"Compared with me, you seem to be more worried about your loss of youth, right? You seem to be much older than me, cousin."
Although Agnes said it calmly, her words had enough destructive power to make Maria furious.
As an "elderly leftover girl" in the royal family, Maria was most sensitive to her growing age, and Agnes's light words touched her most painful point.
Of course, she ignored the fact that she was the first to provoke.
The blood vessels on Maria's forehead pulsed several times, and an angry look flashed across her eyes. Although she barely maintained a cold smile on her face, hostility was already overflowing.
As a swordsman who had fought many life-and-death battles with others, Agnes could certainly sense the hostility coming towards her, but she didn't take it seriously at all.
After all, she is the owner of this place at the moment. Although she doesn’t know who this Ms. Maria is, she is just an uninvited guest. What does she have to be afraid of?
Even if she does have a great background, so what? Agnes has never been a coward. She even beat up the blood prince of Austria before, so how could she be afraid of this lady of unknown origin?
The strange atmosphere brought a stalemate of silence, and neither of them spoke for a while.
Logically speaking, Agnes can just walk away now, leave this lady Maria alone here, wait until the banquet is over, and then let her leave in despair. This is how the upper class treats "unwelcome guests"
” common practice.
However, the competitive spirit in her bones made Agnes unwilling to just walk away. It would appear that she was afraid of the other party, so she would rather stay where she was and see what other tricks this beautiful but unpleasant lady had up her sleeves.
.
Fortunately, the strange stalemate did not last long. Maria picked up the wine glass, drank a sip of scarlet wine viciously, and then looked at Agnes with a smile on her face again.
"I really didn't expect that you look humble and generous, but you have such a mouth."
"I was also forced to learn it slowly. To face the world, it is absolutely impossible not to learn to fight tooth for tooth." Agnes replied, "Looking at your style, you should have seen a lot of the world, and you must be more powerful than me.
That’s right.”
"Oh, you think highly of me... Although I am indeed older than you, my experience is not as rich as yours. I grew up in a remote place since I was a child, and what I have seen and heard since I was little is limited to that.
It’s just a small place, and I haven’t seen much of the world. How can I be so lucky as you, to become famous in Europe at a young age, making everyone curious, and desperately trying to come here to see you?”
If Agnes's mention of age just now was a heavy blow to Maria, Maria's now insinuation that Agnes is "famous in Europe" has also poked Agnes' most painful wound.
After all, the so-called "famous in Europe" is nothing more than her being known to the world as an open lover.
Some people will definitely feel complacent about this, but Agnes is different. After all, she is still young and her moral sense is still too heavy in her heart, so she has not yet learned to feel comfortable with her immoral "high status".
Normally no one would dare to bring it up in front of her, so she could avoid touching the wound, but when Maria said it to her face with a gun and a stick, she suddenly felt ashamed.
However, she can't escape.
She could be embarrassed, but she couldn't admit defeat. She didn't want to show weakness and pain in front of someone who clearly had bad intentions.
So, she gritted her teeth secretly, and then calmly replied to the other party with suppressed anger.
"Being famous in Europe is definitely not what I want, and I don't cherish this reputation. You can just treat me as a mediocre ordinary person."
Seeing that Agnes had also been poked in a painful spot, Maria felt that she had gained a point, and she felt much relieved.
"Even if you are really humble, I'm afraid this is something you can't do. Now everyone knows that you have a close relationship with the King of Rome, and those people who follow the trend are swarming towards you and your family, intending to benefit from the favor you have received.
Get a share of your favor - isn't that what this grand occasion is like today? Aren't those words that I accidentally heard just now someone trying to please you? Since you have already reached this point, why bother to do this?
A self-deceptive and futile resistance?"
"What is a self-deceptive and futile resistance?" Agnes became even more angry when she heard this. "Is it wrong for me not to join in the same trend?"
"Of course you are, you have done so well that you can take the opportunity to comfort yourself and still have your conscience." Maria put down the wine glass, then clapped her hands gently, as if she was applauding Agnes, "
But, what about in reality? Since you are already close to power, don't expect your hands to be clean. If you refuse the gift, will the partisans who gathered around your father disperse? Those open collusions and transactions will
Will it disappear on its own? I'm afraid even you won't be so naive, right?
Therefore, your resistance is nothing more than to find psychological comfort for yourself. While you are already stuck in the quagmire, you are trying to prove that your hands are innocent. Isn't this deceiving yourself and others? "
Although she still hated Maria's sarcastic demeanor and tone, Agnes was a little speechless now.
Because this is indeed the truth, the truth that cannot be refuted.
Now I really feel like a person who has been covered in mud, but I am still trying to show off and try my best to make myself appear innocent.
But this is indeed deceiving herself. Only she knows best what she has done - she has become someone else's public lover, accepted countless expensive gifts, and allowed her father to form gangs and fight for power everywhere.
Although everything was not what she wanted, she still fell into this situation step by step and involuntarily.
What's the point of defending herself now? She knows that she is her father's biggest support and brand, so all of this has something to do with her. Rejecting the gift is self-deception, and pretending not to know is just self-deception.
Agnes actually knew these things in her heart, but no one had dared to point it out to her face before, and she could turn a blind eye; but now, when the lady in front of her pointed it out, she finally had nowhere to hide.
, we can only face reality head-on.
For a moment, she felt so embarrassed that she even felt like crying.
