He said he would escort her, but instead, he felt like he was the one being escorted.
Euclid followed wherever Erencia led him.
Erencia had no specific destination.
Her goal would be achieved simply by strolling through the banquet hall affectionately with Euclid.
As expected, the women's stinging stares followed Erencia's back.
Erencia became even more excited and stuck close to Euclid.
Euclid moved his arm as if he were uncomfortable, but Erencia was so excited that she didn't even notice his discomfort.
Even though she knew, she had no intention of being considerate of Euclid.
"Let's go over there, too."
Erencia pointed to the far end of the banquet hall. Euclid could not understand why Erencia was wandering around aimlessly like this.
"Why are you so excited, like a puppy on a walk..."
It was the moment he opened his mouth to hear the reason.
"Greetings, Sir Gredelus, Lady Novellita."
Someone spoke.
"Ah..."
Euclid let out an unpleasant groan. It was a sound so faint that only Erencia could barely hear it.
Who is it?
Erencia looked at him.
The person with a sturdy build and solid body was wearing a blue Imperial Palace emblem, which is said to be issued only to the Imperial Household's direct attendants.
"The Empress is looking for you."
He said.
***
Common greetings were exchanged.
You're likable, you're unlikable, and you don't know.
You can figure out that person in 3 seconds.
It took less than five minutes to finish figuring out what the other person thought of you.
The good thing about living a fourth life is that you become more perceptive.
You can sort out what others think of you in the time it takes to have a cup of tea.
'The Empress hates me, Prince Barlos is likable, but what about Princess Selvarena?'
However, Selvarena had no idea at all.
The gentle smile seemed to indicate a fondness for Erencia. However, the occasional piercing gaze with cold eyes gave a strong impression of dislike.
"Did Duchess Novellita pick out the dress?"
Lillie asked.
Erencia turned toward Lillie, ignoring Selvarena's gaze fixed on her left cheek.
"No, Your Majesty. I chose it myself."
"Oh dear, I heard Duke Novellita cherishes you so much that he keeps you confined to the mansion. It seems you have absolutely no idea how the world works. What a pitiful situation."
Lillie pressed down on Erencia while pretending to be worried about her.
Erencia tilted her head.
She noticed that Lillie disliked her, but she didn't expect her to pour out words bordering on criticism when they first met.
This is so good, isn’t it?
It has been a long time since she felt such hostility, and the opponent is even a strong enemy.
The royal family was the best target for a grudge more than anyone else.
Erencia felt like she wanted to scream with joy.
She must stand up to Lillie boldly and assertively.
Where could there be an enemy as strong as the Imperial Family?
Erencia took a deep breath.
And just as she was about to open her mouth...
"Your Majesty, I like it very much. You don't have to wear a stifling corset, you don't need a heavy petticoat, and it is even incredibly beautiful. If it is not too much trouble, could you introduce me to a dress designer?"
Selvarena interrupted the conversation. Seeing one corner of Lillie's lips turn up at a sharp angle and then come back down, Erencia opened her mouth.
"How could I recommend this hideous dress, which I wore without even knowing how the world works, to Her Highness the Princess?"
Erencia drew a line regarding Selvarena's help.
Selvarena tried to say something more. Erencia anticipated that it would not be of much help to her plan.
"Your Majesty the Empress."
Erencia opened her lowered eyes wide and looked straight at Lillie.
My enemy isn't you; it's that person over there.
Lillie raised her eyebrows and waited for Erencia to finish speaking.
"I'm hungry. May I have a meal?"
Everyone sitting at the table slowly opened their mouths.
What are you saying now?
The shocked expressions were shouting in unison.
At a banquet, food is merely decoration.
Chocolate waterfalls, delicious bread, cakes, and fragrant turkey dishes...
Everything was just table food meant to set the mood.
It was a dish they clearly made for you to eat, but you didn't. To be precise, you couldn't eat it.
How could you eat when you had tightened the corset as if to make your stomach and back one?
If you ate, it probably wouldn't go down to your stomach and would just pile up in your esophagus until you threw up.
The situation was similar for men as well.
They differed from women in that what suppressed their appetite was saving face rather than a corset, but they were the same in that they could not eat even when they saw food.
Male aristocrats considered it more gentlemanly to sip champagne or smoke a cigarette in a designated place than to eat food.
