“I need to prepare for the tea party with the young ladies.”

“The refreshments have already been decided, and you only need to choose what to wear on the day itself, so there is nothing more for you to do.”

True enough.

Unlike an invited guest, the Empress would have little left to prepare. She had even gone so far as to arrange gifts for the young ladies.

“Well, I hope some good connections come of it.”

But right now, Alexa’s attention was entirely fixed on the young lady named Claire.

If things had followed the original story, she would have been the one to threaten Alexa’s position.

She didn’t know why this character was appearing now, at what corresponded to the early part of the original story, but she needed to make certain of things, whatever they might be.

* * *

At last, the day of the tea party with the young ladies arrived.

Alexa chose a dress that matched the lake-blue color of her own eyes. She then wore a small tiara sparkling with diamonds. Her fine platinum hair was half braided and half left to fall loose, with an elaborate platinum pin fastened into it.

“Your Majesty the Empress, the young ladies have arrived in the drawing room.”

“Then let us go.”

Alexa rose to her feet.

The flowing hem of her dress complemented the color of her eyes, displaying a remarkably graceful figure. In particular, the pink of Alexa’s cheeks held a beauty particular to a woman who is cherished.

“Her Majesty the Empress enters!”

After the chamberlain’s resounding announcement, Alexa stepped into the drawing room. At that, all the young ladies rose from their seats and paid their respects.

“We greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

The young ladies’ bow was perfectly in unison.

Alexa settled into the seat of highest honor at her leisure.

“Everyone, be seated.”

“Yes.”

Only then did the young ladies withdraw their bows and take their seats.

“Thank you all for coming to today’s tea party.”

“Not at all. It is our honor.”

“Would you introduce yourselves first? This is our first meeting, after all.”

The young ladies exchanged glances, and the one who had answered first earlier spoke up.

“I am Seira, daughter of the Colton marquisate.”

Seira was a beauty with honey-thick golden hair.

The vivid yellow of her dress suited her hair particularly well. She seemed to know it herself, for she had left her hair entirely down and adorned it with a jewel-carved flower ornament.

“I am Dania of the Haitz marquisate.”

Perhaps because she was seated beside Seira, Dania’s attire looked modest by comparison.

Dania wore a simple green dress. Her brown hair was neatly pinned up, with nothing more than a single pearl-tipped pin fastened into it.

“I am Claire of the Knox marquisate.”

Alexa studied Claire closely.

Claire had dark chestnut hair and eyes of the same color. Her attire was elegant and carried an air of refinement.

Her loose hair fell in thick waves, and the pin fastened above her ear was an intricately carved ivory ornament. Ivory was not produced within the empire, so it had likely been obtained abroad, given that her father was the Minister of Foreign Diplomacy.

“Well then, it is a pleasure to meet you all.”

Alexa received their greetings, doing her best to appear composed.

“As you all know, I have not been long since entering the palace and have no close friends. I invited you today with the hope of forming easy friendships, so I hope you will enjoy yourselves.”

“Yes, we will keep that in mind.”

Seira answered.

At that, the other two lowered their heads as well. In truth, the word “friends” was one thing, but there was no way a gathering like this could feel comfortable. Their counterpart was the Empress of the empire, after all.

“I hear that Lady Seira and Lady Dania are already friends?”

“That is so.”

“And Lady Claire is the same age as me, I’m told.”

“That is correct.”

That was somewhat unexpected.

Alexa’s own marriage could be considered late, yet Claire had also gone without marrying until the age of twenty.

“Does everyone have a betrothed?”

“Yes…”

Seira answered, her cheeks flushing.

“I do as well.”

Dania was the same.

But Claire did not answer. She appeared a beautiful young lady on the surface, and Alexa could only find it strange that she had not yet even a betrothed.

“I have arranged to hold the ceremony this autumn. It would be the honor of our house if Your Majesty the Empress were to attend.”

“Of course I will come. I give you my word.”

At those words, Seira’s face lit up.

“But why is it that Lady Claire has no betrothed? If she is the same age as me, that is no small age.”

“Well… I have been traveling from place to place following my father, the Minister of Foreign Diplomacy, and have not yet found the right match.”

Alexa gave a nod.

With so much time spent abroad, she would have had little time to remain steadily within society.

