After Connecting the Villainess and the Male Lead from the Original Story

Chapter 14. The Countess’s Tea Party (1)

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Several days had passed since the reception.

As Kaelen had promised me, he took me home the night the reception ended and quickly left the capital.

The information I heard from the butler yesterday was about exploring the Lavellion Marquis’s garden.

‘If he was so busy, he didn’t need to go to the reception.’

No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like he had gone to great lengths for my sake, and I felt both grateful and apologetic to him.

At the same time, Kaelen’s words from the reception came back to me.

‘He mentioned marriage.’

He said he was getting married soon.

It was the first time he directly mentioned marriage.

And he really seemed to be thinking about marrying me.

Engagement naturally led to marriage.

Kaelen probably thought the same.

But I couldn’t marry him.

With a determined heart, I firmly held my decision to break off the engagement, even though my heart fluttered slightly at the thought.

‘I need to talk to him as soon as he returns.’

Otherwise, I might end up in a big mess.

“No.”

“Miss, what are you saying?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”

It seemed like what I was thinking had slipped out of my mouth.

Amy, the maid, looked at me with a puzzled expression while I muttered to myself.

I mumbled something incoherent and focused on my work.

As I continued working in the study, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“Lady, it’s the butler.”

“Come in.”

With the permission to enter, the butler opened the door and walked into the study.

“What’s the matter?”

“Lady, an invitation has just arrived for you.”

“An invitation?”

“Yes. Here it is.”

I first checked the seal of the letter that the butler handed to me.

It was the seal of Lady Melisein.

“If it’s Melisein…”

Charlotte Melisein, the wife of Count Melisein, was one of the prominent figures in the social circle. She often hosted gatherings and enjoyed gossiping about the events in society.

I had never received an invitation from Lady Melisein before, so I opened it with curiosity.

To my dearest Helena Rosentia,

My name was elegantly written at the beginning of the invitation.

I have sent you this letter so suddenly because I heard there might be another delightful event happening, just like the recent incident at the last reception. I have been wanting to discuss matters related to the garden with you and tried to contact you several times, but it seems that due to the whims of time, our schedules never aligned, and I ended up having a rather melancholic cake all by myself.

You might find this invitation abrupt, but I hope you will come with a tranquil heart and enjoy tea with me and my friends.

I eagerly await your response to my invitation.

From Charlotte Melisein, the Countess who loves the garden.

After reading the entire letter, I quickly realized why she had invited me to the tea party.

‘What should I do?’

Although her letter seemed to dismiss it as a casual matter, in reality, the main focus of a tea party, more often than not, was not the garden but rather the gossip.

So, it felt like she wanted to ask about the incident at the reception, in which Kaelen and I were together. However, declining an explicitly sent tea party invitation was not proper etiquette for a noble. Moreover, she was a influential figure in the social circle. If it had been just for myself, I would have attended without worry, but this time, it was related to Kaelen, which added to my concern.

‘I have to go, don’t I?’

Even though I hadn’t replied to the invitation yet, I let out a sigh.

I picked up a pen that felt as heavy as lead, and slowly, very slowly, wrote a response accepting the invitation.

A few days later, the day of the tea party arrived. After getting ready, I took a carriage to Lady Melisein’s residence, and after about an hour’s journey, I arrived at the destination.

As I got off the carriage, Lady Melisein, the Countess herself, came to welcome me.

“Welcome. Helena Rosentia.”

“Thank you for the invitation, Lady Melisein.”

“I’m more thankful that you came despite the sudden summons.”

Lady Melisein seemed more welcoming than I had imagined. With a bit of relief, I was about to enter the mansion where the tea party was being held.

“Oh, Helena Rosentia, just a moment, please.”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at Lady Melisein, puzzled.

“Well, the truth is, the tea party is scheduled to start in two hours from now.”

“What?”

I was momentarily flustered, and I gave her an inquisitive look, waiting for an explanation.

“Um… the thing is, I had to reschedule the appointment earlier than planned because I have a favor to ask of you. Would you mind accommodating my request?”

I hesitated for a moment, wondering what favor she might want so urgently before even hearing the content. However, I decided to hear her out first and then make a decision.

“Sure, I’ll hear you out, and if it’s something I can help with, I’ll consider it.”

“Thank you. It’s just that I’d like you to take a look at our family’s garden. There’s no one better to consult about the garden than you. These flowers, I tried to imitate them from a magazine you wrote about…”

Throughout the conversation, Lady Melisein skillfully selected the compliments she offered, much like a socialite who knew exactly what to say to be understood.

“Let me take a look.”

I began to relax a bit, as it became apparent that she was seeking my assistance due to the garden.

“Thank you. The garden is this way.”

I followed Lady Melisein to the greenhouse garden she had mentioned. As I looked around, I quickly understood why she had made the request.

The garden was full of colorful and beautiful flowers. However, it seemed like they had been planted without careful consideration of their placement, orientation, or color, causing them to overshadow each other.

“Lady Melisein, may I, along with my attendants, make some changes to the garden?”

I did ask for permission first, but it made me feel a sense of accomplishment to be able to offer my help, knowing that she recognized my abilities.

“Oh, of course. If you’re the one doing it, feel free to make any adjustments you like.”

“Thank you. In that case…”

Once I had received permission, I immediately rolled up my sleeves, put on gloves, and started rearranging the flowers. In between, I instructed the attendants on the necessary groundwork for moving the flowers to their new spots.

“Since we’re short on time, let’s emphasize a vibrant feel that suits the tea party rather than striving for the garden to be in perfect harmony for a long time.”

Furthermore, taking care not to damage the roots when moving the flowers again added to the challenge, and time was running out.

Even though I gave precise instructions to the attendants and tried to avoid overlapping tasks, there were only about 30 minutes left until the tea party.

Fortunately, the garden now looked much more refined with the flowers arranged skillfully, and it perfectly matched the atmosphere of the tea party.

“Wow, your talent is truly remarkable, just as the rumors say. To make these adjustments in such a short time…”

“I had to adjust in a hurry, so there are still some shortcomings here and there, which is a bit embarrassing.”

“No, I really love it.”

Lady Melisein admired me and urged me to take a seat and offered me some tea to relax.

I handed the borrowed gloves I had used to the attendants and sat down as suggested.

“By any chance, would you be available to take care of the garden work for me in the future? Of course, I’ll compensate you generously for today’s work.”

“Yes. Fortunately, I recently graduated from the academy, and I should have a good amount of free time. Please take your time deciding on the schedule and send me a letter when you’re ready. I’ll be happy to come again. But as for the compensation for today’s work…”

“Please feel free to name your price. Thanks to you, the tea party atmosphere has come to life, so I should be able to offer you anything you desire.”

“Really? Today, I’m so sorry about everything, Helena. I’ve accumulated all these debts, and I’ll gradually pay them off.”

“No, please don’t worry about it. I’m not bothered at all. I had a great time seeing various beautiful flowers today, and it was a valuable learning experience for me.”

As Lady Melisein and I engaged in various conversations while sipping tea, the tea party and the surrounding arrangements were unexpectedly already concluded.