Chapter 116
#116. Falling from the Highest Place
A splendid corridor decorated in gold.
With each step, the sound of her heels echoed particularly loudly. Lady Libeorn of the Libeorn Marquessate looked up with worried eyes.
The elegantly curved ceiling that flowed down the walls was incredibly beautiful. This crystal ballroom, where sounds echoed, was perfect for an orchestra.
In other words,
"…Your Imperial Highness, it's a farewell Tea Party. Is this really alright?"
It was inappropriate to hold a Tea Party here.
To her cautious words filled with concern, the Princess, who was walking ahead, turned around. Contrary to her anxious heart, the Princess smiled nonchalantly and said,
"It's perfect. This way, the sound will echo several times, won't it?"
Leaving her bewildered playmates behind, the Princess resumed walking. Her hand, clutching the dress, tightened.
Only four ladies followed behind her.
And they were only brought here by the Head Maid's persuasion, pretending to care about me.
Whenever she entered a Tea Party, ladies used to line up in front of the room, hoping to be chosen by her… But the Princess calmed her troubled heart.
After today, they would all return anyway. As she approached the ballroom doors, the Princess nodded. She heard someone muttering behind her, "Even trumpeters…" but she didn't care.
"Her Imperial Highness, the Princess, is entering."
With the sound of trumpets, the grand doors opened. At the same time, the unusual atmosphere of the Tea Party was keenly felt on her skin.
"Princess. I will be entering the Tea Party with His Majesty the Emperor a little later. As you know, the nobles' mood won't be good due to the indemnity agreement results."
Her mother was right.
As if taking sides, the nobles stood divided. The main figures of the divided groups were, as expected, Duke Madeleine and Duke Elkin. The Princess, looking indifferently at the nobles, discovered an unexpected third axis.
Grand Duke Bikander…?
The person she thought wouldn't come had arrived at the Tea Party earlier than her.
Why would the Grand Duke, who had passed her by in front of the Emperor's reception room last time, be here?
The Grand Duke's lips curved up slightly for a moment. His red eyes shone enchantingly, as if bewitching people.
As if waiting for something amusing.
Hmph. The Princess immediately brushed away the strange feeling that was creeping up. And she turned her body as if she didn't want to deal with him. At the same time, the nobles surrounding the Grand Duke momentarily closed their mouths as if gauging the situation.
Seizing the opportunity, the nobles who flocked to the Princess mentioned him.
"How can he come to Her Highness's Tea Party with such a disastrous negotiation?"
"I know, right? I thought this time would be the highest indemnity ever."
The way they relentlessly criticized him was as if they had been waiting for this moment.
The nobles, who had been so relaxed when expecting the Heferti indemnity, couldn't soften their sharpness.
The Princess nodded appropriately and scanned the ballroom.
Contrary to the talk of a Tea Party promoting harmony, the Heferti delegation, as well as delegations from other countries, were in a place slightly away from the highly sensitive nobles of the Empire. They were avoiding even the slightest pretext for fault-finding.
"In this atmosphere, the scandal that the delegation takes away must somehow be Maria Etel's sole mistake."
To do that, she had to gather the delegation first. So that they could hear whatever was said the best.
"Come to think of it, today is the last time we'll be seeing the delegation members."
The Princess looked at the delegation with a generous face. At the obvious gaze, the representatives of each country's delegation came out one by one and expressed their gratitude to the Princess.
"We heard that Her Imperial Highness, the Princess, personally prepared the farewell Tea Party. We are deeply grateful for the hospitality so far, as well as the glory of every moment spent in Franz."
At the delegation's sincere words of gratitude, the nobles' expressions hardened. They couldn't find fault with such extreme courtesy.
The nobles also tried to suppress their sharpness. In a situation where the Grand Duke's mineral tax rate could be drastically reduced, the dignity of the Princess, the lord of Tristan, a fertile granary, felt much greater.
The Princess didn't know what the nobles were thinking, but she reaffirmed their favorable attitude towards her.
And fortunately, she had prepared the most suitable thing for the nobles to tear apart today. A woman who would embrace all the scandals in her place and fall.
"Lady Maria Etel is entering."
The reason why she had specifically arranged for trumpeters at the Tea Party entrance was precisely for this reason.
So that all the nobles could clearly see when Maria Etel entered.
In an instant, the atmosphere of the ballroom cooled down. As the Princess intended, everyone looked at the entrance.
Maria Etel was entering without a partner. To be exact, she was only accompanied by Baroness Sophron, the Head Maid of the Crown Princess Palace.
She had ordered them to drag her in if she resisted coming. The Princess swallowed a sneer at the sight of her entering so willingly.
It seemed she finally knew her own situation, having lost her backing. Even her flamboyant attire was unusually neat today.
A subdued beige dress with minimal jewelry and accessories. Light makeup and a face smiling as if trying to be gentle.
"…It's the first time I've seen her since she left so disgracefully."
But, of course, the eyes of society were not welcoming to Maria Etel. The murmurs echoed louder under the round dome-shaped ceiling.
"Marquis Etel is still under house arrest, right? I knew it from the way she was spoiled and raised. Really."
