A Cruel Beast’s Leash

At tea-time the next day, Emma made various mistakes as she tried diligently to put on her best impersonation of a commoner.
Of course they were only subtle, non-fatal mistakes: carelessly spilling tea, dropping sugar cubes, and slightly ignoring etiquette by rummaging through the snacks and refreshments in an overly rigid way as if wary of poisonous food.

As time passed, the wives who attended tea-time gradually began to look at Emma like she was a fool, and eventually treated her like was an exiled woman.
A few of them even expressed true sympathy with expressions that said, “I really can’t believe it.”

Count Karina, who was observing and analyzing Emma to the end without resolving her suspicions, seemed to have eased her vigilance towards her after the event.

She was presentable from the outside but regarded as a penniless woman who was neither very smart nor clever.

“You feel more comfortable once you get used to the environment.
It won’t be unfamiliar anymore, right? Then, we will see you at dinnertime,” Karina said.

“Right,” Emma replied too enthusiastically.
“It is an honor to be invited, Lady Karina.”

Emma politely bowed at Count Karina’s noticeably generous hand gesture and left the tea room.
On her way to the annex from the main building her stiff shoulders drooped.
She had barely managed to escape tea-time safely, but she had received another invitation for dinnertime.

Now, she had to think about how to behave later with a fancy appearance.
It was going to be a long night… Anyway, there was one good thing among the misfortunes: perhaps because she had already experienced it once, she had learned how to endure a party.

***

The dinner party that started in the evening was not a regular one like yesterday.
It seemed to be a daily meal attended only by the knights, servants, and key figures of Van Wert Castle, but even so, the number of participants was about thirty, a level that could not be ignored.

As soon as Emma entered the dinner party hall, Count Karina, who proudly sat at the head of a long, rectangular banquet table, offered her the closest seat.
Collin already had occupied the seat to her right, and Emma unexpectedly was seated on the left.

Karina smiled gracefully and said that Emma was placed here because she was an honored guest, but her cold-hearted gaze at Emma was revealing her cold intention.
It was clear that she had not completely resigned her suspicions of her.
The countess seemed to be putting into practice the phrase: “Keep your friends close and enemies closer.”

“Miss Herman, you said you’re not picky about food, right?” Karina began.

Emma carefully schooled her features to mask her nervousness.
“Right, My Lady.”

“Then I hope you enjoy your meal.”

When the countess flashed a blinding smile as if showing  consideration, Emma likewise replied with a bright smile of her own.
With those words, the dinner began.

Emma kept shoving food into her mouth amidst the stinging glares of the attendees; it felt as if enemies were in every direction.
The conversations that came and went at the table, where cups collided and the dishes were busily placed, had nothing to do with her.
Thanks to this she could feel herself become completely alienated, a stranger.

As time went by, the dinner table became lively.
Emma’s stomach was just as uncomfortable as her position at the table, so it was difficult for her to digest her food.
Amidst the explicit gazes, her nerves hardened, and every minute and second felt like walking on thin ice.

When Emma was eating dessert after finishing the main dish, at this point she felt like she was being tortured, Collin, who had sipped his alcohol while staring at her from across the table the entire time, exchanged a secret gaze with his sister Karina.
There was a fishy smile on his face.

“Miss Herman.
Yesterday I was extremely rude.
I didn’t even apologize.
To belatedly make up for the mistake, I will take this penalty drink.”

Collin placed the empty glass in front of him as if to tell her to look at it.
He poured alcohol into the glass, and took one gulp.

“I hope you understand.”

Emma, embarrassed for a moment, was wondering if this was the start of some ridiculous mockery.
Then, she considered the attention on her and shyly bowed her head.

“Thank you for willingly accepting my apology, Miss Herman.”

With a pretentious smile, he lifted the glass again, as if satisfied, and drank continuously.
Then, making an excuse that it was lonely to drink alone, he said something to Karina, and the two shared a friendly drink, indirectly offering Emma one.

“Can I make a toast for us to spend a good time together?” Since Karina was already holding her glass up, if Emma rejected, the glares would worsen.

“I can’t really hold my liquor, but…,” she timidly muttered, narrowing her shoulders as if hesitating.
“If you insist, Lady Karina, I will accept it with gratitude.”