Actually, the one who came up with the idea for the press was Miss Natali. Countess Augusta, consumed by thoughts of revenge against the former princess, couldn't find a way to crush her.
It was Miss Natali who suggested revealing her location to the public and letting the haters take care of her.
Now, Countess Augusta was convinced that accepting Miss Natali's suggestion was the right move. She resented it when Isaak tried to dissuade her from her plan.
Why was everyone so adamant about keeping her away from the press? What was so difficult about engaging with other people? Countess Augusta wondered.
Fortunately, her seduction had been successful, as Isaak had arranged a meeting with his contact from the Royal Gazette. The countess was now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the reporter.
She had instructed her ladies-in-waiting to dress her in the most exquisite gown from her wardrobe and adorned herself with her most dazzling jewelry. Today, she had also applied heavier makeup to captivate the reporter, who was rumored to come from the capital.
"I have asked Mrs. Stringer to prepare the highest quality snacks and teas for your guest, My Lady," Miss Natali proudly informed her.
"You've done well, Miss Natali. Thank you. How do I look?" Countess Augusta twirled for Miss Natali to see.
With a spark in her eyes, Miss Natali exclaimed, "You are certainly the most beautiful woman, My Lady. There's no need for you to worry about the silver lady, as she will soon be taken care of."
Countess Augusta took Miss Natali's hand and clasped it in hers. "I am so glad to have you."
She was grateful that their controversial past hadn't created a rift between them; instead, it had fostered a sense of familiarity that brought them closer.
In the past, when Count Yannik was still engaged to Miss Natali, Countess Augusta didn't fear her. She knew she surpassed Miss Natali in terms of appearance. When she had won Count Yannik's love, Miss Natali didn't seem too bothered.
"It is just an arranged marriage. I haven't developed any feelings for him yet. If you're fine with it, can you appoint me to be your lady-in-waiting?" Miss Natali had requested it at that time.
Knock. Knock.
"My Lady, your guest has arrived. Shall I let him in?" Mrs. Stringer announced the arrival of the reporter.
Countess Augusta's ladies-in-waiting performed the final touch-up before opening the door. A young man with golden hair tied back appeared.
"Good day, Countess. My name is Karsten Grass. Sir Isaak told me that you have valuable information to share," he said, his voice deep and pleasant.
"Yes, please have a seat." Countess Augusta turned to Mrs. Stringer and instructed, "Mrs. Stringer, could you bring in the delicacies for our guest?"
"May I take off my coat?" Karsten asked, still standing.
"You may if it is more comfortable for you," she replied, trying to be as accommodating as possible.
Isaak had told her not to disclose her identity in the article and to firmly instruct the reporter to omit her name. But she wondered if that was wise. If she were polite to Karsten, wouldn't he write favorable things about her? Wouldn't that be more advantageous for her position?
Karsten removed his coat, revealing a rather modest waistcoat in the same color as his breeches. He looked around and asked, "I don't see the count here. Has he not arrived yet?"
"My husband will not be participating. It is just me," the countess replied. She purposefully chose a day when her husband would be away to conduct this interview. If he were to find out, she would surely get into trouble again.
Mrs. Stringer entered with imported delicacies and teas for the countess and the guest.
The reporter took a seat and extracted papers and a pen from his briefcase. He looked up, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Shall we begin the interview, Countess? Firstly, I must document your name, as news lacking a reliable source tends to be dismissed as mere gossip. We wouldn't want that, now, would we?"
"Yes, of course," Countess Augusta responded, more than ready to disclose any damning information about the former princess for the world to know.
"You can provide me with the information. Please, Countess, speak freely. I will determine which details should be included in the article and which should not," Karsten stated.
However, the countess was not pleased with that. She demanded, "I want you to write down everything I say. Don't filter or sort it! Just transcribe every single word."
The reporter was taken aback by Countess Augusta's assertiveness. It appeared that he had never encountered a lady with such a strong will before. 'Well, let me show you the spirit of Harnisse's Countess,' she thought triumphantly.
"Very well, Countess," Karsten responded.
