-66-
On the day of the tea party, I departed from the mansion right on time and arrived at the Count Werner estate. The tea party was being held in the same unusual glass garden where Angelica had once hosted Alexandra and me.
The elegant and beautifully decorated garden was already filled with many young ladies and noblewomen who had taken their seats.
“Greetings to Her Grace, the Grand Duchess.”
“It’s an honor to attend the same tea party as Your Highness.”
I returned a few greetings and looked around. Just as the invitation list had suggested, guests from all factions—noble, imperial, and neutral—were present. Ah, even Lady Huizet is here.
Dressed in a bright yellow gown, she had confidently taken her place among the crowd. Seeing her stand there shamelessly, without realizing what this occasion might mean for her, made me chuckle inwardly.
By her side were two young ladies I remembered seeing at Alexandra’s previous tea party. My eyes happened to meet the gaze of one of them, the lady standing slightly apart to Huizet’s left.
Is that Lady Tiven, the baron’s daughter?
She had green hair and pale yellow eyes—a perfectly ordinary young lady without anything remarkable about her. When our eyes met, she flinched but didn’t look away. The twisted expression under her shadowed face gave me an odd feeling.
Was she like that back then, too?
Her openly hostile glare was unexpected. I distinctly remembered that the first time we met, she hadn’t even been able to make eye contact. But today, her attitude was completely different.
Of course, from her perspective, I was an obstacle to the lady she supported. Still, for the daughter of a mere baron to show me such blatant hostility?
Was she underestimating me, or what? Irritation flared, and I narrowed my eyes at her. Yet she continued to glare right back, which made me laugh in disbelief.
“Tiana, there you are. What’s wrong?”
“Oh, welcome, Alexandra. It’s nothing—just a certain young lady caught my eye.”
Alexandra, who arrived a little later, tilted her head at my uneasy expression. After greeting her warmly, I subtly gestured toward Lady Tiven. Following my gaze, Alexandra spotted her and smirked.
“Lady Tiven? Hm. Something feels different about her today, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly. Was she always like this?”
“No, not at all. Normally she’s a timid little thing… but since the rumor she spread has blown up so much, she must be feeling bold. Everyone already knows she was the one who started it.”
“Really?”
“She’s been basking in attention she never got before, so of course she’s strutting now.”
“I suppose that makes sense.”
Agreeing with her, I glanced back at Lady Tiven. If anything, Alexandra’s presence only deepened the intensity in her eyes. Could mere attention and gossip change a person so much? Considering how invisible she used to be, maybe so. But still, something about it felt off.
“That look of hers is irritating. How dare a baron’s daughter glare at you and me like that? Should I go put her in her place?”
“Let it go, Alexandra. The tea party will start soon, and she’ll settle down quickly enough.”
“Fine. But I’ll be sure to speak to her later. I can’t stand her insolent attitude.”
“I won’t stop you then.”
I laughed as Alexandra shot the baron’s daughter a fierce glare. Clearly, Lady Tiven had gotten under her skin.
Before long, Angelica entered the garden. After surveying the gathered guests, she spoke.
“Thank you for attending the Werner family’s tea party today. I hope this gathering proves both enjoyable and fruitful for you all.”
Clad in a deep navy gown, Angelica looked even more beautiful than usual. Her confident gaze met mine, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Once she saw that everyone was seated around the tables filling the garden, she began.
“Before we properly start today’s tea party, I would like to address a certain rumor that many of you have been curious about.”
Her bold words stirred murmurs among the young ladies and noblewomen.
“Already?”
“Is she really going to clarify things before the party even starts?”
“Lady Werner is braver than I thought…”
Apparently, no one expected her to confront the rumors so directly. Taking a steady breath, Angelica raised her voice.
“First of all, the rumors about His Majesty the Emperor and me—that we are lovers, or that we are engaged—are entirely false. There is nothing between us.”
The moment she finished, questions poured out.
“But Lady Tiven claimed she saw you and His Majesty in an intimate moment. What about that?”
