Episode 19
Mom, why are you acting so serious? You’re making me nervous for no reason.
I had no idea what she was about to say, so I swallowed dryly.
“Eilene, don’t you think it’s time you returned to high society?”
“High society?”
“Yes. You’re going to be Empress soon, so you should restart your social activities.”
“Oh…”
I paused to think about her words.
Right. A noble lady is expected to attend social events—inviting and being invited to tea times, attending parties, and so on.
Honestly, because of the kidnapping incident, my parents had left me alone all this time. I wasn’t studying or socializing—they just let me rest and recover comfortably.
Even though I wasn’t actually the one who got kidnapped, their gentle and caring attitude really touched me. I was truly thankful.
That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to refuse my mother’s request.
“Yes. I think you’re right.”
“Good decision, Eilene.”
She seemed pleased with my weak answer and pulled me in for a loud kiss on the head.
“My sweet daughter. Be strong. I’ll see you at breakfast.”
With that, she left the room, along with the stack of invitations.
Ahh…
I sighed at how kindly she reminded me of my forgotten duties.
It was already exhausting that the Emperor kept calling me whenever he felt like it, and now I had to start attending parties regularly too?
How bold must the original Eilene have been to reject all of this?
Looks like my peaceful days are over. Goodbye, comfy life.
I had to swallow my bitterness.
After breakfast with the family, I went through the pile of invitations. My parents suggested a few from prestigious noble families in the capital area.
They said I should at least attend one of them—but which one?
As I looked through the names, one seemed oddly familiar. Below the letterhead was the name Marquis Tensel Ortel, along with his family crest.
Marquis Ortel… I think he was mentioned once in the original novel.
Yeah, I might as well choose a name I recognize.
My reason for choosing was simple, but my parents said it was an excellent choice. We immediately sent a letter saying I would attend.
And this fresh bit of news soon reached the Emperor, who I was scheduled to have lunch with today.
“You’re going to Marquis Ortel’s party?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As always, the Emperor looked flawless in his shining uniform, his golden hair glowing.
While he talked, I just focused on stabbing a perfectly cut piece of steak with my fork.
Ugh. I didn’t even want to mention the party. How did it slip out?
I tried to tell myself it was fine for him to know… but that thought was crushed right away.
“If you’re going, then I’ll go too.”
“Pardon? You, Your Majesty?”
I was so shocked by his words that I dropped my steak from the fork.
“I’m your partner, so isn’t it obvious?” he said with a shrug, after swallowing a spoonful of soup.
How is that obvious?!
I stared blankly at his calm expression.
Looks like I’m stuck going to this party with the Emperor, all flashy and noticeable.
He’s talking like we’re married already when we haven’t even set a wedding date!
Not that I want to marry him. Definitely not. No way.
In the original novel, he eventually kicked Eilene out—but that hasn’t happened to me yet, so I didn’t know how to act around him. When would he finally get tired of me?
Anyway, I had a bigger problem to focus on right now.
I wasn’t the real Eilene, so of course I’d never been to a noble party. I might look like a pro, but inside, I was a total newbie—which meant I was in big trouble.
Still, I had read tons of romance fantasy novels, so maybe I’d be okay…? Who am I kidding! You can’t learn how to dance just by reading!
Even though going with the Emperor made me uncomfortable, in a weird way it felt better than going alone. Or maybe not. It was all confusing. Since I couldn’t avoid it, I decided to just try and see the bright side.
And soon, the day of the party arrived.
Looking back, I don’t even know what came over me that morning.
Since it was my first time rejoining high society after the whole kidnapping scandal, my mother paid extra attention to every detail. And when she heard that the Emperor himself would be my partner, the whole mansion went wild trying to prepare me.
After all that fuss, I had to admit the effort was worth it.
The dress I wore had a tight waist and a wide A-line skirt. It was mainly crimson red, with white and black lace layered around the sleeves, neckline, and hem. I wore a headband with a red rose on the end, and a diamond necklace that sparkled brightly.
