The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 103

Chapter 103. Going to the Marquess’s Estate

“We’ve arrived.”

A few hours later, the carriage arrived in front of the main building of the Marquess of Carrion’s estate. Jamie opened the carriage door.

Emilia stepped down from the carriage, feeling her heart pounding. It was her first tea party, so she had been extremely nervous the entire way.

Unlike a banquet, where she only needed to exchange brief greetings with nobles and dance, a tea party required her to keep conversing with the ladies, which felt very burdensome. And with Helen not by her side, there was no one to help her when she didn’t know something.

“Welcome, Your Highness. Everyone is waiting.”

“It’s good to see you.”

As she stepped out of the carriage, Lina, who had been waiting, approached and greeted her.

‘Everyone?’

With an uneasy expression, Emilia followed Lina. Jamie and Deo, who usually stood at a distance, stayed close behind her.

“This way.”

Lina climbed the central staircase laid with carpet and opened the door to the room where the tea party was being held. It was smaller than the hall used for banquets, but far too large to simply be called a place for drinking tea.

Oh my.

Contrary to her expectation that only a small number of people would gather, many ladies were present in the hall. There were easily more than twenty.

At this point, it could be called a small banquet.

Emilia’s eyes trembled slightly with tension. At banquets, Louid had always been with her, so she never had to engage in long conversations with many people. But here, she was completely alone.

‘What should I do? Louid isn’t here. Can I handle this?’

She had come confidently, but now that she had to face everyone alone, his presence felt even greater.

“I have something to bring. Will you go in first, Your Highness?”

“Very well.”

Emilia gathered her courage and entered the hall. Jamie and Deo remained just outside, while many knights from the Grand Duke’s manor stood guard tightly along the corridor and around the carriage.

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

As she stepped into the hall, a red-haired young lady rushed over and greeted her warmly.

“My name is Sarah, daughter of the Marquess of Mayen. I greet Your Highness.”

Sarah slightly bent her knees and lifted the hem of her dress as she greeted her. She was the young lady who had danced with Louid at the imperial palace banquet before.

So her name is Sarah.

Emilia remembered her because of her striking red hair.

“It’s good to see you, young lady.”

“Please call me Sarah.”

“Very well.”

Her bright smile made her seem like she had a good personality.

“Your Highness, I greet you. I’m Linda, daughter of the Count of Shield. Please call me Linda.”

“It’s good to see you, Linda.”

A brown-haired young lady approached and greeted her.

She also danced with Louid that day. They’re all gathered here today.

Looking around the hall, Emilia saw several ladies she had seen at the imperial palace banquet. Linda also seemed kind and polite.

“Please sit here, Your Highness.”

Sarah pointed to the seat at the head of the table.

“Thank you.”

Nodding lightly, Emilia walked over and sat down at the head seat. The long rectangular table was filled with various teas, fruits, and dishes.

“Your Highness, is this your first time attending a tea party?”

Sarah, seated diagonally beside her, asked carefully.

“That’s right.”

“If you have any questions, please ask me. I’ll explain,” she said kindly with a bright smile.

“Thank you, Sarah.”

“Your Highness, I’m Karen, daughter of the Count of Rayson.”

“It’s good to see you, Karen.”

Karen was also one of the young ladies who had danced the group waltz with Louid that day.

“This is tea I made myself. I’m not sure if it will suit your taste.”

Karen poured tea into a teacup and offered it.

“You made the tea yourself?”

Emilia’s eyes widened.

“Yes, we grow various kinds of tea in our territory, so I learned how to make tea from a young age.”

“It’s delicious. It’s fragrant and rich,” Emilia said after taking a sip.

“I brought a box to give to Your Highness.”

Karen held out a luxurious tea set.

“Thank you, Karen.”

“These cookies are a specialty made by the people of our territory. They’re made with high-quality wheat grown there.”

The daughter of Baron Watson gave her cookies as a gift. The other young ladies also greeted her and presented gifts.

They’re all welcoming me.

Emilia let out a sigh of relief inwardly. She had been worried that they might dislike her for being unfamiliar with noble customs, but the young ladies treated her kindly like friends her age. It was truly a relief.

While she chatted and laughed with them, Lina entered the hall. As if by prior agreement, everyone suddenly fell silent. The once lively room grew so quiet that even the sound of swallowing could be heard.

‘Why is this happening? Are they afraid of Lina?’

Even Sarah, who was also a marquess’s daughter like Lina, kept glancing at her cautiously.

