Parma couldn’t live with losing, especially when someone took what was hers. The recent broken engagement was an exception, though.

The moment Parma arrived at the Gareth estate in the capital, she sought out Duke Gareth. The duke welcomed his daughter, who was still dressed in her travel clothes, and asked,

“How are you feeling?”

“Of course, I’m fine. After all, I’ll be striking back at Wiscombe.”

Parma was brimming with enthusiasm for the first time in a while, and Duke Gareth nodded in approval. Seeing his daughter, once demoralized and resigned to retreating to the estate, now full of energy lifted his spirits.

“That’s how a Gareth should be.”

Three days after her arrival in the capital, Parma attended a tea party and began sending out invitations to others, making her presence known and asserting herself socially.

Meanwhile, Isabelle wasn’t sure whether to welcome or be wary of Parma’s reappearance. She anticipated that Parma would finally pick the fight she had been waiting for.

Naturally, Isabelle had no intention of yielding to Parma. However, she also didn’t want to lower herself to trading insults or having a public spat that would provide entertainment for onlookers.

‘I can’t stoop to Parma’s level to fight her. I won’t, not with someone like her.’

To prepare, Isabelle sought the assistance of the Countess of Creole and attended the gatherings. Just as the countess had once stood by Parma, this time she would act as a shield for Isabelle. After all, if Isabelle were to lose face, how could she maintain her dignity within the imperial court?

Surprisingly, Parma refrained from provoking Isabelle at parties or other events. Those who had expected fireworks between the two women were left disappointed.

Every time Isabelle and Parma crossed paths, the atmosphere filled with tension and anticipation. Many still hoped for a dramatic spectacle. Yet, Parma greeted Isabelle with curt civility, maintaining her composure.

Some speculated that Parma had matured or had finally come to terms with reality. Whatever the case, Parma seemed different.

But Isabelle didn’t believe it for a second.

‘Has Parma really tamed her fiery temper overnight? Not likely.’

Parma, moving through the crowd and overhearing the whispers about her, thought to herself,

‘Do they really think I’ll play along with Wiscombe’s wishes so easily?’

***

In the Duke of Wiscombe’s office, the former Duchess of Wiscombe sat in her usual chair. The duke spoke to her,

“Now that Parma has returned, shouldn’t you come out of seclusion? I can’t trust the Duchess.”

“Hah! The fact that you keep calling your wife ‘the duchess’ tells me you don’t want her forgetting her duties, doesn’t it?”

“Father always addressed you as ‘the duchess.’ I remember it as a sign of respect and affection. I aim to follow his example, even if imperfectly.”

The former duchess scoffed but replied,

“Well, you’re eloquent, I’ll give you that. The Duchess is indeed unreliable. If the Empress stirs things up again, who knows what she might do?”

The duke agreed readily. As he waited for her to say more, the former duchess continued,

“At the very least, she won’t ruin her own daughter. Do as you see fit.”

The duke smiled in relief and said,

“It seems Gareth and Prince Robert are joining forces after all. Parma’s return only reinforces that.”

The former duchess replied with disdain,

“Countess Cressida should have acted sooner. Instead of wasting time harming our grandson, she should’ve focused on Gareth and Prince Robert. She could’ve spread rumors about Robert being a libertine. But no, she’s too fixated on petty gains. A warning might finally get through to her.”

“I wish Countess Cressida’s ambitions matched her competence. I’ll arrange a meeting with her.”

As a result, the Duchess of Wiscombe was released from her seclusion. Until now, she had been living separately from her family in the same estate. She returned to the duke’s office and took her seat for the first time in a long while.

The duchess remarked,

“When I heard Sophia returned to Ariel, I knew Parma would come back to the capital. She’ll end the engagement soon enough.”

The duke gently held her hand and said,

“Parma Gareth has been quiet. She doesn’t seem inclined to cause trouble now. We can finally send the Countess of Creole away.”

The duchess nodded quietly but had no intention of letting the Countess of Creole leave unscathed.

Setting her teacup down, the duchess scoffed,

“Parma hasn’t truly changed. She’s just pretending. Tell me, if Gareth suddenly started acting kind toward us, would you think he’d truly reformed, or would you feel uneasy?”

“Of course, I’d suspect he was scheming.”

“And where do you think Parma’s fiery nature comes from? People don’t change overnight unless they have another plan.”

“Do you think it’s to marry Prince Robert after all?”

“Sophia returned to Ariel, and Prince Robert didn’t stop her. It’s clear he was biding time from the start, ensuring Parma would accept an engagement with him.”

“But the Emperor himself celebrated the engagement, didn’t he?”

“Do you find the Emperor trustworthy? He must have his own plans. That so-called engagement celebration ball was likely a ruse to attract the bourgeoisie to the imperial court. The Empress got played by the Emperor and Prince Robert.”

“That might be true. Would you like to meet the Empress yourself?”

“Do you think the Empress would agree to meet someone like me?”

The sarcasm in the Duchess of Wiscombe’s voice was unmistakable. She couldn’t forget that while the Countess of Creole had taken the lead in ostracizing her from society, it was the Empress who had orchestrated it behind the scenes.

“The Countess of Cressida and my mother will be meeting soon. Why not join them? Sooner or later, we’ll need to arrange a meeting.”

“Fine. It’ll be interesting to see Mother’s skills in action after so long.”

