Chapter 13
That day, the conversation at the tea party revolved for quite some time around Gobard and the pink diamond.
The Third and Second Empress Consorts led most of the discussion, but even though she did not actively participate, it was clear that the First Empress Consort was listening closely as well.
‘Kinya really doesn’t seem interested at all, though.’
Hidden behind Kinya’s indifferent demeanor, I, too, offered only appropriate, measured reactions before returning to the palace.
As I stepped down from the carriage, I noticed that Agasa’s complexion looked unwell.
‘She must have realized who the owner of that ring is.’
After all, the pink diamond was the exact same color as her eyes.
‘Still… this is troublesome.’
She shouldn’t start having a hard time already.
I averted my gaze from Agasa’s pale face and continued walking.
‘There are still so many places I plan to take you.’
“You’ve returned, Princess.”
When I entered my bedchamber, Brillint, who had been waiting, approached me.
Her arms were filled with invitation cards.
“Gasp! What’s all that?”
“They’re all invitations from nobles who wish to meet you, Your Highness.”
At that, I let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Is it thanks to the Crown Prince’s wedding? Everyone’s suddenly looking for me.”
Well, compared to the other arrogant, prideful members of the imperial family, I must have been the easiest one to approach.
At my grumbling, Brillint smiled gently.
“There certainly are a lot. Even for a member of the Lorrenode imperial family, attending all of these would leave you bedridden.”
Half joking—though not entirely—she asked,
“Shall we decline them all?”
I folded my arms as if in thought, then shook my head.
“Hmm, not all of them!”
“Then?”
“They’re curious about His Highness’s happy occasion, after all. It wouldn’t be polite to refuse every invitation… Let’s skip the banquets and attend a few tea parties instead!”
It was difficult to bring maids along to banquets, so tea parties were perfect.
Having answered thus, I beamed and placed my hands on my hips.
“What do you think? That way I won’t fall ill, right?”
“Of course. A wise decision.”
Brillint smiled proudly, as though seeing her younger sister in me.
All the while unaware that her real sister was standing in the corner, pale as a sheet.
‘This is something I shouldn’t be doing to Brillint.’
But what choice did I have?
For the sake of my goal, I had resolved to use every card in my hand.
Even if that meant using the family of my longtime childhood friend.
‘So Brillint, don’t grow too fond of someone like me.’
I swallowed the words I could never say aloud to her smiling face.
After that, I attended quite a number of tea parties.
Mostly ones hosted by those who held significant influence in high society.
Naturally, such gatherings were crowded—and when many people gathered, even sensitive topics flowed easily.
“Princess Neroli, have you heard? About that pink diamond His Highness the Crown Prince purchased.”
“When I first heard, I was so shocked. To think the anonymous tycoon who paid hundreds of millions of gold at once was actually His Highness!”
“Surely he intends to give it to Lady Abeua of the Bobonsher family, his longtime fiancée?”
At that, everyone burst into laughter.
They all knew.
Gobard, who had treated Abeua like yesterday’s leftovers for the past five years, would never do such a thing.
Even the young lady who had made the remark seemed amused by her own words and giggled.
“But really—if it isn’t Lady Bobonsher, then who could be the owner of the ring~?”
“It’s not as if His Highness would wear the pink diamond himself.”
“Oh my, that’s quite a novel idea.”
“The pink diamond and the Crown Prince… Would that suit him?”
Every young lady gathered at this tea party was a direct descendant of a high-ranking noble house.
Some of them had once been included among the candidates to become Gobard’s fiancée.
Was that why? They seemed to be hiding sharper blades than usual beneath their tongues.
‘They’ve been waiting for this moment.’
In the end, they had failed to become Gobard’s fiancée because they lost the dowry battle.
Their pride had been deeply wounded—and now an opportunity had arrived to mock the victor?
For prideful nobles, that meant pouncing to tear her apart.
This was exactly the kind of gathering I had been looking for.
‘The more they chatter, the more pressure it will put on Agasa.’
But… was this enough?
As I sat quietly, the conversation was gradually crossing the line.
It wouldn’t do for them to treat the imperial family too lightly, so after observing for a while, I set down my teacup.
Clink.
The crisp sound rang out across the table.
“Is there really any need to think so deeply about it?”
At once, all eyes turned to me.
I smiled brightly.
