[TIDK] 74 – A Noble Humiliation

The main reason Marina went crazy was exclusion from society.

As the king’s lavish daughter, there were plenty of nobles everywhere in society who would give anything if she participated. Even now, Marina used to read magazines with social gossip whenever she returned to her senses. If Marina knew that Nina Hunter was inviting her, the woman in the highest echelon of society, Marina would be overjoyed.

One of the most talked about secrets revealed by the royal police last year was that Viktor Dumfelt put his mother in a mental asylum himself. Soon after, however, public opinion was reversed when Marina Dumfelt reportedly tried to kill her son. The public’s sympathy for him permeated.

Sympathy for the powerful was a dangerous feeling, Yuli thought. 

-Those who win that sympathy are unpredictable in their actions and power to influence the public.

Yuli intended to break people’s shallow sympathy using Marina Dumfelt. As soon as she acted beyond social significance, compassion would be broken by hatred. As a result, if Marina acted inappropriately, she would stigmatise Viktor’s name. It was a toxic reward.

Nina asked. “You’re coming, Viktor, aren’t you?”

 “I can’t refuse your invitation.”

At Viktor’s answer, the imperial women covered their mouths with fans and laughed again. Was everything he said so amusing? Yuli Irène, who succeeded in his plan, also smiled. The corner of his mouth raised cynically.

After a while, Viktor left the reception room.

Blythe, who had been waiting in the hallway, knew that the Crown Prince had called Viktor for a spectacle, so he was concerned about him. As usual, there was no perturbation in Viktor’s outward expression.

Viktor spoke to Blythe. “Write to Scarlett. I want her to decide what to offer for the charity party.” 

“Yes, young master.”

After Blythe bowed in farewell, he left first to send the letter.

When Viktor stopped, he looked around Salantier. 

It had everything. 

But he saw nothing. 

His mother had repeatedly desensitised him to the point where he became brainwashed. 

Viktor’s eyes were empty now; gone were the eyes that held sparks of colour. Watching the young nobility wandering around looking for their potential loves, he wondered if that was what it meant to be a noble. He wanted to ask his mother what she liked so much about this space. In the end, was it better to be a supporting role – a cannon fodder, in this old space than the owner of the powerful Dumfelt family that her son could have bestowed to her?

He thought it would be nice if his mother returned to her senses for a moment. Only then would she be able to judge good versus bad accurately.

♔♔♔

Scarlett received the letter from Blythe. When the servants delivered the envelope, she noted Blythe’s slight obsessive-compulsive disorder.

He had folded it to precision with a ruler.

The letter said, “Please come to Dumfelt because we have to decide what to auction for the charity party hosted by Nina Hunter.”

[It’s too hard for us to decide what to put up for auction. I’d appreciate it if you could come to Dumfelt to help.]

Indeed, one couldn’t put just anything on the table at a party by Nina Hunter. The items offered at auction were good for people to talk about, leading to a family evaluation.

“I’ll have to go.”

Scarlett muttered, deeply sighing because she didn’t want to.

December and January were months with frequent social events, including charity parties. When winter began, it froze far away from society. Ironically, the wealthy aristocrats opened the door again to socialise because they prepared firewood to send to distant places.

The nobles and the people of 7th Avenue held charity events. Scarlett was already worried about not having anything to offer at the event. Scarlett, who had just opened the store, was financially tight trying to maintain a watch store and ensure Andrei’s paycheck.

Organising things for a charity party would get her extra blankets or old grains that she couldn’t put on Viktor’s table.

She made up her mind and packed her jacket, and told Andrei.

“I’ll be back from Dumfelt estate. I was asked to organise things for the charity event.”

“Do you have to go, Boss?”

“If there’s anything useful, I’ll bring it. There’s a charity event on 7th Avenue, too.”

“Yeah?”

Andrei spoke. His melancholic expression made it seem that everything in this unique world was miserable.

“Boss, you’re paying for charity? You’re not taking it?”

“What? Why would someone with such a big store be charitable?” 

“It’s not a big store. Take out the adjective “big.”

“...”

“And the clothes you’re wearing right now. I don’t think even nuns wear that these days.”

Scarlett spoke sulkily at his continued criticism.

“… I’m going to work after I get back. Since I’m the boss, it’s up to me to give you a holiday. I’m giving you a holiday today.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Andrei replied with an unhappy look on his face.

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