# 41
---
* * *
A few days have passed since the Grand Duchess returned to the palace.
The servants expected Elinor to be expelled, but she remained in the principal's palace.
She was not punished for having an illegitimate child, nor was she humiliated.
Elinor lived with the child comfortably as an invited guest.
This sparked another wave of whispers among the palace residents.
"What's going on? Has the Grand Duchess accepted her?"
"As the Duke's wife? Impossible. If that were the case, the Grand Duchess would have formally introduced her."
“If you think about it, the Duke didn’t bring her as a wife. He said she was a private teacher to teach the young master. Maybe the illegitimate child rumor was just a misunderstanding from the beginning?”
“But Master Tidian called her his sister-in-law. Moreover, I heard from the maids that she was staying in the ward before she came to the Master’s Palace… Why would a private teacher stay in a place like this?”
It is not clearly stated whether Elinor's child was illegitimate or not.
Given the Grand Duchess's ambiguous position, the servants had no choice but to act cautiously.
There was someone who was not satisfied with this atmosphere.
This character was Cornelia, the third daughter.
“Everyone has lost their minds.”
On a sunny afternoon, Cornelia was having tea with her best friend in the Duke's family's greenhouse.
Outside it was so hot that standing still made one sweat, but inside the greenhouse it was refreshing and comfortable thanks to the mana stones.
Cornelia sipped her flower-scented tea and expressed her displeasure.
“I thought my mother would scold my brother when she came. She would expel that insolent woman from the fiefdom immediately.”
Therefore, Cornelia calmly waited until the Grand Duchess arrived.
The Grand Duchess is the only one capable of defeating Matthias, the Duke.
“But instead of reprimanding...”
“Are you still in the palace?”
"Yes!"
And it doesn't just exist.
She lives very comfortably.
Since the Grand Duchess had not dismissed her, the prevailing opinion was that she might actually become the Duchess.
The servants treated her politely.
Cornelia didn't like that.
“I am very angry with my brother, I cannot bear it. This means that he is trampling on the honor of the Duke family himf.”
“Didn’t the Grand Duchess say anything to you in private?”
“She said that my brother had not lost his honor, and told me to trust and wait. But after he already had a child, what honor was left?”
Cornelia frowned.
“Is he really thinking about marriage, or what?”
Her interlocutor's facial expressions changed to gloom.
“The Duke may marry…”
“Ah.”
Cornelia made an embarrassed expression and waved her hands quickly.
“No, he definitely won’t get married. I won’t let him do that.”
“But it was said that he did not lose his honor. With an illegitimate child, the only way not to lose honor is to marry, right?”
"impossible."
“That seems to be the case, Connie.”
Grace's eyes teared up.
Cornelia held Grace's hand tightly.
"Don't cry. I'm sorry. I'm ashamed to face you."
“No, it's not your fault.”
Grace wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and smiled weakly.
“This is the Duke’s wish. Just because I love him doesn’t mean I can marry him.”
"Why do you think that's impossible? I've always wanted you to be my sister-in-law. Who in the world is as kind and friendly as you?"
“Thank you for your kind words, Cornelia.”
"No, I'm serious. My mother loves you too. She says you look like Lady Margaret, quiet and pretty."
Grace was the daughter of Lady Margaret, the Grand Duchess's lady-in-waiting.
Therefore, she grew up with Cornelia in the palace from a young age.
That's why she was even angrier.
She had a wonderful friend whom she had known for a long time, but the anonymous woman was easily accepted.
“Don’t worry, Grace. The woman sitting in the palace now does not know the meaning of shame.”
Having a child before marriage without shame.
She did not like her intentions, who seemed to think that having a child would easily make her a duchess.
“My sister-in-law will be you. Not that unknown woman, but you, who we all knew and who proved your worth.”
“Cornelia...”
“Wait. I will reveal the truth about that woman to the world.”
Cornelia stabbed the soft cake with her fork, steeling herf.
* * *
After a few days.
Elinor received an unexpected invitation from Cornelia.
“Cornelia invited the baby’s mother… I mean, Miss Elinor to a tea party?”
“Yes. She said it was a regular tea party with her peers, and she hoped you would attend.”
Elinor told Matthias, who visited her as usual, about it.
Incidentally, after the Grand Duchess's reprimand, Matthias changed her title to Miss Elinor.
‘Calling an unmarried woman the child’s mother? What inappropriate behaviour.'
Not only was it impolite, but because calling her the child's mother fueled the servants' misunderstanding.
“Strange...”
Matthias muttered, holding his chin.
“Cornelia didn't seem to accept you.”
Since Elinor and the child began residing in the ducal palace, Cornelia has maintained a cold attitude.
‘My brother has enough time to meet a woman and have a baby? So, deal with all this yourf now.'
Yesterday, she had thrown at him the stack of fief papers she was handling.
At breakfast this morning, I ignored his request to pass the pepper bowl.
“She was angry with me yesterday and today too.”
“I don't think the princess welcomes me very warmly...”
Elinor sighed.
“But since the princess invited me, how can I refuse? I have to come.”
“You could have refused by using me as an excuse.”
“That will make her hate me more? No, I'll go.”
At worst, they might make her sit in public to make fun of her.
All she has to do is close her eyes, close her ears, and sit there.
Elinor thought about it simply, but Matthias still looked worried.
He asked her:
“When is the tea party?”
“In two days.”
"Two days? That's pretty close."
“If I'm going anyway, wouldn't I better go quickly?”
"Are you the type of person who prefers to receive punishment early? So, what about what you're going to wear to the tea party?"
“I'll wear something from my closet.”
“Those drab clothes?”
Elinor tilted her head.
Depressing? It looked clean and acceptable. True, they are all dark blue and black, but...
“That's enough.”
Elinor said in an uninterested tone.
“I'm not going to show off there.”
But it seems that Matthias had a different opinion.
He frowned, then thought for a moment and said:
“Miss Elinor, do you have time this afternoon?”
“Today there are no lessons for young master, so yes...”
“Then get ready. We're going out.”
"What?"
Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Should we go out?”
"Yes."
Matthias grabbed the jacket hanging on the chair.
“We're going outside the palace to buy clothes for the tea party.”