Chapter 24
It had been nearly a month since Diana first arrived at the Valencia estate.
As usual, Daisy entered her chambers at the designated wake-up time, while Diana read through the note Ersivan had left behind.
“Oh! By the way, my lady, have you heard the news from His Highness?”
Daisy, who had been debating over which hair accessory would suit Diana best, suddenly clapped her hands together in realization.
“What news?”
“A friend of yours is coming to visit.”
“Really? I don’t recall receiving any letters about that.”
“That’s because His Highness manages all incoming mail addressed to you.”
“His Highness does what? And why?”
Hearing Ersivan’s name immediately put her on edge.
Everything involving him felt suspicious, and this was no exception.
Diana frowned, clearly displeased.
“It’s for your safety, my lady. There have been several incidents where letters were cursed or contained threats. To prevent such misfortunes, His Highness personally inspects all correspondence from non-relatives.”
Daisy tried to reassure her, insisting it was all done out of concern.
But that didn’t make it any more acceptable.
After all, the one reading her letters was Ersivan.
I should inform Father about this.
Even if he claimed not to interfere with letters from family members, she couldn’t fully trust him.
“So, who is it that’s coming?”
“The young lady of Baron Parlier’s family.”
“Her name, please.”
“Oh, Lady Scarlett Parlier.”
Scarlett Parlier.
She was the woman who had once appeared at the estate unannounced—a complete mystery at the time.
Considering how discourteous she had been, Diana had assumed she came from a family of considerable standing.
Yet she was only the daughter of a baron?
That made even less sense.
Count Mernard valued wealth and status above all else. He would never have allowed his daughter, Lillian, to form a close friendship with someone from a low-ranking noble family.
If they had been secretly involved in something, it would explain a great deal.
Still, there was no certainty. The situation remained unsettling.
I’ll need to have a proper conversation with her.
Regardless of the truth, Diana needed to talk to Scarlett.
She couldn’t afford to maintain a relationship with someone whose motives were unclear.
Today, she would finally get some answers.
After finishing lunch, Diana made her way to the drawing room, where Scarlett was waiting.
The moment she stepped inside, Scarlett jumped to her feet.
Her utter lack of composure was still something Diana couldn’t get used to.
Even if she was merely a baron’s daughter, she was still nobility. Surely, she had received proper etiquette training for social occasions.
“Lady Parlier. It’s been a while.”
“It’s wonderful to see you, Lillian!”
Just as Diana was about to take a seat, she noticed someone who shouldn’t be there.
She stiffened.
“Your Highness?”
The words left her lips in a hushed breath, tinged with disbelief.
Why was he here?
Ersivan, unbothered, set his teacup down with a composed air before finally addressing her.
“Since your dear friend had made the effort to visit, I decided to keep her company until you arrived.”
“Is that so? Then may I ask what you two talked about?”
“Naturally, about you. I had many questions, so I asked a few things.”
“…I see. I do hope it was all pleasant conversation.”
“What else would it be?”
Diana narrowed her eyes as she took her seat.
“…Will you be staying here, Evan?”
His presence complicated things.
To an outsider, Diana and Scarlett appeared to be nothing more than close friends.
If she started pressing Scarlett with questions, it would certainly arouse suspicion.
“My beloved fiancée is here, so of course, I should stay.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but for the sake of my friend, I’d like to speak with her alone. Would you mind giving us some privacy?”
Diana used Scarlett as an excuse to persuade Ersivan to leave.
In truth, it would be better for Scarlett as well.
Ever since the initial greeting, Scarlett had been noticeably tense.
For instance, when Ersivan had refilled her teacup, she had been excessively grateful—almost unnaturally so.
If she was too anxious to speak freely, it would be a loss for both of them.
For that reason alone, it was best for him to step away.
“Is that so? Lady Parlier?”
“…Pardon?”
“I asked if my presence here makes you uncomfortable.”
For once, he wasn’t yielding.
This time, Scarlett was his target.
She hesitated, clearly intimidated by him.
Diana could see it—Scarlett was too nervous to answer.
“Evan.”
Her voice carried a quiet warning.
She had to make him leave, now.
A solemn voice filled the room, commanding attention.
Diana was now taking control, standing firm against the unwelcome presence that had been making things uncomfortable.
Gone was the anxious girl who had seemed trapped like a mouse in a cage.
It seemed she had finally steeled herself.
“It was merely a mischievous joke. The two of you seem to have such a wonderful bond, after all. I shall leave you both to enjoy your time together.”
Pushing any further would only put him at a disadvantage.
Ersivan decided to back down for now.
