The young ladies gathered around the table had received a covert mission to form a new faction under the guise of a tea party.
“Ah, you’ve co too?”
“Oh my, do you know ?”
The room was filled with families whose nas alone would make any ordinary noble’s eyes widen, but among them, the brightest star was undoubtedly .
“You’re one of the most famous figures in social circles these days. How could I not?”
“You flatter ... Haha.”
I could confidently say it was , Trisha, the eldest daughter of the Hollind family.
“Trisha! Did you read the letter I sent you?”
“Oh, yes. I should’ve responded earlier, but I’ve been so busy lately.”
“No, it’s okay! Just knowing you got it is enough. Hehe...”
Recently, due to the aftermath of successive incidents, most noble factions had been scattered to the winds. Even Count Justiano’s rapidly growing faction had suddenly collapsed when he relinquished power and stepped down as its leader.
Now, with only a few elite families surviving the Great Purge, it was only a matter of ti before our Hollind Marquisate, which had been regrouping the scattered nobles faster than any other, would reign supre at the top of the noble power structure.
And it was obvious to everyone that the eldest daughter of such a grand family, the candidate for head of the household, and the top scorer of the Academy entrance exam—, Trisha Lye Hollind—was the center of everyone’s attention.
Isn’t that an undeniable fact?
“Trisha! You sll wonderful! What perfu are you using?”
“Would you like to try a cookie? Our family’s servants baked them all night.”
“Um... Did you read the letter my family sent?”
So might call this arrogance, but reality speaks for itself.
Most of the young ladies here were already bowing to .
“Hmm, ahem.”
“...”
Of course, not everyone was so eager to curry favor. So young ladies from proud or high-ranking families rely cleared their throats quietly.
But so what? The montum had already shifted in our favor.
The fact that I was controlling the atmosphere at this table ant the decision was practically made.
Even those who held their heads high now would eventually bow to .
There was no guarantee my patience would last until then, though.
“Well then, everyone, today’s topic of discussion is–”
As I quietly reached for my teacup and savored the aroma of the tea leaves, I opened my mouth to further solidify the atmosphere I had cultivated.
- Creak...
“Oh, what’s this?”
However, my grand plans ca crashing down.
“What’s going on...?”
“W-Why are they here?”
Just as I thought everyone had arrived, the door to the tea room opened once again, and my ambitions collapsed in an instant.
“...A-Ah.”
.
.
.
.
.
Not long after, when I thought the door to the tea room would remain closed for the rest of the event...
- Tremble, tremble...
All the young ladies, including myself, could only tremble with pale faces.
“That person over there... Is it really who I think it is?”
“W-Why...? I heard they had stepped down and disappeared...”
Even I, who had the important mission of leading the atmosphere of the tea party, couldn’t help but tremble.
And for good reason—the lineup of people sitting at the left of us was utterly terrifying.
“...This tea is a bit bitter.”
For instance, the person who just spoke was Eurelia von Justiano.
She was the eldest daughter of the family that had once ruled all the noble factions in the Empire, and she had made a na for herself as a giant in the social circles purely through her own skills.
Rumors had spread that she had stepped down and disappeared, but her presence at this crucial event proved those rumors wrong.
Her very existence could destabilize the efforts of our family, which had been regrouping the noble factions, and now that she was back, things were bound to get complicated.
“Oh my, you don’t seem to know much about tea, do you?”
The funny thing was, even soone like Eurelia seed small at that table.
“That tea is ant to be enjoyed for its bitter flavor. Well, I suppose it might be difficult for a child’s palate.”
The person who just treated Eurelia like a child was none other than the current head of the Moonlight Ducal family, often referred to as the dark shadow of the Empire.
She was one of the two pillars that had dominated the Empire’s social scene for years, the strategist of the second Hero Party, and the fiancée of the second Hero.
Those accomplishnts allowed her to wield absolute power within the Empire.
“Kids these days... do they not learn tea etiquette as part of their education?”
“...Pardon?”
“Oh, just talking to myself, Euria? Eurilia?”
And the person who just muttered to herself in a low voice was the eldest daughter of the Sunset Ducal family.
She was another giant of the social world, alongside the head of the Moonlight family, and her influence in the social scene had nearly rivaled that of Lord Frey during his pri.
As for Eurelia, she had rely inherited Lord Frey and Lady Roswyn’s faction after their departure, benefiting from the vacuum left behind.
Additionally, this person was a key ally of the Hero during the ‘Frozen Sea War.’
She was on a completely different level.
Even I had to be cautious when eting their gaze.
- Rumble...
But why were such powerful figures sitting at the table next to mine, exuding such intense cold energy, engaged in a tense standoff?
I had no idea.
This was completely outside my expectations.
For the past few months, those three had been extrely inactive. Our family assud they had retired from politics.
