Chapter 39
Iris greeted with a straight posture and proper etiquette, while the duchess, with her arms crossed, looked her up and down with an expression of clear displeasure.
‘So many have flocked here.’
Behind her, the duchess’s followers were lined up in a row.
‘This somehow reminds me vividly of being dragged to the bathroom by the kids who used to bully me in school.’
“So, you’re going to be engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Oh, has the news already spread that far?”
Iris covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh, pretending to be oblivious. In moments like this, acting clueless was the best approach.
Engaging in a confrontation would only make things troublesome for herself.
“It seems His Highness the Crown Prince has been thoroughly charmed.”
“Indeed. To think he’d choose someone of commoner origin…”
The duchess’s followers chimed in one by one. But Iris wasn’t the type to lose in such petty power struggles.
Listening to their words with one ear and letting them pass through the other, she focused solely on the duchess in front of her.
“By the way, is there something you wanted with me?”
“I heard you’re the woman who has His Highness the Crown Prince in a frenzy, so I came to see for myself.”
The proper response here would be to humbly deny it, but…
“Oh, I see. So, what do you think now that you’ve seen me?”
Iris decided to be brazen instead.
“What?”
The duchess raised one eyebrow. Come to think of it, this duchess was likely the one the Empress had been pushing as the Crown Princess.
The Empress must have been fuming, having built up so much expectation only for things to turn out this way.
‘She does look a bit like Her Majesty the Empress.’
They were cousins, weren’t they? That’s how it seemed. Iris calmly gazed at the duchess with her purple hair, reminiscent of the Empress.
“Haha, I was just curious how I came across, since you were interested in me.”
“You’re quite pretty.”
The duchess said this in a curt tone. It sounded like a compliment at first, but her next words were anything but.
“But that’s all there is to it. You can’t do anything about your origins, and your overly glamorous appearance is almost embarrassing to look at.”
“Oh my…”
Iris gave a subtle smile.
‘Why is she picking on my dress, of all things?’
“I’ll make sure to pass that along to the one who made this dress, so as not to offend your sensibilities in the future.”
Unaware that the dress was made by someone significant, the duchess held her head high haughtily, oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
“No matter how much it’s the same white, a swan and a duck are bound to be distinguished. I hope you don’t try too hard. Consider it special advice from me.”
“I’ll take your advice to heart.”
Iris smiled brightly and expressed her gratitude, causing the duchess and her followers to furrow their brows, slightly annoyed. Her willingness to accept the criticism so readily must have thrown them off.
And then…
“His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire have arrived!”
At that moment, Their Majesties made their entrance.
‘Well then, shall we go complain to the one who made the dress?’
With that thought, Iris looked at the arriving pair.
‘Huh?’
Stepping onto the red carpet and ascending to the head of the room, Their Majesties looked around with satisfaction before the Emperor spoke.
“I’m grateful that so many have gathered to celebrate the Empress’s pregnancy.”
Her Majesty the Empress stood quietly by the Emperor’s side, smiling.
The reason Iris was taken aback was that the Empress was wearing the dress Iris had recommended—a refined wine-colored dress that suited her, not an imitation of the former Empress’s style.
‘As expected, my taste is impeccable.’
While the Emperor raised a glass of champagne to share in the celebration, Iris looked at the Empress and smiled brightly.
Noticing Iris, the Empress, who had been scanning the room, let out a small cough and turned her head.
‘She’s embarrassed.’
“Now…”
The Emperor set down his champagne glass, looked at the Empress, and spoke.
“On a special day like today, wearing a dress the same color as the one you wore when we first met makes it feel as though today is that day.”
“Your Majesty…”
‘Is His Majesty the Emperor such a sweet person?’
Iris hadn’t known. In the original story, only the two main characters were highlighted.
The Empress, touched by the Emperor’s words, smiled radiantly, her green eyes sparkling.
Clap, clap, clap.
Iris couldn’t help but internally shout ‘bravo’ as she clapped.
As Iris began clapping, attention turned to her, and soon, nobles joined in with bewildered expressions.
The Empress narrowed her eyes as she looked at Iris. But what did it matter? Iris simply smiled brightly.
“Let the banquet begin!”
At the Emperor’s proclamation, the orchestra started playing, and the nobles began mingling among themselves. Meanwhile, Iris was still held up by the duchess.
“Lady Iris, Her Majesty the Empress summons you.”
“Oh, yes!”
As the Empress called for her, the duchess looked at Iris with a slightly startled expression. She had likely assumed the Empress would disapprove of Iris and wouldn’t even acknowledge her, yet here she was being summoned.
“Oh, and she asked for you to come along as well, Duchess, so let’s go together.”
“Very well.”
Sensing something was amiss, the duchess furrowed her brow, parted from her followers, and walked side by side with Iris.
“Did you curry favor with Her Majesty the Empress or something?”
“Oh my, you make it sound like I’m the only one doing so. I’m sure you’re not much different, Duchess.”
“…You.”
“Your Majesty the Empress, you called for me?”
Just as the duchess was about to speak, they reached the Empress, causing her to shut her mouth abruptly. Iris greeted her with proper etiquette.
Duchess Anerta stepped forward, expecting the Empress to call her first, but a completely different name came from the Empress’s lips.
“Iris, come here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Duchess Anerta’s face showed clear bewilderment. Iris smiled inwardly.
“That’s what happens when you don’t curry favor properly.’
Approaching the Empress’s side, Iris made a fuss.
“Your Majesty the Empress, you look absolutely stunning today!”
“…I just felt like it.”
“Of course. Your Majesty’s excellent taste simply chose something even better.”
As Iris smiled brightly, lavishing praise on the Empress, she let out a small chuckle, as if finding it absurd. Duchess Anerta, seeing this, was slightly shocked.
‘She’s always so stern in front of me.’
While the duchess stood frozen for a moment, Iris gave a sly smile and said to the Empress,
“Come to think of it, the Duchess had something to say about the dress Your Majesty had made.”
At Iris’s words, the duchess’s eyes widened dramatically.
[‘But that’s all there is to it. You can’t do anything about your origins, and your overly glamorous appearance is almost embarrassing to look at.’]
She had openly criticized the dress in front of others. It didn’t seem to have reached the Empress’s ears yet, but with Iris here, it was only a matter of time.
‘Now, what will you do?’
While Iris smiled mischievously, Duchess Anerta felt her mouth go dry.
“Really? I’m curious to hear what kind of evaluation Duchess Anerta gave.”
“Well, Your Majesty~”
Iris teased the duchess, dragging her words playfully, finding her startled reactions amusing.
‘Hmm, maybe I’ll tease her just this much. She’s just a young lady, after all.’
Iris decided to be lenient this time and let it slide.
“She said it was very beautiful and asked where it was made!”
As Iris told a story contrary to the truth, Duchess Anerta’s gaze snapped toward her. It must have been unexpected. But Iris’s goal was to avoid confrontation with the duchess as much as possible, not to engage in a fight.
“Is that so? I got something from Iris this time, so I put in a bit of effort.”
“I see, Your Majesty. No wonder it’s… so splendid.”
The duchess was visibly grinding her teeth. But what could she do in front of the Empress? Iris smiled brightly and thought to herself,
‘I absolutely must stick by Her Majesty the Empress’s side.’
That was the way to survive this banquet.
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