So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Among the three, Lilian—the closest to Katharina Hugo—met her gaze in silence.

Then Lilian slipped between Katharina and Renée, hooking her arm firmly through Katharina’s.

In a deliberately sweet voice, Lilian said,

“Lady Katharina, don’t be like that—come picnic with us. We already claimed a great spot!”

Lilian had fully turned her body toward Katharina, as if Renée didn’t exist.

It was an unmistakable gesture of dismissal.

But Renée, who instinctively took a small step back, looked completely unfazed.

Katharina responded as though she were truly troubled, gently linking arms with Lilian in return and tilting her head.

“But I had plans with Lady Renée… hmm. Still—since it’s turned out like this… Lady Renée, would it be alright if we enjoyed a picnic and tea party together with the ladies?”

Her face said dilemma, but her voice couldn’t quite hide the amused lilt.

And then came a clean, immediate answer.

“Hmm… sure! Sounds good!”

The young ladies let out a small pfft, stifling laughter.

“Oh my. Even the Grand Duchess…?”

Serena spoke as if flustered, lifting an elegant lace fan to cover her face.

She glanced Renée up and down behind the fan—briefly, but pointedly.

Then—

“Would the others rather not? I’d be happy with anything, as long as I’m with lovely ladies…”

At Renée’s bold reply, everyone fell silent.

And at the same time, they thought:

This woman is not normal.

It was shamelessly audacious.

With those innocent, round eyes, she returned the attack as if it were nothing.

And even when it was so obviously meant to humiliate her—she didn’t change expression at all?

A battlefield without swords—society—where all four noble ladies had survived countless skirmishes…

And yet even they were thrown off?

Just how socially adept was she?

She was so calm it was almost chilling.

There’s thick-skinned, and then there’s this. Blanche blood really is Blanche blood. Bastard or not—she’s got the same brazen nerve.

Serena cleared her throat—ahem—and drove in the wedge.

“Oh my~ we’d be honored! Lady Katharina, you’re alright with this, of course?”

“Of course. Our Lady Renée is still inexperienced in society. It’s only natural—this is her first tea party as well. So sitting with you ladies will be a wonderful new experience for her.”

Katharina’s demure answer followed.

The conversation flowed smoothly—yet the intent underneath was obvious:

They were treating Katharina as the superior.

Which was the same as saying they did not recognize Renée as Grand Duchess.

But…

Renée, blinking as if she hadn’t understood any of it, looked back with a bright smile and asked,

“Then I can come too, right, Katharina? Wow—this is exciting!”

Renée clenched both hands, radiating delight, and the hem of her yellow dress fluttered softly.

Katharina, failing to maintain her expression, twitched her lips awkwardly, then nodded.

Beside Lilian, Julie and Serena chimed in with forced agreement.

“O-of course! We’d be delighted if you joined us.”

“It’s right over there.”

Serena pointed gently toward the slope.

In the shade beneath a large tree, a “picnic” that was far too grand had been prepared:

a round table, an array of pastries and snacks, and even attendants and maids standing by.

Renée checked the setup and smiled faintly.

“Then I’m honored. To be with such beautiful ladies—how exciting!”

Her voice was smooth, like pearls rolling across a silver tray.

With a spotless, serene smile, Renée’s gaze settled on Lilian.

And the moment Lilian met those clear eyes—

a rough, uneasy feeling scratched at the inside of her chest.

Those cursed red eyes—always pointed at, always whispered about—

instead looked…

Like red glass marbles.

The girl before her was very small, delicate, and seemingly pure.

No. That could be a trick to make me relax. House Blanche is full of two-faced people.

Forcing a wide smile, Lilian spoke.

“…I’m glad as well, Lady Renée. Please, come this way.”

When they reached the table, the spread was lavish—clearly prepared with care:

sandwiches, madeleines, and all sorts of sweets.

Nearby, maids busily steeped black tea.

In no time, a perfectly staged tea party had taken shape.

The young ladies sipped politely, trading subtle glances.

After a single sip, Serena spoke first.

“Ahem… Lady Renée, you said this is your first tea party?”

It was bait—meant to needle the Grand Duchess who had never even had a debut.

But Renée answered plainly, without flinching.

“Yes. With ladies my age, especially—I never really had the chance.”

“Then… what about close friends?”

“Friends? Ah—my maids are very cute and kind. We’re always together, and we have fun. If you think about it… aren’t they friends?”

“Y-your maids?”

“I think of them as friends. Right, Betty?”

Renée turned warmly to the maids standing neatly behind her.

One of them, eyes wide, looked deeply moved and nodded over and over, sniffling.

What is this? Did she buy their loyalty with money? And—maids as friends?

How did the Blanche family educate their children?!

No—more believable is that she was neglected and never educated at all.

Yet separate from their shock at Renée’s unconventional thinking—

the three ladies were more rattled by one thing:

Nothing they threw at her worked.

Renée was impossible to pin down.

Sometimes it felt like she understood everything.

Sometimes it felt like she understood nothing at all.

Katharina had said Renée was an idiot who lucked into the Grand Duchess position.

So why—

why did elegance spill out of her even when she did nothing?

“Ah.”

A breeze stirred, scattering Renée’s silver hair.

With a small sound, she tucked it behind her ear.

Even that tiny gesture looked like a painting.

Serena fanned herself harder, snorting inwardly.

Fine. Even so—Lady Katharina has served Grand Duke Xavier since childhood. Get it together. Choose the right side.

Serena tightened her guard—

and then Renée spoke again, voice bright and shy, cheeks faintly pink.

“Actually… I couldn’t say this earlier, but I’m so happy we met like this. I hope I can become friends with you too, ladies. In the future.”

Even for four noble ladies who ruled the social scene—

they had never met anyone like Renée.

She absorbed their barbs with warm ease.

She looked a bit dense, yet her eyes shone with quiet intelligence.

And the way she spoke—straightforward, sincere—

made something shift.

Why… am I curious?

Renée Blanche—now Renée Celeste—

was unbearably intriguing.

“…Well… if Your Grace is alright with it…”

So much so that it almost made them want to be her friends for real.

“Ahem!”

At that moment, Katharina Hugo coughed pointedly.

The three ladies snapped back to themselves.

Realizing their lapse, Lilian hurriedly changed the topic.

“L-Lady Katharina! Come to think of it, that dress you’re wearing— isn’t it the newest piece from Velua Boutique?”

Katharina’s face finally relaxed.

“Hehe. As expected, Lady Lilian—your eye is sharp.”

“It suits you perfectly. And that deep-blue silk dress you wore at the last ball was so beautiful too! Compared to that…”

Lilian openly scanned Renée from head to toe.

But—

“Ball?”

Renée, apparently not noticing she’d just been evaluated, had interest—not humiliation—sparkle in her eyes.