"Oh, I thought you knew I had invited both of you. It did seem odd that you arrived in separate carriages."

What a dilemma. I had come to make friends, but how could anyone expect hospitality in a nest of vipers? The moment I walked into their trap, they bared their fangs, ready to strike. The mocking murmurs and stifled giggles from the noblewomen surrounding us were impossible to miss.

They were waiting for me to snap, to lose my composure and create a spectacle. They knew my relationship with Edurne was far from cordial, and their invitation was nothing more than bait for a fight. If I had been the original Daira, perhaps things would have unfolded exactly as they hoped.

Too bad for them—I had no intention of playing along.

"Yes, it's quite the surprise," I replied with a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Forgive me, Edurne. Had I been more attentive, I would have ensured we traveled together."

"Don't apologize, Daira," Edurne said, her voice carefully neutral. "I didn't mention it because I didn't want to inconvenience you."

"What are you saying? I'd never take offense over something so trivial... especially not after we cleared the air last night, remember?"

"Y-Yes," she stammered.

I silently thanked the devil for inventing politeness. The other nobles clearly hadn't expected me to act graciously. Their confusion was evident in their furrowed brows and the frustrated whispers they exchanged. I could practically hear their disappointment at being denied the melodrama they had so eagerly anticipated.

How utterly gratifying.

"Shall we take our seats again, Princess Daira?" the Count's daughter interjected, her forced smile betraying her irritation.

I mirrored her smile, my expression as sweet as honey.

"Of course... But next time, I must insist you inform me beforehand if you plan to invite additional members of my household. It would help avoid these... awkward misunderstandings. I hadn't thought Lady Fiore could falter in organizing something as simple as a tea party."

Her composure faltered, and her face flushed as she clenched her fists slightly.

"Y-Yes, Princess. Thank you for... your advice," she mumbled.

We took our seats again. The rest of the girls returned to their idle chatter, and Edurne quietly retreated to her place. Watching her, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. She clearly had no idea she was being used as a pawn in the nobles' scheme to humiliate me.

The poor girl was visibly nervous under the weight of their stares. If she had been part of the plan, she would have carried herself with the smug confidence of the Count's daughter. Instead, she walked away with her head down, shoulders slumped in shame.

How pitiful. I almost felt sorry for her.

Betia arrived a few minutes later, balancing a tray of appetizers for me. They were well-prepared, but they paled in comparison to the desserts served at my mansion. My palate had grown accustomed to near-perfection in culinary matters, and these offerings felt a bit... underwhelming.

Had I become classist?

"I want to thank you again for gracing my party with your presence, Princess Daira," Lady Fiore said, her saccharine tone grating against my nerves.

"I suppose I needed to step out of the mansion for a change," I replied casually.

"Yes... I've heard you tend to keep yourself cooped up for long periods," she remarked with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes.

That little viper. She was taking her time, preparing to strike.

"It's unusual to see you at noble gatherings, Princess Daira," another voice chimed in from the table beside us.

I turned my gaze toward her. "And you are...?"

"I am Amy Grai Fardal, Princess. My father owns lands in Lanian. We do business with the Duke of Lanian and the Marquis of Carone."

A vassal baron's daughter, no doubt. The name didn't ring a bell, so she couldn't have been of higher rank.

"It's true that I don't often attend these events," I said with a faint smile. "I am a woman who prefers to spend her time in more personal pursuits."

If what they said about the original Daira was true, it seemed she and I had more in common than I thought.

How interesting.

"And what kind of activities do you enjoy, Princess?" Amy asked, leaning forward slightly as if eager to pounce on an opportunity to mock me.

The truth was, since my arrival in this world, my days had been filled with little more than indulging in decadent meals and enduring endless children's stories. Neither activity seemed particularly befitting of a princess, so I wracked my brain for something that might sound more refined.

Perhaps I could draw from my past life.

"I enjoy puzzles," I said finally. "Jigsaw puzzles and sudoku, in particular."

The girls stared at me, their expressions quizzical.

"What's sudoku?" one of them asked.

Damn. I hadn't thought my answer through. Of course, in this world, certain games hadn't been invented yet.

"It's... well, it's easier if I show you. Could someone bring me some sheets of paper and a pen?"

"Certainly. Greta! Serve the Princess!" Lady Fiore barked, her tone clipped and authoritative.

