Chapter 1 (Part 7)

On the way to the tea party venue, Olivia spoke to Kira.

Kira, knowing that this young lady was the Lady Olivia Ferzen, whom Meia always praised, shared how Meia thought of Olivia.

“She said that the red dress suits you so well that she was momentarily mesmerized. And she always said your tea parties are tasteful and elegant.”

“I see.”

Olivia had been jealous of Meia, but Meia had been praising her.

“And she said she wanted to be good friends with you.”

There was no trace of falsehood in Kira’s face.

Of course, Meia never spoke ill of others. She had thoroughly learned how frighteningly words could spread from one mouth to another.

“I see… I feel the same way.”

Olivia had also been jealous of Meia and disliked her, but she acknowledged that there was no one more suitable for the position of Empress than Meia. Thinking that Meia would leave made her feel suffocated.

If Meia disappeared, she wondered if Meryl Hatzbellua would be able to lead the social circles with charisma.

Absolutely not.

‘The social circles will soon be engulfed in a storm.’

Looking in the opposite direction of the blowing wind, Olivia sighed deeply.

And she accepted that she had become real friends with Meia.

After Olivia left, Yudy entered.

“Lady Meryl is heading to the tea party venue now.”

“I see.”

“My lady, aren’t you upset?”

She had to protect Meia after the sudden death of the former duke and duchess.

But she couldn’t. She was just a powerless nanny.

“I… I am.”

To Yudy, Meia was the precious young lady she had raised with her heart since childhood.

“Nanny, are you very upset? Angry?”

“Yes, I am very upset, angry, and filled with resentment.”

Yudy bit her lip and trembled.

Meia gently brushed Yudy’s lips with her thumb.

“Don’t bite your lip. You’ll bleed, nanny.”

Yudy released her tightly bitten lip and wiped the tears from her eyes at Meia’s mature words of comfort.

“As I age, it seems I shed more tears.”

Meia forced a smile, lifting the corners of her mouth.

Having served Meia for a long time, Yudy knew that the smile was forced, made by merely lifting her lips. This made her heart break even more.

“By now, many people must have gathered at the tea party. It’s time to go. By the way, when will Agnita arrive?”

“She is searching alone at the bottom of a very deep valley, so it’s difficult to meet her.”

“Is that so? Tell Helena to send a letter through the earth spirits.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Meia removed the puffiness from her eyes, finished her preparations, and walked slowly to the tea party venue.

*   *   *

Upon arriving at the tea party venue, Olivia sat in the seat marked with her name and family.

Other young ladies also entered the tea party venue one by one, greeting each other and praising the beauty of the flowers arranged around them.

“Oh my, carnations.”

“Oh, and lagrass here…”

“The scent is wonderful.”

“The flower meanings of lagrass and carnations are gratitude… I’m looking forward to the explanation of the tea party concept.”

To the noble young ladies, Meia was the epitome and textbook example of a noble young lady. They all wanted to emulate her graceful steps and dignified smile.

Especially when Meia hosted tea parties, she was perfect. Many young ladies would even say, ‘Like Lady Meia,’ when preparing their own tea parties.

Moreover, because she gave good advice when hosting tea parties, Meia’s tea parties were always popular.

“I’m looking forward to the refreshments today as well.”

“I’m excited about the social circles Lady Meia will lead when she becomes Empress.”

The young ladies continued their conversations, happily imagining supporting a dignified Empress like Meia.

Hearing these comments, as no one knew about Meia’s broken engagement, made Olivia feel even more suffocated.

Jingle jingle.

At that moment, a servant entered and announced the family and name of the person entering.

“Lady Meryl Hatzbellua is entering.”

At the announcement of Meryl’s entrance, the people in the room stopped their conversations. No one felt comfortable with Meryl, who even jokingly claimed her cousin’s fiancée position as her own.

“Lady Meryl has come too.”

“We expected it since they’re from the same house, but still…”

Meryl appeared in a splendid gold dress with her hair elegantly pinned up, looking confident and glamorous.

“Whose seat is that?”

“That’s Lady Meia’s seat…”

Walking confidently towards the head seat of the table, Meryl sat down without hesitation.

“This must be my seat.”

Seeing Meryl sit so confidently in the seat meant for the host of the tea party, the young ladies in the tea party venue were left speechless.

