Margarette was deep in thought.
Now, her only remaining option was that d*mned useless fiancée.
The Princess from Ainel. The woman everyone hated. That insignificant girl was one of the excuses to attack Caius.
But now, he wasn’t even looking for his own fiancée.
Did he have a change of heart after all that fuss about their engagement?
“I’ll make sure the Princess won’t respond to the Empress’s summons anymore. I’ll make sure it,” Margarette recalled Caius’ warning as if he had said it recently.
Back then, she had been using the Princess thoroughly. Margarette presented herself as a benevolent and merciful Empress, orchestrating everyone to torment the Princess. Her plan was to provoke Caius to respond directly every time the Princess faced misfortune.
As everyone pitied the Princess, who was harassed and accused by many, Margarette revelled in Caius’s reactions.
Finally, when the scoundr*l voluntarily got engaged to the Princess, Margarette couldn’t help but feel delighted.
In the future, if that b*st*rd married the girl, even if he became the Crown Prince, it could be used as evidence to question the legitimacy.
That’s why the current situation was causing her another headache.
“I think it’s time to hold a soirée.”
Margarette, who had put her conscience aside, issued an order.
“Yes, Your Majesty. We shall prepare it promptly,” Lady Colin, standing nearby, understood the implications and promptly responded. Margarette added with a sly smile.
“As for the location, the Western Palace should suffice.”
* * *
For the past few days, the palace attendants at the Western Palace had been busy preparing for the soirée as per the Empress’ instructions.
Leah, standing by the railing, anxiously watched as the once shabby hall transformed neatly into a new state.
“Her Majesty the Empress has decided to hold a small gathering at the Western Palace.”
Leah’s residence in the Western Palace was one of the smaller and older palaces, primarily reserved for ambassadors and guests. The Empress had never set foot in this palace before, yet she had chosen it as the venue for the gathering.
While the Imperial Military Felicitation Ceremony had already taken place on a grand scale, there seemed to be a need for another event dedicated solely to Caius.
“As such, it is decided that the residence of Lady Leah, the fiancée of the Crown Prince, is suitable as the location.”
Leah recalled the message from the Empress’ maid. The Empress had chosen this place despite never visiting it before. It was a pretext for another event specifically meant for Caius.
The Empress, who had been silently observing Caius’s improvements, was the one who had orchestrated this gathering. Leah couldn’t believe that the Empress was doing something for Caius.
“Leah.”
As Leah pondered what the Empress’ true intentions might be, she turned around when she heard her name. Sophia, one of Leah’s maids, stood a little distance away.
“We should start getting ready. You need to go down to the hall at noon.”
Leah finally pushed aside her doubts about the Empress’ motives and looked at the now neatly arranged hall.
The person most invested in Caius’ improvements was none other than the Empress herself. But she couldn’t believe the Empress would set up an event solely for Caius.
“Leah, are you ready?”
Sophia, one of the maids sent by Caius, followed Leah as she walked away.
Originally, the maids in the Western Palace had ignored Leah, but Caius immediately sent new attendants when he saw how they treated her.
Even though they had been driven out of the main palace, Leah finally received proper care from the new attendants.
“Lady Leah, are you feeling unwell?”
Lost in her thoughts, Leah had unknowingly stopped walking. She raised her head when Sophia, who had also come to a halt, looked at her curiously.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
Leah shook her head, urging them to continue.
The gathering that began around noon wasn’t particularly large. It was held in a smaller palace, not the main banquet hall, so it was naturally less grand in scale. However, despite its small size, it was a significant event because the Empress hosted it. Many influential families had gathered, making it a gathering that couldn’t be ignored.
“Where is the Crown Prince? I don’t see him anywhere.”
A question was posed, and simultaneously, the expression on Margarette’s face, who was exchanging pleasantries with other noblewomen, subtly stiffened.
It was indeed a strange situation. Even though this gathering was ostensibly arranged for Caius, the guest of honour was nowhere to be seen. It would be rather embarrassing if Caius didn’t attend the event hosted in his honour.
Margarette momentarily excused herself from the ladies and approached one of her maids.
“Didn’t you convey the message to the Crown Prince?” Margarette asked in a hushed voice, her expression showing signs of frustration.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I, personally, delivered the message to His Highness, but I don’t know what happened…”
Margarette inwardly clicked her tongue, glancing around the hall filled with guests. Her gaze finally settled on Leah, who was standing in the corner.
With only one hairpin adorning her neatly tied-up hair and a simple monochrome dress, Leah seemed like an inconspicuous woman. Yet, her striking beauty still managed to capture the attention of everyone in the room.
Margarette knew that the Caius she knew wouldn’t let his fiancée be alone.
