-

“Ah, Lady Diana. It’s a pleasure as well.”

Diana smiled at me, looking happy with my response. Her tamed orange hair contrasted fiercely against her blue dress and her sharp yellow eyes were filled with budding arrogance.

Her eyes swept over our table, stopping on Leonora before going back to me.

“Lady Lydia, I think we would get along quite well.”

I smiled, “Oh?”

“Yes. I’ve been wanting to invite you to my tea party, but I heard you were busy,” her eyes darted to Leonora again.

I raised a brow. I could sense an underlying current, but I didn’t know what Diana had against Leonora. Most of all, I had barely seen them interact. Which made sense seeing as Diana was 4 years older than Leonora.

I glanced at the girls beside Diana, an odd feeling in my chest. Lady Diana seemed to surround herself with people both younger than her and weaker in status than her. She really was too much like me.

Maybe that’s why I never really talked or paid attention to Diana in my first life. It would have been like looking into a mirror.

I nodded at her, “Yes, Countess Clementine has been a wonderful host.”

“Hm,” she sidestepped my words and her voice dropped a few notes, “Lady Calliwell, I haven’t seen you since Marchioness Gwendoline’s luncheon. Where have you hidden yourself?”

The sarcasm when Diana said ‘Lady’ was too obvious causing Irene’s face to change. I narrowed my eyes.

Then Diana turned to Anna Simone, who was on my right and her lips curled arrogantly, “You’re Viscount Simone’s daughter, are you not? I can’t believe this.”

Anna looked confused.

Seeing that Diana sneered, “Some people just do not know their place.”

“Lady Diana—” Anna began.

“Ugh, don’t call me,” Diana spoke exaggeratedly, “I feel my elegance lowering when you say my name.”

‘Now that’s too much.’

“You must be bored, Diana,” came a cheerful voice before I could speak.

I turned to find Leonora with the biggest smirk on her face. I was a little stunned. She surely wasn’t close enough with Diana Gwendoline to call her without a title. So the lack of title was purposeful disrespect.

“Are your little followers not sucking up to you enough?” Leonora had this expression of mock concern, “Do you need more attention?”

Diana’s expression distorted, “D-Did you just—”

Leonora rolled her eyes, “Will you always react the same when I call you Diana?”

‘So this is not the first time,’ I mirthfully noted inside. That said, this situation was escalating fast.

Diana seemed a little speechless, “Oh, you little—”

“We’re the same height,” Leonora cheerfully cut her off again. And I resisted the urge to remark on how silly that retort was.

“A mere Count’s daughter dares to—” you could see anger beginning to rise in Diana’s face.

“Oh, stop it with the ‘mere’,” she smiled, “We both know a Count is nothing near ‘mere’.”

“Stop cutting me off!” Diana’s voice went up a pitch.

“You make it too easy. I can’t resist.” She shrugged.

“Why you little—”

“Again, same height.”

“You know I’m not talking about that!” Diana snapped.

Leonora waved nonchalantly, “Don’t get your knuckles in a twist.”

“Knickers,” I whispered to her. Knuckles made no sense

“Will you let her speak to me like this, Lady Lydia?”

‘Why bring me into this?’

I cleared my throat, “Lady Leonora was just joking.”

“Joking?!” Diana screamed at me.

I suddenly smiled and looked into Diana’s eyes as I let my next words fall, “Are you raising your voice at me, Lady Diana?”

She seemed to suddenly realized who she was talking to and shrunk back, “N-No, Lady Lydia.”

“That’s what I thought,” I was suddenly craving some tea, “Now, Lady Leonora, do apologize to Lady Diana. She seems offended by your jokes.”

Leonora seemed reluctant, “But Lady Lydia—”

“No buts. Apologize.” I was firm.

Leonora pouted but apologized nonetheless. I nodded in satisfaction, “Is that okay, Lady Diana?”

She didn’t look satisfied but didn’t want to contradict me.

“Now, Lady Diana, do apologize to Miss Simone. She deserved none of that.”

“Excuse me?” Diana looked absolutely horrified by my suggestion. Surely it wasn’t that bad.

I patiently repeated what I said, “I want you to apologize to Miss Simone.”

“I’m sorry but I’m going to have to refuse, Lady Lydia,” she spoke through grit teeth.

“And why is that?”

“I have done nothing wrong. I merely said the truth,” she looked away, turning her chin up at us.

“Oh, I see,” I replied understandingly, and she looked both confused and surprised, as if she’d expected me to do more.

We had attracted a little crowd and most of the children had their attention to us.

