(168) The main character of the party (2)
The spacious imperial palace banquet hall was filled with nobles.
The reason everyone looked more excited than before was because of Cyrus Carha, the Northern Lord, present at the gathering.
This was the first time Cyrus had officially appeared at the Imperial Palace party. Everyone glanced at Cyrus with eyes full of anticipation and curiosity, but no one dared to speak to him.
“I suppose he has come to find a bride, hasn't he? The Northern Lord is of marriageable age now, after all...”
“Then that must be good news for the young ladies making their debut. He will likely keep a close eye on the lady who has received the Empress’s protection, in particular.”
“He might have come because of the Princess of the East. Just think about what happened at the party the Eastern Little Lord hosted last time. He killed Little Count Gio for flirting with Princess of the East.”
"Come to think of it, the connection between the Northern Lord and Princess of the East is indeed long-standing. The Northern Lord even stepped forward during the custody trial for Princess of the East."
"Isn't there something going on between the two of them? Especially since Princess of the East is even holding a debutante ball this time."
Some groups whispered, speculating on why Cyrus had attended the palace party, while others nagged their daughters.
“Do not needlessly lose your heart to the Northern Lord. He is not someone you can even dream of.”
“Target the Princes and high-ranking nobles who have come to win the Princess’s heart. Since the Princess will only choose one man anyway, if you catch the eyes of the others, you could become the Queen of a country.”
“Try to win the favor of the young Duke of Hern or the Little Eastern Lord. They are at the age where they should be thinking about marriage now, too.”
“The Third Prince is quite a decent person, too. If you marry him, you can live in the Empire, so it would be a good idea to win his favor.”
Third Prince Harold was conversing with young nobles, receiving greedy glances from nobles with daughters of marriageable age. However, his entire focus was on the main entrance of the banquet hall.
Victoria and Ariana haven't arrived yet.
He was looking forward to Ariana's appearance more than Victoria's, but today he had to focus on Victoria.
'I should be able to eliminate the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess soon. I can also deal a blow to the East, which is a thorn in my side."'
The effect of the medicine Victoria gave was tremendous.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, who had been consuming medicine mixed into their tea every day, had recently started behaving a bit strangely. However, the changes were so subtle that no one seemed to suspect it was due to the medicine.
The easygoing Crown Prince would occasionally act fastidiously and hit his attendants or ladies-in-waiting, while the Crown Princess would become increasingly irritable and sometimes burst into tears in a fit of rage.
No one thought it was because of the medicine.
Hearing the Crown Prince and Crown Princess shouting insults at each other every night, they could only guess, 'Their relationship has really deteriorated.'
They will lose their reason and become violent, and eventually they will wither away. But by then, it will be too late. There will be no one who can cure the two of them who are completely addicted to drugs.
'I must seize the opportunity to send the medicine to the Emperor and Empress as well. Then, my chance to sit on their thrones will come sooner.'
The more tyrannical those occupying the high positions became, the more the kind and decisive Third Prince would shine. That was the very moment to seize the throne.
To do so, Harold needed the power of the Western Lord, so he concluded that it would be better to maintain a good relationship with Victoria.
'She’s a nasty girl, but for the greater good, I have no choice.'
Sensing the change in how the royal family viewed the Crown Prince, Harold regained his lost confidence. Now, neither the failure of the perfume business nor Chloe's disappearance felt like such a big deal. It seemed as though everything was flowing in his favor.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress entered, and a little later, the Princess entered and sat next to the Empress.
The Empress looked around at the young ladies who were casting envious glances, hoping for her protection.
Originally, it was customary for young ladies to wear white dresses for their debutante balls, but recently, lightly colored dresses have been in fashion to stand out.
Something like a very light yellow, light sky blue, or pink. A dress that looks almost white but can be seen as a different color if you look closely.
The young ladies, their cheeks flushed with excitement as they attended the imperial palace party for the first time, were beautiful in themselves.
The Empress usually enjoyed watching such young ladies, but today her heart was heavy.
“What about the Crown Prince?”
The Empress asked, barely moving her lips. Princess Charlotte answered with a somber expression.
