Chapter 6
When Christina, the wealthy Marquess’s daughter and the host of the gathering, secretly obtained an erotic novel, Natalie and Emily would hollow out the inside of a thick poetry book together and hide the novel inside, disguising it as an elegant poetry collection.
Of course, erotic novels weren’t exactly banned books. Despite their grand name, censorship meant they weren’t even that explicit.
Even so, because they dealt with sexual themes, they became an incredibly popular new genre.
However, for “unmarried upper-class ladies,” just possessing such an erotic novel could ruin their prospects for marriage and was as good as a banned book.
In the solemn atmosphere of society, more things were restricted for ladies. Especially in the realm of sexuality, nothing was ever allowed for them.
Ladies were supposed to be ignorant about sex.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that every lady’s goal was marriage, but most unmarried ladies didn’t even have knowledge about sex, let alone marital relations. It was a huge contradiction, but the virtues demanded of ladies in this era were, in reality, just like that.
So this secret gathering was almost a miracle.
The start of the gathering went back to the year Natalie debuted in society. Contrary to her expectations, she grew bored of the dull ball, and Christina, who was also hiding in a corner with a bored look, happened to strike up a conversation with her.
“I’d rather never dance again than meet that man’s eyes and follow his steps.”
Christina, who had rejected a gentleman by lying that her dance card was full, made a joke to Natalie. Natalie froze on the spot as if she’d been struck on the head.
Oh my. That line, could it be?
Natalie had once managed to attend a girls’ boarding school at sixteen by begging persistently. In that closed place, where girls of various classes with some money gathered, she’d encountered an erotic novel as if by fate.
The line Christina muttered was, unbelievably, from the very first erotic novel Natalie had ever read in her life.
“…Miss Doweigh, just now, was that… ”
“…Oh my. Miss Dawes, you too?”
That’s how the two of them started their secret gathering. Then, when Emily found a book Christina had lent Natalie in Natalie’s room, it became a gathering of three.
‘Those were really good times.’
But the pleasant reminiscing lasted only a moment.
Natalie, who had been completely off guard, closed the book roughly and had to scream, “Are you crazy, Christina!”
“How is it? I went through so much trouble to get it.”
Christina grinned slyly, as if she’d expected Natalie’s reaction.
“I told you I don’t like this author.”
“Just read it once.”
“No.”
“Why won’t you read David’s writing? It’s exactly your taste. Don’t I know you?”
No, you don’t. You don’t know anything!
Natalie clutched her startled chest and pushed the innocent book even farther away.
Recently, most of the books Christina had gotten were by an author using the pen name “David.”
He had appeared like a comet two years ago and was classified as an erotic novelist.
His novels, like other erotic novels, didn’t actually contain anything very explicit. The kind of descriptions that would make your body twist just from reading them were, in her opinion, a hundred years too early to be published in the corner of a magazine.
But with a strong spirit of challenge, he had finally described the “standing position.” Of course, he left it open to interpretation with various metaphors and symbols, so it wouldn’t be caught by censors.
“Oh my god. Girls, it looks like you can even do that standing up… How… Is there, is there an illustration?”
At that time, Christina had been so excited she’d muttered to herself for a long time like someone who’d lost her mind.
If you ask why the standing position was so shocking, you need to remember just how solemn this era was.
The church urged people to restrain their sexual desire, and on top of that, recommended only the basic position for married couples. You know, the one where the woman lies down nicely and the man looks down at her.
After encountering David’s work, especially noblewomen had their eyes opened to a more colorful world.
Besides this, David gained fame for outrageous, sensational romances you couldn’t find in other novels.
Women, who felt stifled by a society that demanded especially strict morality from them, found vicarious satisfaction in stories that shook up the moral order. There were even women who learned to read just to enjoy his novels.
David, already famous, was at the center of attention these days. His new work had just started serialization in a magazine.
A highborn lady and a stable hand’s affair.
It was considered perfectly normal for a gentleman, tired of maintaining manners and dignity, to sometimes seek out a mistress. The logic was that as long as he was faithful at home, he could keep his mistress on the side.
But the reverse was quick to become the subject of gossip.
Add to that the taboo of a difference in social status, and David’s new work became embroiled in controversy. People were once again curious about who he really was.
Maintaining his air of mystery, David, whether he wanted to or not, was definitely the hottest figure in Grand Batten right now.
“Just read ten pages. Have I ever asked you for anything? Why won’t you just read it!”
Christina, a fan of David, begging Natalie to just read his novel once had become their daily routine. It was a battle of offense and defense.
“…It’s too explicit.”
“You read other things just fine.”
“Anyway, it’s just too embarrassing.”
“You like that kind of thing, don’t you?”
Natalie glared silently at Christina. Christina just shrugged innocently.
