The only daughter of House Rosseficent was timid. Aside from the fact that she had no aptitude for magic, she was well-known for being a pushover. She couldn't stand up for herself and her way of thinking was that of a toddler. Making her the subject of ridicule among the nobility.
Some pity her, some look at her with scorn. Lady Ranelle was the latter.
She and her friends strode through the lit hallways of the Rosseficent Manor, giggling as they were being escorted by the butler to the drawing room.
They are frequent visitors of Lady Selene. After hearing about the duchess' death, they came swarming to "sympathize" with their friend and provide some comfort.
Sitting on the chairs with their perfect postures, the lady in a green dress opened her fan and giggled. "So, what should we do today, Lady Ranelle?"
She was Lady Kiana, daughter of Count Flamelore. A house with high affinity to the fire element. They were rumored to be a far relative of the Empire's royal family. Lady Kiana herself was an icon in high society.
Lady Ranelle turned to her and said in a weak tone, "I've been depressed these days. My fiancée didn't visit me. I need to relieve some stress."
"Oh my, are you quite alright, Lady Ranelle?"
Lady Ranelle didn't get the chance to answer when they heard Lady Selene's footsteps.
Silence enveloped the room and the ladies looked at each other's eyes as though having a silent conversation.
In the next second, Selene stood before them and looked around the place. Lady Ranelle cleared her throat. They all remained seated despite Selene's arrival. If anything, they seemed to avoid her eyes instead, looking at the surroundings with fake interest.
Aside from that, there were no seats left. Selene didn't fail to notice the flickers of emotion on their seemingly innocent faces. It's not hard to figure out who these people are in the original Selene's life. It's obvious that they are not her friends, like how they claimed to be.
Selene smiled. "Let us proceed to the greenhouse. I wasn't informed of your visit, so the drawing room wasn't cleaned properly. My apologies."
At that moment, Lady Ranelle caught sight of the floor that seemed to sparkle when hit by the beams of sunlight coming through the window. There wasn't a speck of dust in the room.
And yet, she responded with a smile. "Of course, Lady Selene."
Some time later, they were all properly seated. Trays of cookies, a fragrant pot of tea and other refreshments filled the round table. The flowers in the greenhouse gave off a strong scent, obscuring all the other smells around. Above them was an intricate dome wherein the soft, afternoon sunlight was passing through, bathing them in its warmth.
Lady Kiana glanced at Lady Ranelle as though asking for permission. "Oh, where are my manners? My deepest condolences, Lady Selene. Your mother was a fine woman."
'Lies. She was bedridden from an unknown illness and was incapable of speaking for decades. There's no way you have met her.'
Despite her thoughts, Selene maintained a poker face and let out a small smile.
"Thank you."
"Will you be attending the Royal High, Lady Selene? I heard it's hard to get a spot." Lady Barbara sipped her tea, gauging Lady Selene's reaction.
"Oh, but with the Rosseficent's wealth, I'm sure Lady Selene will be accepted even though she doesn't have affinity to magic."
Selene's lips twitched.
YOU ARE READING
Grapevine (Zetheria Series #1)
FantasySelene Rosseficent was ridiculed for being a mage who can't cast a single spell. When the college student Selene wakes up in her body, her magic awakened.
