MLIIWTFL Chapter 242

242

"Forgive me, Duchess, for raising an unnecessary matter earlier."

While Camilla was greeting the guests, Duchess Dinever's daughter-in-law stood quietly beside her. The Duchess of Dinever, who had been watching in silence, turned her head at Letticia's words and fixed her gaze on her.

"If you must apologize, then do so to your mother. Why would I have anything to feel offended about?"

Her expression remained stern, the very face befitting the matriarch of high society, but her tone had softened in a strangely subdued way.

Letticia, realizing that she must have touched upon something emotional, looked at her with concern and spoke carefully.

"Of course, I'll apologize to Mother as well. But I thought it proper to apologize to you first, since you are our guest. When the topic of you once being the late Empress's chief lady-in-waiting came up earlier, you seemed displeased. I worried that perhaps you were offended."

"…As I said before, it was not unpleasant. It was simply an old woman lost in her own sentimentality."

The duchess answered calmly, then gave her a word of advice.

"You must know that the royal family is not a subject to be mentioned carelessly. And when the person in question has already passed, all the more so. Whatever is said may too easily be regarded as discourteous."

"Yes, I realize that. I only wished to join in the ladies' conversation, but I spoke rashly. Mother has told me some things about Her Majesty the late Empress, but only in passing, so I never expected the subject to come up like that."

"It was not such an irreparable mistake that you should reproach yourself. Quick reflection is admirable, but don't burden yourself unnecessarily."

Sensing that the duchess's tone had grown gentler, Letticia took the chance to bring up her real purpose, before Duchess Dinever returned.

"This may be an impertinent request, but… could you perhaps tell me something about Her Majesty the late Empress?"

"And why do you make such a request?"

The duchess's brow furrowed. Letticia, looking unusually earnest, replied.

"If I don't learn more, something like today might happen again. But it's a little difficult to ask Mother about it directly."

"If it's Camilla, she would surely teach you truthfully. Why ask me instead?"

"Of course, Mother wouldn't tell me anything biased. But still… it isn't exactly a pleasant subject for her, is it? And since you personally served Her Majesty, I thought it would be more accurate to hear from you. After all, there can't be many left who truly knew her."

"……"

Though Letticia had phrased it politely, her meaning got through. The duchess's expression briefly clouded, tinged with something like regret, or perhaps sorrow.

She lowered her gaze to the plate of éclairs before her, then soon looked back at Letticia and spoke clearly.

"The éclairs today had a refreshing taste, with all the different fruits in them. I'd like the Duke to try them as well. So, when you have time, do stop by and keep this old woman company."

It was an invitation carrying her acceptance.

Letticia, delighted not only by the invitation but also by the duchess's compliment on the éclairs, smiled brightly and accepted.

"If the Duchess herself has invited me, of course I must visit. Do you have a particular flavor you'd like me to bring?"

"The blueberry one was my favorite, it wasn't too sweet. And it would be nice if you could bring plenty of the peach as well."

After ending the conversation, the Duchess rose and, together with her waiting daughter-in-law, left the gathering. Not long after, Countess Freke, who seemed to have overheard the exchange between Letticia and the Duchess, immediately approached and clasped Letticia's hand.

"Letticia, those éclairs you served today were simply wonderful. If a second shop opens, I would order from you at once."

"I'm so glad they suited your taste, Countess. If the shop does open, I'll make sure to have some delivered to your estate first."

"My, how sweetly you speak. You must have been busy in spring, but when summer comes, you'll be able to visit our residence, won't you? When one dines with the same people over and over, one starts to wish for some younger company."

At the countess's words, the surrounding ladies exchanged knowing glances. An invitation to a formal dinner at her estate was one of the highest honors a family could receive, a sign of long-term social connection.

This also meant that Letticia was succeeding in inheriting Camilla's powerful social network. Those present at today's tea party became convinced that Letticia would one day reign as queen of her generation's social scene.

***

After the tea party ended, Letticia did as she had promised and offered an apology to Camilla as well.

"I'm sorry, Mother, for letting the topic of the late Empress come up unnecessarily."

