Chapter 83

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The Alchemist's Bracelet
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* * *

Zeromian's laboratory was on the topmost floor of the castle.

As she kept climbing the stairs, the staircase leading to the top floor was blocked by a large door.

How do I get through this?

While Marin was pondering, the door opened on its own.

Zeromian was an alchemist, but he seemed just like a wizard.

“You, what brings you here?”

Zeromian greeted her warmly, holding a carrot in his hand.

“You still haven't finished your carrot research?”

“Carrots get more interesting the more you dig into them.”

Zeromian's face looked sallow as he said that. Come to think of it, it had been ages since she'd seen him after the party.

“How have you been lately?”

"I've been buried in the headache that bastard Duke dumped on me. ‘Make it so from outside you can't see inside, but from inside you can see outside.’ And a few days ago, he even told me to invent a refrigeration device that keeps freshness indefinitely."

Zeromian grumbled as he flicked his silver hair back.

His under-eyes were shadowed from exhaustion, but it couldn't hide his radiant beauty. If anything, it added a touch of delicate fragility.

“You've been working hard.”

She had no idea what Zeromian was researching, but she offered her sympathy anyway.

Her sincere gaze made his eyes sparkle.

“Then how about you ditch that fiancé and become my disciple?”

Marin awkwardly averted his gaze and showed him the invitation in her hand.

“What's this?”

Zeromian glanced at the invitation.

“I got this from Lady Air, and Lord Olive said meeting you would let me prepare for it.”

Zeromian grinned like a mischievous prankster at her words.

“Off to fight?”

“No. It's just a ladies' gathering.”

“Isn't that the same as going to fight?”

“Well, sometimes things like that happen.”

She couldn't deny it outright.

Zeromian went over to a corner and fiddled with something.

He soon returned and slipped a silver bracelet onto her arm. It looked similar to the one he was wearing on his wrist.

“Why this?”

“Here, a gift. Press this red gem, and it'll put up a transparent barrier like last time to repel any water or wine. Press this blue one, and you'll get to see something really fun. Like this.”

Marin's eyes widened as far as they could go.

CCTV?

* * *

Marin rode horseback up to the vicinity of House Air, while Dia took a carriage. They deliberately dismounted some distance away and walked along arm in arm like good friends.

“Dia, I have a confession to make.”

Dia looked at her with a curious expression.

“I'm your chaperone, but I'm not used to parties like this.”

“Teacher Marin seems like she'd excel at anything.”

***

Dia smiled slightly, looking surprised.

“Thanks for seeing me that way. It gives me a bit more confidence. Just leave it to me.”

Marin deliberately put on a haughty expression.

“Yes!”

Dia smiled until her eyes turned into half-moons.

When they arrived at the entrance to House Air, the butler came out.

“Welcome.”

Marin handed him the invitation. The butler took it, his eyes widening as he bowed even more politely.

“Invitation confirmed. Allow me to guide you.”

They followed the butler into the mansion. The interior hall was splendidly adorned with a diamond chandelier hanging in the center, paintings by renowned artists, and exorbitantly priced porcelain.

Following the butler to the greenhouse in the rear garden, he opened the door.

“This is the place.”

“Did we arrive too early?”

Marin gazed at the empty greenhouse interior and asked in a calm voice.

A long table draped in a white tablecloth held an array of colorful finger foods, fruits, and champagne.

The butler shook his head with a flustered look.

“No. The other ladies have already arrived.”

“Where is everyone?”

Marin's expression turned icy cold.

“Well, I'm not sure...”

“I understand.”

“I'll go find Miss Susan right away.”

“Do that.”

As the butler hurried off, Marin turned to Dia with an apologetic look.

“Dia, I'm sorry.”

“Teacher Marin has nothing to apologize for.”

Dia's deep green eyes scanned the empty surroundings.

No one in southern high society ignored House Adria. Yet these ladies of western high society had openly snubbed the Duke's fiancée and his own niece.

The ladies who had attended the Duke's party would have seen how he treated his nieces, so she could understand this treatment for Dia. But how could they snub the Duke's fiancée too?

“This is my first time in a situation like this, so it's kind of amusing in its own way.”

Dia smirked, her face turning cold as ice.

Marin couldn't hide her own bafflement either.

Since her past had been exposed at the last party, she'd anticipated some subtle ostracism.

But to ignore them so openly?

She wasn't sure whether to be shocked at Susan's stupidity or her sheer nerve.

Marin let out a sigh and said to Dia,

“Let's just go. I can't bear to see you treated like this.”

But it was then.

“Welcome, Lady Dia of House Adria. I'm Susan of House Air. Please call me Susan. Nice to see you again, Lady Marin Schwenz.”

The greenhouse doors swung wide open, and in swept Susan, gorgeously attired in a white dress. She looked like she was attending a wedding.

“Thank you for the invitation, Lady.”

Marin barely suppressed a laugh and greeted her courteously. Susan's desperate attempts to ignore her were almost pitiable.

By noble rank, greeting Dia first would be proper, but Marin was the Duke's fiancée. Protocol demanded she be greeted ahead of all these ladies.

Ladies around Dia's age and others Marin recognized from the party ball followed in Susan's wake, greeting one after another.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

A round-faced lady in a red dress approached with a worried expression and whispered,

“Have you been waiting here long?”

“No. We just got here.”

“We said we should hurry down in case Lady Schwenz came, but Susan kept showing off her dresses... Sorry for making you wait.”

***

The round-faced lady apologized with an innocent expression. At least this one wasn't part of the scheme.

Marin smiled as if it were no big deal.

“Lady Adria, have you recovered from your travel fatigue?”

Susan addressed Dia in a friendly tone.

“Yes.”

Dia replied curtly.

“You must be looking forward to your debutante ball. You'll be the most beautiful lady there. This jewel would go so well with your lush black hair—what do you think?”

Susan opened a red velvet box, her voice brimming with warmth.

Out came a leaf-shaped pin densely encrusted with diamonds. It matched Dia's deep green eyes perfectly.

The other ladies gasped in admiration at the sight of the jewel.

“It's gorgeous. It would suit Lady Adria so well.”

Susan beamed proudly at their reactions.

Dia glanced indifferently at the jewel before lifting her head.

“I only exchange gifts with close friends.”

Susan's beaming smile faltered slightly—she clearly hadn't expected the refusal.

“We can become close starting now. May I call you Dia?”

“No.”

Dia replied coldly, her gaze imperious.

“I see. The west must still feel unfamiliar, so call on me anytime. I know high society better than others.”

At her words, a few ladies cast their eyes downward and sneaked glances at Marin.

That "other," Marin, was refreshing her throat with the champagne on the table.

This house's champagne is delicious.

“Rather than gifts like that, it seems the west welcomes guests this way? How novel.”

Marin gulped down her champagne and eyed Dia with fascination.

Perhaps because she was the Duke's niece, the girl was one in a hundred.

* * *