What to do? Will it be fine to just say the truth? Based on how Ortzen ordered Captain Jullius and I to make known our relationship to the public at Princess Aranea's banquet, then it seems like the Princess should be on our side. But still, I'm not entirely sure though. When I was still struggling on how I should proceed, I glanced at Roanne who had a triumphant look on her face. The naughty bich who stole my dresses… dress? Ah!
(T/N: the author did wrote 계집애 (bich) here. It's a slang word. Although it also could be considered to express friendly mood when said to your close female friends, but in general it has negative connotation.)
"I don't wish to slander my own family by revealing my younger sister's bad habit in such place with so many eyes and ears. But, actually, my younger sister is a kleptomaniac."
"Lies!"
Roanne angrily shouted in a loud voice.
"Your Highness, my sister now–"
"Shut your mouth!"
That rigid cold voice cut Roanne's words. The golden eyes that have the color of sunrays, coldly looked at the girl whose cheeks were slightly red in shame.
"Miss Silla Epheria is talking. Miss Roanne Epheria, you have interjected me three times. Do remember that this is your last chance."
"…, yes."
Roanne flinched and closed her mouth. Whoa, she was counting them all. After all, Princess Aranea was really difficult to deal with. How strict. I gulped once and continued my explaination.
(T/N: the literal translation for 끊어진 is 'it's rough', referred to someone with hard/strict personalities, so I just changed it to 'strict'.)
"Since she's a child, she's already used to steal my dresses and jewelry. She even took away my dresses although they didn't fit her size. This time she couldn't stand her bad habits and stole the invitation card of Your Highness Princess Aranea's banquet. Considering that we're tied by blood, I tried to hide the fact as much as possible but eventually it comes to this."
Actually she didn't steal it directly from me, but it didn't change the fact that the invitation card was stolen for her, so it's not differ much right? The people around us started to discuss under their breaths. Roanne glared daggers at me with a beet red face, but she couldn't say anything after being warned by Princess Aranea.
"Is there any evidence or witness?"
"Of course. Your Highness can verify the fact by searching out Roanne's dress room inside the Count's mansion, but another obvious evidence right now is that necklace."
I pointed at the blue diamond necklace on Roanne's neck. When Sofia saw the rubbish sent by the Countess, she half-furious half-lamenting told me everything about the keepsakes left by the late Countess, Silla's birth mother. The late Count Epheria spent a large sums of money to order the blue diamond necklace for his only dear daughter as a gift for her first debutante. Before Silla was even born, he had stated on his legalized will for that necklace to be passed down to his first granddaughter.
(T/N: the late Count Epheria= Silla's grandfather from her mother's side)
In other words, that's mine. Sofia told me that Silla cried for days and nights because that necklace was taken away by Second Miss, so I won't sell it and I've been thinking about getting it back soon.
"That blue diamond necklace was a gift from the late Count for my mother, the late Countess. That necklace was made on special request at the famous workshop in the Capital, so it will be easy to verify it. Additionally, there's also a notorized paperworks stated that the necklace is to be inherited from the late Countess to her first born daughter. It was mine until she stole it away from me."
Roanne was flustered and spontaneously grabbed the necklace on her neck. I'm sure that was the best necklace she ever had amongst her other collections, but how could she proudly walked around wearing a stolen necklace without any bit of shame? Well, if only she had the minds to see things clearly, she wouldn't stole that necklace in the first place.
"Miss Roanne Epheria." Princess Aranea asked in a stern voice, "Is Silla Epheria saying the truth?"
"T-this… older sister Silla gave it to me! She said that I'm also the daughter of Count Epheria, so I also have rights over this necklace."
Rights? Bullshit!
"As you all have already known, Roanne is my half-sister. She isn't my late mother's descendant and also isn't blood-related to Epheria family."
Furthermore, she didn't have any rights over the necklace even if she was born as the first daughter of the current Count Epheria because that necklace was to be passed down to the direct descendant of the late Countess Epheria.
"Her face is pretty but her personality is really bad."
"To reach out her hands onto someone's else keepsakes, that's really low."
"Seems like the Countess didn't educate her well."
