Eloise greeted me with a bright smile.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to your concern.”
The unfortunate incident at the hunting grounds… After Crown Prince Cedric fell from grace due to his involvement in chimera trafficking and an attempt to assassinate a member of the imperial family, his engagement to the daughter of Count Appenzeller was also annulled.
‘Though I had no idea she had been engaged to my ex-fiancé.’
Well, Eloise had known Cedric for a long time, so it wouldn’t be surprising if feelings had developed between them.
“I’m really fine. He was a man who dared to harm Your Majesty, after all.”
Thankfully, Eloise seemed to have no lingering feelings whatsoever and firmly took my side.
‘Hmm. So she wasn’t that into him after all?’
I smiled back at her, but inwardly, I found it a bit strange. It hadn’t been long since she lost her fiancé, yet she seemed perfectly fine.
Still, I was relieved that things wouldn’t be awkward between us as cousins. With that thought, I walked with her toward the tea room.
“You’re thinking the right way, Eloise! There are plenty of better things in the world.”
“Yes, exactly. Actually, there’s someone I’ve been interested in lately.”
“Really? Who?”
I quickly perked up and asked excitedly.
Oh? A new man? Well, they do say the best way to get over someone is to meet someone new.
“The Duchess of Shire.”
Huh?
“I mean Lady Ruby Shire, the princess of Helios Kingdom. She married the Duke of Shire last month.”
I mean… yeah, I knew that. But why did the conversation suddenly shift in that direction?
‘Wait, isn’t she already married?!’
As I debated whether I should be cheering for a more open-minded Bermut, Eloise grinned and clarified.
“The Duchess of Shire and I seem to have similar interests. I don’t think she’s fully adjusted to Bermut yet, and I’d love to befriend her.”
She was asking for my help. In gatherings like this, seating arrangements were determined by rank, so as the daughter of a count, Eloise wouldn’t normally have the chance to sit close to a duchess.
‘Ah, so that’s what this was about.’
For a moment, I’d thought the Duke of Shire was going to grab me by the collar.
“That’s not difficult at all. Alright, I got it.”
Nodding readily, I entered the tea room.
The waiting nobles all greeted me, and as I took my seat, I subtly granted Eloise’s request.
“By the way, would it be alright if Lady Appenzeller sat next to me? It’s been a while since we last met, and I’d like to sit close to her.”
“Oh, of course, Your Majesty!”
Since everyone knew we were cousins and I had already won their favor at the last ball, they all agreed without hesitation.
‘Hmm. So that’s her?’
Duchess Ruby Shire, around my age, was a red-haired woman who seemed a bit timid.
Once I confirmed that Eloise was seated near her, I smoothly continued my tea gathering with the nobles.
“I heard His Majesty was being especially sweet to the Empress earlier today?”
“Ahem, I’d appreciate it if you all pretended not to notice.”
“Ohoho!”
I played along with the ladies’ teasing.
“Oh my, how adorable! Is it a poodle?”
“Yes, yes! It’s so smart—it already recognizes its owner even though it’s still young!”
From pets to new dress designs, we happily chatted about all sorts of topics.
“Duchess Shire, this is my favorite lemon madeleine. Would you like to try it? It’s wonderfully fragrant and soft.”
“Thank you, Lady Eloise.”
Eloise and Duchess Shire seemed to be getting along well.
“Oh. It’s really delicious.”
“I’m glad! Try this scone too. The buttery flavor is amazing.”
Eloise kept chatting and offering her various tea pastries.
Since it was the duchess’s first time attending a social gathering since her marriage, she seemed quite nervous.
‘But… is it okay to feed her that much flour?’
Wouldn’t she get indigestion?
I glanced at the shy-looking Duchess Shire and briefly wondered.
But since the two of them seemed to be getting along so well, it felt awkward to interfere.
‘Well, they can handle it themselves, right?’
She was an adult, so it wasn’t my place to tell her to stop eating.
With that thought, I turned away and continued enjoying my conversation.
About an hour passed.
“Cough, cough!”
“Duchess, are you alright?”
Eloise’s worried voice rang out.
I quickly turned my head to look.
Duchess Shire was patting her chest, her face flushed red.
“Oh my! Duchess Shire, are you feeling unwell?”
“N-no, it’s nothing serious. I think I just ate a little too much…”
Of course. I had a feeling this would happen when she kept eating despite being nervous.
“Duchess, if you’re feeling too uncomfortable, should I call the palace physician?”
I asked sympathetically, about to call for my lady-in-waiting. But before I could, Eloise pulled a digestive remedy from her handbag and handed it over.
“I’ve been having digestion issues lately, so I carry this around. Please try it, Duchess.”
“Oh my, Lady Appenzeller is so thoughtful.”
“I’ve taken that medicine before—it works quite well.”
The concerned nobles praised Eloise while tending to Duchess Shire.
“Thank you all for your concern.”
The shy duchess blushed and quickly took the medicine.
With that, the briefly chaotic tea party returned to a peaceful round of chatter.