“I heard you were even allowed to hold Rose. Doesn’t that mean His Majesty favors you in a special way?”
“And didn’t His Majesty gift you a necklace? Isn’t that undeniable proof?”
As the questions pressed in, Angelica slowly stepped forward, weaving through the tables until she stopped at one.
“Lady Tiven, the Baron’s daughter. Please stand.”
“…Yes.”
Frowning, Lady Tiven rose reluctantly. Angelica moved closer and touched the necklace around her own neck.
“Is this the necklace you saw that day?”
“…Yes.”
“Would you repeat exactly what you witnessed? From what point?”
“…From when His Majesty placed the necklace around your neck.”
“At that moment, did you see His Majesty or me holding a box—or anything of the sort?”
“…No.”
Smiling faintly at her hesitant answer, Angelica continued with confidence.
“So, you only saw him putting it on me. That’s all?”
“…Yes.”
“Isn’t that strange? When a man gives a gift, doesn’t he usually present it in a box? Where, then, would this necklace have come from?”
“That’s…”
“Have you ever known a gentleman to hand over a necklace without so much as a box?”
Of course not. Even the smallest gifts come in boxes. Whenever Lucius gave me something, aside from flowers, everything was presented properly.
Even if His Majesty had removed it from a box to place it on her, that box should have been nearby. That was the flaw Angelica was pointing out.
“Do you really believe His Majesty would act so carelessly—holding out a necklace with no box, no formality? That would be beneath his dignity, wouldn’t it?”
“….”
“Yes, you saw him put this necklace on me. But the truth is, this necklace was already mine. I had been holding Rose when she pulled at it, and it fell. His Majesty merely picked it up and placed it back around my neck. That is the moment you saw.”
Her revelation sent ripples through the audience.
“Then Lady Tiven misunderstood?”
“She spread gossip based on seeing only part of the situation?”
“Of course His Majesty wouldn’t present a gift so crudely. I thought it was strange too.”
“But even so, isn’t putting it on her rather unusual?”
“He only helped her because she was holding Rose. It makes sense, considering the circumstances.”
“So His Majesty is more considerate than people think…”
Angelica’s explanation had clearly convinced them. Amid the chatter, Lady Tiven bit her lip, pale-faced. Angelica addressed her again.
“Even if you once received a necklace carelessly from some man, His Majesty is not that kind of person.”
“….”
“And this necklace was a gift from my father long ago. I still have the original box, along with the certificate. Would you like to confirm it? The date is clearly written there.”
At her signal, a maid brought over a small black case. Angelica opened it and handed the certificate to Lady Tiven.
In a faint voice, the baron’s daughter read aloud the date.
“…January 29th…”
“My goodness!”
“It’s true. That certificate is genuine—I received one from the same jeweler myself.”
“Then it’s certain. There’s nothing between His Majesty and Lady Werner.”
The evidence was undeniable. The certificate, dated four months ago, proved the necklace wasn’t recently purchased for her. And the fact that the box was still in Angelica’s possession sealed the matter.
Lady Tiven’s fingers turned white as she clutched the certificate, lips pressed tight, head bowed. Angelica’s voice rang clear.
“Don’t go around proclaiming partial truths as if they are the whole story. The truth always comes out in time.”
“….”
“And as a noblewoman of the Empire, you should never have spoken so carelessly about His Majesty in the first place. To stir up trouble merely to gain attention—that was your greatest mistake.”
“….”
“Doing so will not elevate your standing.”
At those firm words, Lady Tiven collapsed into her seat. She sat trembling, clutching her skirt with bloodless hands, but no one spared her pity.
Angelica calmly retrieved the fallen certificate and handed it to her maid. Then she turned, fixing her gaze on the smirking Lady Huizet seated nearby.
“And there is someone else here who has forgotten her place…”
“W-what do you mean?”
“…Frankly, Lady Huizet, I have even more to say to you than to Lady Tiven. Aren’t you curious what that might be?”
With a cool smile and chilling eyes, Angelica addressed the stunned young countess. Her performance was far from over.
