CHAPTER 114
The weather continued to be as warm and sunny as a spring day. It was a warm afternoon in early winter, perfect for holding a tea party in the garden without a heater.
Beneath parasols, numerous dresses gathered in groups and entered the front gate of the Lotus Palace.
The Lotus Palace, which had once housed the eleven candidates for empress, had now become the Empress’s palace. The palace, gifted to the Empress by the Emperor, looked quite different from before.
For his wife, who loved nature, the Emperor had planted various flowering and fruit trees throughout the palace grounds.
The gaudy sculptures and everlasting artificial flowers that had been displayed before were gone, replaced by living plants that marked the seasons.
Real pink lotus flowers now floated in the lotus pond, and carp swam beneath them.
Frogs leaped toward dragonflies from the smooth stones at the edge of the pond.
The chirping of birds perched on branches and the fluttering of butterflies in the flowerbeds were no longer unusual.
Deer and rabbits from the back mountain frequently appeared in the garden, and squirrels had grown bold enough not to flee at the sight of people.
Arabelle loved the palace, where she could grow an herb garden, tend to the grounds, and communicate with the animals.
However, her possessive husband and the enormous amount of empress training she had to undergo left her little time to spend there.
Today's tea party in the palace garden was for foreign diplomatic delegations who had missed the first day's outdoor reception. It was also the Empress’s first official duty.
After breakfast, the Emperor had gone hunting in the back mountains of the palace with kings and princes from other countries.
The Empress had invited queens and princesses from these countries to the palace to build friendships.
“His Majesty invited them, but it is customary for him to appear last. They are here to pay their respects to the Empress. They cannot be equals with the Empress,” Baroness Rosalind had repeatedly emphasized to Arabelle.
As Arabelle appeared in the Lotus Garden, the seated women all rose. A tiny droplet of sweat formed on her nose at the attention directed at her.
However, she didn’t feel as nervous or uneasy as she had feared. Perhaps it was because she had grown somewhat bold from the many experiences she had had as a candidate in this very place.
She remembered her first time crossing the garden after stepping through the palace gates.
Her large eyes curved into slight crescents as she recalled the moment she had dropped pond water on the Red Chaos egg.
Women from foreign royal and noble families began to line up to greet Arabelle.
“Lady Tristini Seymour of Lycanor,” announced the empress’s banquet secretary.
A young woman stood before Arabelle. Her delicate figure was reminiscent of a forest nymph.
Though she was beautiful, she wasn’t exceptionally more stunning than the other women present.
However, she possessed a subtle, intriguing charm that drew attention.
“Your Majesty, it is an honor to meet you. I am Tristini,” she said, gracefully bowing her knees, waist, and head simultaneously.
“Welcome. Thank you for coming,” Arabelle replied warmly, extending her right hand.
Tristini took Arabelle’s hand and kissed the back of it. For a moment, Arabelle’s shoulders trembled imperceptibly.
Though she wore silk gloves, she felt warmth from Tristini’s lips through the fabric. It felt more like light than heat. Arabelle sensed Tristini’s light.
It wasn’t strong, but it subtly spread, making its presence known.
Arabelle instinctively knew that the woman before her shared the blood of the Lumen Savior.
Though she couldn’t explain it aloud, as Tristini’s light seeped into her hand, Arabelle’s light emerged to meet and blend with it, like a handshake of their essences.
From this brief contact, Arabelle realized that Tristini was her kin.
Tristini slowly raised her head, her dark hazelnut eyes meeting Arabelle’s round, light brown ones.
The two women’s gazes lingered as if having a silent conversation.
“Introducing Princess Georgia and Princess Liliana of Sempher,” the secretary’s voice brought Arabelle back to the present. She turned her gaze to the two daughters of the King of Sempher.
***
The Empress’s first official duty was successfully completed.
The garden tea party, attended by over twenty women, was seamlessly pleasant.
Though many of the women were meeting for the first time or had little acquaintance, conversations flowed without pause, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
Naturally, it was a predictable outcome.
Not to mention Baroness Rosalind, the banquet secretary, and those who assisted the Empress today were meticulously selected by the Emperor.
The Emperor had placed the most capable talents from the royal court in all departments under the Empress's jurisdiction for her sake.
It was an event that couldn't fail because of the aides who smoothly carried out the tea party behind the Empress.
That could be said, but...
Baroness Rosalind and Lucille, the experienced banquet secretary, had different thoughts.
Of course, those selected by the Emperor were excellent and perfect for assisting the inexperienced Empress.
However, the biggest reason for today's tea party's success was...
It was the Empress.
Baroness Rosalind watched Arabelle bring the teacup to her lips.
Seeing Arabelle trying to extend her pinky finger at a 45-degree angle according to etiquette training softened her gaze involuntarily.