However, he hadn’t visited his fiancée even once since his return, and now he was absent from the very event arranged for him.
Margarette pondered what this situation might signify. She scrutinized Leah’s every move with a subtle expression of disdain.
Leah had always tried her best to be flawless despite her efforts often being unsuccessful.
Margarette thought about the meaning of this peculiar situation. Caius was supposed to be the guest of honour, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Margarette decided to approach Leah directly, and as she did, she wore an enigmatic smile, as though amused by something.
“Princess.”
As she called out to Leah gently, Leah, who had been wearing a somewhat distant expression, raised her head.
“Your Majesty.”
Leah greeted her immediately with impeccable etiquette, her movements devoid of any flaws.
Margarette observed Leah momentarily, her face showing a hint of contempt. She soon smiled as if she understood something.
“Why are you standing alone, my dear? It seems Caius is nowhere to be found.”
Margarette clicked her tongue inwardly, realizing that Leah didn’t know the reason either. With a calm and cunning smile, she asked, “Hasn’t there been any other message for you?”
Leah’s expression stiffened a little. She lowered her gaze for a moment, deep in thought, before answering calmly, “It could be that His Highness is overwhelmed with his duties at the moment, and he may have momentarily forgotten about the gathering.”
Given Leah’s current situation, this was the best response. Margarette lightly pursed her lips, her expression gentle and her tone sweet.
“Well, you’re right. He has just returned after making improvements, so he must be quite busy.”
Margarette’s voice was gentle, her expression thoughtful, but her eyes subtly radiated tension. Leah could sense the hidden tension in Margarette’s gaze.
Leah knew this look; she had seen it on Margarette many times before. Margarette would undoubtedly do whatever it took to make Caius uncomfortable.
“If Your Majesty allows, I shall have my maidservant fetch a message for you.”
Leah quickly responded, swallowing her unease. She stood up straight, trying to hide her nervousness. Margarette gazed at Leah with a relaxed smile, as if she found this whole situation quite amusing.
After taking a leisurely look around the room, Margarette suddenly cast a brief glance to her right, where Lady Colin, her confidante and lady-in-waiting, was standing.
Recognizing the unspoken signal, Lady Colin nodded subtly and discreetly stepped back.
Then, a soft voice that seemed to be meant only for Leah’s ears reached her.
“No need to go through all that trouble. If he really cares, he’ll come here himself.”
The voice was cold and filled with contempt. Startled by this sudden turn, Leah’s eyebrows twitched, and she stepped back. But Lady Colin, standing behind Margarette, was faster.
With a swift motion, Lady Colin tipped a wineglass, and in an instant, red wine spilt all over Leah’s face. She forcefully set the empty glass back down and fixed an intense glare on Leah.
“Ah…”
Drip, drip. The sticky wine flowed down Leah’s face, leaving stains on her pristine dress. Stunned by the sudden strike, Leah looked at Lady Colin with trembling eyes.
Before she could even ask what was going on, Lady Colin loudly scolded her.
“Princess, what audacity is this?”
Her angry outburst caught the attention of everyone in the room.
The gazes of the noble ladies in the audience, who had gathered there as if following a script, quickly shifted to Margarette and Leah, their eyes filled with interest.
“Your Majesty the Empress? What in the world is happening here?”
The noblewomen, obediently following the preordained order, stood by Margarette’s side, casting their judgmental gazes upon Leah.
Despite their disapproval, these women had previously restrained themselves due to Leah’s status as the fiancée of the First Prince.
Lady Colin furiously spoke on behalf of Margarette as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“The Princess has dared to insult the Empress. She spoke so audaciously in front of Her Majesty the Empress!”
Lady Colin recited her lines as if she had memorized them in advance, addressing the women who had narrowed their eyes at Leah.
“She even suggested that when she becomes the Crown Princess, the Empire will become a vassal state of Ainel! No matter that she is the fiancée of His Imperial Highness the First Prince, such insolence cannot be tolerated in front of Her Majesty!”
Leah, appalled by these outrageous accusations, desperately tried to defend herself.
“Ladies, I’m afraid I never said such things…”
“Princess.”
At that moment, Margarette raised her hand to silence Leah, as if suppressing her anger. She closed her eyes briefly, then slowly opened them.
“You are the fiancée personally chosen by the First Prince, and I have always shown you respect, regardless of your background.”
Her voice was incredibly gentle, in line with her public image. Without giving Leah a chance to protest, she continued speaking.
“However, this doesn’t mean you already hold the rights and privileges of a Crown Princess. How could you not understand such an obvious fact and beg for favours so indiscriminately?”
Margarette’s tone became more authoritative, filled with dignity.
As if following a script, the situation unfolded according to their carefully devised plan.
