Love & Poison (7)
“This is my first time receiving a formal invitation to the empress’s palace.”
It was the day of the birthday banquet for the Duke of Crown’s daughter.
I arrived at the empress’s palace with Edwin.
The boy kept glancing around, clearly fascinated by the interior.
“I never realized it when I just walked past, but now that I’m inside, it seems every bit as grand as the emperor’s palace.”
Just as Edwin said, the empress’s palace boasted a scale rivaling that of the emperor’s own residence.
I once got lost in here during a mission and wandered for what felt like ages.
As I recalled the time I had nearly been caught by the imperial knights, a servant from the empress’s palace approached from the far end of the corridor.
“Welcome, Your Highness Edwin.”
The servant looked between Edwin and me, then stepped aside with a respectful bow.
“Please follow me this way.”
We trailed the servant down a long, winding gallery until we emerged into the rear garden of the empress’s palace.
The outdoor banquet hall, adorned with nameless red and yellow blossoms, had clearly been prepared with great care; it was dazzlingly ornate and beautiful.
“Whoa.”
The moment Edwin stepped into the garden, his eyes widened in surprise.
“There are more people here than I expected?”
“Indeed,” I agreed.
A long oval table had been set in the garden, covered with every kind of exquisite main dish and dessert imaginable.
The empress sat at the head, with First Prince Adrian and Second Prince Lloyd positioned on either side of her. Both wore expressions that suggested they were already bored.
“Thank you for coming to celebrate with me.”
Brigitte Crown, the guest of honor, was seated directly across from the empress.
Several young noblewomen sat around her—daughters of houses that followed the Crown ducal family, along with ladies from other ducal lines.
“Ah!”
Just then, Brigitte spotted Edwin and rose from her seat, walking toward us.
“You came, Your Highness Edwin.”
“Ah, uh, yes.”
Edwin stared at Brigitte as she approached, seemingly unable to look away.
Perhaps because it was her own birthday banquet, she had dressed with exceptional splendor today.
A golden tiara studded with rubies sat beautifully atop her head, and her crimson dress perfectly matched the color of her hair.
She looks absolutely breathtaking.
I watched Edwin, whose ears had turned bright red, as he stood there flustered and at a loss.
He doesn’t look lively at all. He just looks like a complete fool.
As I thought, it really does seem better for one’s life to avoid falling in love.
I kept my expression neutral and bowed politely.
“Congratulations on your birthday, Lady Brigitte Crown.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Brigitte offered me a light smile in return, then promptly took hold of Edwin’s wrist.
“Come, let us greet Her Majesty at once.”
“Ah, y-yes!”
Edwin’s gaze remained fixed on the wrist she had captured as he was helplessly led away.
I followed the pair at a leisurely pace.
“It has been a while.”
Empress Melanie displayed her usual elegant and refined demeanor.
As the children drew near, she offered a quiet smile.
“Edwin.”
“I greet Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
Edwin’s voice trembled slightly, betraying his nervousness.
I bowed respectfully after him and then lifted my head.
It seemed Melanie had no interest in me whatsoever.
Her gaze remained fixed solely on the children.
Hmm.
Thanks to that, I was able to use the moment to carefully observe my surroundings.
While confirming the locations of the entrances and windows of the empress’s palace, I paused briefly in surprise.
Adrian?
First Prince Adrian had been sitting perfectly still like a doll since we arrived.
The only thing moving was his finger as it turned the pages of his book.
A prince who sat reading quietly at a banquet held for his cousin—how unusual.
Either he’s an odd one, or he simply lacks social skills.
That was the extent of my impression of the first prince.
Meanwhile, Edwin approached him hesitantly and offered an awkward greeting.
“I greet my eldest brother.”
“Indeed.”
Adrian, who had answered curtly without lifting his eyes from his book, finally looked up when the empress lightly tapped his arm.
With clear annoyance on his face, he continued.
“I saw your performance at the hunting competition. It was impressive.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Edwin’s face brightened at the unexpected praise.
But Adrian, having said his piece, immediately returned his attention to his book.
The indifferent attitude left Edwin at a loss for words. As he stood there silently, a mocking voice cut through the air.
“What are you doing?”
Second Prince Lloyd rested his chin on the arm of his chair, glaring at Edwin with clear displeasure.
“Are you really going to skip greeting me now?”
“Of course not, Brother Lloyd.”
Edwin’s face stiffened at the provocative tone.
