“Your kindness never ceases to amaze me,” the Empress remarked, lavishing Yelodia with praise for her warmth and intelligence before signaling to the attendant with a glance.

“Let the ladies in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the attendant replied, visibly relieved.

Soon, the doors to the reception room opened, and three noblewomen entered, each dressed in jaw-droppingly exquisite attire.

Edward seemed momentarily at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the dazzling gowns. Yelodia, too, was inwardly taken aback. The women were clad in elaborate evening dresses as if attending a grand ball.

Their outfits were adorned with jewelry and ornaments so resplendent that even the opulent reception room seemed dim in comparison.

‘Of course, they must have anticipated meeting me’, Yelodia thought with a faint, bitter smile. It was all too obvious who the noblewomen had gone to such lengths to impress.

“Here we have the Countess of Havel, the Marchioness of Cheshire, and the Viscountess of Dallas. All of them are dear friends of mine,” the Empress introduced.

“Oh my, isn’t this Lady Yelodia Xavier? You’re as beautiful as they say,” said the Countess of Havel.

“…It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Yelodia Xavier,” Yelodia replied politely.

The Countess of Havel and the Marchioness of Cheshire exchanged subtle smiles before introducing themselves and turning their attention to Edward.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Loras Havel.”

“Liliana Cheshire.”

Edward greeted them with composed courtesy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Edward Adrian.”

As soon as Edward finished his introduction, the two ladies couldn’t help but let out soft gasps of admiration. They quickly unfolded their silk fans to conceal their expressions, exchanging subtle glances behind them.

Contrary to the rumors, Edward was breathtakingly handsome, his demeanor refined and captivating.

‘What on earth is going on here?’

The man standing before them was nothing like the notorious “Baron Adrian” rumored to be a brutish soldier. Instead, he exuded elegance and restraint, leaving the women utterly entranced.

Unlike the lighter-skinned nobles of Freia, his sun-kissed complexion, broad shoulders, and athletic physique added to his masculine appeal. Even the deliberate precision of his movements was magnetic.

‘I must tell the other ladies in society about him as soon as possible’, thought the Countess of Havel and the Marchioness of Cheshire, their eyes gleaming with excitement at this newfound prospect in their social circles.

In contrast, the Viscountess of Dallas seemed oddly tense, her smile rigid as she looked at Edward.

Edward greeted her as calmly as he had the others. “It’s been a while, Viscountess Dallas.”

“It has been… a while, Baron Adrian,” she replied, her voice faintly trembling.

The Empress’s eyes sparkled with intrigue as she glanced between the two.

“So, the two of you are already acquainted?”

“We met briefly by chance,” Edward responded curtly, as if the encounter had been a mere passing moment on a busy street.

Yet the Viscountess of Dallas’s faintly trembling eyes and her blushing cheeks betrayed a different sentiment. Yelodia didn’t miss the subtle changes in her expression.

The Empress, her smile serene yet brimming with mischief, gestured for the ladies to sit.

“You must be tired. Please, have a seat.”

“We are honored, Your Majesty,” the Countess of Havel replied on behalf of the group. She took a seat on the sofa to the Empress’s left, with the other two women following suit.

Much to Yelodia’s dismay, their seats were directly across from her and Edward.

‘So this was intentional’ Yelodia thought, silently clenching her teeth. The Empress had orchestrated this meeting from the beginning.

“Countess Havel, I apologize for any inconvenience. It seems there was some miscommunication,” the Empress said warmly.

“Not at all, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to meet the two individuals who are the talk of the town,” replied the Countess of Havel, her tone oozing flattery.

“Indeed. Such moments are surely a blessing from the divine,” added the Marchioness of Cheshire, her voice dripping with sycophantic charm.

The Empress nodded slowly before turning her gaze to the Viscountess of Dallas.

“However, Viscountess Dallas, you seem a bit uneasy.”

“N-not at all, Your Majesty,” the Viscountess stammered, her face flushing further.

The Empress truly was as shrewd as she was ruthless.

Yelodia could instinctively sense that the Empress had ulterior motives but could do nothing but observe for now. The Empress’s intentions remained unclear.

“The grandeur of visiting Your Majesty’s palace must have overwhelmed her a little. Please forgive her nervousness,” Edward interjected calmly.

“Oh dear, it seems I’ve made you uncomfortable without meaning to,” the Empress said with feigned remorse.

The Viscountess of Dallas reddened further, offering a timid smile but unable to hide her unease.

Compared to the other two ladies, her attire seemed noticeably outdated. Her teal silk dress and chunky emerald ring looked more suited to her mother than to her. Even her hairstyle was markedly out of fashion.

‘Why is Viscountess Dallas even here?’

As a mere viscountess, gaining entry to the Empress’s palace would not have been easy.

