YED Chapter 146

Today’s tea party was exclusively for the ladies who had helped prepare for the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony: the Marchioness of Schroz and the Grand Duchess of Lusenford. It was a meeting for the Marchioness of Schroz to congratulate the Grand Duchess of Lusenford for her assistance with the recent engagement ceremony, and for them to formally conclude their collaboration.

“Eat a lot.”

Beatrice Ravalley had known the Grand Duchess since childhood. Therefore, the information Beatrice had provided was quite useful.

Hadn’t she said the Grand Duchess loved sweets like a pig? The Marchioness of Schroz was an expert on sweet desserts, rich wines, ribboned dresses, jewels, lace-up shoes, and fans.

Even though she wasn’t an aristocrat, she had grown up eating and wearing only the finest things, thanks to her wealthy family. She had tasted many popular desserts from the South.

“The Grand Duchess is from the South, you know. That’s why I’ve prepared a lot of Southern food especially for you. Eat a lot. Come on. Hurry up and eat.”

There was a wide variety of treats: pudding topped with an abundance of melt-in-your-mouth raspberry or orange marmalade, cheesecake so soft it jiggled at the slightest touch, and a delicate, crisply baked layered cake with rich cream filling and topped with candied cherries.

‘This is the last supper, isn’t it? Ah, I’ve come up with such elegant, poetic phrasing, haven’t I?’

The Marchioness of Schroz smirked to herself.

“I’ve also prepared rose tea. You like it, don’t you?”

The combination of strongly scented desserts and strongly scented tea was unbalanced, but Kaela was always inclined to nod and say, “Yes, yes,” to her elders.

Taken individually, each item was a food or drink she enjoyed. Her mouth watered. But seeing them all together, she felt overwhelmed by the rich, heavy offerings.

“Yes, I like it. Thank you.”

The Marchioness of Schroz, still oblivious to the situation, continued to speak informally to Kaela. Perhaps she felt justified in doing so due to her age and the fact that Kaela was the same age as the Crown Prince, but that was precisely why she wouldn’t become the Empress.

‘Well, no one will become Empress since His Majesty the Emperor is willing to go to war.’

Still, if she had observed proper etiquette and been more cautious, she might have received a little more respect as the Crown Prince’s mother. Kaela felt a bit sorry for the Marchioness of Schroz, who was desperately clinging to her position.

She had been the same. Everyone was struggling in their own way. The royal palace was such a harsh place.

“Try it, come on.”

The Marchioness of Schroz was so insistent that it was a little overwhelming. The rose scent from the tea she poured for Kaela was intensely stimulating. Steam rose from the hot tea.

Ideally, tea should not be boiling hot when served, but Kaela knew better than to expect such consideration from the Marchioness of Schroz.

Kaela politely lifted the teacup, blew on it gently, and then set it back down. Every time she touched the cup, the Marchioness of Schroz’s eyes followed her movements.

“Try this too. I was so worried while preparing the banquet, but I’m so relieved that everything turned out well. Princess Keruzhan said she liked it too.”

“Oh, did Her Highness the Princess say that?”

“Of course.”

Smiling warmly, the Marchioness of Schroz placed a piece of cherry cake onto Kaela’s plate and then belatedly remembered Kaela falling into the river at the end of the banquet. Oops.

“Um, are you alright after falling into the water?”

Gesturing for Kaela to eat, she offered her belated concern.

“I’m fine now.”

“Oh dear, it’s a good thing you’re young. I heard everyone on the boat fell in. Beatrice Ravalley is still coughing, but you’re young, so you’re fine.”

Half a piece of cherry cake should be okay, right? Still accustomed to carefully considering before eating in public, Kaela took a bite and said casually,

“The river temperature was still quite low, even though it’s summer. It was fortunate that it was us who fell in, and not the guests from overseas.”

“Yes, yes. That’s right. If the guests had fallen in… oh my, it’s a chilling thought. What an embarrassment it would have been. On our Crown Prince’s special day.”

“I suffered from a bad cold after falling in. I heard Lady Ravalley is still quite ill?”

“Don’t even mention it. Her voice is still hoarse. She looked so pale, I felt so bad for her.”

So, the Marchioness of Schroz had met with Beatrice Ravalley after the banquet. Why? Kaela smiled faintly.

“Falling into the water must have been quite an ordeal. This cherry cake is delicious, Marchioness. Thank you for your consideration.”

Smiling faintly, she concealed her realization. The Marchioness of Schroz wasn’t particularly perceptive and wouldn’t notice what she’d missed.

“Is it delicious? Oh my, eat more, eat more. I just love seeing young people eat well. Aren’t you drinking your tea?”

“Oh, it’s still a little hot. I burn my tongue easily, so I’m being careful. I’ll drink it.”

“Yes. Blow on it and drink it.”

Kaela smiled again.

“Marchioness, you seem like such a caring mother.”

