"Of course!" I exclaimed. "Then from today onwards, we are friends. I shall send you letters every now and then. Please come to visit my mansion as well."
"Yes!" Miss Roberts smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Ara? What is this, Lady Roberts? So rare to see you with Miss Saravelle. Have the two of you become close? Well, you suit each other." A new voice sounded from the side.
I turned to see another girl with a fan in her hand that she used to cover her mouth.
'The daughter of Duke Desmond... She thinks that the fan makes her elegant, doesn't she? It only makes her look foolish, though. And yet, she carries one everywhere....'
"You are Miss Saravelle, yes?" She asked me, looking at me with from over her fan with contempt. "I heard that you became friends with His Highness, the second prince and he even visited your manor. It couldn't be that you are supporting him...?"
I usually hate getting involved in trouble, but if it's because of Miss Roberts, I don't mind. Plus, this foolish girl was pissing me off....!
"Oh, I don't recall becoming so close with Lady Carroll Desmond that she would forgo calling me 'Lady'. And why, thank you, even though I am of a lower rank than Miss Roberts, it is pleasing to find that others think we suit each other..." I smiled as look at her.
"Wh-" She became flustered.
"And Lady Desmond," I continued. "Regarding the matter with His Highness, is your family spying on him? How would you know of his whereabouts? Or are you supporting him? Might I remind you that the current Emperor is still young and in good health? Yet, you are talking of supporting a prince..." I paused and smirked. "What are you thinking...?"
"I- I just! I just heard a few rumors! How could I know a prince's whereabouts?" She panicked.
"Rumors? From where?" I asked. "Who is daring enough to spread rumors about the royalty? Even if there was such an individual... Aren't you so brave... believing such rumors and spreading them even further... My, I should have known before that Lady Desmond is a very daring person... I shall remember from now on..." I nodded as if making a note of it.
"N-no need to remember me for such things, Lady Saravelle! It was just by coincidence... I'm not worthy of your words... Please forget about someone like me... I have some things to do, I shall take my leave..." She replied, flustered, as she turned and left.
'I guess she understood that her words could even cause her to lose her head if interpreted in other ways... Such a foolish child! She should learn to think before speaking...'
"I'm sorry, Lady Saravelle..." Miss Roberts suddenly spoke. "Lady Desmond doesn't like me and tries to pick a fight with me every time she finds a chance... I'm sorry for getting you caught up in it.... But the way you dealt with her was so smart! You're so great!"
"I'm not that good. Anybody could deal with that child with some training... Why does she not like you, though...?" I asked.
"...Because I'm the First prince's fiancée... and she likes the First prince...."
'Uwah! I forgot that Miss Roberts was that idiot's fiancée... Poor her!!! Still, to like that idiot, Lady Desmond truly is a foolish child, isn't she?'
Suddenly, I realized something. 'What if... Miss Roberts...'
"Miss Roberts... You haven't fallen for the First Prince, have you?" I looked at her. 'Please tell me you haven't... Not for that idiot!'
Miss Roberts looked to her feet and said, "Even if I did, he doesn't have eyes for anyone other than that commoner he fell in love with...."
"Commoner..?" I asked.
"Her name was Irene.... if I recall correctly..."
'Irene Reubel! That girl seriously went and grabbed the prince's heart!'