The news of Miranda's victory in a chess match at the Black and White Chess Pavilion spread rapidly throughout the capital, causing a stir of disbelief. Once considered plain and untalented, especially after her recent broken engagement with the marquis' family, Miranda's win against the pavilion's master, who had not lost in three years, challenged everyone's perceptions.Even the servants in Count Croyso's mansion were taken aback. "Miss Miranda beat the master and took the seven-colored glass bead? Thatâs incredible!" they murmured. Rumors spread that Miranda was more talented than previously known.The countess was furious. "Nonsense! Miranda is nothing compared to Selena!" "Hmph, that little wench will never escape my grasp!" The countess sneered, issuing orders to Beatrix, "Go to the teachers of the mansion's young ladies and tell them..." After giving her instructions, the countess went to find Count Croyso.The next day, Count Croyso summoned Miranda, instructing her to resume
In the grand room, Count Croyso was deep in conversation with a man dressed in amber when the door opened, drawing his gaze. Upon seeing Charlotte and her party, his concern was immediate. Had Miranda caused trouble again? His frown deepened.The young man opposite him, with sword-like eyebrows and eyes as dark as pearls, turned instinctively. The shimmering silver threads in his amber attire and the luminous pearl in his belt marked him as someone of wealth. His curious gaze landed on the youngest among themâMiranda. Could she be the infamous Miss Miranda?Charlotte, suppressing her anger, declared, "Count, if Miss Miranda isn't punished severely this time, I cannot continue as her teacher! Her behavior is outrageous, beyond anything I've ever witnessed!" Her outburst painted a vivid picture of Miranda's supposed defiance.With an outsider present, Charlotte's anticipation of a doubled reward grew.Count Croyso rubbed his temples, "What happened?" He dreaded the answer, especially wit
âWhat is this?â Count Croyso sneered, throwing an old poetry book in front of Charlotte. âThis poem, written by my wife Anna ten years ago, was well-known. You stole it and slandered my daughter. What have you done to her in private?âHis anger, a result of battlefield experiences, overwhelmed Charlotte, who collapsed in terror.âCount Croyso, I didnât know... I... I was just following orders...â Charlotte stammered, crying. âPlease, spare me!âThe Countess entered, noting Charlotte's distress. âMy lord, madam Liudmila has invited the ladies of Croyso Estate to view rare peonies in five days. Few in the capital are invited.â She feigned surprise at Charlotte's state. âWhat happened here?âIgnoring her, Count Croyso demanded, âWho told you to slander my daughter?âCould this man implicate her? The Countess was alarmed. If Count Croyso found out she had instructed the tutor to frame Miranda, she would be finished. Thinking quickly, she hurriedly said, "Someone instructed Mr. Charlotte to
"Mother, why did you give such fine fabrics to Miranda? And an entire set of gold and ruby jewelry too!" In the room, Selena was picking out her attire and jewelry for the flower-viewing banquet. Although the items before her were all luxurious and no less exquisite than Miranda's, she couldn't help but feel indignant. How could that little wretch deserve the same treatment as her?"She is currently the apple of your father's eye. I can't openly mistreat her. Besides, what are you worried about? With her looks, even dressed in gold and silver threads, it's a waste! Do you really fear she could outshine you?"The Countess chided, knowing well that the clothes had been tampered with. "Don't think I don't know what you're after. You're still thinking about the heir of the Sheffield family, aren't you? I've told you, your father wants to betroth Miranda to him!""Father favors her in everything and even punishes me for that little wretch!" New and old grievances surged in Selena's heart as
On the day of the flower-viewing banquet, Earl Croyso left early to attend to his official duties. With him away, the Countess gladly used her illness as an excuse to avoid sending Miranda off.Selena, disdaining the idea of being seen with Miranda, made an excuse to leave early with another young lady.Thus, in the end, Miranda was left to attend the banquet alone in her carriage.This was just to Miranda's liking, sparing her from any potential trouble Selena might cause on the way.Upon arriving at the palace gates and stepping out of her carriage, Miranda walked directly into Lady Liudmila's back garden where the banquet was being held.After inquiring about Selenaâs whereabouts from a maid, Miranda walked towards the wisteria trellis nearby.Before she even got close, she heard Selenaâs voice from a distance, âYou havenât seen my sister Miranda, have you? Sheâs always hiding her face behind long bangs because sheâs too ashamed to show herself. Sheâs like a ghost, never to be seen,
Knowing that the entire courtyard was watching her, Miranda still smiled, neither humble nor arrogant. She had achieved the shocking effect she wanted. Now, she didnât need to do anything but continue to display her elegance and composure, which was already a heavy slap in the face to Selena and Andrew. With graceful steps, she approached Selena and said sweetly.âSister, wonât you introduce me?âSelena was so furious that she could barely maintain her smile. Her hand, hidden in her sleeve, was already twisting a handkerchief beyond recognition.At this moment, a woman in a brocade floral dress brushed past Miranda, stepping hard on her foot and twisting it.Then, in an exaggerated manner, she feigned shock and said, âOh, Iâm sorry, Miss Miranda, I didnât mean to step on you. It was an accident! You wonât blame me, will you?âHer raised eyebrows and eyes were openly provocative, waiting for Miranda to react.Everyone was already paying attention to this side, especially since the woman