With a sense of satisfaction, Countess Augusta spoke in a low, deliberate voice, "The former princess is presently hiding in Brasven, assuming the identity of the daughter of a Margrave and residing in an estate owned by the Berger family."
Karsten appeared visibly surprised by the revelation. Countess Augusta took pride in having such substantial information that rendered even a reporter from a prominent publishing house momentarily speechless.
"Are you referring to Princess Runa?" he inquired for confirmation.
"Yes, that silver lady. The one and only," she affirmed.
"How did you come to know this? She is currently evading detection, making it challenging to track her whereabouts. How could you, as a Countess from Harnisse, obtain such information?" he pressed for details.
The countess grew increasingly upset at being doubted. She felt the need to assert her authority and make the reporter realize who he was dealing with. "I have my own network," she retorted sharply.
"It sounded like you have a personal connection with her," he remarked.
Countess Augusta's expression soured at his comment. "I do not know her personally, but I have seen her," she clarified.
"Are you certain it is her?" he pressed further.
She clenched her teeth in annoyance. "Yes, I am absolutely certain. I could not be mistaken because she resided here for some time. I saw her up close."
"Princess Runa is indeed a captivating woman, isn't she? If you've seen her, you'd understand her beauty. Back when she was in the palace, reporters flocked to catch a glimpse of her," Karsten deviated from the intended topic.
"We're not here to discuss that," Countess Augusta interjected sharply.
"Ah, my apologies, Countess. So, could you shed some light on the nature of the relationship between your husband and Princess Runa? I mean, it's only natural for a man to be enticed by her beauty," Karsten continued, straying further from the intended focus.
Countess Augusta's brow furrowed, her hands tightly clenched. "Sir Karsten, please refrain from discussing her physical appearance."
"I'm just curious. Surely, your husband must have been tempted to embrace her—"
"STOP!" The countess' voice rang out, cutting him off abruptly.
Countess Augusta thought she caught a fleeting grin on Karsten's face, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"It must be agonizing to have to tolerate such an unpleasant sight in your own castle. As the countess, you naturally hold the position of the lady of the house. But then, out of nowhere, someone more attractive than you invades your sanctuary. How distressing that must be," Karsten remarked.
All of a sudden, Karsten sympathized with the countess. She felt a sense of relief and nodded, feeling validated.
"Wouldn't it be much better if she were gone?" Karsten echoed the thoughts of Countess Augusta. Once again, she nodded in agreement.
"Why did she have to choose this castle? Why did she have to target your husband? There are countless other men to seduce, so why him?" Karsten continued, delving deeper into the countess' frustrations.
The countess could hardly contain her excitement and added, "All of this would be over if only things had gone according to plan."
Unconsciously, Countess Augusta made a certain hand gesture, her eyes widening with an intense, almost murderous intent. "I will never forget those eyes..."
"Did your hands leave marks on Princess Runa's neck?" the reporter asked, a hint of accusation in his tone.
"Yes, I saw it the next morning," Countess Augusta admitted, her voice trailing off as she realized the implications of her response.
"My Lady, should we take a break?" Miss Natali approached with concern evident on her face.
"Yes, excuse me, Sir Karsten. I would like to retire to my chamber for a moment of rest," the countess requested, her steps unsteady as she made her way toward her adjacent chamber.
Once alone with her ladies-in-waiting, fear gripped Countess Augusta. Biting her nails and trembling, she couldn't suppress her agitation. "Why did he ask me that?!" she groaned.
The atmosphere grew tense, and everyone was unsure of what to do. One of the ladies-in-waiting discreetly glanced at the reporter. "He's scribbling something down, My Lady," she reported.
"Do you think he noticed? I... I didn't mean to..." the countess fretted.
Caught in a dilemma, Miss Natali once again came up with a helpful suggestion. "Just tell him it was an accident, My Lady."
"Shouldn't I pretend as though nothing happened, at least for now?" the countess pondered, seeking guidance on how to proceed.
However, the countess didn't appear to have much control over the situation as Karsten interrupted their conversation, excusing himself from behind the door.
"Thank you for sharing your information, Countess. I will ensure that every word is documented in tomorrow's article."