Nobody spoke for a while and I let the silence hang till it was uncomfortable. Even Leonora seemed a little put off by the little smile on my face. Honestly, I felt a little bad to be mean to children but then again, I didn’t want Diana thinking she could assert her position over the people I was talking to.

I didn’t care what she did as long as it didn’t cross my path. If there was anything I’d learnt from high society, it was that you never let anyone walk over you. If they did it once, there would be a second time. In this case, I wasn’t the one being walked over but I had a soft spot for the Simone girl.

Even in my last life, she remained relatively innocent. She had stayed away from me since I didn’t want any ‘commoners’ around me but she was kind to me. More times than she should’ve. I didn’t cry too often in my last life, but she had been…unfortunate enough to catch sight of me crying. It had been an odd experience. Someone I looked down on was telling me I deserved better.

Hah.

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and broke the silence, “Oh, right. Lady Diana, you will be joining the Academy this spring, yes?”

She was turning 12 this spring, which was the age you were allowed to enroll in the royal academy.

Diana’s expression was haughty as she faced me now. She seemed to be looking down on me for taking a step back. I could see her trying to think about why I wouldn’t push more despite my higher status.

I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

“Indeed,” Diana said, “I shall grace the Royal Academy with my presence this spring,” the arrogance in her voice was unmistakable.

“The Royal Academy hasn’t had anyone like you, Lady Diana,” the girl on Diana’s right spoke flatteringly.

“They will be amazed,” another girl spoke exaggeratedly, and it devolved into a competition to praise Diana.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and cut in, “Yes, yes. And I assume you will be following in your mother’s footsteps?”

Diana smiled and lifted her chin proudly, “Of course.”

Hearing the words I was waiting for, I let my voice turn solemn, “Then I guess the house of the Eminent Tutor will have to change.”

Suddenly, Diana froze. She looked like she didn’t believe her ears. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it immediately.

The Eminent Tutor was the lady-in-charge of training the next Queen. And the current Eminent Tutor was Marchioness Gwendoline. The Gwendoline household prepared every first daughter of the family to become the next Eminent Tutor. There was a selection process for show but it was always the Gwendoline family who took the position.

However, if the next Queen did not like the Gwendoline family, the position of Eminent Tutor was lost to them.

Before my words could fully sink in, I sighed with mock sorrow, “Ah, poor Marchioness Gwendoline. I wonder how she’ll feel to hear this. Perhaps she should be given sometime off to take in the news.”

There was no such thing as time off when the Queen-to-be was not yet fully trained. I was deliberately delaying the conclusion of my studies so they couldn’t claim I was a genius or something similar. However, if I complained and asked Queen Rowena to give the Marchioness ‘time off’, they would have to use a replacement. And if I happened to like the replacement more than the Marchioness….

“L-Lady Lydia...” Diana stammered out the words.

“Hm?” I titled my head with mock confusion. And I was really craving some tea.

“I-I’m sorry…” her voice was a little shaky as she bowed her head slightly. She didn’t seem to know what she was apologizing for, but she could tell I was upset.

“Oh my, what are you apologizing for?” I covered my mouth and let my voice drop till it was cold, “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Immediately, her head shot up. And her eyes were filled with horror. I repeated her very words back to her.

The next instant, she looked at Anna Simone. She lowered her head and when she lifted them again, her eyes were filled with anger. She clenched her fists to stop herself from trembling in rage and turned to me.

“What….will you have me do, Lady Lydia...?” every single word was spoken like it was forced out of her throat.

‘Shit.’

I cursed inwardly. I could tell she felt humiliated. And I didn’t mean to humiliate her…initially. But old habits die hard.  

I resisted the urge to face palm and snuck a peek at Anna. She looked scared by this whole debacle. Once again, I had to resist the urge to facepalm.

‘They are children, Lydia. Children.’

I sighed inwardly and huffed frustratedly, “Just apologize. Is it...is it really that hard to apologize, Lady Diana?”

Her expression turned odd and she stammered, “W-What?”

I raised a brow. Are we really doing this again?

She flinched at my expression and slowly unclenched her fist. She took a breath and straightened up. Then she turned slightly to Anna. “My apologies…Miss Simone.” Then she turned to me, “Is that alright?”

“That’ll do. Thank you.” Again, she looked surprised. But I couldn’t really tell why this time.

“I shall excuse myself now,” Diana spoke hurriedly and left before anyone could say anything.

I watched her departing back in silence. As the small crowd began to disperse, I glanced at Leonora.

She looked…happy.