01x04 - Why Raeliana Took Up the Fight

[bunniefuu]

Do not leave my sight

for more than five minutes.

What a funny joke.

You know ladies need time

to fix their makeup.

He got more guards?!

And four of them, not counting Adam?!

Could he trust me any less?!

It's Miss Raeliana.

The one they all talk about?

That's her?

She's beautiful

Everyone's looking at me.

Oh, my lord Duke.

Congratulations on your engagement.

Ah, Marquess Eriteal. Thank you.

A pleasure to meet you, Miss McMillan.

The pleasure is mine.

My name is Raeliana McMillan.

So that's Miss Raeliana McMillan?

The one Duke Wynknight chose?

I heard he'll be formally

announcing their engagement here.

Isn't Lady Vivian Shamal

here tonight, as well?

Vivian Shamal

She's a real vixen.

Dear me! What a beautiful young lady!

I can see why the Duke and

the Brooks household are at odds.

It's no wonder you've seemed

to be happy of late, sir.

Have I really?

Yep, there's the Noah Wynknight smile.

Meeting this lady was indeed

the greatest fortune I could ask for.

Miss McMillan, may I have this dance?

Huh?

No, dance with me!

No, me!

Right Smile, smile

I do apologize.

Hey, did you see that?

How wonderful!

What a gentleman!

That's the Duke for you!

He's acting! He's just acting!

I mean, he's definitely the type who'd

keep his girlfriend on a tight leash.

Even for the novel's heroine,

to be bound to

a restrictive guy like this

I feel for Beatrice.

May I have this dance?

With pleasure.

Why do you look like a little village

girl who's been sold off into marriage?

How very like you to know

so well how I feel inside.

What are you talking about?

I'm the one being held c*ptive.

Excuse me?! You're enjoying

the hell out of this!

Watch your expressions.

Everyone will notice right away

that you're my false fiancée

if you keep making faces like that.

You're such a cheat!

What's the matter, blackmailer?

What a thing to say to a lady!

I wish everyone else could

hear you talking like this!

I wouldn't mind that.

As a certain someone said, I am a cheat.

Oh, dear. Pardon me.

Oh?

It appears you still need

more practice, Raeliana.

It would seem so.

Oh, my! Your hairstyle is just lovely!

And your dress is beautiful!

Did you just buy those earrings?

They suit you so well!

Nick is the same no matter where he goes.

I keep getting the feeling

someone's watching me

It's not Master Taylor or the other guards.

With this many people here,

I can't even guess who it is.

It's Lady Vivian.

Lady Vivian

Vivian?

Of course! Vivian Shamal!

I knew that name sounded familiar.

She's a very important

character in the novel.

She tried everything in her power

to appeal to Noah,

but he wouldn't give her the time of day.

Her heart broken,

she accepted a timely marriage

proposal from the king,

and now she's undergoing her education

as the only candidate for future queen.

But once the novel's heroine, Beatrice,

enters a relationship with Noah,

Vivian tries to get

between them at every step.

She's basically positioned

as the book's villainess.

This is

Vivian Shamal.

Lady Vivian, I hope

the evening finds you well.

You are as beautiful

as ever. How I envy you.

Wow, she definitely looks

like a total villainess

Hang on.

If she tried to get

between Beatrice and Noah

Since I'm his fiancée now,

does that mean I'll be her target?!

Just dealing with Noah is bad enough!

If I have her gunning for me too,

I'm done for!

Raeliana

Y-Yes?

Uh

What are you doing?

Oh, nothing

My shoulders just felt a bit stiff.

Do you remember the promise you made

when we negotiated our contract?

Promise?

For as long as this farce goes on,

you will play your part as my

fiancée whenever I need you to.

Oh

And you need that right now?

Yes.

For that woman.

Noah, are you still mad at me

for stepping on your foot earlier?

That's Vivian Shamal, right?!

So does that mean

He wants to throw me at

her as a decoy so he can get away?!

I'm talking about the woman beside her.

Huh?

Freese Eriteal,

the wife of Marquess Eriteal.

Marquess Eriteal

That guy with the mustache?

That's his wife?!

Not his daughter?!

There's a group that certain

wives of old nobles are part of.

What it's called and who's

part of it are unknown.

Only wives of high nobles who are friendly

with each other are allowed to join.

Because the high status of their

husbands reaches them as well,

the things these women discuss

with each other affect the whole kingdom.

At least, some joke that they do.

Raeliana

I need you to receive an invitation

to that group from her.

I'm counting on you.

I thought you doubted my intentions.

If I were to join that group and

tell them a mixture of fact and fiction,

what would you do?

Do as you please.

It is my policy to use

whatever I have at my disposal.

Who's using whom, exactly?

You owe me one after this.

And it's going to be a very big favor!

I intend to make sure you return that favor.

Don't forget that.

Unfortunately for you, I also use

whatever I have at my disposal.

Excuse me May I have a plate?

Of course.

I-I'll bring something to wipe

that off with at once!

I-I'm so sorry!

Don't worry about it.

More importantly,

we should clean off your hands.

Right

Plan successful!

Let's go to another room.

So you are Miss McMillan?

What an honor it is to meet you.

