Ch. 85 This Is Incredible (1)
Just as Carlisle said, gossip of what happened at the party quickly spread throughout high society. Unlike the current soft-spoken emperor Sullivan, the sudden, brutal appearance of Carlisle was the prime topic among the nobility, compounded by the fact that he had spent years in the battlefield before appearing in capital society. While there had been stories about the Prince Redfield, word about the Imperial Household now was far different from the past.
Inevitably, Elena’s name became a topic of conversation as well. The revelation that she and Carlisle had been in a relationship for a while now completely destroyed any other rumors. Carlisle had even killed the nobleman who tried to frame her. As a result, only the rumors about Helen started by Elena remained, and recently people began to make reference to Helen in a negative way.
“Why are you so jealous of me? You’re just like Lady Selby.”
“When was I jealous of you!”
This kind of conversation was common among the aristocrats these days, and it was said that Helen locked herself up in her mansion.
However, there was another issue that Elena had to concentrate on just around the corner. She originally intended to tell her family that she would marry Carlisle, whom she met at the ball…
But now it was out in the open that she had been in a secret relationship with him all this time. Mirabelle did not yet know that Elena was secretly seeing the prince, however. The moment Elena had to confess. They had never hidden anything from each other, and she was nervous that Mirabelle would be upset with her.
Elena uncharacteristically gave a dry gulp.
“Mirabelle, I need to talk to you for a moment…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Mirabelle, who was sitting leisurely in her room, stepped out when she heard Elena’s call. Mirabelle was the picture of sweetness, but Elena could not smile at the scene. Her face stiffened.
“I have to confess something to you. It’s a little bit too much to say here, um…Should we move somewhere else and talk over a cup of tea? “
“What? Why are you so serious, sister? “
Mirabelle was worried about her. Elena was normally more straightforward and didn’t usually talk in a roundabout way.
Mirabelle wordlessly followed Elena to an outside patio table, and they didn’t speak even after Mary brought Mirabelle’s favorite milk tea. Elena found herself not knowing where to begin. Soon the silence became too oppressive.
“Mirabelle, drink your tea when it’s warm.”
“I will. But can you tell me what you want to say first?”
Mirabelle looked up curiously but Elena remained hesitant. Mirabelle knew that her sister was struggling, so she patiently took a sip of her tea.
As Elena watched Mirabelle cup her tea with both hands and blow gently on it’s steaming surface, she realized that this moment truly was real. Her words really would lead to a marriage with Carlisle. She had already made this decision in her head over and over, but this was the first time that she would reveal it to her family.
“…Mirabelle.”
“Yes.”
“The truth is…”
Mirabelle tried to prompt Elena further.
“What is it?”
After another moment, Elena answered with a tight voice.
“…I’m in love.”
Mirabelle blinked owlishly a few times, then came to her senses.
“W-what?”
Her voice was louder than before.
“Actually…there’s a man I’ve been seeing for a while now.”
“Whaaaaat?”
Mirabelle’s mouth dropped open, before realizing her rudeness and covering her mouth with both hands. For a moment there was silence again. Mirabelle could not believe it. She suspected that Elena was nervous about something, but she never dreamed that it was because she was seeing someone. Elena hadn’t expressed any interest in men or relationships at all before. Of course, in reality Mirabelle’s suspicions were not wrong, as Carlisle’s and Elena’s marriage was one of convenience.
“‘A while now’…How long have you been seeing each other? No, no, wait. Who’s the man?”
The moment was finally here for Elena. It was one thing to tell her sister that she had been seeing someone, but was even more nerve-wracking to tell her who it was.
“Well…”
“Is he in the capital city?”
“…It’s His Highness.”
“His Highness? Who…Oh my!”
Mirabelle eyes widened even more. She inferred it was Carlisle as he was the one that danced with Elena at the ball. Mirabelle stared at her sister in disbelief as if to ask, Are you really dating Carlisle? Instead of answering, Elena slowly nodded.
“Oh my God!”
Mirabelle squealed and leapt from her seat and ran in a circle around the table several times. She thought they looked beautiful together dancing at the ball…but she never imagined that the two would be together. Her words were a scramble in her mind. Mirabelle forced herself to calm and returned to the table and sat down. Her eyes shone with curiosity.
“How long have you been seeing each other? Why didn’t you tell me?”