It Doesn’t Matter If You’re Broken - Chapter 21

“There is nothing to be happy about.”

Vanessa suddenly exhaled coldly.

“Isn’t it just that you wrote a letter everyone else writes, following what I wrote?”

Vanessa did not stop there and fiercely urged Elise.

“Is this all you’re satisfied with?”

“Oh, no.”

Upon hearing that, Elise quickly regained her senses as if she had been splashed with cold water and hastily shook her head. However, Vanessa didn’t retract the condescending gaze directed at her inferiority.

“Even if I put in bone-breaking efforts for your education, I wonder if you’d be capable. You seem content with being normal, so you are only becoming indolent.”

Since Elise entered the count’s residence, she had more than a handful of times she’d slept properly, but she didn’t respond.

She heard that other noble young ladies endure this kind of life for a decade or more. She couldn’t say she had worked hard since she had only experienced it for about a year.

“What exactly do you know how to do? Even now, I’m taking care of all the trivial things for you behind the scenes, am I not?”

Objectively, Elise’s progress and achievement were not late. It was a matter of her survival, and of course, she had been working hard to her death.

In fact, it was almost a miracle that Elise, who had spent most of her teenage years in the slums, had achieved this much in just a year.

However, Elise was unaware of this fact, and Vanessa did not intend to let her know. Self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment were not permitted feelings for Elise.

“It’s rare to see someone like you, who makes those teaching you feel worthless.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Under Vanessa’s harsh criticism, Elise’s head drooped.

Elise couldn’t even open her mouth and only managed to say a word that she would try harder in the end.

And so, under Vanessa’s watchful eyes, Elise’s hard work continued.

Several more letters went back and forth between Raymond and Elise.

Raymond always filled the paper with affectionate and witty words in his letters.

Even Elise, who lacked experience in noble society, could sense that he was an exceptionally good person.

However, writing letters was always burdensome.

“Vanessa.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not good at playing the piano, so if I write these kinds of things in the letter–”

“You should practice more from now on.”

Falsely writing words that she didn’t even mean, or lying about doing things she had never done, brought immense guilt.

It seemed that she had become a shameless liar.

So every time Elise wrote a letter to Raymond, her heart was in agony.

As her impression of Raymond became more and more friendly, she couldn’t shake the idea that he was a person living in a different world from her.

* * *

Then one day, a different letter arrived from the Marquis of Hartmann.

It was the same that the Marquis family crest was stamped on it, but the colour of the envelope was light pink, unlike the one Raymond had sent.

Before even opening the seal on the letter Elise received from Vanessa, Gerhard had a smile on his lips.

As he expected, it was not Raymond Hartman who sent the letter. Gerhard set the invitation down open on the desk.

“A tea party invitation from Marchioness Hartmann.”

Taking out a cigar from the top-notch mahogany humidor, Gerhard used a cutter to trim the end as he spoke.

“Looks like they’re finally starting to show interest in her.”

One eyebrow rose as he took a deep sip of his lit cigar.

‘It’s aged properly.’

With a low exclamation, he lit the end of his cigar and put it in his mouth.

The red flame burned slowly from the tip. The room was quickly filled with thick smoke, and the distinctive strong cigar scent permeated everywhere.

Vanessa saw Gerhard’s expression loosen up and said.

“It seems that the Little Marquis has expressed a fairly firm intention.”

“I guess so. I didn’t expect things to progress so quickly. It’s even better than I anticipated.”

The Tea Party hosted by Marchioness Hartmann was renowned in many ways.

First, she was a central figure in the social circle, and the invited guests were women from prominent families.

It was also a place that young ladies of marriageable age and wives of their noble families wished to attend at least once.

“The Marchioness hinted that she would at least consider Elise a potential match for her son.”

Gerhard said to Vanessa with a satisfied smile on his lips.

“You should take more care of Elise. In case she makes a mistake at the tea party, it’ll be troublesome.”

“Yes, Count. I will do so.”

When the determined answer came back, Gerhard nodded his head.

Everything was going smoothly as planned.

* * *

Elise arrived at the main gate of Marquis Hartmann’s residence and got off the carriage. The butler, who was waiting, greeted her.

“Welcome, my lady. May I see your invitation?”

Elise handed over her invitation with a trembling heart. Having checked the invitation and the name of the attendee, he bowed, giving his guest a courteous smile.

“I will guide you to the tea party venue, Lady Schuvan.”

Elise followed the butler, clutching her shaking hands. Her pounding heart felt like it would leap out of her chest.

[“There must be absolutely no disgrace to the name of Count Schuvan. Do you understand?”]

She was repeating Vanessa’s advice, which felt more like a threat, in her mind several times.

However, she doubted if she was even walking properly according to the proper etiquette. Even in the morning, when she came down the stairs, it was more so because she had been pointed out that made her more anxious.

The butler led her to the outdoor garden. There was a splendid gazebo with a dome inside the garden, decorated with brightly blooming flowers in spring.

Seeing the people already gathered there, Elise’s face became pale.

She came on time, but what if she was late, the fear crept in.

“Then, I will take my leave now, Lady.”

After completing the guidance, the butler stepped aside, bowed, and left.

Left alone, Elise struggled to control her breathing and cautiously moved her steps.

The first person to discover her was the Marchioness Hartmann.

The Marchioness pretended to recognise her first by approaching Elise with her brown hair elegantly styled, similar to Raymond’s.

“Lady Schuvan, you have come.”

“Thank you for inviting me, Marquis Hartmann. I am Elise Schuvan.”

Upon hearing her greeting, the Viscountess exclaimed with a small gasp, “Oh my.”

“These days, ladies who have properly learned etiquette like this are rare.”

After a slightly surprised glance, the Marchioness smiled and then led Elise to introduce her to other ladies.

“Didn’t I mention before? This lady is Lady Schuvan.”

“As I’ve heard, you are a beautiful young lady.”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Schuvan.”

The women watching Elise immediately noticed the Marchioness’ favourable attitude towards her and welcomed her.

The Marchioness seated Elise in a chair close to her. Since Elise was the last attendee to arrive, the tea party began shortly after.

“I prepared a tea that is said to be popular among young ladies these days. I hope you like it.”

Elise recalled her memories of practising similar conversations with Vanessa and recited the words she had memorised.

“The fragrance is lovely. I heard you have a great eye for art, but I didn’t know you also had a taste for tea.”

Then a satisfied light flashed across the Marchioness’ face.

“That’s good to hear. It’s been a while since an unmarried young lady attended our gathering. I was a bit worried about what young ladies like.”

After that, the party went smoothly.

Elise listened to the ladies’ conversation throughout the party, and sometimes, when they asked her questions, she answered like a parrot, according to what she had memorised.

‘Never make a mistake. Never.’

Even in the midst of this, she was consumed by the fear of making any blunders, gripped by the obsession of not messing up.

‘If I ruin the tea party today, not only will I be in trouble, he will not treat my mother.’

Although she had not slept properly for the past few days, she was too tense to feel any fatigue.

Fortunately, the ladies viewed Elise’s anxious demeanour as the shyness of a young lady and kindly overlooked it.

In fact, they all had the experience of being thrown out by unfamiliar environments or strangers at least once, and most of all, it was because the Marchioness liked the rather timid Elise.

In addition, when Raymond appeared at the end of the party, their guess was confirmed.

The Marchioness trembled with excitement upon seeing her son.

“Oh, my, our Little Marquis must have found it hard to wait any longer, I presume? Seeing that he has come to escort the young lady.”

“Mother.”

Raymond’s ears reddened at the tips, and he called out to the Marchioness as if rebuking her, but he did not deny her assumption.

***