Sienna’s eyebrows wriggled. She couldn’t believe Arya was showing off her friendship with Bluebell. It was funny—though it’s not what happened yet, Arya was the one who would put a knife in Bluebell’s belly, killing both her and her child.
Sienna said firmly.
“No, I’ll do it.”
She didn’t want to make her feel good by yielding the preparations for the banquet.
Arya’s expression was hardened by Sienna’s resolute rejection. Even if Sienna’s pride was hurt when she asked for help because she was not on good terms with Arya herself, Arya didn’t think that a girl who knew nothing would try to prepare a banquet. She thought Sienna would give in even if she didn’t want to.
“You mean you would do it yourself? The imperial banquet is not the same as lunch. It’s big, and there’s more to concern.”
Arya once again recommended that she prepare for the banquet instead, saying she would never make it by Sienna herself. But Sienna was not willing to yield.
“I know it’s not easy, but I want to try.”
“Does the empress’s word mean that you’re going to host the Coming-of-Age banquet, as well as the wedding of Lady Ferrer?”
“Yes, I would like to show that much favor to the second empress, Lady Ferrer.”
“…”
Arya looked at Sienna with a look that she couldn’t understand. Sienna smiled and said to her.
“I’ll try. There’s still time left. It cheered me up when I heard the words of Empress Dowager. Moreover, I think it would be a good practice to have an adult banquet before the wedding of Lady Ferrer.”
“Is that so?”
“If you have any difficulties, I will ask the Empress Dowager. You have more experience than I do.”
“Sure.”
Arya’s expression in response was quivering. It seemed to be unsatisfying for her that Sienna was taking all the credit as the host of the banquet, and that Arya herself was only a support.
“If you don’t have a company you know, I’ll recommend some.”
Arya tried to recommend the business.
Using a close-knit merchant to prepare for the banquet was important in increasing or maintaining support. The events were coveted by many merchants because the imperial family had to purchase a lot of food ingredients and accessories at every banquet. That’s why the host of the banquet was bound to use a business that had a line attached to him.
Arya came forward to see financial gains even if she could not become the main host of the party. But Sienna, who read that mind, refused.
“No, it’s all right. I know a few of them.”
“Oh, I forgot. The empress’ contribution to the last grain crisis in the capital city. Of course, there’s a company you’re close with. I think I said something stupid.”
“Then I’ll keep myself busy preparing for the banquet. If you’re done with your business…”
At Sienna’s sign to leave, Empress Arya stood up with a cold smile.
“Then I’ll get going. If you have any trouble having a banquet, please stop by my castle. I’ll do my best to help you if I can.”
Sienna knew that Arya’s words were just words of courtesy. She was not a woman to do things that would not benefit her. It was obvious that Arya would abuse and undermine the self-esteem of Sienna under the pretext of helping, then if Sienna gives up, she would pretend to take care of the big trouble.
Sienna didn’t want to let her do that. The plan was to keep abreast of the banquets and weddings that Arya had prepared in the past.
After stepping out the door, Arya mumbled, biting her nails.
“I’ve been forgetting. The grain shortage in the capital…”
Arya kept brooding over Sienna’s words that she had a business she knew.
She had asked someone to look into the Dark Chamber before, but she forgot. At that time, it was not long after Valore became the emperor, so she couldn’t care less. Even though it was an incident that struck a heavy blow to the southern merchant community, which was her economic base.
“If I had given a little more thought, I would have suspected the relationship between the Dark Merchants and that girl. I was a bit distracted at the time when I was pulling out Valore and Jean.”
There were only two people who benefited greatly from the incident of grain shortage. Sienna and this company, which was called Dark Merchants because it’s unknown in detail who owns the store and where the large amount of capital came from.
The Dark Merchants have seen material gains, and Sienna has gained the support and political base of its citizens. It was enough for Arya to doubt, for only two people benefited while everyone was suffering great losses.
She didn’t find any evidence, but she was convinced that the Dark Chamber was in a tight relationship with Sienna.
*
Ten days have passed. Contrary to the initial concern, it was lucky that things went smoothly.
Preparation went smoother than expected thanks to Kelly’s great help. Sienna almost left everything she needed outside the palace to Kelly’s market. In the end, all she had to do was solve the internal affairs.
While checking the list of maids to work at the banquet hall, she was told that a guest had come. It was Bluebell. Bluebell visited Sienna today without permission to visit like last time.
“Long time no see.”
“You must be busy. Did I bother you?”
When they met before, Bluebell had been looking at Sienna, exasperating as if looking at something dirty, but now she said with a friendly smile as if nothing had happened at all. Sienna greeted her with a smile, though the change seemed embarrassing.
“I got the dress and necklace you sent me. I really like it.”
“That’s good. I thought an apricot dress would go well with the bright, clean skin color of Lady Ferrer.”
Bluebell must have really liked the dress Sienna sent to her because Sienna had referred a lot to the dress design that Bluebell wore at the wedding in the past. Back then, the palace didn’t give her a dress, so it was prepared by the Ferrer family, but this time, Sienna himself prepared Bluebell’s dress.
“It’s really pretty. It has a small waist. There’s a big ribbon on the back. It’s so cute. There’s a jewel at the end of the ribbon, so every time I walk, it makes a rattling sound. The necklace also had a much larger jewel than the Ferrer’s heirloom my mom had at her wedding.”
As soon as Bluebell entered the living room, she was excited and showed off her dress to Sienna for the wedding ceremony. She was a young girl who was just about to have the coming-of-age ceremony. She was excited as if she were a child who had received her favorite clothes as a gift.
“Oh! I actually came to apologize first, but I just showed off my dress.”
“Apologize?”
Sienna tilted her head, not knowing why she was saying she would apologize for it.
Sienna hasn’t made an issue about it because she had a debt to her heart, but Bluebell has been acting pretty recklessly. It was hard to list every mistake she had made, such as coming without asking permission for a visit, raising her voice against herself, and begging to go to the coming-of-age ceremony with Carl.
“Last time…”
Bluebell was ashamed to say, so she fiddled with her skirt with her fingertips.
“I thought I said bad things.”
“…”
“At that time, I just accused you of being married without love. At the time, it was a misunderstanding. I thought you, Lady Waters, was a bad person.”
Her frank confession made Sienna laugh. No, rather than confessing, the fact that she kept calling Sienna, the Empress, as Lady Waters made her laugh.
Bluebell did not call Sienna Her Majesty. Hain standing behind Sienna didn’t look well as if it was annoying.
It didn’t seem like she was doing so on purpose. Bluebell just couldn’t seem to admit that Sienna was in the position of the empress, who should have been her own. Sienna asked her in a calm voice.
“You don’t think I’m bad now?”