ITIF Chapter 34

A Visitor to the Grand Temple

That couldn’t be.

The reason nobles were so devoted to social gatherings was for a better life than before.

High-quality information shared only among them, and connections with families of high status.

And Lady Minster was just at the age to be thrown into the marriage market.

‘She can’t afford to miss such an important time as this.’

Countess Minster would do everything possible to win back the Empress’s favor.

That was the heart of a mother with children.

And the Empress, having children of her own, would surely understand Countess Minster’s feelings.

Having fallen out of the Empress’s favor, the position of Crown Princess was completely out of reach, and Countess Minster had to somehow arrange her daughter’s marriage before their family fortune declined further.

To do that, Lady Minster would have to enter society to find a husband, which would be an act that went against the Empress’s wishes.

Wherever Lady Minster went, the disgraceful incident at the Empress’s tea party would be mentioned, and the Empress would have to be reminded of the disgrace of not being able to successfully conclude the tea party she had hosted.

In short, it could be seen as a situation where the Empress and Countess Minster’s desires were misaligned.

‘By the way, she really licked it thoroughly.’

Giselle Grante was recalling Cookie, who had been eagerly licking her cheek as if honey had been spread on it, when she quickened her pace toward the powder room.

“The Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony ended grandly, but who knows? With Princess Trinity, who was considered the leading candidate for the next Emperor, suddenly passing away.”

“Who would have known? And in the most secure imperial palace, to be stabbed by the most trusted lady-in-waiting…”

Conversation could be heard from somewhere.

“…What are you planning to do, Miss?”

“For now, I’m going to watch the situation. That’s partly why I came all the way here.”

Who could have imagined that the son of what was merely a mistress until recently would suddenly appear at the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony?

Of course, the Emperor hadn’t actually declared that he would recognize Philipo as a prince, but as Giselle Grante had expected, the nobles misunderstood the Emperor’s intentions in their own way.

“It’s really troubling. I’m worried about investing again without knowing it’s a sinking ship, like last time, and suffering losses again…”

“Did your household also send gifts to the Princess’s lady-in-waiting?”

Giselle Grante, who had been heading to the powder room, paused for a moment.

“Oh my, of course we did. And quite a lot at that.”

“We did too. That’s why we’re so troubled now. Gold coins are limited, but now there are two places where we need to offer gifts…”

When Giselle Grante entered the powder room, the ladies who had been conversing until just before looked flustered and gave her a polite nod.

Then they quickly turned as if to leave their seats.

“Wait a moment.”

Giselle Grante called out to them as they were hastily trying to leave.

The ladies then turned their heads toward Giselle Grante.

“Lady Amaterasu? Are you perhaps calling us?”

“Yes.”

“What might this be about?”

“I apologize. Though it wasn’t intentional, I happened to overhear your conversation just now.”

The ladies exchanged glances with troubled expressions.

“But I was having the same concerns myself.”

“Ah…”

Only then did the ladies nod with relieved expressions. Then they immediately approached Giselle Grante and asked.

“I suppose the House of Amaterasu has now made a decision?”

Until now, the House of Amaterasu had maintained a clean neutrality, not clinging to either Princess Trinity or Joshua.

However, anyone could sufficiently guess that whichever side gained the House of Amaterasu’s support would have an easier path to becoming the next Emperor.

Therefore, the ladies would be very curious about the attitude the House of Amaterasu would take.

“Well… I’m not sure about that. I don’t really know what decision my father and brother have made. Neither of them ever talks to me about such complicated matters.”

Giselle Grante spoke with a deliberately cheerful smile.

“Ah… I see.”

The ladies exchanged glances that seemed to say ‘of course’ and nodded before trying to turn away.

It seemed they had judged that they had asked the wrong person.

While it was true that the nobles’ gazes toward Giselle Grante had become much softer since coming to the capital, the prejudices cast upon her were far from being easily shed.

“But I can’t remain ignorant forever. I’m an adult now, after all.”

At Giselle Grante’s continued voice, the ladies turned back toward her again.

“As you ladies know, I’ve been in the Amaterasu duchy until now. So I don’t know the capital’s situation very well yet. If experienced ladies like yourselves could give me some advice, I think it would be helpful…”

Saying this, Giselle Grante slightly lowered her gaze.

Only then did the ladies’ expressions brighten considerably.

Their eyes were filled with expectation that they could build a friendship with Giselle Grante through this opportunity.

Additionally, there was a glimpse of their intention to try to obtain inside information about the House of Amaterasu by taking advantage of the seemingly naive Giselle Grante.

