Chapter 6.2

Adrian has reached out, asking if I’d be willing to meet with Count Hubert. I hesitated for a moment, but soon sent back a yes. A little while later, facing me in the drawing room, the count was unable to speak.

“Please, have a seat, Father.”

When I guided him to a chair, he quietly sat on the drawing room sofa. It was a long time before Count Ianster finally spoke.

“When you called me ‘Father’ on Celine’s engagement day, I should have realized it then…”

“…”

“Why did you leave?”

“You must have heard that the former Emperor tried to kill me?”

“Yes, but if you survived, you should have returned.”

“Yes, you’re right, Father. But at that time, I had no other choice.”

“Yes, you must not have. I was unable to be a shield for you.”

Tears of regret streamed down Count Ianster’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Claire. For not loving you with all my might, for not being a strong father to you…”

“No, Father. It’s alright.”

I continued to speak calmly, watching the tearful count. In truth, I had never once thought of my father during my time away from the capital.

I had thought that if I had a child, I might understand his feelings a little better, but it was actually the opposite.

A question remained: if a child is so precious, why was I abandoned as an orphan in both my past and present lives?

“And… thank you, Claire. For being alive like this.”

But I believed that time would solve all of this. I resolved to work hard until the presence of a father would naturally find its place in my heart.

I took the courage to hold his hand, which was much more aged than I remembered.

“I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble, Father.”

“No, no.”

“I will be a good daughter from now on. Don’t get sick.”

Hubert Ianster cried like a child at my words.

***

Celine could no longer stay in the palace where the Emperor had returned. So she returned to her home as if she were being chased out.

Upon arriving at the Count’s estate, she summoned the three noble families who had allied with her and Adrian during the rebellion.

During this time, Celine had tirelessly worked to expand her influence with other noble families.

Although the Emperor tried to distribute power to other noble families who had been pushed out of the capital, Celine repeatedly thwarted his efforts.

However, unbelievably, not a single family came to visit her at Ianster.

“You worm-like creatures… How dare you betray me?!”

It’s because of that child. Although she couldn’t believe it was really the Emperor’s child, if that child hadn’t been born, the nobles wouldn’t have so easily taken Claire’s side.

She didn’t know when that lowly girl had been so promiscuous as to have a child, but what was certain was that she couldn’t retreat like this.

Celine Ianster was the protagonist, both in the novel and in this world. That fact had to remain unchanged. If the nobles wouldn’t cooperate, she would just find another way to stop them.

At that moment, Count Ianster returned home.

“Father, you’re back? Did you see Claire? What are you going to do about her now? Is she really going to become the Empress?”

“Celine…”

“Don’t just say my name; say something! Huh? Are you just going to stand by and watch that girl take my place?”

“Celine, Claire is your sister. And as hard as it may be to admit, she’s also an Ianster. Besides, you’re no longer the Emperor’s fiancée. You made that promise yourself, so you should abide by it.”

“What? What are you saying, you old man!”

“Celine…?”

“Ha, this old man, acting all high and mighty on his own. All while making an illegitimate child from misbehaving that’s taking my place!”

“Child, are you in your right mind?”

“Shut up! I’ll kill all of you! Aaaargh!”

Celine screamed like a crazy person right then and there. The head butler rushed over at her screams, but Hubert Ianster quickly went outside and prevented anyone from entering.

Celine Ianster’s screams continued for a long time afterward.

***

Adrian kept telling me to use the room next to his, but I refused. I wasn’t officially the Empress yet, and moving into that room could cause procedural problems later.

So, I took Leo and moved to an annex right next to the Emperor’s palace.

My belongings from the Kabyl estate in the Eastern Continent, and my dog Adrian, no, Quinzi, were also in the annex.

“Lady!”

And Sally, too.

“Sally!”

“Ah… I was so bored. Could you please tell them I’m here as a maid? They’re not giving me any work and just making me play all day, I thought I was going to die of boredom.”

“Just be patient, Sally. And you’re not anything here yet. You’re just a guest.”

“What do you mean? I’m your maid.”

“No, you’re going to be my closest lady-in-waiting after I become Empress. So for now, you just need to rest.”

