Chapter 94

The tea party was filled with the sound of a blizzard. The diamond dust was beautiful—though in reality, it couldn't be seen, it was that tense.

At first, I invited the Empress Mezarin d'Or Sandis, the official empress, according to the hierarchy. The empress brought about twenty maids and a few attendants. Well, we have maids here too, so I don't think that many were necessary.

Her light blonde hair was tied up, and her hair accessory was a tiara made of platinum, Sandis Light, and diamonds, with matching earrings that combined floral and drop-cut designs. They sparkled even more with each reflection of the sun. Her matching necklace was a double-strand that almost covered her décolletage.

Her deep green dress was in a princess line, with intricate embroidery on the shoulders, cuffs, and hem. The embroidery depicted butterflies flying in a garden, made with colorful gems, and the dew was likely made of pearls. The shoulders were puffed up in a large, fluffy style.

It was hard to believe she had given birth; she looked so good. However, the smile barely visible behind the white feather fan was scary. Like Lady Lati, her smile was more reassuring and pleasant.

"Welcome, Empress Mezarin. This place may be unfamiliar, but I will do my best to entertain you."

"Of course, I understand. This Patricia will also assist. As the Crown Princess, you are still in mourning and it must be difficult. You should gradually get used to your position. Don't push yourself and please rely on this aunt. It's only been a month since the incident! I have received many letters from Empress Mezarin, and I am sorry to have kept you waiting!"

"Please, this way! Bella, show her in!"

Empress Mezarin opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Aunt Patricia stepped forward with a smile, and she closed her mouth. She then said, "Yes, please."

Bella, the head maid, began to guide her with an aura that was about 30% more intimidating than usual.

Anna came to my side.

"Princess, that is

'You're sending messages so soon after just a month, you disgusting woman.

Moreover, it's not proper to contact someone who just woke up. Understand your position and the situation here.

I'm in mourning and I'm the Crown Princess, so you should change your attitude now. Fortuna won't stay silent.'

...It's a preemptive strike."

Conclusion: The battle between women starts at the climax.

Aunt Patricia, perhaps out of concern for me, was wearing a dark-colored dress. The dress was a leaf-brown color, simple but elegant.

Compared to Empress Mezarin, who was fully armed with jewels and a dress, the contrast was stark. I was also wearing a black dress today, as I was in mourning.

"Oh my, Empress, you have quite a large entourage today."

"Yes, I heard that more hands were needed. If it's not too much trouble, I would like to help.

Albertina is my stepdaughter, so we should help each other."

"Thank you for your concern. The Empress and Prince Lucas would be pleased by your kindness!

However, the Crown Princess prefers a quiet place and may feel tense around people until she gets used to it.

I will gratefully accept the Empress's kind heart!"

"Empress Mezarin's words are like 'Even though you're a girl with no connections, you're going to be my stepdaughter, so you should be grateful.'

Aunt Patricia's words are more like 'If you meddle, I'll tell the King, and you should take care of your own troubled prince. Don't interfere with our affairs, you fool.'"

The edge in her words...! Anna's words have an unprecedented sharpness, like a blade of ice coated in poison, swinging full force!

"...I would prefer not to expose the Princess to such dirty disputes, but to understand the enemy's true nature and fighting style, it's necessary to use some harsh words, as this Anna has done."

"Pyaa..."

"Patricia, after the death of Duchess Cistina, took charge of Fortuna as the lady of the house. Even as a countess, Empress Mezarin cannot treat her carelessly."

"What should I do?"

"For now, just watch. Pretend you don't know anything and smile.

If you reach out, that Aoilou Tsubo will bite you."

"Utsobou... Aoitsubou..."

The little girl inside me is about to overflow.

After a few exchanges of elegant and venomous words, Empress Mezarin fell silent, holding a closed fan. However, the next moment, she switched to a graceful smile.

...Jibril should have been here, but he said, "I have some business to attend to." However, he was smiling unusually brightly, which seemed unnatural.

The tea party, which was friendly on the surface but cold underneath, began. I participated in the tea party, repeating to myself, "I am a two-year-old little girl. Albertina is a little girl." However, it didn't work... The atmosphere between the two ladies was incredibly scary!

Their smiles and graceful demeanor were a cover for a storm of venomous words. Occasionally, a venomous smile from Empress Mezarin would fly like a stray bullet, and I would return it with a strained smile.

"Albertina, Countess Patricia... I have something to say to you."

"What is it?"

I would do anything to escape this battlefield. I turned to Anna with a forced smile. Anna leaned in and whispered in my ear.

"Eh?"

"Such a quick ear."

I couldn't help but lose my smile. It seemed that Empress Mezarin and Aunt Patricia, who were engaged in a graceful but venomous exchange, also turned to look.

At that moment, someone pushed through and entered, creating an even more intense battlefield!

