The palace was in a festive mood all day as it was the day of the prince’s birth celebration party.

She prepared with burning determination not to make any mistakes today.

By now, she had perfectly memorized the names, faces, and countries.

After her initial mistake, she had secretly asked Mary for help and received information about officials from each country.

Despite working so hard, strangely, she still made at least one mistake each time and had become the most disliked person here.

It was truly difficult to perfectly master world history in just a few days when she was still learning imperial history.

Still, she memorized everything with the same intensity as when she had prepared for civil service exams.

Like crazy!

Today she had to attend the party with him, so she finished her preparations and was waiting for Charte.

Very predictably, he was late again.

Unable to sit down for fear of wrinkling her dress, she had been standing uncomfortably for quite some time when a servant sent by Viscount Catano arrived, and Peggy received the message.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Tell me.”

“An urgent matter has arisen in the empire that needs to be addressed, so he will likely be very late. He says that any further delay would be impolite, so he asks Your Majesty the Empress to go ahead and convey congratulations.”

Thinking it was better than waiting boringly, she immediately departed with her ladies-in-waiting.

She explained the reason for the delay, offered congratulations, and presented the gift.

It was a very rare lucky stone from the empire’s exclusive gem mines, engraved with the prince’s birth date, name, and words of blessing.

It was said that possessing this stone ensured a long, healthy life, so many parents wanted one for their children, but even nobles in the empire had difficulty obtaining it.

The quantity was so extremely limited that even allied royal families could hardly get their hands on one, let alone anyone outside the imperial family of the empire.

The king and queen’s sincere gratitude was palpable due to the gift’s rarity.

When she had only heard about it, she had been skeptical, thinking it sounded superstitious, but seeing their reaction made it clear.

This was an incredibly precious gift! She suddenly became curious.

Would Leila have this lucky stone too?

If so, she felt she could bet 51% on her being alive.

Just to be safe, she checked that the cheat sheet Mary had prepared and sewn into her dress sleeve was still there before moving on.

The queens, princesses, and ladies from allied countries were already chatting in a lively atmosphere.

She barely managed to exchange greetings but couldn’t join the conversation.

Led by Princess Seira, they were already having an enjoyable discussion on a common topic that only she didn’t know about.

However, perhaps due to the empire’s influence, they weren’t openly excluding her but doing so very subtly.

To think I would be excluded.

Frustration spread throughout my body as I couldn’t understand why I had to experience this at my age.

In the end, unable to mix like oil and water, I floated around until I became tired and went to the lounge.

As I was about to open the lounge door, I heard a familiar name.

“He clearly still can’t forget our Yasrin. Look, he came alone again.”

“That’s right. I’ve never seen such a stupid empress.”

“She got a prestigious position as empress but should at least be humble, yet she only causes trouble. It’s pathetic.”

“I heard she recently framed Hyrelia and drove her out. Looking at how she’s both stupid and malicious, she must be the worst.”

The more I heard, the more my chest tightened, so I quietly closed the lounge door and went outside for some fresh air.

I definitely don’t fit in with the party lounge.

Suddenly I felt so pathetic.

Of course, I wanted to confront them about why they were insulting me, but since there was some truth mixed in, I couldn’t challenge them.

It was true that I wasn’t fulfilling the role of empress properly.

And it seemed like my fault for being foolishly deceived by Hyrelia and causing such rumors.

Still, after facing the cool breeze for quite some time, I started feeling better.

I needed to go back in for the party, but my feet wouldn’t move easily.

I had always been an insider at school and had never been an outsider, so experiencing this in an unfamiliar place was quite difficult.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah! Your Majesty, you’re here? I just came out for some fresh air.”

“Let’s go inside.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly a strange sense of defiance and childish thought came to me.

Is it mature to exclude someone just because they made a few mistakes? Especially for people who are royalty and nobility?

I thought the ones with empty titles weren’t me but them.

I didn’t want to lose to people who were glossy on the outside but third-rate in their hearts.

I! Am a person who strives for a first-class life that knows how to smile even in difficult times!

Anyway, I didn’t want to remain just an empress with an empty title.

And I had a good weapon to use.

The empire as a major power and a handsome husband with the highest authority!

If there was one day to shine as a show-window couple, it would definitely be today.

“Your Majesty.”

He turned around.

“May I ask for your escort?”

An annoyed look flashed across his face, but he soon extended his hand.

However, I didn’t take his hand but linked arms with him and entered the banquet hall with the most arrogant face in the world.

When we entered together, attention focused on us.

Especially on our linked arms! Thoroughly enjoying those gazes, we even danced together.