At this moment, Miranda suddenly cried out in panic, "Oh no, I'm doomed now!""Now you realize it? Too late!" June sneered."Miss Juneâs reminder suddenly jogged my memory. Yesterday, the maids in my courtyard were arguing, and I scolded them. I thought it was no big deal at the time, but now I realize it's a great disrespect!" Miranda counted on her fingers, looking distressed. "My courtyard is in the Earl's mansion, which belongs to my father. I should have reported this to my father for him to handle. The mansion is in the capital, which belongs to the kingdom, and the king is our ruler. So my father should report this to the king, who would make the final decision. But I handled it privately... I never intended to overstep my father, let alone disrespect the king... What should I do?"Her eyes filled with tears, she glanced around in panic, looking pitiful and heart-wrenching.Idiot! June scoffed, "Two maids arguing in your courtyard is a trivial matter. You don't need to escalate
In the silence, Miranda felt everyone's gaze on her. One particular stare from the front felt indifferent yet sharp, like a blade.The most important thing now was to resolve the predicament. Biting her lip, Miranda focused on the paper. Writing more was impossible, and arguing with Selena would only make her a joke. Should she write another poem?Miranda shook her head.The first line already had several characters. Creating a new poem about the borderlands on the spot would be too difficult. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she decided to finish the poem.The courtyard was filled with whispers, and Andrew sneered. "Selena wrote the poem, yet Miranda dares to copy it. Isn't that shameless? Her calmness is truly impressive!""Lord Andrew, aren't you jumping to conclusions? I'm sure my poem and Selena's are different." Miranda's clear voice resonated."Beyond the red riverâs flow, where silent clouds do drift, A lone fortress stands among the peaks, so stern and stiff. The fluteâs mo
Hearing Fultonâs flustered words and watching his unsteady figure stumble away, Earl Croyso let out a barely perceptible sigh. From how the boy first arrived, Fulton had seemed like a good childâsoft-spoken, perhaps a bit timid, but upright in character.What a pity...Fultonâs presence had clearly stirred up the lingering shadows of the broken engagement. Earl Croyso had originally intended to comfort Miranda, but somehow, as the conversation went on, it ended with Miranda comforting him insteadâleaving him amused.By the time Miranda returned to her chambers, night had fully fallen.She had assumed Reginald would have left long ago. So when she stepped into her inner room and saw that dark red figure bouncing around inside, she was startled and blurted out, âYou're still here?âReginald had hung his coat on the nearby rack and was now playing with one of Mirandaâs embroidery needles. He had threaded it with string and was using it like a throwing dart, aiming it with precision at a
Miranda entered the drawing room and, as expected, saw Fultonâs figure. Beside him sat the Earl of Croyso.It had only been a few days, but the once gentle and refined Fulton looked like a different personâthinner, with a haggard expression. The moment he saw Miranda walk in, his eyes lit up, and he rushed toward her. Yet, as if suddenly remembering something, the light in his face gradually faded, and his eyes dimmed.âMirandaâââYou should call me Miss Miranda, Mr. Fulton,â Miranda said quietly, her head slightly bowed, her voice calm.Fulton had a thousand things he wanted to say, but they were all shattered by those formal words: âMr. Fultonâ and âMiss Miranda.âIt hadnât always been this way. Before, she would call him âFultonâ in that soft, sweet voice. Every time he saw her petite figure, he would feel an urge to protect her. When he learned that his father intended for him to be engaged to Miranda, and that she would become his wife, he had truly been overjoyed. For someone of
Miranda, for her part, felt quite confident about this.Seeing the assurance on her face, Reginald nodded and said with a smile, âAlright then, letâs do it this way. Iâll go talk to Brandon about it.â Then, propping his head on one hand, he gave Miranda a strange look and added, âYou know, Miranda, Iâm starting to think youâre even more ruthless than I am. I only wanted to take down Broad Loft, but youâyouâre going for something much bigger. You want to rope Brandon in too and make sure Zachary falls flat on his face.ââWell, this plan only benefits you, doesnât it, Lord Reginald?â Miranda replied calmly.These past few days, the Blackwell family had turned her life upside down. But because of Croyso, she couldnât confront them head-on. Now that she had a chance to deal a serious blow to Prince Zachary and the Blackwells without dragging Croyso into it, she wasnât going to hold back.Just then, Mollyâs voice called out, âMy lady, Young Master Fulton has come to see you. Lord Croyso wa
