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* * *

“An invitation?”

“Yes, and it’s from the Empress herself.”

I muttered in surprise as I looked at the glossy invitation, and Lily, smiling, pointed out the important detail. As she said, the top of the invitation bore the clear seal of the Empress’s palace. Now that I looked at it, even the envelope, which I had carelessly torn open, had been sealed with the Empress’s insignia.

“I never thought it would be an invitation.”

I examined the invitation in a daze, turning it over in my hands.

“So this is how invitations are delivered.”

I should have guessed when Lily brought the envelope so grandly on a silver tray. But having never received one before, I didn’t know.

The content of the invitation, written in an elegant script, was very simple. It was an invitation to join the Empress and other noblewomen for tea in anticipation of her upcoming childbirth.

“It looks like the Empress wrote this herself.”

“You can tell?”

“It’s the Empress’s handwriting. All the ladies-in-waiting of noble households are familiar with it. That way, there’s no room for mistakes.”

“Mistakes? What kind of mistakes could there be?”

Lily offered a bit more information in response to my question.

“Usually, writing invitations like this is a task for the head maid. Receiving one personally written by the Empress means you’re a very special guest. It’s an implicit request for your attendance, so it’s essential not to miss it.”

“Oh… I see.”

If it were me, I’d probably write something like, ‘You must attend. Attendance required!’ But it seemed the language of high society didn’t work that way.

“And after attending the party, you must personally thank the Empress for the invitation. This not only shows respect to the Empress but also enhances your own standing.”

“Wow…”

I was taken aback by this unexpected information.

When facing the Mad Dragon, I armed myself with swords and magic on the battlefield.

“But in high society, the weapons are etiquette and rhetoric.”

I started to understand why Axel had been so worried, watching me charge headlong into things without a plan. My approach wouldn’t work in the social circles.

“Now I’m getting nervous.”

I felt more confident if I had to face an enemy in a fistfight. But the thought of engaging in a battle of wits, smiling and wielding the sharp edge of my tongue, felt incredibly awkward.

I only started learning proper etiquette after I was officially recognized as Lady Elpinard. Compared to the noblewomen and young ladies who had mastered the social arts from birth, I was hopelessly inexperienced.

As I groaned in worry, Lily let out a small laugh.

“Don’t worry too much, my lady. Just focus on the Empress. We’ll guide you through the etiquette you need for her.”

“Just focus on the Empress…?”

I tilted my head, confused.

“Isn’t it true that many other people will be attending this tea party as well, even though it’s hosted by the Empress?”

“Yes, since it’s to wish the Empress a smooth delivery, everyone will surely bring gifts in abundance.”

“Then why only focus on the Empress?”

“Oh my.”

Lily blinked in surprise, as if she couldn’t understand why I didn’t get it. At that moment, Rose and Daisy, who had been quietly standing by, spoke up.

“But my lady, you are Lady Elpinard!”

“Kydsha Temple’s certified miracle-working saint!”

“And the youngest genius ever admitted to the Ivory Tower!”

“A peerless beauty as delicate and graceful as a lily of the valley!”

“Ah!”

The compliments continued to pile on, becoming more and more embarrassing, so I quickly waved my hands to stop them.

“Please… leave out the ‘peerless beauty’ part…”

“What are you talking about? It’s the truth, so why leave it out?”

Rose grinned as she gently guided me toward the mirror.

“Look, my lady. Do you really think the person in that mirror isn’t a peerless beauty?”

I was gently nudged toward the full-length mirror. Just as Rose said, the reflection staring back at me wasn’t bad at all. No, it was actually quite pretty.

“But to call it ‘peerless beauty’…”

It was clear that my maids’ personal biases were influencing their judgment.

“Ahem! Anyway, since it’s my first tea party, I need all the help I can get from you all.”

I met Lily’s gaze in the mirror and made my request. She smiled and offered some advice.

“Since it’s your first tea party, why not ask the Duke for some advice?”

“Huh? My father?”

The unexpected suggestion made me blink in surprise.

“Is it really okay to take up his time with something like this? He’s always so busy…”

“Well, Lord Logan would probably be thrilled if someone would take up some of the Duke’s time.”

Rose and Daisy giggled at Lily’s remark.

It was almost as if my father were possessed by the spirit of someone who had died with unfinished work, constantly cooped up in his study, battling piles of paperwork. The only time he ever left the study was for brief periods to train with his sword in the practice yard.

