The Villainess was Loved

Chapter Nine: High Tea

The Princess’s room looks larger than I remember. It should be at least twice as spacious as my room in the upper section was.

Damn, why did I not reincarnate as the Princess?

Well, her route is challenging. If the player, as Regina, did not trigger her death, this being in the innocent accidental way befitting her character, the player ended up a side piece, or rather a concubine to the Western duke, as, you know ‘fancified’ in medieval terms.

Because the outcome was displeasing, most players opted to kill the Princess. That option did come with its own set of challenges because Étienne favoured her, for whatever reason.

She and Etienne did not have the same mother, only the same father, granted her mother had been poisoned way too early in the story, leaving her at the mercy of harsh maids and, well, the Empress.

Near fifteen maids were lined wall to wall, granting easy access to my passage. However, the show of wealth did not faze me; it was mostly a facade. All she truly has by her side is her Knight Vanessa, and even she dies in the annual monster hunt next year.

The rest were maids either hired by the Queen or the Empress in their strife for power.

Despite having two moons, the world's calendar still followed the Gregorian system. Only rather than the regular months, zodiac signs were used.

The weekdays, despite being seven, had different names.

Monday becomes Moonday, Tuesday Godsday, Wednesday Waterday, Thursday Earthday, Friday Freeday, Saturday Starday, surprisingly, Sunday maintained its name. I wonder why the developers decided that.

The grey double doors leading to the main room flew open, and on cue, I dropped to curtsy.

“Well, well, I truly did not expect you to join us.” a smooth voice said.

“Your boldness in speaking to my servants, my my, would they not find amusement at your posture?”

I maintained my curtsy stance, awaiting my release.

The sound of a teacup’s clank filled the prolonged silence.

“Is there a reason you deny answers to my questions?” the voice asked.

“Perhaps she is deaf,” another snickered.

“Or slow.”

“The streets do that to you.”

“How many men do you think she has been with?”

“Commoners, maybe, I doubt-.”

“Enough, have some respect; she is to be the crown princess soon,” Pricilla chimed, and the table grew silent, “Is that not right, Lady Alpensa?”

The stirring sound filled the room, and the pensive silence was rudely interrupted by a soldier’s swing of their sword to my neck.

“You will answer every question asked by a member of the imperial family.”

“Oh my,” I smiled, my gaze still on the floor, “Do your highness's servants draw their blade to everyone, or just me? Oh my… what fine hospitality....almost... to die for.”

“Do you dislike the service? It is all for my sake. Security and such.” The princess answered.

“How dare I dislike anything with imperial ties? The welcoming, the security, even the flowers that decorate these walls are all simply a prostitutes’ dream.”

“Is that meant as an insult?”

“Pray tell, Princess, whatever do you mean?”

“You referred to yourself as a p********e. My father saw you as worth the crown. You dare insult the Emperor of Norvig?”

“Your highness, all I said was that such care and security make up a p********e’s dream. Did you assume that they were my own? Your highness, despite my mother’s blood, I am not a pro-,”

“Why do you not speak while facing me? I can barely grasp a word you a saying hunched over like that.”

Is this her way of permitting me to stand upright?

I lifted my gaze to meet her crimson stare. If I truly did not know any better, I would have assumed her the Empress’s child, but her hair gave her away.

The dirty blonde was in no way similar to the Empress’s golden hair.

Their eyes, though, held the same crimson nuisance.

“I will gladly repeat my words-,”

“And bore us half to death?” the princess interrupted, “Nonsense. Sit with us. I would like for you to meet the ladies of the school’s high table.”

The table had six other girls aside from the Princess, all dolled up, unlike me, whose definition of freshening up was literally washing my face.

I still had my uniform on, which was a big ‘no-no' by the look of some of the ladies’ faces.

I took a seat next to a familiar yet particularly fiery looking lady. By ‘fiery’, I mean she did not hide the fact that she was displeased by my presence.

Doria…Daria, I think, was her name.

“On the left side, we have Wine Esmeral, Daughter of the Eastern duke.”

“Greetings.” The mentioned lady nodded in acknowledgement.

“You know Uril. You share a class, I believe, she is the fiancé to Finor Sylra, the elven-,”

“Is our race worth mentioning?” Uril interrupted the Princess, an act that elicited shocked gasps from those around the table.

“What would you rather I announce?”

Uril turned to face me.

“I am Uril Canesse, from the clan of the C-,”

“No one wants to hear that, lady Canesse.” The Princess interjected, “You are Uril Canesse, fiancée of Finor Sylra, the northern duke’s son otherwise referred to as the elven prince.”

“There is that introduction more satisfactory, now that I have left both your races out?” her highness asked.

Uril leaned on her seat then exhaled loudly; her gaze turned away from the Princess.

“It is a passable introduction.” she finished.

Right, their engagement was a political one, so of course, Uril did not trust her fiance’s affections enough to rely on them for security.

In fact, if the player as Regina showed interest in Finor, and only Finor, meaning not the harem route, Ulir would devote her time to helping the player melt the heart of the Elf that despised humans. Most of this was to gauge Regina’s character, but mostly, Ulir preferred the adventurer’s lifestyle to politics.

“I take it that self-introduction is permitted.” Before the tense atmosphere settled, a familiar dark-skinned beauty said, “I am Stella, Stella Lydia.”

“Daughter of the black widow, I mean Southern duchess.” The princess continued on her behalf, causing Stella to scoff.

“I am Margret Hyle, and this is my sister Doria Hyle; we are from the Hyle family.”

“She means the ducal house of the Western territory.”

Hmm, the princess’s intentions were growing more apparent.

“Lastly, we have Seria Norvig, my darling little sister.” The Princess finished pointing to the blonde-haired and brown-eyed girl seated directly opposite her own seat.

“Now, I suppose it is your turn; introduce yourself.”

“I am Lady Arusei Alpensa, of the Alpen-,”

“Oh, come now, I mean really, we have all heard the news on your engagement.” The Princess crossed her legs then leaned on her chair, “Come now, introduce yourself properly, that we may begin the event.”

“I am yet to be-,”

“You expect me to believe that a commoner with dirty blood, given the chance of a lifetime to breathe with nobility, actively and publicly sought out a commoner?”

Wow, that was…fast.

“Answer me.”

“I do not understand what her highness means.”

“Need I simple my words for you? There is a rule that says nobles only speak to commoners after permission from the high society; the fact that you disregarded the rule means only one thing.” She paused, “that you already joined the society by becoming my sister in law. Otherwise, Lady Alpensa, we will have a problem.”

I gazed at the clock above her head. It read thirteen minutes past midnight.

The princess’s tea parties are generally during the day. How desperate must Étienne be growing to have her set up a late-night tea party where she can use her social position to force me into a decision?

The insecurity of the illegitimate is astounding.

Warm tea that both smelled and tasted of the highest grade chamomile washed my face before I had even the chance to grant an answer to her highness.

“How dare a commoner gaze at the clock while her highness is speaking.” Margret Hyle hissed.

“Now now, Lady Hyle,” the princess said.

There was no reprimand of her actions, only an oddly quiet table that desperately awaited my response.

Hah… Margret Hyle.

Okay.

“My name is Lady Arusei….” I paused.

If I used the name Norvig, my fate would be sealed. The present members of high society will act as witnesses, and using the imperial name frivolously was a crime.

Ah…fucking hell.