“What?”

In this empire, only the Imperial Family and dukes could have ladies-in-waiting, and they existed solely for the mistress of the Imperial Family and dukedom.

Furthermore, it was customary for a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Palace to be an unmarried woman from a noble family, not a commoner.

So it was no wonder Sally was so surprised.

Moreover, the Empress’s closest lady-in-waiting didn’t do the work directly but was in charge of managing the lower-ranking ladies-in-waiting and maids and the Empress’s conduct. It was a position that required a lot of education.

“How can I… how can a commoner become a lady-in-waiting?”

“Well, it’s obvious. Because my status is rising, you have to be the closest to me… so it’s only right that you become a lady-in-waiting.”

“But, Lady. I’m just Sally. I don’t even have a last name.”

“Sally, listen carefully to me. One of the reasons I decided to come here was you. I want to give you a noble status.”

“What?”

“You like Cedric, don’t you? No, even if you don’t have feelings for him now… I didn’t want you to have to give up on someone you loved later because of your status.”

“Lady…”

“So, you’ll become my lady-in-waiting. And in a few years, you’ll meet a man who truly loves you and on whom you can really lean. Whether he’s a noble or a commoner, I’ll approve of anyone you want. You know, right? I’m a really powerful person now.”

Sally couldn’t answer and just repeated the word ‘Lady.’

“You deserve it. You will be recognized for your service in assisting the prince who will become the crown prince of this country, and besides, you’re my only friend.”

Sally hugged me.

“Thank you. You really gave me a place.”

“But you can’t leave me too quickly. Leo and I still need you.”

“Where would I go, Lady? You…”

Sally and I hugged each other and giggled for a long time.

After that, time flew by. And the Quinze-Nouais Imperial Family began preparing for the Emperor’s wedding exceptionally quickly.

“Does this even make sense?”

“What?”

Lord Doherty, who visited me whenever he had time these days, complained today with a deep frown.

“It takes at least a month to prepare for a low-ranking noble’s wedding. But the Emperor is in such a hurry that he wants the ceremony held within a month.”

I was so embarrassed that my face turned bright red. That’s because Adrian, who had awakened to love, was showing his affection regardless of time and place.

And I knew well that the reason he was rushing the wedding was all because of his pent-up desires.

Seeing my flushed face, Sally had to struggle for a long time to keep her lips from curling up into a smile.

She only came to see me for about an hour a day these days. Sally had already gotten the Emperor’s permission and had her name added to the noble registry.

Sally’s last name was Johanna. When I asked her why she chose that name, she said she wanted to use the name of the heroine from a novel she had read. She added that her life was very similar to that woman’s.

So Lady Sally Johanna was currently taking classes in noble etiquette and becoming a lady-in-waiting at the same time.

“By the way, I haven’t seen Hailey since I came to Quinze-Nouais. Is she doing well?”

I cut off the oblivious Glenn Doherty and changed the subject. I felt Glen’s expression instantly harden at the mention of Hailey’s name.

“Don’t even bring up that woman. She’s been the subject of all sorts of bizarre rumors in this empire.”

“What are you talking about, Lord Doherty?”

“She’s been doing so many strange things, it’s giving me a headache.”

“Oh really? But that’s odd. Why would Lord Doherty get a headache from Hailey’s strange behavior?”

This time, both Sally and I saw his face turn red in an instant, and it was hard to suppress our laughter.

Glenn had never voluntarily left our presence before, but he suddenly remembered an urgent matter and hurriedly left my palace.

Love, truly, was something that could appear anywhere at any time.

I had already begun my work as the Empress. It would have been right to start after the ceremony, but since I was the one who knew the most about the plan to build the maritime city with the Turks, I naturally participated in state affairs.

I was already under the protection of the Imperial Family as the Empress, and Leo as the Crown Prince.

So I insisted on sharing a bedroom only after the wedding, and every night Adrian would sigh in front of my room before returning.

A few days later, I decided to leave the Imperial Palace to meet Hailey.

It had been a while since I returned to Quinze-Nouais, and being cooped up in the palace made it hard to tell if I had really returned or if I was on a movie set.

“No, Claire. It’s still dangerous.”

