The Kind Older Sister Is No More

The round circular table was near where the desserts piled up. There was a metre tall chocolate fountain on the left side and a mountain of macarons on the right side. The aromatic scent of perfume also permeated the air, and as Irene inhaled a whiff of air, the overly sweet combination made her slightly nauseous. 

“Oh, Miss Jasmine. She’s…”

“She’s Countess Irene Chase. Irene, this is Viscount Tatan and Countess Eina.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Irene Chase.”

“Oh, I have only heard many things about you. But indeed, the impression that you give me now is very different from the rumours.”

Irene silently smiled at Viscount Tatan’s words. They could not help holding in their curiosity and inquisitively asked Irene a string of questions. The more they knew about Count Chase’s eldest daughter, the more they could boast about. Irene thoughtfully responded to their questions with patience.

Irene gradually adjusted to the circumstances at her table. Various bits of information came and went according to Irene’s expectations. But whether it was useful information that she needed – she could find none. Aristocratic societies, at such banquets, only talked about their pastimes, not work.

By the time the banquet was coming to an end, one of the women had asked Duchess Jasmine.

“Miss, is the rumour true?”

“What’s the rumour?”

“That rumour about ‘Duke Kristen’ will be attending this banquet.”

Duchess Jasmine spread her fan to cover her lips and answered in a sad tone. 

“I invited him, but the duke is not attending this banquet.”

“You never know. Maybe this time, he will attend like Miss Chase.”

“And you know, the rumour that the duke is looking for a bride.”

Irene’s ears perked up as she listened to their story. Is he looking for a bride?

It was apparent that Irene was interested in that topic, so the subject flowed over there as they talked passionately.

“There are already many rumours about that. It is said that he would not inherit the dukedom unless he were married to the woman whom the Grand Duke approved of the Kristen family.” It could be said that if the gossip was not about Irene, then there was always someone who was the target of rumours. It was what high society thrived on.

“Oh my God, is that true? Well, it’s reasonable that the Grand Duke Kristen would not pass the dukedom to him because he is an illegitimate child.”

“But isn’t marriage all he has to do? The lady who marries him will become the lady of the house. Besides, the rumour said that he is very handsome even though he is an illegitimate child.” One of the ladies at the table responded. The saying that women like men with attractive features was universal. However, a nice face was not enough.

“I’m not going to get married just because of his face. A ‘face’ is not sufficient for a marriage. If you’re married to an illegitimate child, you will be cursed with all kinds of talk. It will wear you down eventually. And, if the Grand Duke does not approve of you, what will you do? Above all, there are many other men with a respectable lineage besides him.”

“I agree with that. As an example, there is Count Ascardo. He also has a handsome face. Although he was a second in his family’s successor’s line to inherit the title, he’s talented and is of noble lineage.”

Grand Duke? What do they mean by being cursed? The great Kristen… Are they talking about the current Grand Duke of Kristen?

Irene remembered learning in the Academy that in honour of his achievements, the emperor had granted him the title of Grand Duke.

So, if he can’t get married, he can’t inherit the dukedom.

It was difficult to understand the story entirely. The women of aristocratic society loved to go on tangents, and in the first place, Irene was not familiar with it. However, she could still see the key point of the story.

“But it’s a pity for Duke Noel Kristen because he also has talent. If only he was not born from a lowly maid and had a strong lineage to support him.”

Duchess Jasmine sighed as if it was a waste. The other ladies also expressed sympathy on their faces at her words, whilst Irene, on the other hand, was locked in her thoughts.

Noel Kristen…

The waltz came out. A man and a woman who were sitting at a table and conversing with each other came out to the centre of the hall and started dancing. As if the woman around Irene had been waiting for that particular moment to arrive, they stopped the conversation and moved to the centre of the hall.

“Miss Chase, would you like to come with us?”

Irene answered Duchess Jasmine’s offer with a small shake of her head.

“I’m going to get some air briefly.”

“Oh, I see. It’s time for the main waltz, so the terrace is empty. You’ll be able to have some space to breathe in that place.”

As the banquet host, Duchess Jasmine advanced with a spark in her eyes when the ball’s main event began. Then Irene got up from her place at the table and went out to the nearby terrace.

Irene inhaled the fresh, crisp air deeply. It was cool and comforting against her skin. The peacefulness in her quiet surroundings wrapped around her in a tight blanket. The scent of perfume and sweets seemed to paralyse her sense of smell. While leaning on the railing, Irene looked around the garden. Jasmine flowers, roses, magnolias, and lilies were in bloom altogether. As expected, Duchess Jasmine, who liked lavish things also had an impressive garden to capture a visitor’s attention. The beauty of the array of colours, shapes, and kinds of flowers at their different stages in life, swept over the vast expanse of the garden, was simply stunning.

Unlike the noisy ballroom, the terrace was calmer. Irene looked at the garden and recalled the story she had heard earlier.