Chapter 25
“My lady, we’ve arrived at Baron Valérie’s estate.”
Click—
I rose from my seat, smoothed out my dress with a gentle flick of the skirt, and walked toward the carriage door. Lord Roim opened it for me with practiced grace.
I took his outstretched hand and stepped down carefully, one foot at a time, before taking a look around.
The estate was, as expected, smaller than the Duke’s, but it had a neat and well-maintained charm to it.
Every time I saw it, I thought the house suited Baroness Valérie’s elegant appearance—but not quite her personality.
“Just the same as ever,” I murmured.
As I was taking in the familiar, nostalgic sight of the Valérie estate, the front doors opened and several people hurried toward us, practically running.
It was the Baroness herself, accompanied by a few of her maids.
Wearing a green dress, she approached, slightly out of breath, and greeted me with a radiant smile.
“Welcome, Duchess Dyllan. It is an honor to have you at our family’s tea party.”
“I’m the one who’s delighted, Baroness. It’s truly a pleasure to attend your tea party. Now, please, raise your head.”
She had lifted the hem of her dress and bowed deeply, and I gently placed a hand on her shoulder to encourage her to rise.
Among nobles, such physical closeness was unusual unless the relationship was quite friendly.
Which is why, as someone of much higher status, not only attending her event but also initiating such contact, left the Baroness flustered and red-faced.
“I-I never imagined the Duchess would honor our humble tea party… I thought it was far too modest, so I had to reschedule in order to make a few changes. I sincerely apologize for the delay.”
“Please, there’s no need. I’m the one who should apologize—you went to all that trouble because of me.”
“Not at all, Your Grace! We’re honored just by your presence.”
“I hope we’ll have a lovely time today. Oh, and—”
I turned slightly to gesture toward the Duke’s carriage.
Just then, Lord Roim was unloading a few dessert boxes.
When the Baroness caught sight of the packaging, her eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh my! Is that from—Oréans Bakery?”
“Yes, it is. I was wondering what to bring and thought some desserts from Oréans might be nice. I also heard you have children, so I brought extras—some blueberry puddings and caramel cookies. I wasn’t sure what they’d like.”
“Our children love Oréans! This is truly thoughtful. Thank you so much, Your Grace.”
Oréans Bakery was the most sought-after dessert shop in the capital—so popular that their shelves were often empty by afternoon, and even getting a reservation was a feat. Their goods were essentially luxury items.
As a duchess, I had the privilege of placing large, priority orders. Normally, I didn’t use my title in such a way, but for Baroness Valérie, I had made an exception.
And honestly… it didn’t feel all that bad.
Seeing how delighted she was with the gift made it feel worth it.
At her signal, her maids stepped forward and took the boxes of sweets. I had set aside the candles and tea leaves I brought as gifts to be handed out later, when the other noblewomen were present.
Let’s help Baroness Valérie shine today.
Once the boxes were taken, the Baroness smiled and gestured toward the tea party venue.
“Thank you again for the lovely gifts, Your Grace. Please, allow me to guide you to the tea party.”
She led me toward the estate’s main doors.
So it’s going to be held indoors? I expected it to be outside, given the lovely weather.
“You’ve chosen to host the tea party indoors?”
“Yes, originally it was to be in the garden, but we moved it to the indoor conservatory. Since Your Grace would be attending, we wanted to avoid any possibility of inconvenience.”
“Ah, I see.”
Noticing her awkward expression, I instantly regretted my comment.
A duchess attending a baroness’s tea party is an anomaly. Naturally, the Baroness would be most concerned about my safety. If anything were to happen to me, she’d be the one held responsible.
An outdoor setting might be pleasant but far less secure. It made perfect sense for her to choose an enclosed space.
There had been a past incident at a marchioness’s tea party—an assassin had snuck in and attacked the Crown Prince’s fiancée. Though she escaped with only minor scrapes, the marchioness was still punished for failing to protect a future member of the royal family.
Since then, noble hosts had increased security, but it was clear the Baroness didn’t want to take any chances.
She had gone through so much trouble—changing the location and even postponing the event—and I hadn’t considered how burdensome that must’ve been. I felt guilty.
I’d assumed bringing my family’s knights for protection would be enough, but I hadn’t thought about what the situation looked like from her side.
She must’ve been so anxious…
“The Valérie family’s indoor garden is truly stunning.”
And it was—even more so than I expected.
Vibrant flowers bloomed everywhere, with statues of cherubic angels nestled between them. Long pink ribbons marked the path to the tea area, and the ceiling sparkled with crystal decorations, letting warm sunlight pour into the space.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“I’m not just being polite. This is beautiful. The warmth of it all… it’s exactly to my taste.”