Maria Etel must have heard the dagger-like words, but she didn't lose the smile on her face. The nobles, who knew better than anyone that she no longer had any proper backing, thought that smile was defiant.
But despite the fierce attacks, her face, smiling so nobly, was somehow…
The nobles tried to erase the thought that momentarily crossed their minds.
"…Well, even if she pretends to be virtuous now, the tide has already turned."
"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, isn't entering with her either."
"Oh my, now that I think about it, that dress. Doesn't it look like she's copying the former Madeleine?"
And the attack worked.
When Maria Etel's face, which had been smiling faintly at everything she heard, momentarily distorted, the Princess smiled more deeply than anyone else.
"I know, right? Is the same thing repeating itself, with only the positions changed?"
When Olivia's name came up, Maria Etel flinched and lowered her head. The Princess desperately hoped.
That Maria Etel would go crazy with anger, struggle, and shout, becoming everyone's enemy.
That she would show an ugly appearance in front of the entire delegation.
The more the criticism poured on Maria Etel, the more the Princess's eyes sparkled. It was at the moment when her pleasure grew as she imagined what would happen soon.
"…It's not me who's repeating what I did, but Her Imperial Highness, the Princess."
"What?"
"…Does everyone here remember the first day of the ball? That ball was exactly the same as the fairy concept Summer Ball from before."
There wasn't a trace of tears on her face as she spoke in a clear voice.
"That's because you…!"
You copied Olivia's ball!
The Princess raised her voice before stopping herself. Maria's smiling face was strange.
"Yes? What did I do?"
Her unusually confident appearance was as if she had been waiting for the Princess's mistake.
What is it? Could Maria Etel, who had no backing and whose family was on the verge of ruin, have gone crazy? The Princess couldn't understand this situation.
Shamelessly, Maria Etel wasn't intimidated at all. She raised her palm as if covering her flat stomach and looked at all the nobles with a bright smile.
"Every year, Her Imperial Highness, the Princess, has hosted different balls, but strangely, this time she 'repeated' the old ball exactly. Why did you do that, Your Highness?"
At the gentle question, the Princess's face turned white. Maria Etel felt like bursting into laughter.
How foolish, like a Princess without a partner. Could she not have even guessed this when she entrusted the work to me?
"What are you relying on now…!"
"Shall I say more? Actually, it's not that Her Imperial Highness copied it, but…"
The Princess's face had now turned blue.
As if waiting for the words that had been cut off at the climax, the nobles fell silent. Maria Etel smiled sweetly and whispered only to the Princess.
"So don't even mention that wretch Olivia in front of me."
Looking at the Princess, whose eyes had widened, Maria Etel smiled brightly. Her face was so foolish that even the anger she had felt for Olivia's story had subsided.
How should I say it, I wondered. It seemed like the Princess had set up a good stage for me.
Maria smiled gently and stroked her stomach.
"…It's not good for prenatal care."
The loud voice dropped like a bomb. The nobles' eyes widened at the voice echoing above the round ceiling.
Prenatal care?
That was the same for the Princess. What was that crazy woman saying now?
"Prenatal care, what…!"
"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, is entering-!"
At that moment, the doors opened with the sound of trumpets, and the Crown Prince appeared.
When Leopold, who had been entering with a relaxed face, saw Maria and hardened his face, Maria Etel ran to him with a brighter smile than anyone else.
"Why are you here?"
"Leopold, please be happy."
"…"
"I am carrying your precious Imperial grandchild."
As she spoke, Maria thought to herself that she was stupid. A piece of her heart, which she couldn't cut off, wanted Leopold to be happy.
"That can't be."
But even at the immediate denial, Maria Etel was no longer heartbroken. A stronger proof than the man's vain love was inside her stomach.
Rather, now was the perfect time. The moment to prove that I am pregnant with the Imperial grandchild.
Maria shouted triumphantly.
"Call the Imperial physician. I will prove…"
"You didn't understand what I said, Lady Etel."
"…Yes?"
A cold voice. A title that drew a line even more coldly than that.
As if she had only known it in her head, Maria's heart sank coldly.
Leopold's face was indifferently high. His sea-blue eyes, looking at her, were as dark and cold as the deep sea. It was when she hoped that the energy pressing down on her shoulders was not murderous.
"Even if you are carrying something,"
His voice, echoing through the ballroom, was low. Maria Etel stepped back at the chillingly cold voice.
"Can you really be sure that there is a precious Imperial grandchild in that stomach?"
"Le, opold…!"
A frail voice called the name of her lover. Leopold frowned as if annoyed. Maria faced Leopold as if she couldn't believe it. Her figure wasn't reflected at all in his indifferent eyes.
"I didn't give you anything."
The words that fell perfectly drew a line.
The love we shared, the precious affection, the affectionate and intimate relationship, the passionate nights. The moment she ruthlessly turned her back on her father for him.
Everything was sold off.
A promiscuous woman, just that much.
Ah… Her stomach hurt. In the meantime, as her ears rang, Maria Etel collapsed on the spot, holding her stomach.
She felt the cold floor of the ballroom as it was, but Leopold didn't pick her up. Instead, he quickly walked towards Duke Madeleine.