Too many things in the world were contrary to what she wanted, and she suspected that maybe she was the one who was wrong.
But facing Maria's gaze, the strength in her bones kept her from losing her composure in the end.
"I understand what you mean... I also have to admit that you are right, I did deceive myself a little bit." She laughed sadly, and then sighed self-deprecatingly, "Now that things have happened, what should I talk about?
The reputation is indeed a bit ridiculous. Everyone in Europe knows that I am just someone else's mistress. I climbed into the master's bed in exchange for the glory and grace of the family. No matter how many excuses I give myself, the actual situation is like this and I cannot refute it.
, and I won’t be allowed to escape.”
After saying such self-deprecating words, Agnes steeled herself, and then looked at Maria with a resolute attitude, "Maybe I am indeed a joke, but even if I fall into this situation, I still have what I can do."
I still have something I can stick to... even if it's just this little thing left.
I can try my best to be a good person, try my best to help the people around me, and at least try not to harm others. Whether it is self-deception or a useless struggle, I will try my best to make this world a little better than before I existed... even if it is just a little bit better.
I have made the smallest contribution to this world. When I face the judgment of heaven after death, I can proudly hold out my chest and tell the judge that I have done everything I can do, and I have a clear conscience even if I go to hell!
You may have laughed at me, and you may laugh at me again in the future. This is your freedom, but this does not prevent me from continuing to deceive myself and others, because this is all I can do, and I will always do it."
At this time, the girl's body seems to be shining with the light of the right path. Although it sounds a bit naive and ridiculous, no one can doubt her sincerity and belief - she is convinced of the path she is on and is willing to go on it firmly.
Good boy, you are really good at dragging such a girl into your quagmire... She suddenly sighed in her heart.
The emotion of "I feel pity for you" is not unique to the East.
"Wonderful." After a moment of silence, Maria clapped her hands softly again, but this time, she was sincere and not sarcastic. "No wonder you can fascinate the King of Rome, who has eyes higher than his head.
Forget it, you are indeed more than just beautiful..."
After finishing her praise for her, Maria changed the topic again, "But, this is also your misfortune. In this world, there are always those people who have no principles and get along like a fish in water. Just because they have no principles, they will have nothing.
You are burdened and are always ready to do things that harm others and benefit yourself; you have put too many extra burdens on yourself, which will make you burdened."
"I have received too much, shouldn't I be burdened with it?" Agnes replied briskly, "Since you said that I am already famous in Europe, in order to live up to my reputation, I should also run a business.
Image, right?”
It seems that after Agnes expressed her feelings just now, the silt accumulated in her heart has been temporarily cleared away. Now she can make fun of herself, which also means that she is almost invulnerable now.
Now Maria realized that her cynicism had no effect.
Since she was a child, although she was not the only one who had no choice but to obey orders in front of her parents or her brother-in-law, she had almost never lost in a battle of words, and now she had to admit that she was the loser.
At a complete disadvantage.
She secretly regretted that she should not have started this verbal dispute without knowing anything about the other party and being unprepared. As a result, not only did she not make the other party angry, but she actually made herself look guilty and short of breath.
Now that it has reached this level, she won't be able to offend the other person if she continues to talk. If she continues to struggle, it will only make her look like a shrew - and Maria certainly will not allow herself to become that kind of gaffe.
"You're right - at least it's better than letting it go and giving up. I believe you will do what you said." So, she nodded slightly and tried to stop the initial confrontation. "I just said
You don’t need to take those words to heart, I just said them out of my feelings, I will forget them soon, and they will never cause you any trouble."
She is not a person with such moral principles and doesn't care about these things at all. She just accused Agnes of deceiving herself just to arouse the guilt in her heart and then attack her. Now that this point can no longer be used as a place to attack her,
Naturally, she would not continue to struggle.
As for filing a complaint with Aigron, she would definitely not do it. Firstly, she didn't want to appear so shameless. Secondly, it would be pointless to complain about such a thing. The little guy must have known about it and acquiesced.
The redemption fee for the rich lady... is really expensive, she secretly smiled in her heart.
So what should be the redemption fee for Princess Sophie? She suddenly thought of this question again.
However, this is not the answer that can be found here.
After she finished speaking, she bowed to Agnes leisurely, prepared to turn around and leave, and continue to devote herself to the banquet.
"Can you stay for a moment?" However, to her surprise, Agnes suddenly called her out.
"Do you have any other instructions?" Maria was a little surprised, but she still stopped.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Agnes looked at Maria and asked softly. "I have been doubting you since just now, and now... I am even more curious about you. Who are you and why are you here?
Here? You have said so much to me in a condescending manner. To be fair, I should also know who you are, right?"
Facing Agnes's aggressive eyes, Maria shuddered.
This chilling momentum was something she had never experienced before.
It’s time to run away! Maria had to remind herself.
Although she has always been willful, she is not completely mindless, and she also knows how to weigh the priorities. Now, although she has come to France with a fake identity with the help of her eldest sister, Princess Augusta, this is "illegal" after all.
Just as Princess Augusta warned her several times before, once she causes any trouble here and her true identity is exposed, she will immediately cause a big mess and affect the family's reputation.
Brother Wang will definitely be furious and he won't be able to eat and walk around.
"Cinderella will disappear on its own after midnight, so why do you care?" She faced Agnes with a stiff smile, and then stepped back, trying to return to the crowd.