But now, this changes everything.
We need to revise our family’s plans imdiately.
No matter how well our family is doing, crossing paths with those people would be disastrous.
“”....””
And now that I take a closer look, even the people sitting across from them were overpowered in their own right.
Although she had been manipulated, Aishi Winter Cloud, who committed the great cri of freezing the entire western continent, was sitting there.
After being pardoned through Lord Frey and the Hero Party’s defense, she had restored the Cloud Kingdom to beco a rising power in just a few months—another monster.
Then there was the fox-eared beastkin with the silly expression sitting next to her.
I heard rumors that this beastman was secretly working as a doctor in the Imperial Hospital, and due to an ancient pact, she held the status of a princess under international law.
And that’s not all.
The Horizon sisters, who also had dumb expressions, were on the verge of being reinstated as a marquisate.
There were even rumors that they had recently made contact with the Elven Kingdom of the Western Continent.
An Elf Kingdom that had been closed off for centuries was now interacting with a single family?
That’s a massive event.
And that plain-looking commoner... What was her na?
Arianne?
She might seem insignificant, but behind her was none other than her childhood friend, the Dragon Lord.
And that other commoner, Alice, had recently beco the secretary to a branch family of the Moonlight Dukedom.
If Lady Serena beca Lord Frey’s wife, that branch family would naturally take on the Empire’s shadow operations.
In that case, that girl would hold a position equivalent to the lord chamberlain of the Imperial Household.
Lastly, there’s that knight standing rigidly by the window for so reason...
Who was that?
“...?”
“Hu-huh.”
I wasn’t sure, but the energy I sensed from her was at least on par with a knight commander.
Even securing one of them would elevate our family’s standing by several orders of magnitude.
“T-They’re scary...”
“H-How long are they going to keep that up?”
Anyway, with all these people gathered and engaged in a power struggle, how could I not tremble in fear?
The atmosphere I had painstakingly built was utterly destroyed.
If this keeps up, forget about forming a faction—I’ll be seen as insignificant...
“H-Hello.”
“Ah, yes, can I help you?”
To make things worse, the lower-ranking nobles and commoners who had been driven out earlier were now cluelessly approaching these people and striking up conversations.
They probably didn’t even realize who they were talking to.
I just hope they don’t make the situation worse–
“...Aren’t you with the Isis Trading Company?”
“Y-You know ?”
“Your guild is one of our kingdom’s major trade partners.”
“Wh-What? Th-That ans...?”
“Please, feel free to speak comfortably.”
Wait a minute.
Why is that conversation flowing so naturally?
“It’s such an honor!”
“By the way, about that trade deal from earlier...”
No, this can’t be.
This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.
“W-We’ll take our leave now...”
“Huh? W-Wait, everyone?”
“Goodbye...”
Just when I tried to regain my composure and continue the eting, the people who had been fawning over began standing up one by one.
“Sigh... What a waste of ti.”
“This was so underwhelming.”
“I thought you could lead us all, but clearly, I was mistaken.”
As I watched them leave in confusion, I heard sharp, cutting remarks from every direction.
“E-Everyone...?”
I desperately reached out, but the seats around were already empty.
“D-Don’t go.”
No.
This can’t be happening.
This opportunity was hard-earned.
“P-Please...”
I still can’t forget the cold stares from the young ladies as they looked back at .
What will happen if I go ho like this?
Will I be punished again for failing to carry out my task?
Or worse, will I be sold off to that old noble, just like I overheard last ti?
“A-Ah...”
Suddenly, fear washed over .
I wanted to cry, but my heart felt so hollow that no tears would co.
“....”
What do I do now?
- Creak...
As I stood there, staring blankly at the empty room, soone quietly took a seat across from and spoke in a low voice.
“Um, excuse . That thing in front of you... what was it?”
“...It’s chamomile tea, Young Master.”
“Oh, right. That.”
Just as I was ready to give up, a shining star appeared before .
“Mind if I have a taste?”
“....!”
A star, brighter than any I had seen.
.
.
.
.
.
This couldn’t get any worse.
“Mm, this chamomile tea is quite good.”
“...”
After much contemplation, I decided to sit at the left table for the sake of peace.
But now, all the young ladies at the table had suddenly stood up and left for so reason.
“Why did you even sit there in the first place?”
“A-Ahem... So, what’s your na?”
“Young Master?”
Now, I was left alone at the table, awkwardly facing a girl I didn’t know.
“””...”””
And on top of that...
“Maybe you should switch tables now?”
I could feel the stares and icy glares from the left of , which I had been trying to avoid.
“Uh, um... I-I... T-T-Tr... Trisha...”
“...This is driving crazy.”
“I-I’m so sorry...!”
“No, it’s not you I’m frustrated with...”
It was supposed to be all over, so why does my life keep getting more complicated?
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