CHAPTER 57…………….
The Dowager Duchess Axion, Martine, was the mother of the former Empress Roxellin and thus Arpad’s maternal grandmother.
For me, that made her my great-grandmother-in-law.
It was natural to pay my respects to her, but the reason for arranging such a secret meeting was clear.
“Because we needed to meet privately.”
This meeting could never be discovered by the Empress or Evangeline.
Josephine’s work as a designer had never been understood by her parents or grandparents.
The same was true for the Dowager Duchess.
Noblemen and women believed it was improper for someone of such high birth to engage in the lowly work of cutting fabric themselves.
However, unlike the Marquis and Marchioness of Solenu, the Dowager Duchess was a bit more lenient with Josephine.
Perhaps because she had lost her husband early and also her daughter, she treated Josephine with more affection.
“It’s strange, though… that she’s distant from her own grandson, Arpad.”
And Arpad seemed entirely unbothered by this fact.
When I mentioned that I planned to approach the Dowager Duchess through the young Miss Solenu, he didn’t object or look uncomfortable; he merely smiled and said,
“Do your best. It won’t be easy.”
…Hardly any advice at all.
“That’s just like Arpad.”
In any case, approaching the Dowager Duchess via Miss Solenu wasn’t difficult.
The young lady regularly visited her, as was proper.
I asked Miss Solenu to relay a message on my behalf, and upon hearing it, the Dowager Duchess had traveled secretly to the capital.
“Alright. Now it depends on what I do.”
Once the door closed, one of the maids spoke sharply.
“Her Grace, the Dowager Duchess Axion. Show proper respect.”
On the surface, the words weren’t wrong.
After all, the Dowager Duchess was a senior member of the imperial family, and privately, my elder-in-law.
But there was something more important than protocol.
I smiled brightly and shook my head.
“I practiced such courtesy when I was Princess Delphin. Now, as the wife of His Highness Arpad and Crown Princess, the only woman to whom I owe proper respect first is Her Majesty the Empress.”
This was a simple fact.
The Crown Princess ranked second among the women in the imperial court.
Even if there were imperial princesses, the Crown Princess took precedence.
Thus, the Dowager Duchess, wife of the late Emperor’s younger brother, naturally ranked below me in court protocol.
In other words, I was saying:
“You are the one who should bow first.”
The elderly lady sitting in the place of honor furrowed her brows.
Her voice, full of authority, echoed.
“You call me all the way here, only to tell me to bow? Tsk, tsk.”
“You act so arrogantly, though you’ve not even been formally recognized as Crown Princess.”
I smiled gently and shook my head.
“That’s not for you to say.”
“…What?”
“You are not the Dowager Duchess.”
The lady at the center of the room twitched her brows.
Ignoring her, I approached the maids standing behind her.
Specifically, the stiff, thin-looking lady standing at the very back.
Looking closely, her face bore a faint resemblance to Arpad.
I smiled brightly and said,
“Nice to meet you, Her Grace, the Dowager Duchess Axion.”
The lady’s deep blue eyes trembled with surprise and delight.
Of course, the reason I recognized the Dowager Duchess was simple.
“I had seen her face in my previous life.”
It had been a fleeting glimpse, but it had left a strong impression.
“And… the place we met was at Arpad’s funeral.”
The Dowager Duchess hadn’t shed a single tear even at the funeral of her last remaining blood relative.
Yet, while everyone was shocked by her presence, she committed an extraordinary act.
Smack!
She slapped the Emperor across the face.
Naturally, the people around were horrified and outraged, but the Emperor remained composed.
As if receiving the punishment he deserved.
Without checking on her grandson’s coffin, the Dowager Duchess left, uttering only a cold word.
“In the end, Walter, you couldn’t protect a single thing.”
Even I, who didn’t know the full story at the time, understood this one fact.
The Emperor’s expression was that of a man who had truly lost everything.
The broken Emperor I saw in my second loop must have completely collapsed starting from that moment.
Now, however, Arpad was alive, and the Emperor had not crumbled.
The Dowager Duchess had no reason to slap the Emperor now.
At least, not yet.
Sitting in the chair prepared opposite her, I steadied myself.
Meanwhile, the Dowager Duchess, having realized my identity, laughed as if amused and returned to her seat.
The elderly lady on the central sofa courteously seated her, and a maid draped a gray silk shawl with embroidered patterns over her shoulders.
Just that changed the Dowager Duchess’s impression entirely.
Until a moment ago, she looked like a maid; now, even in humble attire, she exuded an unmistakable authority.
Crossing her legs, the Dowager Duchess asked.
The movement of looking down on others was very similar to her grandson.
“How did you know?”
