Return of the Female Knight

Mirabelle pouted at first, but as the party progressed she began to enjoy herself with Elena. Until they had arrived, she hadn’t known they would end up seated at the far end of the garden. Although she had already made an appearance in society before, she had almost no experience of attending a party. She didn’t know that Elena had to notify the host that the number of people attending had changed.

However, Mirabelle wasn’t a fool that she didn’t know what it meant to be sitting far away from the host. She attended with the intention of crushing Helen’s nose, but from the seat arrangements she couldn’t help but feel sullen.

After Elena explained why they were sitting there, Mirabelle had understood. Since she had never been among such a crowd before, she felt happy to sit down and chat with Elena to herself. Elena looked especially darling in Mirabelle’s dress, and it was a joy to see the other ladies and gentlemen dressed up to the fullest as well.

At first, Mirabelle focused on how to get payback from Helen. Later she felt more assured because she believed the people she saw today would truly know who was more beautiful between Elena and Helen.

Mirabelle savored a bite of a chocolate-filled cookie from the table.

“Wow, this is so delicious.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. Let’s ask our chef to make these cookies when we get home later,”

Mirabelle whispered cutely, and Elena couldn’t help but smile. She wanted to buy a whole bakery for Mirabelle.

“Of course. Now eat as much as you like.”

“Yes, sister.”

Mirabelle’s smile caused a warmth to spread though Elena’s chest. She never really enjoyed these kinds of social gatherings. But no matter the place, as long as there was her sister’s smile she would be in heaven

Elena and Mirabelle sat at the far end of the tea party and enjoyed a simple happiness of their own.

Ttubeog, ttubeog–

Helen and Sarah and Margaret, the latter who had a frightened look on her face, approached them. Sarah was the first one to speak.

“Hello, Lady Blaise. You don’t usually attend social gatherings. How are you today? It’s so good to finally see you again.”

Elena wanted to spend more time with Mirabelle without interruption, but she couldn’t ignore another person whether she wanted to or not. Elena gave a polite reply.

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

In fact, Elena couldn’t even remember who this young woman was. Elena had lived another life for twenty years before returning to the past. The faces of the young people who had little to do with her did not remain in her memory.

However, Helen’s face was instantly recognizable. Any pretty face could have been memorable, but a colder look remained in her mind.

Unnoticed by Elena and Mirabelle, Helen signaled to Margaret with a glance.

Suddenly, Margaret yanked on the tablecloth, causing the teacups to spill on the table. Fortunately the hot tea did not splatter in Elena’s and Mirabelle’s direction, but they had to sit in place and show a slight sign of embarrassment.

“What are you doing?”

Margaret stammered out an apology with a pale look on her face.

“O-oh, this was a mistake…”

She looked frantic, and Elena spoke calmly as if it not to worry about the issue.

“It’s alright. As long as the tea didn’t spill on us. Did you get burned?”

“I…I’m okay.”

“Well, no one was hurt.”

For some reason Margaret looked even more frightful at Elena’s calm demeanor.  Elena had acted composed because she thought Margaret had simply made a mistake, but Margaret’s genuine remorse made her look over the situation again.

This was a table at the far end of the tea party. Elena and Mirabelle were having fun in their own worlds, and the other people assigned to their table had already moved on somewhere else. Presently, there was only Elena and Mirabelle and the three other young women, and no one was hurt.

Suddenly something strange struck her, but Helen spoke first with a smile on her face.

“How about we refill a cup?”

It sounded like a polite suggestion to everyone. Sarah quickly brought in a teapot from the back. She placed a new cup in front of Elena and Mirabelle and immediately filled it up. Before Elena could say anything, Helen spoke first.

“Miss Lawrence must feel very sorry, so let’s have a cup of tea together as an apology.”

Helen called out to a servant to bring over the cup she had been drinking from her table. She lifted her cup of tea in a graceful position. Mirabelle stared at Helen, suspicious about the other woman from the start. However, Mirabelle could not openly reject the offer.

“You said it was alright, but Lady Selby insists on apologizing…I suppose we’ll just have to accept it. Right, sister?”

Mirabelle said, her voice heavy with sarcasm, and Helen’s face hardened. Watching it with satisfaction, Mirabelle picked up the cup that Sarah had filled. Elena just wanted to drink quickly and drop the distractions. But then…

A sleeping memory had reawakened in Elena’s mind. She had attended this party before. Mirabelle was not with her at that time, and she had worn her old clothes because Mirabelle hadn’t made dress

Like a panorama, scenes of the past emerged of her drinking tea with Helen. As soon as she took a sip there was a strong salty taste in her mouth, but she couldn’t spit it out. If she did something wrong it would offend Marissa. Helen had smiled as she watched Elena swallow the salty tea.

At that moment, she saw Mirabelle bringing a cup of tea to her mouth.

Hwiig!

Without any hesitation, Elena knocked away the cup she was about to drink. The teacup fell to the ground and shattered.

Wachachang!

The loud noise brought the party to a halt. The eyes of all the ladies and young men turned to their table.