-22-

“How large is this tea party going to be?”

“It’s one of the larger ones hosted by Her Highness.”

That meant that the people who had tormented Delis would probably be there. Not only them but also some of her cronies who had supported her bad behavior.

Just the thought of dealing with all of them gave me a headache. But I couldn’t avoid it.

In my previous life, when faced with difficulties, I chose to confront them rather than run away or deny reality. As an orphan, with a tough life, I realized that avoiding problems solved nothing.

I understood early on that indulging in self-pity was a dead end. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I worked hard to make my life better.

Even though I died before seeing the fruits of my efforts.

In this life, I resolved to handle the mess left by the rogue Delis properly.

***

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Frina, Seirin, and Cindy went to see Reb.

Seeing Reb after a long time, I noticed he had significantly recovered with sufficient treatment here.

“Reb!”

Reb looked surprised, more at the sight of the fairies than at us.

“Are you okay?”

Cindy frowned at the scars and marks still visible on Reb’s body.

“This…”

The rest of her words were indecipherable, probably some curse words.

“You guys…”

Reb, who had been staring blankly at the fairies, got choked up and couldn’t continue.

The fairies’ eyes also started to well up with tears. I felt a lump in my throat, moved by the sight.

When the emotions had somewhat settled down, Cindy spoke.

“We heard about you from Delis and Roan… It’s really lucky you were saved.”

“Indeed, it was a stroke of luck.”

Reb asked, still bewildered.

“But how did you all get here?”

“We wanted to see the human world!”

“The other dwarves said it was okay, too.”

“I see. Are they… doing well?”

“They are, but they’ve been worried about you.”

Reb smiled with lingering longing.

After the fairies and Reb’s touching reunion, peaceful days followed.

The chef’s food was still delicious, the fairies were still noisy, Roan got busier, and I continued my lazy life in the mansion. Eating, lounging, reading, and planning for the future.

This brief period of monotony was about to be interrupted.

Today was the day of Sophia’s tea party.

“Oh my, Your Grace, you look stunning.”

“You’ll be the most beautiful at the tea party.”

I looked in the mirror, hearing the mix of flattery and genuine admiration from the maids.

They were right. I looked truly beautiful today. Dressing up made Delis’s face, which I thought I’d grown used to, look unfamiliar again.

“So pretty!”

“You look different!”

The fairies, watching me dress up, seemed amazed too.

Huh. Is it that impressive? I felt my confidence rising. Then, I heard a steady knock at the door.

“Your Grace, the carriage is ready.”

“Alright.”

I asked the maid adjusting my dress.

“How much time until the tea party?”

“About an hour.”

An hour seemed just right.

The duchy wasn’t far from the royal palace, only about a 30-minute ride.

“Then let’s head out now.”

At that moment, Seirin appeared in front of me.

“Can we go too?”

Frina and Cindy, who had followed, also looked at me hopefully.

I felt a bit conflicted. A regular outing would be fine, but having fairies appear at the palace would undoubtedly attract attention.

“We’ll be quiet!”

“We won’t talk!”

The fairies’ faces were so earnest that, despite knowing it was impractical, I felt torn. They’d been cooped up in the mansion since arriving, so they must have felt restless.

Hmm. What should I do?

The fairies were slightly larger than sparrows, so they would definitely stand out. As I pondered how to explain that they couldn’t come, I noticed a hat bag. That’s it. A good idea came to me.

I left the mansion wearing an unusually wide-brimmed hat.

The hat bag, which should have been empty, now had three fairies peeking out.

I climbed into the prepared carriage. Maybe I’d see Roan at the palace. He had left early for the palace again today.

I hadn’t seen much of him these past few days due to his busy schedule. The palace was vast, so the chances of running into him were slim, but I hoped for the best.

We arrived at the palace shortly after.

“Wow.”

A gasp came from the bag. They sounded like me the first time I came here.

Hehe, cute little things. Since it was my second visit, I wasn’t as awestruck as the first time.

The tea party was said to be held in the garden of the princess’s palace. There were still about 20 minutes left before it started.

Maybe I should take a stroll around the palace. I began to walk leisurely.

As I walked, I saw a large fountain. It was evident that the sculptor had put great effort into its creation.

The water droplets sparkled as they sprayed into the air under the warm sunlight.

“Look at that. Isn’t it pretty?”

I was talking to the fairies when I heard a voice.

“Who are you talking to?”

“Ah!”

I was startled. I almost yelled out in surprise.