Her maid quickly returned with the items I had requested. I began to sketch a rustic version of a sudoku grid. Despite its simplicity, my little project seemed to draw a surprising amount of attention. One by one, several other nobles inched closer, curiosity etched on their faces.

"You simply fill in the numbers so that they don't repeat in these rows, columns, and boxes," I explained. "Once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite entertaining."

For a moment, silence hung in the air. The girls studied the grid I had drawn, their expressions ranging from mild confusion to outright disbelief.

"What a bizarre game," one of them finally said, wrinkling her nose.

"Indeed, Princess. You have very... peculiar tastes," Lady Fiore added with a smile that dripped with condescension.

And then, as if on cue, the rest of the girls began to laugh.

"She's right!" one of them cackled. "So strange!"

What a disappointment. I'd thought they might find some value in the game once I explained it. Clearly, I'd overestimated them. You can't teach a donkey to sing, after all. At least in my past life, I had other distractions—like kitten videos. They were my guilty pleasure right up until the day I died.

But here? Explaining what a phone was would probably make their little brains implode.

"I think this is a very interesting game, Princess!" Betia said suddenly, her voice timid but sincere.

"Who gave the maid permission to speak?" Lady Fiore snapped, her tone icy as she turned to glare at her.

Betia immediately ducked her head, her hands clasped nervously. I frowned, feeling a spark of irritation rise in my chest.

"I did," I said firmly.

Lady Fiore's eyes widened, her composure slipping for the briefest moment.

"Do you actually listen to your maids?" Lady Fiore asked, her tone dripping with disbelief as she eyed me with a mockingly raised brow.

"And what's wrong with that?" I replied evenly, refusing to rise to her bait.

The room stilled, but the tension rippled just beneath the surface. The nobles exchanged quick, scandalized glances, clearly struggling to decide if my response was ignorance or insolence.

"Daira values the opinion of her personal maid very much," a familiar voice interjected. Edurne stepped forward, her voice soft but determined.

"She goes everywhere with her. She's like her friend," she added with a small, nervous smile.

"Friend...?"

Lady Fiore's perfectly painted lips twitched as if suppressing a laugh. But it was too late. The room erupted.

"She said she was like her friend!" one of the girls squealed, and their laughter cascaded like waves, cruel and unchecked.

I clenched my fists beneath the table, my nails biting into my palms. Edurne's attempt to defend me had backfired spectacularly. For a moment, I wondered if it was intentional, but the sight of her trembling lips and tear-filled eyes quickly dispelled the thought. She hadn't betrayed me—she had simply underestimated their venom.

No. It wasn't Edurne's words that were wrong. It was their inability to fathom the concept of dignity outside their rigid class boundaries.

"Forgive my outburst, Princess Daira," Lady Fiore said with exaggerated politeness, drawing the attention back to herself. "But I found Lady Edurne's comment simply too amusing. She certainly knows how to tell a good joke."

"It's not a joke," I said coldly.

Silence. The laughter died instantly, replaced by a palpable unease.

"What...?" Lady Fiore asked, her mask of amusement faltering for the first time.

"I consider Betia someone very close to me," I said, my voice firm and clear.

Lady Fiore's composure cracked, just enough to reveal the disapproval lurking beneath her practiced expression.

"That can't be," she said, her voice sharp.

"According to whom?" I countered, my tone unwavering.

Her lips tightened into a thin line, and the room fell into an uneasy quiet. The nobles exchanged uncertain glances, but no one dared to speak.

Recovering quickly, Lady Fiore plastered a smile back on her face. "It seems the accident you had has... clouded your judgment. May I recommend an excellent doctor from our household?" she offered with a faux concern that barely masked her true intentions.

Ah. So that was it. The invitation, the feigned warmth, the veiled jabs—it all made sense now. They weren't just here to humiliate me.

They wanted answers. About the accident.

There was a rat in the Thamel mansion. The accident was supposed to be completely confidential. Only Prince Damian had been informed—and even then, only because he had insisted on seeing me, not because the duchy had chosen to share the information. No one else should have known.

Least of all someone as inconsequential as her.

"How did you hear I had an accident?" I asked, keeping my tone calm but watchful.

"Oh, it's just rumors floating around," Lady Fiore replied smoothly, her practiced smile in place. "But it was enough to concern me."

"And if it's true, I'd like to help you too, Princess Daira," Lady Amy added, her saccharine tone grating. "Perhaps some medicine to... ease these peculiar ideas you seem to have?"