However, Erencia is different.
She had all the conditions to eat deliciously.
Not only did she not wear a corset, but she also had no reason to worry about appearances like gentlemen.
She was forced to starve for a day for the banquet, so she could even chew on stones.
Is it because the thought of eating delicious food makes her heart feel full?
She felt sorry for the young ladies in the banquet hall.
Is Erencia the only one who fasted for today's banquet? You can guarantee that every woman in a dress has fasted for more than a day.
That arrogant Empress is no exception.
To think you would give up your appetite for the sake of beauty.
Erencia learned through her past life how futile and ephemeral it was.
'They won't come to their senses until they starve.'
"Surely those meats placed over there aren't just for decoration, are they?"
When the Empress did not answer, Erencia asked, pretending to be innocent.
Lillie was so dumbfounded that she couldn't answer immediately.
No, the accurate explanation is that she doesn't know what to say.
The food in the banquet hall is indeed decoration. It is, but it is edible decoration.
And that too was cooked with great care by the imperial palace chef.
“You want to eat that?”
Lillie raised her voice without realizing it.
"Yes. Is this rude, by any chance?"
It is not rude. It is food prepared for you to eat.
The problem is that so far, no one has stepped forward to eat that food, nor has anyone actually eaten it.
"I'm hungry too. May I join you?"
Euclid intervened.
Lillie looked back and forth between the two, having now forgotten to keep her expression.
Are you out of your mind?
Lillie was asking.
"Are you really... hungry, young master?"
Lillie asked Euclid.
In fact, he wasn't hungry. He simply enjoyed watching Lillie get flustered by Erencia's words.
Euclid did not like her.
If he knew what Lillie had done to the Gredelus family, he couldn't like her.
No, he honestly hated it.
If she got that flustered just from a simple question, he wondered what it would be like if they ate the food directly in front of her.
Euclid became curious.
At the same time, a small realization came to him.
'Is Lady Erencia trying to hit on her with the same intention?'
Because it’s fun to touch, right?
However, the reason Euclid wants to embarrass Lillie is that he doesn't like her very much.
'Does she perhaps dislike the Empress?'
Euclid gazed with clear eyes at the profile of Erencia, who was waiting for the Empress's answer.
In the meantime, Lillie had no choice but to call a servant.
“Prepare a meal.”
Trays carrying food appeared one after another.
The chefs' faces flushed with joy as they were finally able to showcase their dishes at the banquet.
A few cooks deboned the well-cooked turkey.
The table was quickly filled with appetizing food.
Erencia picked up a fork.
The stares directed at her were stinging, but Erencia did not care.
Yes. Just as she stuck her fork into the piece of turkey! Gulp. The sound of swallowing echoed from all around.
Erencia picked up a piece of meat and stopped just as she was about to put it in her mouth.
"Would Your Majesty the Empress have some too?"
Erencia looked straight at Lillie and asked.
No matter how mentally strong a person is, if they see delicious food after being in a coma for more than a day, their eyes will open.
What if you saw someone enjoying that food? On top of that, what if you were in a situation where you couldn't eat it yourself?
'Even I find it annoying.'
Even cursing inwardly wouldn't be enough. Erencia even hummed a tune. Of course, making sure no one else could hear.
"It seems to suit your taste."
Lillie sipped her champagne, trying hard to avert her gaze from Erencia. The champagne tasted bitter today.
"Since it is food prepared by the Imperial Palace chef, there is no way it wouldn't suit your taste."
Aang-hap. Nomnom.
If she had the honor of a proper noble education, she wouldn't make noise while eating, but Erencia deliberately made a sound.
'The sound is the real deal.'
Erencia knows how painful it is to hear the delicious sounds of munching and smacking while hungry.
In her past life, she ran away from home intending to live on her own. She was convinced that if she stayed with Novellita, who habitually committed evil deeds, she would be stabbed to death.
What awaited her was desperate hunger and a life at the bottom of society, but at least she found comfort in the thought that she wouldn't be killed by a knife.
The end... eventually, she was stabbed to death.
Anyway, being able to eat delicious food is happiness.
"Are you really not going to eat? It's so delicious."
I was told to share the good food; Erencia muttered softly.
Lillie's jaw tightened.
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