Oh, To Be A White Lotus

Chapter - 16

I'll ask one of the maids tomorrow for information about society and noble families.

I'm going to use this * to mark the end of a speaker and then the new speaker to make It less confusing on who will be talking.

"What color nightgown would you like to wear tonight, Lady Collete?" One of my maids named Marie asked.

*

"umm.. any color would do" I could actually ask Marie for some information now about Kally Winter.

"Marie"

*

"Yes, milady" Marie said with a gentle and soft tone.

*

"Do you know a noblewoman named Kally Winter" I said with my arms up as Marie untied the back of my dress.

*

"Yes, I do. Are you curious about her milady" 

*

"A little bit. I ran Into her at the palace".

"I also want to know all the people who will be of attendance at the upcoming ball"

*

"Oh yes, It would be really helpful to know all the people or at least most of the people who will be In attendance"

"Do you want me to start from the beginning about Kally Winter or just the most important details"

Well It would be really helpful to know everything about her. 

Marie knows everything from the beginning and I only know her name and parents. Surely everyone who will be at the ball will know everything about her. 

*

"I want to know everything from the beginning".

* 

"Ok, milady"

"Well as you already know her name Is Kally Winter, but she Is named after her mother, Kally Gennu" 

"Kally Gennu died a month after giving birth to Kally Winter. She was incredibly sick before she gave birth to Kally Winter (I'm going to refer Kally Winter as KW) so her health drastically and rapidly declined after giving birth to KW".

So kind of like my situation except my mother died during child birth and not after. 

"Will Winter didn't shut down the duchy like your Father instead he embraced the duchy even more than before. Neglecting KW In the process."

"Not only neglecting her, but he put the duchy In massive debt during the last decade which still hasn't been paid off but It Is little by little". I wonder how that Is.

*

"Is he still a drunk or has he gotten better and that's how the duchies debt is getting paid off" I asked while I stepped out the dress Marie helped undo.

*

"Oh, Duke Winter Is still a drunk and he Isn't the one paying off the Winter duchy's debt. It's KW who Is paying off the debt".

What.. How Is she doing that.

"Rumor says she inquires money through her relation with the First Prince"

She did say they were lovers, but Father said the First Prince didn't have a lover. 

*

"Are they lovers?" I asked while I headed to my hot and ready to go bath.

* 

"Lovers"

"Lovers don't really seem logical. I don't think they could be lovers with his condition."

Father said the same.

*

"When I went to the palace today me and Kally had a bit of a confrontation."

"For starters she was rude, but she said she and the First Prince were lovers"

* 

"Did she really?"

*

"Yep, but I don't know why because you and Father said they likely weren't lovers"

* 

"Well, there were some rumors that Kally Winter had some feelings for the First Prince."

"They met as kids when the first Prince could run around by himself without needing a break. It was never confirmed whether the first Prince felt the same"

I mean that could be why. He can't speak for himself and she could lie and easily say she's his lover. It'll boost her reputation because everybody loves a woman who cares for her partner even when he Is sick. 

That could also be why she Is gaining some money. 

Repercussions for her sick lover even though he Isn't her lover. 

It would explain her behavior today at the palace. She didn't seem to care much about him when he was seconds away from collapsing.

All she did was fan him with her hands and then focus all her attention onto me. Those maids had to do all the work by themselves. 

All I'm saying Is If that was me I wouldn't be worried about someone else and would instead focus my attention on my supposed lover.