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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: The Jasmine House Tea Party
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Perhaps because I'd tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning, my head felt foggy.
Lellia, having woken up late, checked the clock on the wall, washed up, and stood before her wardrobe.
The outfits that had arrived yesterday had already been neatly organized by the servants assigned to Lellia’s quarters.
‘What should I wear to draw less attention?’
After some deliberation, Lellia chose the most suitable-looking outfit from the neatly arranged clothes.
It was an outfit that looked elegant without being too flashy or too plain.
Images of Princess Yuriana’s ladies-in-waiting, whom she had seen a few days ago, floated through her mind.
‘I’m not sure if I should be glad they aren’t suspicious.’
The memory of the painting she had seen while out of the palace with Romeo left a bitter taste in her mouth.
The reflection in the mirror certainly had a similar air. Perhaps it was fortunate that such a type of man was popular.
At least she wouldn’t be suspected.
But it was also true that it was dangerous, as it would draw just as much attention.
‘If anything happens, I can just use that potion.’
Lellia tucked the ‘potion that makes people mistake me for a man’ into her inner pocket for emergencies and tied her cravat.
Thanks to Romeo’s lesson, she didn’t struggle much this time.
After she had changed completely and styled her hair, Lute arrived a little earlier than their appointed time.
“…”
As soon as the door opened, Lute started to greet her but stopped, looking Lellia up and down.
“Sir Lute?”
“Ah, my apologies. You look a bit different today. Good afternoon, Sir Raymond.”
Lute, finally snapping back to his senses, apologized and offered his greeting.
“It’s quite all right.”
Lute looked at Lellia with a slightly tense expression.
There was a reason for his surprise upon seeing her.
Perhaps it was because she was wearing a more luxurious outfit than last time, but her features seemed to stand out remarkably.
‘How can a man have such an aura?’
Her ethereal beauty, reminiscent of a moonlit lake, made Lute feel a little anxious.
‘I don’t understand what women see in those flimsy types… Surely Yuriana isn’t like that, is she?’
Lute, feeling a bit wary of Lellia, adjusted his own attire.
The two decided to set out a little early and take a stroll around the ‘Jasmine House,’ where the tea party was being held.
The ‘Jasmine House’ was a detached palace located southwest of the main castle, said to be one of the new buildings Emperor Perseus had constructed for Princess Yuriana.
“I’ve heard it’s a greenhouse with excellent lighting, as all three walls are fitted with large glass windows. It’s primarily used for tea parties.”
Lellia forced a smile as she listened to Lute’s explanation of the building.
‘So it’s one of the new buildings they constructed on the southwestern grounds of the palace.’
“You’re very well-informed.”
At Lellia’s words, Lute smiled as if it were nothing.
“I’ve gathered all sorts of information and studied up to get closer to Princess Yuriana.”
“I see…”
Lellia wasn’t the least bit curious, but Lute began to boast again about all the things he had studied.
Lute was quite talkative.
In the end, after all his rambling, they ended up arriving a little late for the appointment.
Lute looked as anxious as if the world were ending.
“You should have at least told me the time, Sir.”
Lute was subtly blaming Lellia, but she kept her mouth shut.
‘What do you want me to do about it?’
She didn’t have the energy to deal with Lute’s complaints. Lellia was tense as well.
Lellia clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to ease her tension.
Guided by the servants, they entered the detached palace’s greenhouse where the tea party was being held.
Quite a few guests were gathered inside the greenhouse.
It was a much larger tea party than she had expected.
The guests, who had been chatting in their designated seats, naturally turned their gazes to the late arrivals.
The servant standing by the door stepped aside, revealing Lellia.
A small gasp was heard from one side.
“Oh, my!”
The person who made the sound was a young lady with Princess Yuriana’s ladies-in-waiting. She quickly covered her mouth, as if the sound had escaped her unintentionally.
The young ladies next to her whispered, ‘See? The resemblance is uncanny, isn’t it?’
It wasn't just those young ladies; most of the attendees looked quite surprised. However, they quickly masked their expressions and resumed their conversations as if nothing had happened.
‘I knew this would happen.’
Lellia gave an awkward smile under everyone’s gaze and headed for a corner.
But since people kept glancing at her, she sat down with her back to the largest group of people.
“Fortunately, Princess Yuriana hasn’t arrived yet.”
Lute, sitting across from her, said with a sigh of relief.
“That’s a relief.”
Lellia felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, but she tried her best to act unfazed.
Just then, a servant standing near the entrance announced Princess Yuriana’s arrival.
The doors opened, and a finely dressed Yuriana appeared. Following her were two men, and Lellia was horrified to see who they were.
It was Cedric and Prince Damian.
Perhaps because she had completely forgotten about their existence, she had never dreamed they would attend.
She had been so focused on not being discovered that she hadn’t had the mental space to consider anything else.
Princess Yuriana greeted some nobles she was close with and then took her seat.