Soon, however, her stern look returned, and her relaxed mouth tightened into a straight line.
The atmosphere of such an event depended on the Empress's mood.
Usually, tea parties were much smaller in scale and freer from strict customs compared to royal banquets.
However, the atmosphere of a tea party was just as easily influenced by the Empress's mood or purpose.
Tea parties, picnics, puppet shows, and other gatherings hosted by the Empress were events where a few ladies were invited to build camaraderie.
Many Empresses used these occasions to demonstrate their influence.
It was a time to confirm who reigned over the representative royal and noble families of the empire and the continent.
They could either bring families closer together or tear apart those that were friendly.
They could disgrace a lady who had caught the Emperor's eye or ostracize one praised for her beauty at a previous party.
A lady who did not greet the Empress properly might be given a different teacup, or one wearing more extravagant jewelry than the Empress might be completely ignored.
The more strained the relationship between the Empress and the Emperor, and the more free time the Empress had, the more petty and cruel her games became.
Just like when Empress Dowager Natalia was Empress.
Lucille, who was meticulously observing the surroundings, let her gaze rest on the top of the Empress's head.
The small head nodded repeatedly as it attentively listened to the ladies' words.
A smile involuntarily spread across Lucille's face.
However, she soon had to drop her smile upon meeting Baroness Rosalind's eyes.
The young Empress seemed to genuinely enjoy being there.
It wasn't because she was intoxicated by her own power but because she found joy in drinking tea, eating desserts, and conversing with ladies of her age.
The Empress didn't even think she had to be the center of attention or the focus of all conversations.
Instead, she listened to the gathered ladies more than she spoke. Her large eyes sparkled with curiosity whenever she listened to them.
She stood out for her attentiveness, speaking to ladies who couldn't join the conversation.
“You embroidered the sleeves of your dress yourself? That's impressive. I can still only embroider the Emperor's initials in a round script.”
“It’s hard to distinguish between a chirruping bird and a trilling bird... Oh, yes, I also recognized it by its tail!”
“The Princess is right. Adding mint powder to dark chocolate is indeed refreshing.”
Arabelle continued her conversation with her cheeks flushed red.
Seeing Arabelle, who was shy but made an effort to approach first, somehow made everyone’s hearts flutter.
With the Empress like this, the gathered ladies also continued their peaceful and friendly conversations.
It wasn't an atmosphere where anyone could belittle or ignore others.
It had become a setting where showing off one's power or fighting for rank would seem odd.
The unrestrained happy laughter of the ladies flowed continuously out of the lotus garden.
***
After the tea party, all the guests began returning to their designated quarters in the palace.
Tristiny stood at the end of the line of ladies waiting to greet the Empress.
When it was finally her turn,
“Your Majesty.”
“Lady Tristiny…”
Arabelle and Tristiny faced each other again.
A moment of silence passed between them.
Arabelle was the first to speak, her voice gentle and cautious.
“If you’re not too tired, would you like to come to my quarters and continue our conversation?”
“Yes.”
***
Dina and Rosa, who had arrived first at the Empress's quarters, were busy preparing to welcome the guest with the other maids.
“It seems like Her Majesty has found a friend she likes.”
“Indeed. Inviting her separately like this.”
“She looked kind and gentle. She spoke calmly too. Somehow, her demeanor reminded me of Her Majesty. Don’t you think so?”
“Really? At first, I thought they were similar, but as time passed, I realized they weren't. How should I put it? Both are delicate and graceful, but our Empress... she has a kind of clear, radiant light... Yes, a light that sparkles. It lifts your spirits.”
“I get what you mean. Not flashy or glamorous, but a clean, bright light. As you said, Lady Tristiny did seem a bit melancholic.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Her Majesty is bright and unblemished, but the young lady has a shadow over her.”
“But she’s a hundred times better than those cunning young ladies. We can tell with our experienced eyes.”
“Exactly. Just by seeing how she treats her maids, you can tell she has a kind heart.”
“It would be nice if they became close.”
Rosa and Dina's hands moved busily as their mouths kept talking.
They prepared new tea and dessert sets, and as the chief florist decorated the drawing room with hydrangeas, the door opened.
“They will arrive shortly.”
“Everything is ready.”
Dina and Rosa nodded at Millie, who had arrived running.
The Empress had seen off the remaining few ladies in the garden and was on her way back to her quarters.
Arabelle, who had met Tristiny in the palace foyer with a prepared gift, was excited for some reason.
There was an unusually strong attraction she felt, something she had never experienced even with her sisters.
Arabelle's round eyes curved into crescents as she greeted her warmly.
“Shall we go together?”
Tristiny smiled softly and nodded.
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