Chapter 14

The sudden visit of the Empress had the Berze family’s servants scrambling from dawn to prepare everything.

It was clear that if they didn’t treat Her Majesty properly, the family’s prestige would plummet.

Of course, she had refused such formalities, saying she disliked them, so they had to let it slide, but the Empress’s presence was still overwhelming.

“…It’s quite sudden, Your Majesty.”

However, Rizel Berze, who was about to inherit the family headship, didn’t hold back her discomfort.

She could tolerate the despicable Empress attending the garden tea party she had hosted. But the fact that she had to give up the seat of honor to her was quite unpleasant.

“Wouldn’t it be beneath the dignity of the royal family to seek permission from someone who isn’t even the family head yet?”

It was a rather direct insult. She was implying that she didn’t need permission from a mere lady.

“I will soon complete the succession ceremony and become the family head.”

“Yes. But for now, you’re just a lady.”

The Empress casually dismissed Rizel’s excuse.

“Adding a few titles after your name won’t earn you respect, Lady. It’s not like cheap market food that changes value just by changing its name.”

“You must be aware of the vast difference in status between a lady and a family head.”

“Yes, once you complete the succession, you might receive some respect. But will that respect be for you as a person?”

Rizel gritted her teeth and glared at the Empress as the sharp criticism continued.

Penelope Arvin, the current Empress of the empire, was one of the five heroes who had once made a name for themselves on the battlefield and was known for her brilliant mind as a military strategist.

And above all, she was a beauty with silvery hair and shining green eyes. Just by her face, she was a woman fit to be an Empress.

But what about beneath that face? She couldn’t even walk and had to rely on a wheelchair.

Even if her legs were like that, she was not a pure woman. She had been reckless with her body before marriage, so she had no proper suitors.

“…Yes, I will take Your Majesty’s advice to heart.”

The other ladies at the tea party were shocked that Rizel, of all people, would back down so easily.

Rizel was a woman who always got what she wanted, never did what she didn’t want to do, and never backed down no matter what.

“By the way, I have a gift prepared hastily after hearing of Your Majesty’s visit today.”

Rizel had her maid bring the gift she had specially prepared for the Empress.

“Ah, flowers.”

Flowers were often given as gifts, so there was nothing particularly strange about it—except that the flowers Rizel had gifted were black lilies.

Lilies, with their pure white color, symbolized purity, and everyone knew what black lilies symbolized.

All the ladies except the Empress and Rizel began to laugh softly behind their fans.

“My… what a beautiful flower.”

Of course, the Empress wasn’t the type to get angry over such a petty insult.

“My friend Raul really loved these flowers. I didn’t know you would prepare such a gift. You truly are a good younger sister.”

“…”

The Empress mocked Rizel by bringing up her relationship with Raul, humiliating her.

“Oh my. I didn’t expect you to bring up that man. Ah, now that I think about it, the two of you were quite close.”

“Yes. He was a good friend.”

“Your Majesty is truly kind. To be friends with such an arrogant man. Perhaps you are so merciful that you don’t discriminate in sharing your love.”

This was a clear insult, but the Empress didn’t get angry; instead, she calmly sipped her tea.

Rizel even began to wonder if the rumors about the Empress being terrifying when angry were exaggerated.

Perhaps the sword tied to the back of her wheelchair was just for show, and she was actually a pushover who didn’t know how to get angry.

“By the way, now that we’re talking about the former Count, he was quite an uncomfortable person, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was really uncomfortable. He always gave short answers and never smiled.”

“And his fashion sense was strange too. Wearing two thick coats even in the middle of summer.”

“Sometimes, his cold and emotionless expression gave me chills. I’m a bit relieved not to see him at parties anymore.”

“I heard rumors that he was taking some unknown medicine. Perhaps that medicine…”

And at that moment, the sound of cutting wind was heard, and the hair of the ladies present was sliced off.

Only Rizel and the Empress’s hair remained intact, while the other ladies and noblewomen’s hair was neatly cut, making them look like dockworkers.

“Huh…?”

“Did our hair just…?”

