Episode 19

In the time before I left with my sister, my father brought me a magic teacher, who would accompany me on the journey.

I was already prepared for my trip, just one day left, so today was Miss Lester's tea party. She used to be my friend in my previous life, so she's quite the harpy. Her father is a smuggler, if only he had stuck to smuggling goods, but in a few years he'll start with women...

Shortly before the emperor's illness worsened, he took advantage of the social uproar, and after the emperor's death, no one stopped him. I know his whole story very well, as my friend used to tell it to me as if it were a great feat. While I didn't strategically cooperate with his work, I did send women who were after the prince. Every day I feel more stupid, how little moral sense I had.

I dressed very simply and comfortably, asked Doris to prepare the carriage, and headed towards a sure social suicide.

Upon arriving, I was received and taken to the garden where the tea party would take place. Everyone was already there, I was the only one missing. Miss Janet Lester greets me.

"Good afternoon, Miss Melanie. How have you been? It's been a while since I last saw you."

"Very well, I've been very busy lately."

"Oh, taking classes to become an empress?"

I could see a deliberately disheveled lady with pink hair accidentally spill her tea cup onto the table. The other ladies start acting as if they were concerned, while the maids approach to clean up the mess.

"Are you alright, Miss Anabela?"

As I sit down and hear that name, I look away to see her, the girl was staring at me, who the hell is she?

"Oh yes, sorry, it slipped."

The meaningless conversations continued, in which I didn't participate, as all my attention was on the desserts, until this Miss Anabela interrupted my task.

"Miss Janet, I must say that curiosity doesn't let me think of anything else. Did this lady say she was studying to become an empress?"

She seemed sweet when she said it, but her hatred was evident in every word referring to me. Without waiting for Miss Janet to answer.

"First, my name is not 'this lady,' it's Melanie Liberto, and secondly I never said that at any time."

"Oh, my apologies, I didn't know who you were, forgive this humble lady, but since you didn't introduce yourself when you arrived..."

Sure, humble...

"Miss..."

"Anabela Farel, I'm new here."

Could this Anabela be the one Paula was talking about?

"Look, Miss Anabela Farel, if you studied etiquette, the lady who should introduce me is Miss Janet, since my rank is higher. If she didn't do it, it's not something to highlight out of politeness, considering that our friend forgot... or are you suggesting that Miss Janet is a bad host?"

"Oh God, no, I would never do that."

"Then you should have asked for my name out of mere politeness, but going back to the subject, I'm not studying to be an empress, I'm just studying to improve the honor of my parents' duchy, out of sheer pride."

Janet intervenes.

"Melanie, what about your dream of being an empress?"

"Pfft, that's just a childhood dream. I understood that there are other things I would enjoy doing, rather than dealing with hypocrites who claim to want to help the country but only seek their own benefit..."

Another girl joins the conversation, I don't know her either.

"I agree with Miss Liberto, besides, to become an empress, there are only two paths, the emperor or the prince... Although they say the emperor is in poor health, which leaves us with the prince, and honestly, girls, I'd rather die than marry that prince."

Without hesitation, I start laughing, everyone was waiting for me to throw a knife, it seems.

"Good observation, Miss..."

"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself, I'm Luisa Lamberto."

Janet interrupts.

"Don't say that, Miss Luisa. The prince is a good candidate for any of us, even for Miss Liberto. Only the royal family could equal yours."

I start laughing, but it's this girl who answers and I already like her.

I am sorry Miss, I'm not saying that the prince is not a good candidate, how can I say it without sounding bad, he just wouldn't be to my liking... he's, he's, he's... Too delicate for my taste. That would be the word, I would like someone with more personality, more like the emperor.

There was a silence, just as I was looking at the girl in front of me, how she clenched her fists and her face transformed. Even worse when I heard my words.

"It's true Miss Luisa, I believe the emperor would be a better match."

This girl Anabela gave us a fierce look and some harsh words.

"Do you know the emperor? I mean, because you have a lot of stigma towards him."

"I never saw him in person, but from afar he already looks handsome, cold, so rough..."

I laughed at how this girl sighed.

"And you Miss Liberto?"

"I only vaguely remember him from some parties held in the palace."

"But he doesn't usually attend."

"I know his majesty very well."

"I don't mean to brag, but we were childhood friends."

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