Chapter 136

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 136

Chapter Title: Empress's Tea Party

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All the guests at the party had witnessed Elizabeth's rudeness. They were all displeased by it at once, and every last one of them was on my side.

"Ah, what a perfect party."

I giggled to myself as I watched Princess Ingrid, her face flushed bright red, unable to even meet my dad's eyes.

"Elizabeth!"

Back at the Nodeli estate, Ingrid pounded on the tightly shut door of her daughter's room.

"Come out here this instant! Hurry up!"

"What's all this commotion?"

Marquis Nodeli frowned at the sight of his fuming wife.

"Just leave her be. She's been holed up crying ever since we got back from the party. What on earth did Duvered do to my daughter...!"

"What did Duvered do? It was your daughter who started it. Why else would all the young ladies flip their teacups over?"

"What? Those wenches dared to...!"

Marquis Nodeli bellowed in outrage. A great many daughters of families friendly with the Nodelis had attended this Duvered party.

'Ignorant fools.'

All they knew how to do was huddle together and sip tea. Pathetic little things. Time to remind them whose feet their fathers bowed to.

'I need to reestablish the pecking order.'

Princess Ingrid let out a scoff at her frowning husband.

"You don't even ask how I felt at the party."

"Elizabeth throwing tantrums isn't anything new. As her mother, shouldn't you cover for her a little...?"

Marquis Nodeli clicked his tongue, and Ingrid's expression hardened.

"It's because you spoil her rotten that she can't tell heaven from earth. Do you even know what she said at that mothers' tea party she wasn't even invited to? Called the Duvered lady an orphan, a filthy impurity... the horrors she spewed!"

"It wasn't wrong, was it?"

"And it's because you always spout that nonsense in front of her that I had to be embarrassed in front of Theodor...!"

"Spout? Theodor?"

Marquis Nodeli's face turned to stone. Princess Ingrid bit her lip hard and turned away.

"What? Are you trying to leave me this time and become the lady of Duvered house? Just like ten years ago, when you begged the Duke of Duvered for a wife's position? Is that why you're putting Theodor Duvered's daughter above my own?"

"Philip Nodeli!"

Princess Ingrid glared at her husband, her face pale with humiliation.

"Right, it must all be my fault again. I shouldn't have been born!"

Marquis Nodeli turned his back, signaling he was done talking.

"Where do you think you're going! You're always like this. You never talk to me. If you truly loved me...!"

"You just said it was all my fault. If the princess is always right, then this wretch is off to find somewhere to die. Bah, what a damned household."

As Marquis Nodeli stormed off, Ingrid sank to the floor, covering her eyes with one hand.

At that moment, Elizabeth fumed inside her room, hurling whatever she could grab.

Crash!!

With the sharp shattering sound, the girl's eyes sharpened viciously.

'This is all because of those clueless idiots. How dare they flip teacups in front of me... No, no. It's all that wicked little orphan bitch's fault.'

Gritting her teeth, Elizabeth rummaged through the bedside table.

She clutched the small vial given to her by that black-hatted guest of her father's.

'You need to be taught a lesson, Leblain.'

The girl's pupils rippled black.

A week later.

I gazed blissfully at the invitations from the young ladies who'd attended the party.

"Even House Hadelloro and House Ragnos sent some."

I cupped my flushed cheeks with both hands, and across from me, the steward flipping through documents let out a chuckle.

"You seem awfully pleased, Little One."

"They say old Lord Hadelloro left all his abandoned mines to his young granddaughter when he passed."

"Useless assets. No issue leaving them to a child."

"If I play nice, maybe I can buy them up..."

My eyes sparkled as I envisioned a glittering future.

'Water source, come to mama.'

"Don't the prideful daughters of powerhouses have any self-respect? You've been basking in glory as the Duvered lady for five years now, Little One. Even in your previous life as a duke's daughter, and you think cozying up is easy?"

"If I let pride get in the way and end up broke, I'd be begging under a bridge. This is nothing."

I grinned and carefully tucked the invitations into a box. Picking up my teacup, I continued.

"Besides, I throw my weight around when I need to."

"When you're attacked, you mean?"

"Depends on the situation. This time, I'm shelving the pride."

"For what?"

I pulled out the most ornate envelope from the invitations and set it on the table.

"Isn't that from the Empress?"

The steward narrowed his eyes and added in a low voice.

"...Special prize for the tournament champion."

"Yeah. For enlisting in Prince Adrian's guard. With the Ballua incident and the noble assassinations, they'd been delaying it, but it's finally moving forward."

"Since you chose Prince Adrian, Empress Ivonne must be feeling uneasy. Inviting you to the palace itself."

"It's not just me. The other great nobles got invites too. Nodeli included, of course."

"Naturally. Inviting only you would make their intentions too obvious."

I tapped the invitation twice.

"Gotta go butter them up good."

"Unlike Elizabeth Nodeli?"

"That's part of it, but I have other goals too."

I shrugged lightly and cackled with a villainous grin.

A few days passed like arrows, and the day of the Empress's tea party arrived.

I started preparations early in the morning and, as the Empress requested, arrived at the palace well ahead of time. Yohan had come with me.

Before stepping down from the carriage, Yohan gave me a few warnings.

"No matter what the Empress says, don't commit to anything."

"Got it."

"Good."

"Do I look like a good little kid today?"