âA partner?â Reginald caught the implication in Mirandaâs words, thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, âCircle Trading?ââYou know about that?â Miranda was taken aback.Reginald let out a cold snort. âThe young master of Circle Trading fell in love with Jovannaâs miss at first sight and has been showering her with favors. Not only did he admit to the counterfeit goods incident, but he even offered to supply her inventory at cost from now onâdidnât even want to charge for shipping. With a relationship like that, itâd be a shame not to make good use of it.âMiranda instantly looked a bit uneasy.She had only come up with that idea on the spur of the moment to confuse the mole inside Jovannaâs shop, which was why she had asked Brandon to play along. But the whole situation was still rather awkward, so sheâd kept the matter confined to just those within Circle Trading and Jovannaâs team. How on earth had Reginald heard about it? Miranda brooded in silence.âCircle Trading may be a kn
âGood idea!â Miranda beamed with delight and began calculating. âThis way, Jovanna will no longer have any connection to the Croyso family, and youâve never gotten along with Prince Zachary to begin withâthis is the perfect opportunity to strike him. Even if you do nothing else but stubbornly hold on to Jovannaâs shop and continue selling silk threads and ready-to-wear garments, itâll be enough to disgust Prince Zachary and the Blackwell family! But if we simply take down Broad Loft this easily, it feels like letting them off too lightly. Why not take our time and make them suffer a huge silent loss?âReginald was stunned. His eyes fixed on Miranda, burning with curiosity. âWhat do you mean?ââLord Reginald, you may not know this, but Prince Zachary didnât open Broad Loft just to run a profitable little shop,â Miranda explained, outlining Zacharyâs plan to monopolize the silk and clothes trade. âSo as long as you buy out Jovannaâs shop, youâre guaranteed to profit!âReginald had only
The people who had been caught swapping in fake goods were still being held at the Croyso estate. Miranda did want to teach Broad Loft a harsh lessonâideally, to bring them down completely. However, her father had already smashed up the estatefront of the William family and they argued in front of the king, who had then come down hard on William. In such a sensitive moment, it was not wise to make any further rash moves.Especially considering that Broad Loft was backed by the Blackwell family. Prince Zachary had grand ambitionsâhe wanted to monopolize the entire silk and garment trade in the capital. Jovanna was already a thorn in his side. If they forced Broad Loft to collapse entirely, it would surely enrage Prince Zachary beyond measure.And frankly, angering Zachary over a single shop just wasnât worth it.So once the full situation came to light, both her father and aunt agreedâthere was no point in provoking Zachary further. Better to tolerate it if possible. Besides, her auntâ
âSo what?â Miranda asked, then suddenly realized something. Her eyes widened in disbelief. âDonât tell meâthose two times, you were trying to steal my seven-colored glass bead?â Her expression was a mix of shock, anger, and amusementâunsure whether to be furious or laugh.âSteal? What do you mean, steal? That bead shouldâve been mine to begin with!â Reginald said indignantly. âI later asked around and heard you barely know anything about chess! I just donât get itâhow did you beat Brandon?âThat question had bothered him for a long time.When he first heard the news, heâd nearly died of frustration.Heâd been searching for the seven-colored glass bead for ages. Finally, heâd caught wind that the chess club was using one as a prize. So he disguised himself and entered the tournament. Heâd already won three matches in a row and was about to get itâĶ but out of nowhere, Miranda had swooped in and won it first.What stung the most was learning that this person whoâd won the prize supposedl
Reginald didnât suspect himself at all. He thought it had something to do with the Sheffield estate or William, and his expression changed instantly, becoming cold as ice. âSomething like that happened? Someone actually dared to kidnap you and nearly ruined your reputation? That kind of scum must not be sparedâa thousand deaths wouldnât be enough to atone! Who is it?âSomeone dared treat his little kitten that way? They must have a death wish!âLord Reginald, itâs not convenient for me to tell my father about this. I wonder if you could help me teach that scum a lesson?â Miranda smiled sweetly, her beauty blooming like a flowerâbut when she mentioned that âscum,â she couldnât help grinding her teeth.Reginald responded without hesitation. âOf courseâIâll kill him for you!ââHow noble of you, Lord Reginald.â Miranda offered a flattering smileâthen her expression suddenly turned cold, her face icy and emotionless. âIn that case, Reginald, you scum, go ahead and kill yourself to pay for
Here's the English translation with nuanced expression, keeping character dynamics and subtle emotional shifts intact:Reginald had conflicting feelings about the Empress Dowagerâs words. He despised how she treated Miranda like a pawn, trying to drag her into palace intrigue. And yet, part of him couldnât help but feel a twisted sort of pleasureâonce caught in the storm of court politics, it would be hard for Miranda to get out. That gave him a perfectly reasonable excuse to take her awayâĶThis contradictory and subtle mindset left him especially awkward when facing Miranda.Just like now. This was clearly a great chance to win her favor, but somehow he made it sound like a cold transaction instead. Reginald wished he could stuff every word heâd just said right back into his mouth, and punch himself twice for good measure.Seeing the frustration on his face after speaking, Miranda couldnât help but laugh.Sheâd seen Reginald in many formsâarrogant and willful, unfathomably distant li