Episode 55. The Empress's Gift
The Emperor's office was quiet. Quiet did not mean comfortable. The silence in this room was of a different kind. Thick curtains filtered out about half of the sunlight, and documents were neatly stacked on the table.
Emperor Heinrich Moncler looked back and forth between Claude and the Duke of Ashford over the papers. Edward stood a step back behind the two. The Emperor opened his mouth.
"So you are gathering more evidence."
The Duke of Ashford nodded.
"It must be clearly established that Her Majesty the Empress was personally involved. What we have now is insufficient to bind Her Majesty the Empress. There is still room for rebuttal."
The Emperor crossed his arms. It was the posture of someone who thought deeply. He was a man who had sat in this seat for decades. He was a man who knew from the flesh what happens when one acts rashly.
"Can the Duke of Valois hold out in the meantime?"
Claude asked.
"We will hold out."
It was a short answer. The Emperor looked at Claude. It was a look of gazing at the face of an old friend. Something passed through his eyes. It was something like apology and gratitude.
"The Duke of Ashford will take charge of protecting the affected families. I will dispatch troops unofficially. So that they can stop the moment Her Majesty the Empress's side attempts to move directly."
The Emperor nodded.
"I grant permission."
With that single word, the decision was made. The Emperor stopped picking up the documents and looked at Claude.
"By the way, Claude."
"Yes."
The corners of the Emperor's lips moved ever so slightly. It was a movement that did not suit his solemn face.
"Do you know what the Empress called Princess Valois?"
With his teeth clenched and a ridiculous expression that made it hard to tell whether he was crying or laughing, the Emperor covered his mouth and raised one arm to signal the Chamberlain behind him to continue. The Chamberlain, flustered, looked back and forth between Claude and the Emperor before bowing his head low and relaying in a low voice.
"She called her a 'Poop princess,' Your Majesty."
Claude's expression hardened subtly. The Duke of Ashford cleared his throat. The Emperor put down the documents. Then he clutched his stomach. It was a silent laugh, yet his shoulders trembled. It was the kind of laugh that made one wonder how many people in this office had ever seen the Emperor laugh like that.
Claude turned his gaze to the ceiling. Only the Duke of Ashford was looking straight ahead, his lips stiff and rigid. Barely managing to suppress his laughter, the Emperor spoke.
"I would like to see that Princess again."
Claude looked at the Emperor. Picking up the documents again, the Emperor added.
"Anyway. The fact that the Empress mentioned such things means that Princess made quite an impression on her. The Empress is not a woman who carelessly weighs on others."
The office fell silent. Lowering his gaze to the documents, the Emperor said.
"I will wait. Until perfect evidence emerges."
It was around dusk when Claude's carriage arrived at the Duke of Valois estate. Martha was in the garden. She was sitting on a bench next to the lavender flowerbed, examining documents related to the hot springs. They were about the progress of the construction. It was a report sent by the workers of the Golden Lion Merchant Guild, and the more she read, the more parts Martha found herself chuckling inwardly. Although the hot springs were being built by their laborers, filled with their materials, and completed with their money, they were unaware yet that it would eventually belong to the Duke of Valois. The sound of a carriage was heard. Martha closed the documents and rose from her seat. There were three of them gathered in the study. Claude, Martha, and Isabella.
As Claude sat down, he stated the conclusion first.
"His Imperial Majesty has decided to wait and see. Until perfect evidence emerges."
Martha nodded.
"What about the affected families?"
"The Duke of Ashford has decided to send troops unofficially. They have received permission from His Imperial Majesty."
Responding to this, Martha thought to herself. Fine. For now, this game is going to go our way. We have gained time to make a move while the Empress is under a delusion. Claude paused briefly before speaking.
"And."
"Yes."
"I heard that His Imperial Majesty heard it from the Empress."
Martha looked at Claude. Claude spoke while looking away.
"They said the Empress has a term for you."
Martha waited.
"Poop Princess."
The study fell silent. Oh my goodness, how disgraceful. Isabella covered her flushed face with her hand. It took Martha a moment to accept those words. The Empress's elegant face came to mind. That face with straight bones, a high nose, thin lips, and a neat appearance. To think that the word "Poop Princess" had come from that face.
"His Majesty the Emperor laughed, clutching his stomach."
Martha looked at Claude. Claude was still looking elsewhere. It was outside the window. He was expressionless, but the tips of his ears were slightly red.
Martha looked at it for a moment, then averted her gaze. Isabella muttered quietly to herself with a look of utter despair.
"The Princess, she's all married off now. What am I to do? Her Majesty... From that high-handed mouth of yours. Oh, dear."
Anyway, to think His Majesty the Emperor laughed so hard he clutched his stomach-it must have been quite a sight. He is human, after all. Just then, the study door opened quietly. It was Maxim.
"My Lady"
"What is it?"
"A lady-in-waiting has arrived from the Empress's quarters. She has brought a gift."
Martha and Claude looked at Maxim at the same time. Martha spoke first.
"Where is she?"
"She is waiting in the entrance hall."
Martha rose from her seat and looked at Claude. Claude looked at Martha. There were no words, but there was a look in his eyes. It was a look that warned her to be careful. Martha nodded once and left the study. Isabella stood motionless, her face showing she had lost her world.
A lady-in-waiting stood in the entrance hall. She appeared to be in her early thirties. Her posture was impeccable. It was obvious from her demeanor alone that she was a personal attendant to the Empress. It was the posture of someone who had worked in the Imperial Palace for a long time.
She held a silk-wrapped box in her hand. However, as Martha descended the stairs, the lady-in-waiting's eyes moved once. They scanned the interior of the hall. It was brief. It was a movement so fast it went unnoticed. Martha saw it. It was the discernment she had cultivated over many years of frequenting the Imperial Palace and the Duke's estate. She knew instinctively what kind of look that was. It was the look of a gatherer.
