About

The day I returned to the Empire after finishing my studies abroad, the first thing I heard was a rumor... "Did you hear? About Lady Bellatri Erhardt." "They say she poured wine all over the Saintess's dress." ...What? I set down the teacup I was holding. "Who did?" "Lady Erhardt." Wait a second. My friend? That Bellatri? No way. I mean, sure, her personality is trash. It's true she looks down on lower nobles, draws lines with commoners, and has a nasty way of speaking. But. "She poured wine?" That makes absolutely no sense. Bellatri hates wine. She can't even stand it being in a glass, so she drinks sparkling water instead of wine at every banquet, and she's the type to use three handkerchiefs if even a drop gets on her hands because it feels sticky. Someone like that poured wine? I'd sooner believe it if you said she threw water. "...And they say she loses her mind whenever she sees a man." I let out a genuine scoff at that. Boy-crazy? Bellatri? She only has eyes for the Crown Prince. The problem is that she likes him a bit too much. She's a woman of obsessive pure love who rots inside if the Crown Prince talks to another woman for more than three minutes, memorizes his schedule to follow him around, and even checks his walking time in the Imperial Garden... Still, she has zero interest in other men. Calling someone like that boy-crazy? I pressed my fingers against my brow. "...What about the Saintess?" "Lady Seraphina Elopi? She's just a victim, she's so fragile and soft-hearted." The moment I heard that, I had a gut feeling. Something smells fishy. And it smells like a total setup.