The Swordswoman’s Revenge Story after Rebirth

Chapter 368: And What Are You?

+8 Pearls

After Cristina finally admitted the truth, Rosemary, ever the gracious hostess, extended her hospitality. She invited Isolde to stay and even arranged for Cristina to remain as well. To make the occasion grand, she sent out invitations to the noble ladies of the city for a coffee gathering, complete with snow viewing and flower appreciation. Of course, among the esteemed guests, she specially invited Princess Aveline and Judith from the palace.

A gathering hosted by Lady Rosemary was an event no one wanted to miss. The invitations had barely gone out before, by mid-afternoon, guests began arriving in droves. And as if orchestrated by fate itself, just as the noblewomen stepped into the estate, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.

Gasps of wonder filled the air. Rebecca chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. “Rosemary said we’d be admiring the snowfall today. I was just thinking, on such a clear and sunny day, where would the snow come from? And yet, the moment I step through your doors, it begins to snow. Tell me, do you have the power to summon the weather?”

Laughter rippled through the gathered ladies. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” someone added. “Didn’t we hear about the drought in Jiangbei? And how Rosemary declared it would rain within three days? Sure enough, the rain came exactly as she predicted.”

Rosemary, basking in the playful praise, waved her hand dismissively. “If I truly had that kind of power, I’d have the Grand Priest’s job by now.”

As laughter filled the air, Isolde emerged, leading Cristina by the hand. Cristina had needed three full bowls of calming medicine just to steady herself after the ordeal at the Bourbon family estate. To her, that place was nothing short of hell. Before bringing her out, Rosemary had her attendants dress Cristina up carefully, applying thick layers of makeup to cover her pale, shaken complexion.

The moment the pair stepped into the gathering, Princess Aveline’s gaze sharpened. “Oh? Isolde? And… William’s concubine, Cristina?” she remarked with an arched brow.

Rebecca smirked. “Wrong. That’s Oliver’s concubine.”

Princess Aveline blinked in surprise. “Oliver has a concubine? Since when?”

Isolde, beaming, interjected, “Now, now, let’s not joke about such things. Oliver just got married—where would he find the time to take a concubine? This, dear ladies, is William’s wife.” With that, she pulled Cristina forward and introduced her properly. “Cristina, greet the esteemed ladies.”

Cristina had been in high society long enough to recognize nearly all the women present. To hear herself…

Rosemary covered her mouth in a mock-gasp, laughing. “Oh, you remember correctly! At the Valen estate, I did joke about Cristina becoming a concubine. But really, a posthumous marriage is far too grim a topic, so I thought I’d lighten the mood. However, I never specified whose concubine she would be. That part was simply everyone’s misunderstanding! After all, the Valen family is quite large—Oliver isn’t the only man in it, now is he?”

Rosemary barely remembered whether she had actually said those words, but after all this time, what did it matter? If she said she hadn’t, then she hadn’t. End of story.

Princess Aveline scoffed, clicking her tongue. “You and your games… Do you even realize how many people in the city actually believed Cristina was Oliver’s concubine?”

Rosemary grinned mischievously. “Then that means I win. I should head to the palace for my reward…”

“You made a bet with the Queen Mother again, didn’t you?” Princess Aveline sighed.

Judith, shaking her head with a wry smile, added, “Oh, she did. The Queen Mother accused her of being reckless, so Rosemary wagered that even the smartest minds could be fooled by her tricks. The Queen Mother didn’t believe her, saying that within two days, people would see through the act. So Rosemary bet her—if she pulled it off, the Queen Mother owed her a hundred gold coins. And… well, here we are.”

Then, with a look of mock exasperation, Judith added, “But honestly, you played dirty. Who jokes about something like this? Of course, people wouldn’t question it!”

“Not my problem,” Rosemary said smugly. “The point is—I won. And you, dear Judith, are here to bear witness. Didn’t you hear? Everyone believed Cristina was Oliver’s concubine.”

Judith snorted in laughter. “Fine, fine. I’ll report back to the Queen Mother. You can go collect your winnings tomorrow.” With that, she strolled off, still shaking her head.

Jonathan chuckled. “The Queen Mother always calls me an idiot. I’ve been holding that grudge for years. Finally, I feel vindicated.” Then, her gaze landed on Cristina. “I made you the subject of my little joke. Are you angry?”

Cristina gripped her sleeves tightly, head lowered. “I wouldn’t dare.” She said it through clenched teeth, her voice barely masking the resentment seething beneath the surface. Of course, everyone noticed. And could they blame her? She was being paraded around as William’s concubine, when everyone had believed she belonged to Oliver. Cristina burned with silent fury. This was humiliation. She never even liked William, nor did she respect him. And his soon-to-be wife, Martha? She was beneath…

She had willingly accepted the idea of being Oliver’s concubine—because Oliver was powerful, a true warrior, a man of strength and stature. A man like Jonathan. But William? William was nothing. Even if she were offered the position of his legal wife, she would refuse. Yet—despite everything—she had successfully secured a place in the Valen family. She hadn’t been able to destroy Oliver’s reputation this time, but as long as she remained within these walls, there was still hope. Perhaps… Perhaps this was an opportunity. Perhaps fate had granted her the perfect chance to bring both Oliver and Isolde down together. Her fingers curled into fists as she stole a venomous glare at Isolde. But Isolde, in annoying contrast, was positively glowing with joy. She noticed Cristina’s glare—but instead of being ruffled, she flashed her an even brighter smile. That only infuriated Cristina further.

That night, Isolde finally returned home. And waiting outside the Valen estate was Arthur’s carriage. When the estate’s servants escorted Cristina out, Arthur scanned her quickly—ensuring she was unharmed. Only then did he allow himself to exhale in relief.

“Baron,” the servant said politely, “Lady Rosemary asked me to remind you that she promised not to harm Cristina, and she kept her word. If you’d like, you may inspect her yourself to confirm that not a single hair has been touched.”

Arthur, though irked by the servant’s tone, simply responded coolly, “Pass along my gratitude to Lady Rosemary for looking after my sister today.”

The servant, unbothered, replied, “Lady Rosemary said there’s no need for thanks—but she does ask that you discipline your sister properly. If she causes trouble for her again, next time, she may not leave the Valen estate unscathed.” With that, the servant turned and left—without waiting for a response.

Arthur clenched his jaw but kept his composure. Then, he turned to Cristina. “She didn’t harm you?”

Cristina’s eyes darkened with rage. “She didn’t lay a hand on me. But she unleashed a horde of snakes to terrorize me. I will never forgive this humiliation.”

They climbed inside, and as the carriage lurched forward, he spoke in a low, firm voice. “Let it go, Cristina. You can’t win against her. I can’t even win against her.”

“And what? We just accept it?” Cristina spat.

Arthur sighed. “Some losses… you just have to take.”

Cristina’s fists trembled. “Why should I be the one to suffer? Who do they think they are?”

Arthur’s patience snapped. “And what are you?”