The Villainess's Secret Bedroom Service
Chapter 116: A Convincing Argument

Chapter 116: A Convincing Argument

Rosalie flinched when she felt someone’s heavy hand rest on her delicate shoulder. Instinctively, she turned her head around, only to find Theodore Xarden towering over her. His impeccable yet slightly fatigued features bore a subtle hint of contentment as his deep, narrow eyes swept over Rosalie’s bewildered expression.

The men in the vicinity widened their eyes, struggling to grasp the unexpected turn of events. They exchanged frantic and lost glances among themselves, succumbing to the awkward silence brought about by Theo’s sudden appearance.

A few moments later, the nearby crowd started buzzing with hushed whispers. Their curious and somewhat judgemental gazes subtly shifted toward the man standing behind Grand Duchess Dio.

"Goodness, is that really Lord Theodore Xarden? This is the first time in years I have seen him at a banquet!"

As the whispers began to crescendo in volume and intensity, Rosalie’s palms began to sweat once more while the uncomfortable tension in her chest spread, weakening her knees. However, as if he had sensed her distress, Lord Xarden cleared his throat with an audible cough and spoke again, gently gripping the lady’s shoulder,

"How peculiar it is. I had no inkling that my presence would elicit such a strong reaction among those gathered here."

He then glanced down at Rosalie, and her features relaxed a little. He offered her an encouraging smile as he continued,

"I suppose this is yet another thing we share in common, Lady Rosalie."

Though still somewhat puzzled, the duchess responded to his smile with a slightly awkward curl of her rosy lips. She then redirected her gaze to the assembly of gentlemen before them. It appeared that their initial bewilderment had also dissipated, as Marquess Geriant found the courage to speak up.

"So... Lord Theodore Xarden himself is endorsing Lady Dio’s charitable endeavor?"

Theodore casually shrugged his shoulders and graced them with another smile.

"Please, My Lord, do not appear so taken aback. Her Highness Princess Angelica shared with me their strategic framework for the foundation, and I fail to see any reason why such a flawlessly executed undertaking should not garner support from many. In fact, one might argue that not supporting it could lead to missed opportunities."

Baron Taran released an audibly irritated sigh and entered the discussion as well,

"Yes, but this is not a business venture. There won’t be any financial return. What is in it for us?"

Before Lord Xarden could counter with one of his impeccably crafted responses, Rosalie raised her hand, signaling for him to hold his words. Finally, she found her voice on the matter as she spoke,

"True, there may not be a direct monetary gain, but considering the recent gladiator arena incident, it is apparent that the lesser nobility and even the commoners who hold voting privileges are growing increasingly skeptical of the current political structure."

She paused, her gaze shifting between the noblemen, her mind turning over her words. She could not deny that what she had just uttered was far from the truth; it had been merely an improvisation. Yet, this seemingly harmful lie had sprung forth from an unexpectedly enlightening realization.

As if by some enchantment, Lady Ashter’s memory conjured another passage from the pages of "Acme Fever." It was a Chapter detailing a rather important event in the story—Evangelina’s return to the Capital on the day of the Harvest Festival. During that fateful time, a shadow of distress descended upon the main city of Rische. A mysterious ailment had afflicted all the orphanages in the Capital, claiming the lives of countless children and their caretakers.

To the shock of all, the nobility had callously withheld financial assistance to address this dire situation. Instead, they burdened the hardworking commoners with increased taxes, saddling them with the costs of mass funerals and the necessary cleanup of the affected institutions.

Such a merciless decision not only incensed the hardworking, tax-paying commoners but also stirred the lower nobility. Together, they united in a large-scale uprising against the ruling powers.

This rebellion did not just wreak havoc among the nobility; it also cast a shadow of doubt upon Crown Prince Loyd Rische. It came to light that he intended to deploy the formidable Army of Shadows to quell the revolt, eroding people’s trust in him entirely.

However, it was Evangelina who, skillfully leveraging Damien’s burgeoning affections, persuaded him to defy the Crown Prince’s order and seek a resolution without resorting to excessive brutality.

Despite the noble intentions underpinning this act of disobedience, Damien’s decision to stand with the people left lasting scars on his relationship with the Imperial Family.

Using this plot twist seemed somewhat risky, but Rosalie had little to lose. She did not particularly care about the eventual outcome of Evangelina’s appearance. What truly mattered was her current predicament, and she could not discern how altering the current course of events would yield anything dramatically significant.

Therefore, she drew in a deep breath to soothe her racing thoughts and finally continued,

"While His Highness the Crown Prince is constrained from making any political maneuvers until his coronation, lending support to both Princess Angelica and Grand Duchess Dio would foster trust in the current rulers. What could be more crucial than safeguarding our positions in the upper echelons of nobility? Think of it not as a disadvantageous investment, but rather an ongoing contribution that secures our impeccable and stable future."

Perhaps swayed by her confident words, the men exchanged knowing glances once more and commenced hushed discussions about their future course of action. Rosalie shifted her gaze back to Lord Xarden, who responded with a contented smile and a hint of pride in his nod.

Finally, it was Earl Elsher who broke the silence, his voice carrying a tone of agreement,

"Very well, Lady Rosalie. Your argument was indeed both logical and persuasive. We shall lend our support to your cause."

Rosalie could feel her heart quicken as a rush of emotions surged through her, but before she could react, Theodore retrieved a slim, rectangular notebook from the inner breast pocket of his jacket and extended it towards the Earl.

"You are familiar with the procedure, gentlemen. Please place your signatures here, and the finer points will be addressed during the future investor meeting organized by Her Grace and Her Highness."

The men responded with an affirmative nod and proceeded to depart, engaging in a new conversation while gingerly handling Lord Xarden’s slim notebook.

Rosalie turned her entire body toward Theodore, clasping her hands with her beautiful face radiating happiness and excitement.

"We did it! Thank you so much, Lord Theodore!"

The man could not help but smirk, his satisfaction evident in his somewhat proud voice as he replied,

"If you are feeling grateful, Lady Rosalie, would you care to join me for a drink?"