Helen’s mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. Refusing the cup, however, was tantamount to revealing that something was in it.
She felt everyone’s questioning eyes drawing in on her. She had failed to destroy the evidence, and she had no choice but to drink it. Once this was over she would take her chance again and break the teapot. Helen accepted the teacup from Elena with trembling hands.
“Of course. There is nothing in it.”
She spoke smoothly, despite knowing how much salt was in it the tea. Drinking it would be far from pleasant, but she couldn’t retreat now. Helen closed her eyes and took a sip.
“Uub…ub!”
Helen tried to endure it, but she had been brought up as a delicate and pampered noblewoman and could not tolerate something that horribly strong. She spit it out of her mouth.
Helen hurriedly tried to wipe off the spilled salty tea from her bright red face, but it was too late. She made an irreparable mess in front of so many people.
“Hmm.”
Elena held her head elegantly as she looked at Helen. The crowd was murmuring about them. It was part of Elena’s plan to pay Helen back in her past life by giving Helen the salty tea, which Mirabelle was about to drink. Elena predicted that Helen would try to get rid of the teapot and blocked her attempt. However, even if salt was added to the teapot it would be difficult to actually prove it was Helen’s doing. Some may quietly suspect her, but if a culprit wasn’t actually identified then the situation would eventually be buried.
Elena wouldn’t lose so easily. Helen had to try and break the teapot in front of everyone, otherwise it might have been difficult to drive Helen into the corner she was in now.
Elena pretended to cover her mouth in surprise, just as Helen had done.
“Oh, what could be in the tea? Didn’t Lady Selby say there was nothing in it? It’s not a poison, is it?”
The single word rippled through the crowd greatly.
“Poison?”
“Surely not…”
The noise of the crowd grew louder, and Elena looked around with a frightened expression.
“Lady Selby, I’m worried about your health. We should call a doctor.”
Marissa had a look of thunder, realizing that her tea party was completely ruined. Her fury was directed towards Helen. If anyone had seen Helen make several attempts to try and break a teapot, one couldn’t help but think she was the culprit.
Helen’s face turned ugly the as she saw the tide start to go against her. Honor was as important as life to the nobility. If rumors flew thick about what happened today, Helen wouldn’t be able to show her face in southern society. Her attempt to ruin Elena had ended in her own defeat.
Helen quickly pointed to Margaret standing next to her.
“What did you put in this?”
“What? W-well, that’s–”
“Did you use me to embarrass of Lady Blaise? I didn’t even realize…”
Helen wore an innocent mask as she lay blame on Margaret for her crime. Margaret, already frightened, started to panic even more.
“W-what are you talking about? I only did what Lady Selby told me to do–”
“I never said such a thing. This joke is too cruel, isn’t it?”
Helen quickly glanced at Sarah, asking for sympathy. Sarah noticed her meaning and hurriedly backed her up.
“Yes, it was Lady Lawrence who asked us to go to the table where Lady Blaise was sitting. It’s insulting that she knocked over the teacups on purpose.”
Helen relaxed as Sarah took her side.
Elena turned away from them as if they were no longer worthy for her to deal with. The women had switched targets and drove their weakest into a corner. Elena knew from the outset that Helen was the mastermind, however, Elena did not bother to tell the truth. For whatever reason, Sarah and Margaret had followed Helen’s instructions and were also guilty.
Elena’s eyes turned back to her original position, and she saw Mirabelle sitting there with a pale face. Elena spoke in a completely different voice from when she drove Helen into a corner.
“Mirabelle, are you all right? ”
“Uh-huh.”
Despite her answer, Mirabelle still looked surprised by the events that transpired. Elena wordlessly slipped her hand into Mirabelle’s to reassure her.
This was a first for Mirabelle. Although Mirabelle did not have much social experience, she couldn’t have imagined that there would be something in her tea that she was unknowingly about to drink. Even moreso, she remembered everyone’s look of contempt that was directed at her. At that moment the hairs all on her body stood on end, and she froze, not knowing what to do. Elena, however, had dealt with the situation with calm.
“…My sister.”
“Yes?”
“How did you know what was in that cup?”
Elena turned her head towards Helen, who was still attempting to talk her way out of the situation, then back at Mirabelle to answer her question. Elena’s profile stood as elegant as a carved statue. After thinking for a moment, Elena answered in a soft voice.
“…Secret.”
“Tsk.”
Mirabelle pouted at her answer. Then she flashed a thumbs up and whispered to her quietly.
“That was so incredible.”
Elena seemed a little different from the one Mirabelle knew so far, but she didn’t say it out loud. Elena seemed even more amazing when she was confident.
Elena gave a secret smile and leaned down towards Mirabelle.
“This is the beginning.”
She hadn’t imagined she’d change the future through an encounter with a marquis’ daughter. However, from now on the enemy she had to deal with was Paveluc, who would overthrow the emperor in the future and rise as a treacherous king. To prevent such a path forward for Paveluc, Elena could never be lacking in skill as a knight or as a lady. She could do more than just weep like Helen if necessary. She had to act more cleverly than anyone.
She suddenly remembered that Carlisle was supposed to visit her soon. What was Carlisle thinking? Elena wished it was as simple knowing Helen’s intentions. With no answer, Elena sighed to herself.
