* * *
“Welcome, Lady Monad!”
Juliet arrived at the banquet hall a little after noon.
The venue was a lavish separate palace, which was quite extravagant for a young ladies’ salon gathering.
As soon as Juliet arrived, everyone in the salon looked up with bright eyes, rising from their seats or whispering excitedly to their neighbors.
“I didn’t really think she’d come.”
“My goodness, how audacious.”
Conversations were along these lines.
“Lady Monad! Everyone has heard the news.”
“It must have been tough for you. Are you alright now?”
Juliet coldly observed the seemingly insincere people swarming towards her.
She didn’t answer their questions, merely maintaining a superficial smile.
Without paying any mind to the discomfort of those she ignored, Juliet walked straight to the innermost table of the salon.
There, she greeted the person seated at the very center with a bright smile.
“Thank you for the invitation, Crown Princess.”
“Uh…!”
Out of the many invitations Juliet received, she chose to attend Fatima’s, the Crown Princess-to-be.
Perhaps not expecting such a greeting, the hostess of the party, taken aback, averted her gaze.
“Ah, right. You’re not the Crown Princess yet, are you?”
Juliet tilted her head and said.
“…In a month, you’ll be the Crown Princess anyway,” a young lady sitting next to Fatima snapped back.
“Yes, that’s why I came.”
Juliet, without breaking her gaze from Fatima, replied slowly.
“How could I miss the inaugural Blooming Salon of the Princess-to-be?”
The Blooming Salon was popular among the younger generation due to its unique rule.
The rule was simple.
The host can invite three people.
And each invitee can also extend invitations to three others.
This way, the size of the salon would continue to grow. Of course, since the social circles often overlapped, it wasn’t unusual for someone to receive multiple invitations.
‘Just how many did I get?’
Juliet had received several invitations for today’s salon in this manner.
The restriction to only invite three showcased the host’s network.
Perhaps that’s why Fatima held such a large-scale salon with permission to use the palace’s separate wing.
‘By next spring, she’ll be the Crown Princess. She must have needed personal connections.’
Fatima probably hoped to hear how successful her very first official salon was…
‘Isn’t that a bit too eager?’
Juliet thought as she took her seat in the center, which everyone recommended.
A long time ago, Juliet and Fatima were friends.
Did Fatima really want to gather people by turning an old friend’s misfortune into gossip?
Fatima remained silent, not meeting Juliet’s eyes.
Given the number of attendees, the salon seemed quite successful, likely aligning with Fatima’s intentions.
“So… how have you been all this time, Lady Monad?”
Lifting her head, Juliet was met with countless eyes staring at her.
“We’ve all heard about it.”
“You were given a farewell by the Duke, right?”
That seemed to be the rumor.
After all, she had been absent from the New Year’s party the very next day, which likely fueled the gossip.
“I knew it would end up this way. Didn’t I tell you, Lady Monad?”
A man she didn’t recognize spoke with a smug expression.
“To let go of such vain dreams as being a Duchess.”
There were snickers from somewhere.
“But is that rumor true?”
“They say you begged the Duke not to cast you aside.”
At this, the surrounding guests started to chime in.
While pretending to be refined, they could be this low.
“…Did I?”
Juliet replied with an icy smile.
In fact, there was another reason for her attending the banquet.
‘It’s time.’
Juliet glanced towards the entrance.
Just then,
“The godmother of high society Grand Duchess Ilena is here!”
“…?”
Who? Who did they say?
The salon’s guests doubted their ears.
Grand Duchess Ilena was one of the famous elderly ladies in the social world.
Also known for her royal ties, she was one of the ruler of the conservative and particular high society.
Simply put, she was not of a status to grace the places where these youngsters play.
“Is… is that really Grand Duchess Ilena?”
Those who jumped up from their seats in haste were taken aback upon seeing the dignified lady who just walked in.
“Who invited her?”
“I did!”
Juliet rose from her seat to greet the guest.
“I’m delighted you came, Madame.”
“…Yes, it’s been a while, Juliet.”
The lady with grey hair stylishly pushed back, looked Juliet up and down, and spoke somewhat brusquely.
“Hmm, you’ve dressed pretty.”
“Thank you. Your cape is very elegant as well.”
Juliet beamed.
The demure dress that reached her neck, adorned with pearls, seemed to be just to the lady’s taste.
The lady, who had brought up three sons, used to give Juliet, then a demurely dressed child, a peppermint candy saying, ‘You’re very well-behaved.’
Someone whispered to Juliet, trying to catch the lady’s mood.
“Wait… Miss Monad! Did you really invite the Madame to Blooming Salon?”
“Yes. Why?”
“But, she’s an esteemed guest…”
“Yes. What’s wrong with it? It’s Blooming Salon.”
Juliet tilted her head innocently.
“Wasn’t tree empty invitations included for me too? Isn’t that the rule?”
Well, that’s true…
Grand Duchess Ilena…
In her presence, anyone could be criticized for their attire or be reminded of their family’s shame.
People looked somewhat uncomfortable.
In fact, they only thought that Juliet Monad would be humiliated since Blooming Salon could invite many. They never thought she would invite someone.
But it didn’t matter much whom Juliet invited.
It was widely rumored in the social world that she broke up with the Duke, and that the strict Grand Duchess Ilena disapproved of Juliet, who had gone north following the Duke who was neither married nor engaged.
“Hmm, Miss Monad. So about that rumor…”
Just as they were about to discuss Lennox again:
“Countess Labonnet has arrived!”
People quickly rose from their seats with the arrival of another prominent social figure, Countess Labonnet.
Juliet rushed to greet the guest with a smile.
‘After Grand Duchess Ilena, another?’
Countess Labonnet was a vibrant lady with flaming red hair.
She was famous for her brilliant business acumen. A few years ago, she divorced her incapable husband and has been thriving ever since.
Soon after, when Marchioness Farnese arrived third, people were no longer surprised.
“…So, it’s confirmed Miss Monad was dumped, right?”
“Who was dumped?”
Perhaps overhearing someone’s whispered words, Grand Duchess Ilena chimed in.
“Oh, there was a rumor that Miss Monad was heartbroken and begged in her nightgown in front of the mansion…”
“Is there such a despicable man!”
Grand Duchess Ilena, who had been silently listening, was visibly enraged.
Juliet, who had been staring unwaveringly into her teacup, blinked at that moment.
Twinkle.
Drip, drip.
Tears rolled down her pale cheeks.
“Poor thing.”
“How pitiful…”
The ladies looked deeply sympathetic.
“Do you find this funny?”
“Pardon?”
“Men! They lack empathy!”
Juliet had made the most of the three invitations she had.
Grand Duchess Ilena, Countess Labonnet, and Marchioness Farnese were all long-time acquaintances of the late Count and Countess Monad.
Count and Countess Monad were respectable people with a good reputation in high society.
From a young age, Juliet was familiar with the renowned ladies of the social circle who rarely appeared publicly.
Of course, conservative elders didn’t look kindly upon the unmarried Juliet, who impulsively followed a man abroad.
But today, what Juliet needed wasn’t their favor but their shared outrage.
A long-time friend whose fate had changed due to an accident. And the only daughter of that friend. They all felt a united rage over the girl’s misfortune.
“Men, I tell you…”
“That rascal!”
“So thoughtless!”
All three of them had also grappled with the pain of their husbands’ infidelity or had divorced.