BXBX NOVEL Chapter 115: Tea Party
“It’s so beautiful.”
Countess Herenia kept talking until her mouth was dry. The noble wives who had arrived an hour earlier than the schedule also praised Evelyn’s noble taste and dignity.
“They said a place resembled its owner…This Palace is so elegant and splendid. Isn’t it?”
Evelyn’s face remained expressionless as if she couldn’t hear their voice and only smiled when talking to Rebecca for a while. Still, it wasn’t much compared to what they had done to her before.
“Now we can start the tea party once Her Majesty Empress arrives.”
“Thanks to Rebecca, things are going smoothly,” replied Evelyn.
Only the place where the two women stood seemed to glow brightly.
Marchioness Satin, who usually stepped forward, appeared to stand still, muted like a fool, perhaps because she was still on probation.
There was no blue-ugly-feather fan she usually carried in. At most, it was only when Countess Herenia spoke that she looked up and nodded her head.
“Well I’m also happy because I’m feeling exceptionally refreshed today,” said Rebecca, glaringly staring at Marchioness Satin. Now it appeared that their condition was totally reversed.
Marquis Satin had cracked down on his wife after her shameful act in the Felice Kingdom, and her influence in the social world had disappeared.
Even when the Emperor took Evelyn back into the Palace, the Marquis pressed his wife even more. He threatened to pull it out with his own hands if she misled her tongue again.
“Her Majesty Empress is coming with Lady Stella, Metis family’s youngest daughter.”
When the Chief of Servant’s voice rang, everyone stood up and gave an example. The Empress Dowager’s bright red dress was in stark contrast to the pale blue dress that Evelyn was wearing. Stella, who followed her aunt, her dress was as gorgeous as the Empress.
“I see you, Her Majesty.” Evelyn, who had the highest status in the party, came forward as the representative and welcomed her. She looked up at the Empress Dowager slightly. But in a surprise, Evelyn didn’t feel any hostility when their eyes met each other.
Even in the past, they didn’t have a close relationship. Empress Monica had abandoned all duties as owner of the Inner Palace. Still, at the same time, she didn’t make any demand on Evelyn.
“This is a nice tea party.” Empress Monica, as always, said a word with a casual face. So Evelyn was warier of her. It was the same then and now that what her inside was unpredictable.
In fact, today’s tea party was arranged to reveal the innermost thoughts of the Empress Dowager rather than to break the habits of noble wives.
“I’m flattered.” Evelyn smiled neatly.
Soon, the courtiers served refreshments and tea. Empress Monica seated on the top, and Evelyn was sitting beside her. Rebecca and Stella sat in a similar position, but the other noble wives didn’t dare to protest.
“You had a Prince, right? Empress… Oh no, you’re still a Princess now.” It’s hard to read Empress Monica’s ulterior motive, who suddenly offended Evelyn’s current position.
“I was amazed to hear that His Majesty was pleased.”
For Evelyn, it’s difficult to tell the difference. Was Monica referring to Fabian’s surprising joy or the surprising fact that she gave birth to a prince after the divorce? Or, maybe both.
“Oh… …this is my youngest niece. Stella? Say hello.”
“Yes, I’m Stella Metis, the youngest daughter of the Metis family.” The young Lady, who looked smart, opened her mouth, staring straight at Evelyn. “Greetings to the Princess of Felice Kingdom.”
At least, Stella seemed to know how to behave. However, Evelyn didn’t know what Stella’s goal was, so she just glanced at her nonchalantly. Maybe Evelyn’s sudden comeback had made Stella grit her teeth.
“It’s nice to see the young Lady Metis takes care of the Empress well.” Evelyn then turned to Empress Monica, excluding Stella from their conversation.
Stella clenched her fist under the table, but she couldn’t make it obvious. As before coming here, she remembered how her aunt told her to be confident.
“It’s wonderful as well that Lady Akshire also helps the Princess.”
However, the conversation kept drawing parallels line.
“Is the Prince’s name Adrian?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn didn’t understand why they still asked as that rumours must have spread throughout the Imperial family.
“Why don’t you bring him?” asked Monica. Actually, she was more interested in her grandson than in Stella’s matter. But, just like Fabian, Monica was very awkward in voicing her feelings, so neither Evelyn nor everyone else who was there noticed her heart.
“He’s still a child, so it’s too early for him to join a party like this.”
“Right… …Is it true that His Majesty really adores the Prince?” asked Monica again. This was her pure curiosity. Even though she was her biological mother, Monica almost died in wonder because it’s hard to imagine Fabian adoring his son.
“Yes, thankfully.”
Evelyn only replied briefly, as she didn’t know what the Empress was up to. Monica, who was actually still curious, was forced to nod slowly.
“As the Crown Prince’s birth mother, I heard that His Majesty has given the Princess the authority to control the Inner Palace again?”
Thanks to the Empress’s relaxed personality. Finally, the main purpose of this party was revealed. Apart from that, Evelyn also thought it would be nice if she could finish her job quickly.
“Yes, His Majesty has believed and entrusted me, so I will do my best, too,” Evelyn answered softly.
“My current status is as the Prince’s birth mother, but His Majesty has decided to make me an Empress again. So I thought, taking the Inner Palace job is the Empress’s duty to help His Majesty.”
After hearing Evelyn spoke, Empress Monica still looked calm, but the faces of the people gathered at the place turned pale.