Oh, crap.

It is I who am honored to meet you,

Lady Vivian Shamal.

Oh, you know who I am?

But of course.

There is no one in this

kingdom who doesn't know you.

I have an urgent matter

to attend to at the moment.

Do forgive me, if you please.

Let me bring something

for you to wipe your hands with.

No, this will require water to wash clean.

Only my glove was soiled,

but I fear having it on her hands

will be inconvenient for my lady.

My lady

You would be fine with simply

wiping your hands, would you not?

Y-Yes That would be fine.

She's not going to be easy

to deal with, is she?

Miss McMillan, I have heard much about you.

They say you have

remarkable academic talent.

As a member of the Estota class,

I'm sure you had little

opportunity to study.

She just had to go out of her way to bring

up that abolished class system.

She really wants to stress

that she's above me, doesn't she?

No matter what age you live in,

if someone throws down the gauntlet

It's common courtesy to pick it up.

My!

What an honor it is to receive

a compliment from you!

You are correct.

As part of the Estota class,

I had few opportunities.

But I'm sure learning even

more difficult subjects

in such a short time would

have been challenging.

To make up for my lack

of experience and knowledge,

I have devoted myself to my studies so that

I won't shame the Duke's good name.

But to receive such praise

from you makes all the effort worthwhile!

Well, how lovely.

Even a monkey could have

solved those problems.

I had heard that many of the women of

the Estota class carried

themselves quite confidently.

It appears that was true.

Her smile isn't reaching her eyes

So she's saying someone who's ranked

lower should act more humble, huh?

Thanks to His Majesty, the status

of women in society has risen.

Current trends value a proactive attitude,

especially among the younger generation,

who are more perceptive of changing times.

Though I'm sure those of the

older generations find it undesirable

Please overlook this as just another

part of the new age we live in.

Humble, my a*s!

What century does she

think we're in, anyway?!

Lady Vivian

Miss McMillan, you may have academic talent,

but it seems you still have much

to learn about etiquette.

It is my greatest shame.

I—

Well, well! I wondered who that was!

If it isn't Lady Vivian!

Nick?

When did you get here?

You have so little presence,

I didn't even notice.

Nick Maddox

Oh! I'm so honored that you remember me!

I see you still manage to sneak around,

despite having the physique of a bear.

You're quite the little mouse.

Oh, but I quite like mice. They're adorable.

And much better than malicious

little vixens who always put on airs.

When did you become friends

with Miss McMillan?

You two are quite the lovely match.

So very much alike.

Ah bitchoo!

Oh, I'm so sorry!

That sneeze came out of nowhere!

I'm allergic to vixens, you see.

Ah-bitchoo!

Allergic to vixens?!

How dare you?! I will not

tolerate such rudeness!

Oh, right!

Whatever do you mean?

Let's go wash your hands.

I just thought perhaps there was

a vixen out in the courtyard or something.

Thanks, Nick.

You had the nerve to interrupt

when I was talking before, too!

Let's wash your hands

in that room over there.

U-Um

Huh?

Will those people be

coming with us, as well?

I'm sorry, but would you please

leave us for the time being?

Then could that lady knight over there

I am Ansley.

All right.

Could all of you but Dame Ansley

please return to the ballroom?

Please tell Noah that

I'm with Marquess Eriteal's wife.

I greatly appreciate it.

Come along, my lady.

Adam Taylor is taking orders

from someone other than our master?

Dame Ansley?

Yes, right away!

Please, use this.

Thank you.

My household may be of the nobility,

but our territory is small.

After being stricken by several

disasters in recent years,

some now call it a ghost town.

I only came to the capital

after I married the marquess,

so I'm not used to things yet.

So that's why she was hanging

out with Vivian Shamal.

I can relate.

My circumstances also

changed quite abruptly,

and I struggled to get used to the change.

It's been hard on you, hasn't it?

I met your husband, the marquess, earlier.

He's a very dignified man, isn't he?

Yes

Oh, crap! Maybe I shouldn't have said that!

She does look at least two

decades younger than him

Maybe she was forced to marry him

for political reasons?!

Wh-Wh-Wh-What do I do now?!

Gotta change the subject! New topic!

B-By the way,

I heard there's a group that

all the noble wives are a part of.

Oh Yes.

Many of the women at

the ball tonight are members of it.

I see.

What sort of group is it?

Huh?

I'm a bit envious.

I haven't had many opportunities

to interact with other noblewomen.

Miss McMillan

Not that I ever wanted to

in the first place.

Please, call me "Raeliana."

In that case, um Madam Raeliana

Would you like to join the group?

What?

I mean

It would be reassuring for me to

have someone there who can help me, too.

I really can?

Yes, by all means.

That makes me so happy!

I hope we can be good friends from now on!

I hope so, as well.

In that case, I'll send you

an invitation in the coming days.

Thank you so much!

That was a cinch!

And now Noah owes me one!

What should I ask him to do?

Well, shall we return to the ballroom?

Yes.

What?!

A fire?!

I don't smell anything burning.

So it's not a fire,

but a deliberate smokescreen?!

Miss McMillan! Are you all right?!

Miss McMillan!

Dame Ansley!

I can't breathe Noah