“What’s dangerous…?”

I knew what Adrian was anxious about. My position in the empire wasn’t solid yet, and there were definitely people in some factions who opposed me becoming the Empress.

“But I’ve never lived locked up like this.”

“Locked up?”

“Yes, as Your Majesty knows, I was so sick of the empire that I ran away…”

“Alright. I get it… Please don’t say ‘ran away.’ Then… take the First Knights with you.”

“Your Majesty, not just a few knights, you want me to go with the Imperial First Knights? I’m not the Empress yet.”

When I grumbled, Adrian took a big step forward and came very close. Then he looked into my eyes and whispered in a poignant voice.

“Then, remember just one thing.”

“What?”

“While you’re away from this palace, one minute will feel like forever to me. My blood will run dry during the time I wait for you.”

“Cough.”

The servants standing around the Emperor’s office and a knight who had come to report cleared their throats as if something was caught in them.

“Ah… okay. So let go of my hand. I’ll take five knights with me.”

I barely managed to escape from Adrian and leave the palace.

I was worried that Adrian would make a huge fuss and hang himself if I said I was taking Leo with me, so I reluctantly decided to postpone showing the city of Quinze-Nouais to my child.

Leo was currently obsessed with playing with the knights in the training ground, so he coolly let his mom go alone.

“Wow.”

I couldn’t help but admire the Medical Academy that Glenn Doherty had boasted so much about. I was once again surprised by his ability to materialize his words.

Cedric led the way and guided me.

From the look of it, Sally still seemed uncomfortable being with Cedric, so I didn’t bring her along.

“Lady, this way.”

The servants and ladies-in-waiting had already started calling me ‘Her Majesty the Empress,’ but the people who knew me before were using my old title.

But when I stepped inside, I was surprised by an unexpected situation.

“Drag her out immediately!”

A few men in white physician’s robes and several guards from the Imperial Police were standing in front of what looked like a laboratory door, shouting.

“What’s going on? Lady, I’ll go ahead and check.”

But before Cedric could reach the door, a familiar face came out of the lab and blocked the guards’ path.

“This woman is a student of this Medical Academy, and I am responsible for all experiments and actions that happen inside here. So take me instead.”

“But Lord Doherty, this woman is no longer a student of our academy. She’s just a witch. How could a person’s body… Ah, it’s too terrible to even speak of. So please step aside.

“No, Dean Shukert. This woman is under my jurisdiction. So if you dare to lay a hand on her, you will have to bear a great responsibility.”

“But right now, the people are furious. Students are flocking out of this academy, saying they will no longer study here because of this woman. There’s also a commotion at the temple. Please step aside. This will all be over if you just hand over that woman. This is a disgrace to the academy.”

From their words, I could guess the situation.

It seemed that what Glenn Doherty had said was true, and Hailey was really giving him a headache.

Cedric also seemed to guess the situation, placing his hand on his sword hilt and preparing to step forward. But I grabbed his arm and ordered him to stop.

“Stay put, Cedric.”

I stepped forward and approached them.

“What’s going on?”

The first person to recognize me was, of course, Lord Glenn Doherty. He had clearly called me Lady Ianster before, but upon seeing me, he naturally used a different title.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

At the words from the Emperor’s most trusted aide, everyone else unhesitatingly bowed before me.

“I asked what was going on, Dean.”

“It’s Shukert, Your Majesty.”

“Right, Dean Shukert. Explain.”

“Well… that woman inside is doing something unspeakable in the academy, and we’re about to drag her out to face the Temple’s judgment.”

“That woman inside? Does the dean just call his students ‘that woman’?”

I peeked inside, and Hailey was looking at me, her eyes brimming with tears, her hand over her mouth.

“Ah, she is a woman named Hailey Duncan.”

“Is that so? Then she is the very student I am specially sponsoring with a scholarship.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know? I personally fund this academy every year. I understand the amount is quite significant, isn’t that right, Lord Glenn Doherty?”

“That is correct.”

The dean’s face visibly hardened.

“It’s quite regrettable. I’m beginning to feel very displeased with the fact that my money is just pouring into a place that doesn’t even know who is sponsoring whom.”