A lady in a grass-green dress, hugging her voluptuous figure, entered. It was a mermaid-line dress, but with a very avant-garde design, leaving the shoulders and arms bare. It required a lot of confidence in one's figure and skin. She was wrapped in a thick, luxurious fur of white silver, with a large diamond prominently displayed on her chest, surrounded by pearls and Sandis Light, forming a kind of apron. It was hard to tell if it was a brooch or a chest plate.

Empress Mezarin, who was equally sparkling, was Ophelia, the empress. Behind her, a vivid and luxurious figure... Empress Mezarin's face twitched.

"Good afternoon, it seems you're having a pleasant tea party.

We would be happy to join, but is there an empty seat?"

"Mother! A fake princess from a ducal family is not fit to be the Crown Princess! Why are you in this palace!?"

"Ophelia... You weren't invited today, were you? Isn't that impolite?

Why did you bring Elmedia?

Elmedia, you have the royal eyes, so Albertina is a royal. You shouldn't say such things. The Latitche ducal family is—"

At the mention of the "royal eyes," Elmedia began to tremble.

Elmedia's attire was a frilly, layered, hard dress in bright red and orange, reminiscent of a tropical fish. Around her neck was a necklace with large pink pearls and Sandis Light gems.

(Oh, she has grown even more...)

Mainly in width.

Elmedia, upon seeing me, narrowed her eyes.

"What's so special about the royal eyes! Crown Princess! Is that green eye so important! You're not the King's child! You're just a commoner's daughter, being insolent!!"

Elmedia, in a great rage, charged at me like a child, flinging the tea cart and knocking down the guards. Despite her weight, she was surprisingly agile and quickly closed the distance.

"Albertina! Watch out!"

Crying out, Aunt Patricia, Anna threw a custard pie at Elmedia, and Bella was blown away with the cart.

I found myself sitting on the grass, protected by Aunt Patricia's chest. We were having the tea party on a terrace with a good view of the garden, so perhaps we were blown away?

Looking up in a daze, I saw the broken tea table, scattered plates, pots, cups, and teacake stand. Elmedia was lying on top of the pies, cookies, and cakes, breathing heavily like a wounded beast.

The maids and guards tried to stop the wounded beast-like Elmedia, but they were quickly kicked away. The knights, who had to be careful, were no match for the rampaging princess.

Moreover, the knights assigned to me were mostly female, out of consideration for my fear of men.

Empress Mezarin and Ophelia, who brought Elmedia, were pale.

"Uwaaah!"

Elmedia, the princess, let out a manly cry and stood up, covered in cream and fruit. Her avant-garde makeup mixed with the cream and jam, creating a terrifying sight!

"Yaaah! It's a monster!"

A maid, who rushed to the scene, fainted from the scream. I wanted to faint too! To put it mildly, it was a horror scene, a grotesque sight!

Her tears mixed with the black eyeliner and blue eyeshadow, creating the worst and most terrifying collaboration.

My body stiffened as the sweets-laden human missile approached. Elmedia, though younger than me, was very well-built. If she hit me in a fit of rage, I would be easily blown away.

"Enough! This little girl!!"

Aunt Patricia, with her small frame, slapped Elmedia's cheek. Elmedia tumbled into the crushed pastries again.

I was stunned, the maids were speechless, and the knights were pale. But most of them had been blown away by the human missile. The remaining 30% were waiting to be the second shield.

"What is this! No manners, no etiquette! Before you claim your rights as a royal, you should reflect on your actions! I only invited Empress Mezarin today! Leave now!!"

An unbelievable aura of authority emanated from her small body.

Aunt Patricia, with a calm and cold demeanor, looked down at Elmedia, who was holding her cheek in shock.

But after a moment, Elmedia, her face as red as her dress, became even more enraged.

"I am a princess! How dare you hit me... I'll have you executed!"

"You started it, Elmedia. If you insist, we have options too.

To save face for Empress Mezarin and Empress Ophelia, I intended to handle this internally... But if you insist, I have no choice.

I will sue for assault and attempted murder against the Crown Princess."

"Wait, Countess Fortuna! There's no need to go that far...!"

"You started this, Elmedia. We should inform the Fortuna and Latitche families about what happened today and wait for a decision."

Elmedia, looking stunned, seemed to not understand the situation. She had never been hit before, and she had never been spoken to so strongly.

I, as Albertina, had never been hit either, though I had been kidnapped and dragged off a carriage.

Empress Mezarin turned pale in despair, and Empress Ophelia, trembling, fell to her knees.

Ophelia probably brought Elmedia here to provoke a reaction, not expecting her to be so violent. Elmedia, as I remembered from the sword tournament, hadn't changed at all. She must hate me a lot after the Mikaelis incident. My position as a ducal daughter, a subject, had been reversed with my becoming the Crown Princess.

Though we are step-sisters, it seems unlikely we will get along.

Thank you for reading.