Reality began to feel harsh.
In an instant, the words that came out of Maria Etel's mouth only made her a woman who slept with any man.
With no rosy future and no beloved lover, all that remained was the Imperial grandchild in her stomach.
Ah, yes, the Imperial grandchild.
Maria somehow clutched her stomach. Everything would be revealed when the Imperial grandchild was born.
It was then. Someone wrapped their arms around Maria's shoulders with a sweet scent.
"Oh my, Lady Etel. Marquis Etel was said to be taking responsibility for your mistakes. There's no need to make up such lies again, especially when foreign delegations are here."
It was the Princess.
.
.
.
The Princess glanced at the delegation. The spies the Princess had planted were diligently spreading the word.
"Marquis Etel is taking responsibility for Lady Etel's incident last time…"
"If Marquis Etel knew that his daughter, Lady Etel, was doing this here now, he might collapse this time…"
She was satisfied. An unparalleled pleasure swept through the Princess. She had been dizzy when she heard the word prenatal care. The delegation, as well as her brother, were seeing Maria Etel as a crazy woman.
The Princess patted Maria Etel's shoulder as if comforting her and raised her up. Baroness Sophron, who had rushed over, helped Maria Etel up.
"Still, seeing as we've had some affection for each other, I'll try my best to make sure you can go to a convent. If you really have a pregnancy, I'll make sure you go to a reliable orphanage that's connected to it."
"What are you talking about, Your Highness? There is definitely an Imperial grandchild in my stomach…!"
"If you wanted to give birth to an Imperial grandchild, you should have been quieter."
The words she shouted as if struggling disappeared in an instant. The Princess smiled benevolently and whispered.
"If it's rumored that you gave birth in its place, wouldn't that child be nothing more than the bastard you despised the most?"
The Princess snorted and affectionately hugged Maria Etel's trembling shoulders. Baroness Sophron, who had rushed over, helped Maria Etel up together.
"Well, maybe that Olivia will take pity on you for being in the same situation and take you under her name and make you an Imperial grandchild."
"…How can you say such things…"
Maria Etel said, gasping for breath. A bastard, going under Olivia's name.
How could she say such things?
But the Princess added with a mocking smile.
"If you wanted an Imperial grandchild, you shouldn't have eaten food carelessly in the Imperial Palace."
At that moment, Maria couldn't think of anything. She had been careful of her behavior throughout her meetings with Leopold. Eating only good things and going to bed early.
…Come to think of it, a luxurious banquet was always prepared the day after every day I stayed in the Imperial Palace. Could it be that there…!
"You dared to carry an Imperial grandchild without even that much caution?"
"Ugh,"
Ugh.
The Princess frowned and pushed Maria away. Maria Etel kept retching as if she was about to vomit. Baroness Sophron, who had caught Maria, hurriedly called the knights to move her.
"Here, someone help me!"
Watching that scene, the Princess turned around feeling good.
She had chosen this ballroom so that all the sounds would echo in preparation for the commotion. All that was echoing was the sound of retching. But such an undignified appearance wasn't bad either.
By now, the delegation, as well as the nobles of the Empire, had clearly seen it.
That there was no connection between the Etel Marquessate and the Imperial Family. At this point, it seemed like she could save face with His Majesty the Emperor.
.
.
.
This was hell.
The darkest and most vile bottom of the abyss, where you were said to go if you did something wrong.
"That can't be. The Imperial physician, there is definitely an Imperial grandchild inside…"
"Her Highness's words are true, Lady. So this way…"
Baroness Sophron stopped Maria's stammering words.
Maria groped her stomach with her fingertips. The inside of her stomach, which had been supporting her until now, was not only nauseous but also terribly cold. The hope she held in her hand snapped.
Leopold, who she thought would always be by her side, had gone to Duke Madeleine's side. An unreachable gap dragged Maria into the mire.
It was when she felt like she was about to lose her mind.
A bright laughter was heard beyond Maria Etel's blurry vision. It was the Princess.
Why? Why was the Princess pushing her into this hell and laughing? As if she had some kind of grudge against her. Even though she was the culprit who ruined everything!
At the same time, her mind snapped back, and an unbearable anger turned towards the Princess.
At the same time, the trumpets sounded grandly, and the servant shouted loudly.
"His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, are entering-."
"What is Her Imperial Highness, the Princess, so great about?"
It was a voice so loud that it suppressed even the servant's voice.
Before the nobles could raise their eyes to find the source of the commotion, Maria, who had roughly pushed away Baroness Sophron, shouted as if screaming.
"Just because you inherited noble blood, you steal other people's efforts without any ability!"
You steal other people's efforts-, steal other people's efforts-, other people's efforts-.
The screams trapped in the round roof were repeated several times. The Princess looked at Maria Etel with a face as white as if all the blood had drained from her body.
"You entrusted the Summer Ball to me, and you threw the budget planning of the Imperial Princess Palace to me. Saying that it was something I had to do if I wanted to be by Leopold's side!"
Her bloodshot eyes were like a demon.
As if they would fall into hell together, a desperate face screamed its last struggle.
“You said Olivia Madelaine did it all…!”
