“Kaiden?”
Evelina was embarrassed when Kaiden, who she thought will not come, appeared. He said he would be late in 30 minutes, yet only less than 20 minutes have passed.
“Actually, I was waiting until 30 minutes were over. But I heard voices arguing.”
Kaiden stroked Evelina’s collarbone. The gloves he took off wiped off her neck, collarbone, and shoulder. Then all her skin-like cosmetics were buried in his gloves, revealing the original skin color.
“Do you have anything to cover when there are only women?”
Kaiden said so and looked at Evelina. She looked him in the eye for a moment and panicked. His bright red eyes seemed to read her thoughts again. She was confused as to what he was thinking.
“Kaiden.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here already?”
“It’s polite to stop by the tea party I’ve opened.”
He said so and stroked Evelina’s cheek. Laughing as he pushed her protruding baby hair behind her ears, he smiled when she looked at me with her eyes down.
“You look like you want to kiss.”
“No, the…”
Evelina blushed in embarrassment as Kaiden spoke quietly in her ear. She bowed to the words, and the other ladies covered their mouths, pretending not to hear.
“I came late on purpose, but you were only offended because of me.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, Lina.”
Evelina opened her eyes wide, embarrassed by Kaiden’s words.
“Why did you come late?”
“Anyway, it was because I thought that the words you could say when only women were with each other and the discomfort when I, a man, were different.”
“Oh, so….”
At that moment, Evelina realized that this tea party was divided into the first and the second rounds. Now, it is said that the ladies would enjoy it first, and then move to enjoy it later.
The second round was a married couple meeting.
“I’m so angry that Lina seems to be offended.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Kaiden.”
“But the results are disastrous. Whatever my intentions were.”
Evelina saw his eyes cold for a moment, and she said stuff without realizing it as if she was trying to do something else under the pretext of him.
“It was like that just now, but I got better after seeing Kaiden.”
Then he smiled brightly and hugged Evelina’s waist tightly.
“Please say that again in the bedroom later, too.”
“…I will.”
She felt strange when he whispered.
“By the way, my grandmother. I told you to stop. You’re treating yourself as an uninvited guest again.”
“What does that mean?”
The Dowager Empress opened her fan and covered her mouth. But she was smiling with a strange face. Like a very confident person.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop insulting Lina like that?”
“This is my place, so I’ll ask you. Why don’t you ever think of having a baby with the Queen? Why don’t you hang up the sheets every time?”
It was the tradition of the imperial family to hang a bloody sheet in front of the door during the first night. However, Evelina and Kaiden shared the same room many days, but they never did.
“Ha.”
Kaiden said, glaring impatiently at my grandmother.
“My grandmother is out of this meeting.”
Kayden beckoned and his knights came near Dowager Empress Isabella.
“Why can’t you answer what I’m saying? Do you want to hide that the queen is not good at acting as a woman?”
Evelina shut her mouth tight because she was in front of Kaiden. Because if he was, she would need to be cautious.
“Hahaha. Grandmother. It’s funny.”
“What?”
“Lina hasn’t been sold like grandmother, how can she do the same?”
“What?!”
The Dowager Empress approached Kaiden, shaking off the knights who tried to grab her arm. Then she shouted in a huffy voice.
“Say it again!”
“Lina is the person I proposed to marry. It’s not like a marriage of convenience like grandmother’s. So, is there anything strange about carefully preparing for the first night?”
“Kaiden!”
“And.”
He lowered his voice and laughed at his grandmother.
“Whether or not I have a first night, I have no intention of hanging up the sheets.”
“It’s an imperial tradition!”
“It’s only weak emperors who keep traditions.”
“Your father kept the tradition, too!”
“Because my father had a dirty taste to covet women. He had nothing to boast about, so he needed to be proud.”
Kaiden beckoned again, insulting the former emperor casually. Then the knights grabbed the arms of the Dowager Empress and tried to take her away.
“I didn’t set this up! But what’s wrong with you!”
“Let’s not be ugly, grandmother. It’s too sad to come to this situation and say no.”
As he said mockingly, Dowager Empress shouted urgently.
“Countess Arianna! Tell me the truth!”
“This was done by Princess Elsus!”
Countess Arianna hurriedly bowed her head and said. Then Kaiden reacted sourly and said.
