95 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards 95
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After finishing the massage, I was drinking tea for headaches when Roena suddenly visited me. She should have been busy checking the outfit and hairstyle for tomorrow. She approached me with a red envelope in her hand.
“Another letter came.”
Roena’s voice was as high as a chirping bird, as if she was very excited. Her flushed cheeks and excessively sparkling eyes told me how she felt.
“She wants us to enter the palace together. You’re also invited to the tea time.”
She grabbed my hand and continued quickly. But the sound mixed with her heavy breathing was just a mumble, and the only pronunciation that came out properly was ‘together.’
It seemed my stepsister didn’t know that a proper explanation was needed when conveying her intentions. As well as lake-like calmness and even pronunciation.
I slowly removed my hand from her grip and said, pretending to be indifferent, even though there was nothing more difficult than being forced to see a face I didn't want to see. One of the emotions I had been suppressing deep inside was bubbling up.
“Can you speak slowly? You’re too excited. How about drinking a glass of water?”
Instead of answering, Roena handed me the letter. I looked at her and the letter alternately with a suspicious expression, then reluctantly accepted it.
The writing, neatly and elegantly written, was only a few lines long, but the content was difficult to understand.
I read a book the other day, taking advantage of a break in the rain, and it featured sisters with deep affection. Their hearts for each other were so lovely that I couldn't take my eyes off the book until I turned the last page.
Come to think of it, I remember my mother teaching me when I was young that nothing is as beautiful as the bond between sisters. She always read me a lot of stories and books containing such content.
Perhaps it was to teach me, an only child, the importance of friendship with my cousin.
It’s embarrassing to say, but she and I weren’t on very good terms. It was due to the childishness of our younger days. But thanks to my mother’s wise efforts, we became closer than anyone else. Thanks to that, I was able to spend a childhood without loneliness.
Oh, yes. Lady Roena probably knows what I want to say now, right? Having sisters to talk to is like a blessing. That’s why I want to add a precious memory to your beautiful experience. It’s out of a desire to make up for the foolish mistake of only inviting Lady Roena before.
So, would you like to enter the palace with another flower of the Bishvarts Family? I am someone who believes in the truth of rumors to some extent. I’m already looking forward to seeing how beautiful the frail flower that everyone praises will be.
-Elethia Amellus Kiran.
I bit my lip at the wax seal on the envelope. The griffin with sharp teeth and the lily entangled in its tail symbolized the Empress. In other words, this ridiculous letter was really sent by Empress Kiran.
So, she sent me a letter inviting me the day before? Only now?
I barely swallowed the bitter laugh that seemed to burst out. Wasn’t she the one who sent Roena an invitation 20 days before the tea time so that she could prepare sufficiently?
In the meantime, Roena learned the etiquette of the Imperial Palace through the best governess Madame de Lavalier had sent. At the same time, she also learned how to mention appropriate gossip—things that were frequently talked about in social circles these days.
Every time I went to dinner, I could hear praise for her educational achievements and her intelligent talent, because my mother, who was satisfied with her quick learning, talked about it without noticing.
This made Margo's shoulders endlessly high and allowed her to walk around the mansion with a proud face. They were acting as if Roena had crushed all the praises I had received, which was ridiculous.
Anyway, my external reputation was that I was a young commoner girl who Lavalliere had diligently taught but knew nothing about the aristocratic world.
Because the period of learning was short, it couldn’t be said that I was perfectly digesting the appearance of an aristocrat yet. How could I even know the etiquette of the Imperial Palace?
Therefore, anyone with a little sense would know that more time should be allocated to me. That was true ‘consideration.’
In other words, it wasn’t something you could say ‘come too’ by sending a letter the day before.
But the Empress was committing impolite acts without any qualms. Why, for what reason?
I rubbed my forehead with my fingers and thought. There was no way she would have invited me, who was known to be connected to Chatoul, with a pure heart.
Then there was an intention, but the problem was that I couldn’t even guess what it was. Also, what benefit would she get from calling me to the Empress’s Palace?
It felt uncomfortable to think that it was simply because she was thinking about sisterly love, as written in the letter.
If I were the Empress, I would have slowly tightened the necks of those who had been attached to Chatoul first. Even to show off my own well-being. Perhaps the first step would be to lightly gauge the opponent with something like ‘interrogation’?
