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Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
Looking at Kate, who left hurriedly left shortly after exclaiming “ah, I have to go back”, Scarlet tilted her head.
『What on earth did that girl want to do here? Gather information? Oh dear, you have to be careful, Constance Grail』
“Nono, no matter how you look at it, she only came to see me because she was worried!”
Lorraine family is a Baron family descended from a non-commissioned officer who rose in rank, so they are relatively new nobles with a short history. Kate’s mother is a commoner, she also has many siblings and their family doesn’t have much money to their name. The only time Kate participated in a ball was during her social debut. Other than that, she spends her time helping out at home and doing some part jobs. They do, of course, have servants but they don’t have money to hire many of them. She must’ve taken some time off her busy schedule to come all the way to Connie’s house for a visit today. Kate Lorraine was a kindhearted and caring childhood friend Connie was proud of.
Even after explaining to much, Scarlet still looked doubtful.
“Uhm, Kate to me is what Lady Lily was for you, Lady Scarlet ―――”
『Lily? 』
Scarlet cutely tilted her head so Connie also followed the suit with a little ‘huh?’
“Um, you were close with Marquis Orlamunde’s daughter, Lady Lily, since you were a little girl, no? It might be presumptuous of me, but if you could think about my relationship with Kate in the same way
”
According to rumors, Lily ――― Lily Orlamunde was the only friend Scarlet Castiel opened her heart to.\n
But unlike Scarlet, she wasn’t somebody who would resort to wrongdoings. She had even protected Cecilia from the unfair slander of the villainess and went as far as to criticize the latter for her evil deeds, not giving up on setting her on the right track until the very end. In honor of her virtuous and impartial personality, she had also been called the Charitable White Lily.
‘Ah’, Scarlet nodded.
『Lily ――― Right, Lily. I had completely forgotten. I bet she got married too, right?』
“Yes, 3 years ago”
『3 years ago? That’s awfully late』
The age of marriage for the noble ladies of this kingdom was around 16 to 18 years. Thus, Lily Orlamunde, who announced her engagement when she was in her mid 20s became quite the hot topic at that time. The Orlamunde family had a close relationship with the church to start with, so many people expected her to also eventually become a priestess, however ―――
To reach that position, one would need extraordinary determinations.
“―――Lady Lily deeply mourned your passing, Lady Scarlet. She blamed herself for being unable to stop you and took it on herself to atone in your place, devoting herself to charitable causes despite much objection from her surroundings.”
She seemed to have mainly provided support for orphanages and educated children. It was very rare for a noble lady to do the charity in her own name, instead of being a proxy for her husband. Thus, her dedication inspired a new wave of female empowerment through the aristocratic circles where women had been kept oppressed before now.
It was truly a moving story one couldn’t tell without shedding some tears, however Scarlet, the concerned party, didn’t seem to be much interested, only throwing out some interjections here and there, seemingly bored.
『Hmm. So, who did Lily marry? 』
“Ah, yes, Lord Randolph Ulster from the Duke Richelieu’s family. But, um
”
『Randolph? That stubborn, strait-laced oaf?! He’s my natural enemy! 』
Scarlet very unusually raised her voice and shouted. Connie flinched in fright.
『Actually, is that pigheaded man still Ulster ? 』
“Huh? Oh, according to the rumors, Lord Randolph has been asked to become the current Duke. More importantly, umm
”
『He’s still as inflexible and rigid as always, I see. Well, whatever. Let’s visit his home right away and talk to Lily. She’s always been smart so she should definitely have much useful information than Emilia Caroling. 』
“I-it’s impossible.”
『Don’t worry. You might not be acquainted but I’ll think of something. It’s my specialty, after all. 』
“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s, um, impossible to meet her.
『What in the world is impossible? Are you perhaps trying to defy m-.』
“――― Lady Lily has!”
Connie finally shouted at the top of her lungs.
“already passed away!!”
Scarlet shut up. Silence dominated the room. Unable to endure this atmosphere, Connie hung her head down. After a beat, Scarlet opened her mouth. It was a somewhat stiff voice.
『
When did it happen? 』
“Last year.”
『Was she sick? Or was it an accident? 』
“No, um, it seems to be
suicide.”
It was a death by poison. And in addition to that, she died not at Ulster house where she married in, but in the chapel of her birth home.
『That’s a lie. 』
“It’s true. Even newspapers wrote about it.”
It was an incident that made the capital buzz for a long time. It happened shortly after she became Countess Ulster, hence giving birth to various speculations regarding her fast death. Royal military police even investigated the line of murder, but after being unable to prove that a crime had taken place, they judged it to be suicide.
『No, that’s obviously a lie. 』
Scarlet shook her head several times, claiming that it was impossible. She must’ve really not wanted to believe it.
“Lady Scarlet
”
Looking at her, Connie felt her heart crack.  She was ashamed of her past self who believed that Scarlet Castiel was a devil in incarnate. Wasn’t she lamenting her friend’s death in front of her right now?
『It’s a lie, because, after all』
Scarlet raised her voice while hugging her trembling body.
『―――there is no way someone so depraved would commit suicide! 』
“
Hm?”
Did she mishear something just now? Was it a hallucination? It was probably a hallucination. “Lady Scarlet”, Connie decided to ask just in case.
『What?』
“Lady Lily Orlamund was your friend, wasn’t she?”
Connie’s inquire made Scarlet’s scowl with all her might.
『Hah? Don’t say something horrifying. I’d rather dance Polka while doing a handstand on the edge of the Hangara cliff than be considered that woman’s friend. 』
“B-but according to rumors, Lady Lily was the only one who continued visiting you even after you were imprisoned―――”
Unlike Scarlet’s followers who instantly changed sides, Lady Lily remained at her side until the end, not taking any notice of the inquisitive gazes of her surroundings.
『Visited me? ―――Oh! 』
Her puzzled gaze suddenly focused as if finally connecting the lines.
Her well-shaped, beautiful eyebrows arched up and her drum-like voice resounded.
『You mean that. Just remembering it still brings me fury! Yes, that Lily indeed came to visit me! Then looked at me in the jail and sneered at me, saying that I had really done it this time! Don’t you mess with me, you wicked woman―――! 』
—\n
Notes:\n
If you’ve read manga you probably already know this but Randolp’s last name, Ulstar, is ćŸ“ć±žçˆ”äœ. In other words, a “subordinate peerage”. Now, what does that mean. Many big nobles have both the high rank peerages and small, kinda like a placeholder type, subordinate peerages. Usually the family head has the highest rank and that rank is later passed down to the heir. Meanwhile, before the heir is decided, the children of the family head will use those different subordinate peerages. In this case “Count Ulster” is one of the subordinate peerages of the Richelieu Ducal family. So what Scarlet actually asks is “wait, it’s been 10 years and that guy still hasn’t inherited the family?” (probably)
Anyway, remind me of typos, awkward grammar, mistranslations or anything else you might notice so I could fix it\n
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