***
***
Empress Dowager Patricia got in the waiting carriage and quickly returned to her palace. Perhaps because he was worried, Edgar immediately followed her.
“I am truly astonished!”
The angry Empress Dowager could not calm her anger and only sat down and clutched her chair tightly.
Edgar gave the maidservant a look to tell her to leave and sat down across from his mother.
“You were very careless.”
Patricia then stared at Edgar with a creepy look in her eyes.
“How dare they humiliate me in front of the envoys for scolding the Empress. I am the rightful Empress of Emporium!”
“The situation is not looking good. It is true that we have to be careful.”
“There’s no evidence anyway!” (*The evidence about who had tried to kill Liv and Carius)
She couldn’t overcome her anger and eventually turned her head.
Edgar only sighed deeply at the sight. But Patricia seemed to have no intention of retreating in the slightest.
“Honestly, the Empress is incomparable to the Princess. The Princess has a graceful expression and elegant gestures. How did she come to learn such etiquette? Indeed, the Princess is different.”
Edgar glanced sideways at his mother. She had a headache and was leaning her head on her right hand.
“I guess that notion hasn’t changed even after becoming Empress Dowager.”
As a complex against the people from her own background, the Empress Dowager, when dealing with someone, did not look at them as a person, but gave them an evaluation based on their family lineage.
Come to think of it, even now, from the moment she ascended the throne as Empress of Emporium to the moment she became Empress Dowager, how could she forget the look of disdain from the former nobles?
In her eyes, Brianne was the perfect match for Edgar.
Patricia lowered her hand on her head and said politely to her son.
“Be sure to seize the Princess. I don’t know how much longer I have to suffer this kind of scorn from Carius, with the emperor as her backer and the Empress ignoring me, I feel like I don’t have anyone on my side in this palace.”
“Mother, but I………..”
“Your relationship with the Empress is over. Try to make time for the Princess tomorrow, so bring her here first.”
“….”
Edgar sighed silently. The Empress Dowager, unhappy with the sight of her son, raised her voice even higher.
“Edgar!”
“I understand. ………”
She looked at her son, who reluctantly answered, and clicked her tongue with an expression of pity.
“Tsk, tsk, leave!”
Edgar got up from his seat heavily. Then he stopped on his way out.
“How did you deal with them?”
“What do you mean…..”
Patricia spoke, then realized her son’s question and quickly stopped. Edgar’s forehead wrinkled as he looked at her embarrassed eyes.
‘”As I said, why didn’t you handle it? Where is the chief priest now?”
“Even if you don’t care……..”
But it was Edgar who cut off Patricia’s words at once. He said in a decisive tone.
“I don’t know why the priest was put forward in the case of the Empress, but if we can’t deal with him, it will definitely be an obstacle in the future.”
“…”
“You have to get rid of him. Keep that in mind.”
Edgar barely contained his bleak gaze and left. The Empress Dowager, who was absentmindedly watching her son’s back, immediately clenched her fists tightly.
‘Edgar, there’s something you don’t know. If what the priest says is true, he can definitely suffocate the Empress.’
Immediately an even creepier smile appeared on her lips than before.
‘It’s only a matter of time before Edgar gets crowned as long as he marries the Princess. Then I’ll kill the Empress first who is my eyesore.’
***
The sun was shining and the sky was clear, but there was a cold wind blowing in the palace.
Brianne was in the dressing room, getting her rich brown hair done by the maids. She stood in front of the mirror, wearing a full red dress that caught her eye among the many dresses.
‘The Empress Dowager is impatient, isn’t she?’
Brianne’s lips lifted up, as if she felt good about the Dowager’s invitation.
‘I’m glad. The thought of the Empress Dowager drooling while looking at me is already making me happy.’
She let out a short breath to quell her excitement. Then she asked the maids.
“What do you think?”
“Beautiful.”
Brianne didn’t seem to like the reply and looked at the maid sharply.
“It’s about being able to capture a man’s heart! Is that what you’re doing because you don’t know what I came here for?”
“Princess is truly enchanting and beautiful. You will catch everyone’s gaze at once.”
Hearing this, Brianne finally calmed her excitement. She turned to look in the mirror to check her appearance once more, then hurried out.
As she rode in the carriage to the Empress Dowager’s palace, she stared at nothing but the invitation. With a fishy smile.
After a while, Brianne looked out the window at the Empress Dowager’s palace.
‘As they say, it is indeed spectacular. It won’t be long before it’s mine… Ha.’