“You won’t be disappointed. Conversations with the Countess of Cressida are never dull.”

“So lifting my house arrest had something to do with the possibility of meeting the Empress, didn’t it?”

The Duke replied, “Regardless of the reasons, your importance has been recognized.”

The Duchess smiled sweetly and nodded, though her thoughts were far less kind.

‘You miserable old man.’

***

In the imperial garden, a fountain gushed with vigor. On a table shaded by trees, teacups and desserts were arranged like a painting, though no one touched them.

Four women sat at the table in tense silence. As the Empress, unable to bear the quiet, was about to speak, the Countess of Cressida gently grabbed her hand under the table.

The Empress took a deep breath, fiddled with her teacup, and stared at the fountain. Watching the Empress’s awkward behavior, the former Duchess of Wiscombe let a faint smile play on her lips.

Amused by the Empress’s unease, the former duchess finally broke the silence.

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty, yet nothing about you has changed. To this old woman, you seem just as you were when you were a little girl. What a delightful child you were…”

The Countess of Cressida shot her a sharp look and replied, “You must be quite old indeed. How can you call the Empress, who now has a grown son, a child? Perhaps loneliness is making you dwell on the past.”

The former duchess chuckled. “You’re right. Loneliness has taken over. I spend my days staring at fruit trees, watching my little grandsons climb them. I used to immerse myself in trivial matters with the ladies in the capital, but now all I worry about is whether the boys will fall out of the trees. But you, Countess, are so busy—I envy you.”

Watching the former duchess smile at the Empress, the Duchess of Wiscombe pressed her lips together. Everyone knew that the elderly Countess of Cressida frequently visited the Empress’s chambers at night.

The Empress, noticing the Duchess suppressing a laugh, spoke coldly.

“Duchess of Wiscombe, are you doing well these days? You’ve been hard to find, with old rumors resurfacing and your son making a commotion. I understand the urge to avoid people, but we were beginning to worry.”

The Duchess of Wiscombe replied with a bright smile.

“Everyone needs a break from others sometimes. Even Prince Frederick had those moments. The duke and I have been reminiscing about old times lately. It’s surprising how vivid those memories remain after so many years. Don’t you agree, Your Majesty?”

The Empress was about to mockingly agree but hesitated. The height of the duke and duchess’s romantic turmoil coincided with the scandal involving Robert’s biological mother.

‘That wretched woman disappeared while pregnant. Every noble knew it.’

As the Empress’s expression darkened, the former Duchess of Wiscombe laughed breezily.

“I didn’t care much for it then. The stress I endured was immeasurable. The Countess of Cressida can attest to it—those were trying times for both of us, weren’t they?”

Both the Countess of Cressida and the Empress looked visibly displeased. The Empress, lifting her chin with arrogance, asked,

“What brings you to the palace today? Surely not to reminisce, I assume?”

The Duchess of Wiscombe replied gently, “Your Majesty’s mention of the past led us astray. My apologies.”

The former Duchess chimed in, “The Empress seems to be aging as well. As you grow older, you find yourself dwelling on past events and talking about them endlessly. Time spares no one, which is why I retired.”

The Empress retorted sharply, “If you’ve retired, what are you doing here?”

The Countess of Cressida patted the Empress’s hand gently and said in a sweet voice, “Perhaps it’s about Isabelle. Lady Gareth’s return to the capital as well.”

The former Duchess added, “Indeed, Parma Gareth has returned. And Prince Robert has been meeting nobles and bourgeoisie alike. It’s concerning.”

The Empress remarked, “Wiscombe could have done more than just worry.”

The former Duchess gave a subtle signal to the duchess, but she remained silent. With a resigned sigh, the former Duchess said,

“You must know how Duke Gareth views Prince Frederick and Wiscombe. If Parma Gareth were to marry Prince Robert, what would happen? Could Prince Frederick still ascend to the throne? It’s time to rethink what we’ve taken for granted.”

The Empress glared at the former Duchess for her bluntness. Meanwhile, the Countess of Cressida smiled serenely and said,

“You seem uneasy.”

The former Duchess replied,

“Yes, I am uneasy. While Isabelle and Frederick aren’t engaged, Wiscombe might not need to feel this level of unease or concern. However, Robert’s growing influence and steadily solidifying position make the situation even more worrisome. Frankly, we’re not the only ones feeling uneasy. Haven’t you noticed fewer people aligning themselves with the Empress and Prince Frederick lately?”

The Empress’s voice trembled as she asked,

“So, what exactly is Wiscombe suggesting?”

The former Duchess said,

“We are asking the Empress and Cressida to take action. That’s the only way to ease this unease. Tell the Emperor to expedite Prince Robert’s marriage. Why delay when he already has a fiancée? It would be even better if you could bring his fiancée to the capital.”

The former Duchess then turned to the Countess of Cressida and added,

“Prince Frederick also needs to step up his efforts. Showing up at imperial events isn’t enough. He must actively meet people and prove to everyone that he is superior to Prince Robert.”

The Countess nodded in agreement and said,

“That makes sense. We’ll consider it. Thank you for making the effort to come here today. Then…”

As the Countess began tidying up to signal the meeting’s conclusion, the former Duchess gently interrupted,

“There’s also a special request I’d like to make of you, Countess Cressida.”