Martha smiled brightly as she finished descending the stairs, her face still as if she hadn't seen anything.
"Oh, you have come a long way. You must have had a hard time."
The lady-in-waiting bowed her head and held out the box.
"The Empress asked me to pass this on. She said she is grateful that you willingly came, even though the last gathering must have been burdensome for you, Young Lady."
Martha took the box with both hands and said.
"It is no burden at all. It was an honor to meet Her Majesty the Empress, and receiving a gift like this makes me feel overwhelmed."
As she handed the box to Lucy, Martha looked at the lady-in-waiting.
"Please have a cup of tea before you go. You have traveled such a long way, and I would feel uncomfortable letting you leave empty-handed."
The lady-in-waiting hesitated for a moment.
"It is alright, Princess."
"It would be wrong if it were alright."
Martha said, already turning around.
"Let's go to the reception room."
The lady-in-waiting paused for a moment and stopped in her tracks.
"The gift Her Majesty has for you is a vase, and I would like to place it in your study or reception room. I also want to check the location."
Just as she thought. Martha understood the lady-in-waiting's words. The place Martha led her to was a small reception room right next to the study. It was a room rarely used. It was separated from the study by just a single wall.
As the lady-in-waiting entered, she scanned the room once. It was that look again. Martha offered her a seat and pretended not to notice. Martha spoke as she poured the tea.
"You must have had a very long and tiring journey."
The lady-in-waiting looked at Martha as she took the tea. It was a look that lowered her guard. It was the kind of look that made it difficult to maintain one's guard against a Princess who treated her so warmly. Watching this, Martha thought to herself, 'That's enough. It's just the beginning.'
"I heard the hot spring construction is going well."
The lady-in-waiting said cautiously.
"It is going well, but,"
Martha said, furrowing her brow slightly as she set down her teacup. It was a worried expression.
"It looks like it will take a little longer than expected. The ground is weaker than anticipated. The workers from the Golden Lion Merchant Guild are working hard, but this isn't something that can be rushed."
The lady-in-waiting nodded. She looked as if she wanted to take notes.
"Also, our family is cutting back on Imperial Palace events these days. Our family isn't fully settled yet, and I'm afraid that if I step forward unnecessarily, it might cause trouble for Her Majesty the Empress. You know, being cautious."
"Her Majesty the Empress will actually find that kind of mindset admirable."
"I am glad if she sees it that way."
Martha rose from her seat, offering some cookies.
"Just a moment, I'll go get more. We make these ourselves, and they're delicious."
Martha was already leaving the room before the maid could finish speaking. As she closed the door, Martha looked at Lucy. Lucy stared at Martha with wide eyes. Martha approached the wall facing the study without a word. She stood with her back to the wall and looked toward the reception room. The door was closed. Then, she felt very cautious movement from inside. Footsteps were heard. They were footsteps heading toward the drawers. Martha crossed her arms.
"You're doing great. Your gait puts a master thief to shame."
She muttered to herself as she waited, leaning against the wall. Lucy stood beside her, looking at Martha, then looking inside, her face showing a helpless expression. Martha leaned her head toward Lucy and spoke in a very low voice.
"Did you count how many times that maid has scanned this mansion since earlier?"
Lucy froze. Martha looked toward the reception room again and spoke.
"Three times. Once at the entrance, once as she entered, and once after she sat down."
Lucy looked at Martha. Martha spoke quietly, keeping her arms crossed.
"She won't find anything if she rummages through the drawers. Everything important is in the secret safe."
Footsteps moved again inside. They were footsteps returning to their original positions. Hearing this, Martha seized the timing. She picked up a plate of cookies and opened the reception room door. A lady-in-waiting was sitting there, drinking tea. She looked as if nothing had happened. Martha, also looking as if nothing had happened, set down the plate of cookies and sat down.
"You must have waited a long time, haven't you? Please try this."
The lady-in-waiting said as she picked up a cookie.
"Her Majesty the Empress said she would like to arrange a tea time soon. It will be a gathering with Her Majesty the Empress's close friends."
Martha smiled brightly.
"Oh, what an honor. Please tell her I will definitely come."
The lady-in-waiting rose from her seat. Martha escorted her to the entrance. The sound of a door closing and a carriage moving away could be heard. Martha listened to the sound and thought. 'I will see you soon, Your Majesty. This worthless Princess is visiting to pay her respects.' The fact that the hot springs trip is delayed, and that the Duke of Valois is keeping quiet-while Your Majesty accepts these two things, we have time to make our move.
As Martha turned around, she looked at Lucy. Lucy was staring at Martha with a blank expression.
"Princess."
"What?"
"Did that lady-in-waiting rummage through the drawers?"
"She must have."
"Did you leave your post knowing that, Princess?"
Martha said as she walked.
"You have to leave knowing there is nothing to rummage through to make her do it."
Lucy took out her notebook as she followed behind Martha.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 55]
I have a lot to say today. I heard the Princess has acquired the nickname "Poop Princess."
Lady Isabella was devastated, thinking her chances of getting married were over.
The Princess personally poured tea for the Empress's lady-in-waiting and even brought snacks. I thought it was strange that she would go to such lengths for someone she had just met. I heard that the lady-in-waiting rummaged through the drawers while the Princess was away. I didn't know. The Princess knew. And she deliberately left the room.
"You have to leave knowing there's nothing to rummage through to make them search."
Hearing these words, I couldn't walk for a while. It seems I can't hide anything from the Princess. Neither the Empress's lady-in-waiting nor I.
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