I sighed deliberately, letting the weight of my irritation show. "I'm fine. I don't need a doctor or over-the-counter remedies."

"So, it is true that you had an accident?" Lady Fiore pressed, her eyes gleaming with unspoken triumph.

"I'm sorry," I replied curtly, "but what happens to me is none of your concern."

Lady Fiore's facade faltered slightly, her frown slipping through. "But we're only expressing our concern. Surely, you wouldn't mind if we asked Lady Edurne?" she said, her tone saccharine but laced with menace.

The room shifted as if on cue, and all eyes landed on Edurne. She froze like a cornered animal, her hands trembling slightly as she clasped them together.

"What do you think, Lady Edurne?" Fiore continued, her voice dripping with false politeness.

"M-Me?" Edurne stammered, her face pale.

"Yes," Fiore said, her smile sharp. "We'd like to know if you think our concern is appropriate."

Edurne's gaze darted to me, searching for reassurance. I gave her none, keeping my face impassive. The weight of the room pressed on her shoulders, but to her credit, she didn't crumble.

"Daira doesn't usually share her personal matters with me, so I wouldn't know," she said finally, her voice soft but steady. "However, if there was an incident, it must not have been serious. The mansion has been operating as usual. There's nothing for you to worry about."

Damn. That's a good answer.

"I see... It's true that the relationship between you two isn't the best," Lady Fiore said, her words dripping with feigned sympathy.

"Tch... What else can you expect from a Rai?" another noble quipped, her voice deliberately loud enough to carry across the room. The comment drew another round of laughter, sharp and mocking.

Edurne shrank further into herself, retreating to her seat with her head bowed, utterly crushed.

"Well," I said, rising from my chair, "it was a lovely party. But I must be going now."

A collective hush fell over the room. My abrupt departure seemed to catch everyone off guard, though Fiore quickly recovered.

"It's such a shame, Princess. Your presence truly livened things up. It was most... entertaining," she said, her smile sharp.

"I'm sorry as well," I replied, meeting her gaze without flinching. "But the responsibilities of a princess are far more demanding than someone like you could possibly understand."

Her smile didn't falter, but a small vein pulsed faintly at her temple. "Still, I do hope we'll see you at another gathering."

I returned her smile, sweet as honey but with an edge sharper than a blade. "Only if you're lucky."

I turned to Edurne. "Edurne, are you coming with me?"

She looked startled, her wide eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she lowered her head again. "Thank you, Daira. But I... I'll stay for a while."

"As you wish," I said evenly.

Without another word, I left the room, Betia and my guard trailing behind me. The carriage awaited us outside, and as soon as I stepped in and the door shut, I let out a deep sigh.

I had known noble gatherings could be taxing, but this one had been outright suffocating. Still, it hadn't been without merit—it had taught me an invaluable lesson.

I could trust no one.

As the carriage jolted into motion, my thoughts turned to Edurne. A pang of pity twisted in my chest. It was painfully obvious that the other nobles only tolerated her when it suited their convenience, discarding her or turning on her the moment it amused them.

She endured scorn inside and outside the mansion.

Still, I couldn't understand why she had chosen to stay with them. She was trying so hard to fit into a world where it was painfully clear she didn't belong. No matter how hard she tried, none of those girls would ever truly accept her. They might tolerate her presence for their own amusement, but they would never allow someone like her to claim a place among them.

Because in the end, no matter how noble she seemed, she would never truly be one of them.

And the same applied to me. No matter how noble I was, I would never truly fit into their world. Our minds worked too differently. Perhaps they hated Daira because she had always been an outsider, or perhaps their disdain stemmed from jealousy of her position. Whatever the reason, one thing was clear—they had no intention of welcoming me, the new Daira, into their circle.

Today's party had made that painfully evident. The idea of noble camaraderie in this world was nothing more than an illusion. They didn't want friends; they wanted subordinates. They expected me to bow to their whims, to kneel before them as they sought to force Edurne to do.

But I wasn't like that. I would not humble myself for anyone. To do so would be to betray everything I had stood for in my previous life.

The truth was undeniable: I had no allies in this world.

Thank you for joining me for this chapter of Noble Soul! 💖 I hope you enjoyed the tension, the conflicts, and the emotions woven into this world of intrigue and challenges.

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