“Leonora, so you promise to go with us?”

“We’ll come along too.”

“Yes, let’s all go together.”

I flashed a bright smile at the women whose eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Of course, let’s all go together.”

On the day of the tea party, far more women showed up than I had anticipated.

I told Avery that the more people, the better, but I never expected this many to come.

‘This isn’t a tea party—it’s practically a ball!’

The invited women exuded such strong and intense perfumes, as if they were competing in a “whose fragrance is strongest” contest.

Almost as if their scents represented desires they couldn’t openly express.

Unfortunately, Madam Pollietti’s daughter, whom I had been most eager to meet, didn’t attend.

‘I had so many questions about Foil Viper’s adopted daughter.’

I thought perhaps she was deliberately keeping her distance by not coming.

‘There will be a ball soon, so I should be able to see her then.’

I calmed my growing impatience and composed an elegant expression.

“Leonora, tell us about it. What’s the imperial atmosphere like? How is living in the palace?”

Silien asked with gleaming eyes. She was the youngest daughter of Viscount Holt, and though she had three older sisters, none had found matches yet.

Because of this, both the Viscount and Viscountess, as well as Silien herself, had only one interest and goal: finding a husband and getting married as soon as possible.

“Ah… life in the palace?”

“Yes, tell us what it’s like. We’re all curious.”

When Silien asked, I could feel everyone’s attention instantly focusing on me.

Life in the palace?

Well, I wasn’t really the Empress, so there wasn’t anything special.

I could tell them about my time as Sienna, but that’s probably not what they were curious about.

I cleared my throat once and began speaking.

“Ladies, you know about the imperial library, right?”

“What’s a library?”

“Is it where books are kept?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Just as everyone picked up their teacups with expressions suggesting they expected boring talk about some library:

“The imperial library isn’t open to just anyone. Only those with His Majesty’s permission can enter.”

“Oh my.”

Their expressions brightened again at the mention of the Emperor.

“And then?”

“You need His Majesty’s direct permission to go there?”

I intended to boast about receiving special treatment by mentioning my access to the library.

Even better if they would talk about it when they returned home.

“Yes, they can’t allow just anyone access to documents related to the Empire, can they?”

“That’s right, of course not.”

“Leonora, you went to this imperial library?”

“His Majesty has already—”

“His Majesty gave you permission?”

Sure enough, questions began pouring in.

I slowly nodded and took a sip of tea.

“But why did you go there?”

Ah, well.

I went because there’s an issue with my soul that I needed to research.

Of course I couldn’t say that.

I had mentioned accessing the imperial library to subtly indicate I was special, but it wasn’t a particularly interesting topic for these women.

Now, if it had been about accessory or dress shops, that might have been different.

“Well, I just wanted to see how far His Majesty would go in granting me permissions.”

My lofty answer prompted exclamations of admiration from all around.

Nothing is more thrilling than ‘I had no particular reason, I just went there.’

“My goodness, Leonora. His Majesty must be completely smitten with you.”

“Oh no, it’s not like that.”

“Of course it is. He let you into a place not just anyone can enter, without any particular reason. That’s amazing.”

“It really is.”

At that moment, Avery glanced at me and added:

“Everyone probably heard this when I sent the invitations, but did you know Leonora personally arranged today’s tea party?”

Thinking this was good timing, I nodded contentedly as Avery continued:

“Isn’t that a glimpse of how much His Majesty cherishes Leonora?”

The Emperor cherishing me.

No matter how many times I hear it, I can’t get used to it, but these people need to believe it.

I crafted a benevolent smile and nodded slowly.

“It really is. I’m so envious.”

Though this kind of attention was somewhat uncomfortable and not to my taste, I did my best for the sake of my upcoming plan.

Then Avery spoke again:

“Leonora, isn’t the dress you’re wearing now also from His Majesty?”

Avery, excellent timing again.

In my mind, I wanted to give her a thumbs up, but I restrained myself and maintained a gentle expression.

“Yes, that’s right.”

At the mention of a dress from the Emperor, the women began to stir.

“Oh my, I thought something seemed… different about you.”

“Leonora, what about that necklace and earrings?”

“Goodness, were they bestowed by His Majesty?”

“For His Majesty, giving such a necklace and earrings is nothing.”

As I jingled the earrings with their large embedded jewels, sighs of envy followed.

“Oh, right. I heard from Avery.”

Just then, someone looked at Avery and spoke up.

“That necklace… I heard it wasn’t brought by Madam Torsico?”

Once again, I could feel all eyes focusing on me.

Here it comes!

I immediately furrowed my brow and put on a pitiful expression, neatly folding my hands for good measure.

“Yes, Madam Torsico’s items aren’t what they used to be.”

Though I’m not sure how they were before.

“Really?”

“Yes, His Majesty sent me a necklace to please me, but I didn’t like it at all.”

“Oh my.”

I touched my neck once and continued.

“So I sent it back.”

“Goodness!”

“Even the finest gemstone is no better than a rock if not properly crafted.”

“That’s right, nurturing good craftsmen is also a skill.”

“Wasn’t she decent until last year?”

“Yes. But was what Madam Torsico brought so terrible that you had to return it?”

Of course it wasn’t that bad.

The necklace itself was beautiful and excellent. I simply didn’t have good feelings toward her.

I should have controlled my emotions and stopped there.

“And the problem isn’t just with Madam Torsico’s items, but with the lady herself.”

Without realizing it, I crossed a line, upset by past events.

At my words, the young ladies opened their eyes wide with interest.

“A problem?”

“Madam Torsico would show the list to Her Majesty the Empress last, claim everything the Empress liked was already taken by someone else, and was so dismissive of her.”

“Goodness.”

With this single remark, the atmosphere instantly sank.

Only then did I realize I had gone a bit too far.

But once words are spoken, they can’t be taken back.

As I tried to change the mood with a casual smile—

“But Leonora, how do you know all this?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I froze.

I couldn’t think of a plausible excuse even if I tried.

I, or rather Leonora, had been bedridden until a year ago.

“Um…”

Saying I heard it directly from the Empress wouldn’t make sense, and claiming I heard it from someone else would be a stretch.

“She must have heard it here. Leonora is living in the palace now, after all.”

At that moment, Avery came to my rescue.

Everyone nodded at her words.

“Still, it’s terrible that Madam Torsico did that.”

“I thought she was such a polite person.”

“I guess you really can’t judge people by appearances alone.”

Silien’s final comment also made me wince a bit, but I was relieved to have navigated the crisis well.

“Anyway, the jeweler His Majesty sent this time—”

I quickly tried to change the subject by bringing up Musbe.

I added that what I was wearing now came from him, and that I quite liked it for its elegance and dignity.

“It’s definitely beautiful. Could I meet him too?”

“Me too, Leonora.”

I knew this would happen.

“Yes, of course. Before everyone leaves, I’ll tell Sabine to collect your contact information.”

By the time I thought the atmosphere had sufficiently mellowed:

“Leonora, I’m not sure if I should ask this question…”

“……?”

“You seem comfortable talking about Her Majesty the Empress, so I thought I might ask.”

The speaker was Ruby, a young lady from Count Adgarbo’s family, famous for her bluntness.

‘Count Adgarbo was close to my former father.’

Though he didn’t have much connection with me.

As I made eye contact with Ruby, waiting for her next words, she smiled haughtily and said:

“I heard that you tried to do something bad to Her Majesty the Empress… is that true?”