Margarette was deep in thought.
Now, her only remaining option was that d*mned useless fiancée.
The Princess from Ainel. The woman everyone hated. That insignificant girl was one of the excuses to attack Caius.
But now, he wasn’t even looking for his own fiancée.
Did he have a change of heart after all that fuss about their engagement?
“I’ll make sure the Princess won’t respond to the Empress’s summons anymore. I’ll make sure it,” Margarette recalled Caius’ warning as if he had said it recently.
Back then, she had been using the Princess thoroughly. Margarette presented herself as a benevolent and merciful Empress, orchestrating everyone to torment the Princess. Her plan was to provoke Caius to respond directly every time the Princess faced misfortune.
As everyone pitied the Princess, who was harassed and accused by many, Margarette revelled in Caius’s reactions.
Finally, when the scoundr*l voluntarily got engaged to the Princess, Margarette couldn’t help but feel delighted.
In the future, if that b*st*rd married the girl, even if he became the Crown Prince, it could be used as evidence to question the legitimacy.
That’s why the current situation was causing her another headache.
“I think it’s time to hold a soirée.”
Margarette, who had put her conscience aside, issued an order.
“Yes, Your Majesty. We shall prepare it promptly,” Lady Colin, standing nearby, understood the implications and promptly responded. Margarette added with a sly smile.
“As for the location, the Western Palace should suffice.”
* * *
For the past few days, the palace attendants at the Western Palace had been busy preparing for the soirée as per the Empress’ instructions.
Leah, standing by the railing, anxiously watched as the once shabby hall transformed neatly into a new state.
“Her Majesty the Empress has decided to hold a small gathering at the Western Palace.”
Leah’s residence in the Western Palace was one of the smaller and older palaces, primarily reserved for ambassadors and guests. The Empress had never set foot in this palace before, yet she had chosen it as the venue for the gathering.
While the Imperial Military Felicitation Ceremony had already taken place on a grand scale, there seemed to be a need for another event dedicated solely to Caius.
“As such, it is decided that the residence of Lady Leah, the fiancée of the Crown Prince, is suitable as the location.”
Leah recalled the message from the Empress’ maid. The Empress had chosen this place despite never visiting it before. It was a pretext for another event specifically meant for Caius.
The Empress, who had been silently observing Caius’s improvements, was the one who had orchestrated this gathering. Leah couldn’t believe that the Empress was doing something for Caius.
“Leah.”
As Leah pondered what the Empress’ true intentions might be, she turned around when she heard her name. Sophia, one of Leah’s maids, stood a little distance away.
“We should start getting ready. You need to go down to the hall at noon.”
Leah finally pushed aside her doubts about the Empress’ motives and looked at the now neatly arranged hall.
The person most invested in Caius’ improvements was none other than the Empress herself. But she couldn’t believe the Empress would set up an event solely for Caius.
“Leah, are you ready?”
Sophia, one of the maids sent by Caius, followed Leah as she walked away.
Originally, the maids in the Western Palace had ignored Leah, but Caius immediately sent new attendants when he saw how they treated her.
Even though they had been driven out of the main palace, Leah finally received proper care from the new attendants.
“Lady Leah, are you feeling unwell?”
Lost in her thoughts, Leah had unknowingly stopped walking. She raised her head when Sophia, who had also come to a halt, looked at her curiously.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
Leah shook her head, urging them to continue.
The gathering that began around noon wasn’t particularly large. It was held in a smaller palace, not the main banquet hall, so it was naturally less grand in scale. However, despite its small size, it was a significant event because the Empress hosted it. Many influential families had gathered, making it a gathering that couldn’t be ignored.
“Where is the Crown Prince? I don’t see him anywhere.”
A question was posed, and simultaneously, the expression on Margarette’s face, who was exchanging pleasantries with other noblewomen, subtly stiffened.
It was indeed a strange situation. Even though this gathering was ostensibly arranged for Caius, the guest of honour was nowhere to be seen. It would be rather embarrassing if Caius didn’t attend the event hosted in his honour.
Margarette momentarily excused herself from the ladies and approached one of her maids.
“Didn’t you convey the message to the Crown Prince?” Margarette asked in a hushed voice, her expression showing signs of frustration.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I, personally, delivered the message to His Highness, but I don’t know what happened…”
Margarette inwardly clicked her tongue, glancing around the hall filled with guests. Her gaze finally settled on Leah, who was standing in the corner.
With only one hairpin adorning her neatly tied-up hair and a simple monochrome dress, Leah seemed like an inconspicuous woman. Yet, her striking beauty still managed to capture the attention of everyone in the room.
Margarette knew that the Caius she knew wouldn’t let his fiancée be alone.