“By the way, being here with all of you is so delightful. Next time, I’d love to gather with even more people!”
I had temporarily pushed aside the matter of the universal antidote, but I still needed to build up secret funds for my future freedom after escaping any potential poisoning attempts. Not to mention Lindo’s ridiculously expensive tuition fees…
‘Gotta expand my social circle, find more men to collect hair from, and create more financial opportunities.’
As I smiled brightly and spoke, the nobles eagerly agreed.
“Then how about hosting our next tea gathering at the royal villa outside the capital? I’ve heard so much about it, but it’s so difficult to visit!”
“Oh? Then I’ll ask His Majesty for permission.”
“Kyaa! I’m so excited! If it’s at the royal villa, even the most particular ladies will attend.”
Yes, that’s exactly what I was hoping for!
I beamed at the noble ladies who had just tossed out the perfect bait.
Although my reputation as a scandalous mess had softened quite a bit, there were still some who remained distant.
The ones I had gotten close to were either very socially active or around my age, making it easier to connect with them.
On the other hand, the older, more cautious noblewomen—who were also the biggest financial players—remained somewhat reserved. If I could win them over, there would be plenty of benefits.
‘I will befriend them. No matter what.’
Even as I laughed and chatted, I strengthened my resolve internally.
Then, while Eloise was engaged in conversation with someone else, I noticed Duchess Shire quietly getting up.
“Um, I’ll just step out to the lounge for a moment.”
“Alright, take your time!”
She left after whispering her departure to another noble lady, speaking so softly that Eloise didn’t seem to notice.
Watching her go, a thought crossed my mind.
‘Her face looks pale.’
It seemed the snacks Eloise had encouraged her to eat weren’t sitting well. If even the digestive medicine hadn’t helped, she must have been really struggling.
And knowing her timid nature, she was probably suffering in silence rather than speaking up.
‘This feels like spotting a new student struggling to fit in.’
It was always upsetting when no one noticed or helped in times like these.
Scratching my cheek, I finally sighed and made up an excuse to slip out of the tea room.
Knock, knock.
“Duchess Shire?”
When I entered the lounge, sure enough, she was sitting on the sofa, looking miserable.
“Y-Your Majesty?”
“You don’t look well. Are you still feeling unwell?”
She turned red, seemingly surprised that I had been paying attention.
Well, I had been letting Eloise stick close to her all day, so I hadn’t directly interacted with her much. It made sense that she hadn’t realized I was watching.
“Should I call the physician now?”
“N-no, I’ll be fine after some rest, Your Majesty!”
She frantically waved her hands, probably worried about causing unnecessary trouble.
Even now, she avoided making direct eye contact—her shyness was truly next-level.
‘Kinda… adorable?’
She was so startled by just a simple conversation that I felt an odd urge to tease her.
Stifling a laugh, I told her I’d stay and keep her company so she wouldn’t be bored.
“T-thank you, Your Majesty.”
“How’s life in Bermut? It must be quite different from Helios, right?”
We chatted about trivial things for about twenty minutes, but her complexion still didn’t improve.
“This is a problem. If you stay away too long, everyone will start worrying.”
The duchess finally started fidgeting anxiously. She was probably worried that calling for a physician now would delay her return even further.
I didn’t think it was such a big deal, but from the perspective of a shy newcomer, I could see why it might be.
‘Well, lucky for you, this class president has a solution.’
Looking at the red-haired duchess on the verge of tears, I cheerfully suggested,
“Duchess, I know the fastest way to feel better. Want to try it?”
“R-really? Yes, please!”
I called for my lady-in-waiting and instructed her to bring a silver needle from my room. It was a new one meant for decoration, but I made sure to sterilize it properly over a flame.
“Y-Your Majesty?!”
“Shh. You trust me, right?”
“B-but what are you going to do with that?!”
Duchess Shire panicked as soon as she saw the needle, looking ready to bolt. But I winked at her and firmly grasped her hand.
Some people called this superstition, but there was nothing to lose by trying.
‘Hand acupuncture for indigestion is the ultimate solution. I’ve experienced it myself many times.’
With confident authority, I told the timid duchess to close her eyes—then swiftly pricked her finger with the needle.
Prick—
As expected, dark blood immediately welled up from her fingertip.
“How do you feel?”
“Eek! Why is the blood so—mmph!”
Tears welled in her eyes from the sting, but then she suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and dashed toward the restroom.
‘Right on cue.’
I casually handed the silver needle and a handkerchief to my lady-in-waiting and waited patiently.
A few minutes later, Duchess Shire returned, looking much better.
“Y-Your Majesty! Thank you! I feel so much better now!”
Having finally relieved her indigestion, she looked as thrilled as someone who had miraculously made it into a limited-edition sale just before the cutoff.
“It’s like magic! How did you do that, Your Majesty?!”
Feigning modesty, I simply smiled.
“Oh, I’m embarrassed… It’s nothing special… Just a little family secret, you could say.”
Indeed, hand acupuncture was a lifesaver.