"It's nothing. Back then, such things were common enough."

Camilla, having changed out of her tea-party gown into comfortable indoor clothes, sat down while a maid removed the ornaments from her hair and began brushing it. Unlike Letticia, who still had to hear the servants' reports on the éclairs, Camilla now had nothing more to do and seemed ready to relax.

"But why did the Duchess suddenly invite you? The Countess of Freke has been eager to have you at her summer dinners, but the Duchess rarely engages in such personal interactions."

"I asked her for a favor. I said I wanted to hear about the late Empress."

At that, Camilla turned sharply to look at her daughter. Her ruby-red eyes, well-suited to such a description, glimmered with suspicion at Letticia's sudden behavior.

"You asked to hear about Her Majesty the late Empress? And why, all of a sudden?"

"I thought it might be necessary if I'm to learn more about His Highness the Crown Prince. From what you've told me about what happened between you and Her Majesty, you seem to have had many thoughts about her."

At her daughter's cynical reply, Camilla dismissed the maid with a glance. Once the door closed and they were alone, she let out a deep sigh and asked.

"What exactly do you want to know about Her Majesty, that you went so far as to ask the Duchess of Dinever?"

"I want to know whether, up until her death, her life was truly unhappy, and if so, whether His Highness the Crown Prince is aware of it."

Camilla's expression grew grave at that answer.

"…Since you've already declared your wish to hear the story, I suppose I can't take it back."

"Honestly, I didn't want to ask you directly, Mother… after all, you were the victim who had the diamond stolen from you."

"Yes. And as for Her Majesty, she was the shameless perpetrator who cast me aside to become the one and only diamond herself."

Camilla spoke with bitter scorn, setting the comb in her hand down on the dressing table with enough force to make a sound. Clearly, Emilia, the late Empress, was still not a welcome subject.

"Still, choosing the Duchess of Dinever was wise. From the time Her Majesty became the Crown Princess, the duchess served as her chief lady-in-waiting and exercised great influence on her behalf within society."

"The late Empress and the Duchess must have had quite a long connection, then. But why didn't she remain in the palace?"

"Not long after His Highness the Crown Prince was born, the Duchess's eldest son died of illness. Between the funeral, the matter of succession, and other family affairs, she had to resign from her post as chief lady-in-waiting. And soon after that, Her Majesty the late Empress passed away as well."

Given the gravity of the subject, Letticia resolved to broach it cautiously. The death of a royal whom one had once served, occurring while still mourning the loss of a child, was not something to be spoken of lightly.

"Later, when His Majesty the Emperor remarried, the second son had already been secured as heir and other matters had settled somewhat. The new Empress considered offering her back the position of chief lady-in-waiting… but the Duchess refused, saying she needed to devote herself to managing her family. And since then, she's lived as she does now."

"Then why do you think she agreed to my request?"

"…Perhaps she wished to tell her story. About the late Empress as she knew her."

The "late Empress" as known by the Duchess. Letticia understood what that meant.

The Emilia the world knew was the candidate chosen by the Imperial Family to be Crown Princess, and the debutante who had unjustly snatched the "Diamond" title from Camilla. That was her image, but it had nothing of her true thoughts, her interests, or her will in it.

Because of that, no one cared what the real Emilia was like, what she liked, what she was good at, or what she thought, unless it was something that could be used to condemn her.

'She was born only to be hated… unlike Duchess Averil, though in a different way.'

At least Duchess Averil had a husband who loved her. Whatever the reality, the original novel said the two of them were very happy in the east, loving each other until the day she died, so she must not have been lonely.

Emilia, on the other hand, was different. In the original story, Matthias had read her diary and lost his way because of it. That alone proved she had not lived happily.

Perhaps she had reached her end all alone, lonely, without anyone by her side.

'As I thought… the mothers are the key.'

Matthias, the Averil siblings, every one of them had become twisted after their mothers' deaths. That much was clear. Which meant that whether she wanted to change them, or simply prepare for the attacks that might come, she would need to know about their mothers.

It was a dangerous path, one wrong move and she might strike directly at their most untouchable wound.

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