However, he hadn’t visited his fiancée even once since his return, and now he was absent from the very event arranged for him.
Margarette pondered what this situation might signify. She scrutinized Leah’s every move with a subtle expression of disdain.
Leah had always tried her best to be flawless despite her efforts often being unsuccessful.
Margarette thought about the meaning of this peculiar situation. Caius was supposed to be the guest of honour, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Margarette decided to approach Leah directly, and as she did, she wore an enigmatic smile, as though amused by something.
“Princess.”
As she called out to Leah gently, Leah, who had been wearing a somewhat distant expression, raised her head.
“Your Majesty.”
Leah greeted her immediately with impeccable etiquette, her movements devoid of any flaws.
Margarette observed Leah momentarily, her face showing a hint of contempt. She soon smiled as if she understood something.
“Why are you standing alone, my dear? It seems Caius is nowhere to be found.”
Margarette clicked her tongue inwardly, realizing that Leah didn’t know the reason either. With a calm and cunning smile, she asked, “Hasn’t there been any other message for you?”
Leah’s expression stiffened a little. She lowered her gaze for a moment, deep in thought, before answering calmly, “It could be that His Highness is overwhelmed with his duties at the moment, and he may have momentarily forgotten about the gathering.”
Given Leah’s current situation, this was the best response. Margarette lightly pursed her lips, her expression gentle and her tone sweet.
“Well, you’re right. He has just returned after making improvements, so he must be quite busy.”
Margarette’s voice was gentle, her expression thoughtful, but her eyes subtly radiated tension. Leah could sense the hidden tension in Margarette’s gaze.
Leah knew this look; she had seen it on Margarette many times before. Margarette would undoubtedly do whatever it took to make Caius uncomfortable.
“If Your Majesty allows, I shall have my maidservant fetch a message for you.”
Leah quickly responded, swallowing her unease. She stood up straight, trying to hide her nervousness. Margarette gazed at Leah with a relaxed smile, as if she found this whole situation quite amusing.
After taking a leisurely look around the room, Margarette suddenly cast a brief glance to her right, where Lady Colin, her confidante and lady-in-waiting, was standing.
Recognizing the unspoken signal, Lady Colin nodded subtly and discreetly stepped back.
Then, a soft voice that seemed to be meant only for Leah’s ears reached her.
“No need to go through all that trouble. If he really cares, he’ll come here himself.”
The voice was cold and filled with contempt. Startled by this sudden turn, Leah’s eyebrows twitched, and she stepped back. But Lady Colin, standing behind Margarette, was faster.
With a swift motion, Lady Colin tipped a wineglass, and in an instant, red wine spilt all over Leah’s face. She forcefully set the empty glass back down and fixed an intense glare on Leah.
“Ah…”
Drip, drip. The sticky wine flowed down Leah’s face, leaving stains on her pristine dress. Stunned by the sudden strike, Leah looked at Lady Colin with trembling eyes.
Before she could even ask what was going on, Lady Colin loudly scolded her.
“Princess, what audacity is this?”
Her angry outburst caught the attention of everyone in the room.
The gazes of the noble ladies in the audience, who had gathered there as if following a script, quickly shifted to Margarette and Leah, their eyes filled with interest.
“Your Majesty the Empress? What in the world is happening here?”
The noblewomen, obediently following the preordained order, stood by Margarette’s side, casting their judgmental gazes upon Leah.
Despite their disapproval, these women had previously restrained themselves due to Leah’s status as the fiancée of the First Prince.
Lady Colin furiously spoke on behalf of Margarette as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“The Princess has dared to insult the Empress. She spoke so audaciously in front of Her Majesty the Empress!”
Lady Colin recited her lines as if she had memorized them in advance, addressing the women who had narrowed their eyes at Leah.
“She even suggested that when she becomes the Crown Princess, the Empire will become a vassal state of Ainel! No matter that she is the fiancée of His Imperial Highness the First Prince, such insolence cannot be tolerated in front of Her Majesty!”
Leah, appalled by these outrageous accusations, desperately tried to defend herself.
“Ladies, I’m afraid I never said such things…”
“Princess.”
At that moment, Margarette raised her hand to silence Leah, as if suppressing her anger. She closed her eyes briefly, then slowly opened them.
“You are the fiancée personally chosen by the First Prince, and I have always shown you respect, regardless of your background.”
Her voice was incredibly gentle, in line with her public image. Without giving Leah a chance to protest, she continued speaking.
“However, this doesn’t mean you already hold the rights and privileges of a Crown Princess. How could you not understand such an obvious fact and beg for favours so indiscriminately?”
Margarette’s tone became more authoritative, filled with dignity.
As if following a script, the situation unfolded according to their carefully devised plan.