Even so, it was a little strange for the betrothal of a marquis’s daughter to be left so entirely unattended.

“There is a charity ball coming up soon. If you wish, shall I try to find a match for Lady Claire there?”

“Yes… it would be an honor.”

There was no sense that Claire was hiding anything. It seemed, as with other things, that the events of the original story had changed.

The reason Claire had appeared in the first place was because Alexa had failed to properly fulfill her role as Empress.

But now Alexa was firmly establishing herself in that role, so it was only natural that circumstances would shift.

* * *

When the tea party ended and the young ladies had gone, Alexa let out a small sigh.

“It seems the tea party was not enjoyable for you.”

Alexa nodded.

“Just because someone is the same age doesn’t mean you can grow close to them.”

If Alexa had also been a young lady of equal standing, she might have been able to befriend them.

But Alexa was already the Empress. In that situation, finding a genuine new friendship was no easy thing.

“The difference in station does make it difficult.”

“That too, but it was simply too dull.”

Time spent with noblewomen and time spent with young ladies were not so different from each other. With propriety to observe, every word skimmed the surface and carried no real substance.

“More than that… something has been on my mind.”

Alexa brought it up.

“Yes?”

“It would be a little awkward to ask the person directly.”

“What is it?”

“Lady Claire of the Knox marquisate, who came to the palace today.”

“Yes.”

“She said she is the same age as me and has not yet even a betrothed. Could you quietly look into why that is?”

At those words, Matilda wore a puzzled expression.

It was certainly strange that someone of twenty had not even a betrothed, but that Alexa would concern herself with such a thing.

“These are people I may come to form friendships with going forward, so if something is weighing on my mind, I would like to know in advance.”

Alexa’s reasoning was sound.

Whether she liked it or not, the Empress had to preside over society. For that, she needed allies, and the choice of those allies was of great importance.

“I will look into it discreetly.”

“Yes, please do.”

If anything, she thought she could feel at ease if Claire were to find another betrothed. Even if everything had already changed from the original story, Alexa hoped no woman would appear to claim her place.

That was how deep Alexa’s feelings for Enoch ran.

* * *

At his office, Enoch was glaring at the enormous pile of official documents stacked on his large desk.

“Your Majesty, if you dislike the documents that much, perhaps for today you might…”

Enoch shook his head at Din’s words.

“Then tomorrow’s pile will be even more mountainous.”

Enoch was a diligent emperor. And so he personally reviewed everything himself, down to the smallest matter.

Thanks to that, the empire was flourishing day by day, but Enoch, who drove it all forward, could not help but grow weary.

“You could share some of the work with the Chancellor.”

“The Chancellor is wise, but it makes no sense for a sovereign to abandon his official duties.”

What truly made no sense was Enoch’s schedule.

He rose before dawn, trained with the sword, changed his clothes, convened the council, and then devoted his time to handling official affairs.

In the midst of all that, he was also enjoying newlywed life. Truly a remarkable emperor.

“The Taira ducal house has gone quiet.”

Enoch murmured meaningfully.

They had grown quiet once Alexa had firmly secured her position as Empress. In other words, having obtained what they wanted, they had no complaints.

And they would be more interested than anyone in the heir Alexa would produce.

“But there will be no future in which they are satisfied.”

Enoch already regarded the Taira ducal house as an implicit enemy. So as his imperial authority grew stronger, the power of the Taira ducal house would diminish.

Even if Alexa bore an heir, it would be the same.

Enoch wanted to raise the child born between himself and Alexa not as a successor, but as the beloved child of two people who loved each other.

And Alexa’s feelings were likely the same.

* * *

Alexa began preparations for the charity ball in earnest. It was the first grand banquet she would be hosting, yet rather than nerves, a trembling excitement filled her far more.

“I would like a variety of finger foods prepared.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The selection of fruits must not fall short either.”

“Yes.”

“The champagne was already decided, wasn’t it?”

“It was.”

Everything that needed to be attended to at a banquet was a skill she had learned entirely from Violet.

“The court orchestra?”

“They are always in full readiness.”

“The invitations?”

“They will be completed tomorrow, and the attendants will deliver them personally.”

Alexa gave a nod.

Thanks to Violet’s seasoned guidance, things were proceeding smoothly.