****

Returning from Count Tarel’s mansion to the Amaterasu ducal residence, Giselle Grante gave instructions to Lindsey and Olla respectively.

“Lindsey, go to the Grand Temple again tomorrow.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Olla, go stay by Count Zimmer’s daughter’s side.”

After adding an explanation of what to do there, Olla nodded as if to say just leave it to her.

“Yes, Miss.”

Only then did Giselle Grante remove the dress she was wearing and change into nightclothes.

As Lindsey brushed down Giselle Grante’s golden hair, which had been treated with fragrant oil, she asked.

“How was today?”

“Same as usual.”

Though she said that, it was actually a day when she had obtained more valuable information than ever.

‘It was Count Zimmer’s daughter. One of the Empress’s informants who had been attached to me.’

It was also the day she realized who among the people she trusted had been the traitor.

Through her conversation with the ladies she had met in the powder room at Count Tarel’s mansion.

After Princess Trinity’s death, the lady-in-waiting who was imprisoned, Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter, and the other ladies-in-waiting each received their respective punishments.

Among them, Count Zimmer’s daughter was sentenced to house arrest.

There were quite a few voices saying the punishment was too light considering their master had been murdered, but it could be considered fortunate that she had saved her life.

The house arrest was said to be Count Zimmer’s daughter’s own choice.

So it seemed unlikely that she would have any reason to go out for the time being.

****

“Miss.”

The next day, Giselle Grante was sitting on a well-lit sofa reading a book.

“Miss. I have something to tell you. Do you have a moment?”

When Giselle Grante put down the book she was reading on the table, Lindsey began talking about what she had seen and heard at the Grand Temple today.

“It seems a special person visited the Grand Temple today.”

A tall woman wearing a long white veil and people who seemed to be her guards were positioned throughout the Grand Temple disguised as commoners.

“…I see.”

Giselle Grante was certain that the woman Lindsey saw today was the Empress.

The Empress would visit the Grand Temple whenever she had worries, and mysteriously, problems would often be resolved within a few days after she visited the Grand Temple.

The fact that the Empress had visited the Grand Temple meant she currently had something troubling her.

‘The Empress’s greatest concerns would be Countess Tarel and Philipo.’

Philipo’s power came from Countess Tarel. Countess Tarel’s power came from the Emperor.

But if the affair between the head butler and Countess Tarel were revealed to the Emperor, that problem would be cleanly resolved.

The reason why this hadn’t been done until now was still unknown, but…

In any case, it was certain that the Empress would soon take action to resolve her current concerns.

“What about Olla?”

“Fortunately, she managed to secure a position by Count Zimmer’s daughter’s side.”

“Good.”

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I should mention. It seems Baron Oppenheimer’s daughter’s trial will be held soon.”

Giselle Grante nodded and lowered her gaze back to her book.

But the letters didn’t register well in her eyes.

Eventually, Giselle Grante put down the book she was reading and stood up.

“Miss, where are you going?”

At Lindsey’s question, she nodded and moved forward.

“I need to go out for a bit.”

****

How much time had passed since Lady Minster had made a scene after being provoked by Giselle Grante’s words at the Empress’s tea party, that battlefield without swords?

The Empress finally prohibited Countess Minster from entering the imperial palace under the pretext of giving her a vacation.

This meant the Empress had decided to use Countess Minster as a discarded card.

As this rumor spread quickly, ladies began to emerge who coveted the position of the Empress’s lady-in-waiting.

That wasn’t all.

Many nobles who had previously associated with the House of Minster turned their backs.

Since the Empress had abandoned them, the House of Minster’s decline was now an expected course of events.

And the fact that Lady Amaterasu, who was the root cause of all this trouble, had come to visit Countess Minster could be considered completely unexpected.

“How shameless… Or are you perhaps trying to apologize now?”

Countess Minster expressed her blatant displeasure.

However, Giselle Grante’s expression facing her was nothing but gentle.

That only further provoked Countess Minster’s anger.

Just as Countess Minster was about to shoot another barb, Giselle Grante spoke calmly.

“The House of Minster’s decline isn’t my fault, is it?”

It wasn’t completely wrong.

In fact, misfortune had been befalling the House of Minster even before Lady Amaterasu appeared in the capital.

However, Lady Amaterasu bore a significant responsibility for Countess Minster no longer being able to enter the imperial palace.

“Ha, this is tiring. Just briefly state your business. Why did you come to see me?”

Countess Minster asked with an expression that showed she didn’t want to exchange any more words.