Contract Marriage Rewritten
Chapter 35
This banquet was the first official banquet held after the new Emperor’s accession.
The tea served there was one of the official items signaling that the era of the former Emperor had drawn to a close.
After being served at the banquet, it would be used in the Main Palace, the Emperor’s palace, and the Empress’s palace, as well as for state guests and important meetings.
‘Most estates in the Empire produce tea.’
As such, all imperial citizens enjoyed drinking tea and drank every variety.
That was why, even when Laniakea cut the Detached Palace’s budget to the bone, she had to buy tea that was at least of decent quality.
It was not for her own pride. It was the detached palace of an imperial prince who was never even in the Imperial Palace, so there was hardly any prestige to speak of anyway. But she feared that if she did not keep at least proper tea on hand, everyone would truly treat the Detached Palace like an old barn.
She did not care about being looked down upon, but she could not bear the thought of Hyperion receiving such looks whenever he occasionally returned to the Imperial Palace.
And so, in the past, she had even studied tea just to find the most affordable option among those recognized for decent quality.
‘To think I’d be using that knowledge now.’
On the table sat teapots alongside papers listing various production regions.
Hilde explained from beside her.
“Countless estates sent their tea in hopes of enjoying the honor of being chosen for this banquet. I have made an initial selection, but please let me know if it falls short in any way. I will prepare alternatives immediately.”
With that, Hilde respectfully placed the list of teas before Laniakea.
Unfolding it, Laniakea caught the scent of the tea leaves. Even before steeping, each distinct aroma made it clear just how expensive and precious these teas were.
Naturally, Hilde’s eye for tea seemed quite top-notch.
‘And she carefully considered where the tea was produced, too.’
The new Emperor’s first tea.
The prestige it carried was immense. The teas chosen by past Emperors were all recorded as the Empire’s finest teas, and the regions with the plantations that produced them earned enormous fortunes.
Given the weight of such a choice, it was standard practice to select tea from the region of someone who would become the Emperor’s closest confidant.
Thus, all the production regions Hilde had selected were from tea plantations owned by people who had opposed the former Empress.
Specifically, these were regions belonging to those who had stood at the forefront and passionately aided Hyperion’s accession.
Looking at the list—where choosing any of them would pose no problem whatsoever—Laniakea once again felt glad she had made Hilde her Head Maid.
Seeing Laniakea’s satisfied expression, Hilde smiled warmly, proud that her effort was recognized, and lifted a teapot.
“I shall brew each of them for you.”
“Please do.”
The lower shelf of the cart was packed with teapots prepared by the maids.
While Hilde prepared, Laniakea skimmed the list once more. It was truly a flawless selection—so well-curated that picking one with her eyes closed would cause no issues.
Even so, Laniakea examined the names of the regions and recalled the noble families based there.
Among them were plantations that had already been selected under previous Emperors, as well as rising favorites among the nobility.
So she only needed to choose whichever caught her favor, and yet…
“……”
For some reason, Laniakea hesitated.
In the meantime, Hilde brewed the first tea. Just looking at the liquor’s color was enough to tell its superior quality.
The fragrance was so exquisite that even the other maids seated some distance away paused their work to savor the aroma.
Laniakea took a sip of each tea Hilde brewed for her.
As expected, every single one was worthy of immediately joining the ranks of the Empire’s finest teas.
“Is none of them to your liking, Your Majesty?”
Seeing Laniakea struggle to make a decision, Hilde asked with concern.
“No. Everything is wonderful.”
Perhaps because Hilde had meticulously handpicked them, every single one was top grade. Whichever she chose would be beyond reproach.
“…I think I need a little more time to think. There is still some time left, so I will hold off on the decision for now.”
Laniakea said, sinking into thought.
* * *
After tasting every tea, Laniakea told the maids they could drink the remaining tea leaves during their break, then headed to the Rear Garden with Lucy.
Lucy, who had recently been retraining the Empress’s palace guards, seemed thrilled to take a walk alone with Laniakea just like old times.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said things like, “Chance. One. Come at me,” before blowing away the guards and knights of the Empress’s palace all at once.