“I was just about to. Hello, Brother.”
“Hmph.”
Lloyd looked Edwin up and down with obvious disdain.
“A pearl necklace on a pig’s neck couldn’t look more out of place.”
He sneered at Edwin, who had come dressed in his finest.
“Has the Third Prince’s Palace finally seen some improvement? You’ve dressed far above your station.”
The tone was incredibly irritating.
I narrowed my eyes and raised one eyebrow at Lloyd, when a flash of vivid red hair intervened.
“Of course he must dress to this standard. His Highness Edwin is a prince of the empire, after all. Should he not maintain the dignity befitting his station?”
“Brigitte, you’ve been doing this to me since last time—”
Lloyd’s face twisted as Brigitte stepped between them.
He gripped the arms of his chair so tightly it seemed he might leap up at any moment.
“That is enough.”
At that moment, Empress Melanie, who had been quietly sipping her tea, spoke.
“Are you not aware that other noble children are watching? As a member of the imperial family, you must uphold your dignity, Lloyd.”
“…Tch.”
As expected, blood truly does run thicker than water.
Melanie had taken her nephew’s side with flawless elegance.
In the end, Lloyd could offer no retort to the empress and was forced to remain seated.
“Brigitte.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
I had sensed it from the moment I learned the empress was hosting the duke’s daughter’s birthday banquet here, but she clearly cherished Brigitte greatly.
I narrowed my eyes.
To think she even permitted the title “Aunt.”
By imperial etiquette, no one—not even blood relatives—could address the empress by any title other than “Your Majesty” unless they were of the imperial family themselves.
Even her own parents were expected to refer to her as “Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
“Go and continue speaking with your friends. They all seem to be waiting for you.”
“Yes! In that case, would Your Highness Edwin care to join me?”
“Huh? Me too?”
“Yes! I shall introduce you to my friends!”
At her words, Lloyd’s face crumpled.
The poor boy had apparently never once received such an invitation from Brigitte.
“Um, Rachel.”
At that moment, Edwin called out to me.
His face was flushed as Brigitte continued to hold his wrist.
“Is it all right if I step away for a bit?”
“Of course. Please enjoy the banquet without concern for me.”
I bowed my head slightly in polite reply.
“I shall remain here. If you need anything, simply call for me.”
“Okay!”
The moment he had my permission, Edwin dashed off with Brigitte toward the group of other noble children.
As he drew near, their eyes filled with curiosity.
The young ladies around Brigitte’s age were especially enthusiastic—bordering on fervent.
“Oh my, Brigitte, who is this lovely person?”
“I’ve never seen this face in the imperial city before.”
“Brigitte, introduce us already! I’m dying of curiosity.”
Judging by their speech, most of them appeared to be collateral relatives of the Crown family. They addressed Brigitte with friendly familiarity, using her given name.
“This is His Highness Edwin Anaxinian Ventrum, the Third Prince of the Empire.”
Edwin looked at her in surprise when his full name left her lips.
As if he hadn’t expected her to know it.
“What? His Highness the Third Prince?”
“Prince Edwin? Oh, the one who won the hunting competition?”
“Goodness, then you must have seen the silver-horned deer yourself!”
The moment the young noblewomen realized who he was, they crowded even closer around him.
Edwin seemed uncomfortable with all the attention directed his way. He lowered his head slightly, eyes darting about, and even hid a little behind Brigitte, who still held his wrist.
“Don’t crowd him like that. You’re making His Highness uncomfortable. Give him some space!”
“Wow, there’s the real Brigitte tone. Since we’re at it, why don’t you drop that ridiculous Eastern Continent accent already?”
“What? Ridiculous? Is that what you’ve all been thinking this whole time? You’re all dead!”
“There it is—her real personality!”
The Crown family’s young relatives seemed to interact without any sense of hierarchy.
They felt more like close friends than cousins.
I’d heard direct and collateral bloodlines usually don’t get along. How unusual.
Brigitte playfully swatted at her teasing cousins until they all burst into laughter together.
Edwin simply stared at the scene in a daze.
A sigh escaped me.
He said he wanted to look good in front of her, yet here he is completely spaced out.
Catherine had told me to assist him properly, but at this rate, there was nothing I could do to help even if I wanted to.
Well, I suppose he’ll have to manage on his own.
Besides, romance was hardly the sort of thing that succeeded simply because someone lent a hand.
I watched the prince for a long moment before quietly slipping away from my seat.