CH 45

The youngest daughter of Duke Bledel and her sister Lethenia, whom she doesn’t share the same blood with. Beside her, Rachel, Lethenia’s stepmother, the Duke of Bledel’s second wife, stood haughtily.

Looking at them now, they seemed like a smaller version of each other, both possessing deadly beauty. It was easy to see why Duke Bledel adored his young wife.

Lucia’s tongue-in-cheek remarks caused the ladies’ faces to turn bright red. Countess Bedos could not hide her displeasure and spoke up sharply.

“Miss Bledel, please mind your manners.”

“What your ladyship said in the presence of the Empress a moment ago didn’t seem very polite either. A mere official mistress looking for a successor in front of the noble Empress is an unjust act that should never happen.”

Lucia’s audacious remark, fitting for a child of Duke Bledel, pierced the heavens. Her carefree attitude, as if there were no tomorrow, was enough to make anyone watching from the side feel anxious. However, her mother, Rachel, was an exception.

Rachel looked at her daughter’s insolent behavior with great affection and a proud smile.

Countess Bedos was seen clenching her fist visibly agitated. Ian, on the other hand, silently raised his glass, observing the situation.

He didn’t seem particularly interested in holding Lucia back. Lucia strode over and made a curt bow to the Emperor and Empress. Then she frowned and whispered in a low voice.

“Are you going to lose everything to a stupid woman like that? Father has agreed to personally host a celebration for that woman. You’re supposed to be an empress. Why are you living like this?”

Lucia’s angry voice seemed to ooze deep frustration. She walked straight up to Ian and held her head high, her face imposing.

She spoke in a series of venomous words, unbecoming of her age.

“Your Majesty, by treating the Empress so poorly, you are insulting us, the Bledel family, who are loyal to the Emperor, and no matter how beautiful your mistress is, she is not your wife. In Asha, we even have a married couple’s day to encourage domestic harmony among our people. I hope that you, the Emperor, who is supposed to be an example to all, will be careful not to tarnish that meaning. Please do not take offense, as this is a directive to act with discretion for the sake of the peace of the imperial family and the country.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Seeing Lucia boldly speak out to the Emperor, it was foreseen that if she became the future Empress, Ian would have a lot of stress to deal with.

Lucia’s tirade was not over.

Lucia now approached Rosetin. Her breathing became a little ragged as she looked at the calm expression on Rosetin’s face.

Lucia looked at her from head to toe and spoke in a disparaging tone.

“Miss Bedos, it’s clear that you’ve been trying to imitate the Empress but in my eyes, you simply look like a ridiculous clown. Unfortunately, the Empress’s grace doesn’t come from clothes or jewelry.”

“Thank you for your advice, Miss Lucia.”

Rosetin replied in a dry tone that did not show any emotion toward Lucia.

At this, Lucia’s glare grew even more poisonous, and she was about to snap at her. A stern voice stopped her.

“Lucia, don’t be rude.”

It was Duke Edward Bledel, and his presence sent a choking tension through the room.

Lucia seemed slightly startled by her father’s stern expression.

“As a daughter who was acquired so late in life, I have raised her with great affection, so occasionally, you behave in such impolite manners in front of these esteemed individuals. Please forgive her rudeness, as she is still a young child. Lucia, go home immediately and reflect on your actions.”

Duke Bledel pretended to scold Lucia, but it was obviously a trick to protect her daughter.

His intervention made the ladies tremble. Even the most adorable and precious daughter could not defy her father’s wishes in this situation.

Lucia walked away, her eyes lingering on Ian and Rosetin until the very end. Duke Bledel looked at Ian, then at Rosetin, then at the group of ladies, with all the contempt in the world.

“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought her to the celebration. When she heard that the Emperor had taken a mistress, she came running after me, saying she was worried about the Empress; and hearing such impious words spoken before her eyes, I suppose she could not bear it. Please understand. My daughters’ bond is so strong, and that’s why she couldn’t tolerate it.”

Duke Bledel smiled eerily and eyed the ladies one by one.

Although the time is changing. The noble ladies averted their gazes at the cold gaze of the notorious Duke Bledel.

His red eyes were dark and sinister. My discomfort level skyrocketed as I looked at him.

As I turned my gaze away, I unintentionally ended up looking at Rosetin.