It was a veiled comment implying that the Marchioness treated anyone younger than her like a child, regardless of their status, but the Marchioness didn’t understand.

“Me? Well, I suppose I am. You know, our Gregory is so dependent on me.”

Kaela hadn’t meant any malice. It was simply the truth. The Marchioness of Schroz might be a scatterbrain, but she was trying her best to survive in the palace and take care of her son. It was both touching and amusing.

“Well, of course, the Grand Duchess wouldn’t have experienced a mother’s care. You must miss your mother. A mother’s support is so important when getting married. It’s a shame you didn’t have that.”

Of course, the touching and amusing feelings didn’t last long; that was the problem with the Marchioness of Schroz.

“My father took good care of me, just as my mother would have.”

“Oh, but a man can’t take care of everything. They’re not very meticulous. There’s so much a mother has to do for her daughter’s wedding. My mother took such good care of me. The dowry has to be just right. Did you have everything you needed?”

The Marchioness of Schroz declared that she knew without even seeing it. Kaela genuinely believed her father had done his best, but it wouldn’t matter to the Marchioness. So, she gave an ambiguous smile and kept quiet.

“Eat more, eat more. Oh dear, our Grand Duchess went through so much this time. But…”

Even in this situation, the Marchioness of Schroz couldn’t contain her curiosity.

“I wouldn’t have married my daughter off to the Grand Duke of Lusenford, no matter what.”

She was pushing the boundaries, taking advantage of Kaela’s politeness.

“Oh, is that so?”

Kaela replied listlessly, focusing on the next dessert. Whatever else, the royal palace’s pastry chef was renowned for their skill.

She might as well enjoy the delicious food. Although she had been strictly controlling her appetite, it was far better to loosen the reins a bit than to listen to such remarks.

“Yes. It’s true. Sending your daughter off to a cold, desolate place to suffer heartbreak… It’s not easy to steal a man who’s already taken, you know? It takes a ruthless heart. Do you understand?”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Eat, eat. You’re all skin and bones. Why are you so thin? Men like a little flesh on their bones. They don’t like it when they feel like they’ll break you. Look at Beatrice. Her chest is like this…”

Kaela quickly turned her attention back to the dessert as the Marchioness of Schroz gestured with her hands. Good heavens.

“Just between us, was it that good? Oh, I mean, tell me. Well, the Grand Duke of Lusenford is handsome, isn’t he? But you know what? Being handsome is completely useless. A man needs a bright future. Oh, I just feel so sorry for our Grand Duchess.”

“There’s no need to feel sorry for me.”

She responded halfheartedly, trying to concentrate on eating.

“So, you see, that’s why you can’t beat Beatrice. She has men wrapped around her finger. Haven’t you heard people saying you need to hurry up and have a son while the Grand Duke is still somewhat lenient towards you? Well, I suppose our Grand Duchess isn’t concerned about such things, is she?”

The Marchioness of Schroz scrutinized the Grand Duchess, who silently ate with her fork.

They say she has a sweet tooth like a pig, yet the Grand Duchess pecked at her food with tiny bites, like a bird, just like those sly maids in the Empress’s Palace.

Well, seeing her eat, it seems she does like sweets, but why doesn’t she answer? The Marchioness of Schroz felt irritated. She must be thinking, “I’m not worried because I’ll inherit the estate!”

“A man with a mistress will philander his whole life.”

What couldn’t she say to a woman about to die anyway? The Marchioness of Schroz’s tongue grew sharper. Her eyes continuously followed what Kaela was eating. Hurry up and eat, hurry up.

“He’ll never stop, not even in death. Besides, the Grand Duke’s first love was Beatrice, wasn’t it? He gave her everything and did everything with her before marrying the Grand Duchess. Honestly, I feel sorry for the Grand Duchess. She got the short end of the stick. Isn’t that right? But what can you do? That’s life.”

“Is that so, Marchioness?”

“That’s how it is. So, it’s pointless to dress up, adorn yourself, smile, and act cute. Although, well, Beatrice is famous for that sort of thing. It’s a story that will follow her forever, it’s such a shame, isn’t it?”

The Marchioness of Schroz was rehashing things everyone already knew. What was her point? Did she want a fight? Kaela put down her fork and took a sip of the rose tea, which had cooled slightly but still had an overpowering fragrance.

The sticky aftertaste slid down her throat. She couldn’t even focus on the taste of the tea. Even though she didn’t want to hear it, the Marchioness of Schroz’s voice was too loud.

“Everyone in Craine society knows how passionate they were, how can you not be bothered by it? And of all people, it had to be Beatrice Ravalley. She’s too beautiful for other women to consider a rival, she has the kind of looks men adore, and she was close to the Grand Duke for far too long. You can never beat time. Look at me.”

The Marchioness of Schroz thought this was her last chance. She believed this was her final opportunity to break this self-righteous, clever woman.

