“Ah, so you want to delay my debut, huh?”
Lizzy’s lips twisted in annoyance. In her eyes, it seemed that Ariella was scheming to block her entry into society in front of her father.
Well, it made sense. Debuting under the name of Bedford would soon mean Ariella’s downfall.
Imagining Ariella’s face, crying out in despair as she watched her own brilliant debut, made Lizzy feel quite pleased.
“Don’t worry. It’s embarrassing, but… people around me say that I tend to learn quickly. For the honor of Bedford, I will debut with a grace as elegant as Arrie.”
Ariella struggled to suppress a smile as she looked at Lizzy, who was gazing at her with a challenging look.
The word “debutante” kept coming up, indicating that it was quite important to Lizzy.
Ariella also thought it would be good to quickly introduce Lizzy to society, but seeing that radiant face sparked her playful side again.
“Yes, that’s a good idea.”
“…What?”
“As you said, for the honor of Bedford, it would be best to have at least the same level of preparation I had when I debuted before holding your debutante ball. It would be troublesome if you were caught unprepared. Wouldn’t you agree, Father?”
Seeing Ariella propose this to the duke, Lizzy scoffed.
“You fool. Don’t you see? The duke is on my side now!”
Lizzy believed that the duke, who had chosen a side, would never support Ariella.
However, there were two points she had not considered.
One was that the duke had quite high expectations for the abilities of those in Bedford, excluding David, and the other was that, regardless of the new alignment, he currently found Lizzy displeasing.
The anger of having been deceived by the crown prince had not yet subsided, and here she was, boldly mentioning her teacher and debutante ball.
Lizzy was unaware of how much Aaron had pressured the duke or what lies Ariella had told before her arrival, but whatever the reason, it was only natural for the duke of Bedford to be displeased.
“Yes. That should be enough to avoid embarrassment. Lizzy, I’ll let your teachers know as well. If you don’t want to miss this debutante season, study diligently.”
Thus, the duke coldly concluded.
Lizzy seemed quite flustered, her mouth opening and closing, but soon regained her confidence.
“Yes, Duke. I will definitely do that.”
Ariella had heard that she officially debuted at just fourteen. Since she was about to announce her engagement to Aaron, she had entered society much earlier than other noble ladies.
“What’s a mere fourteen-year-old, who has only been in the duke’s household for two years, supposed to know? Do you think I can’t do that much?”
Hmph, she scoffed inwardly.
The gazes of the two Bedfordn princesses clashed in the air. Over their differently colored violet eyes, ease and mockery were evident.
In the tense atmosphere, the duke rose from his large seat.
“I’m not feeling particularly hungry today. I’ll take my leave first. David, come to the study after you finish your meal.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Duke, today is the day you meet with the Spires, right? If you find yourself bored after your schedule, please call for me. I’ll bring some delicious desserts.”
Lizzy quickly spoke up, fearing the duke might escape.
The duke regularly met with the Spires for meetings, but the dates always varied. Yet, knowing that there was a meeting today indicated that Lizzy had been putting in considerable effort to win her father’s favor.
The duke glanced at Lizzy without much response before turning to leave the dining room.
Thud. As the door closed, Ariella wiped her mouth and slowly rose from her seat. With the duke gone, there was no need to stay any longer.
“I like charm.”
She whispered in a voice just loud enough for the servants not to hear.
Lizzy frowned and lowered her voice.
“…What did you say?”
“It’s fine to use charm as a strategy. It’s rare to find a man in his fifties who wouldn’t enjoy a cute daughter flattering him.”
Ariella draped a shawl over her shoulders with Adam’s help.
Lizzy looked like she had a lot to say but kept her mouth shut. It seemed she was being cautious since Adam was nearby.
“Adam is on my side, so there’s no need for image management. Is it embarrassing to show her true colors in front of someone she once had a crush on?”
Cute, indeed. Ariella chuckled and leaned toward Lizzy.
“But stop trying to rely on sympathy. It’s ineffective. Does your father look like someone who would pity anyone?”
In that time, you should focus on studying. After whispering this, she straightened her back and walked past Lizzy.
“Are you also leaving, our fake sister?”
David chimed in again, but Ariella left the dining room without looking back.
Thus, in the spacious dining room, only David and Lizzy remained. Of course, there were other servants, but many had followed the duke, leaving fewer behind.