“But… b-but…”

“And what? You claim she’s not a student of this academy, yet you have been consistently accepting her tuition fees?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“It’s alright, I have no intention of being petty about such things. But if you have falsely accused and endangered a scholarship student that I have invested in, I will not let this matter go. Remove the guards from here immediately and form a proper academic review committee. I will also participate in that review.”

The dean, of course, bowed and followed my orders at once. After everyone had been sent away, I stepped inside.

As soon as she saw me, Hailey burst into tears.

“Lady…”

“Hailey, stop crying. What on earth is going on?”

“Sob. I wanted to show you how much I’d grown, so I was dedicated to my research day and night, but all I’ve shown you is this… I’m so… sorry.”

“Listen, Hailey. I don’t believe what they are saying. But I need to know what you are researching. Are you really doing something horrible in here, as they say?”

“No, I’m not. At least, I didn’t think so, but… I’m not even sure anymore. Everyone says no, everyone says it’s horrible, so could what I’ve been doing really be right?”

“No, Hailey. That attitude won’t do. Are you saying you did this without conviction? Whatever it is, I will respect your opinion. So, you can’t be this weak. It’s not right to be this way, especially when you consider Lord Glenn Doherty, who put his body on the line to stop those people and protect you.”

At my words, Hailey’s expression changed. She then grabbed my arms and led me to the couch in her lab, sitting me down.

And she began to calmly explain her research.

She was full of confidence when she was talking about what she had studied, but as soon as she finished, she began to look at me anxiously.

“Of… of course, it might sound horrifying to you, cutting open a person’s stomach… But!”

“Did you come from the future?”

“What?”

“No, no, Hailey! This is truly amazing. You’ve had an incredible idea. You’re right, the human body isn’t that simple. Your research, yes. Of course, it might be difficult for them to accept right now, but it’s bound to do great things for humanity.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course. But I’m not sure because I lack the knowledge, but you shouldn’t just cut a person’s body with a knife like that. The blood vessels are all connected… Anyway, if you do it wrong, the blood will just…”

“You’re right, that’s what I’m worried about too.”

At that moment, a pale Glen stepped between us.

“Your Majesty, what are you talking about? This woman was almost dragged to a witch trial because she was caught cutting open a pig’s belly.”

“Hmm…”

I was lost in thought for a moment. I knew this wasn’t an ethical or moral problem, but it was too much for the people of this world to accept.

“You have a point. But Hailey, don’t worry and just focus on your research. I, Claire Ianster, will take care of the rest.”

After that, I immediately went to the dean and stopped him from convening the review committee.

I decided not to use the conventional method this time. The matter was too serious for that.

But I had more than enough money, so I offered to cover up the matter by promising three times the amount of the current sponsorship under the pretense of research funds.

“But, a big problem could arise later. That woman, I mean, Hailey Duncan, could be using black magic.”

“What are you saying? Are you suggesting that I, the future Empress of Quinze-Nouais, am raising a black magic user? You would do well to watch your mouth…”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Don’t worry about it. If any problems arise because of this, or if people die from black magic, I will take full responsibility for it.”

“…Understood.”

The dean didn’t seem fully convinced, but he accepted my proposal. The academy was funded at a national level, but research funds were always in short supply.

My footsteps were light on my way back home. When I told Hailey to go to school and study, I had only said it because I recalled my poor student days when that was the only way out.

I thought it might have been my selfish desire, but Hailey was a much more talented child than I had anticipated.

“Lady Claire.”

“Huh? What is it, Cedric?”

“Thank you so much. This time, too.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“I thought I only had to bring Lady Claire to Quinze-Nouais for His Majesty the Emperor, but I didn’t expect to save my sister’s life like this.”

“I know, it’s a good thing I went there then. It would have been quite difficult to clean things up after she was dragged to the Temple.”

Suddenly, Cedric walked forward and knelt on one knee with a thud.

“I, Cedric Duncan, First Deputy Commander of the Imperial Knights, will be Your Majesty the Empress’s person from now on.”

He then pulled out a dagger and lightly cut his inner wrist. This was the Blood Oath of the Quinze-Nouais Empire. The oath he was making was a pledge that his master’s safety would come before his own life.

