Chapter 200 Not Knowing How to Respect
Wasn't this just slapping him in the face in front of everyone?
Kirenya hadn't expected Lucida to say such things in front of everyone either, but after all, this was her beloved daughter she'd doted on since childhood - she wouldn't scold her over something like this. So even though she saw the opera master's expression turn completely cold, Kirenya only spoke gently, "Lucida, you shouldn't say things like that."
Lucida reluctantly shut her mouth. She had originally just wanted to attack Anne, but only after the words left her mouth did she realize how inappropriate they were. Especially since this banquet was one where her mother had finally convinced the opera master to attend after inviting him so many times - her words were a complete slap in that master's face!
She wondered if her mother would be angry.
Lucida turned to look at Kirenya, but only saw helplessness and indulgence on that beautiful face, so she became smug again - she knew Princess Kirenya would never punish her no matter what.
Anne, however, looked at Lucida with an unhurried gaze and said with a smile, "A country needs different talents working in their respective positions - whether it's a king or a bakery clerk, everyone together creates an orderly society. Miss Lucida, when you look down on work and careers that others take pride in, have you ever thought about what would happen if you wanted to go to the opera house and there were no performers there at all?"
"Work is work - it doesn't determine whether people are high or low. If Miss Lucida loves using words like 'lowly' to describe others, then I can only say that what kind of person you are determines what kind of world you see."
Anne glanced at the opera master who was gradually calming down nearby. "Don't you think so, Master?"
The opera master had heard what Princess Kirenya and the others said, and knew this woman speaking up for him was the rumored Duke Virlet who personally went to the battlefield, so his attitude toward Anne was very friendly.
"Duke Virlet speaks very well."
He looked coldly at Kirenya. "I've been too busy with creating and performing to attend Princess Kirenya's banquets before, but I finally came this time, only to be humiliated by Miss Lucida like this. It seems I overestimated the Princess's sincerity."
"Originally, the opera house and I were rehearsing a new opera. Since Princess Kirenya kept inviting me, I thought she must have appreciation and love for art and music, so I planned to schedule the premiere on the Princess's birthday as a wonderful gift. But now it seems I can put that idea aside for now and continue polishing it for a while longer."
Kirenya's expression immediately stiffened.
She knew how influential this opera master was. Especially after Rolf became king, he had been vigorously promoting the popularization of arts and culture, trying to ensure everyone could receive artistic education on top of basic cultural education, to increase the cultural depth and refinement of the Soth Empire's citizens. As a result, the leaders in the arts had become the objects of pursuit for nobles across the country.
According to what the opera master said, Kirenya could have received a birthday gift from him, and history would have recorded that this performance was originally dedicated to her as a gift - an honor that even Rolf hadn't received.
But now, because of Anne's provocation, Lucida had actually said something insulting opera in front of the opera master, and the gift was immediately withdrawn on the spot. This was like a hard slap across Princess Kirenya's face.
Kirenya knew she couldn't blame the opera master for this, and if she actually made a move against him over this, the current King Rolf wouldn't be as easy to talk to as his father - he would definitely take action against her directly, and then she would lose all face.
The flames of hatred finally fell on Anne, her eyes cold, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows waiting to strike, flicking its tongue at Anne.
She first smiled gently at the opera master, pretending not to mind. "What a pity, sir, but please believe that my respect and support for you will never change. I will personally attend your next performance."
Then she looked at Lucida. "My daughter didn't mean to say those things. She was misled by someone else's malicious influence. I'm very sorry about this. Come, Lucida, apologize to the master."
Though Lucida was willful, she always obeyed her mother's commands. She curtsied slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. What I said just now was rude. Please forgive me."
The opera master could tell that this mother and daughter weren't sincerely asking for forgiveness, but since he was in Kirenya's manor after all, he could only reluctantly nod, indicating he accepted this insincere apology.
Anne gently waved her fan nearby. She of course understood that Princess Kirenya just didn't want this news to get out and damage her reputation for promoting the arts and respecting talent. After pacifying the master, she would continue making things difficult for her. But Anne wasn't afraid. Her gaze calmly swept over everyone present, only pausing briefly when she saw Selyma.
She didn't know if it was her imagination, but Selyma, who had looked at her with complete disdain last time, was now staring at her with slightly bright eyes—if it weren't for Anne clashing with Princess Kirenya as soon as she arrived and no one daring to stand near her, she would have thought Selyma was looking at someone else.
As for Old Lady Titan on the other side, Anne had seen her long ago. In fact, before she came, she had guessed that Princess Kirenya might arrange for people from the Titan family to be present. The purpose was obvious, but Anne didn't want to initiate an attack, to avoid giving Princess Kirenya and her people something to hold against her, saying she harbored hatred from love toward her ex-husband and held malice toward his family.
Seeing the opera master nod in acceptance, Lucida immediately became smug. See, she thought, so what if he's a master? Facing noble women like her and her mother, no matter how angry he is, doesn't he still have to hold it in?
She turned and rolled her eyes at Anne. "You talk so high and mighty, but aren't you just as petty toward your ex-husband's family? Everyone here just heard that you couldn't get your husband's love and couldn't have children, and you'd rather go against the King's arranged marriage to stop your husband. After being kicked out by the Titan family, you even desperately ran to the battlefield to stop him. How can there be such a shameless and selfish woman?"
"And when you didn't get what you wanted, you even asked Dr. Pascal not to treat anyone from the Titan family. This lady's husband is still unconscious - it's all your fault!"