Chapter 80

When she arrived at the banquet hall, she would hide in a corner and wait quietly until Edmond came, but the five ladies led Ezet to a seat where the banquet hall drew attention.

They didn’t pull hands or push her back. However, ladies walked from both sides and rear, pushing out and coming to the center. Instead of hesitating Ezet, when Countess Devon introduced the ‘Duchess Jaxen’ to the nobles of the banquet, people gathered around her.

“Nice to meet you, Duchess Jaxen.”

“Yes, me too…”

“But the Duke of Jaxen didn’t come with you?”

“What? Oh, well, he’s…”

Her husband’s face was only seen once when he got his title.

“The Duke of Jaxen is a very difficult man to see. I only saw him once, and then I never saw him again.”

“Oh, my God, it’s a shame to leave his wife alone.”

Ezet was out at the banquet hall alone because she could not refuse the request of Count Devon and other ladies to go together. Still, other people than the five wives who came out of the inner room and met Ezet seemed to misunderstand that Ezet attended the banquet alone.

“I heard that the Duke cares about the Duchess very much.”

“But then there’s no way you’re going to be alone?”

The lady standing next to Ezet glanced at her dress and scanned.

“Is this the Duchess’ first time attending a royal banquet?”

“Y, yes…”

“But that dress…”

What Ezet was wearing was an indoor dress she wore for tea time with the Empress. Although it is a cute and lively design, it was not a formal outfit for such a Royal banquet because it was more suitable for private occasions than banquets.

No matter how much she shook it off, the dirt marks on the end of the skirt were not wiped clean. In addition, the frill decoration on the chest was subtly disturbed because Edmond once pulled down her clothes and revealed her chest.

Ezet quickly covered the crumpled spot with her hands, but it had already been seen by all the people watching her.

The ladies, who looked up and down at the young Duchess, the protagonist of the rumor, covered their mouths with fans and folded their eyes gently.

“I guess the rumor was exaggerated.”

“Yes, rumors are not reliable.”

A giggle came from beyond the fans.

It was clear what they were referring to as ‘rumors.’ Rumour has it that the Duke of Jaxen is infatuated with his wife and listens to whatever she wants.

However, the Duke of Jaxen was not present at the banquet, and the Duchess appeared in a dress that was not only perfunctory but also informal.

‘If the rumors aren’t true, there’s nothing to be afraid of.’

The Duke of Jaxen was the Empire’s foremost aristocrat, who had more wealth than the Imperial Family, monopolizing most trade routes and could never be ignored.

However, those present here were aristocrats who were so powerful that they were invited to the coronation of the Crown Prince. There was no one who did not ignore Edmond, who was a commoner and was given the title by the previous Duke of Jaxen.

They know they can’t say anything in front of Edmond, but what about her? Viscount Harriet was a small family on the western periphery and would not have even set foot in this Palace.

When they heard the rumor that the Duke of Jaxen was into the Duchess, they wanted to get a little more priority in trade, but by looking at Ezet that appeared in the banquet hall, and felt differently.

‘Maybe I’m being treated like a fool by my husband?’

‘Then we won’t be affected by ignoring it.’

‘I heard she’s from a country family anyway. Look at that anxious look.’

Laughing came from all over the place as they looked at the Ezet’s outfit, which had not even been appropriately decorated.

Of course, no sound has been heard. But from their gaze, Ezet could read an indescribable contempt.

Her fingertips trembled as her face turned red. Ezet looked at Countess Devon. Isn’t it Countess Devon who brought her to the banquet hall so she wouldn’t change her clothes? However, Countess Devon folded the fan slightly, responding with a smile to Ezet’s gaze.

“Then the rumor is also…”

“You mean Aldebaran’s jewelry auction?”

Initially, diamonds worth only about 100 million won were purchased at a price of 4.9 billion Lund to give a number meaning Ezet’s birthday.

“But they say the winning bid is true.”

“And the Duke of Jaxen is a great man.”

“The winning bid was incredible. There’s nothing strange about adding more gossip.”

The Duke of Jaxen indeed paid 4.9 billion Lund for the diamond piece “Miracle Woman,” but the message that the jewel contains can be altered as much as possible. At the time of the auction story, which symbolizes the couple’s love, it is written off as a whim of a man who was struck by money; Ezet felt it was an insult but did not know how to react.

There is no Edmond, no Empress, no Emperor.

There was no one on her side.