Murmured sounds were floating around over the place. In the midst of people who were accusing Roanne as a noble lady with rotten personalities, Princess Aranea stepped in.
"Miss Roanne Epheria. As we saw it, the necklace is indeed belong to Miss Silla Epheria. Do you have any objection?"
"This is unfair! Older sister really gave it to me! She didn't get the love from our parents like I did. She's jealous of me so she framed me!"
"Logically speaking, there's no reason for someone to give her mother keepsakes to her half-sister. Moreover, as you've mentioned before, I know the fact that Miss Silla Epheria is being disregarded inside the Count's residence. Just based on this fact, it didn't make sense for Miss Silla Epheria to give her mother keepsakes away willingly like what Miss Roanne Epheria claimed to be."
"T-that's…"
"Miss Roanne Epheria, I'll ask you for one last time, do you have any reasonable explaination for this situation?"
Roanne's half-crying face has completely distorted now. She slowly took some steps backwards and bowed to Princess Aranea.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I-I will retire now."
Then she quickly turned around and ran towards the entrance of the banquet hall. Is she trying to run away? Princess Aranea looked at Roanne's back, raised one of her hand and gave an order.
"Catch her!"
Right after the Princess gave her order, her two escort knights immediately stepped forward to execute her order. They instantly caught up to Roanne's side and grabbed her by her arms.
"Kyaaa! Let go!"
Roanne was frightened and struggled to break away from their grasps but she couldn't. Eventually the two knights dragged her back and brought her before the Princess.
"Miss Roanne Epheria."
"Yes…"
"The person you should apologize to isn't only me, don't you think so?"
"T-then who—?"
At such childish question asked by Roanne, the tip of Princess Aranea's eyebrows slightly raised.
"Apologize to Miss Silla Epheria!"
"Why do I have to that slu—"
Slap!
The loud sounds from slapping someone's cheeks, could be clearly heard inside the banquet hall. Princess Aranea mercilessly swung her hand. Very soon, Roanne's white cheek turned red and her tears spilled down onto it. Princess Aranea coldly looked down at the bewildered girl before her without any changed of expression on her face.
"Please excuse my rude behavior, but as the host of today's banquet, it's within my obligation to protect the attended guests. Besides, Miss Roanne Epheria isn't my guest, right? I can't tolerate your rude behavior to Miss Silla Epheria any further."
"…, I-I'm sorry…"
"I'll say it again, I'm not the only one who you should apologized to."
Roanne turned her trembling body around towards me.
"…, I was wrong…"
(T/N: I put literal translation of 잘못 했어요. It's said when you admit your mistakes. But I'm not sure if this could be considered as some sort of apoligies…)
She tried hard to hold back her tears with her head down and said it without looking at me properly.
"Uh, okay. Be careful next time."
I accepted her apologies while trying to keep Princess Aranea's reaction on check. Honestly, I'm not Silla so… I could forgive you if you returned back all the things you've taken away included plenty of interest. But, considering about the dead Silla, perhaps I should retaliate a bit more? Well, anyway, if the Count's family got destroyed, this girl will be kicked out and become penniless.
After all is done, the Princess took off the necklace from Roanne's neck
"I'll issue an official complain notice to Count Epheria about this matter."
As soon as Princess Aranea said that, Roanne was flustered and repeatedly shook her head.
"M-my parents didn't know anything about this! I-I sneaked out on my own…"
… what? So she really did stole my invitation card? And she even stole it from the Countess herself. Sigh… she's still an immature young lady. Well, in the first place, that sly Countess would never let her immature daughter attend the Princess' banquet without someone to guide her.
Princess Aranea with an annoyed face called for the head butler that stood close to her.
"Send Miss Roanne Epheria back to her residence."
"Just now I received a report that someone sent by the Count Epheria's family has arrived a while ago."
"That's good. Pass along the complain notice to him."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Roanne's shoulders shrank down as she walked behind the head butler to leave the banquet hall. Even though the Countess really doted on her children, she would still scold her because Roanne has caused such a big disturbance. Nonetheless, I'm relieve that it ends we–
"Miss Silla Epheria."
"Y-yes!"