# 30
---
Episode 30
'After being treated like a lady so many times, it seems that you have finally lost your mind.'
Ruelia cursed her heart, which was beating madly.
As she expected, high society is a very stimulating place for her. Isn't it pathetic to get carried away in such matters and think that the Duke loves her instead of Ayla?
At that moment, she saw Ayla from afar talking to someone.
Ayla looked at Ruelia and smiled gently, then moved her lips.
It's as if she's saying: 'Didn't I tell you?'
“No wonder, I was wondering why the Duke brought a lady he had never brought before...”
“To tame that cold, ferocious duke, what an amazing lady!”
“But she is a commoner. Will the Imperial Palace allow this?”
“Well, it's going to be a tough road for sure.”
“Love that does not recognize classes, isn’t that romantic? I will support them!”
“Thank God it is not an emotional conflict with the Crown Prince. Do you remember how tense the atmosphere was after the Duke’s loss in the palace? I almost thought a revolution would break out!”
Things were moving towards establishing Ruelia as the Duke's lover once and for all.
Ruelia quickly turned around in panic.
“Sorry, I am not the Duke’s girlfriend. I am invited as the former assistant to Count Bellona’s family.”
“Oh, my God!”
“The Duke will certainly choose a more distinguished lady to be his partner, so please stop making comments that might harm his reputation.”
Ruelia said with a bright smile.
At that moment, someone put his hand on her shoulder.
“Ruelia, you are still the same, don’t change.”
It was Countess Bellona.
“The Countess.”
“I hope everyone apologizes for the offense they committed against Miss Ruelia. Don’t you see that she is embarrassed because she is not the person in question?”
said Countess Bellona with a friendly face.
“Ah, yes, we apologize. We were just seeing the scenery as beautiful...”
“Of course, young lovers always deserve congratulations, but Ruelia and the Duke are not in this relationship.
However, Ruelia’s remarkable competence makes her popular wherever she goes.”
“Yes, it seems so. Sorry, Miss Ruelia.”
“It's okay, thanks for your apology.”
“Then, if there is nothing more to say, I will excuse myf.”
Countess Bellona took Ruelia out from among the ladies, then took her to the balcony.
She closed the balcony door and closed the curtains.
“Do you have something you want to say in private?”
Ruelia asked after realizing his intentions.
“Yes, I have a lot of conversations accumulated during this period.”
The corners of the Countess's eyes crinkled. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, then gently patted the seat next to her.
It was as if she was inviting Ruelia to come and sit down quickly.
Ruelia looked towards the curtained ceremony hall.
‘I must clear up Ayla’s misunderstanding.’
While Ruelia was distracted, Countess Bellona held out her hand to get her attention.
“So, how are things going with your work with the Duke?”
“Yes, the Duke treats me well, and I do well.”
“Is this why you have never visited the Bellona Guild?”
“I was busy.”
She didn't receive any invitation anyway.
In fact, it was the Countess who refused to visit her when Ruelia offered to come before her first birthday after her resignation.
“I felt like I was treating you well, so I felt bad.”
They were unexpected words.
Rather, Ruelia should have said something like this. Didn't the Countess make huge profits thanks to her advice, and then give all the credit to a temple?
When Ruelia was silent, Countess Bellona laughed.
“In fact, I thought you left the Count’s family because you had bigger dreams.”
“Did I look like that?”
“Yes, your great ambition reminds me of my childhood.”
“Both then or now, I am satisfied with a stable life that enables me to work for a steady wage and take care of my sister.”
Upon hearing her answer, the Countess raised her eyebrows in surprise, as if this was unexpected.
“Really? I thought you joined the Duke’s family to establish relations with the Crown Prince to enter the palace, despite everyone’s warning.”
These words blocked Ruelia's mouth.
She wondered what exactly she saw in her. Therefore, her face suddenly changed into a gloomy expression.
"What is this? Why have you changed like this?"
Countess Bellona was someone Ruelia aspired to emulate.
The only woman in the empire who inherited a title and masterfully led a huge trade.
'Since her husband died?'