"It seemed like he had another argument with the Crown Princess. The atmosphere between the two of them was unpleasant."
The Empress clicked her tongue.
"I thought the Crown Prince, who had been floundering in love with his lover, had finally come to his senses, but it seems I was mistaken."
The wise and gentle Crown Princess attacked the Crown Prince every time over the issue of his mistress.
It was understandable. The Crown Princess had nearly died falling down the stairs because of Chloe, the Crown Prince's lover.
However, Chloe disappeared, and the Crown Prince suspected that someone from the Crown Princess's side had tampered with her. The Empress also harbored the same suspicion, but it was not the Crown Princess's fault.
As the Empress, she felt relieved, as if a troublesome tooth had been pulled, now that Chloe, who had been a nuisance to deal with, had been eliminated.
However, it seems the Crown Prince is not like that. Judging by the way he keeps criticizing the Crown Princess over it.
It was not a good thing that the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess was bad. Currently, they are keeping it quiet only within the palace, but if it leaked out, there was no telling how the enemies might exploit it.
"Have you spoken to the Crown Princess?"
“No. She wouldn’t even meet with me, saying that since I’m his sister, I’m bound to only side with him. I’m worried that they might actually end up getting a divorce at this rate.”
"Divorce was absolutely out of the question."
It would be one thing if the Crown Princess were single, but if she were to divorce while pregnant with an imperial grandson, it would be difficult to avoid the criticism directed at the imperial family. Moreover, the Crown Princess's family, the Materin clan, was a powerful clan.
The Empress's mind was complicated for various reasons, so she didn't want to enjoy the party, but she couldn't show it. They couldn't properly throw a party last year because of the war, so everyone was looking forward to this year.
Furthermore, as the Princess reached marriageable age, there were many royalty and nobles from other countries who came to form a bond with her.
Just as the Empress composed herself and wore an elegant smile, the attendant guarding the door shouted.
"The Duke of Bronte family from the West enters."
The Empress turned her gaze toward the main gate without thinking and almost opened her mouth involuntarily. The sight visible through the wide-open door was so absurd and ridiculous.
The nobles gathered in small groups also wore expressions similar to the Empress's as they watched the person entering. The orchestra stopped playing, and the people who had been conversing fell silent.
In the midst of the silence, Duchess Rachel Bronte and her daughter, Victoria Bronte, slowly walked inside.
Victoria was truly splendid. She was wearing a dress that sparkled more than anyone else present, even more than the Empress.
A red dress so intense that Victoria's face was barely visible.
Except for the young ladies making their debutante balls, most, especially the noblewomen, wore colored dresses, but no one wore a red dress. After all, at imperial palace parties, red is the color of the Empress.
Victoria accomplished something that was not forbidden, but which no one dared to attempt.
The problem was that the dress didn't suit Victoria at all.
Victoria looked as if she had been swallowed by the dress, as if the dress were walking on its own, yet she actually wore a very proud expression. Her upright chin and confident gait made her look even more ridiculous.
"Ha..."
The Empress snapped back to reality at the sound of the Princess’s hollow laughter coming from beside her. The sight was so absurd that she had even forgotten to maintain her composure.
“What on earth was the Duchess of Bronte thinking, dressing her daughter in such an outfit? She must be someone who knows better.”
At the sound of the Princess muttering, the Empress glanced at Rachel's expression. Rachel was forcing a smile, but she looked extremely displeased.
Seeing her gaze darting back and forth anxiously, it seemed that Rachel’s opinion had not been incorporated into Victoria’s dress at all.
"It seems the Princess of Bronte has been out of her mother's care for quite some time."
"Judging by the state she looks in, it would have been better if she hadn't escaped."
The spacious imperial palace banquet hall was filled with nobles.
The reason everyone looked more excited than before was because of Cyrus Carha, the Northern Lord, present at the gathering.
This was the first time Cyrus had officially appeared at the Imperial Palace party. Everyone glanced at Cyrus with eyes full of anticipation and curiosity, but no one dared to speak to him.
“I suppose he has come to find a bride, hasn't he? The Northern Lord is of marriageable age now, after all...”
