CHAPTER 602: CHAPTER 602

"At first we thought she was quiet but it turned out being a disease..." — She said with overwhelmed sound and fake crystalline hues. — "The distress has weighed on our shoulders for many years..."

"Oh... how regrettable... you must have suffered terribly because of this, Duchess..."

"Of course, we all did. Nonetheless, it explained why she missed so many things during her lessons... Marianne put in a lot of effort, even as she failed in them, of course, but it was a terrible worry we had to deal with."

"O-oh... Is that how it is? Yet Lady Marianne is known for her clever creativity. The accessories she designed are very popular these days. It appears she still learned well and even stands out from others her age now."

"Well, Marianne has her father and my aid. We never thought she would be named the Chosen by Calla as well... yet I believe it is a blessing, for otherwise, her days would have been much more difficult without the ability to speak, don’t you think? Being Calla’s Confidant has certainly made the hazards an opportunity for her... Isn’t that right, Marianne?" — Implying with her every word that nothing I had was deserved, she said and asked myself as if she cared for an answer. An answer she knew would not come... yet for very different reasons to those she desired.

’Right.’ — I thought. Not moving nor gesturing anything as I only wanted to see where she was trying to go while doing all of this poor performance. — ’No doubt I am blessed to become mute... It would have been difficult to keep shut whenever you spout nonsense like this, duchess... And if I hadn’t been granted some patience... Ha... I even mastered restraint thanks to being once a mute... Although, I wish I also was deaf. However, the gods must have felt it was too much a blessing to give myself in one go.’

"Being the chosen certainly is a blessing. Not solely for your daughter but for your household and the Empire itself, Duchess... Yet your words surprise myself." — The Empress said while she listened to some ladies support the one acting like my mother. — "You say it is a disease... yet how come you and I are still able to speak? We have not been infected. I was told by your husband it is not a disease but a condition of our dear Ninth that took away her voice. I wonder if the duchess forgot this fact... Even though you care so much for your lovely child..."

"Oh, hahaha~ your majesty, it is indeed like that. Truthfully, these matters have always been a hazard to understand, my husband is more versed about it."

"I see... the duchess must have paid attention to other aspects of the lady’s growth then... I suppose her health and character were under the Duke’s care."

"... indeed. You could say that is the case."

The duchess’s hostility was placated slightly with the seemingly innocent tone of the Empress who made myself feel moved for a moment; for at least a little awareness fell on the duchess about how not everyone was easy to fool with such petty lies... Nevertheless, she continued to behave as if she were a good and sweet mother. Solely being interrupted in her speech by the slow arrival of some noblemen who came towards few of the young ladies waiting elegantly at this guarded Garden... to receive the gifts and confessions the gentlemen prepared in a desire for courtship.

"It looks like the men have started to appear." — The expectant Empress said, sipping a last bit of her tea before leaving it aside.

Most stood from their seats to see the scenes unfold. The empress included... yet the Duchess and I did not leave our seats. Not because we agreed to but because at some point in the conversation, her hands had been placed over mine in a fake gesture of closeness and affection that actually meant restriction and control of my being in front of others.

’... We will end up alone.’

I had decided to allow her the satisfaction of picturing the fake good mother and daughter relationship she wanted to showcase, however, once none of the ladies was around us and solely we remained close enough to entable conversation, my hands were released brusquely. As if thrown away like she had been carrying a pest, to then quickly release the venom she had been swallowing all along.

"Tsk. It’s a wonder how you managed to charm all these women and the empress. You are so sickeningly putrid I fear you used some of the rotten darkness of your being to make these people acknowledge your being when it is only a disgrace to this world."

"..."

"At the very least you’re a useful mute at times like these... You better behave and do as I say. Don’t embarrass myself any more than this with your mute self. Be obedient for my sake and you better know that later I will have you take your brother out of jail. None of this would have happened if not for your existence. Sigh... This courtship should also meet an end, yet I will have you do that later. The crown prince should know better... Theressa was the one supposed to have him, not a wench like you."

’Hah... what a deceitful woman.’

As she finished, in the silence I had kept I couldn’t help but scoff entertained at how cynical and delusional she was to even tell me all of this. And thankfully, my derision was noticed by her proud eye, provoking her gaze to turn back and talk to me properly for the first time while looking me in the eye.

"Is there anything laughable in what I said? You should know your place. None of this should be. This is a mere dream you are living and soon you should wake from it!"

"..."

Once again I remained quiet... waiting to see if anything else was in her spite to say... finally saying what I could actually agree on.

"Sigh... how shameful this is. Being mother of one like you."

"... Shameful it is indeed."