The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 67

Nothing much happened after that. 

 

The Empress carried the conversation with such elegance. 

 

Even the ladies who were nervous at first loosened up after conversing with the Empress and discovering her friendly demeanor. 

 

Once again, as expected of our Empress. 

 

I have so much affection for her.  

 

On the other hand, Damian seemed to be getting along with the ladies as well. 

 

Above all……

 

‘He’s handsome and very polite, who could hate him?’

 

With a satisfied grin on my face, I watched Damian talking with the ladies. I was pleased to see him do so. 

 

The ladies may have been prim and proper on the outside but they all seemed unable to take their eyes off his dashing appearance. 

 

Else, why would they burst into laughter every time Damian cracks a joke? 

 

I mean it wasn’t even a funny joke to laugh out loud like that…..

 

Or maybe it’s the silly face he’s making.

 

In any case…. 

 

‘My dear, Damian. You’re undeniably popular!’

 

I laughed softly. 

 

Even Lady Bennett was preoccupied with catching sideways glances at Damian. 

 

People of the world, I raised that handsome boy!

 

Is this what a mother feels in her heart when watching her son be successful?

 

I closed my eyes, clenching my fists and slightly lifting them upwards in triumph as pride filled my chest. 

 

‘Huh?’

 

Damian was looking my way at the same time I reopened my eyes.  

 

‘Oh, we’re making eye contact.’

 

Then at that moment. Damian continued to look at me and even flashed me a smile. 

 

His smile was charming like a freshly bloomed spring flower. 

 

W-Why are you smiling at me like that? It makes my heart flutter!

 

But then. 

 

Lady Bennett looked at me and then at Damian and then back at me. 

 

The change in her expression was very subtle. 

 

To make an analogy, it’s like losing the boy you have a crush on to another girl…..

 

‘Ouch.’

 

I pretended to do something else, turning my head to avert her gaze.

 

However, Lady Bennett’s venomous eyes doggedly followed my face as if I had made an irredeemable mistake. 

 

‘Hold on, why should I feel this way?’

 

Honestly, you and Damian aren’t dating, are you?

 

Just as I was contemplating my injustice, the Empress got up from her seat. 

 

“Excuse me, everyone, may I leave for a moment?”

 

The ladies looked at her Majesty with puzzled faces. 

 

The Empress closed her eyes gently as she explained her situation.  

 

“The state meeting should be over by now, so I’d like to meet my older brother.”

 

“Oh my God, are you speaking of the Duke of Rochester?”

 

“Will the Duke be visiting the Empress’s palace today?”

 

The eyes of the ladies lit up with curiosity and anticipation. 

 

The Empress answered with a mischievous voice.

 

“Well, he’s very busy….so I can’t give you a definitive answer.”

 

“Aww…that’s understandable though,” replied one of the ladies. 

 

“But I do think that the more guests we have, the more fun our tea party will be.”

 

When the Empress playfully added that, the ladies’ faces were ecstatic. 

 

“Oh my God, the Duke of Rochester!”

 

“I heard the Duke doesn’t enjoy social gatherings much.”

 

“Still, I want him to come!”

 

Unable to calm the excitement of her beating heart, one of the ladies even placed her hand on her chest and let out a loud sigh. 

 

Without a doubt, the Duke of Rochester truly is the greatest noble of the empire. 

 

The Duke really gives off the impression that he’s different from everyone else, there’s no way any lady will refuse, right?

 

I nodded in agreement with my thoughts.

 

“I’ll do my best to get my brother to attend. In the meantime, please make yourselves comfortable,” said the Empress. 

 

“Yes, your Majesty!”

 

“I’ll also be taking senior maid Weber with me, so if you need anything, feel free to ask Head maid Hayden.”

 

“Thank you!” exclaimed all the guests simultaneously. 

 

The Empress gave a parting smile before departing. 

 

The small banquet hall grew quiet. 

 

Well. The atmosphere’s changed. 

 

The Empress mostly led the conversations. Now that she’s gone, it seems a bit awkward…

 

“Hey, did you hear that?”

 

“Of course! I can’t believe the Duke is coming!” 

 

….I stand corrected. The conversation’s getting lively. 

 

The ladies who now had a common topic were now chattering away like little birds. 

 

“Well, yesterday my cousin saw the Duke of Rochester….”

 

“Yes, yes! And what else?!”

 

“ She said he was very handsome! He even looked a lot like the Empress?!”

 

(Excited screaming) 

 

Once again, cheers erupted, announcing their mutual enthusiasm. 

 

I looked at the ladies in disillusion. 

 

To be fair, the Duke is good-looking. 

 

But to an extent you can confidently ask the question, ‘Am I looking at you because you’re handsome?’ To which I say-

 

Ha! I don’t want to admit the Duke’s beauty!

 

Besides, in my opinion, Damian looks a lot better!