“Ugh, I really hate this.”

I quickly pulled a handkerchief from my skirt and wrapped it around Cedric’s arm.

“What?”

“Don’t do this. I don’t want you to get tetanus. I can see what you’re thinking just from your face. Even without a Blood Oath, I think the whole empire knows that you’re my person.”

“Then, do you forgive me for finding you?”

At his words, my expression became serious, and I continued.

“Listen here, Deputy Commander Duncan. That is a separate issue. Don’t think you can just gloss over it.”

I walked ahead, leaving Cedric behind. He was sitting there with a blank expression, but Owen, who was right beside me, and I looked at each other and shared a mischievous smile.

It was autumn in Quinze-Nouais.

Perhaps it was the scenery I had missed the most.

***

Upon returning to the palace, I saw Adrian lingering in the garden of my court. Seeing him, I was so happy I almost ran and called out his name, but I couldn’t do such a thing in the Imperial Palace garden.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

Adrian, delighted about my appearance, grinned and ran to me in one stride. Then, he grabbed and hugged me tightly as I barely managed to perform the proper courtesy.

“You’re so cute!”

I was so surprised I almost went on my tiptoes and kicked Adrian’s shin, but the heaviness of my skirt prevented such a disaster.

And his outrageous acts, ever since he had awakened to love, continued without regard for time or place.

One time, we were discussing the maritime city of the Turk Empire with the ministers.

By rule, the Empress could not attend meetings with the ministers. And conversely, the Emperor did not attend matters for the internal affairs of the palace.

It was a rare day when the Emperor and the future Empress were together with their subjects.

They had many questions about the maritime city, and Adrian had no intention of explaining them in detail.

So I was the one who was stepping up to satisfy the ministers’ curiosity.

“Claire.”

Adrian called me softly.

“Why do you call me, Your Majesty?”

I saw his unfocused eyes and had a premonition that some strange words were about to come out of his mouth. I had the illusion of a cold sweat trickling down my spine.

“Your eyes are sparkling.”

“They sparkle because they’re eyes.”

I grit my teeth.

“And they’re purple.”

“Yes, they have been since I was born.”

“I want to lick your eyes.”

I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth and cursed at Adrian with my eyes. But he just smiled, as if he liked it.

The ministers, unable to say anything to the Emperor, just blushed and left.

After they all left, I turned to Adrian sharply.

“Seriously, what is wrong with you?”

“What?”

“What are you doing in front of other people? You’re the Emperor. You need to maintain your dignity.”

“Ah… were there people here?”

But what was even stranger was the attitude of the ministers.

If the Emperor did something strange, someone should have at least stepped up to tell him not to, or at least shown some kind of displeasure, but they all bowed their heads, pretending not to see or hear what Adrian was doing.

“Please, just restrain yourself in front of the ministers. And if you’re going to do this, just come sleep in my room instead. I think this is all because of your pent-up desires!”

At my words, Adrian looked at me with his ears turning red, as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

“Are you saying I’m doing this to you just because I lust for you? Are you allowed to demean my love like that?”

It had taken so long for Claire to hear ‘I love you’ for the first time in this body at the age of sixteen, and it was hard to get used to this man who was now talking about love almost every day.

“That’s not what I’m saying. And this is not going to work anymore.”

At my words, Adrian threw his head back and laughed. I think I heard him say ‘I’m happy.’ Then, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. He was sitting on the desk and held me tightly, trapping me between his legs.

“Okay. If you really hate it, I’ll restrain myself. But I’m going to express my feelings as they come. When I think about how hard it was because I couldn’t… I’m never going to be that foolish again.”

He said that, but he was still kissing my cheeks and neck with a smacking sound.

“Ugh, I know now without you having to say it. So don’t do it. Got it?”

“Then is it okay if I whisper it in your ear?”

“That’s!”

I thought for a moment. Would that be okay?

As I hesitated, Adrian hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear. It wasn’t the kind of thing you would expect from a man who said he wasn’t feeling lust.

A little later, Glenn Doherty came to me, saying that he had to hold a banquet because he could no longer resist the demands of the high-ranking nobles, ministers, and vassals.