When I turned towards the voice, I saw an incredibly beautiful woman with a delicate and graceful appearance looking at me with curious eyes.

Seeing such an unrealistic beauty in front of me, I was momentarily dazed. She had hair that looked like pure melted silver and clear navy blue eyes. She was the very image of a radiant heroine from a novel.

Wait, silver hair? Could it be?

“Are you… the heroine?”

“Pardon?”

She blinked her doe-like eyes as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.

My intuition told me I was right. She had to be the heroine.

In this novel, a beautiful woman with silver hair and navy blue eyes could only be the heroine.

And meeting her in the palace? This was a dead giveaway.

“May I ask your name?”

I was sure her name was ‘Grace,’ but I asked anyway. Knowing her name without being told would be suspicious.

“Oh, my name is Grace de Jallier. I’m from the Kingdom of Jallier.”

As expected. She was indeed Grace, the heroine of the original novel.

“Princess Grace, I am Delis Bannister.”

Grace’s eyes widened upon hearing the name of the Bannister duchy.

“Duchess Bannister.”

She said with a slight smile.

It was just a smile, but it was so dazzling that it felt blinding. This was what it meant to seem like one had grown up on dew alone. Add one more person to the list of those whose face does all the work.

“The palace of Astrid is truly grand.”

True to her character, the heroine maintained a bright demeanor despite practically being a hostage to the empire.

From what I remembered of the novel, this quality of hers is what caught the male lead’s attention.

Cameron, despite her frail appearance, was drawn to her strength in always maintaining a smile even in her hostage situation.

And he pursued her more actively, intrigued by the only woman who didn’t show interest in him. Something like, “You’re the first woman to not fall for me.”

Grace’s heart slowly opened up to his advances.

And she threw Roan into the fish tank. Ugh.

“Where are you headed?”

Grace’s question brought me back to reality from my thoughts.

“I’m on my way to the princess’s tea party.”

“Oh, so am I.”

“Really?”

Well, they did say this tea party was quite large. It made sense that Grace would be included.

“Shall we go together?”

I suggested that Grace and I go to the tea party together. Grace seemed surprised by my offer but then smiled brightly.

“Sure.”

Ah, is that a halo I see? I hadn’t seen something like this since Roan.

It seemed like the perfect time to leave now.

“Let’s go.”

We arrived at Sophia’s tea party venue. Many young ladies and noblewomen were already there, though Sophia herself was not yet present.

I handed a maid the apple pie I had prepared as a gift for the tea party.

“Oh my, Duchess Bannister has arrived.”

Several noblewomen acknowledged my presence. I didn’t know what kind of relationship Delis had with them, so I just smiled and greeted them lightly.

But something felt off.

Though I entered with Grace, none of the attendees greeted her.

It made sense since Grace had only recently arrived in the empire. These people might not know her yet.

But that made the situation even more peculiar.

While I might not be well-versed in the intricacies of tea party etiquette, I knew that everyone attending was of noble rank or higher. Therefore, it was customary to at least exchange pleasantries, even with someone you hadn’t met before.

Yet, as if they had conspired, none of the noblewomen acknowledged her presence. The young ladies followed suit, echoing their elders’ behavior.

They were treating her as if she were invisible.

Ah, they were disregarding her due to her status as a hostage. Grace might be a princess, but her kingdom, Jallier, was insignificant compared to the Astrid Empire.

Grace’s expression showed a hint of bewilderment at the cold reception. Despite being a hostage, she was still a princess and was likely unaccustomed to such rudeness.

With the atmosphere growing increasingly chilly, Grace and I took our seats at a designated tea table.

Then the host, Princess Sophia, entered.

“Thank you all for accepting my invitation despite your busy schedules.”

Sophia expertly welcomed her guests.

“Though it may not be much, I hope you all enjoy what I’ve prepared.”

Contrary to her humble words, the arrangements were extravagant.

The plates alone were decorated with gold leaf, giving them an air of opulence. Was this real gold?

In the center of the table, a four-tiered tray displayed various desserts like cakes, cookies, and pies.

The tea served was black tea, perfectly brewed without any bitterness.

Then, the middle-aged noblewoman with flamboyant red hair at our table spoke, addressing Grace.

“Princess, do you find the tea to your liking? It’s a very rare and high-quality blend.”

At first glance, it seemed like an innocent question about the tea’s taste. However, everyone present knew it was a veiled remark. She was simultaneously praising Astrid’s tea culture and belittling the small kingdom of Jallier.