Chapter 7

The tea party was held in the back garden of the castle.

The back garden, unlike the front garden which was neatly arranged with lawns and shrubs, was filled with a variety of colorful flowers, starting with a rose garden, giving a vibrant impression.

Six round tables were set up in the back garden, with seven seats prepared at each table. Although there were seven seats for thirty-one invited guests, more seats were intentionally provided, anticipating that guests would start moving to their preferred seats halfway through the party due to the large number of invitees.

In the center of each table, a three-tiered tray was placed, filled with bite-sized pastries. Additionally, a long table was set up a little further away, where pastries and other foods were arranged, and the maids in charge of serving were on standby.

The day of the tea party was a clear and pleasant day, but the sky, though beautiful to look at, was quite hot. Therefore, the tables were set up under a canopy of cloth stretched between the trees to provide some coolness. The tea party was scheduled for the morning to consider the temperature, as it was essential that the guests did not collapse from the heat.

This summer, chiffon dresses made of light, smooth fabric layered to allow air to pass through were in vogue. While the design was too young for women of the queen's age, it was popular among young ladies of Olivia's generation, and they all came dressed in the latest chiffon dresses. Of course, Olivia was no exception. As a member of the royal family, it would be unacceptable for her to be out of fashion.

Olivia wore a cool mint green chiffon dress and a wide-brimmed white hat. She had requested that the guests wear hats for the outdoor tea party, and most of them complied.

This hat was actually designed by Olivia in consultation with a tailor. As a future queen, she believed it was not enough to just follow trends; she had to set them. Though it was a rather burdensome task, she had to make an effort, especially since she had ignored it while engaged to Alan. Olivia had reflected on this.

Previously, small hats with narrow brims that barely covered the head were in vogue, but Olivia thought they were pointless. Therefore, she decided to create a wide-brimmed hat, which also served as a sunshade, in a cute design that young ladies would like.

The white hat Olivia wore had a slightly sheer brim, which required several prototypes to prevent it from drooping. The sheer material allowed some light to pass through, preventing dark shadows from falling on her face and making her look pale. A thin, light ribbon was wrapped around the hat, which was a distinctive feature.

Among the young ladies wearing the trendy small hats, Olivia's hat stood out, but she had also asked the queen to wear a different color of the same design. The queen's hat was a vibrant aquamarine. This succeeded in drawing the interest of the young ladies and the ladies, as they all inquired about the hats.

Princess Florenzia also wore a hat designed by Olivia. Her hat was a bright sunflower yellow, with mint green and navy blue ribbons as accents, matching the colors of Olivia's dress and the queen's hat. This would convey that the country of Brioire was welcoming Princess Florenzia.

Since Princess Florenzia was very nervous, she was initially seated with Olivia.

Princess Florenzia, pulling at the brim of her hat, looked anxiously to the right. Following her gaze, Olivia saw a tall man standing some distance away. He was Princess Florenzia's chief guard, Legion, if she remembered correctly.

Legion was a young knight, probably in his mid-twenties. According to the princess, he had been her dedicated guard since before she turned ten, so he must have been appointed as a knight in his teens. He must be a skilled knight to have risen so quickly.

While other guards accompanied Princess Florenzia, only Legion was always by her side. The other guards mostly stayed in the castle's rooms, primarily serving as guards during the journey. During the stay, they were on what amounted to a holiday.

Given that she looked at him when she was anxious, it seemed that Princess Florenzia trusted Legion deeply. However, even if she was uncomfortable, she had to get through this tea party. If she were to marry Alan, she would have to navigate such social situations as a future queen.

(…But I was told to sabotage it, wasn't I?)

Olivia sighed inwardly.

The king had instructed her to sabotage the relationship between Alan and Florenzia, while the queen had asked her to help Florenzia adapt to the country. She had no idea what to do.

From the look of it, Florenzia, like Alan, seemed reluctant about the arranged marriage. If that was the case, sabotaging the relationship might be for the best, but politically, it was quite complicated. From Olivia's perspective, considering the relationship with Lebonor, it would be the most peaceful and beneficial for the country to proceed as planned. Of course, this was only because she did not have a strong attachment to becoming queen herself. Nevertheless, due to the conflicting expectations around her, Olivia was still unsure how to approach Princess Florenzia.

At the table where Olivia and Florenzia were seated, there were five other young ladies. Olivia knew all their names and faces, but she needed to introduce them to Florenzia.

As Olivia introduced each one, they all smiled friendly at Princess Florenzia. Of course, these were young ladies from ducal and marquis families, skilled in social interactions. While it was unclear what they were thinking, it was reassuring that Florenzia was not exposed to any visible malice. The queen's selection was indeed thoughtful.