“So, it’s a place to introduce me and Leo to everyone.”

“Well, you could say that.”

“Hmm.”

It was only natural.

For five years after Adrian became Emperor Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, the position of Empress was promised to Celine Ianster.

In this world, of course, the social circles were important. Celine’s influence over the nobles must have been a great source of power.

It was not an exaggeration to say that this place was still in her hands.

But, I know Celine.

People must have submitted to her power, but their hearts would never have been with her.

Since I had decided to become the Empress of Quinze-Nouais, I wanted to be Adrian’s greatest strength.

And while Claire Ianster was a villainess in the book who was cruel and tormented people, I am Cha Seyoung, the next mistress of the royal family.

No matter how grand the scale of the social circle here, it wouldn’t be much different from the high society of South Korea.

“In that case, we must make it the best.”

Glen smiled, pulling up the corners of his mouth as he looked at me.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

***

The scale of the banquet was not large. This was because there wasn’t enough time for another large-scale event, as the Emperor’s wedding and the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony were soon to take place.

Even so, the nobles of the capital would have had several reasons for wanting to see me.

Some probably remembered the notorious rascal of the Ianster family, and the desire to witness the relationship between Celine and me must have played a part. In addition, there was the curiosity about the child who was the spitting image of the Emperor.

The movement of the socialites would have been impressive enough to push their husbands into holding the banquet.

I was at an absolute disadvantage.

I had been the infamous black sheep of the Ianster family, had stolen my half-sister’s man despite being a bastard child, and had a baby before I was even married.

Not only that, I had been engaged to Sebastian, the former Crown Prince whose name could not even be mentioned now, and had a history of disappearing from the empire for several years.

I felt that it would be difficult for me to create a positive impression.

I placed both elbows on the table, rested my chin on my interlocked hands, and fell into deep thought.

At that moment, Adrian entered the study and office where I was working. I wasn’t staying in the Empress’s palace yet, and only one lady-in-waiting was with me in my study and office.

“What are you doing, Claire?”

“Huh? When did you get here?”

“What were you doing that you didn’t even notice someone come in?”

“I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“About becoming the true Empress.”

As if my answer pleased him, Adrian smiled brightly and approached me. But I raised a hand and stopped him firmly. I needed time to calmly sort things out.

“All you have to do is just be next to me. That’s what an Empress is…”

Adrian, whose path was blocked by my hand, looked visibly disappointed.

“The world of women is very profound, Your Majesty.”

“If someone bothers you, I’ll punish them.”

“Are you going to do that to every noblewoman in this empire? And this is a problem I must solve on my own.”

I then took the knights who had accompanied me last time and headed to the St. Vincent Orphanage, which was now called Andreo Orphanage.

The new name also used the director’s last name, Andreo, who was once a priest of the Temple.

I decided to hold this banquet in a different format. When I discussed it with Glen beforehand, he also agreed that it was a good idea, so I hurried to the orphanage.

As I entered the orphanage, I heard the beautiful sound of children’s choir.

I remembered the chorus the children sang for me before I left this place. And the children’s singing had become much more beautiful over the years.

“We greet Your Majesty the Empress of the Quinze-Nouais Empire.”

The gray-haired director looked very kind. And as if to prove that fact, the children were circling around him. He guided the children into the classroom and then led me to his office.

It felt so warm that I couldn’t believe it was the same place that Director Vincent had used.

“May I ask what brings Your Majesty here?”

“I am not the Empress yet. And I am simply here to see if the children are doing well.”

“Is that so?”

Two more clean buildings had been added to the orphanage. And the number of children had grown from about thirty to well over a hundred. As the number of people increased, the operating costs would naturally also go up.

“The singing is so beautiful.”

“Yes, they say it’s a choir that was formed after Lady Ianster visited here.”

“Ah… is that so?”

“Before, only a few children sang, but now they even have a good number of instruments.”

I chatted with the director about various things at the orphanage for a while and then carefully revealed the purpose of my visit.

“I… Director. The truth is, I’m preparing something right now. I think it would be very good for the children. But, I don’t know everything, so I wanted to get your opinion.”