Then Charte left the banquet hall to have an important conversation with the King of Harua.

As soon as I was left alone, irritating sounds began to reach my ears, as if they had been waiting.

“Without even having the abilities of an empress.”

“Exactly. Did you see how clumsily she danced?”

Three or four princesses had gathered and were chattering.

Instead of avoiding them like before, I boldly approached them.

“Are you talking about me? Princess Seira.”

“Yes, I’m not saying anything untrue, am I!”

“I apologized for my mistakes right away, but was that not enough? Have I made mistakes serious enough for princesses and ladies to ridicule and insult me behind my back?”

“We have to be careful or we might be falsely accused of crimes we didn’t commit. Fortunately, this is the Kingdom of Harua, so we won’t be driven out like Princess Hyrelia.”

Another lady said.

“Poor Hyrelia, not only did she lose her sister, but she was also driven out.”

Now I understood.

These people were clearly friends with Hyrelia.

They were taking revenge for Hyrelia, who was friends with other born-with-silver-spoons princesses.

“And to suffer that from such an unqualified empress, how frustrated she must have been.”

At that moment, a chilling voice that seemed capable of freezing the surrounding air interrupted.

“Who is unqualified?”

The four princesses turned around with surprised faces to see Charte standing there, exuding charisma with a cold face.

“What’s happening? Empress.”

“Well……”

It was awkward because I couldn’t tell him, ‘Your Majesty, I’m being excluded right now.’

“There is only one empress in this place—my wife. Who dares to discuss the qualifications of the empire’s empress here!”

When everyone was trembling and unable to speak due to Charte’s cold intimidation, it was then—

The most immature instigator of this incident, Princess Seira, tactlessly talked back.

At that moment, the expressions of those involved in this incident who were nearby became miserably distorted.

“How can someone who doesn’t know diplomatic etiquette be qualified as empress! You’ve taken a person who doesn’t even have the basics as your wife, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

When Charte said nothing, Princess Seira told everyone about my mistakes with a triumphant face, as if reporting them.

“The empress didn’t even properly know the faces and names of the distinguished guests here.”

Charte’s face suddenly changed to indifference.

“Does she need to know that?”

“What?”

“Why should the empress of the Oneroad Empire know such things? Shouldn’t others adjust to the empire? Etiquette is something that subordinates maintain and observe toward superiors, so who dares to demand etiquette from the empire’s empress?”

As the atmosphere became increasingly tense, the King of Harua approached to intervene.

“Your Majesty the Emperor, please calm your anger……”

However, the king’s words couldn’t continue to the end.

Because Charte’s gaze shifted to Princess Seira.

The person who had created the suffocating silence broke that silence by opening his mouth.

“By the way, who are you?”

Princess Seira, who had been looking at Charte with an incredulous face, turned red and blue.

“Your Highness the King, is it appropriate to let just anyone into your precious celebration party?”

“You!”

Princess Seira tried to protest, but the king stopped her words.

“I apologize, Your Majesty the Emperor. This mistake occurred because we failed to properly host our guests, so I will apologize. And since today is our son’s celebration party, I earnestly ask that you set aside your anger and only offer congratulations.”

Feeling like I had sprinkled ashes on the young prince’s future, I looked at Charte with an apologetic face.

“Your Majesty, please stop now. I’m fine.”

“I, the empire, am not fine. But since today is for the prince, I’ll leave it at this.”

“Thank you. My wife and son will be pleased as well.”

“But King! Whoever that unknown person is, she should come and apologize to the empress.”

At that, Princess Seira trembled with anger all over her body and ran out of the banquet hall.

“Yes, I will make sure of that.”

Afterward, the party continued as if nothing had happened and concluded well.

While walking back to the annex palace where we were staying together, I wanted to thank him, but he was having an intense conversation with Viscount Catano, so I couldn’t say a word.

After entering the room together, I unconsciously grabbed him as he was about to leave for work.

“Your Majesty.”

He stared at my hand holding his arm, so I quickly let go.

“I’m truly sorry for causing trouble, failing to faithfully perform my role as empress, bringing shame to the empire, and putting Your Majesty in a difficult position.”

He looked at me with an expressionless gaze.

“Nevertheless, thank you so much for taking my side.”

“I took the empire’s side, not yours. Because the empire shouldn’t be seen as a joke.”

It was fine even if it wasn’t for me.

I was just happy that he had taken my side.

As he was about to leave, he paused and added one more thing.

“The only one who can criticize the empress is me, the emperor. Always remember that.”

His broad back as he said those words made me feel secure, as if he was protecting me.

“Yes, Your Majesty! I will remember that.”