Chapter 167

Is it because she heard it repeatedly from Duke Jenna, or is it because she heard the rumors about me circulating in social circles since the recent conference at the palace? When I unwittingly stiffened, Duchess Lars, who was staring at me, said with a blank look, "Oh I didn't say that with you in mind."

"... I know."

"I heard something from my husband. Anyway you're the legitimate daughter of the Monique family."

What she meant was although she was not sure if I had vulgar blood, she would recognize me as the legitimate daughter of the Monique family. I suddenly felt a swift surge of anger, but smiled gently, controlling my raging anger.

"My point is you should not lose to Lady Jena. She isn't fit to be the crown prince's bride candidate at all. I happened to encounter her last time, but how rude she was! I really couldn't tolerate her."

"I see."

Last time? Did she refer to what happened at the Rose Palace?

What the hell made her so upset like that?

I heard about it from him, but at that time I was aghast about the results of the conference, so I let the news about the Rose Palace accident in one ear and out the other. I didn't know the exact situation.

"At that time, she was just a commoner even before she got her status as the duke's foster daughter. She harshly scolded a maid who looked down on her. How rude and arrogant! Although I was briefly away from the Rose Palace because I had to take care of some work at the summer palace, I was in charge of the affairs at the Rose Palace. When I rebuked her because she scolded my maid in front of me, she balked strongly, arguing that as long as the crown prince let her stay at the Rose Palace, she was in charge of managing the maids at the palace. I was speechless."

"Really? I didn't know that."

I threw away the lukewarm tea and poured hot tea back into the teacup. The duchess, who received the new mug, enjoyed the fragrance elegantly.

But when is the maid coming? I gave her instructions a long time ago.

'Why is she so slow in carrying out my order these days? I don't understand.'

Thinking that I should give her a piece of mind, I lifted the mug.

"That's what happened. I was dumbfounded when she was so arrogant, telling me the crown prince gave her the palace, which was totally new to me... After all, the matter was resolved only after the crown prince arrived at the palace."

"What did the crown prince do?"

"Well, he solved the issue quickly by calling her a guest at the palace."

"Oh I see," I nodded.

It was the best solution because he reminded the maids that they should serve Jiun, but it was the duchess who was in control of the palace, not the new guest.

At that moment, I heard somebody knocking at the door. Only then did the maid who appeared carefully put down the pie dish in front of the duchess and me. It was an apple pie sprinkled with cinnamon powder.

I looked at the maid with an annoyed expression.

'You brought the pie too late!'

Thinking again that I have to scold her later, I cut the pie into small pieces and almost took it to my mouth, but I dropped it because of the intense cinnamon scent.

The fork rolled down to the floor.

"What's going on, lady?"

"Ah... Sorry, Duchess. I suddenly felt dizzy."

"Um, dizziness? Are you sick?"

When she tilted her head at me, she looked overlapped in my view.

'What's wrong with me?'

I tried to come to my senses by putting my hand on the forehead when a servant came in after knocking.

"I've got a message from the crown prince, Lady Monique."

"... What is that?"

"The crown prince asked if you could have a cup of tea with him at his palace if you had time."

Oh my... this time I have to deal with the crown prince?

'What should I do?'

'I'm in the middle of a spooky mountain.'

When I was at a loss about what to do, the duchess gracefully put down the fork and opened her mouth, "Lady Monique, why don't you put off his invitation as you seem to be sick?"

"I think I should. Will you convey my message to the crown prince? Tell him I'm sorry."

"Sure, my lady."

After the servant left, I still felt dizzy for some time. It went away only after I took a deep breath several times.

Was it because of cinnamon? But I felt strange about it. Although I didn't usually like it very much, I didn't hate it that much. The thing is I have never felt dizzy while having cinnamon.

Though I was puzzled, I pushed aside the cinnamon dish because I felt like my dizziness would come back at the scent. Looking at me, she stood up.

"Then I must go. You don't have to see me off. By the way..."

"Pardon?"

"I know you're an apprentice knight, but it looks like you're too weak for a knight candidate."

"... Sorry."

"Well, you don't have to feel sorry for me. See you again next time. "

She turned coldly and left my office quickly.

I watched blankly her fading away, then sat down on a chair only when her light blue hair was seen no more. I was very tired even though I had only had a short conversation.

I sighed, looking at the piles of documents because I still felt nauseated.

'It's really driving me crazy. I have so much work to do now.'

I felt like a limp noodle due to the heat. Even though I knocked my chest with my fist, it still felt stuffy. My face felt burning because of the hot air.

'Why is it so hot? It was never as hot as now in the past.'

The drought was alleviated thanks to the heavy rain, which caused flooding, but the sweltering heat that began in May was still there.

"Whew!"

With a sigh I picked up a bunch of documents. But I could not concentrate.

After reviewing the tenth document, I got up from the seat, putting it down as I couldn't stand the heat anymore. I felt I couldn't do work anymore today.

The next day, I was summoned to a meeting to verify my qualifications as the crown prince's bride, so I headed for the Imperial Palace. My father went down to the estate to take care of the damages of the drought and flooding there, so I entered the conference hall alone for the first time.

Heading to the head table, I looked around. Among the vacant seats here and there I noticed a seat reserved for the head of the Monique family. When I sat down, the young golden-haired man, who was seated already, smiled up at me.

"Good morning, Lady Monique! I look forward to your outstanding performance today. "

"Thank you."

When I was chatting with several members of the pro-emperor faction including Marquis Enesil, the attendant announced the arrival of the emperor and the crown prince. The moment I hurriedly stood up, I felt dizzy again. I tried to keep calm and showed due manners to them.

When everyone was seated, Duke Verita, holding a bunch of documents, stepped forward.

"Today's agenda is about the verification of the two candidates for the crown prince's spouse. We're going to test how they host and manage the three-day festival of the National Founding Day. Each of them will be taking care of one whole day as the host of the banquet."

As soon as the duke was done talking, Earl Hamel said, "Which day of the three-day festival is assigned to which one?"

Only

"Well, I decided to leave the banquet on the first day to Duchess Lars as usual, so I think they will be in charge of the second and the third day."

"Can they choose which day they want?"

All at once they turned their eyes at me and Jiun. As the third day was the most important, the noble faction was anxious to know who was going to host the third-day banquet.

I sighed somehow. Anyway, they were supposed to test our qualifications as the crown prince's bride candidate, so they didn't have to care about whether it's second or third day of the test.

As Jiun may have hosted a bunch of banquets as the empress in the past, she would have similar results in this competition anyway.

I turned my head and looked at Jiun sitting down there. Then I said with a ritualistic smile, "I don't care. Can you choose the date first, Lady Jena?"

"...I'm going to choose the last day then. "

"Sure, go ahead. Let me take the second day, then."