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Chapter 21
I knelt without moving, only offering a slight smile.
In the original story, Amelia makes a mistake here.
When the Empress Consort tells her to rise, she shouldn’t immediately get up but did.
I remained kneeling before the Emperor, and the only one with the authority to make me stand was he.
Because I didn’t budge, I could see Empress Isabel Werner’s expression sink slightly.
“Hohoho, that’s enough, rise now.
Ah, yes, that’s right.
This is our Empress Consort, though I’m sure you already know.
And that child is Noel.
My second son.”
I bowed lightly to both the Empress Consort and Prince Noel.
“Greetings to Your Highness the Empress Consort, and to Your Highness the Prince.”
I saw Prince Noel give a small nod.
“Now then, enough with the greetings.
Everyone sit.
The food will get cold.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Vincent and I sat side by side at the set table.
The Empress Consort first looked at me with a faint expression of surprise, then smiled as if troubled.
“I don’t recall hearing that the Wentworth Duchy was suffering from financial difficulties… If the Duke is stingy, should I speak with him?”
When I calmly met her gaze, she spoke again.
“Or is it the Lady’s preference?
That plain dress.
You must have known this was a meal with His Majesty the Emperor.”
Her tone was gentle, but there was clear reproach behind it.
“That is—”
I had somewhat expected such a response and was about to give my prepared answer, but Vincent abruptly cut in.
“I chose it for her.”
I was secretly startled but kept silent.
Vincent smiled and turned his head toward me.
“Isn’t she beautiful?
Not because she is my fiancée, but Amelia looks good in anything.”
It seemed he truly disliked the Empress Consort, to defend Amelia so directly.
Since the Crown Prince himself claimed he had chosen it, the Empress Consort could no longer criticise my taste.
Instead, she grumbled.
“Well, that may be true.
But surely as a woman, she must have wanted to wear something more beautiful.”
“Now, let us end the talk about clothes.
Isn’t it rather trivial?
Let’s all raise our glasses.”
At the Emperor’s diversion, everyone fell silent and lifted their cups.
“Duke Wentworth is the Empire’s most loyal subject.
To have welcomed such a precious daughter is indeed fortunate.”
Tall goblets were raised.
We only pretended to clink in the air before bringing them to our lips.
Hmph, the Empire’s most loyal subject, is it?
Even if it’s mere flattery, to say something like that… the Emperor truly lacks a sense of reality.
No doubt Vincent would never say such a thing.
The tingling sensation of bubbles spread through my mouth, accompanied by a sweet floral fragrance.
I observed the expressions around the table, comparing the scene with the original story.
In the novel, Amelia had appeared in splendid attire and received generous praise from the Empress Consort.
The Empress thought Amelia showed no consideration for the ailing Empress Dowager and liked her all the more for it.
Naturally, Vincent’s mood had plummeted, so there was no need to say it.
I recalled that scene and glanced at Vincent.
He was staring down at his cup with a blank expression.
What is he thinking now?
As the proper meal began, the Emperor led the conversation.
It was mostly idle chatter and boasting unrelated to politics.
Now he was recounting his success at a hunting competition six months prior.
“And so, I caught a stag that time.
Such a large one that it took three knights to lift it.”
“Oh my, Your Majesty.
To bring down such a huge stag with a single arrow it’s still so impressive and dashing!”
“Hohoho, impressive?
No, just lucky.”
The Empress Consort certainly knew how to flatter the Emperor, like the tongue in his mouth.
Even at his flimsy bragging, she offered the best possible reactions.
No wonder the Emperor favoured her company.
“But if I recall correctly, wasn’t the winner of that hunt the Crown Prince?”
Smiling, the Empress Consort turned to Vincent.
He answered smoothly.
“Yes, that is correct.”
At his agreement, the Empress Consort exaggerated her surprise.
“Oh my, that’s right!
I thought I had remembered wrong.