“Then that must be good news for the young ladies making their debut. He will likely keep a close eye on the lady who has received the Empress’s protection, in particular.”
“He might have come because of the Princess of the East. Just think about what happened at the party the Eastern Little Lord hosted last time. He killed Little Count Gio for flirting with Princess of the East.”
"Come to think of it, the connection between the Northern Lord and Princess of the East is indeed long-standing. The Northern Lord even stepped forward during the custody trial for Princess of the East."
"Isn't there something going on between the two of them? Especially since Princess of the East is even holding a debutante ball this time."
Some groups whispered, speculating on why Cyrus had attended the palace party, while others nagged their daughters.
“Do not needlessly lose your heart to the Northern Lord. He is not someone you can even dream of.”
“Target the Princes and high-ranking nobles who have come to win the Princess’s heart. Since the Princess will only choose one man anyway, if you catch the eyes of the others, you could become the Queen of a country.”
“Try to win the favor of the young Duke of Hern or the Little Eastern Lord. They are at the age where they should be thinking about marriage now, too.”
“The Third Prince is quite a decent person, too. If you marry him, you can live in the Empire, so it would be a good idea to win his favor.”
Third Prince Harold was conversing with young nobles, receiving greedy glances from nobles with daughters of marriageable age. However, his entire focus was on the main entrance of the banquet hall.
Victoria and Ariana haven't arrived yet.
He was looking forward to Ariana's appearance more than Victoria's, but today he had to focus on Victoria.
'I should be able to eliminate the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess soon. I can also deal a blow to the East, which is a thorn in my side."'
The effect of the medicine Victoria gave was tremendous.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, who had been consuming medicine mixed into their tea every day, had recently started behaving a bit strangely. However, the changes were so subtle that no one seemed to suspect it was due to the medicine.
The easygoing Crown Prince would occasionally act fastidiously and hit his attendants or ladies-in-waiting, while the Crown Princess would become increasingly irritable and sometimes burst into tears in a fit of rage.
No one thought it was because of the medicine.
Hearing the Crown Prince and Crown Princess shouting insults at each other every night, they could only guess, 'Their relationship has really deteriorated.'
They will lose their reason and become violent, and eventually they will wither away. But by then, it will be too late. There will be no one who can cure the two of them who are completely addicted to drugs.
'I must seize the opportunity to send the medicine to the Emperor and Empress as well. Then, my chance to sit on their thrones will come sooner.'
The more tyrannical those occupying the high positions became, the more the kind and decisive Third Prince would shine. That was the very moment to seize the throne.
To do so, Harold needed the power of the Western Lord, so he concluded that it would be better to maintain a good relationship with Victoria.
'She’s a nasty girl, but for the greater good, I have no choice.'
Sensing the change in how the royal family viewed the Crown Prince, Harold regained his lost confidence. Now, neither the failure of the perfume business nor Chloe's disappearance felt like such a big deal. It seemed as though everything was flowing in his favor.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress entered, and a little later, the Princess entered and sat next to the Empress.
The Empress looked around at the young ladies who were casting envious glances, hoping for her protection.
Originally, it was customary for young ladies to wear white dresses for their debutante balls, but recently, lightly colored dresses have been in fashion to stand out.
Something like a very light yellow, light sky blue, or pink. A dress that looks almost white but can be seen as a different color if you look closely.
The young ladies, their cheeks flushed with excitement as they attended the imperial palace party for the first time, were beautiful in themselves.
The Empress usually enjoyed watching such young ladies, but today her heart was heavy.
“What about the Crown Prince?”
The Empress asked, barely moving her lips. Princess Charlotte answered with a somber expression.
"It seemed like he had another argument with the Crown Princess. The atmosphere between the two of them was unpleasant."
The Empress clicked her tongue.
"I thought the Crown Prince, who had been floundering in love with his lover, had finally come to his senses, but it seems I was mistaken."
The wise and gentle Crown Princess attacked the Crown Prince every time over the issue of his mistress.
It was understandable. The Crown Princess had nearly died falling down the stairs because of Chloe, the Crown Prince's lover.
