chapter 16……………………………….
A leisurely afternoon.
Millard was having tea with his older sister, Princess Hestia.
He quietly studied Hestia sitting across from him. Unlike Millard, who was blond, she had the same red hair as the Emperor.
Seeing that Edwin and Hestia shared the same eye and hair color, it wasn’t unreasonable that the Emperor might doubt who his own father was.
There was even a time, when he was young, that Millard had thought so too.
“Don’t think useless thoughts. Her Majesty the Empress is not that kind of person.”
Whenever that happened, his mentor would cut off his musings with a cold expression.
“Even if, by some utterly ridiculous chance, something like that had happened, it wouldn’t be your fault. The one at fault would be the adult who chose to act childishly.”
She would even subtly criticize the Emperor while saying it.
Millard used to think that was simply because she cared about him that much, but whenever he looked at Trisha—who eventually married Edwin—…
He shook those thoughts away.
What was the point of thinking about such things now?
I’ll just hold hands with my mentor for a while, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll each go our own way.
Deciding to focus on the tea time he was sharing with his sister, he spoke.
“I hear there’s a dinner at the Princess’s palace later?”
“The New Year Festival is coming up, so it’s only right for the ladies to spend some time together beforehand.”
Millard’s face filled with doubt.
“Since when did you start caring about things like that?”
“When His Majesty says something, it’s not exactly something I can ignore.”
In other words, it wasn’t her own will.
Millard let out a sigh.
He did wonder why it had to be now of all times, but he couldn’t openly go against the Emperor’s wishes.
This was the Imperial Palace, after all.
So, pretending it was no big deal, he raised the question he was curious about.
“You’re not planning to invite me to that dinner, are you?”
Millard knew every detail of Hestia’s schedule.
Who attended her tea parties and dinners—he knew all of it.
Today was no exception.
“There are quite a few unmarried young ladies among the guests.”
“So?”
“If you’re thinking of pressuring me into marriage again, don’t bother.”
Millard struck first.
Just like his aide Liam, Hestia regularly nagged him about getting married.
“What? Ahahaha!”
But contrary to his expectations, Hestia burst out laughing.
One of Millard’s eyebrows rose.
“My dear little brother. You’re very smart, but this time, you’ve got it wrong.”
Hestia set down the teacup she was holding.
“I won’t be inviting you to tonight’s dinner.”
“……”
“Absolutely not.”
Her violet eyes shone with firm resolve.
Just as he thought—she was definitely plotting something.
As that uneasy feeling deepened—
“Your Highness, a guest has arrived.”
“Bring them in.”
There was a visitor for the Princess.
With barely forty minutes left until the dinner, a guest felt suspicious.
“You should be leaving soon, Millard.”
“I’d like to stay a bit longer.”
As long as it wasn’t a conversation he wasn’t allowed to hear, he declared he would stay. Hestia nodded.
“Well, suit yourself.”
Her easy permission only doubled his unease.
Who on earth was this guest?
His question was soon answered.
“Trisha Mason of the Grand Duchy of Mason requests an audience with Her Highness the Princess of the Efelverno Empire.”
The woman appeared with graceful steps and bowed her head.
Trisha Mason. That woman again.
Millard clenched his teeth and maintained a polite smile.
Her name hadn’t been on the list.
“It’s been a while, Grand Duchess Mason. Have you been well?”
“Yes. I’ve been well.”
At Hestia’s gesture, Trisha lifted her head, and a mocking smile curved the Princess’s lips.
“I thought you might have suffered quite a bit, what with your husband causing such a major incident.”
“……”
“Was I mistaken?”
“Well, I suppose he did cause quite a major incident.”
Trisha accepted the clearly sarcastic remark without batting an eye.
“I’m holding back my tears over my beloved husband’s betrayal, so you’re being rather cruel.”
Beloved husband.
Despite the utterly dry tone in which the words were spoken, Millard felt an inexplicable chill in his chest.
“You really should leave now.”
Perhaps Hestia noticed it as well, because she issued the dismissal again.
This time, Millard rose without protest.
“I’ll see you next time, Sister-in-law.”
At the painfully chosen title, Trisha merely nodded in silence.
Millard turned to Hestia and added one last thing.
“Please be careful.”
“Don’t worry.”
Hestia’s lips twisted into a gentle smile.
“There’s a bold young lady who says she’ll protect me.”
Her gaze landed on Trisha.
“Are you done confirming?”
As soon as Millard was gone, Trisha asked.