And who did you give the victor’s garland to?
Ah, my memory these days is dreadful.”
Only then did I realise her true intent.
She wanted to bring up Amelia’s humiliating past from six months ago.
Normally, when a knight wins the hunting competition and receives a floral crown, he presents it to his fiancée.
If he has none, then to his mother or sister.
But that day, even though Vincent had Amelia as his fiancée, he gave the garland to another lady Sarah Holt.
Naturally, Amelia had been consumed with jealousy, even going so far as to retaliate against Sarah at a later gathering.
She spilt tea and pulled her hair… Ah, what a headache.
And if I run into Lady Sarah Holt later, it will be me who has to deal with the aftermath, won’t it?
At any rate, the Empress Consort was trying to sow discord between Vincent and me.
If Amelia of House Wentworth became Crown Princess, the Crown Prince’s power would only grow, leaving less room for the Empress Consort and her son, Prince Noel.
Vincent must have realised her intent as well, for his expression darkened.
Casting me a sidelong glance, he replied stiffly.
“I gave it to Lady Sarah Holt, the Count’s daughter.”
“Oh heavens, yes!
That’s right.
Shame on you, Crown Prince.
Your beautiful fiancée was right there how upset she must have been, wasn’t she?”
The Empress Consort turned to me with a sorrowful expression.
How should I respond?
To say I was entirely fine would be unbelievable, and it wouldn’t do.
Amelia’s love for Vincent was widely known.
Yet to admit openly how jealous she had been would also be impossible.
I quickly turned my thoughts.
Finally, considering Vincent’s position back then, the answer came easily.
“Of course, at the time I was upset.
But looking back now, I can understand His Highness’s judgment.”
“Hm?
And why is that, Lady?
As a woman, surely jealousy and sadness would be natural.”
“Yes, that’s true.
But… I heard that the Holt family had just donated an immense fortune to the Imperial family and entered the capital.
By honouring them, wouldn’t they be even more loyal to the throne?”
I turned to the Crown Prince beside me.
“So I understand.
As His Highness’s fiancée, I, too, am half an Imperial subject.
Don’t you agree?”
I placed particular weight on my last words and offered a soft smile as our gazes met.
Vincent’s lips parted slightly, then pressed together again.
He must be experiencing one surprise after another inwardly.
The Empress Consort, unprepared for such an answer, hesitated before speaking awkwardly.
“How… considerate of you, Lady.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
I gave a polite smile, and the Emperor carried on from there.
“Yes, yes.
In fact, it was with Count Holt’s donation that I gifted you that necklace, was it not?”
The Empress Consort widened her eyes, then looked down at the large diamond necklace around her neck.
“This necklace, then… Oh my, I had no idea.”
She laughed with genuine delight, then cast me another pitying look.
“Such jewels would suit a younger, prettier lady better.
Has the Crown Prince ever gifted you jewellery, Lady?”
Of course, she wouldn’t give up after one try.
I silently sighed and quickly rummaged through Amelia’s memories.
Nothing.
If she had ever received such a gift, she wouldn’t have forgotten it.
It made sense that Vincent, who didn’t even like Amelia, would hardly have given her expensive jewellery.
But could I say I had never received anything?
Once again, I strained my mind.
Why do I keep ending up defending Vincent anyway?
“That is—”
I cut off Vincent before he could speak.
“I have received something.”
Both the Empress Consort’s and Vincent’s eyes widened at once quite the sight.
I placed my hand near my chest and lowered my gaze softly.
“I have received His Highness’s caring heart.
What jewel could be more precious than that?”
“Pfft, his heart?”
Unfazed by the Empress Consort’s derision, I maintained the
most pious expression I could.
“When I was ill, His Highness sent flowers and letters every single day.
Though I was too sick to reply to each, I was truly moved.”
So she hadn’t known about that, had she?
A fine crack appeared in the Empress Consort’s carefully composed expression.
