ITIF Chapter 26

Helper

“……!”

As Giselle Grante pointed out each detail precisely, Lady Minster’s expression immediately hardened.

She soon became conscious of the other young ladies’ gazes pouring onto her and turned her head this way and that.

The decline of Count Minster’s house had begun relatively recently.

The reasons were varied.

Typically, merchant ships carrying goods to distant continents would take out insurance, preparing for sudden storms that could capsize ships or pirate raids.

However, since such damages weren’t frequent, Count Minster chose to save on those risk premiums.

So he sent the merchant ship to the distant continent, saying that providing sufficient escort would be enough preparation.

Then, during last year’s rainy season, an unprecedentedly massive tsunami struck the merchant ship carrying Count Minster’s goods.

Among several merchant ships, it happened to be the one carrying considerable high-value items, and Count Minster’s losses were also great.

That wasn’t all.

Count Minster’s heir had spent an enormous fortune to buy a sapphire mine, but even after several years, no sapphires emerged.

He had been swindled.

It was something that could have been avoided if Count Minster’s heir had visited the sapphire mine even once in person.

There were other incidents too, but in any case, when such facts became known externally, it was Count Minster’s house that would be embarrassed.

They silenced those involved to dismiss the rumors, making people think they were nothing more than baseless gossip.

“So Count Minster’s house has no choice but to cherish old things. Am I wrong?”

Giselle Grante added one more comment with a sly smile.

Then the young lady sitting next to Lady Minster turned her head slightly to the side and bit her lip.

But she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from twitching. She looked like she was barely holding back laughter that was about to burst out.

The reactions of the other young ladies weren’t much different.

Since all the young ladies gathered here belonged to the highest social class of the Phasis Empire, there was no way they wouldn’t know that Lady Minster was wearing outdated dresses and accessories.

Everyone knew, but they simply couldn’t bring up the topic in front of Lady Minster.

This was likely because Lady Minster’s mother was a close attendant to the Empress.

Prince Joshua’s crown prince investiture ceremony wasn’t far off.

And Joshua had no fiancée.

The Empress would be weighing the young ladies to decide on a suitable match for Joshua.

The Crown Princess. Furthermore, the wife of an emperor who would rule vast territories and the mistress of the splendid imperial palace.

For young ladies aiming for the opportunity of social advancement by becoming Empress, Lady Minster was someone they needed to stay on good terms with.

But Giselle Grante had nothing to do with any of that.

So she had no hesitation in exposing Lady Minster’s shame.

Of course, normally Giselle Grante didn’t think a family’s poverty was the young lady’s fault.

She had no intention of deliberately pointing it out to embarrass anyone.

But for someone who tried to undermine her dignity in front of everyone like this, it was certainly a weakness that would work quite effectively.

In the coldly settled atmosphere, when Lady Minster’s face, flushed red and blue, looked quite pitiful, Giselle Grante smiled with curved eyes and removed the accessory she was wearing on her arm.

“I bought this a few days ago, but I’ll give it to you, Lady Minster. I hope you’ll treasure this for a long time as well, according to your family tradition.”

Saying this, she put the accessory on Lady Minster’s wrist.

However, even that wasn’t easy.

Lady Minster’s wrist was trembling.

What Giselle Grante had done was pity. And of the worst kind.

Usually, pity was an emotion one felt toward someone in a worse situation than oneself.

Finally, unable to bear it, Lady Minster screamed.

“You!”

And she began pouring out curses too vulgar to repeat.

Having been treated like a beggar in front of everyone by Giselle Grante, whom she had dismissed as a fool, no ordinary patience would be enough to endure it.

Especially for a young lady who had just debuted in society, it would be an unbearable humiliation.

“Look over there.”

“What on earth is happening……”

Just then, noble ladies passing near the table whispered and pointed at Lady Minster.

High-ranking nobles considered it a virtue not to easily show emotions in front of other nobles.

Especially in public occasions like this, they had to act with even more dignity.

“What…… what is this about?”

Marchioness Latse, who belatedly noticed the unusual atmosphere, approached.

Nevertheless, Lady Minster continued shouting loudly, and the young ladies who tried to restrain her looked quite pitiful.