However, Chloe disappeared, and the Crown Prince suspected that someone from the Crown Princess's side had tampered with her. The Empress also harbored the same suspicion, but it was not the Crown Princess's fault.
As the Empress, she felt relieved, as if a troublesome tooth had been pulled, now that Chloe, who had been a nuisance to deal with, had been eliminated.
However, it seems the Crown Prince is not like that. Judging by the way he keeps criticizing the Crown Princess over it.
It was not a good thing that the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess was bad. Currently, they are keeping it quiet only within the palace, but if it leaked out, there was no telling how the enemies might exploit it.
"Have you spoken to the Crown Princess?"
“No. She wouldn’t even meet with me, saying that since I’m his sister, I’m bound to only side with him. I’m worried that they might actually end up getting a divorce at this rate.”
"Divorce was absolutely out of the question."
It would be one thing if the Crown Princess were single, but if she were to divorce while pregnant with an imperial grandson, it would be difficult to avoid the criticism directed at the imperial family. Moreover, the Crown Princess's family, the Materin clan, was a powerful clan.
The Empress's mind was complicated for various reasons, so she didn't want to enjoy the party, but she couldn't show it. They couldn't properly throw a party last year because of the war, so everyone was looking forward to this year.
Furthermore, as the Princess reached marriageable age, there were many royalty and nobles from other countries who came to form a bond with her.
Just as the Empress composed herself and wore an elegant smile, the attendant guarding the door shouted.
"The Duke of Bronte family from the West enters."
The Empress turned her gaze toward the main gate without thinking and almost opened her mouth involuntarily. The sight visible through the wide-open door was so absurd and ridiculous.
The nobles gathered in small groups also wore expressions similar to the Empress's as they watched the person entering. The orchestra stopped playing, and the people who had been conversing fell silent.
In the midst of the silence, Duchess Rachel Bronte and her daughter, Victoria Bronte, slowly walked inside.
Victoria was truly splendid. She was wearing a dress that sparkled more than anyone else present, even more than the Empress.
A red dress so intense that Victoria's face was barely visible.
Except for the young ladies making their debutante balls, most, especially the noblewomen, wore colored dresses, but no one wore a red dress. After all, at imperial palace parties, red is the color of the Empress.
Victoria accomplished something that was not forbidden, but which no one dared to attempt.
The problem was that the dress didn't suit Victoria at all.
Victoria looked as if she had been swallowed by the dress, as if the dress were walking on its own, yet she actually wore a very proud expression. Her upright chin and confident gait made her look even more ridiculous.
"Ha..."
The Empress snapped back to reality at the sound of the Princess’s hollow laughter coming from beside her. The sight was so absurd that she had even forgotten to maintain her composure.
“What on earth was the Duchess of Bronte thinking, dressing her daughter in such an outfit? She must be someone who knows better.”
At the sound of the Princess muttering, the Empress glanced at Rachel's expression. Rachel was forcing a smile, but she looked extremely displeased.
Seeing her gaze darting back and forth anxiously, it seemed that Rachel’s opinion had not been incorporated into Victoria’s dress at all.
"It seems the Princess of Bronte has been out of her mother's care for quite some time."
"Judging by the state she looks in, it would have been better if she hadn't escaped."
"That's what I'm saying."
As the precious mother and daughter were whispering to each other, Victoria and Rachel arrived before them. They bowed slightly to the Emperor and Empress.
The Empress received their greetings half-heartedly and turned her gaze elsewhere. Victoria's expression hardened for a moment, but she soon smiled and headed in another direction.
The Emperor, watching the scene, spoke in a low voice.
“The Lord of the Weet’s granddaughter is the spitting image of her grandfather. Has there ever been a woman who challenged the Empress’s authority so boldly?”
The Empress twisted the corners of her lips at the words that sounded like admiration.
The weak-willed Emperor had long been weak against the Western Lord, who acted like a tongue in his mouth.
"If the Western Lord had challenged so openly, there would have been no reason for His Majesty the Emperor to grovel before the Northern Lord either."
“Is the Empress still saying that? I told you that the Western Lord bears no responsibility for that matter.”
The Emperor turned his head away in displeasure at the Empress's sharp remark.