I spun around in front of Yohan, eyes shining. For today's 'objective,' I couldn't look too cunning.

Yohan narrowed his eyes.

"Same as always."

"Same as always?"

I drooped my shoulders with a thud of shock.

"Cute as always."

Yohan smiled faintly and patted my head.

My cheeks warmed for some reason. Seeing him like this, I could understand why the 'Yohan Admirers Club' sisters huffed that he could be so alluring at times.

Yohan offered his hand, and I eagerly took it as we entered the Empress's palace.

'Man, it's insanely luxurious.'

Even used to the Duvered fortune's scent, the Empress's palace's opulence was a bit intimidating.

The moment we entered, the Empress's maid who'd been waiting greeted us.

"Welcome, Little One and Young Master. I am Audrey Noscher, head maid of the Empress's palace."

"Hello, Maid Noscher."

The maid smiled and curtsied slightly.

"You're even more adorable up close than from afar. I was so impressed by your skill in the tournament."

'She's a pro at flattery.'

Excellent survival skills.

But she didn't sit right with me. Audrey was an elegant, beautiful middle-aged woman—impeccable etiquette, gaze, expressions—yet something about her rubbed me wrong.

Not like I'd crossed her in my previous life or anything.

Still, I hid it masterfully and chirped, "Thank you!" brightly.

Audrey led Yohan and me to the Empress's receiving room.

Inside, the Empress sat in a lavish chair, sunlight pouring in behind her from the windows.

Yohan greeted first.

"Glory to the imperial family."

"May glory be upon the imperial family. I see the empire's little master."

I could play the game as well as Audrey!

I deliberately mentioned "little master" in my greeting, and the Empress's eyes curved softly.

"Come in, little masters of Duvered. I've been waiting. Sit here."

The Empress gestured, and we straightened our postures before taking the seats she indicated.

'Six teacups?'

We'd arrived much earlier than the tea party at the Empress's request. But six cups? More guests coming?

As I puzzled over it, a knock sounded.

"Your Majesty, I—Duvered young master."

Marquis Nodeli, who had entered chuckling, scowled upon seeing Yohan, who could pass for my dad's mini-me.

'Ugh.'

Why was that uncle here so early? Not just the Marquis—Princess Ingrid and Elizabeth were with him too.

"Please, sit."

The Nodeli household, Yohan, and I exchanged awkward glances.

We at least kept our displeasure off our faces, but Marquis Nodeli's was fully twisted.

"Young Master Duvered, had I known you had prior plans with the young lady, I'd have arrived on time."

The Empress kept her smile despite his grumbling.

"I summoned the Marquis early on purpose. I heard there was an unfortunate incident between Lady Nodeli and Lady Duvered. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager is quite worried."

Elizabeth started to snort but flinched at the sight of Yohan and shrank her shoulders.

'Still embarrassed from last time?'

She didn't pester him like before. But she couldn't hide her shy expression.

Elizabeth hurried over ahead of her father and took the seat beside Yohan. With a round table, it was possible.

"Lady Nodeli is as cute as ever today. Perhaps that's why His Imperial Majesty favors her so—the innocence our royals lack?"

"Call me Elizabeth like always, Your Majesty! You're always so kind to me!"

Elizabeth shot me a smug glance. I shook my head inwardly.

'Idiot. The Empress is blaming you.'

It meant not to act so childish and reckless.

Elizabeth, oblivious, giggled, but her parents' faces soured.

"I know Dahlia is innocent, sister. But isn't Andre innocent too?"

Princess Ingrid sniped, and the Empress's smile stiffened slightly.

She'd scolded Elizabeth plenty, but couldn't stand an outsider badmouthing her child.

'Good, good. Fall out with the Empress.'

I hid my rising smirk behind my teacup.

"Their houses match in stature, and they're the same age—how perfect. Lady Nodeli and Lady Duvered could become thick as thieves."

The Empress seemed eager to reconcile us. So I wouldn't shun her and everyone connected to her.

'That's why she wants me for Prince Andre's guard?'

Fat chance, but unlike the sullen Elizabeth, I bowed demurely.

"I'm ashamed to burden Your Majesty with our troubles when you're so busy with state affairs."

"Goodness, how exemplary can Lady Duvered be? The more I see, the more I like you."

Elizabeth whipped her head around and glared. Jealous I got the Empress's praise, no doubt.

"I need the washroom."

As Elizabeth stood, Marquis Nodeli rose stealthily too.

"Me as well, briefly."

Left alone, Princess Ingrid looked glum the whole time. Her expression was so poor that even Empress Ivonne stepped in.

"Princess, let's talk privately."

"...Yes."

The Empress excused herself to Yohan and me, then rose with Princess Ingrid.

'Alright, time to find a way to utterly ruin Marquis Nodeli.'

"Brother, I need the washroom too."

"Go ahead."

I slipped out of the receiving room, pretending to head to the washroom but following the direction of Marquis Nodeli's footsteps.

'The Marquis is an idiot, so a little prodding... Ah, a slap would be perfect. Think he'll swing like Duke Ballua in a rage?'

I rounded the corner with that thought.

"My, what if someone sees?"

It was Audrey, the Empress's maid.

"Who's coming all the way here? Come on, let me get a whiff of my girl."

"You."

I gaped at Marquis Nodeli groping Audrey's waist.

'Things are falling into place perfectly?'