I Tamed the Monstrous Prince - Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Giovinetta blinked, incredulous at her mother’s calm demeanor. “She’s alive! And perfectly fine!”
In stark contrast to Giovinetta’s agitation, the Duchess remained composed. “Is that all?”
Giovinetta sighed and shook her head at her mother’s nonchalance. Her brow furrowed. “I’d already chosen my mourning attire, the dress, the hat, the gloves!”
She’d planned to wear a delicate lace veil, carefully selected the flowers for her hat, and envisioned a dress that would accentuate her figure with a lace-covered bodice and a defined waistline. It would have presented her as a picture of grieving beauty, earning sympathy and attention. But now, everything was ruined!
“Honestly, Irenea is such a nuisance!”
“Such irreverence. Be mindful of your words; you wouldn’t want to spread unsavory rumors.”
“Mother, you treat me like a fool. It’s only because we’re alone that I speak so freely. But the funeral… it was my chance to appear as the grieving, heartbroken relative.” Giovinetta pouted, lamenting the missed opportunity for a dramatic, scene-stealing appearance, convinced that such unconventional settings were perfect for fortuitous encounters.
Recently, Giovinetta’s engagement had fallen apart after the prospective groom’s family, having invested heavily in Western continent mining ventures, faced financial ruin. Since then, Giovinetta had been determined to orchestrate “natural” encounters.
Celestina massaged her temples wearily. Oblivious to her mother’s frustration, her naive daughter continued her frivolous complaints.
“Is that whole ‘cursed by the Light Dragon’ story a lie? How else could she be the only survivor?”
“Nonsense. The curse is real.” Celestina’s lips curled into a smile. She, too, was curious how that chilling girl had managed to survive. All she knew was that Irenea was alive and residing in the Imperial Palace.
“Then how is she still alive?”
Celestina, who had been gently chiding her daughter’s protruding lip with a fingertip, now beamed at her, radiating maternal affection. “She’s always been rather… resilient.”
“Well, yes, that’s true.”
Mother and daughter exchanged knowing glances, then chuckled in unison. Irenea had always been that way.
Tough, incredibly tough, almost viciously so. She was a girl who endured pinching and beatings without a whimper. Perhaps it was her low birth. She seemed indifferent to treatment worse than a slave’s. Once, out of curiosity, Celestina had deliberately withheld food from her, just to see how long she could last. Irenea had persevered without complaint, never begging for food. Intrigued, Celestina had a servant investigate and discovered that Irenea had been mixing grass roots and mud into her meager portions of bread to survive.
Celestina had instructed Irenea’s tutor to overload her with an impossible amount of schoolwork, assigning excessive homework and authorizing punishments for any shortcomings. Sometimes, she would find fault without reason, just to have the girl whipped. Initially, Irenea had struggled, but soon she began exhibiting peculiar behavior, staying up all night to memorize entire books. She quickly surpassed her tutor in basic subjects, necessitating advanced instruction.
There was nothing remotely endearing about her. Had she cried or pleaded, Celestina might have felt a flicker of pity. But for a girl found wandering the streets, she was alarmingly shrewd and tenacious.
So, even after being pushed down the stairs and seriously injured, she had foolishly holed up in her room, silently enduring. That alone spoke volumes about her.
“She won’t last long.” Celestina’s voice dripped with a chilling certainty. Giovinetta couldn’t discern whether her mother’s statement was a prediction or a wishful thought.
“The Light Dragon’s curse is a terrible affliction.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“Besides,” Celestina added, glancing around before whispering in her daughter’s ear, “Her Majesty won’t stand idly by.”
“Do you think so?”
Celestina whispered something else, and Giovinetta’s face flushed. The two women giggled, their faces alight with a malicious glee.
“Just you wait and see.” A venomous glint shone in the eyes of mother and daughter.
