"Good afternoon, Duchess!"
When Ellie Miller walked into the drawing room, the noblewomen visiting Kostanyn stood up to greet her with lady-like bows.
Their heads lowered, their swan-like white necks bent down, showing utmost respect.
But the "bubbles" atop their heads were a different story...
[So terrifying! Is this "The Mad Lady," aah~]
[Oh no! She's looking at me!! What do I do?! Did I dress too flashily today??]
[Help, God of The Radiance, please save me...]
[Ugh, she's so annoying! If it weren't for her, Balk would have come home by now to reunite with me, instead of following the Duke to chase after this mad woman.]
[Poor Balk, he should have seen my new sexy nightgown half a month ago.]
Ellie Miller: "..."
For everyone's mood to be pleasant, Ellie pivoted on her toe and sat on a single sofa by the window, keeping her distance from the ladies with rich internal monologues.
Five days ago, Ellie Miller was brought back to Kostanyn by The Duke of Coldcrest. Her black market venture could only be summarized in one sentence, 'The former emperor's entrepreneurship was half-done, then promptly bound back home.'
Sitting inside the carriage, The Duke of Coldcrest gave a look, and the knight named "Balk" set her three months of effort in her small shop ablaze into charcoal.
Ellie felt she couldn't let this loss pass unchallenged. She glanced at the red-haired lady, with her chin slightly lifted, resembling a noble swan among the "Ladies Group," and initiated the conversation.
"Speaking of which, the day the Order of Knights returned was quite lively, with citizens warmly welcoming them along the roadsides."
The Duchess took the initiative, evidently allowing the breath-holding "Ladies Group" to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"I must say, our knights are very popular. So many young and beautiful girls express their passionate admiration for them..."
Pausing her words, she slightly tilted her head, and sure enough, the "bubbles" above the ladies' heads changed drastically.
[Damn! Lance has been so distracted these days! Could he be enchanted by some sweet pixie??]
[Oh, I have to trust Barton! He would never be unfaithful to our marriage, oh, God of The Radiance, protect us...]
[Ugh, madwoman, do you think we're all like you? Suspecting our husbands of sneaking bites outside all day?]
[Hmph! I make sure Balk is "well-fed" every day~ He won't have energy to look at "wildflowers" outside!]
Ellie watched as each lady eagerly raised their ears and slowly said, "Oh, speaking of which, Vice-Captain Balk seemed to be the most popular, didn't he? He was hit by a corset thrown from the second floor."
Annie, Vice-Captain Balk's wife, visibly turned green.
Ellie tilted her head slightly, "During the celebration banquet, they even pulled out the corset Knight Balk tried to hide to tease him, as I recall."
"I remember Balk is married, so he shouldn't have hidden that woman's corset. How would his wife feel about that?" Ellie shook her head, expressing her disapproval.
What does Annie Sherman think?
Annie Sherman was furious, unable to think!
Only the sound of 'snap' was heard as a lady accidentally broke her lace fan, as if it were the life of that unlucky Vice-Captain.
Balk's wife Annie instantaneously transformed into a "furious lioness." She rose abruptly, her heaving chest constrained by her bustier.
Ellie glanced nonchalantly at the top of Mrs. Burton's head, seeing a blood-red, bold line in the "bubble"—
[Balk Sherman!!! I'm going to kill you!]
Seeing such fiery temper, Ellie felt instantly relieved, her smile becoming much more sincere.
"Ah, madam, you don't look very well. Are you feeling unwell? Would you like to go 'rest' first?" Ellie sincerely offered her concern to Balk's wife.
In a rush to go home to deal with her unruly husband, Annie forfeited any pleasantries, directly saying, "In that case, I'll take my leave!"
Watching the fiery red-haired beauty storm home, Ellie silently "prayed" for the unfortunate Vice-Captain:
God of The Radiance, please bless Knight Balk and let him—not die too easily. (*￣︶￣)
Ellie revealed a genuine smile, causing several ladies who were stealthily watching her to blush.
[My goodness... The Mad Lady is truly beautiful!]
[Ah! It's hard to imagine such a beauty being the rumored woman who made the Duke lose face...]