"This tablecloth is made from Lebonor's weaving. The intricate patterns are truly beautiful, and I personally love it very much."

As Olivia spoke, the young ladies' gazes turned to the tablecloth. Princess Florenzia spoke hesitantly.

"The artisans spend a lot of time hand-weaving, so even though they look similar, each piece is unique. I am very happy that Lady Olivia is using it."

As expected of a princess. Despite her nervousness, she was well-versed in social etiquette. Her voice was soft, but she managed to promote her country, and the young ladies nodded with interest.

"Oh, how lovely. The texture is so smooth."

"It seems the thickness of the fabric varies for summer and winter. This is the thin summer version, so it feels smooth to the touch. The winter version is more plush and warm, and the type of wool, thickness, and weaving method are different."

As Olivia added, Princess Florenzia looked surprised.

"That's exactly right, Lady Olivia. You are very knowledgeable."

"I learned this from the owner of a store that handles Lebonor's weaving when I was choosing the fabric. I'm relieved to hear that I was correct."

One of the young ladies chimed in.

"Oh, Lady Olivia, which store is it? Lebonor's weaving is rare and not easily available."

"It's a new store that recently opened near the castle. I helped a little with its establishment through the ducal family, and through that connection, I was able to procure the fabric first. I'll have my maid tell the location and name of the store to your maids later."

Olivia used the bell on the table to call Taylor. After instructing Taylor to give the information to the maids, she nodded with a smile. The young ladies then started asking for the information as well, and in the end, all the maids received it. The promotion of Lebonor was a success.

While at it, Olivia also recommended the pastries from Lebonor on the three-tiered tray. They were quite sweet, pastry-like treats with plenty of pistachios, which went well with the bitter coffee. She had included them because she enjoyed them during a tasting.

Since coffee was popular, three of the young ladies had coffee in front of them. Sugar and milk were also provided in abundance, as the ladies preferred their coffee sweet. As Olivia had expected, the pastries from Lebonor were particularly well-received by the young ladies drinking coffee. Princess Florenzia, who seemed more comfortable with topics related to Lebonor, participated in the conversation, though she did not initiate much.

After the promotion of Princess Florenzia to the other young ladies at the table was almost complete, the queen called her. When she left the table with Princess Florenzia, two of the ladies at the queen's table stood up to offer their seats. Olivia thanked them and took a seat.

"How is it? Are you enjoying the tea party?"

The queen asked Princess Florenzia with a smile. Florenzia smiled faintly and answered softly, "Yes." The queen nodded in satisfaction and introduced Florenzia to the ladies at the table. Olivia also greeted the ladies and, thinking it would be inappropriate for all the organizers to sit at the same table, stood up after a while. However, her sleeve was gently tugged, and when she looked down, she saw Princess Florenzia holding her sleeve, looking anxious.

(Is she uncomfortable with this seat…?)

Indeed, the ladies at this table were more aggressive with Princess Florenzia than the young ladies earlier. They saw her as a potential future queen, which was clearly uncomfortable for her.

Olivia excused herself to the queen and the ladies and decided to move Florenzia to a table she had not yet greeted.

Florenzia followed Olivia with a relieved smile. As rumored, she was a very shy princess.

When they moved to the next table, Olivia noticed that Florenzia was staring intently at the flowers decorating the table. The flowers, along with the pastries, were colorful roses from the rose garden. This table featured La Port, a rose variety improved in Lebonor. It was a medium-sized rose with a beautiful gradient from light green to pink. The inner petals were green, and the pink deepened as they reached the outer petals. The name La Port was derived from the Countess of Port in Lebonor, who improved the rose. Her name was Lightbell, hence La Port.

"Do you like these roses?"

When Olivia asked, Florenzia smiled shyly. It was the first natural smile she had shown today, despite her usually tense expression.

(La Port. Should I tell Prince Alan…? But he probably won't give them. I'll skip it.)

Alan did not seem enthusiastic about the engagement with Florenzia. While the queen and Lebonor were in favor, it was possible to proceed without their consent.

(I didn't want to interfere, but should I side with the king? )

Political marriages often ignored the feelings of the individuals involved, but it was sad to proceed when both were reluctant. Alan was likely still depressed after the Tiana incident, and the shy Florenzia would not be able to express her opinions.

As she thought about this, Olivia felt a gaze and turned to see the queen looking at her with a smile.

(That look… Does she know what I'm thinking?)

Olivia sighed quietly, knowing she would be called later.