‘He even considers the time spent eating a waste and takes his meals at his desk…’

Lord Logan, who handled the Duke’s official duties, always had dark circles under his eyes, a natural result of such a relentless schedule.

“Well then, maybe I should ask Father for some advice…”

* * *

“My lady! You’re here!”

As soon as Lord Logan, who was lingering near the door of the Duke’s study, spotted me, his face lit up with relief, and he quickly came over.

I was shocked to see him after so long.

‘Good heavens.’

He looked utterly exhausted!

Seeing my expression of surprise, Lord Logan smiled weakly and hurriedly opened the door to the study.

“Please, just for more than two hours, no, even an hour, or at least 30 minutes…”

The desperation in Logan’s whisper made it clear how dire the situation was.

My father had become so absorbed in his work that even a mere 30-minute break was desperately needed!

‘He wasn’t always like this.’

He was always diligent, but he never pushed himself to the point of exhaustion.

Curious, I tilted my head, and Logan, glancing around cautiously, leaned in to whisper to me.

“It’s almost the anniversary of the late Duchess’s passing. Around this time of year, he always becomes like this.”

“Oh.”

I flinched in surprise.

‘Has that time of year come already?’

It was an annual occurrence, but with all the issues involving the Mad Dragon and the former emperor, it had slipped my mind.

The Duke always observed the anniversary of his wife’s death in silence, as if her passing hadn’t affected him. There was no grand memorial ceremony; he would simply offer a brief prayer in the family chapel, then return to his daily life with a calm expression.

‘But in truth, he must have never been okay with it.’

I knew the Duke was not skilled at expressing his emotions. I always felt concerned but never knew how to comfort him, so I often stepped back. I also thought it wasn’t my place to intervene since his real blood family, like Axel or Noah, were by his side.

Just as Logan had done, I looked around to make sure no one else was listening, then whispered to him.

“If that’s the reason he’s like this, wouldn’t it be better for Axel or Noah to comfort him instead of me?”

“Are you serious…?”

Logan’s horrified expression made me try to imagine Axel or Noah comforting the Duke. 

But I couldn’t picture it at all.

‘It’s impossible.’

That kind of behavior was completely out of character for both of them.

“You’re right. I was being rash. Axel or Noah comforting someone… That was never going to happen.”

“Yes, it was a bit of a hasty thought.”

Logan and I nodded seriously, exchanging a knowing glance.

“Given the circumstances… please take care of him, my lady.”

I walked past the bowing Logan and quietly entered the study.

‘So this is something I should handle after all.’

I hadn’t realized it before. Both Lily and Logan entrusted me with this significant task so naturally, making me feel even more determined to do well.

The study was filled with the sound of a pen scratching against paper and the rustling of documents being turned. The atmosphere was heavy, as it always was, but now it felt even more oppressive, knowing that the anniversary of the Duchess’s death was approaching.

“Father?”

I called out cautiously. The sounds in the study ceased immediately, and instead, the creak of a chair being pushed back echoed in the silence.

“Reshia?”

The Duke stood up to greet me. Seeing his face, with a bit of stubble from not shaving, I realized how deeply absorbed in work he must have been.

‘In this way, he really is like Axel.’

Axel also tended to bury himself in work when something troubled him. I remembered during our expedition, when a fire caused by the Mad Dragon’s followers had destroyed a small village, killing many people. Axel had spent days without eating or sleeping, trying to research a spell to make it rain.

Though the research ultimately failed, that was Axel’s way of coping.

Remembering that time gave me an idea of how to comfort the Duke.

‘I just need to give him something else to focus on!’

Of course, it should be something light and not too burdensome!

When Axel was obsessively working on that rain spell, I had distracted him by complaining about being hungry and suggesting we go fishing.

“I’m hungry! Catch me some fish! I even brought the fishing rods!”

It would have been easy to catch fish with magic, but Axel was so out of it back then that he had simply taken the fishing rod and followed me to the river.

We had sat side by side, fishing, falling into the water, and even catching an enormous fish.

After that, Axel had returned to his normal self, his face looking refreshed.

Just as I had done for Axel back then, I waved the Empress’s invitation in front of the Duke and slumped my shoulders dramatically.

“Father, I’ve been invited to a tea party! I need a pretty dress!”