The Inner Palace’s authority and the next Empress’s matter were a sensitive matter. They were utterly surprised when Evelyn said it with great confidence from her own lips, not from Emperor’s.
“Well, it’s first and second empress?” Empress Monica muttered to herself.
“I’m just will be His Majesty’s wife.”
Nice question with a good answer, and at the same time, Stella bit her lips hard. Rebecca didn’t want to forget this scene and engraved it in her memory. The same was true of the rest of the noble wives.
Could people change after divorce? Evelyn was no longer the kind and patient Empress she used to be. Today, she knew exactly where she was and used it appropriately. Looking back, it wasn’t something that the noble wives might have expected.
“Oh, really? Actually, my niece, Stella, entered the Palace to become the next Empress……so it’s a strange thing to me.”
Indeed, Monica was Fabian’s biological mother. Looking at how she didn’t hesitate to make bomb remarks without changing her expression.
“I don’t know either, but we couldn’t even know the future,” said Evelyn. And Monica laughed at her answer, “Right. That’s right.”
Evelyn, in her memory, was a very faint-hearted woman. She was a woman who was entirely out of place with this Imperial family. And, as she expected, Monica soon heard their divorce’s news.
What’s going on with Evelyn? She talked about sensitive matters leisurely and suppressed the noble wives without a word.
“So you don’t even know the future, do you? Stella suddenly intervened in the conversation.
Monica stared at her niece in displeasure, but Evelyn’s gentle smile was not shaken at all. “Lady…Did you say your name was Stella?” Evelyn asked back calmly even though she knew who she was.
“Yes, I’m Stella Metis.”
Stella stared at Evelyn with very challenging eyes. In the past, it might have bothered her. But after all the trouble she went through, her annoyance looked adorable in her eyes.
“Just like her smart face, Her Majesty’s niece also says smart things.”
Listening to Evelyn’s praise, Monica twisted the corners of her mouth. Evelyn deliberately satirized her, as if she had failed to educate her niece properly. Her words also had a different meaning, implying that Stella should give up on her dreams.
“It’s obvious. No one knows the future.”
“Stella,” Monica called her name. But her gibberish mouth didn’t stop.
“It’s just the Palace’s owner matter. My older sister was expected that she would become the empress at first. … but in the end, someone else, the Princess, who became the Empress. and after that, the Empress’ Palace lost its owner.”
Stella’s babbling was more or less starting to cross the line. Looking at her, Monica had already given up and bit her long pipe.
Stella was like her father, faithful to greed and jealousy. Whoever tried to stop her would turn into her enemy, and Evelyn was no exception.
“I see.” Evelyn grinned. Sometimes there were ways to bring down the opponent instead of just getting angry outright. “If I knew the future beforehand, I would save you. So, you didn’t need to enter the Imperial Palace on purpose.”
“What do you mean I entered the Palace on purpose?”
Stella, who was still young, didn’t know how to control her emotions. So she easily got angry at even the slightest remark. And it was a convenient thing for Evelyn.
“You spoke as if I were eyeing for something … … I followed orders from my father, Duke Metis, to accompany my aunt, the Empress Dowager and entered the Palace.”
Monica was already fed up with Stella, who looked so much like her own brother. She sighed out the smoke and seemed didn’t have any intention of stopping her niece anymore.
“Really?” Evelyn answered casually, but that urged Stellar’s temper even more.
“Why do you keep pushing me in strange ways? I don’t understand what the Royal Princess Felice means.”
“Oh. Did I do that?” Evelyn, calmly looked at the wives around her, giving them a chance to talk.
“No way. Every Princess’ words are so gentle. Right, everyone?”
“Yes. It was as soft and warm like the autumn’ sun, so I fell into it without realizing it.”
“I also loved her voice so much that I forgot what to say.”
“Yes, that… … That’s right.”
In the end, all the noble wives gathered their mouths and to praise Evelyn, except for the clumsy-addition-Marchioness Satin. And thanks to them, Stella’s face now was burning hotly. It was an unacceptable humiliation for her, who was raised as the youngest daughter of Duke Metis.
“What do the wives know? Her Majesty Empress, please be wise.”
The only thing Stella could do was cling to her aunt. Even though in the social world, she was only the youngest daughter of a Duke, it wasn’t a big deal in the Imperial family. But her current opponent was the Crown Prince’s mother, who would be the future Empress… she had to think twice about it. But Stella didn’t know that, and it was her problem.
“Well, since you’re so smart, you will know someday even if Her Majesty Empress doesn’t teach you.” Evelyn, who noticed Monica annoyance said softly.
Only
Then Monica sighed and nodded. To this extent, Evelyn respected the Empress Dowager dignity and meant that she would tolerate Stella’s slipped tongue.
“If the future is something that can be seen by teaching……”
Evelyn looked at Stella coldly as that girl crossed the line again.
“As far as I know, the Vatican hasn’t made a decision on whether the Princess will be crowned as the Empress again,” said Stella.
When Evelyn smiled, Rebecca, who understood the meaning, made a blatant mockery”Oh, I didn’t know that you had a good knowledge of world affairs. It must be thanks to your resemblance to your father. I hope that cleverness will help you in future as well.”
Stella was a Duke’s daughter. So she thought that she’s the best.
But at this place, even without a crown, Evelyn was both the Princess and the Crown Prince’s mother. And even Rebecca herself was a Duchess, who couldn’t be beaten by Stella.