FLORIA EARLDOM BANQUET HALL
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
HOW COULD LORD LOU SUDDENLY GET ENGAGED TO HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND?
I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF A BACK- COUNTRY PLACE CALLED "COURTNEY,"
YET HE BRINGS BACK A COUNTRY BUMPKIN LIKE THAT...!
I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT. LORD LOU HAD A FIANCÉE...?
YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF THE FLORIA EARLDOM -EVELYN FLORIA-
LORD LOU IS THE PRINCE OF OUR HIGH SOCIETY LADIES...!
SO WE ALL PROMISED NOT TO CLAIM LOU FOR OURSELVES,
AND TO LEAVE HIM AS AN ALOOF FLOWER ON A CLIFF!
TO THINK SOMEONE WOULD SNAP HIM UP! HOW DARE SHE!
EVERYONE!
YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN WHY WE GATHERED TODAY, HAVE YOU?
LET'S SEE JUST HOW REMARKABLE THE WOMAN WHO TOOK LORD LOU'S SIDE REALLY IS!
SHE'S PROBABLY A TOTAL NOBODY.
IF SHE IS, I'LL KICK HER RIGHT OUT!
WELCOME, LORD LOU VANZEN. LADY CHARLES COURTNEY.
THEY'RE HERE...!
...!!
WH-WHAT IS THIS...?
THEY LOOK WAY TOO GOOD TOGETHER...!
JUST AS I EXPECTED, THEY'RE ALL SIZING ME UP.
Those gazes are so prickly.
CHARLES, I'M GOING TO GO OVER TO WHERE THE COUNT IS.
ALRIGHT. I'LL STAY HERE AND CHAT WITH THE YOUNG LADIES.
SEE YOU LATER, CHARLES.
...HE IS SERIOUSLY GOING THIS FAR?
-ANYWAY, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD MAKE A MOVE TOO?
HELLO? NICE TO MEET YOU.
MY NAME IS CHARLES COURTNEY.
...CUTE.
Admittedly, her dress was a bit lackluster.
SHE'S EVEN PRETTIER UP CLOSE...?
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF ATMOSPHERE I WAS EXPECTING!
...IT CAN'T BE HELPED. IN THAT CASE--!
HELLO, LADY CHARLES.
MY NAME IS EVELYN FLORIA.
I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STEP IN MYSELF!
I'M THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF THE FLORIA EARLDOM, WHO IS HOSTING THIS BANQUET.
HELLO, LADY FLORIA. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
U-UM, I'M DOROTHY HARRINGTON.
...I'M AGATHA LOCKWOOD.
I'M CATHERINE WINSLOW.
IT'S AN HONOR TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
Hehe
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE BANQUET.
EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO CURIOUS ABOUT YOU, LADY CHARLES....
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAD OVER THERE AND CHAT TOGETHER?
-SO, I USUALLY HEAR A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT "LOU."
LIKE HOW THERE ARE PEOPLE KINDLY HELPING HIM "IN PLACE OF" ME IN THE CAPITAL.
ACCENTUATING LOU'S NAME LIKE THAT, OR USING THE PHRASE "IN PLACE OF"...
IS SHE SUBTLY SNEERING AT US?
I CAN'T LOSE EITHER.
...I SEE.
LADY CHARLES. IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
...WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOU OTHER THAN THAT YOU'RE LORD LOU'S FIANCÉE.
YOU'LL BE LIVING IN THE CAPITAL TOGETHER NOW, SHOULDN'T WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER?
...DO I-
REALLY HAVE TO?
FRANKLY, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME UP TO THE CAPITAL.
BUT AFTER LOU WENT TO THE CAPITAL, HE SENT LETTERS TO ME EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SAYING HOW MUCH HE MISSED ME,
AND HOW EVERY SINGLE DAY APART WAS SO DIFFICULT FOR HIM.
SO IT WAS ONLY FOR LOU'S SAKE THAT I CAME ALL THIS WAY,
AND I FEEL IT'S STILL A BIT TOO EARLY TO GET COZY WITH UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE.
HEY, LADY CHARLES!
THERE'S A LIMIT TO MAKING A FOOL OUT OF PEOPLE—
...A BEE?
It's absurdly huge..!
...A GIANT BEE SUDDENLY SHOWS UP TO RUIN THE MOOD?
What on earth is going on here?
AS THE SAYING GOES...
IS IT A GIANT HORNET? - IT'S A HORNET.
IS IT A MONSTER? - IT'S A GIANT HORNET.
IF IT MAKES YOU ASK, "IS THAT A MONSTER?" THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GIANT HORNET.
...IT'S A GIANT HORNET.
WH-WHAT DİD YOU SAY?!!
D-DON'T COME NEAR ME, STAY AWAY!!!
AAAAAH-!!
OUCH.
OUCH... ?
EEK!! LADY CHARLES, YOU GOT STUNG!
THIS HORNET...
GOOD THING I THRUST OUT MY ARM BEFORE LADY EVELYN GOT STUNG.
EVERYONE, PLEASE KEEP YOUR HEADS LOWERED FOR A MOMENT.
YES? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO....
...HOW CAN HITTING A GIANT HORNET MAKE A SOUND LIKE THAT...?
HUH? LOOKS LIKE IT'S RUNNING AWAY...!
It managed to survive after getting hit like that...
LADY CHARLES!
Are you okay?
WEREN'T YOU STUNG BY THE BEE EARLIER?
I FORGOT. PEOPLE USUALLY HURT A LOT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
HAVING LIVED AS AN AGENT FOR SO LONG, I FORGOT HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE REACT.
THE VERY FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU BECOME A CATACLE AGENT IS
CONSUME POISON.
WE INGEST SMALL AMOUNTS OF POISON OVER TIME TO BUILD UP AN IMMUNITY.
SO GETTING STUNG BY A BEE IS NOTHING SPECIAL, BUT IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.
WE NEED TO CALL A PHYSICIAN QUICKLY-!
I'M FINE. I'M JUST GLAD NONE OF YOU WERE HURT.
WHAT ON EARTH IS ALL THIS COMMOTION?
AH...
LOUVANDES...!
At the Floria County banquet, society ladies jealously gossip about Lord Lou Vandes's engagement to his provincial childhood friend Charles Courtney. Led by Evelyn Floria, they decide to test Charles. When Lou goes to join the earl, Charles is left alone and says that Lou wrote to him every day and came to the capital only for him. Just as the tension rises, a giant hornet appears; Charles stretches out his arm so Evelyn won't be stung, takes the sting himself, and drives the wasp away.