Ah, that’s it.
I swept my face with my palms and let out a low exclamation. Reaching this point, I felt like I had caught a clue.
In the end, it was like this. Sending the invitation the day before, or mentioning it as if she had just thought of me, all led to one purpose. Very simply.
Anyway, since I was invited, I couldn’t not go. I lightly shook the letter and subtly probed Roena.
“What should I think? I’m confused? How did you feel when you read the letter?”
She widened her eyes as if asking why I was asking such a question and replied.
“How did I feel? Are you asking that now? Sissae, this is a very honorable thing without even asking. We’re entering the Imperial Palace together. Can you believe it? I ran to you as soon as I saw this letter. Because it’s very good news. But why do you have such an unhappy expression?”
In fact, a noble girl who was well-versed in etiquette like Roena would have quickly realized what the unkind invitation that only gave ‘one day’ of grace meant.
But she was blinded by the fact that she was entering the palace with me and put all her doubts aside. Her immature ‘belief’ that she didn’t doubt people’s character was making her blind. So she was just innocently asking why I didn’t like it.
“Of course, it’s an honorable thing. It’s just that it’s so unexpected. Besides, I’m not ready yet. What should I do?”
I trailed off and put the letter in the envelope. Then I handed it to Roena as if passing it on. Predicting how this kind stepsister would react.
As expected, she grabbed my hand with a determined expression and said.
“I’m here. So don’t worry anymore. I’ll help you. Just follow me. So you don’t have to worry.”
Was it a while ago? I had told her to show me a trustworthy side. Adding that I couldn’t trust her with her current actions. Why did I suddenly think of that time?
Ah, I see. I barely held back the laughter that seemed to burst out. This beautiful stepsister seemed to think that tomorrow was the perfect time to show the appearance of a reliable sister.
So she wouldn’t say, even as a formality, ‘I’ll tell you a few things now, so you have to learn them by tomorrow.’ Because doing so would be like throwing away the opportunity to prove her own value. So how shallow was this kindness?
At the same time, I thought. I wondered what kind of actions she would take if I were in trouble because of the Empress.
My mother came to find me just as I was about to open my mouth to answer Roena. She came into the room at a fast pace as if she was very excited, and asked me without even looking around.
“Is the rumor that you also received an invitation true?”
Roena quickly opened her mouth and answered instead of me.
“Yes. Sis is going with me too.”
Ah, if you hadn’t seen how happy my mother was at her answer, you wouldn’t even be able to guess.
She wore a captivating smile that you couldn’t take your eyes off. If even I, her daughter, thought she was lovely, wasn’t that saying it all?
But that was only for a moment, and my mother soon fussed around as if she was about to faint. Her shaking eyes and quickly connected tone of voice showed how excited she was.
“Oh my god, I’m so glad. It’s a happy thing. Will there ever be another day as pleasant as today?”
Although many people in the mansion didn’t want it, the picture my mother wanted was only one. The Bishvarts Family sisters entering the palace together and having an audience with the Empress. Now that her wish had come true, it was no wonder she was so happy.
My mother and Roena soon joined forces and offered to choose the clothes I would wear tomorrow. In an instant, the dresses in the closet were taken out and the accessories that seemed to match were laid out haphazardly.
As I sat quietly in the absurd situation, Roena smiled shyly and said, ‘I’ll send Mlang.’ I felt uncomfortable at her appearance, as if sending her maid who styled her hair was giving a big gift.
But before I could express this feeling, my body was quickly pushed behind the partition and my dress was taken off. What was being held up to me, who was in a corset and underpants, were the clothes that my mother and Roena had chosen.
“Pulcher fortunately didn’t forget you.”
My mother said, watching the maids bring clothes to me, as if she was moved. I retorted in a calm tone.
“Well? It’s hard to fathom her heart. I don’t know if this is fortunate.”
“If this isn’t fortunate, what is? Isn’t it better than associating with the Emperor’s whore? No, you can’t even compare. Thanks to this, your face has been saved.”
“If you think so, I should be happy too.”
In fact, very occasionally, really, re~ally occasionally, I felt distressed by my mother’s naive attitude.
Especially when her unwavering trust, which didn’t consider the context, was combined with Roena’s light kindness. So much so that I missed my mother from when she was vicious.