The Baroness blushed again, visibly pleased, her fingers nervously rubbing together—an old habit of hers when she was flustered.
“This way, please. The other ladies have arrived.”
The tea party setup was more elaborate than I had imagined.
As I entered, the noblewomen already seated stood up, exchanging surprised glances before greeting me all at once.
“We greet the Duchess Dyllan.”
“It’s lovely to meet you all. I suppose my presence here was unexpected?”
“N-not at all!”
“Please, don’t stand on ceremony because of me. Be seated, everyone.”
Despite my words, no one sat. Naturally—lower-ranking nobles wouldn’t sit before the highest-ranking guest.
The Baroness guided me to the seat of honor.
Though that spot typically belonged to the host, she had likely ceded it to me because of my rank.
“This seat should belong to the host. Please, Baroness, you take it.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly. It’s only right that Your Grace sits at the head.”
Knowing how stubborn she could be about things like this, I suggested an alternative.
“Then let’s sit together—side by side. There’s enough space.”
“W-what? I couldn’t sit next to—”
“It would be odd for the host to sit elsewhere, wouldn’t it? I don’t mind. Let’s sit together.”
I emphasized the word “together,” and the Baroness couldn’t hide her smile. Around us, whispers stirred.
No one had heard of us being particularly close, so it must’ve surprised them to see us so familiar.
I took her hand and gently guided her to sit beside me. Once we were seated, the others followed suit.
“Pleasure to meet you all. I’m Belladonna Dyllan.”
After my greeting, the ladies took turns introducing themselves.
There were six of us, including the Baroness and myself. After the pleasantries, the questions began.
“I truly didn’t expect to see the Duchess here. When the Baroness stepped out, I was wondering what was going on—turns out she went to greet you!”
“Yes, indeed. She’s incredibly thoughtful, isn’t she?”
The comment, while polite on the surface, carried a subtle jab—implying the host had left her own party unattended to cater to a higher-ranked guest.
I countered it with praise.
“That’s exactly why I’m so grateful to the Baroness.”
My warm response earned nods from the others, who also offered their compliments. Only the woman who had made the comment—Countess Ellen—remained silent, smiling tightly.
“I had no idea you and the Baroness were so close. I don’t recall seeing you at any of her past tea parties.”
“This is actually the first one I’ve attended. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the setting is—it makes me wish I’d come sooner.”
“Indeed. I’ve never seen the indoor garden this well-decorated. The Baroness must’ve gone all out because of Your Grace.”
“I just wanted the conservatory to feel as lovely as the outdoor garden. If it felt excessive, I apologize.”
“Oh! That’s not what I meant at all. I simply meant it’s beautiful. That’s all~”
Countess Ellen again—another backhanded compliment disguised as praise.
She was the highest-ranking guest after me, which likely explained the passive-aggressiveness. Political affiliations aside, perhaps she just didn’t care for me personally.
Clap—
I brought my hands together to shift the attention.
“I brought a small treat for today’s gathering. Baroness, shall we?”
“O-oh! Yes. Ladies, the Duchess has brought us the sweetest gift. Julia, would you bring it in?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Three maids followed Julia, carrying the dessert boxes. The packaging alone made the women smile with delight.
“Oh my, that’s Oréans Bakery wrapping, isn’t it? Are all those boxes full of Oréans desserts?”
“Yes. I thought they’d pair nicely with tea.”
“Amazing! Their pastries are impossible to get unless you reserve weeks ahead.”
The boxes were opened, releasing a sweet, buttery aroma that instantly filled the garden.
The raspberry tarts and whipped cream cakes were particular favorites.
“Wow—I’ve never seen this many Oréans desserts in one place. Aren’t those whipped cream cakes limited to just a few per day?”
“I ordered ten of each. Feel free to try them all—and have seconds if you’d like.”
“Oh, thank you, Your Grace! I tried this once months ago and haven’t been able to get it again since!”
“Please enjoy. And Baroness? I heard you like madeleines. I brought lemon ones—do they suit your taste?”
“They’re delicious! The tartness balances the sweetness so well, and it pairs perfectly with the tea!”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
I tried a piece myself. The blend of citrus and soft sweetness was delightful—just as she said.
As everyone enjoyed the desserts, Countess Ellen, still fussing with a whipped cream cake, commented once more.
“They’re not just expensive, but so popular that even nobles usually have to wait for them. I suppose things are different when you’re from a ducal family.”
And there she goes again.
