In the Doghouse - Chapter 1
I.
In May, when flowers bloom in full glory everywhere, the noblewomen of the capital would redecorate their gardens and host tea parties one after another. Today, it was the turn of the Duchess of Wrighton, who always led the trends.
“The roses are truly splendid.”
“Aren’t they? Is there any other place, besides the Imperial Palace, where so many varieties are gathered in one spot?”
“As expected, the queen of flowers is the rose. Oh my, this seems like a new variety I haven’t seen before.”
The ladies surrounding the Duchess chirped like a flock of larks. Proud of her garden, yet pretending otherwise, the Duchess of Wrighton lightly waved her fan and responded as if it were no big deal.
“My husband imported a hybrid variety from another continent through his merchants.”
“Oh my, how considerate! It must be because such extravagant roses suit you so well, Duchess.”
It was an obvious flattery, but it was sweet to the ear. Around the central table, laughter bloomed more abundantly than the roses. All the women were dressed in light purple gowns, the latest trend of this spring.
While eyeing them enviously the whole time, Countess Patricia Devon murmured softly.
“Really, this is so upsetting…”
Her complaint was directed at her daughter sitting beside her.
It was her daughter, Courtney, who had canceled the lilac dress Patricia had ordered last month.
However, despite her mother’s grumbling, Courtney only scoffed.
House Devon’s current financial situation was on the verge of bankruptcy. It wasn’t the time for such frivolous spending. Besides, wearing the latest fashionable dress wouldn’t guarantee one a seat next to the hostess.
Courtney whispered sharply to her mother.
“Then why didn’t you decline the invitation?”
“Child, if I were to decline the Duchess’s invitation, who would invite me in the future?”
It would be better if no one invited you at all.
However Courtney swallowed the words that were about to slip out. Saying such things out loud wouldn’t do any good.
Not only the Devon mother and daughter but all the guests seated at the table were wearing dresses that had been fashionable either last year or the year before. Some couldn’t afford new ones, and others didn’t have the connections to obtain the latest fabrics. Although they all smiled as if it didn’t bother them, their eyes were filled with gloom.
The high society of the capital was as ruthless as a battlefield.
Receiving an invitation was only the first hurdle, but seating arrangements would further separate them by rank. Being guided to a table on the garden’s outer edge, near the gloomy wall, was practically a label marking them as insignificant families. Even the servants of the ducal residence only responded sluggishly after being called multiple times.
Courtney trembled with frustration. Her mother cared only about the fact that her dress was out of fashion, entirely ignoring that her daughter was shivering in a thin summer gown. Of course, no matter how dire House Devon’s finances were, Courtney did have at least one proper spring dress.
‘Are you really planning to wear that? Here, just wear this.’
Her mother, overly concerned about others’ opinions, had chosen that dress and nothing else.
As the gloom in their corner deepened, a high-pitched voice like a nightingale rang from a nearby table.
“Wow—! That’s truly amazing!”
“Lady Chalder, may I try it as well?”
“Of course.”
At that table, a group of young ladies had gathered. The women, who had been idly sipping tea, glanced over curiously.
A girl, barely twelve or thirteen, held a rainbow-colored quill and wrote her name in large letters on the white tablecloth. The fact that the letters appeared without ink wasn’t particularly groundbreaking. However, after a moment, the letters she had written with the rainbow quill vanished as if by magic.
No, it wasn’t “as if”. It was magic.
“Oh my, how fascinating,”
The lady seated opposite Courtney clapped her hands. The other women murmured excitedly, covering their mouths with their fans. The girl who had brought the quill proudly raised her nose. She was the daughter of the Chalder family, which had recently gained fame by commercializing a new magical milling machine.
Courtney glanced nervously at Patricia.
As expected, Countess Devon was staring intently at the quill, her eyes sparkling. Ever since Courtney was a little girl, her mother had been obsessed with small magical luxuries. Items like a staff that extended automatically or a kettle that boiled without fire—useless things that didn’t impact daily life at all.
Satisfied that she had garnered enough attention, Lady Chalder finally got to the point.
“My father plans to commercialize this pen by next year. But if any of you here would like to try it first…”
“I’ll buy one!”
“I absolutely must have it!”
Hands shot up from all directions. Without even asking the price, voices calling out to purchase the pen echoed from everywhere. Even though it was just a pen, it had likely been inscribed with spells by a mage, making it incredibly expensive. But the bored noblewomen didn’t care in the slightest.
Courtney shook her head. Writing, by its nature, was meant to leave a record. What use was a pen that erased itself? It was nothing more than a desire to own the latest novelty and show off one’s wealth.
Clearly, the Chalder family had shown the pen with the intention of selling it. As expected, their business acumen was remarkable.
The surrounding area quickly turned chaotic as everyone clamored to take a look at the pen. It seemed like Courtney was the only person there who wasn’t interested in such luxuries.
Realizing this, she quickly turned her head toward Patricia.
…But all that remained was an empty chair.