He listened to me carefully and nodded for a long time. Then he got up without hesitation and willingly gave me the documents I wanted.

I thanked the director and immediately returned to the Imperial Palace.

After that, I immediately began writing invitations by hand to all the families who were to be invited to this banquet. The number was over a hundred.

And in the letters, I requested that they send one of the handkerchiefs that the lady of the house or their daughter had embroidered that they were most proud of.

That day, for the first time in a while, I stayed up all night to do manual labor. And the very next day, the invitations I had written were delivered to all the noble families at the same time.

Time flew by, and finally, the day of the banquet arrived.

The banquets of Quinze-Nouais were unimaginably monotonous.

Whenever people from each family entered the banquet hall, the head butler would announce who had arrived, and after everyone had entered, they would gather in small groups and chat.

Then, when the dance music started, they would dance, and when it ended, they would go back to chatting.

And this process would be repeated several times before the banquet finally ended.

If that were the case, I would have to stand between sharp eyes and words throughout the banquet. And there was nothing in their knowledge that would be beneficial to me.

So I decided to change the format of the banquet altogether.

At first, the banquet started in a similar format. And as soon as the announcement that everyone had arrived was over, the dance music began.

But, as expected, all the noblewomen of the capital were so busy looking at me and Leo that they had no interest in dancing. They were all holding their fans to cover their mouths and chattering away.

Adrian also seemed bored with this atmosphere, but he stayed by my side the whole time, in case someone appeared to bother me.

When the second dance song ended, I quickly made eye contact with a group of people who were approaching me like hyenas, then hurried up to the stage.

I bravely went up, but I had no idea how to start.

‘Should I say ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’?’

I took a deep breath and first focused the attention of the audience. Since this whole banquet was a new attempt anyway, I figured I could greet them however I wanted.

“Nobles of the Quinze-Nouais Empire, who are its roots and foundation, I am Claire Ianster of the Ianster family, the new fiancée of His Majesty the Emperor.”

The audience was silent for a moment at my greeting. I didn’t miss the opportunity and continued to speak.

“I would like to make a suggestion to all of you today.”

Some people frowned, disliking the atmosphere that broke the mold of a traditional banquet, but most of the nobles looked at me with curious eyes.

“I’m sure there’s no one here who doesn’t know that I lived at the St. Vincent Orphanage before I stayed as the daughter of the Ianster family.”

The person most surprised by my words was not the nobles, but Adrian. But I didn’t care and kept talking.

“Would you take a look at this?”

I held up a leather craft I had made with my own hands over the past few days.

It was a small storage pouch with a triangular opening at the top that could be folded down and sealed by wrapping a string around it. The women of this world would often carry their embroidered handkerchiefs or decorative laces in these cloth pouches.

As I held up one of the leather crafts, a servant from behind the stage pushed out a portable shelf with over a hundred pouches.

“Aren’t you curious about what’s inside these leather pouches?”

I took out a handkerchief from the pouch in my hand and unfolded it wide.

“The embroidery on this handkerchief is, I’m embarrassed to say, my own. And the name ‘Millen Vale’ is written on this leather pouch.”

The people looked confused at first, then started looking at each other.

“You might be wondering who Millen Vale is. He is a six-year-old boy currently living at the Andreo Orphanage. I would like to sell this item that I made and this handkerchief that I embroidered myself to all of you. And all the money will be given to this child named Millen Vale.”

A deeper curiosity emerged on the faces of the people. I didn’t miss that moment and gave a look to a noblewoman I had planted beforehand.

“Ah, I am Caitlyn Fraser, the wife of Baron Fraser. It would be an honor for my family if I could buy that handkerchief and pouch, Lady Claire Ianster. So how much should I pay?”

I confidently held up a piece of paper.

“For those who purchase this pouch and handkerchief, I will give you a piece of this paper. You can write down the amount you wish to pay on it and give it to a servant. And for those who wish to continuously support a child, we have also prepared a way to make a regular donation, so if you are curious, you can get a detailed explanation from a servant.”

I was speaking with more and more confidence, almost like an orator, trying to sell something.