“It seems she’s had a bit to drink……”

Then Marquis Howard’s daughter, who had approached Marchioness Latse, whispered quietly.

“Alcohol?”

To Marchioness Latse’s question, Marquis Howard’s daughter quietly added.

“I tried to tell her not to drink, but she insisted that the alcohol adults drink in secret was real……”

Marchioness Latse clicked her tongue while glaring at Lady Minster, who was still causing a scene in her anger.

“How dare she in a place like this……. Where is Countess Minster right now?”

Marchioness Latse asked a nearby maid.

“I believe she’s stepped away for a moment…… Shall I fetch Countess Minster?”

At the maid’s question, Marchioness Latse nodded.

She seemed to intend to leave Lady Minster’s punishment to her mother, Countess Minster.

She probably didn’t want to become ridiculous herself by trying to calm Lady Minster, who didn’t seem likely to settle down easily.

Giselle Grante observed Marquis Howard’s daughter with interested eyes as she watched Lady Minster, who was still fuming with excitement.

Contrary to her consistently bored expression throughout the tea party, Marquis Howard’s daughter’s eyes were now quite sparkling.

‘Does she like this sort of thing?’

Or perhaps…….

“I, Iliana?”

The situation ended when Countess Minster, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, took Lady Minster away to another place.

It was fortunate that Marchioness Latse had managed to hold the other guests’ attention, at least temporarily.

****

After the tea party ended and all the guests had left the imperial palace, the Empress, who had stepped away during the tea party, returned to her office.

Sitting in her office chair and quietly regulating her breathing, the Empress cast her gaze toward Countess Minster, who was anxiously biting her lips.

“Explain.”

Instead of Countess Minster, who was moving her lips hesitantly, Marchioness Latse spoke.

“It seems Lady Amaterasu was a bit superior in dealing with Lady Minster.”

That neatly summarized the situation at today’s tea party.

“Hmm…….”

As the Empress nodded with a light nasal sound, strength entered Countess Minster’s white fingers gripping her dress.

This wasn’t just any ordinary tea party held anywhere. It was a tea party hosted by none other than the Empress.

Countess Minster knew well that the Empress wouldn’t just overlook the person who had caused the disturbance.

Nevertheless, Countess Minster tried to smile as brightly as possible as she spoke.

“M, may I ask what punishment you’re considering?”

“Punishment? Yes, there should be appropriate punishment for the disturbance……”

As if pondering, the Empress’s white, long fingers tapped the arm she had crossed.

“…….”

Marchioness Latse kept her gaze lowered, waiting for the next words to come from the Empress’s mouth.

In fact, for Marchioness Latse, it was none of her business.

Whatever punishment was given to Lady Amaterasu or Lady Minster had nothing to do with her.

On the other hand, there was slight tension in Countess Minster’s eyes as she looked at the Empress’s face.

Depending on the Empress’s decision, there was a possibility that her daughter Iliana could be buried in society from now on.

Just as Lady Amaterasu had been until now.

Setting aside the sudden cessation of invitations to social gatherings, even if she showed her face at major palace events, today’s incident would be talked about for a long time.

But if the Empress decided to bury today’s tea party incident, the subsequent situation could change dramatically.

If the Empress decided to treat it as if it never happened, she could really make it so.

“…….”

The deeper the silence in the office became, the more Countess Minster’s throat burned with dryness.

It was when Countess Minster swallowed dry saliva, waiting for the Empress’s forthcoming punishment.

Having finished her contemplation, the Empress spoke.

“She must have been busy adapting to the changed atmosphere of the capital, but Lady Amaterasu’s method is both bold and clean.”

Marchioness Latse responded as if in agreement with the Empress’s words.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“But it would be better to observe a bit more, so put Lady Amaterasu’s name on the next tea party invitation list.”

“Understood, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Countess Minster carefully interjected into the two women’s conversation.

“Then, what will happen to our Iliana?”

The Empress didn’t answer and indifferently lowered her gaze to the documents.

Then Marchioness Latse provided the answer instead.

“You know, don’t you. That tea party seats are limited.”

With those words, Marchioness Latse also gathered the documents she needed to review today and sat at her desk.

Countess Minster, who had been standing frozen in place for a moment, had one corner of her mouth twist bitterly.