“What on earth are you doing?!”

The Empress sheathed her sword and smiled brightly.

“Either your hair or your tongue should be short.”

The guards of the ladies and noblewomen tried to rush in upon hearing the commotion, but the Empress froze them with just a cold glare.

Rizel forced her trembling hands to steady. How could the Empress, who had never been in battle, do such a thing?

“I’m not the type to get angry over my own affairs.”

The Empress drew her sword again and slashed the large marble table prepared for the tea party in half.

“But I can’t stand seeing my friend insulted by dirty mouths.”

As the tea party was instantly ruined, Rizel couldn’t hold back her anger and confronted the Empress.

“What on earth is this rudeness?!”

“Rudeness? What a funny thing to say, Lady.”

The Empress sheathed her sword again and said,

“I can’t even be rude to you if I wanted to, Lady.”

“After doing something like this, what do you mean…!”

“The reason is that you are not Raul.”

At the mention of her brother’s name again, Rizel’s expression began to sour.

“You don’t have the achievements, abilities, or connections to match. Rudeness is a concept that only applies between equals, Lady.”

The Empress put away her benevolent smile and glared at Rizel with the fierce expression she used on the battlefield.

Then she pointed her sword at Rizel’s neck.

“Even if I kill you now, I won’t be punished. I have the achievements, abilities, and connections to back it up.”

“But I haven’t yet taken the position of family head…!”

“Yes. You haven’t completed the succession ceremony yet, so you haven’t built those things. But what do you expect? The world isn’t your mother’s lap where it listens to such excuses.”

Rizel froze under the overwhelming pressure she felt for the first time.

Rizel had never been scolded before, so the effect was bound to be strong.

“If you want today’s events to be considered rude, then build yourself up first. Gain achievements, develop your abilities, and build connections. Then come to me, and I’ll gladly apologize.”

Then the Empress looked at the other ladies and noblewomen who had attended the tea party and said,

“So if you want to become that kind of person, study instead of interacting with these parrots. I came today to tell you that.”

The Empress called those who mindlessly repeated meaningless words to please others “parrots.”

“And one last warning.”

The Empress spoke in a voice so low that only Rizel could hear.

“Don’t even think about hurting Raul’s feelings anymore. If you do, I’ll truly show you a proper sword dance.”

“That man…!”

“Yes. If he had seen this mess today, he would have been angry on behalf of those frozen fools instead of me.”

The Empress left a quiet warning and then suddenly departed.

And Rizel stood still, grinding her teeth as she looked at the ruined tea party.

“Raul… Raul… That man again…? Who was it that hurt someone’s feelings…!”

Rizel could never forgive Raul. She could never forgive Raul for killing her fiancé.

###

The Empress’s aide, who was pushing her wheelchair, cautiously asked,

“Are you really okay with this?”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter what, she is the next head of the Berze family. Wasn’t that a bit too harsh…?”

“It’s better than letting her waste her wealth and prestige surrounded by those parasites. And sometimes, the whip is more effective than the carrot in motivating people.”

Everything the Empress had shown today was calculated, just a way to drive out the pests and give a piece of her mind to her friend’s younger sister.

“I thought for sure Your Majesty would be angry…”

“No. I was angry. How could I not be angry when that fool played with my friend’s life? I almost killed them all.”

She was a person who spoke cruel words with a saintly, gentle face.

“But I held back because I didn’t want to see Raul sad.”

“…The future head of the Berze family will have a tough time.”

“Honestly, I wanted to tell her what kind of scum her fiancé was, then pull out her teeth and leave. But that spoiled brat grew up without any manners. She really needs a good beating to wake up. Why are all my friends’ younger sisters such bitches?”

“Your Majesty…?”

The Empress’s aide was startled and stopped in her tracks.

“Instead of worrying about someone else’s chastity, she should worry about her own filthy mouth. Honestly, that syphilitic-mouthed whore…”

“Your Majesty, someone might hear.”

The Empress was the woman with the foulest mouth in the empire.

Even Camilla or Raul would cover their ears if she really started cursing. That says it all.