“If you make a regular donation, you will become the guardian of the child whose name is written on this pouch. Then, every year, that child will send you a letter with their regards and gratitude. And you will be able to meet that child. However, the meeting will only be possible if the child wishes to.”

I wanted to take advantage of the psychological vanity of the nobles.

When I was Cha Seyoung, most of what rich noblewomen did was something like this. They would sell paintings, hold concerts, or bazaars, and even deliver briquettes.

I thought it wouldn’t be any different for the nobles here.

And my prediction was correct.

When I held up the next pouch, people hesitated for a moment but then slowly began to raise their hands.

They didn’t say whose it was, but the women whose handkerchiefs came out would shyly give themselves away.

Because of this, some would even step up and buy their own family’s handkerchief when it wasn’t selling, and sometimes, a man would willingly pay a large sum to get the one belonging to the woman he had feelings for.

It was a banquet where everyone could be the protagonist at least once.

The number of children was greater than the number of handkerchiefs from the nobles, so I put in some embroidered by the ladies-in-waiting, but the similar families who had already entered into a light competition raised their hands, each wanting to have it.

I praised myself for burning my hands the night before to create the brands and stamp the children’s names.

By the time I had mediated and sold all the leather pouches, the banquet was already nearing its end.

I sat down with a much more relaxed mind. Leo had already been taken to bed by Sally when about ten pouches were sold.

I sat down and was about to take a sip of champagne to quench my dry throat. Adrian looked at me for a moment, then leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“Give me a sip, too.”

I thought it was strange for him to whisper something like that, but I was about to gulp down the champagne in my hand and get him another glass from the table.

But then Adrian whispered in my ear again.

“Not that one, the one in your mouth right now.”

“Pft, cough.”

At Adrian’s words, I spat out the champagne I had not yet swallowed.

Luckily, people weren’t looking at us, but thanks to Adrian’s loud laughter that followed, their attention was focused on us again.

The expressions of the people who saw the Emperor laughing so brightly and loudly were very diverse.

The women’s faces turned red, and the men also relaxed their mouths and wore comfortable smiles.

As the last dance song came on at the end of the banquet, Adrian and I stepped onto the dance floor.

Now that I thought about it, this was the first time I had ever danced with him. I hadn’t been able to have a proper dance even at the banquet at the Turk Imperial Palace.

Adrian formally bowed and held out his hand to me.

As the Emperor stepped to the center of the hall, people slowly moved to the side. I stood up straight and lightly placed my hand on his.

As Adrian’s hand went to my waist, I also placed my hand on his shoulder and took a pose. Soft music flowed, and the chandelier in the hall was shining beautifully.

I felt a sense of fulfillment that I had never felt since coming here. It was as if a vague expectation that everything would be alright from now on was blooming within me.

“Claire, I love you.”

Adrian kept whispering his love in my ear when the dance was about halfway through. It was a word I could never get tired of hearing.

And the expressions of the people looking at us seemed to be enraptured.

When the banquet was about to end and the Emperor had to leave my side to finish things up, a group of noblewomen approached me as if they had been waiting. I thought it was a problem I had to face eventually, so I straightened my back and prepared to receive their sharp words.

But they started telling me things I had never expected.

It was about how much they had been tormented by Celine Ianster.

If I were the real Claire Ianster, or even the usual Cha Seyoung, I wouldn’t have let them badmouth Celine.

But the stories were so one-dimensional and unbelievably absurd that I could only stand there with my mouth agape, listening to their stories.

“Is… is all that true?”

One lady’s story in particular was shocking.

When she said that Celine had forcibly made her take off her shoes because she didn’t like the design, put cake in them, and made her put them back on, I couldn’t believe her absurd behavior.

She also said that Celine had laughed so brightly, saying that it suited her now.

No, why on earth would she do such a stupid thing that only insults someone’s character and doesn’t even benefit her at all?

I could only offer them words of comfort, saying that they had gone through a lot. After sending the young ladies away, I felt that I needed to be more wary of Celine.

And so, the first banquet I hosted, though a terribly subjective opinion, ended successfully.

After that, it became a trend not only among the noblewomen who attended but also among many women in the empire to carry a leather handkerchief case.