Lina walked in gracefully and took a seat that had been left empty.

Among the young ladies, the conversation soon turned to the upcoming founding festival.

“Will His Highness the Grand Duke participate in the horseback tournament again this year?”

One of the young ladies asked curiously.

“…Again?”

Emilia tilted her head. It seemed Louid had participated in the horseback tournament before.

“It seems you haven’t seen it yet. His Highness the Grand Duke has won the horseback tournament every year during the founding festival. It’s a dangerous event, so he doesn’t have to participate, but he enters every year,” Linda explained kindly from beside her.

“Your Highness would know best whether His Highness will participate, since you’re together with him.”

Lina said, looking at Emilia with a meaningful gaze. It was as if she was implying that their relationship as husband and wife wasn’t good. At that, everyone in the hall turned to look at Emilia, watching closely to see how she would respond.

“That may be so, but I’m not certain whether he’ll participate this time.”

Emilia trailed off. She didn’t know which competitions Louid would enter. She only saw him briefly each day, and he wasn’t very talkative to begin with. Moreover, he had been going to the imperial palace often lately, so she saw him even less.

Should I ask him today?

She was curious about which competitions he would join. Lately, his attitude toward her had softened compared to before, so he would probably answer if she asked.

“It seems His Highness hasn’t decided yet whether to participate. If he does, he’ll tell Your Highness.”

Sarah helped her out.

“That’s likely.”

Emilia nodded in agreement.

“Will Your Highness attend the hunting competition as well?”

Another young lady asked.

“I will attend… should I?”

Emilia tilted her head and quietly whispered to Sarah. She was confused whether women also participated in hunting. Louid had taught her swordsmanship and horseback riding, but he had never taught her archery.

“You probably should. Even if you don’t hunt yourself, if a family member participates, you go to the hunting grounds to cheer them on.”

Sarah explained kindly. It seemed that if Louid participated, she, as his family, should go to support him.

“Then if His Highness participates, I should go as well.”

Emilia looked around at the young ladies and spoke.

“His Highness the Grand Duke will attend. He has participated every year.”

This time, Karen added.

‘So there’s nothing he doesn’t do.’

Emilia let out a quiet sigh inwardly. Even while staying in the north, Louid seemed to have attended the founding festival every year without fail. Because of that, it looked like she would be the one getting busier.

“This is my gift.”

As the tea party was nearing its end, Emilia presented the young ladies with handkerchiefs she had recently designed.

Since she didn’t know how many would attend the tea party, she hadn’t been sure how many to bring, but thanks to Helen’s suggestion to bring plenty, she was relieved.

“Oh my, this is a piece by designer Roe.”

The young ladies examining the handkerchiefs all exclaimed in admiration.

“That’s right. I heard it hasn’t been released yet.”

“Roe doesn’t produce many of each item. I’m envious that you could obtain so many of these, Your Highness,” Sarah said with a jealous gaze.

Designer Roe was famous for producing only limited quantities of each item, whether dresses, hats, scarves, or handkerchiefs.

“Haha.”

Emilia only gave an awkward smile.

Meanwhile, Lina’s eyebrows lifted slightly as she examined the handkerchief.

‘She can obtain this many pieces from designer Roe? That doesn’t make sense.’

Although she was pleased to receive such a rare item, no matter how much money one had, it was impossible to obtain so many of Roe’s works. Roe never made duplicate designs and never produced items in bulk.

‘They must be fakes.’

Good. One corner of Lina’s lips curled upward. She decided that after exposing that the Grand Duchess’s gift was fake, she would spread the rumor far and wide.

“Your Highness, how could you give us something so precious? I will treasure it for the rest of my life,” Lina said with a satisfied smile.

The tea party ended before sunset. One by one, the young ladies whose homes were far away began to leave.

“I’ll see you next time, Your Highness.”

“Yes, take care.”

Emilia also stood up to leave.

“I truly had a wonderful time today.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Your Highness,” Lina replied with a slight bow.

“However, there is still one guest who hasn’t arrived, and that person very much wishes to meet Your Highness. Could you wait just a moment?”

“…Alright?”

Emilia glanced briefly at the wall clock. There was still some time before she was supposed to depart.

“Very well.”

She sat back down.

Someone wants to meet me that badly. Who could it be?

It seemed that one of the young ladies must have been delayed for some reason.

After all the young ladies had left and she was sitting alone, she heard a servant’s voice.

“The invited guest has arrived.”

Emilia looked toward the entrance with a curious expression.