I answered honestly, though only partially.
“Because you resemble Arpad.”
“Hmm. I thought we didn’t resemble each other much. Arpad looks far more like my husband than me.”
Her voice carried displeasure.
At least, it seemed she disliked that Arpad resembled neither her nor his daughter, but his father.
I smiled and shook my head.
“No. You resemble him much more than I expected, so it was easy to recognize. Especially your eyes, and some of your gestures are astonishingly similar.”
Apparently, she didn’t take offense.
The Dowager Duchess chuckled softly, but the smile quickly vanished.
“Whether Arpad told you, or Josephine disobeyed me to inform you in advance…”
“I absolutely did not, great-aunt!”
Josephine exclaimed, startled.
The Dowager Duchess frowned.
“Do not interrupt me.”
“…My apologies.”
Josephine stepped back, ashamed.
I noticed another resemblance between Arpad and the Dowager Duchess.
“She’s the tyrant of high society. Tyrant of the western social circle.”
Of course, someone who could rival the Empress in controlling half of the empire’s high society couldn’t have a normal temperament.
“Whatever the case, your sharp eye is impressive.”
“It is true, after all.”
I smiled brazenly.
The Dowager Duchess’s laughter deepened.
“But, child, you’re still under a big misconception.”
The nuance of “child” was subtle.
She wasn’t recognizing me as her granddaughter-in-law but speaking down to me as an insignificant girl.
“You really think you’ve become the Crown Princess?”
“It’s not a misconception. I am already the Crown Princess. I married His Highness Arpad.”
“When I heard that Arpad carried out the abduction marriage, I thought the time had finally come.”
Apparently, most reactions were similar.
“I thought he had completely lost his mind.”
I realized that abducting me was quite a bold decision on Arpad’s part.
“Hmm, not a bit of guilt… I’m the one saving him and making him Emperor, anyway!”
“But you realized it wasn’t so soon enough.”
“Yes. Seems he wasn’t wildly mad.”
“You must have been relieved.”
The Dowager Duchess furrowed her brow.
“No. On the contrary, I am very disappointed.”
She spat out her words.
“To think, you came back in your right mind and picked up a woman who had been by Ludwig’s side for over three years.”
“……”
“If you were insane, I might pity you. But you aren’t.”
Tsk, she clicked her tongue. Far sharper than the maid pretending to be the Dowager Duchess earlier.
Her words were stronger than expected, almost deliberately provocative.
I wasn’t angry, but I couldn’t help being surprised.
Of course, I was wise enough not to show psychological disturbance.
“To bring such a girl here, acting clueless, talking nonsense about bowing to the Crown Princess in front of me…”
Her deep blue eyes studied me intently.
Analyzing my reaction.
“If you have any sense at all, you’d quietly step aside for Arpad instead of claiming to be the Crown Princess.”
She pinched her brows and waved her hand.
“There was no need to come all this way. I am disappointed. Remove that thing from my sight at once.”
Josephine, flustered, forgot her earlier comment and tried to intervene.
“G-Great-Aunt? Even so, isn’t this a bit too much…”
“Can’t you shut your mouth?”
Feigning a headache, the Dowager Duchess continued studying my reactions.
The conclusion was swift.
I smiled brightly, nodded eagerly, and gave the order.
“The guest is leaving. Escort her out.”
Even Anima, who had been sulking at the Dowager Duchess’s verbal abuse, widened her eyes.
“Y-Your Grace?”
“What did you just say…?”
It wasn’t only them.
Josephine and the Dowager Duchess’s maids were equally shocked.
I reassured Josephine.
“Don’t worry, Miss Solenu. Even if this mission failed, I will keep my previous promise. We’ll meet again at the Crown Princess’s palace.”
“R-Really?”
I smiled and commanded Josephine.
“So escort Her Grace safely back without worry.”
When I glanced at the Dowager Duchess, her face was twisted like never before.
“You want me to leave?”
“Yes. This is Arpad’s private residence, so the guest must leave.”
If the house displeased her, she could leave. It made no sense to tell the owner to go.
Hearing my calm reply, for the first time, a gentle smile appeared on the Dowager Duchess’s face—normally red with anger.
“You’re quite bold.”
…It’s fascinating.
How could a great-grandmother who never saw her grandson look so similar to him?
Or perhaps haughtily testing others is a royal trait.
The Dowager Duchess murmured in admiration.
“Now I understand why Arpad chose you.”
I responded with a faint smile.
“Safe travels back. I won’t personally see you off.”
“What?”
The Dowager Duchess’s expression cracked with bewilderment.
I smiled, unshaken.
“You’re not the only one doing the testing.”
Apparently, she hadn’t realized that.