Then, she suddenly stood up and looked around.
A moment later, a servant who had been standing in a corner of the tea party hall approached and spoke.
“Sir Lute, Sir Raymond. Please move to the seats designated by Princess Yuriana. Her Highness asked me to guide you.”
At those words, Lute’s expression brightened, and he shot to his feet.
Lellia stood up as well and looked in the direction the servant was pointing, biting her lip.
Two empty seats were available at the large table where Princess Yuriana, Cedric, and Damian were sitting.
‘They want me to go over there?’
She didn’t want to go, but she had no choice.
Lute was visibly excited. He was already heading that way with a light step.
Having no other option, she followed behind him.
Of the two empty seats, Lute quickly claimed the one closer to Princess Yuriana.
Because of that, Lellia had to sit directly across from Prince Cedric.
‘Of all the luck...’
Princess Yuriana gave a slight nod as a greeting, and Lellia, like Lute, bowed her head slightly in return.
Just as she expected.
As soon as she sat down, she could feel the gazes of everyone at the table.
‘Was it a mistake to come?’
Even though it was unavoidable for the sake of Lute’s quest, regret kept washing over her.
This was the largest table in the hall, and as such, several people were seated at it.
The stares from the young ladies to her left were so intense that Lellia couldn’t bring herself to look their way.
They looked ready to strike up a conversation the moment they made eye contact.
As Princess Yuriana greeted the attendees, servants brought out tea and desserts.
Light conversation began to flow around the table.
Just then, Prince Cedric, sitting opposite her, tapped the table in front of Lellia as if knocking.
“Where in the Rosebery Empire are you from?”
“…Pardon?”
Lellia was momentarily stunned by the abrupt question.
This prince’s manners are atrocious. She grumbled inwardly, recalling what Romeo had told her.
“I am from Parmenia, in the northwest, Your Highness.”
“Is that so? The countryside, then?”
Lellia pondered his words.
‘Is it the countryside?’
She hesitated to answer, as Romeo hadn’t given her the specific details.
But Prince Cedric didn’t seem to need an answer, nodding with a smile.
It was a strangely mocking smile.
‘What, is he looking down on me for being from the countryside?’
Lellia looked at him, feeling displeased. He had a good reputation among the people, so she’d thought he had grown up well.
To be honest, Lellia couldn’t forgive them for what they had done to her in their childhood.
But intellectually, she understood.
‘Their mother had died, so how could they not feel that way?’
They must have been furious, seeing her as the daughter of the aunt who had tormented their mother.
Growing up in the Superion territory, she had seen how deeply her grandmother, grandfather, uncles, and aunts had grieved her mother’s death.
That was why she could understand Cedric and Damian.
But understanding them didn’t mean she liked them.
Understanding didn’t mean she had to unconditionally forgive or accept them.
Even though they were her brothers, born of the same mother, Lellia felt an aversion to them.
Seeing the hostility in Cedric’s eyes felt like an old wound being prodded open.
She grew anxious, wondering if he had somehow recognized her.
If not, was there any other reason for him to look at her with such hostility?
“What kind of place is Parmenia, Sir Raymond?”
Just then, one of the young ladies sitting to her left asked.
Until now, Lellia had been avoiding their gazes, looking only straight ahead or at her teacup.
But she couldn’t ignore them when they spoke to her. Lellia had no choice but to turn her head in their direction.
“Oh, my…”
“Ah…”
At that, a somehow sweet-sounding gasp erupted from among the young ladies.
The four young ladies all wore expressions as if they had just eaten a sweet cake.
They were the same ladies-in-waiting of Princess Yuriana she had encountered before.
Their expressions were so blatant that Lellia grew flustered, and the ladies-in-waiting giggled playfully amongst themselves.
“Hah.”
Cedric, watching this unfold from right across the table, let out a deflated sound as if in disbelief.
Lellia hesitated, unsure how to answer.
‘I wasn’t told the details of what kind of place it is…’
She only knew it was a territory in the northwest and that its mining industry was well-developed.
Lellia was about to open her mouth to say at least that much, but Cedric answered first.
“You ladies ask difficult questions. As I understand it, Parmenia is a very barren, rural place. So much so that delicately raised young ladies like you would be shocked to learn about it.”
“…”
What was that?
Lellia looked at Cedric, wondering what was wrong with him. The young ladies did the same.
“What are you all talking about so cheerfully?”
Just then, Yuriana, who had been talking with Prince Damian and Lute, suddenly interjected.
“We were discussing Sir Raymond’s hometown, a place called ‘Parmenia’ in the Rosebery Empire, Your Highness.”
“That’s right. Parmenia must be a very quiet and charming place. Isn’t that so, Sir Raymond?”
“…It is.”
Lellia met the eyes of the young lady who had asked and replied in a low voice. The young lady’s face flushed red.