“Then I’ll have to punish them both.”
“I-I was just helping the queen in case she had the wrong common sense! A queen who can’t even follow the dress code! Do you know how big her role is in the imperial palace?”
When the Dowager Empress shouted in embarrassment, Kaiden said.
“This tea party was held for Evelina. So whatever she wears or comes without, it’s Lina’s freedom.”
“Oh, my…”
“My grandmother has become very dumb. Is it because you’re old?”
“Then who will emulate and follow the imperial family!”
Kaiden avoided Evelina’s embarrassed eyes when she saw him talking freely.
“And your behavior will be followed by everyone. Excellent, really.”
“Kaiden!”
“Ha.”
He sighed impatiently because he couldn’t tell if Princess Elsus was really involved in this.
“My grandmother is on probation for two days. And Elsius….”
Evelina looked at him. Even she didn’t think that Princess Elsius would have been involved in this. Princess Elsius was in a very bad relationship with the Dowager Empress. However, there was no way that such a tea party could have colluded with disgrace. Besides, she was still on her probation.
“Can I take care of it myself, Lina?”
“Yes, of course.”
“The Countess of Arianna is demoted to Viscount and forfeits his title for one year.”
He looked at Evelina and seemed to check if his judgment was good. When she didn’t look afraid, he smiled and gestured again.
“Huh! Even if I go like this this time, Kaiden, you will definitely regret it!”
“Hurry up and go. My head is ringing.”
“How long do you think I’ll live? You’ll know when I die that I’m doing this for you!”
“Don’t make it seem like I won’t know even after you die, and go.”
At his words, Dowager Empress Isabella turned around, clicking her tongue. The knights were just moving together, not catching her again.
“Let’s go now. I can’t stay here anymore because it’s unpleasant.”
Kaiden grabbed Evelina’s hand and dragged her.
Evelina then moved directly to the other side of Lake Heliben.
~~~~
“Oh, His Majesty really caters to the taste of women.”
Baroness Orpence crossed with her husband’s arms and looked around and said admiringly. A little outside of the primary location, the place was like an island made in the middle of a lake. It was a place where you had to go to the center by boat. In addition, all the table and chair-like ornaments were made of tempered glass.
“The chair is shining.”
On top of that, transparent glasses and peony bouquets on each table. Ten couples were laughing at the beautiful spectacle.
“Baron Orpence.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Your wife is quite wise.”
“What? My wife?”
Baron Orpence looked at his wife. Then she answered with a bright smile.
“I’m flattered, Your Majesty.”
“I’m not flattered. You seemed to know how to understand the Queen’s feelings. I’ll make you a private pass.”
“Ah! Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The Imperial Palace was not a place where aristocrats could enter and exit recklessly. The count couldn’t come at any time, but the baron’s wife was given a pass. With that alone, the position in society was beyond words.
“I will help Her Majesty with all my heart!”
“Thank you, Kaiden.”
Kaiden froze when Evelina leaned her head, hugging her arms around him.
“Lina.”
“What?”
“Do you like the tea party? Is there anything you don’t like?”
She smiled, acting as if to match his sweet voice.
“No, it’s all perfect. It’s amazing how Kaiden knows all my tastes.”
‘I believe in fate.’
‘Does that mean you and I are meant to be?’
“Yes.”
At that moment, Evelina was surprised by the voice that passed through her head. The voice sounded like a boy’s.
“Because we’re meant to be.”
It was strangely similar to Kaiden’s voice.
So Evelina quickly erased her embarrassment and pretended to enjoy the tea party.
~~~~
“My mother has chickenpox?”
Evelina was excited to meet her adoptive mother after the tea party. But so was the notification she received.
“I heard so. She said she would not be able to enter the palace for a few days because it was contagious.”
“…I see. That’s too bad.”
Evelina lowered her gaze, pretending to be disappointed.
She couldn’t help but know that it was a lie. When she was 13 when she was adopted and raised, her mother had already had chickenpox from her once.
But chickenpox again. Chickenpox was a disease that was caught once and would not be caught again.
So she thought it was obvious that Kaiden wouldn’t let her see her mother. There was no other person who was as easy to win the heart as an isolated person.
So she said provocatively.
“I was going to learn from my mother how to make a child.”