Ruelia heard that the Countess's husband died in an accident shortly after she left.
The last time she saw the Countess's face was at her husband's funeral.
“Madame Countess, if you have nothing else to say, can I leave first?”
Ruelia felt something uneasy, so she tried to get up based on instinct.
She also had to clear up the misunderstanding with Ayla before it got worse.
Suddenly, the Countess took her hand.
“In fact, after you left, the Bellona Guild and I suffered a lot.”
The countess's eyes appeared sad.
At that moment, Ruelia realized.
'You want something from me.'
Ruelia's eyes narrowed.
She always remembered her foster father's teaching not to be an ungrateful person.
But her father had another education as well.
- Even if it is someone who saved you, if he treats you as a tool, get rid of him. You never know when he will stab you in the back.
Her father's words were never wrong.
Countess Bellona was someone who was fine with Ruelia raising her wages even when she was overworking herf.
How often have you acknowledged or rewarded her achievements when she has made significant trading profits?
The Duke was rewarding her with a small reward, even just for preparing a budget. Therefore, Ruelia left the Count's family without hesitation when the Duke offered her to join him.
“I learned a lot, and thanks to you I now work in a better place.”
Ruelia answered cheerfully.
When she tried to get up, the Countess took her hand again. Perhaps in haste, the Countess's fingernails scratched the back of her hand.
"brother!"
“Oh, so sorry.”
When the red blood appeared on the back of her hand, the Countess took out a handkerchief from her chest and quickly wiped it away.
“It's okay, never mind. But if you have something to say, can you say it quickly? I feel like I've been away from the Duke for a long time and I want to go to him.”
Ruelia deliberately mentioned her current master in front of her old lady.
Then the Countess's features became colder.
“Okay, but did you approach the Crown Prince?”
It was a completely unexpected question.
“Thanks to the Duke’s relationship with him, His Highness only calls me by my name.”
“Really? This is very unfortunate. I intended to help you in any way if you aspired to the highest position in the palace.”
The countess, barely over fifty, seemed to be delirious.
* * *
After Countess Bellona left, Ruelia was spending time alone.
Glasses of champagne were piling up on the table.
“Heh, I made a mistake in evaluating people.”
She was emptying bottles of the most expensive champagne sold by the Bellona guild into her mouth, as if to take revenge.
With this, she intended to take revenge on the Countess, even in this way.
“You seem to have forgotten that I am a commoner, Madam Countess.”
“Since you are an orphan, we can easily create a new identity.” What about a hidden princess from a neighboring kingdom?'
“Crazy, really!”
How dare you suggest deceiving the Empire?
She is not even responsible for her life!
I promised to help her become the wife of the Crown Prince, not an appointment, to be a puppet for the Countess?
Who will accept this?
“If you want, you must dream of climbing to the highest ranks.” I stopped here, but…'
“Because of the blessings you have bestowed upon me, I will pretend that I did not hear this conversation.”
Maybe she should have reported it directly.
Ruelia emptied the champagne down her throat in one go. Although it was light wine, the large amount made her face gradually blush.
At that moment, the Crown Prince entered the balcony, accompanied by Ayla.
"His Highness? Miss Ayla?"
Ruelia uttered the names she had been repeating so familiarly in her secret.
When Ruelia called her name in a different way than usual, Ayla quickly approached, held her hands, and sat down next to her.
“I'm so happy, Miss Ruelia!”
Ruelia didn’t understand why, so she looked at Ayla with nervous eyes. Suddenly, the atmosphere around her became noisy.
“Catch him!”
Is that Belen's voice?
“Don't let him get away!”
Caelis's voice could also be heard.
It looks like they are stalking someone... but is it permissible to do this in another count's house? And on the day of a tribute party?
Ruelia's eyes narrowed, and Galion said with a shrug:
“Don't worry, it's no big deal. Let's wait.”
Galion closed the balcony door.
It seemed from afar that the Crown Prince's guards were guarding in front of the balcony. And also underneath.
In such a case, the answer is the same.
'Assassination attempt.'
There is no doubt that the one who attacked the galleon is here.