It wouldn’t have mattered if the host had offered her seat, but sitting there without the host’s arrival just because she was a cousin showed a lack of table manners.

Unable to watch any longer, Olivia stood up and spoke to Meryl.

“Lady Meryl, that seat is for Lady Meia. Sitting there without the host’s arrival or permission is against social etiquette.”

Other young ladies nodded in agreement with Olivia’s words.

They did not look kindly upon Meryl, who had freely taken Meia’s seat.

Meryl frowned and spoke.Marquess Ferzen’s young lady

“Lady Meryl? I didn’t give you permission to call my name. It’s you, Marquess Ferzen’s young lady, who lacks etiquette.”

Meryl responded sarcastically and with a defiant attitude.Marquess Ferzen’s young lady’s

“What did you say?”

“Why? Marquess Ferzen’s young lady?”

Olivia struggled to maintain her composure at Meryl’s deliberate misnaming, knowing full well that she was from the Ferzen family.

Other young ladies looked at Olivia with concern.

“I am Olivia of the Ferzen family.”

“Oh… not Marquess Ferzen, but Marquess Ferzen’s young lady.”

“The seat you are sitting in is for Lady Meia. Please get up. It is against etiquette to sit there without the host’s arrival.”

“It’s fine. Meia will understand.”

“Understanding is for Lady Meia to decide.”

“I am Lady Hatzbellua.”

“I know.”

“That means I can sit in the seat Meia can sit in.”

Meryl’s words left the young ladies in the room frozen.

They had much to say but couldn’t voice it.

“And do you know who I am, and why are you all holding your heads so stiffly?”

Meryl’s words sounded like she was saying she could also sit in the ‘fiancée’s position’ that Meia held.

Even now, she was going around saying that she would replace Meia as Crown Prince Patzraelli’s fiancée!

Unable to bear it any longer, the young ladies glared at Meryl and began to speak one by one.

“Please get up from that seat immediately!”

“Do you realize how dangerous your words are?”

Meryl banged her palm on the table in front of her and raised her voice instead.

“Didn’t you hear? I am soon to be the Crown Princess! Bow your heads.”

At Meryl’s words, the tea party venue fell silent.

Olivia, pretending not to know what Meia had told her, asked Meryl calmly.

“Are you saying the engagement has changed, as the rumors say?”

“It’s not a rumor. I have become the Crown Prince’s fiancée. It will be officially announced tomorrow, but it’s good for you to know in advance, right? So, since I have the highest rank here, you should all show me proper respect.”

At those words, all the young ladies were shocked, and Olivia, unable to hide her anger, spoke.

“Regardless of rank, I asked you to observe proper etiquette. Whether you become the Crown Princess or the Empress, please follow table manners.”

Jingle jingle.

“Lady Meia Hatzbellua is entering.”

Everyone stood up as Meia entered.

Even though Meryl was about to become Crown Prince Patzraelli’s fiancée and the future Crown Princess, she couldn’t hide her displeasure at people showing respect to Meia, who was stepping down from the fiancée position.

“Everyone, welcome… Oh my, Cousin Meryl, you’re already here?”

Meryl signaled Meia to come over by beckoning with her finger.

“Cousin, I told you not to wave your fingers like that.”

“You’re very good at using polite language in front of people.”

“You should also use respectful language towards me and others. That’s proper etiquette.”

“Ah! I hate that lecturing tone! Speak casually like you usually do.”

“Cousin Meryl, that seat is mine, so please move. That seat is for the host.”

“Isn’t it my seat since it’s a noble’s seat? Where is my seat? I want to sit at the head of the table too.”

“I was planning to have your seat prepared and then call you, but you came early.”

“Is it wrong to come early? Why don’t I have a seat? The servants didn’t do their job properly.”

“That’s not it. I informed you beforehand that I would call you at the right time.”

Meia sighed briefly at Meryl’s words and ordered a servant to bring another chair and place it next to hers.

“Please sit next to me.”

Since the seat next to Meia was also a head seat, Meryl nodded and sat down.

While other young ladies thought Meia was wise and kind, they were all astonished by Meryl’s behavior.

“I’ll let this slide.”

Meia slightly bowed her head and greeted everyone at the tea party with a smile.