A Summer With Bitter Rivals - What If Side Story 4

What If Side Story: Marriage with a Rival (4)

“…Is that so?”

Emeline, who had been quietly listening, finally opened her mouth.

At her reaction, Reina continued with an even more agitated voice. She looked as if she were harboring some deep grudge.

“To marry such a promiscuous man—if it were me, I would’ve found it horrible and revolting. He flirts with women left and right. Honestly, I pity you, Lady Delzeier…”

As Reina spat out her scathing insults with a scowl, Emeline’s gaze grew colder and colder.

Her mood had turned foul.

More than just discomfort, a surge of anger began boiling inside.

Why did this feel so awful?

It was almost as if she herself were being insulted, even though she clearly wasn’t.

After a moment of thought, Emeline spoke. Her hand, which had been resting leisurely, touched the now-cold teacup.

“Lady Adelie.”

“Yes, Lady Delz—”

Splash!

Emeline poured what remained in her teacup over Reina. Her blue eyes, calm as ever, glinted with contempt.

Gasps rose from those around them, and Reina jumped to her feet.

“Wh-what are you doing, Lady Delzeier?!”

“I simply couldn’t sit by and watch you slander someone without reason.”

“I never insulted you!”

“When did I say you insulted me? I was talking about Lord Trancium.”

“……”

“Oh, but I suppose it’s all the same now. He’s going to be my husband, after all. His disgrace will soon be mine too, won’t it?”

The sound of her teacup hitting the table rang harsh and sharp.

Her expression remained fiercely composed, but her actions made it clear she was furious.

“I-I was taking your side, Lady Delzeier! You can’t just throw tea on me! I wasn’t slandering anyone—I was only stating facts!”

Reina looked genuinely shocked. Her dress and hair were soaked and a mess.

Seeing the betrayal in her eyes, Emeline let out a cold chuckle.

“And you call all that ‘facts’?”

As if.

Emeline knew Zenon Trancium wasn’t the kind of man who ran around chasing women like the rumors claimed.

“You’re always treating me like some playboy. All those rumors you’ve heard—they’re all exaggerated.”

She had heard it directly from his lips.

And not just that, she had seen it with her own eyes.

The day she realized the truth behind the rumors, Zenon had been outside the school grounds turning down a girl who had confessed her feelings.

Emeline happened to witness it as she passed by. Their eyes met, and she had quickly walked away, pretending not to notice.

As she recalled the memory, Emeline narrowed her eyes.

‘Hold on…’

She stared at Reina, who stood fuming and soaked in tea.

Suddenly, a hollow laugh slipped out.

It all made sense now—her petty behavior, her motives, all neatly aligned.

With her thoughts organized, Emeline opened her mouth. “Well… I suppose this is a good opportunity to get something off my chest.”

“What is it?”

“I haven’t said anything until now, but back in school, I used to share a private study room with Lord Trancium. He asked to use it together.”

“Share it…?”

“So I’d say I know Zenon Trancium a bit better than you do, Lady Adelie.”

At her calm response, Reina’s expression twisted.

She looked both shocked and outraged. “You shared a private study room… then you two were alone together?”

“Something like that.”

“So you’ve already fallen for Zenon Trancium, which is why you’re treating me this way! I was trying to support you!”

At her outburst, Emeline gave a dry laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. Unlike you, Lady Adelie, I’ve never harbored any personal feelings for Zenon Trancium.”

“W-what…?”

As Emeline dropped the final piece to end it all, Reina’s panic was clear.

The other young ladies, who had been watching nervously, now looked at Emeline as if asking, What do you mean?

She gladly clarified, “I actually saw it myself. You gave him a love letter, didn’t you, Lady Adelie? It looked like he rejected you, though…”

Yes—Reina Adelie was the girl Zenon had turned down that day.

The girl had stood with her back to Emeline at the time, so she hadn’t recognized her then, but now she could say with certainty.

“Goodness… is that true?”

“So Lady Adelie was rejected and now she’s badmouthing him…?”

“Lady Delzeier!”

As whispers spread among the others, Reina sprang to her feet. Her face had gone ghostly pale, and she trembled with rage.