Satisfied, Diana finally relaxed her expression. With a small nod of acknowledgment, she saw him out.
“Oh, goodbye, Your Highness!”
Scarlett, who had been shrinking in on herself the entire time, finally gathered the courage to speak.
Once Ersivan had completely left, a hint of relief flickered across her face.
If she was going to tremble in fear like that, then why had she come here so boldly in the first place?
No, perhaps what was truly astonishing was that House Valencia had welcomed someone of her low standing without hesitation.
“So, what brings you here, Lady Parlier?”
Now that Ersivan was gone, there was no one left to interfere.
Diana’s tone hardened noticeably.
Scarlett visibly shrank under the sudden shift in demeanor.
“That’s a bit cold of you, isn’t it? And, of course, I came because I wanted to see you, Lillian! Last time, I had to leave in such a rush.”
“Our relationship, you say? And what exactly is our relationship?”
Diana’s reply was indifferent, her tone detached and icy.
Even to her own ears, she sounded unlike herself.
Scarlett’s small hands trembled as they clutched the fabric of her dress.
“W-What do you mean…?”
Her voice quivered as if she were on the verge of tears.
If Scarlett was this easy to fluster, it would make things much easier for Diana.
Just a little more pressure, and she would surely confess the truth about their relationship.
“I thought… we were rather close.”
But contrary to Diana’s expectations, Scarlett refused to elaborate.
She only added a vague “rather” before falling silent.
She gave no details—nothing about when, how, or how much they had been close.
Was it still not enough pressure?
Diana decided to be even harsher.
“Relationships are quite subjective, after all.”
“That’s…”
Yet, Scarlett continued to hesitate.
According to her, she and Lillian had been quite close.
But now, when pressed about it, she kept her lips tightly sealed.
It was as if she was hiding something.
Doubt was like a hot air balloon—once set alight, it would only rise higher and higher.
Diana recalled her earlier conversation with Daisy before coming to the parlor.
“Daisy, have you ever met Lady Parlier?”
“No, my lady. In fact, I mean no disrespect, but… I had never even heard of her family before.”
It had been a dead-end question meant to confirm her suspicions, and Daisy’s response had left her unsettled.
Daisy was the fifth daughter of a viscount, as well as a lady’s maid of a duke’s household.
As both a noble and a servant in high society, her information network was vast.
And yet, even she had never heard of House Parlier.
If it had been an old noble house, Daisy would have at least recognized the name.
Even if it had been a newly titled family—whether by wealth or merit—she still would have known.
Diana’s unease deepened as she took another look at the woman before her.
Scarlett’s outfit and accessories were pieces from a well-known designer’s salon, far beyond the budget of a mere baron’s household.
Of course, it was possible her family had spared no expense for their beloved daughter.
But if that were the case, surely she would have treated her attire with more care.
At the very least, she wouldn’t be wrinkling the fabric so carelessly.
Unless… she didn’t understand its worth.
It was all just speculation for now, but Diana needed a final confirmation.
“Shall we have some tea first? His Highness went to the trouble of preparing it, and it would be a shame to let it go cold.”
Diana lifted her teacup, all while carefully watching Scarlett’s reaction.
Yes. That’s exactly what feels so off.
Scarlett’s hands were trembling.
Her posture was sloppy, violating basic etiquette.
Of course, it was possible that she was simply nervous.
But Diana had long learned to trust her instincts.
More often than not, her intuition was the key to uncovering the truth.
“…Oh!”
Flustered, Scarlett suddenly grabbed the saucer that had been left untouched on the table.
She must have completely forgotten about it until just now.
The more Diana observed her, the more someone came to mind.
Someone who had spent their entire life in poverty before being thrown into nobility without warning.
A person who had once been exactly like this—clumsy, unfamiliar with the rules, trying desperately to fit in.
Someone from exactly one year ago.
Herself.
A realization settled over Diana like a veil.
Her suspicions had been right.
And now, she was ready for the final blow.
“Lady Parlier. Tell me the password.”
“…What?”
“The one we agreed upon. Surely, we would have set one.”
Of course, Diana had no idea whether such a thing even existed.
She didn’t know if Lillian and Scarlett had ever exchanged a secret code at all.
But if Lillian had truly wanted to avoid Count Mernard’s scrutiny, it was entirely possible she would have arranged something discreet.
“I… I don’t understand what you’re asking…”
“You should understand.”
Finally, Diana sealed her argument.
“If you were truly my person, Lady Parlier.”
As she finished speaking, she idly drummed her fingers against the table.
It was a small habit she had picked up from Ersivan—one she had discovered was particularly effective in making people nervous.
And right now, it was working perfectly.
