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Chapter 34
“Few people can stay level-headed when problems arise — most get swept away by emotion.”
Luigi meant every word.
Becoming the Empress meant being both the Emperor’s partner and his political ally. There would be countless crises to face, and difficult decisions to make. That’s why she liked Laura — the girl had a rare talent for calmly assessing situations and solving problems.
“People like that are hard to find.”
“AND YET SHE DARES TO PULL A STUNT LIKE THIS!”
Luigi’s composure shattered as her fists trembled in fury.
The more she thought about Asel suggesting — no, proposing himself — to enter into a two-year contract with Laura, the more absurd it seemed.
“What if someone else snatches her away in the meantime?!”
Luigi knew well that when something was truly good, it couldn’t stay hidden for long. There would always be someone who wanted it.
“Or someone who wants to destroy it.”
“At any rate, there’s no way harm will come to someone Your Highness has taken an interest in.”
“Hah! I’ve been fooled once, you think I’ll be fooled twice? Look at that fool Marquis Wheeler! If he’d just waited patiently, I would’ve found him a fine match — but no, he couldn’t hold his horses!”
“Your Highness…”
Eventually, Luigi found herself talking about something that had happened twenty years ago.
Dorothea looked embarrassed.
The younger people wouldn’t know the story, but Luigi had once been furious that Marquis Wheeler was showing interest in Dorothea — because Wheeler had a reputation as a notorious playboy.
Dorothea was from a fallen noble family. Orphaned young, she spent most of her wages as a lady-in-waiting caring for her younger siblings.
Luigi, knowing her circumstances, had taken a special interest in her.
Fearing that Wheeler might try to buy her affection with money, Luigi helped Dorothea’s siblings find respectable employment.
Later, when she realized Wheeler’s feelings were genuine, Luigi even provided Dorothea with a personal dowry, insisting, “A marriage built on debt only leads to hardship.”
That was Luigi’s nature — to grumble endlessly in front of others, yet quietly take care of everything behind the scenes.
Now, she seemed intent on doing the same for Laura.
But Dorothea still voiced a concern.
“But, Your Highness… if His Grace truly has no feelings for the young lady, there’s nothing to be done, is there?”
“No, there’s no doubt — he does.”
Luigi spoke with conviction.
Because when the curse had been lifted, her memories had returned.
“Asel definitely had feelings for that girl once.”
She had heard it from Mortum, the kingdom’s intelligence network — and her informants had never once betrayed her.
For some reason, though, everyone seemed to have forgotten that truth. Even Asel himself, and the maid who had reported it.
She didn’t know the cause, but if Asel had once loved Laura, it wasn’t impossible that he could fall for her again.
“Do you have a plan in mind, Your Highness?”
“The best way would be… to quell those ridiculous rumors first.”
The reason Luigi had initially held a bad impression of Laura was entirely because of those rumors.
But rumors were stubborn things — the harder you tried to erase them, the more they tended to backfire.
Still…
“Judging by how that girl conducts herself, I’m not too worried.”
Laura had managed to win Luigi’s heart in just a few days. Luigi believed it was only a matter of time before everyone else saw Laura’s true worth.
So —
“All I can do now is make sure everyone knows Laura has been accepted by the Imperial Family.”
That way, any unsavory men would think twice before setting their eyes on her.
She already had a plan.
“I’m going to host a tea-tasting event — and I’ll be introducing her there.”
Luigi intended to mobilize every connection she’d made during her princess years.
They were all veteran figures of high society — many retired, but still influential behind the scenes.
If she could tie those people to Laura, it would give the girl an enormous advantage.
And as it happened, most of them had personal ties to Dorothea.
“So I need a favor — can you make the arrangements?”
Dorothea bowed her head, as though she’d been waiting to hear those words.
“If that is Your Highness’s wish, how could I possibly refuse?”
Luigi might not be her master, but the debt Dorothea owed her remained — a debt she would never forget.
Noon, that same day.
I was lying in bed at the mansion when a telegram arrived.
“Emergency: Princess Luigi sighted. Evacuate immediately.”
“…What?”
The message was bizarre.
“Princess Luigi’s a monster now? ‘Sighted’?”
Still, Asel must’ve had a reason to send a telegram written in such a hurried scrawl. I changed into a proper dress and waited…
But nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.
‘Did he send it by mistake?’
It wasn’t until four days later that I understood why he’d written it.
“A tea-tasting party?”
Marsha handed me the invitation.
The official host was Marchioness Wheeler — but everyone knew Princess Luigi was the real one behind it.
Anyone familiar with Luigi’s perfectionist nature would know to be on edge.
“Well, that’s not so bad,” I said, tossing the invitation onto the desk.
“Shouldn’t you prepare something for it, my lady?” Marsha asked nervously, uneasy at my calm tone.
“Not particularly.”
Because I remembered — this exact event had appeared in the original story.
Back then, Luigi had hosted the same kind of tea event to introduce Seraphina to society, and it had ended pleasantly under her careful direction.
In other words —
‘She must like me.’
So there was no need for Asel to worry.
‘I should send him a reply — tell him there’s nothing to be concerned about.’
Asel had a tendency to overreact to small things, a habit born from his instinct to minimize risks as a leader.
Luigi, on the other hand, was fiercely independent.
There was no stopping her once she set her mind on something — and trying to interfere would only provoke her.
With that, I reached for the next letter on the desk.
A familiar scent wafted from the envelope.
“Esha?”
The contents were simple: she was coming to visit me at the Leweiz mansion to congratulate me on my return — and to make the dress I’d wear for the tea party.
A dress…?
Esha’s hobby was dressmaking.
She often said that if she hadn’t become a merchant running her territory’s trading company, she would’ve been a tailor instead.
She was quite talented too — I’d worn her designs at several social events.
The only issue was… I already had plenty of dresses prepared for this tea party.
Silona had made dozens of them for the last banquet, and several had never even been worn.
The season hadn’t changed, so they were still perfectly usable.
“I’ll have to refuse…”
Then I noticed the date written in the letter.
“…Wait — she’s coming today?”
“What?” Marsha blinked in surprise.
“Wha—?”
Even Seraphina, who’d been napping on the bed, rubbed her eyes and looked up.
Since moving out of the old temple into a proper house, she’d started taking more naps — and I usually let her, since it was good for a growing child.
But now she’d woken up because of me.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry, sweetheart. Want to go back to sleep?”
I tried to carry her to her own room, since my chamber wasn’t exactly the best place for resting when guests were expected.
But Seraphina clutched my sleeve tightly and shook her head.
Even in her childlike state, she was sharp — she knew perfectly well when I was about to go out, and she always wanted to stay close when I was home.
“Ah, this is a problem…”
“Saint, please — come with me, yes?” Marsha reached out, but Seraphina just buried her face into my chest with a pout.
And honestly — that pouty face was way too cute.
Just then, the long-awaited guest finally arrived.
“Announce me properly! My hands are full, I can’t open the door myself—”
It was Esha, her arms overflowing with bundles of fabric samples.
“…Me?” I said blankly.
As she looked up, our eyes met — mine, standing in the doorway holding Seraphina in my arms…
“…?!??”
Esha’s eyes went wide, and the mountain of fabric tumbled from her hands with a crash.
