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chapter 31
“Miss Naeri.”
“Ah, yes.”
At Lord Winchester’s call, I finally tore my gaze away from Daniel’s drawing. By now the tea had fully steeped, and a faint floral scent spread through the room.
“On my way to the Imperial Palace today, I received an invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Did you?”
It seemed another appointment had been added to his already full schedule. As I took out the prepared teacups, I offered a polite reply.
“So, please keep the evening of the 15th free.”
“…Pardon?”
I froze, teacup in hand, before setting it in front of him.
“Am I… going as well?”
“His Highness specifically said he would like to see you.”
“The Crown Prince wants to see me?”
“Yes.”
…Was he curious about who his tutor’s wife was? In all my sixteen years of schooling, not once had I ever been interested in knowing who my teacher’s spouse was.
Ah, but maybe it feels different with a private tutor, one-on-one, rather than being one among dozens of students.
“And also Her Highness the Princess,”
There’s a princess too? She hadn’t been mentioned at all in the story so far. Not here either. Hm… could she be like an “extra” with no presence?
Nah, impossible. How could a princess not have presence? Her very birth should make her a living spotlight.
“Her Majesty the Empress,”
The Empress too? Why did this feel like it was escalating? Don’t tell me…
“and His Majesty the Emperor will be dining with us.”
“…His Majesty the Emperor as well?”
Why though? I’m not that kind of person. I’m quiet, ordinary, the kind of extra who blends into the background. Why on earth am I being made to dine with all these glittering imperial “Your Highnesses”?
“That is correct.”
My eyes went wide like saucers, but unlike me, Lord Winchester’s demeanor remained calm. To him, it was nothing more than a casual dinner invitation at the palace. No, excuse me, but that’s not some trendy restaurant you’re inviting me to! …Well, okay, the food is probably good.
“Will Daniel be going too?”
“No. It’s a dinner where alcohol will be served.”
What a shame! I could’ve shown off Daniel’s cuteness to all those sparkling people. Then later, if Daniel ever faced difficulties, the imperial family might have become a reliable support for him.
Like, when that damn ex-husband’s family bullied Daniel, or when Daniel remarried some new Mercedes-male-lead, they might’ve spoken up for him.
‘Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to go and make a strong impression myself!’
It was obviously a burdensome occasion, but once I thought of it as something for Daniel’s future, a fire of motivation lit inside me.
“Miss Naeri?”
“Yes, Lord Winchester.”
“You can give me the cup now.”
“Huh? Ah! Yes!”
Only then did I realize I was still holding the cup I should’ve handed to him. I quickly set it before him, and he picked up the teapot, pouring tea. The subtle scent of acacia flowers filled the air even more richly.
“This is…”
Lord Winchester paused as he reached for the cup handle, his gaze fixed on the clover flower tied around it.
“It’s clover. Daniel and I have been practicing making flower rings lately.”
Daniel’s nails, which had once been gnawed down so short there was no white left, had grown noticeably. He hadn’t completely kicked his nail-biting habit, but it was far less than before.
As his nails grew, his anxiety seemed to lessen, and that alone eased my heart.
“It turned out nicely, so I couldn’t throw it away.”
He’d managed to poke holes through the stems, but tying them into a knot was still too hard for him. I suggested we practice with ribbon first, and kept one broken stem for myself, tying it onto the teacup.
“If it bothers you, I can remove it. You have big hands, so it might be uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine.”
When I stepped closer, Lord Winchester lifted the teacup without putting his fingers through the handle, holding only the side. Then he raised it to his lips.
The sight of the ever-manly Lord Winchester drinking from a teacup decorated with a dainty clover was strangely mismatched yet oddly fitting.
“Miss Naeri, you seem to like children very much.”
“Most people do. They’re cute.”
“You like cute things?”
“Who doesn’t like cute things?”
“And you like handsome things as well?”
“Well, no one dislikes those either.”
“But you seem to prefer cute over handsome.”
…That sounded pointed somehow.
I quickly rolled my eyes to gauge his expression. He merely lowered his gaze and sipped his tea with noble composure, not as though questioning the sincerity of a woman who once confessed to him.
“That’s not true. I love handsome things. Tremendously.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course! Handsome is the best. Just looking is thrilling! Perfect!”
I even gave a dramatic thumbs-up for emphasis.
“…”
Lord Winchester turned his head and looked at me quietly. I raised my lips into the brightest smile I could muster.
…Will he buy it?
Shopping! I had to go shopping!
Come on—how could I, the Countess of Winchester, show up at the Imperial Palace in an old baron’s-daughter dress? It was dinner with the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, and Princess! The only outfit in my wardrobe even remotely palace-worthy was my wedding dress—and thankfully, I had enough sense not to wear that.
“Welcome.”
The saleslady at the women’s boutique greeted me warmly.
“Do you have a style in mind?”
“Something moderately glamorous, appropriate for a formal setting, gives off an expensive vibe, but is actually affordable.”
“…Pardon?”
“You have that style, right?”
“Um…”
Though puzzled, the saleslady’s professional smile didn’t waver.
“Perhaps you’d like to browse first?”
She gestured toward racks full of ornate gowns.
Let’s see… This one’s too flashy. That one wouldn’t suit me. This one’s color is off. And this one…
“Have you heard the rumor?”
In the middle of browsing, I caught a familiar voice. Looking up, I saw a group of ladies chatting while selecting dresses.
Maybe I knew some of them, but I was too busy. I turned back to continue browsing.
Yellow? Red? No way. What am I, some villain’s mistress, wearing red to the palace?
Then green… No, with brown hair, green would just look plain. I already lack presence as it is.
Blue then? Or a safe sky blue. Hmm. Maybe that yellow from before…
“Ladies, be careful. That stray-cat-like Baroness Pomots might be eyeing your things any time now.”
Wait. That voice—
Whipping my head around, I spotted a familiar face among the ladies. Countess Aitley, shaking her head as if utterly fed up!
“Why, not long ago she even tried to get close to our riding instructor!”
What? Daniel had only ridden around the yard horse once!
“And I hear she’s after my child’s violin teacher too.”
Excuse me? I hadn’t even thought about violin!
Outraged at the ridiculous slander, I moved closer, pretending to browse dresses but edging into their gossip circle. Not that any of them seemed to notice me.
“Thinking about it, she’s rather pitiful. Raised in a poor baron family without proper education, suddenly made a countess. She doesn’t know what to do, so she just copies other countesses like me.”
…What nonsense?
“Oh my, that could be true.”
And the other one actually agreed?
“She really should know her place. A sparrow trying to follow a stork only tears its legs apart.”
Countess Aitley even clicked her tongue.
“Why should a sparrow try to follow a stork at all? Sparrows are much cuter.”
I smoothly slid my own words into their conversation.
“Well, cute doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Countess Aitley naturally shot back, as if she hadn’t noticed me joining in. None of them realized I had inserted myself into their circle.
That was the power of being an extra—blending in naturally anywhere.
