Chapter 13
‘No, I don’t have any obligation to tell him.’
After all, the matter with the Empress was a hardship the heroine would have to face alongside the Crown Prince.
It had nothing to do with her.
Besides, she wasn’t the one getting anyone pregnant, just making use of events from the original story a bit earlier. So what?
Iris brushed it off lightly and stood up, leaving a dumbfounded Jack behind.
She had a dress that was mended last time, so that would do, and as for jewelry, it just needed to not look too shabby.
“Oh, Jack. Can you get me something I need?”
“What is it? Something to do with the Empress?”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Either way, I need it urgently for when I meet Her Majesty the Empress.”
“You’re ordering me around for all sorts of things. What is it?”
She gave a sly smile.
“Well, it’s…”
* * *
The next morning, Iris met Vivi again in front of the mansion.
It seemed the Crown Prince was concerned about her meeting with the Empress.
‘Is he worried about me, in his own way?’
It wasn’t like she was actually going to marry him; she was just a placeholder who’d disappear after serving her purpose, so it didn’t matter whether she made a good impression or not.
‘Then again, the Crown Prince does have that side to him.’
A soft spot for fragile things. That’s why he couldn’t leave the heroine alone and always looked out for her.
Not that he’d admit it himself. Iris smiled faintly and greeted Vivi.
“Looking forward to today as well.”
“I’ll serve you with utmost sincerity.”
Jack had decided to act separately for a while to avoid drawing attention from the Empress or the Crown Prince.
Iris boarded the carriage heading to the Empress’s palace with Vivi.
The mended dress looked as good as new, and her hair, tied back simply without excessive adornments, was styled in a way that “adults” would approve of—neat and refined.
Since this was the second Empress, she wasn’t particularly old, but she had a tendency to unconsciously emulate the former Empress.
‘I’d better watch what I say in front of her.’
Considering the former Empress’s taste for elegance and modesty over flashy frivolity, this attire seemed like the right choice.
‘The current Empress is quite glamorous, so is it really necessary to mimic the former one?’
As Iris was lost in thought, Vivi cautiously spoke up.
“Is there anything you’re curious about?”
“Curious about?”
“Perhaps about Her Majesty the Empress.”
It seemed the Crown Prince was trying to help her out in various ways.
She didn’t really need the help, but it felt awkward to act like she knew everything, so Iris nodded.
“I don’t know much about her, so it wouldn’t hurt to learn.”
At Iris’s words, Vivi nodded and began speaking. Soon, familiar information poured from her lips.
“Her Majesty Empress Loberia, who turned thirty-five this year, is not particularly strict.”
That made sense. She was probably trying to emulate the gentle former Empress.
Iris nodded along, keeping her thoughts to herself.
“She prefers refined attire and had been considering daughters from prestigious families as potential matches for His Highness the Crown Prince.”
More precisely, she likely chose families with long histories but slightly faded glory—ones she could easily control.
“So I must not be to her liking at all.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.”
Iris fiddled with the small handbag tucked beside her refined dress.
“His Highness the Crown Prince said there’s no need to go out of your way to please Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Aha.”
Iris crossed her legs in the rattling carriage.
‘Our kind Crown Prince, going out of his way to say such things so I don’t worry. How thoughtful.’
“It’s fine. I’m not worried.”
“That’s a relief, then.”
The maid Vivi, assigned by the Crown Prince, responded with a smile, showing no signs of fluster.
Were all the Crown Prince’s direct subordinates like this?
‘She’s probably not just an ordinary maid.’
Iris stared at Vivi for a moment before shaking her head.
“Tell His Highness the Crown Prince I’m sorry.”
“Pardon?”
For the first time, a hint of confusion crossed Vivi’s face.
Just then, with a *creak* and a *clunk*, the carriage came to a stop. They had arrived at the Empress’s palace.
Instead of answering, Iris stood up. Though Vivi hadn’t resolved her confusion, she quickly reached out to open the carriage door.
“Welcome, Lady Iris.”
As Iris stepped onto the carriage’s footboard, a hand was naturally extended to her.
One of the knights guarding the Empress’s palace had stepped forward to escort her.
Iris took the unfamiliar knight’s hand and stepped down, looking ahead.
Before her stood a palace, more beautiful and grand than any building she’d seen since transmigrating.
‘It’s massive. The Emperor’s palace must be even bigger.’
Lost briefly in awe, Iris snapped out of it and looked at the woman greeting her.
“My thanks for the warm welcome, Lady Artes.”
“…Her Majesty the Empress is waiting. This way, please.”
“My thanks for the guidance.”
Iris smiled compliantly and followed Lady Artes. Vivi trailed behind her like a shadow.
Lady Artes, the maid. She was the first to be appointed as the Empress’s attendant after Loberia ascended to her position and was known to have been close to the Empress for a long time.
‘Practically the Empress’s eyes and hands.’
Sending such an important figure to greet her from the start showed an intent to scrutinize her thoroughly.
‘That’s a bit intimidating.’
As she thought this, she glanced down at the handbag in her hand. Inside was the gift she’d brought for the Empress today.
‘I wonder what face she’ll make when she receives this.’*
Without a trace of nervousness, she followed the maid.
*Click, clack.*
How long had they walked?
“Here we are.”
Soon, she stood before a massive golden door that seemed impossible to open alone.
This was undoubtedly the audience chamber where the Empress received guests.
*Creak.*
The palace attendants on either side opened the door, and as it swung wide, light poured through large windows, revealing the Empress with her rose-colored hair.
“Welcome, Lady Iris.”
Seated arrogantly on a sofa, the Empress was strikingly beautiful and glamorous at first glance.
With a thorny rose-like charm, she smiled and said,
“I called you on short notice, so thank you for coming.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to be summoned.”
Iris greeted her with flawless etiquette, showing no signs of tension.
The Empress scanned her from head to toe, and finding nothing to fault, spoke softly.
“Have a seat.”
“Excuse me.”
Iris sat on the sofa opposite the Empress as instructed.
Two noblewomen, presumably the Empress’s maids, stood at her sides, their gazes toward Iris far from kind.
‘As expected, the atmosphere isn’t exactly welcoming.’
While Iris maintained her smile and gauged the mood, the Empress signaled lightly with her hand, and tea was brought out.
“It’s a floral tea from the southern kingdom. I hope it suits your taste.”
The tea brought by the attendants had a distinctive aroma.
It was Mintiment, a tea with a sharp scent and taste that could be unpleasant for those unaccustomed to it.
‘To a modern palate, it’s just okay, but in this era, this kind of flavor might be a bit strong.’
Iris took a sip of the tea as offered, then smiled leisurely.
“The southern kingdom would be Beberia, I presume.”
“You know of it?”
“Yes, I remember it as a kingdom so beautiful it’s called the land of fairies.”
“I see…”
The Empress smiled, raising one eyebrow slightly. She probably hadn’t expected this commoner girl to be anything but a fool.
*Click.*
Iris opened the handbag she’d brought. As she appeared to take something out, the Empress and her maids’ eyes fixed on her hands.
“Since you know of Beberia, you must know of this as well.”
What she pulled from the bag was none other than cheap crystal.
“I brought it for Your Majesty.”
At her words, the Empress’s smile faded, and she stared at her.
The maids also furrowed their brows, as if wondering what this meant.
In that moment, Iris was the only one smiling, her expression free of any tension.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
By Anna 💓