“In Your Highness’s opinion, does Millard still seem to have lingering feelings for me?”
Smack!
Trisha’s head snapped to the side.
The blow was so strong it split the inside of her mouth, leaving a metallic taste.
“I’m fairly certain I told you never to approach Millard again.”
“……”
“Have you forgotten everything?”
At Hestia’s icy warning, Trisha let out a small laugh.
She’s laughing?
Hestia’s eyebrow twitched.
“So that’s why I came to you, Princess—rather than to Millard… no, to the Grand Duke.”
“……”
“Or should I go see the Grand Duke now, even at this late hour?”
“You’re still just as good at calmly turning people inside out. You haven’t changed at all.”
A headache forming, Hestia pressed a hand to her forehead.
“Don’t be mistaken, Trisha Mason. You chose Edwin Mason.”
“……”
“You were the one who cut ties with Millard and me first.”
Trisha, who had once been Millard’s mentor, had also been on fairly friendly terms with Princess Hestia.
So when Trisha suddenly announced she would marry Edwin, Hestia had been horrified.
“Are you insane? Edwin Mason? Why him of all people?!”
“Please watch your words, Your Highness. I’m now family to you.”
“……What?”
“Family members should maintain proper courtesy.”
Family, my foot.
From that day on, Hestia treated Trisha as if she didn’t exist.
That hadn’t changed much even now, when Trisha had sent a separate letter saying she would attend the dinner in place of Marchioness Devon.
Still, Hestia was curious.
“You betrayed us first, so why come sniffing around here now? Is it because you think His Majesty won’t side with your husband?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?”
Trisha paused, choosing her words.
She knew Hestia well, and tailored her answer accordingly.
“Because I absolutely cannot stand the idea of Edwin Mason becoming Emperor.”
“What?”
Hestia gasped and instinctively looked around.
“Trisha Mason. Are you completely out of your mind?”
It was one thing to say that in private, but to say something like that openly in the Imperial Palace!
“I wouldn’t have come to see you if I were sane, Your Highness.”
Trisha, however, remained utterly nonchalant.
She merely asked whether she could borrow some ice to reduce the swelling on her cheek.
“I have no idea what you’re trying to do with me right now.”
“You’ll understand once the dinner is over.”
“If it turns out to be nothing, be prepared. I will lodge a formal complaint with the Grand Duchy of Mason.”
Trisha nodded.
As though that would never happen.
“Your Highness, may I say one shameless thing?”
“What is it?”
“My marriage to my current husband also includes Your Highness’s share of responsibility.”
“Hah. That really is shameless.”
Hestia raised an eyebrow.
She was curious to see just what nonsense Trisha would spout.
“I’ll explain in detail after the dinner.”
But Trisha lightly betrayed Hestia’s expectation.
“Shall we go, then?”
“…You’re still just as fond of playing with people.”
Raising one eyebrow, Hestia stepped forward alongside Trisha.
The dinner hosted by the Princess.
Those in attendance were seasoned noblewomen of high society and young ladies from influential families.
Naturally, there was no shortage of silent power struggles.
Normally, those who didn’t get along would be seated as far apart as possible.
But—
Something feels off.
Many of the guests thought the same.
Why was Countess Yudel—who had a notoriously bad relationship with the Princess—seated at her right?
And why was the Grand Duchess of Mason here at all?
Since Trisha had completely withdrawn from social activities after her marriage, the questions only grew.
“Is the Grand Duke of Mason trying to support Her Highness?”
“No, if that were the case, he would have at least shown his face briefly.”
Moreover, Hestia herself didn’t exchange a single word with Trisha.
Instead, she spoke more than usual with Countess Yudel, causing the speculation that the Mason family supported the Princess to lose traction.
That was when—
“Now, everyone. I have a wine that I specially procured for tonight’s dinner.”
Countess Yudel clapped her hands, drawing attention.
“If Her Highness permits it, I’d love to present it. Would that be all right?”
She seemed delighted that the Princess—who normally didn’t get along with her—was paying her attention.
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
“If it’s something you’re confident in presenting, then it should be trustworthy.”
The moment Hestia gave her permission, a maid brought out a bottle of wine nestled in an ice basket.
She was Olivia, the daughter of Baron Moret—a relative of the Marquess of Devon.
A girl the Marchioness of Devon had personally pushed into the Imperial Palace.
When Trisha confirmed Olivia’s appearance, her eyes gleamed coldly.