Soon the carriage arrived in front of the Empress Dowager’s Palace. Brianne’s steps inside were light. She entered the Empress Dowager’s audience chamber under the guidance of her attendants. The Dowager Empress and Edgar were already seated there.
Brianne greeted them shyly.
“Thank you for inviting me, Your Highness.”
“Oh, please, have a seat here.”
Brianne sat across from Edgar, showing off her colorful dress. Then she looked at Patricia with a worried expression.
“I was wondering if you slept well last night.”
Patricia sighed incessantly at her words.
“How can I face the envoys….”
“Oh, don’t worry about that, Your Highness. I also looked into the situation, and found that the rumors were very nonsense.”
“I’m grateful if you thought so, Princess.”
“It is only natural to correct false rumors. I think it is unpleasant for such a beautiful and noble Empress Dowager to be involved in such unpleasant matters.”
“Why do you speak so beautifully?”
Patricia smiled gently at Brianne, unable to hide her satisfied expression. The servants set before them a cup of fragrant lemon tea and a slice of cake. Patricia soon signaled to Edgar with a subtle wink.
It was as if she wanted him to win the Princess’s heart. But Edgar was only consistent with a hard expression. Brianne brought her teacup to her red lips.
After removing her lips from the cup, she gently lifted her eyelashes towards Edgar. Seeing Brianne’s sideways glance, Patricia hurriedly opened her mouth on Edgar’s behalf.
“The Grand Duke may look blunt, but he’s really a very kind man. If you have any difficulties while you’re here, just ask the Grand Duke.”
At that, Brianne opened her eyes wide in surprise.
“Oh, I know he’s busy with negotiations, how should I …”
“If the Princess asks, he’ll listen…hahaha.”
“If the Grand Duke doesn’t mind. ….”
Brianne smiled as if to say thank you. Then she gave Edgar another sideways glance. But Edgar didn’t even look at her. Brianne brought the cup to her lips again and took a sip.
“I’m curious about the harvest festival. At this time, noble children also come out on the streets and enjoy entertainment. “
“The Princess seems quite curious about the festival. “
“Actually, yes.”
Before Brianne could speak, Patricia said to Edgar in a cheerful voice and with great effort.
“Let the Grand Duke introduce you to Luperca’s most famous dessert café. This is the place where the noble ladies like to visit. If the two of you talk more, you will be able to maintain a good relationship in the matter of negotiations. “
Edgar finally looked up at his mother’s unconcealed smile.
“If the Princess has time…………….”
A bigger smile spread across Brianne’s lips at Edgar’s words.
“I’m very flattered, but I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do. Actually, there is someone else I’m going with.”
“And who is that?”
Patricia’s eyes grew wide as she asked the question, and Brianne cut in as if she had been waiting for it.
“It is my brother, who has just arrived with the second delegation. He is the next in line to lead the Delta Kingdom.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, if it’s not too rude, may I introduce the Prince to you here?”
Patricia nodded her head in response. Brianne covertly beckoned to the maidservant beside her. Soon, a boy in a blue uniform entered through the door.
“Nice to meet you. Your Higness!”
The child in the blue uniform greeted in a brave voice. Patricia’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, you have such a cute little brother?”
At Patricia’s question, Brianne turned her head and muttered low.
“Oscar, didn’t I tell you to say your name the first time you meet someone?”
“Oh, I’m Oscar de Helle.”
Then Patricia added.
“It happens. By the way, is he the youngest Prince of the Delta Kingdom?”
“Yes. He is the next heir to lead the Delta Kingdom in the future. Your Highness.”
“The next heir…. It’s nice to meet you, Prince.”
The young boy, who resembled Brianne’s brown eyes, was already using sophisticated etiquette for someone of his age.
“Please go out for a moment.”
The young Prince quickly finished his greeting and left. Patricia watched him with an interesting look in her eyes.
Brianne spoke quietly.
“I guess the rumors didn’t spread to the imperial family. The King of Delta Kingdom recently had a six-year-old son.”
“Actually, the Prince is the King’s sister’s only son. When her husband went off to war and died, and his sister died of illness because of it. So the King took in that boy who had nowhere else to go.”
“Such a pity!”
“The Council also agreed to it so there was no problem.”
Patricia nodded as she thought.
‘If her brother becomes the Delta King, we’ll have to get the Princess even more. What an attractive marriage partner………..’
Brianne gently looked at Edgar and spoke in a small voice.
“If you don’t mind, can you take the Prince and me to the festivities tomorrow………?”