62. The Empress’s Tea Party (1)

Although it was said to be the season of lush greenery, there wasn’t a single patch of shade in the meticulously maintained gardens of Abella Palace where one could escape the brief, scorching sun.

The garden at Abella Palace wasn’t meant for strolling. It was designed to look most beautiful when viewed from the owner’s bedroom. That’s why anything that might obstruct the view from above had been removed. It was a sweltering summer, so hot that just standing still would make sweat trickle down your back.

Even in the midst of such heat, Edward and Larael were walking closely together, strolling affectionately through the garden.

“Your Majesty, may I hire a personal secretary?”

As they walked through the garden, Larael suddenly asked.

“A secretary?”

Although Larael was free to hire staff using the Abella Palace budget, it was only proper to inform Edward since it involved bringing someone into the imperial palace.

“Yes. For now, I’m comfortable asking Sasha and Joanna to run errands, but there are limits to what they can do outside the palace, so I’d like to appoint an official representative.”

“If there’s something you want to do, you can always ask me.”

“No, Your Majesty. I can’t rely on you for everything.”

“Larael, if you’re struggling with something, don’t keep it to yourself—make sure to tell me.”

When Larael chuckled at Edward’s words, he also smiled brightly in response. As if not wanting to let go, he gripped her hand even tighter. Edward already knew Larael’s heart was not at peace.

However, she only smiled and showed no intention of telling Edward what was on her mind. Edward, too, had no intention of bringing up the matter with the Empress Dowager until Larael spoke of it herself.

“Just knowing that you care that much is enough for me, Your Majesty.”

“I mean it… We’re husband and wife, after all…”

“Husband and wife…”

‘That’s right. We really are husband and wife.’

Larael softly repeated the word “husband and wife.” Her heart swelled with emotion.

“It’s too hot—let’s go inside.”

Edward surrendered to the suffocating heat and led Larael back inside the palace. After having lunch with Larael, he returned to the main palace.

Being with Edward calmed the storm of emotions that had raged inside her since the previous day, bringing her peace of mind.

Larael hadn’t considered that Edward would naturally know about what happened yesterday. Edward rarely came to Abella Palace during working hours. She began to wonder why he had come so suddenly.

“But why did His Majesty come here so unexpectedly?”

At Larael’s murmured question, Sasha bowed her head deeply.

***

Larael wrote the invitation list for the tea party herself and personally checked the seating arrangements and refreshments. The guest list included the Empress Dowager.

The main theme of this tea party was the dress designs by Genderi, as shown in the design book and the dresses Larael owned.

The drawing room was decorated with colorful flowers to welcome the guests. The fragrant scent tickled one’s nose just by approaching the room. The flowers, arranged in the well-lit drawing room, shone even more brightly in the sunlight.

Anyone who saw Larael standing in the center of the drawing room, looking around, would forget whatever they were doing and simply stare at her in a daze.

“I can’t tell who’s the real flower here.”

Head maid Anais said in admiration.

“Isn’t it a bit much?”

Larael replied with a wry smile, still glancing around the room with a worried expression.

“No, it couldn’t be more perfect.”

Larael nodded at Anais’s words and went up to her bedroom to change into her dress.

Genderi had finished the dress she’d prepared for today and delivered it on time.

“Your Highness, I’m really nervous… Do I absolutely have to attend?”

“If it weren’t for your dress, there wouldn’t even be a tea party today.”

Genderi clutched her pounding chest. This was a huge opportunity for her, but she lacked the confidence to present her dresses to others. Hadn’t her dresses always been thoroughly ignored until now?

It would have been enough if only Larael recognized her talent. Still, she didn’t want to disappoint Larael, who had gone out of her way to give her this chance.

Larael changed into the dress Genderi had brought.

When Genderi saw Larael wearing her dress, her heart swelled with pride. She wondered if people would have asked to be introduced to her if anyone other than Larael had worn this dress.

To Genderi, the dress still seemed to have many shortcomings. Yet, even a dress that looked so lacking felt like something completely different when Larael wore it.

“Genderi, you’re amazing. Believe in yourself.”

Larael said, almost as if she could read Genderi’s mind, as she turned around in the dress. Genderi felt ashamed of her shrinking confidence. For Larael, who believed in her so much, she had to be confident.

With that thought, her determination grew. She returned to her studio to check the final dress and design book one last time.

Larael, having finished preparations to welcome her guests, greeted the Marchioness of Rad, the first to arrive at the drawing room.

After the Marchioness of Rad arrived, the other guests followed in quick succession. The Empress Dowager was the last to arrive and entered the drawing room. At her entrance, everyone stood and greeted her with proper etiquette.

The Empress Dowager looked around the lavishly decorated drawing room, then burst out laughing. The noble ladies attending the tea party exchanged puzzled glances at her sudden laughter.

“In all my life, I’ve never seen a tea party so full of flowers! Is this the Empress Consort’s taste?”

Larael clenched her teeth. No matter how she decorated the drawing room, the Empress Dowager was sure to find fault.

“Yes, it’s my taste. Is it not to Your Majesty’s liking?”

Larael let out a short sigh, then smiled brightly.

“Isn’t it a bit much—almost out of fashion? It’s a shame you didn’t ask me for advice.”

“But, Your Majesty, don’t trends always come back around?”

The Marchioness of Rad quickly chimed in, subtly siding with Larael. The Empress Dowager shot the Marchioness a sideways glare.

“It seems everyone is here, so I’ll have the tea brought out.”

Larael signaled to Sasha with her eyes.

“When Your Majesty was here, I used to visit often, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve come to Abella Palace.”

The Marchioness of Rad, seated next to the Empress Dowager, said with a soothing smile. When the Empress Dowager had been the Empress, today’s guests had often attended her tea parties at Abella Palace.

The Empress Dowager nodded with a distant look.

“Soon enough, when the new Empress arrives, you’ll have to give up your place to her.”

The Empress Dowager looked at Larael with a snake-like smile. Since Abella Palace had always been the residence of the Empress, Larael would have to leave one day. But her intention in bringing this up now was so obvious that Larael had to suppress a laugh.

“Joanna, please tell Genderi to come to the drawing room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

If the Empress Dowager hadn’t attended the tea party, Larael had planned to introduce Genderi once the atmosphere had warmed up. But since the Empress Dowager was sure to nitpick anything Larael did, she decided to change the order a bit. As expected, the Empress Dowager had been critical from the very start.

“By the way, Your Highness, how did you find such a gem of a talent?”

After the sponsorship event, the ladies had tried to gather information about Genderi, who had become Larael’s exclusive designer. They even discovered that Genderi ran a shabby shop that barely qualified as a dress boutique.

They all regretted that Larael had discovered Genderi first.

“I was just lucky.”

Larael smiled and took a sip of tea from her cup.

She felt a twitch at the corner of her mouth. Even though it was her own tea party, she felt like throwing everyone out of Abella Palace right then and there. Larael barely suppressed those feelings and maintained a graceful smile.

Finally, Genderi, the star of today’s tea party, entered the drawing room. Contrary to expectations, her unsophisticated appearance made some of the noblewomen frown and sigh softly.

They wondered if she was truly the designer who had created such beautiful dresses. Genderi, visibly flustered, wheeled in a rack of dresses she had made with the help of the palace maids.

A few of the noblewomen snickered quietly at her awkwardness.

“Madam Genderi,”