ATIRPBT 85

CHAPTER 85…………

Meanwhile, in the Second Empress’s Palace.

“Goodness, who would’ve thought I’d live to see the day the Second Empress herself invites us for tea? Isn’t that right, Marchioness Eolin?”

Marchioness Karen leaned close and whispered slyly into Beisa Eolin’s ear.

At that moment, the ladies who had been invited were waiting inside the palace of Empress Ayla.

Beisa, who had been the first to receive the invitation, smiled with her eyes as she turned toward Marchioness Karen.

“Indeed. I was so surprised myself. I checked the letter two or three times to make sure it was real.”

“My, my! I thought I was the only one who doubted whether the letter was truly from Her Majesty, but it seems you did the same, Marchioness Eolin!”

Karen burst into laughter. Drawn by the sound, other noblewomen began to gather around.

One lady whispered quietly,

“But why do you suppose she called us? After all, wasn’t the Second Empress Ayla someone who deliberately avoided all contact with high society?”

“Even before she was chosen as a candidate for empress, she was never one for social gatherings.”

“Well, isn’t the reason obvious?”

Just then, as the ladies whispered among themselves, Marchioness Karen lifted the corner of her lips with a smirk, fluttering her fan ever so slightly.

“It must be thanks to the First Princess Lilien. They say Ayla may look like a delicate flower, but her true nature is not unlike His Imperial Majesty’s. Especially after Orichalcon—surely no one here has forgotten the princess’s spirit during that event?”

The noblewomen nodded one after another.

“I was astonished too. I thought she was fragile, but she proved so bold.”

“Indeed. Otherwise, how could she have stormed into that eccentric group and brought back a substitute for Orichalcon? Quite the achievement, really.”

“And she’s even been invited to the Imperial Breakfast Banquet…”

“Then isn’t today’s tea party the decisive moment?”

That a new star had risen—one that could check both the Empress and the First Prince.

“…”

None spoke aloud, but the shared silence betrayed that they all had the same thought.

Would the First Princess truly gain recognition, surpassing even the First Prince, and stand against the Empress?

Yet those who still clung to the Empress’s faction smirked subtly, intending to belittle the Second Empress at today’s gathering.

“Impossible.”

“She is famous for being weak of spirit. No matter what great achievements the First Princess has accomplished, Prince Dmitri will never be overshadowed.”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

At that, one of the Empress’s supporters forced a laugh and fidgeted with her fingers.

‘Is this the scene Her Majesty wished for?’

Beisa sighed inwardly as she watched the ladies subtly tearing down the Second Empress.

These women would never truly stand on Ayla’s side. They were bats—hanging wherever scraps fell.

“She is a woman one cannot read…”

Beisa muttered just as—

“Her Imperial Highness, the Second Empress Ayla Schaff Kaliberg!”

The doorkeeper’s resounding announcement filled the hall.

All idle chatter ceased at once, every gaze turning to the grand central doors.

The doors opened slowly, and Ayla stepped through.

“Oh my…”

“Heavens…”

The ladies raised their fans to cover their lips, exclaiming in awe.

Even without engaging in society, Ayla had long been famed for her beauty. Few women achieve renown purely for appearance, but Ayla had.

Now, seeing her fully adorned after so long, the noblewomen unconsciously flushed red.

Some nearly lost themselves in her beauty before clearing their throats to regain composure.

Ayla advanced into the center of the hall.

As befitting society’s veterans, the noblewomen showed no leniency even toward an empress. Their beautiful faces masked sharp daggers, eyes darting in search of a weakness.

Ayla walked straight into their midst.

‘You understand, don’t you, Mother?’

Her daughter’s beloved voice echoed in her mind.

‘You must never shrink back. You must be more dignified than anyone. On that day, you are the noblest woman of all—do not let them glimpse even a grain of weakness.’

Ayla drew herself tall, lifting her shoulders proudly, radiating grace.

She met the eyes of each lady in turn before curving her lips into a gentle smile.

“I’m delighted. Thank you all for joining my little gathering.”

And so began Ayla’s very first, venom-tinged step into society.

At the same time, in the Emerald Hall.

“Haha… well, I was stripped of my position as knight commander, after all…”

At a young noble’s words, Nakari narrowed her eyes.

“Isn’t that too light a punishment for failing to protect a member of the imperial family? My father said the assassin had disguised himself in the uniform of the Imperial Guard. They even found the corpse of a low-ranking soldier near the forest.”

“Well, yes…”

“Still, wasn’t it a great loss to lose someone like Sir Cecil Blonmind? I heard no one controlled aura as freely as he did. He even received multiple martial honors from both the late emperor and His Majesty Rius Epsilon Kaliberg…”

Bianté Lolovianne tried to defend him, but it backfired. Evgeni cut in with a sour face.

“That’s beside the point, Lady Lolovianne! If Sir Blonmind hadn’t abandoned his post, the assassin who attacked your sister could have been captured alive, and we might have learned who was behind it.”

“W-well, that may be true…”

“Since the assassin escaped and committed suicide, all imperial lives are at risk. I believe the Second Princess is right. Don’t you agree, Your Highness the First Princess?”

Nakari’s words drew every gaze to me.

I realized instantly that this was a dangerous situation.

If I agreed, then Sir Cecil and even my attendants, Ilia and Mullin, who had failed to protect me, would be criticized.

