The Villainess’ Beloved Plan: The Struggles to Avoid a Doomed End - Chapter 20

The Villainess is invited to a tea party (3)

Unusually, when Randall went back to his Duke mansion and gave the letter of invitation to the tea party to Sophia he told her that it was the only reason he came home.

However, she had never met the Duke of Levord, the sender, and she couldn’t place a face to the name.

Apparently Sophia had a surprised look until Randall told her that he was an elderly duke who had been resting in his territory until recently. He seems to have returned to his territory before Sophia was brought over to the castle. He only returned to the royal capital to visit because his health condition was a  bit better

It was all the more surprising to hear from Randall that the Duchess wanted to meet Sophia, but she was the Duchess. There is no harm in getting closer to her. Even more so, the Duchess seems to be fifty-five this year, so she wouldn’t have a rapport with Sophia like the women of her age.

Randall handed over the invitation to Sophia and quickly returned to the castle, saying he would pick her up again on the day of the tea party five days later.

Sophia became a little sad at Randall, who left immediately, but Isolte, who heard that her Mistress was invited to a tea party, had no time to feel sentimental.

Isolte, who seems to find it worthwhile to make Sophia fashionable, immediately opened the closet and started looking for a dress to wear on that day. While Sophia was still stunned, the butler, Johannes, scheduled a tea party lesson. The lesson schedule was set up so she would not get embarrassed at the tea party when she attends it. The teacher is Rebecca, a maid who is the mother-in-law of Johannes’ son.

(It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?)

Sophia was nervous for her first tea party, but she was shocked when it suddenly began to rain on the day of the tea party. The sky is cloudy. It’s not a nice day!

(What should I say on a rainy day …?)

Sophia was groaning about practicing on a rainy day, she sighed, “There is no rule that we have to talk about the weather,” Orion said, disappointed.

“Is that so?”

“That’s right. There won’t be a tea party in the garden on a rainy day. It will be in the house. It might be held in the salon so you have to compliment the salon.”

“How do I compliment it?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been to the Duke’s residence or in the salon. Look at it and think about it.”

Sophia was immediately anxious.

If I fail today, I don’t know what Randall will say. The loving couple’s plan is far away! I can’t fail.

“I’m sure Mistress will be fine!”

Isolte, highly evaluates her Mistress as Sophia’s hair is rolled while  humming. Sophia originally had loosely wavy golden hair, but today she seems to wrap it tighter than usual and tie it up with pearl hair ornaments. Isolte says, “Today’s theme is the luster of a married woman!” but Sophia doesn’t know what “luster” is.

The dress is a light dark green with gold threads, and the gloves are white lace. Her makeup is light on her face, but her lipstick uses a rose-like glossy red, and on her ears are small pearl earrings.

“Today Mistress is the most beautiful woman in the world!”, Isolte complimented her.

When she was ready, Johannes called for Randall to pick her up.

As Sophia descended the grand staircase of the mansion, Randall was waiting at the front door. He felt Sophia coming down towards him, looked up, and was stunned at her looks.

Isolte, who was walking down the stairs with Sophia, was very pleased with Randall’s expression. That’s right, my Mistress is always beautiful, but today she’s all dressed up so he should be very impressed.

Isolte was very dissatisfied with Randall, who seemed to be neglecting his wife. Shouldn’t she use this opportunity to change his mind a little?

“Goodbye!”

Sophia was sent off by Isolte and others and boarded the carriage with Randall in the midst of a light rain.

Rose, the Duchess of Levaud, was a good person with a gentle smile.

She wore a dark gray dress with her platinum blonde hair tied together and a bright red color reminiscent of a pomegranate.

A little while after they arrived at the Duke of Levord mansion, Randall left with the Duke and his son Kyle, while Sophia and the Duchess were left alone in the salon.

“It’s a nice salon.”

Sophia said after she recalled Arena’s teaching of “Compliments!”, The Duchess of Levord laughed like a young maiden.

“Yeah? I’m glad. It’s autumn, so I tried to make the colors a little light. It seems that it’s too light for young people and it’s unpopular with my son, but I like this red like autumn leaves.  ”

“Oh, I understand! I also like the color of the autumn leaves.”

“Oh, really? Fufufu, I thought you had similar facial features, but that kind of thing is just like your mother.”

Sophia was surprised. She never thought she would hear about her mother from the Duchess’s mouth.

“Do you know my mother?”

“You mean Riserte? Yeah, I know her, because I was the one who introduced her as a  maid to the castle.”

“Really!?”

Sophia realized her loss of composure and hurriedly composed herself like a lady. Randall will get angry if she does something embarrassing. The goal of a loving couple is still far away as it is so she can’t make more mistakes.

(But there was a connection between my mother and the Duchess …)

The name of the Duchess of Levord has never come out of her mother’s mouth. On the contrary, she has never heard of her mother’s family. Her mother said she was “a lonely person for her entire life” until her death.

Sophia was wondering if she could inquire about what her mother didn’t want to talk about. She wants to hear, but she feels like she shouldn’t.

The Duchess called the maid to bring a small portrait. The faded portrait looked like her mother, but a little different.

“This picture is of your aunt Anne. She was my best friend.”

When she handed Sophia the portrait, she squinted and recalled the old days.

“Anne was born to a Countess who was distantly related with me, and she used to play until she was seventeen years old when she married in another country. Anne was married to a Marquis family of another country at the age of seventeen and at the age of twenty-five, she divorced and returned to this country, but by that time Anne’s father had died, and her brother succeeded the Count title. The divorced sister was a shame for the family and  wasn’t welcomed back into the Count’s family. She lived quietly in the town and raised your mother, Liserte. I never knew that until just before Anne died of illness. I would have helped her as much as I could if she had asked me for help. ……”

The duchess shook her eyelashes in a sad manner.

“I’m sorry. I invited you here because I wanted to meet you and to tell you a story about the old days. And there was one thing I had to apologize for.”

“Apologize …?”

Sophia couldn’t think of anything that would warrant an apology from Mrs. Rose.

Twisting her head, Mrs. Rose offered Sophia some baked goods and laughed, saying that she had a few more old stories to tell