeline still wanted to believe.

'Arpad must be behind all this. Hilia's just sitting back and taking what's handed to her.'

In that case, all she had to do was make Arpad lose faith in Hilia.

Drive a wedge between them and shake Hilia's position.

That was her calculation.

Or rather, what she desperately wanted to believe.

That's why Evangeline was even more frantic now.

'I have to tarnish Hilia somehow, smear her reputation!'

So Arpad would abandon her.

That was why she'd tried to pin her own dress scheme on Hilia instead.

Tears streaming down her face, Evangeline pleaded.

"Coincidence? That's ridiculous! What about you, brother? You think such a coincidence is possible?"

She held a sliver of hope.

No matter how much Arpad had been defending Hilia lately,

it had to be mere political maneuvering.

'There's no way Arpad would actually fall for a nobody like Hilia.'

Arpad was at odds with the Empress.

She figured he had no choice but to distance himself from her, the Empress's daughter.

She'd tried to understand.

'But we've been close since we were kids. Like real siblings!'

Even though she'd only possessed this body in her mid-teens, the possessor Evangeline rationalized all of Arpad's history with her as her own.

'The time we've spent together dwarfs anything with that Hilia!'

With hopeful eyes, she looked up at Arpad.

But...

'Huh?'

Arpad gazed down at her with the coldest of eyes.

Not the look one gives a close stepsister.

Not even the look one gives a person.

Just the disdain for an annoying pebble—or a loathsome insect.

Evangeline called out blankly.

"B-Brother?"

But Arpad turned away without a word.

And then Evangeline saw it. How Arpad looked at Hilia—with eyes brimming with contempt and scorn for her, yet for Hilia...

For the first time, Evangeline realized Arpad's red eyes could look so tender and gentle.

Even in her earliest memories, Arpad had always surveyed his surroundings with icy detachment.

She had never once seen that gaze—so uniquely warm and special for one person alone.

A profound sense of despair and defeat threatened to swallow her whole.

But she couldn't let it.

She absolutely refused to give up like this!

Forgetting even her sniffling, Evangeline bellowed.

"The person in question needs to speak up!"

At that, Hilia peeked out from behind Arpad's shoulder.

And uttered words that shattered Evangeline's sanity completely.

"I already told you, it never happened."

"How do we prove that?"

"Proving I did it is your job."

Hilia spoke softly, as if soothing a tantrum-throwing child.

"I have no reason to bother. Ruth Marquis's Daughter."

Even sticking to that title felt like the ultimate humiliation to Evangeline.

"All I wanted was to give my grateful maid Annie a nice dress. I had zero interest in what you'd wear."

"Liar!"

"With all the hassle of preparing for the banquet, I wouldn't waste time copying your dress design just to put it on my aide."

Hilia tilted her head, then delivered the finishing blow.

"Aren't you being a bit too full of yourself?"

"W-What did you say?!"

Evangeline's reason burned white-hot and vanished.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Hilia walked off the terrace into the hall with Arpad.

Even overhearing from afar was no longer possible.

The onlookers who'd been watching exchanged glances and spoke up.

"Shall we head back now?"

"Y-Yeah. We can't just stay here like this..."

Then Evangeline shot to her feet.

Madness-like malice and hostility overflowed in her eyes.

She approached Viscountess Filern, who was still trembling with a pale face.

Grabbing her wrist, she dragged her to a corner. The other noblewomen who'd gathered had the good sense not to follow.

Evangeline's whisper scraped against Viscountess Filern's ear.

The voice was barely audible, but laced with fury and murderous intent.

"How did this happen, Viscountess Filern?"

"I-I don't know."

Viscountess Filern shook her head, her face ashen.

"Lady Delphin was definitely supposed to wear that green dress. You heard it yourself. The designer from Kemal's Atelier explained it right there..."

Viscountess Filern quailed under Evangeline's unfamiliar bloodthirsty glare and twisted expression.

She clung desperately to Evangeline.

"It wasn't me, my lady! I did exactly as instructed! So please...!"

Evangeline's demonic scowl showed no sign of softening.

Just as Viscountess Filern teetered on despair, a bright smile lit up Evangeline's face like a lie.

Only then did Viscountess Filern exhale in relief.

But she soon realized it was far too premature.

"You're taking responsibility."

"Pardon?!"

"You ruined everything, so own up to it. You weren't planning to just run away after humiliating me like this, were you?"

"I-I only did as you asked...!"

Evangeline seized the front of the terrified viscountess's dress and enunciated clearly, imprinting the fabricated lie born of quick thinking.

"Listen well. You leaked my dress design to Hilia. On her orders."

"Pardon?!"

"Get it right this time. Fail, and you're done for."

Killing intent poured from her. Viscountess Filern nodded instinctively.

Still gripping the viscountess's wrist tightly, Evangeline headed for the first-floor entrance of Artanus Hall.

Hilia and Arpad had already entered the hall.

If they didn't follow, they couldn't properly publicize the dress issue.

Pinning it on Hilia would be impossible too.

But at the entrance to Artanus Hall, they were stopped.

Knights from the Crown Prince Palace's Imperial Knight Order.

Their raised spear tips formed an imposing barrier.

Evangeline lifted her chin haughtily and shouted.

"Do you intend to attend the Artanus Hall banquet?"

"Yes, so get out of the way!"

Then came a completely unexpected question.

"Do you have an invitation?"

"...What?"

It was asking if they had the invitations Hilia had sent out for the Artanus Hall banquet.

Viscountess Filern had received plenty, and some had gone to Evangeline's hands too.

They had torn them all up while mocking Hilia.

But now, they needed them.

"We cannot admit anyone without an invitation."

Thud!

The spear shafts slammed against the floor like a declaration.