Thanks to that, no one dared to stop the two of them from going to the Rear Garden alone.
Laniakea deliberately headed deep into the Rear Garden. To onlookers, it would look like an Empress exhausted by affairs of state seeking some rest.
Laniakea sat on a bench beside a rosebush, hidden from the view of the Empress’s palace.
“Lucy, is anyone around?”
“None. If come. Death.”
“Don’t kill them, please…”
Having received confirmation from Lucy, Laniakea spoke toward the ground.
“Mole, are you there?”
Moments after Laniakea spoke, the ground heaved, and Mole poked its head out.
[Why’d you call me just now!]
At Mole’s thoroughly sulky voice, Laniakea chuckled.
“Sorry, I’ve been so busy lately.”
Even with Laniakea’s apology, Mole’s mood showed no sign of lifting; it crossed its short front paws and let out a huff, a sniff, and a pout.
Though it wasn’t the first time seeing it, the sight of a Spirit was still fascinating, and Lucy paced around Mole with eyes full of curiosity, studying it closely.
[I knew that already from watching from my hiding spots. As if there were only one or two humans chattering about how you became the Empress! But is it really okay for you to be Empress? That’s a high position for humans, isn’t it? Can you still leave and live outside if you do that?]
Mole knew Laniakea’s dream better than anyone.
While tending the vegetable garden in the Detached Palace’s Rear Garden, she had often talked to Mole.
What kind of house she wanted to live in once she left the Imperial Palace, what she would grow there, how she would work and earn money, and so on.
Becoming Empress and continuing to live in the Imperial Palace was truly a future she had never once imagined.
“Um……”
With Lucy standing right beside her, Laniakea hesitated, unable to answer Mole right away. Noticing this, Lucy quickly stepped away and called out:
“Perimeter! Scout!”
She meant she would patrol the area so Laniakea could speak comfortably with Mole.
Only after Lucy moved away did Laniakea briefly explain the recent events to Mole.
[Really? Then when are you having a baby? Tomorrow?]
At Mole’s response, Laniakea pressed a hand to her forehead.
“Babies aren’t born from sheer will like Spirits, so… it takes a bit more time.”
[Then how much longer from today until it’s born?]
“Well, um……”
Laniakea felt completely at a loss, wondering where on earth she was even supposed to begin explaining.
“It’s not something I can make by myself, so……”
[Really? Then can’t you go ask the Emperor today when you’re going to make a baby? Just tell him to make one today!]
“…I’ll try.”
In truth, the Emperor was trying very hard, and it would still take some time, but Laniakea didn’t have the confidence to explain all that to Mole.
“More importantly, I need your help with something.”
For now, she had to quickly accomplish her reason for calling Mole.
[What is it? Just say the word.]
At Laniakea’s request after so long, Mole thumped its chest with its front paws as if telling her to leave it all to it.
Laniakea unfolded the paper she had brought along.
“Can you go to the places I mention and check on how things are there? I also want to know how the people working there are doing.”
Over the past few years, Mole had grown quite familiar with human place names, thanks to insisting on reading along whenever Laniakea read books in the Detached Palace’s Rear Garden.
[Don’t worry. But it’ll take some time—is that okay?]
“How long do you think it will take?”
[To visit them all and look around, it’ll probably take a whole day, don’t you think? Since I have to check on the people living there, too.]
Anyone else would have fainted upon hearing that. Some of the places Laniakea mentioned took a full month just to reach on horseback.
Including those, the locations Laniakea asked about easily numbered over twenty. To travel to and examine all those places in just a single day!
“Then I’ll come back here at this time tomorrow. I’m counting on you.”
[Don’t worry. Leave it to me!]
Excited for the first time in a while, Mole swiftly vanished.
Treading on the disturbed soil to erase the traces, Laniakea looked down at the list she had shown Mole.
It was a separate list she had written herself—places she had picked long ago when fretting over tea for the Detached Palace.
And they were also regions in the Empire known for having particularly harsh terrain and impoverished conditions.