“As if His Highness would have someone special besides his fiancée! Hehe, Lady Abeua and a pink diamond already sound perfect together!”
Right?
Tilting my head, I naturally searched the group of waiting maids and found Agasa.
Her face was deathly pale.
‘Shall I drive the final nail into that guilty conscience now?’
After clearing my throat lightly, I deliberately spoke in a firm voice.
“And! I absolutely don’t believe His Highness has a secret lover! That would be an insult to him.”
Of course, it was all lies.
More than anyone, I knew what a pathetic man Gobard was—keeping a fiancée while letting his eyes wander elsewhere.
‘Whether he’s insulted or not is none of my concern.’
But on the surface, I was a princess who shared his blood. Remaining silent would have seemed strange.
The young ladies who had been speaking so freely suddenly glanced at one another, reminded of my position.
A few quickly spoke up.
“Her Highness is right. Who would covet a man who already has a fiancée?”
“If anyone did, she’d have nerves of steel. We’re all sitting quietly, after all…”
“Besides, one can only aspire to become Empress after His Highness ascends the throne, can’t one?”
In the Lorrenode Empire, polygamy applied only to the Emperor.
It was a means of forging marriage alliances across the vast continent and securing stability.
In other words, no matter that he was Crown Prince, until his coronation he could have only one wife.
This was largely due to the influence of the Dalia Faith, which held the greatest number of believers on the continent.
‘Of course, they turn a blind eye to secret mistresses—so long as they aren’t discovered.’
The unspoken condition being: don’t get caught.
I glanced at Agasa again.
She was trembling now.
“Hey, are you alright?”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Even the maids beside her looked at her with concern.
Watching this, I smiled innocently as though unaware.
‘For someone as devout as her… can she really keep her relationship with Gobard hidden?’
Forget hiding it—she looked like she might not even endure it.
Just then, someone sharply raised her voice.
“Lady Abeua does suit pink, it’s true!”
I turned my head. It was Hidia Eogall, the cherished daughter of the current Minister of Finance, staring at me boldly.
She had been one of the final contenders competing with Abeua for the position of future Crown Princess.
“But! In this capital, the one who suits pink best is surely Lady Sanderin, wouldn’t you say?”
Her tone was aggressive—clearly eager to tarnish Abeua somehow.
A few other sharp-tongued young ladies joined in.
“That’s true. Lady Sanderin has such lovely pink eyes.”
“Eyes that would pair beautifully with a pink diamond ring.”
“Come to think of it, haven’t there been rumors in high society lately? That the one His Highness is seeing is actually Lady Sanderin!”
At that, I blinked.
Similar rumors had indeed been circulating in the palace recently.
‘That Gobard’s lover is my maid, Brillint…’
Brillint, like Agasa, had pink eyes.
And as my maid—and childhood friend—she had frequently entered and left the palace since she was young.
‘So it’s not strange that such rumors would arise.’
Of course, Brillint, who had devoted herself solely to me, detested those rumors vehemently.
Recalling her scowling face, I tilted my head innocently.
“Surely you don’t actually believe such baseless rumors? That Brillint is meeting with His Highness the Crown Prince?”
At my blunt question, the young ladies faltered for a moment.
Then Hidia forced a smile onto her lips.
“Princess, surely you jest. We wouldn’t believe groundless rumors. But between a man and a woman, one never knows what might happen.”
“Honestly, it’s not entirely without basis, is it? There’s the pink diamond, after all.”
“Well, that’s true!”
They laughed among themselves.
The more sensible young ladies, having regained their composure, held their tongues and watched me carefully.
I tapped my teacup lightly, considering how to deal with those women who were steadily overstepping their bounds.
Well, it wasn’t something that required deep thought.
“Come to think of it~ there was another amusing rumor once. That when His Highness left the palace to suppress the pirates, it was actually to avoid the young ladies pursuing him!”
At my words, the girls who had been laughing abruptly stilled.
Pretending not to notice, I clapped my hands lightly.
“There were so many rumors back then, too! Just like with this pink diamond!”
Right on cue, a young lady beside me asked with quiet curiosity,
“Rumors?”
“Hmm, for example… the Tart Disappearance Incident?”
“The Tart Disappearance Incident? Hoho, that sounds like a rather cute rumor.”
The young ladies chuckled softly.
And I did not miss the slight twitch at Hidia’s fingertips—the very one who had started this conversation.