Yelodia was narrowing her eyes in suspicion when the maids entered, placing aromatic tea before the guests.

“Please enjoy the tea. It’s a fine blend I recently received as a gift,” the Empress said.

“We are honored,” the ladies replied in unison, each politely raising their teacups.

This time, the Viscountess of Dallas was no exception. Her trembling hands made it seem as though the tea might be poisoned, and in the end, she dropped her teacup.

With a sharp crash, the teacup hit the floor, its shattering sound almost ominous.

“Oh my!”

The spilled tea darkened her dress, and the Viscountess, visibly flustered, rose hastily from her seat.

“Please, remain still. You might hurt yourself on the shards,” Edward said calmly.

“My… my apologies,” she stammered.

The attendants, who had been waiting on the sidelines, rushed to clean up the broken pieces and restore order. The Viscountess clutched her dress tightly, her body shaking. Her face was pale, as if she might faint at any moment, perhaps overwhelmed by the gravity of her mistake.

The Empress watched her with a look of pity and clicked her tongue softly.

“Poor thing, trembling so much. Fetch one of my dresses for the Viscountess of Dallas.”

The maids stepped forward to escort the Viscountess, supporting her on either side.

“I am deeply grateful for your boundless generosity,” the Viscountess said. After hesitating momentarily, she bowed deeply to the Empress and started to leave. Her gaze, perhaps unintentionally, flickered toward Edward before falling away.

“How thoughtful of you,” one of the noblewomen remarked.

“Indeed, Her Majesty’s magnanimity never fails to amaze me,” added another.

The Empress waved her hand dismissively, as though it was no great matter.

“As this incident occurred in my palace, it is only right that I take responsibility.”

At that moment, Edward rose from his seat and extended his hand to Yelodia. Though puzzled, she accepted his hand and stood.

With his right hand over his heart, Edward bowed to the Empress and spoke.

“Your Majesty, may I have your permission to withdraw from this gathering?”

“So soon? Why the rush? We’ve only just begun our tea time,” the Empress inquired, her expression curious.

Edward replied without hesitation. “Though it was an accident, my presence here now feels inappropriate.”

“Inappropriate? What do you mean by that?”

“I fear that remaining here would be disrespectful to the Viscount of Dallas, who is absent,” Edward explained.

At his words, the two noblewomen let out soft exclamations, as if only now realizing the implication.

“Ah…”

It was entirely reasonable for a yet-to-be-married man, even a baron, to avoid staying near where a noblewoman was changing dresses.

He’s trying to prevent even the smallest hint of scandal.

It didn’t matter that the Viscountess of Dallas was changing in a room separate from the reception hall. What mattered was the perception that Adrian was present at the scene of the incident. Rumors in the royal palace could easily exaggerate and twist such circumstances.

If relayed through just two attendants, the story could morph into something as outrageous as Edward witnessing the Viscountess changing her dress.

This is quite unexpected.

The surprising part wasn’t the situation—it was that Edward had initiated the request. For someone who had been a commoner just a month ago, his behavior was strikingly astute and precise.

“May I have your permission, Your Majesty?” Edward repeated.

The Empress, her expression unreadable, regarded him closely before speaking.

“If it is the baron’s request, I suppose I cannot refuse. You may leave.”

“I am deeply grateful for your grace, Your Majesty,” Edward replied, bowing with a formality so sharp it was almost chilling.

He turned to Yelodia, prompting her to curtsey as she lifted her dress slightly. They both addressed the noblewomen next.

“It’s truly unfortunate, but I hope to see you again at my engagement ceremony. It would bring me great joy if you could attend and grace the occasion with your presence,” Yelodia said with a poised smile.

Her words clearly implied that she would not arrange another meeting until the engagement ceremony.

The two noblewomen seemed to grasp her meaning, fanning themselves idly while casting sidelong glances at the Empress.

It was evident that Empress Vivian had not anticipated their departure to be so swift.

The Empress, her lips momentarily pressed together in thought, eventually donned a soft smile and said, “May the blessings of the divine be upon you both. I hope you enjoy a peaceful afternoon.”

Yelodia, concealing a vague sense of unease, offered a respectful bow.

“May you also have a peaceful afternoon, Your Majesty.”

“Every word he spoke carried weight. He is far from ordinary,” remarked the Countess of Havel.

The Marchioness of Cheshire, gently fanning herself, responded, “An ambitious man who has risen to vice admiral by capturing the Emperor’s favor… It’s no surprise he’s skilled in diplomacy. But what caught my attention more was the baron’s appearance. I never imagined such a strikingly handsome man could exist among naval officers. If I had known, I would’ve invited him to our parties long ago.”

“Indeed. Did you see the expression on the Viscountess of Dallas’s face earlier? She looked like someone mourning the one that got away.”