36. Tea Party

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

“I was just on my way to check if the sun was rising in the west today.”

When the Empress Dowager entered, Berser and the maids standing behind Larael greeted her and then left the parlor. The Empress Dowager didn’t spare them even a glance. Larael watched this carefully. Surprisingly, the Empress Dowager showed not the slightest interest in Berser. Larael had wondered if the Empress Dowager might feel some sort of familial pull, but it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

Larael felt both relieved and a little dumbfounded.

“Please, have a seat. What brings you here today?”

“I just stopped by to say hello. The weather is getting hotter—how is your health these days…”

The Empress Dowager laughed boisterously as she sat down on the sofa. Larael sat down across from her.

“I’ve prepared a gift for Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

“A gift?”

“Yes.”

“It’s customary on one’s birthday to present a gift to the mother who gave birth to you. Although you did not give birth to me, I know you have cared for me with love. That is why I prepared this.”

Larael handed the large box, which she had placed on the sofa beforehand, to the Empress Dowager. From the moment Larael mentioned a gift, the Empress Dowager had looked utterly dazed. It was something she had never expected.

The Empress Dowager immediately opened the wrapping and the box.

Inside was the very dress that appeared in the portrait of Canaria Kazel, the Empress from the Anderman ducal family, a dress that any Empress from that family would have grown up hearing about endlessly. To see such a perfectly recreated dress… The Empress Dowager couldn’t take her astonished eyes off it as she stroked the fabric.

“This is… this is…”

It was the very dress she had always hoped someone would give her as a gift one day.

“Whenever I see that portrait in Abella Palace, I always think of Your Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager suddenly felt tears welling up. She had felt the same when she saw the portrait as a child. The hair, the eye color—she had even wondered if she might be the reincarnation of that Empress.

No matter how much she had disliked Larael, at this moment, she felt like Larael was the only person who truly understood her.

“I would love to see you wearing it. I’m sure you would look absolutely beautiful.”

“Even if it’s just flattery, I’ll let myself be fooled.”

“Your Majesty, I mean it.”

Larael waved her hands, insisting.

“But… I don’t know if I deserve to wear this.”

‘Of course you don’t deserve it. You’re just waiting for me to say otherwise, but I really don’t want to…’

“Who else but Your Majesty could deserve to wear that dress?”

Larael smiled brightly. Her lips twitched slightly—a side effect of saying something she didn’t mean.

“Your Majesty, I have invited Lady Nox to a tea party.”

“Lady Nox?”

Lady Nox was famous for never appearing in society. So for the Empress Consort, who had no real influence, to invite such a well-known figure to a tea party was surprising enough to warrant asking again.

“Yes. I truly met Lady Nox by chance.”

“Lady Nox… I’d like to meet her at least once.”

“Then please grace the tea party with your presence, Your Majesty. What could be more of an honor for Lady Nox?”

“Would that really be all right? I wouldn’t be an unwelcome guest?”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes sparkled. If she could meet Lady Nox and become acquainted, simply mentioning her at tea parties or salons would draw attention. If she could claim to have invited her personally…

“Of course not. If you attend, it would be the greatest honor. I would also love to see you in that dress.”

“I never knew the Empress Consort was such a thoughtful person.”

The Empress Dowager kept fiddling with the dress, unable to look away. Her hands were on the dress, her mind filled with thoughts of Lady Nox. She wanted this bothersome Empress Consort to leave so she could try the dress on. But Larael, seemingly unaware, leisurely sipped her tea and watched her.

***

At that moment, the Empress Dowager was trying to make sense of what was going on.

At first, she thought Larael had given Ariella the same dress as a gift. But looking at the expressions of both Ariella and Larael, they were both close to shock. It didn’t seem at all like they were pretending. No matter how foolish Larael might be, she wouldn’t do something like this in the palace.

The Empress Dowager abruptly stood up.

She was too upset to remain there any longer.

“I don’t think today is the right day to meet Lady Nox. There’s no rule against wearing the same dress design, but for me to wear a design I only just put on for the first time today…”

There was anger in the Empress Dowager’s voice. Unable to calm herself, she glared at Larael and Ariella, then stormed out, slamming the parlor door behind her.

Larael stared blankly at the door. Lady Nox clutched her trembling hands together, her face pale. This wasn’t what she intended, but things had become complicated.

“Lady Nox, the Empress Dowager heard about you and wanted to meet you. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance.”

“…”

Ariella’s breath grew uneven at those words. Her long lashes trembled over her eyes. She slowly closed and opened her eyes, calming her breathing a little.

Ariella bowed to give the greeting she hadn’t managed earlier. What had come so naturally before now felt more difficult than dying. She just wanted to go home.

“Greetings to Your Highness the Empress Consort.”

“Please, have a seat.”

Larael gestured to the seat opposite her. Ariella sat down with a stiff expression.

“Sasha.”

When Larael called her name, Sasha poured tea into the cup in front of Ariella.

Ariella stared at the pouring tea, lost in thought about how to salvage the situation. The Empress Dowager’s words meant the Empress Consort also knew. What should she say to fool this simple Empress Consort?

“Your Highness, you must be thinking about what the Empress Dowager said, so I’ll be honest. The reason I wore this dress today was to deceive you. If His Majesty appoints an Empress, I will be the one. I wanted to remind you that you are merely one of the concubines.”

“Lady…”

‘Ariella Nox, what are you up to?’

“But I do like you, Your Highness. What I just said was rude, but those were my father’s words. He opposed me meeting you, too. But I liked you, so I persuaded him to let me come. Still, he insisted I wear this dress, saying you should know your place.”

‘So you’re throwing your father under the bus.’

If Ariella’s words were true, Larael couldn’t really blame her. But watching Ariella use her father as an excuse to say such rude things, Sasha and Joanna frowned. Larael, however, just smiled and listened quietly.

“I like you too, Lady.”

“I never intended to deceive you, Your Highness. I want to be a true friend. That’s why I’m telling you honestly.”

‘Is this the moment I’m supposed to be moved? By someone who just threw her father under the bus?’

“I’m touched by your sincerity, Lady. Don’t worry about the Empress Dowager. I’ll explain everything to her.”

Ariella, a bit relieved by Larael’s words, nodded slightly.

“I think we could become good friends. What do you think, Ariella?”

Larael called Ariella’s name kindly. Ariella finally regained her composure and smiled.

“I would like to be friends with you too, Your Highness.”