The other young ladies were still looking at Lellia with expressions like cats that had lapped up sweet honey.
“…”
Prince Cedric, seemingly dumbfounded by their reactions, fumed for a moment before standing up to excuse himself.
Prince Damian, not understanding the reason, followed him out.
“Why is my brother Cedric acting like that?”
Yuriana, puzzled, moved to take the seat Cedric had just vacated.
It seemed she intended to chat with her ladies-in-waiting.
‘…This is uncomfortable.’
The problem, however, was that she was now sitting directly across from Lellia.
Princess Yuriana smiled as she stared openly at Lellia. Immediately, Lellia felt a hostile gaze on her right cheek.
It was undoubtedly Lute.
“I don’t know. He seems to have gotten angry all of a sudden.”
“Was there a reason for my brother to get angry?”
Yuriana asked cutely, puffing out her cheeks. She looked as if she was ready to scold whoever had angered her dear brother.
At her cute expression, the ladies-in-waiting tittered.
“The way I see it, I think he was jealous of Sir Raymond. There’s a rumor that Prince Cedric’s fiancée, Lady Emily, collects ‘Donatelli’ paintings, you know.”
“Is that true?”
“It is! I almost got one recently myself, but Lady Emily beat me to it.”
“Anyway, a fiancé who gets jealous of another man… Prince Cedric has a cute side to him, doesn’t he?”
In truth, she had thought it a bit pathetic earlier, but one of the young ladies said it with a smile.
Hearing this, Yuriana laughed as if amused and looked at Lellia across the table.
‘Even my brothers are getting jealous.’
Yuriana had grown up thinking her brothers were the strongest and most wonderful men in the world.
Although, of course, Lute was a little more wonderful.
Anyway, if even her perfect brothers were getting jealous…
‘Lute will surely get jealous too, right?’
Yuriana’s lips curled up slightly.
She wanted Lute to become anxious because of her and confess his feelings quickly.
So, she felt truly sorry, but… she planned to use ‘Sir Raymond’ before her.
If she pretended to be smitten with Sir Raymond, acted interested, and treated him well, Lute would surely grow impatient.
However, she had one concern.
‘Surely… Sir Raymond won’t confess to me, will he?’
Ever since becoming a princess through her mother’s remarriage, Yuriana had been raised like a one-of-a-kind jewel.
The Emperor protected every single strand of Yuriana’s hair, always making a fuss for fear she might get hurt.
And anyone who upset Yuriana in the slightest was removed from her sight.
Her own mother, the Empress, also hoped to erase Yuriana’s childhood scars, so she gave her daughter whatever she wanted.
It was the same with Princes Cedric and Damian. Her two older brothers treated their younger sister as if she were a glass figurine.
As a natural consequence, she was surrounded only by people who adored her.
So, it was only natural that the whole world seemed beautiful and positive to her.
She had a fundamentally lovely and cheerful disposition, but she was like a flower raised in a greenhouse.
When it was revealed that one of her ladies-in-waiting had actually hated her, she was so shocked that she fell ill.
Aside from that incident, all the women around Yuriana liked and admired her, and the men her age all harbored feelings of adoration for her.
She could read the inner thoughts of young nobles and knights just by looking into their eyes.
So, she couldn’t help but worry about what would happen if she was nice to Sir Raymond and he misunderstood.
Just then, Yuriana’s eyes met with ‘Sir Raymond’s.’
She offered a polite little smile, but Sir Raymond just forced the corners of his mouth up before quickly looking away.
Then he started talking with Lute in a low voice.
“…”
Yuriana tilted her head, slightly baffled.
‘Is it because he’s the type that’s very popular?’
Somehow, he seems a bit arrogant…
Was it because of that forced smile from before? Strangely, she got the feeling that Sir Raymond was avoiding her.
‘That can’t be right.’
Her mood soured for no reason.
‘It’s not like he’s more handsome than Lute anyway.’
Feeling embarrassed, Yuriana scoffed inwardly and criticized him. It seemed that having grown up like a greenhouse flower, she had a bit of an insolent side to her as well.
Honestly, Yuriana didn’t understand why her ladies-in-waiting made such a fuss collecting ‘Donatelli’ paintings, nor could she comprehend why they looked at Sir Raymond with such rapture.
Of course, she acknowledged his ethereal beauty. Still, Yuriana thought Lute, with his strong, manly air, was more handsome.
But it was truly strange.
‘What is this…?’
Watching him closely, it really did seem like Sir Raymond was avoiding her gaze.
Even when their eyes met, he wouldn’t look for more than three seconds, and unlike most men, he never snuck glances at her.
On the off chance, she tried giving him a bright smile when their eyes met, but as expected, he just gave a slight, forced lift of his lips and quickly turned his head away.
‘...What on earth?’
If anything, his smile seemed more natural when he was talking to Yuriana’s ladies-in-waiting.
Yuriana had never experienced anything like this before and was utterly confused.