They say clothes make the person—and the outfit really suited Eilene’s pink hair and green eyes. She already looked like a fairy, but now she truly looked like the perfect future Empress—elegant and refined.
The Emperor said he would stop by to pick me up. When it was nearly time, a flashy carriage with the imperial crest in gold arrived at our mansion.
His sudden arrival sent the whole household into chaos. Our family’s knights and servants, who had been waiting in advance, all bowed deeply when he arrived.
I walked across the beautiful carpet that had been laid out to the carriage. Strangely, the Emperor had gotten out and was waiting for me.
“Welcome, Eilene. You look absolutely stunning today.”
“Thank you. You look very handsome too, Your Majesty.”
It was a typical polite reply, but not empty words—he really did look amazing. His black and white outfit, decorated with a red feather, made him look like the embodiment of luxury. And his golden hair, styled even more carefully today, caught everyone’s attention.
Ah… so he really is the male lead, huh?
But still, for me, it’s all about the Grand Duke. I won’t let this fancy show distract me.
I imagined Raymond wearing a similar formal outfit and standing beside me. The image was so powerful I nearly had a nosebleed.
Just then, the Emperor caught my eyes and smiled widely.
Uh… no, not you. That wasn’t for you.
I think he misunderstood something, but I couldn’t correct him.
If I told him I was thinking of Raymond instead, I’d probably get my head chopped off.
When we finally arrived, the Ortel mansion was even grander than our own.
I had chosen this party just because the name seemed familiar, but the night I made that choice, I suddenly remembered who the Marquis really was.
Oh right! That Ortel!
In the original novel, he was a bootlicker who stuck close to the Emperor and benefited from it. Eventually, he got kicked out by the real female lead and ended up poor and miserable.
But for now, he was still riding high.
He was one of the Emperor’s favorites—powerful and flashy. The mansion was just below palace level, filled with expensive decorations. In short, they threw money everywhere.
As our carriage stopped at the entrance, the Emperor stepped down first and reached out his hand to escort me like a gentleman.
“Eilene. Take my hand.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I stepped out and took his arm. As we passed through the party hall entrance, all eyes turned toward us.
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”
The host shouted loudly, and everyone bowed deeply while saying, “We greet the Sun of the Empire!”
Wow…
The whole scene looked like something from a movie. It’s rare to see so many people move in sync like that.
And having them all bow to me was… kind of thrilling.
The tingling at the top of my head and in my fingers—I felt like I was tasting the edge of true power.
“Welcome, Your Majesty,”
Marquis Ortel hurried over and bowed deeply.
“Marquis Ortel.”
“It’s a great honor to have you visit such a humble place. My family will remember this day for generations.”
He was so used to flattery that the compliments flowed out like water.
“Lady Cowet, welcome. Thank you so much for accepting our invitation.”
“No, thank you for inviting me.”
Now it was my turn. I bowed politely and said the proper things, and I could feel the Emperor watching me from the side. From his expression, it seemed he was quite pleased with my behavior.
“Having both of you here makes this event shine even brighter. Please enjoy your time. Let us know if you need anything.”
“Of course.”
After the Marquis bowed again and stepped away, the Emperor and I began walking around the hall arm-in-arm.
Every time we took a step, nobles rushed over to greet us and shower us with sugary compliments. This was a rare chance to see the Emperor up close, so everyone acted like ants swarming honey.
“Hello. I’m Count Coud.”
“I’m Marquis Vnil.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You’re absolutely stunning, Lady Cowet.”
“You two make a perfect couple. Hohoho.”
Maybe because the Emperor came to the party with me, people thought he had special feelings for me. So they tried to win favor by complimenting me endlessly.
This parade of nobles went on for quite a while—until finally, a royal knight quickly approached the Emperor and gave him a subtle signal with his eyes.