 

With that in mind, I inadvertently looked back at Damian. 

 

At the same time, his scarlet eyes locked gazes with mine. 

 

His gaze though was strange, he looked at me intently as if he was searching for something from me. 

 

I shuddered, raising my shoulders in response. 

 

Huh, why is he looking at me?

 

‘Stop staring at me and focus on the conversation!’

 

I moved my lips without making a sound.  

 

Reading my lips, Damian then moved his lips too without the ladies noticing. 

 

‘Does the Duke of Rochester look handsome to you?’

 

‘…..what are you talking about?’

 

‘Hurry up and answer me.’ 

 

‘Well, he is handsome.’ 

 

I nodded my head as I conveyed with my lips. 

 

Aside from my personal likes and dislikes, the Duke is objectively good-looking, right?

 

If not anything else, he does resemble the Empress.  

 

Then, Damian with a sullen expression turned his head away. 

 

What’s up with him?

 

Did I do something wrong?

 

I was dumbfounded by Damian’s reaction.

 

Meanwhile, the topic of ladies’ conversation had changed to, ‘Who will be chosen as the Emperor and Empress’s candidate this Thanksgiving?’

 

“Who do you think will be chosen as the Empress’s candidate?” asked one lady. 

 

“Do you have to ask? It’s definitely me.”

 

The lady who said so was interrupted by Lady Bennett who shut down any presumptions. 

 

“Don’t flatter yourself. If it’s not me who shares the same blood with her Majesty then who else could be chosen?”

 

Lady Bennet raised her nose as she added those words. 

 

It really seemed as if Lady Bennett had no doubt in her mind that she would be the Empress’s candidate. 

 

Another lady retorted with a loud voice. 

 

“But Lady Bennett….you incurred the wrath of the Empress, did you not? It’s unlikely she’ll choose you now.”

 

“W-what?! Preposterous!”

 

Lady Bennett’s face turned red and then slightly purple. 

 

Wow. I’m astonished. 

 

It’s odd that I’ve seen someone’s face quickly change colors twice now. 

 

However, the lady wasn’t finished. 

 

“If blood relations really mattered to her Majesty, she would have invited you since you’re collateral family. But she didn’t.” 

 

Then the lady who was rudely silenced by Lady Bennett at first shot back with a sneering voice. 

 

“How will you ever be accepted when you have to enter the palace by lying?” 

 

Lady Bennett shrugged her shoulders, indifferent to reality. 

 

Not missing an opportunity, the lady added coldly.

 

“I think Lady Bennett here should do well to reflect on her shameful actions.”

 

“You’re right. What about Baron and Baroness Bennett…..do they even know how their daughter behaves?” questioned another lady in a scornful voice.

 

Lady Bennett began to glare at the ladies with ferocity. 

 

“Are you all done talking?!”

 

‘Um, is a fight going to break out?’ I thought to myself. 

 

I continued to watch the precarious situation anxiously.

 

“I think I’ve said everything……but I can say more if I wanted to.”

 

“Excuse me!!”

 

Lady Bennett raised her voice again. 

 

This time, my shoulders stiffened in response. 

 

If a fight does happen, shouldn’t we try to stop it beforehand?

 

Just when the atmosphere was about to get more tense-

 

“Greetings ladies. My name is Lisa Weber, senior maid of the Empress’s palace.”

 

Senior maid Weber knocked before entering the small banquet hall. 

 

With a slight frown, she gave me a sideways glance. 

 

I moved my lips, warning senior maid Weber. 

 

‘Everyone’s in a bad mood.’

 

‘Ah….’

 

Senior maid Weber quickly grasped the situation. 

 

She then put on a calm face and bowed her head. 

 

“The Empress sent me back to make your tea time comfortable.”

 

With those words, the ladies who leaned forward in the heated argument sat back in their chairs, slightly embarrassed. 

 

The look on their faces was, however, still far from having an enjoyable tea time. 

 

“If there are any inconveniences, please feel free to tell me at any time. And-”

 

Weber’s words were cut off abruptly. 

 

It was because Lady Bennett, who was in a pique, vented her frustration onto Weber. 

 

“My, my who is this? Could it be? It’s Lisa, isn’t it?”

 

In an instant, Weber’s face slightly hardened while in contrast to Lady Bennett who wore a dubious smile. 

 

“I heard that the Viscount of Weber’s family was going through harsh times but meeting you here like this…”

 

“Lisa, you’re really, really down on your luck.”

 

I watched the situation with a quizzical face. 

 

It was because Lady Bennet didn’t understand the significance of Weber’s position as a senior maid.  

 

In fact, as senior maid of the Empress palace, she’s treated better than most intermediate officials. 

 

Furthermore, it’s proof she gained enough of the Empress’s trust to reside in the palace. 

 

As all this was happening, I thought to myself.

 

‘Am I the type of person who can hold back my anger?’