If I disagreed, it could be twisted to mean I cared only for myself and not for the safety of the other royals.

‘Should I stay silent?’

But silence would not stop Nakari and Evgeni from pressing further.

I bit my lip, and just as Emily beside me seemed about to speak—

“Ah, has the party already started?”

“Why must you arrive at the same time as him.”

At the sound of two melodious voices, all eyes turned to the doors.

Evgeni and the young ladies’ eyes sparkled with sudden liveliness, while the young lords frowned at the newcomers.

“Richard Will Elliet greets Your Highnesses. May the blessings of the goddess Eridium be upon you. My apologies for being late—urgent business detained me.”

“Jeron Idrea greets Your Highnesses. May the goddess’s blessing reach you as well. Forgive my tardiness; something urgent came up.”

“Forgive you? Of course!”

“Indeed! For you two, tardiness doesn’t matter at all!”

“R-Richard…”

The last words were Evgeni’s, her cheeks flushed as she gazed dreamily at Richard.

By protocol, tardiness to a royal tea party deserved punishment, but none dared say so to these two.

‘Not that I’m complaining.’

Thanks to them, I was saved from that difficult question.

I sighed in relief as Jeron and Richard approached, bowing before handing us something.

“A small gift, for both Your Highnesses.”

Blinking, I accepted the gift box first. Then they revealed another and presented it to Evgeni.

Her face glowed with delight as she compared sizes.

“Oh my, my gift box is huge! It barely fits in my arms! Thank you both so much. Ah, and look—Lili’s gifts are small, perfect for carrying. How thoughtful!”

Indeed, my gift fit neatly into both hands, while Evgeni’s dwarfed mine. Naturally, the young ladies cast envious glances at her.

‘Pretty boys really are popular…’

I thought dryly, passing my box to my maid. She bowed politely and stepped back.

Then—

“Ah, of course! Sit beside me, Lord Elli—no, Young Duke Elliet!”

Evgeni lit up, gesturing to the seat she had carefully kept empty. Clearly, it had been reserved for Richard.

Richard looked at the seat, then at me.

“Your Highness the First Princess was the one who invited me, was she not?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m grateful for the Second Princess’s kindness, but since I am a guest of the First Princess, I will sit where she designates. Is that acceptable?”

“…Yes.”

Evgeni scowled, but Richard softened the blow with a charming smile. She swallowed her irritation, though her eyes briefly shot daggers my way.

Then she turned to Jeron.

“Then perhaps Lord Idrea will sit beside me…?”

“Ah, but I too am a guest of the First Princess.”

He refused her flatly. Evgeni’s face twisted into an odd grimace—half fury, half forced smile.

I suppressed a chuckle and gestured instead.

“Then sit here. This row is arranged by rank.”

“So, the seat beside Your Highness is mine.”

Richard smiled warmly, taking the place beside me. Jeron sat reluctantly beside him.

With their arrival, the atmosphere brightened immediately. Especially among the young ladies, who tried in vain to mask their delight.

“P-please have some cake…”

“Or perhaps these vanilla cookies, if you don’t like sweets…”

“What hobbies do you two gentlemen enjoy?”

They fluttered like butterflies around the two handsome boys, while Evgeni too eagerly pushed a plate toward Richard.

“Thank you, I’ll enjoy this.”

“Yes~”

She squirmed shyly.

Meanwhile, I thought grimly:

‘When will this end?’

The party hadn’t even gone on for an hour, and I already felt drained. Just then, Jeron spoke up.

“By the way, was something happening before we arrived?”

Grinning mischievously, he glanced at me and Evgeni. Naturally, he assumed any dispute must have involved us.

Richard discreetly elbowed him. Jeron winced but quickly pressed again with his eyes.

I was about to glare when Nakari, who had been watching, spoke.

“We were discussing the Hunting Festival.”

“The Hunting Festival?”

“You mean when misfortune befell the First Princess?”

Jeron and Richard both darkened at the memory, their playfulness gone in an instant.

‘Ugh, why ask if you’ll just get upset?’

I blamed Jeron silently.

The two had sent me countless letters, tormenting themselves with guilt for not protecting me that day. After the temple procession, I’d nearly gone mad trying to stop them from rushing to me.

‘At least the communication orb Jeron gave me kept them from spiraling endlessly…’

“….”

I avoided their gazes.

“I wonder why that topic came up now.”

Richard’s voice was cold as ice. Nakari smiled sweetly.

“Since it concerns the safety of the imperial family, we were wondering whether it might be proper to impose harsher punishment on the lady-in-waiting and the knight who failed to guard the First Princess.”

“….”

Richard knew the truth—Duke Elliet had told him everything. Emin had raged at the incident; ignorance would have been impossible.

‘But… the truth is, it was my mistake…’

Nakari’s words weren’t wrong. By sparing those who failed me, I had allowed personal feelings to override duty.

‘Sir Cecil abandoned his oath to protect me…’

By rights, she should never set foot in the Imperial Guard again.

I groaned inwardly, caught once more in a thorny debate.

Even Jeron looked unsettled now, realizing he had made things worse.

‘Just wait until this party ends. I’ll beat him black and blue.’

Grinding my teeth, I was plotting his punishment when—

Bang!

“…!”