The date for the tea party was set, and Duchess Pellentes personally helped with the basic preparations.

Though this wasn’t Rihana’s first time wearing a dress, she had only worn one a few times before. She was suffering through the ordeal of selecting a dress for the tea party with the Duchess. 

The discomfort was one thing, but she felt awkward to death with her long hair flowing down, sparkling accessories dangling from her neck, arms, and hands, and heavy makeup on her face.

With help from the Duchess, who had watched her since childhood and had particularly good taste, a dress that suited her perfectly was tailored, but Rihana herself felt uncomfortable.

“You must get used to it, Rihana. From now on, you’ll be wearing dresses like this instead of uniforms.”

“Yes, I’m preparing myself for it.”

“It’s a shame you can’t feel how beautiful you look right now.”

Duchess Pellentes stood beside Rihana in front of the full-length mirror, looking at her through the reflection. It was an elegant dress that harmonized silver and gold, perfectly complementing her long black hair. The design softened Rihana’s proud and cold appearance, bringing out her loveliness.

“You’re just being kind to me, my lady.”

When Rihana smiled awkwardly, Duchess Pellentes held various jewels against her neck, saying Prince Raiden would have been mesmerized if he saw this sight. No sooner had she finished speaking than the dressing room door opened and Raiden appeared.

Duchess Pellentes smiled at Raiden, whose eyes widened upon seeing Rihana the moment he entered. Thinking it fortunate that she had already applied makeup, the Duchess took the maids and left the room so Raiden could freely admire Rihana’s transformation.

With just the two of them left in the dressing room, a strange tension arose. Rihana, not knowing what to do with her awkward appearance, rolled her eyes before forcing a smile and speaking to Raiden.

“You said you were busy, so how did you come here?”

“…”

At Rihana’s question, Raiden couldn’t readily answer and just stared at her face in a daze.

“Rai…?”

“…”

“…Do I look strange?”

When Rihana turned around to show off the dress, looking down at herself, Raiden moved his long legs and strode toward her. He caught her waist and pressed his lips against hers.

Rihana’s body swayed at the sudden kiss. Their tongues intertwined hotly as Raiden’s hands busily explored her body. Short of breath, they changed the angle of their heads and gasped for air whenever their lips briefly parted. But soon their lips clung together again, sucking at her lips like they would devour them.

Their tongues touched and rubbed against each other, tangling messily as familiar pleasure rose. No sooner did she feel herself getting wet from the stimulation than Raiden’s hand lifted her dress skirt and began caressing her smooth thighs.

“R-Rai, ah!”

When his hand moved between her legs, Rihana grabbed his wrist and called out desperately. Only when his hand was firmly caught did Raiden seem to regain his senses and hesitate.

“Not here…!”

Rihana shook her head to stop him, her lips swollen from such a rough kiss in that brief moment. Raiden couldn’t take his eyes off her face, only breathing heavily.

His Adam’s apple bobbed continuously. Seeing this, Rihana realized he was using every ounce of his strength to hold back, so she released his wrist and stared at him intently. Raiden ran his hand over his face and let out a sigh.

“That… ha, that…”

With one hand on his waist, he tried to say something but stopped. Rihana looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“…No.”

“Then why…”

“I got excited.”

“…Heh.”

Raiden gently embraced Rihana, who was looking up at him with a small laugh. The moment their bodies touched, something hard poked above her navel, making her lower abdomen tingle.

“I thought an angel had descended.”

Raiden tightened his embrace around Rihana and murmured. At his words, Rihana’s lips curved upward as she patted his back a few times.

“I was worried I’d look strange, but I’m relieved.”

“Strange? You’re incredibly beautiful. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you in this world.”

“Are your eyes working properly?”

“Throughout the kingdom and empire, no one has better eyesight than me, so don’t worry.”

“Hehe… But Rai.”

“Yeah.”

“That thing of yours keeps poking my stomach. Can’t you do something about it?”

“Bear with it. I’m so turned on I could die.”

“…Then at least loosen this embrace.”

“Bear with that too. You said not here.”

“…Should we go up to the room once your urgent business is finished?”

Raiden, who seemed like he would never let go of his embrace, immediately released his arms at her words and looked at her.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ve chosen everything I need to choose…”

“Let’s go.”

Before Rihana could finish speaking, Raiden grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Rihana grabbed his wrist with her free hand and shouted.

“Wait! Clothes! I need to change clothes!”

“I’ll undress you when we get there.”

“No! Rai!”

She shouted that she needed to take off this dress since she planned to wear it to the tea party, but Raiden didn’t seem to hear her at all. Wondering if he was so urgent he couldn’t think straight, she couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, but her smile quickly disappeared when they encountered Beriel as soon as they came outside.