Strangely, Rosetin, who had been sitting impassively a moment ago, was trembling slightly as Duke Bledel approached. Ian also noticed it, and with sharp eyes, he glanced at her.

Her clear orange eyes seemed unfocused and anxiously flickered

Somehow… It felt like Rosetin was afraid of Duke Bledel. Rosetin, who always seemed so calm and graceful, was just a fearful and innocent young lady after all.

She seemed unable to hide her emotions, especially in front of the fearsome Duke Bledel.

Rosetin’s mother, Countess Bedos, had noticed, too, and took her daughter’s hand gently. With a disdainful gaze directed straight at Duke Bledel, she revealed her contempt without any concealment.

Meanwhile, Count Bedos, who had come to Rosetin’s side, spoke to the Duke in a venomous tone.

“It is not against imperial law for an emperor to have a mistress. In cases where the Empress has no successor, it is common to consider the child of a mistress as an heir. I fail to understand what is disrespectful about it. Isn’t it an incredibly rude statement towards the previous emperors who have seen successors from their mistress?”

Count Bedos met Duke Bledel’s gaze like a valiant knight on the battlefield.

The tension between them was palpable, and the atmosphere in the banquet was tense as if they were on thin ice.

Although they had exchanged only a few words, the invisible battle of wills between Duke Bledel and Count Bedos was sharp and uncompromising.

I didn’t like this situation. If the Empress and the mistress’ families were seen to be at odds with each other in front of everyone, there would be a lot of unnecessary talk.

I didn’t care what was said about me, but one thing I wanted to avoid was being directly involved with Rosetin. I turned to the Counts of Bedos and Rosetin.

“As her sister, I will apologize on her behalf. Rosetin, will you forgive the child for looking after me?”

Rosetin didn’t answer, her eyes darting to Ian, while Countess Bedos, seated next to them, raised one corner of her mouth and sent me a mocking glance.

With her daughter favored by the Emperor by her side, she made no effort to conceal her animosity toward the Empress. Count Bedos was no different. His orange eyes, like Rosetin’s, held a long, festering resentment.

To them, Lethenia was forever in league with Duke Bledel, a wicked witch who threatened their daughter.

A thousand fires burned in their hearts as the rightful position for their daughter was taken by their enemy.

Annoying weariness crept into their hostile eyes.

Countess Bedos, her eyes still fixed on me, spoke to her daughter.

“Rosetin, don’t forget that you are now the Emperor’s lady. You don’t have to bear everything alone.”

“That’s enough.”

Ian, who had been watching, turned to Duke Bledel and Count Bedos and summarized the situation with a rather nonchalant face. At his words, Rosetin gave me a faint smile and replied.

“I don’t mind, Your Majesty. It’s just the ramblings of a child who knows nothing.”

The colorful, majestic music replaced the heavy silence that had settled over the banquet hall. After a moment, the music stopped as Ian stood up.

Then, as if redirecting the topic, Ian began his congratulatory speech. He congratulated Rosetin on becoming a member of the imperial family. It had a different atmosphere from the speech given at the Empress’s birthday celebration.

As Ian finished speaking, the applause of the people overflowed.

There were some nobles with dark expressions, probably from the Duke faction. Of course, there were also those who looked at me with disdain.

Once again, today Ian, the Emperor, extended his hand to Rosetin instead of me, asking her to dance. I noticed the noticeably brightened faces of the nobles in the Emperor faction at that sight.

Even though this was the second time this had happened, my heart felt bad. No, it was even more difficult to bear the growing resentment and sadness than at the birthday celebration, making me feel bewildered.

I took a slow, deep breath. One, two, three. Then, in my usual order, I thought of all my favorite things.

Then I calmed myself by imagining my own paradise…….

It was a pathetic struggle to keep myself from being consumed by my burning emotions. In the process, I suddenly felt a sorrowful heart.

‘How long will I have to do this?’

It was a thought that haunted me from time to time in this life when I was physically and mentally exhausted.

I involuntarily let out a small sigh.

People watched with delight as the beautiful couple danced like fairy tale characters. It occurred to me that my presence at this banquet was no more important than the champagne glasses they were holding.

When all eyes were on the Emperor and his mistress, Duke Bledel quietly approached and said.

“I hear that the Emperor has appointed you co-manager of the Brilland farm.”