“How dare you make up such lies… I—I never did such a thing!”

It was clear she had been struck at the core.

Emeline stared at her with a cold gaze, reflecting on just what kind of feelings had driven Reina to tear Zenon down like that.

‘She must’ve been jealous, seeing how she went on about how Zenon would cheat on me.’

It was beyond comprehension, but Emeline could only assume Reina resented how easily she had ended up with Zenon.

Or perhaps she still bore a grudge after being rejected by him.

“To slander me with such lies… Lady Delzeier, aren’t you the one who’s fallen for that man’s tricks?!”

Emeline let out a small sigh at the pathetic accusation. And just as she was about to end the conversation with cold composure—

“Lady Delzeier fell for my tricks? That’s a new one.”

A voice, far too out of place for a gathering of young ladies, cut through the air.

Zenon?

Startled, Emeline turned to the source of the voice. There he was—standing at the doorway of the coffee house’s private room.

Zenon locked eyes with her as though he had been watching for some time.

Emeline froze stiff.

It was the first time she’d seen him since they had kissed.

‘Why is he here?’

Zenon, as if amused by her reaction, smirked and began walking toward them.

He glanced around at the women seated at the table before resting his gaze on Reina.

His expression was entirely different from when he looked at Emeline.

Twisting the corners of his mouth in disbelief, Zenon stared at Reina. “I never would’ve thought Lady Adelie was the type to lie. Why insist something happened when it didn’t, and deny something that did?”

“L-Lord Trancium…”

“If you’re too embarrassed to admit the truth, then I’ll help. Let’s see… During our time at school, you called me out at least five times? Three of those were confessions.”

“T-that was…”

“My memory is excellent. I even remember what you said the last time I rejected you…”

Zenon paused for dramatic effect, then curled his lips into a sly grin.

“You said something like, ‘You should be grateful someone as noble as me is even showing interest. You’ve got no reputation to protect anyway, so just take what’s given to you.’ Didn’t you?”

Hearing it for the first time, Emeline furrowed her brows and turned to Reina.

She couldn’t believe such words had been spoken. The remark was so disgraceful it made her furious.

Other ladies around them covered their mouths with fans and cast Reina disdainful looks.

To think she had criticized him for womanizing, yet said something like that to someone who rejected her.

“I-I never said that!” Reina shouted, caught completely off guard.

Zenon shrugged and casually stepped behind Emeline.

She looked up at him as he came to her side.

Resting a hand on her shoulder, Zenon gave a faint smile, as if the fuss Reina was making had nothing to do with him.

He was so shamelessly relaxed that even Emeline couldn’t tell if what he had said was true.

Just then, Zenon, who had been looking only at Emeline, turned back to Reina and spoke, “Did you know that Lady Delzeier is rather sharp-tongued?”

“…Where did that come from?”

“I know it because she only says those biting words to me. That alone proves she hasn’t fallen for my tricks.”

He spoke in a serious tone, all hints of playfulness gone.

Then, without further delay, he took Emeline’s hand and helped her to her feet. Before leading her away, he asked, “Shall we go?”

“…Yeah.”

Flashing a proper smile, he turned to the others and said, “I came all this way to see my fiancée. I hope you’ll excuse us.”

The young ladies, clearly uncomfortable with the situation, nodded without protest.

Zenon gave a nod of thanks and confidently adjusted his grip on Emeline’s hand.

Just then, a voice called out to their backs.

“S-she insults you all the time…! So why is she okay and I’m not?!”

It was Reina Adelie, having cast away all sense of decorum. Gasps of shock erupted across the room.

Emeline turned and saw Reina, eyes brimming with tears and trembling with rage.

‘…Is she trying to drag the Adelie name through the mud?’

Emeline felt it was time to step in for the sake of both families’ reputations.

But before she could speak, the person beside her answered first—without even turning around.

“Because Emeline Delzeier isn’t like the others.”

“……”

“Only those who judge her based on appearance would think being sharp-tongued and particular makes her a bad person—like you did.”

Emeline turned to look at him slowly.

A warm sweat had formed between their clasped fingers. Because of that, she couldn’t let go of his steady warmth all the more.