She thought she would feel some relief by lashing out before Kaela died, but even as she spoke, a sense of self-deprecation washed over her as she realized their similar situations. No, no, that’s not right. The Marchioness of Schroz regained her composure as she watched the Grand Duchess drinking her tea again.

‘She and I are different. She’s going to die today, and I’m going to be Empress!’

“Well, if you can’t win, you at least have to endure.”

“Is that so?”

Kaela, echoing the question, suddenly felt something was odd as she tried to savor the aftertaste of the tea. The sticky sensation going down her throat again felt strange. It was a familiar feeling, something she had tasted before. Where had she tasted it?

“You can never beat first love.”

Kaela touched her tongue to the rose tea once more. Ah. Now she understood. There was something sinister hidden within the rose fragrance. It had no taste, no scent of its own, but it was masked by the strong rose aroma, just in case.

But Kaela recognized it. It was that sticky poison she had tasted in the North Tower, at the very, very end. The poison Beatrice had personally dripped onto her tongue. A chuckle escaped her lips.

“Oh my, this isn’t something to laugh about! No one can beat first love. It lasts forever. We’re just chasing shadows.”

“I know.”

First love. Even if he was forced into believing it, Beatrice was Peon’s first love.

Then what was Kaela? The love he found afterward, a replacement? The more she thought about it, the more familiar pangs of misery and despair from her four years in Lusenford washed over her.

‘No. It’s special. I saw his expression when I fell into the river.’

At the same time, she vehemently refuted that misery. Peon loved her, yes, he probably loved her. He said so, and he acted that way, so she couldn’t deny it.

‘How much?’

How much did he love her? As much as Beatrice? Kaela looked down at the rose tea. The tea was reddish.

What expression would Peon make if she drank it all? She wanted to see that desperate look again, the one he had when she fell into the river. She wanted to hurt him deeply, just as she had been hurt.…And so, she wanted confirmation.

“Oh my, you know? I thought you were naively dreaming. Drink. You must be thirsty.”

The Marchioness’s behavior was so obvious, constantly glancing at her to see if she wasn’t drinking the tea while pushing the excessively sweet desserts.

Kaela chuckled softly and put down the teacup. No. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t drink poison just to inflict petty revenge. She had already taken two sips. No, she thought she had drunk quite a bit on the second sip.

She would be in pain again. But she could endure it. Kaela thought of her father and her husband. She could endure it.

“No. I won’t drink anymore.”

“Wh-what? Why not?”

“You know why.”

A chill ran down the Marchioness of Schroz’s spine at the words of the Grand Duchess, who stared directly at her.

“Did you really think you could get away with this, knowing what my husband is capable of?”

“Wh-what are you talking about? What’s wrong?”

“Why did you do something so foolish…”

Ah. Finally, the agonizing pain gripped her insides. Kaela, staring directly at the Marchioness, who had brought this upon herself with her foolish act, coughed up blood. Crimson blood splattered onto the pretty teacup, the tablecloth, and the desserts.

the Marchioness of Schroz recoiled in horror, her face draining of color. Kaela, her vision blurring, looked up at the Marchioness, no, beyond her. Ah. Her bloodstained lips managed a smile.

“Ah, Aaack!”

Following Kaela’s gaze involuntarily, the Marchioness screamed as she saw the Grand Duke of Lusenford suddenly appear.

The Grand Duke, his eyes blazing, reached out to his wife, who was vomiting blood. Their eyes met – his flashing violet and hers, blue.

Kaela breathed heavily. Tiny droplets of blood sprayed onto Peon’s sleeve with each breath. She wanted to speak.

“I didn’t know…”

“Don’t talk.”

His voice was rough. Peon, his face pale, gripped her chin. Another gush of blood erupted.

Her insides burned, and her vision swam. But she could clearly see her husband’s face, contorted in anguish and helplessness, ashen with fear.

‘I shouldn’t have been so spiteful.’

She shouldn’t have resented him for making her live a life plagued by insecurity and inferiority. She shouldn’t have tried to test him. It was so obvious. Fighting through the pain, Kaela spoke.

“For…”

Blood spurted with each syllable. Tears welled in his blue eyes. She clutched at his clothes, pulling him closer.

“Don’t talk.”

The voice of the always calm and reticent man wavered uncontrollably. A dull, yet intense pain, like her organs being wrung out, wracked her body. Kaela retched again.

Everything she had just eaten came pouring out. Amidst the spray of blood, Peon saw the viscous malice, the crude, unrefined droplets of poison. He completely extracted them. Kaela, leaning against him, closed her eyes and exhaled shakily.

His violet eyes, now coldly hardened, turned to glare at the Marchioness of Schroz. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and in that instant, the Marchioness’s eyes lost focus.

“Eek…!”

Peon lifted his wife and vanished. The Marchioness, left slumped on the floor alone, felt her dress becoming soaked.

“Hic, heeheehic…!”

Only a strange sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sob, remained.