It was not only the Empress and the nobles who were shocked by Victoria's attire. The Third Prince, Harold, was also dumbfounded and almost screamed.
'What on earth does that look like!'
He had a headache because of Victoria, who had come wearing a red dress as if she were already the Empress. It was a relief that the Empress didn't get angry at that audacity.
As their eyes met, Victoria smiled sweetly, and at that moment, Harold felt an indescribable sense of disgust. Goosebumps ran down his forearms.
'What on earth is this...'
But that was only for a moment. Intense anger welled up again.
He still needs to make a good impression on the Emperor and Empress, so what on earth is going on? Harold was too embarrassed to even lift his head, but Victoria looked extremely satisfied, receiving everyone's attention.
The attendant announced the nobles' position a few more times, but everyone paid no attention to it as they were looking at Victoria's attire.
The more that happened, the more Victoria's pride soared.
'Everyone is watching me.'
Wearing the red dress was indeed the right choice. The Empress seemed a little upset, but that didn't matter.
What matters is that she made a firm impression on everyone. It was clear that no matter how glamorous a dress Ariana wore, she would not be able to capture people's attention as much as she had, having appeared first.
Cyrus, who was standing in a corner of the party watching the scene, let out a smirk.
"Ariana used her head."
Isaac tilted his head.
“What does the Princess of Bronte acting like a jester have to do with the Princess Consort?”
“Unless the Princess of Bronte is a fool, she wouldn’t have tried to steal the Empress’s color herself. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of expression she makes when Ariana appears.”
And the attendant shouted.
"Little Lord of the East, the Princess of the East, and the White family are entering."
As the precious mother and daughter were whispering to each other, Victoria and Rachel arrived before them. They bowed slightly to the Emperor and Empress.
The Empress received their greetings half-heartedly and turned her gaze elsewhere. Victoria's expression hardened for a moment, but she soon smiled and headed in another direction.
The Emperor, watching the scene, spoke in a low voice.
“The Lord of the Weet’s granddaughter is the spitting image of her grandfather. Has there ever been a woman who challenged the Empress’s authority so boldly?”
The Empress twisted the corners of her lips at the words that sounded like admiration.
The weak-willed Emperor had long been weak against the Western Lord, who acted like a tongue in his mouth.
"If the Western Lord had challenged so openly, there would have been no reason for His Majesty the Emperor to grovel before the Northern Lord either."
“Is the Empress still saying that? I told you that the Western Lord bears no responsibility for that matter.”
The Emperor turned his head away in displeasure at the Empress's sharp remark.
It was not only the Empress and the nobles who were shocked by Victoria's attire. The Third Prince, Harold, was also dumbfounded and almost screamed.
'What on earth does that look like!'
He had a headache because of Victoria, who had come wearing a red dress as if she were already the Empress. It was a relief that the Empress didn't get angry at that audacity.
As their eyes met, Victoria smiled sweetly, and at that moment, Harold felt an indescribable sense of disgust. Goosebumps ran down his forearms.
'What on earth is this...'
But that was only for a moment. Intense anger welled up again.
He still needs to make a good impression on the Emperor and Empress, so what on earth is going on? Harold was too embarrassed to even lift his head, but Victoria looked extremely satisfied, receiving everyone's attention.
The attendant announced the nobles' position a few more times, but everyone paid no attention to it as they were looking at Victoria's attire.
The more that happened, the more Victoria's pride soared.
'Everyone is watching me.'
Wearing the red dress was indeed the right choice. The Empress seemed a little upset, but that didn't matter.
What matters is that she made a firm impression on everyone. It was clear that no matter how glamorous a dress Ariana wore, she would not be able to capture people's attention as much as she had, having appeared first.
Cyrus, who was standing in a corner of the party watching the scene, let out a smirk.
"Ariana used her head."
Isaac tilted his head.
“What does the Princess of Bronte acting like a jester have to do with the Princess Consort?”
“Unless the Princess of Bronte is a fool, she wouldn’t have tried to steal the Empress’s color herself. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of expression she makes when Ariana appears.”
And the attendant shouted.
"Little Lord of the East, the Princess of the East, and the White family are entering."
Comments
Post a Comment