“Why are you here, Your Highness?”

Beriel asked, glancing at Raiden’s hand holding Rihana’s.

“Isn’t my work finished?”

“Fenor’s report still remains.”

“…”

At the name Fenor, Raiden bit his lower lip. Fenor’s report concerned Casian and Melissa in the Empire, so it was difficult to postpone. Casian was still stirring up trouble everywhere to take Rihana back, and the Empire’s Crown Prince was also trying to make Melissa, not Rihana, Tarecus’s Crown Princess.

Raiden sighed deeply and turned to look at Rihana.

“What should I do? It seems my urgent business isn’t finished yet.”

Feeling like invisible ears were drooping, Rihana gently removed Raiden’s arm and raised one hand to softly stroke his cheek.

“Go ahead.”

Raiden caught the hand stroking his cheek, kissed it, then lightly kissed her lips. Then he turned and began walking toward his office with long strides.

Rihana turned to remove the dress she was wearing, and at that moment Beriel called her.

“Lady Ariella.”

Instead of answering, Rihana turned her head to look at Beriel.

“I understand you don’t know the kingdom’s protocols well since you weren’t born and raised in Tarecus, but I don’t think even in the Empire one could dare touch a royal’s face so carelessly.”

Because Beriel particularly emphasized the word “dare,” Rihana couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Though she had long realized that Beriel didn’t see Raiden merely as her superior, continuing to be hostile like this would be tiring for both of them.

Having experienced unrequited love for Casian for a long time, Rihana knew how hateful she must look in Beriel’s eyes. But she couldn’t let her be hostile at every turn. 

Whether she liked it or not—though of course she liked it—she was someone who would become this place’s Crown Princess and later Queen, and she didn’t want to have friction with her partner’s subordinate in any way.

“Miss Beriel.”

Rihana called Beriel with an expressionless face. Beriel unconsciously pressed her lips together, feeling that the dress she was wearing suited her particularly well.

“His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty were not sparing with displays of affection even in the presence of ministers. So I have no reservations about expressing affection toward my partner, but if there happens to be a protocol in the Tarecus Kingdom that prevents one from touching a royal’s body because they’re royalty…”

“…!”

“I’ll need to have a serious conversation with my prospective father-in-law about that useless protocol.”

“B-but you’re not even partners yet! There are naturally protocols against touching royalty! That’s why I said…”

“Since we’ve already bitten, sucked, and licked each other enough to be considered partners, that protocol doesn’t seem to apply to me.”

“…H-how can you say such vulgar things!”

Beriel looked around and frowned.

“And if you mentioned that protocol because we’re not partners yet, that’s also misdirected, Miss Beriel.”

“…!”

“As you said, I’m not yet a person of the Tarecus Kingdom, so if I acted against the kingdom’s protocols, you should speak to His Highness Raiden, not me. Since I came to a foreign country through political marriage, it’s improper for you, His Highness Raiden’s aide, to directly lecture me about protocols.”

Beriel’s insides boiled because of Rihana, who spoke calmly with a composed face. She thought this woman would be ignorant since she’d only held swords since childhood, but apparently that wasn’t the case either.

Beriel briefly worried whether this woman might perfectly know tea party etiquette as well, but soon decided to dismiss such needless concerns. No matter how well she had learned Imperial social etiquette, Tarecus’s social etiquette was vastly different from the Empire’s. 

Even the Duchess from the Empire had struggled to adapt to Tarecus’s social circles for a while, so Rihana wouldn’t be any different.

* * *

Choosing a location near the monster forest for the tea party was purely Beriel’s greed.

A tea party held on one’s own land had the power to make invited guests think the party’s host was oneself. Also, the Taniaran family’s outdoor party venue was recognized as the kingdom’s finest party venue, a place many nobles borrowed. 

Holding a welcome party for the prospective Crown Princess at such a venue was enough to make the Beriel family stand out. Externally, it could show that Raiden trusted her enough to entrust even his partner’s affairs to Beriel, and internally, it could instill the awareness that Raiden had such a deep relationship with Beriel.

Though Felton and Fenor advised avoiding that location since it would be the monsters’ breeding season around this time, Beriel paid no attention at all. 

Monsters had never invaded that outdoor party venue before, and even if monsters appeared, the Taniaran family’s guards would be protecting it, so she thought there would be no problem at all.

Beriel didn’t know that around that time, the king of centipede monsters was preparing to spawn near that outdoor party venue. 

The king of centipede monsters and the centipede monsters, who had entered breeding season just a few kilometers from the party venue, were particularly on edge to protect their eggs.