“If my mother catches me reading something like this, I probably won’t be able to leave the house for three months!”
That was when Emily, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly shouted with a flushed face. Hugging the book tightly as if it were precious, she looked so excited imagining the worst-case scenario that it was almost bizarre.
“If your mother catches you, that’s the best-case scenario! If other people find out, you won’t just lose your marriage prospects—you’ll never set foot in society again!”
Emily really gets it! Christina said with a satisfied look, and for a moment, silence fell among the young ladies.
“Pfft…”
The next moment, someone let out a snort. Soon, for some reason, all three ladies burst out laughing, cackling without restraint.
“I agree! Marriage prospects gone!”
Emily shouted.
That’s right, that’s right! Natalie completely agreed as well.
***
As the sun began to set, the lights of Malik House started to come on one by one. This mansion, located in the heart of Dwan and just ten minutes by carriage from Windsorbell Palace, was royal property and considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the capital.
Normally, direct members of the royal family of Grand Batten spent their childhood at Malik House. Crown Prince Edward, Prince Ian, and Princess Charlotte had all spent their early years here under the care of the late Queen Dowager.
A carriage stopped in front of the entrance to Malik House. The woman standing at the entrance waved as if she had been waiting.
“Charlotte.”
As soon as Ian spotted his identical twin sister, his stiff expression melted away.
“Welcome, Ian.”
Ian, wearing a bright smile, lightly kissed Charlotte on the cheek. He was the affectionate youngest sibling… a rare sight for others to see.
The close siblings naturally linked arms and started walking.
“Judging by your complexion, it seems our mother has been urging you to marry as well. That’s why I haven’t gone near Windsorbell Palace lately.”
Windsorbell was usually the palace where the direct royal family stayed on weekends when there were no official duties, but lately, Queen Violet, who was at odds with the king, had been using it as her personal residence.
“Near it? I’m going to leave for Valderma altogether.”
Ian’s firm declaration that he was so fed up with their mother that he would leave the capital entirely made Charlotte laugh out loud.
The twins, who looked frighteningly alike, even had similar personalities. They were always warm and elegant on the surface, but at heart, they were as proud and picky as royalty should be.
The only difference was that the younger sibling was a bit more easygoing.
“But even if you hide in Valderma, you can’t escape the portraits of princesses.”
“Is that from experience?”
Ian asked, frowning slightly.
“Well, if you refuse viciously enough, it’s fine. Look at me. I’ve held out for four years already.”
Unfairly, women had a “marriageable age.”
Even princesses weren’t exempt. Charlotte had been tormented by portraits of countless princes since before she came of age. It was a wonder she’d managed to hold out this long.
“Yeah, well done. Please forget about your duty as a princess. Edward probably hopes so too.”
Ian also didn’t want Charlotte to get married. A princess’s marriage usually meant marrying a foreign prince and becoming part of that country.
“Thanks, even if it’s just words. Anyway, if it’s this bad for us, imagine how much the Crown Prince is being pestered.”
Edward, two years older than them, was also ruthlessly rejecting all marriage proposals. Everyone in Grand Batten was watching, wondering who the Crown Prince would marry.
Charlotte paused for a moment in front of the drawing room door.
“Oh, by the way, Edward has been here since two days ago. He seems to have something on his mind. He said he has something to tell us.”
“Edward?”
Charlotte nodded. Her sparkling blue eyes were full of anticipation.
Edward had never once shown his siblings any sign of struggle or difficulty, nor had he ever disappointed anyone. He always solved everything on his own.
Charlotte, who had always regretted this, was secretly excited.
‘Looks like our brother finally wants to lean on us.’
But that hope didn’t last long.
Her taciturn brother hadn’t called his siblings for advice, but rather to inform them.
“I love Eris. From the moment I first saw her. I’m going to marry her.”
A bombshell dropped from Edward’s lips.
…Eris.
Was he really talking about Eris, their sixth cousin, the former Countess of Heinznover, who had recently been “divorced”?
Ian and Charlotte set down their teacups almost at the same time.
“Of course, Mother, the House of Lords, the cabinet, and the church will all object. They’ll pressure me to give up my right to the throne, saying I can’t put a divorced woman on the throne as queen.”
Damn it. Looks like it really is that Eris.
Charlotte’s lips slowly parted. She couldn’t understand what her frustrating brother was saying.
‘So that’s why Edward has been smashing every marriage proposal to pieces.’
But Eris’s problem wasn’t just her title as a divorcee, was it? The official reason for her divorce was that she hadn’t produced an heir in five years. That was a huge disgrace.
“I’m willing to give up my right to the throne.”
“Is he out of his mind?”
Charlotte muttered sharply without meaning to.
Right. Ian completely agreed as well.
