The tea party proceeded smoothly in a friendly atmosphere.

Even until halfway through the scheduled time, there was no mention of Chainer’s lace. As far as Lea could tell, the ladies seemed to be eyeing each other.

It was as if they were engaged in a battle of wits over who would bring up the topic of the incident first.

‘I must have been too sensitive.’

It was literally just a tea party, and she felt she had been unnecessarily tense, worrying if something big would happen.

Lea finally drank her tea comfortably. But it was a brief moment of peace and Lea’s misconception.

“Lady Bizac, shouldn’t you offer an explanation about the newspaper article?”

A middle-aged lady sitting opposite Lea spoke up.

‘Which family’s wife was she again? Ah, right.’

Fortunately, she remembered. Lea calmly put down her teacup and observed the gazes focused on her.

“Viscountess Valiere, I will not make excuses.”

“How can you say that after seeing the newspaper?”

“Is she brazen? Or does she have no conscience?”

She could even hear the quiet gossip about her.

Lea stood up for a moment, nodded towards the Empress as if seeking permission, and then looked at the ladies.

“Rather than an excuse, I will provide an explanation.”

At Lea’s words, the entire greenhouse buzzed with commotion. The doubts that the Viscountess had opened up seemed to burst forth from everywhere.

“If you ask questions, I will answer them.”

Lea responded in a calm tone. Then, as if she had been waiting for this, Viscountess Valiere raised her voice.

“Is it true that the Chainer lace we bought was made by a deranged gypsy, Lady Bizac?”

The Viscountess’s words were very direct. It wasn’t the tone of a cultured noblewoman.

However, Lea found the Empress’s reaction more interesting. She pretended to be indifferent while observing the situation.

“I don’t think ‘deranged gypsy’ is an appropriate expression for the Viscountess to use.”

At Lea’s rebuttal, the ladies fluttered their fans, while some nodded in agreement.

“She is a young lady with an underdeveloped mind. Please refrain from using such vulgar terms as deranged, foolish, or deficient.”

“Lady Bizac is right about that. Refrain from using words that disparage others’ disabilities.”

The Empress seemed to agree on this point, as she sharply reprimanded Viscountess Valiere.

“Then, how will you explain the ‘lowly gypsy’ part?”

This time, another lady who was close to the Viscountess asked Lea.

“It’s true that she was a gypsy in the past.”

When Lea acknowledged this, everyone made a big fuss as if they had known it all along. Some were indignant, asking if they had sold lace made by a lowly gypsy as a luxury item.

However, Lea took out a piece of paper from her handbag and handed it to a nearby attendant. Soon, the attendant presented the document to the Empress.

All eyes moved from Lea to the Empress.

“She’s not a gypsy. Lady Chainer Bizac, Baroness.”

The Empress smiled and passed the document to a noblewoman beside her. Soon, the paper was passed from one person to another.

As soon as Lea brought Chainer to the duke’s residence, she had written to Aiden. She asked him to register Chainer in the family registry of the baronial house.

Fortunately, Aiden did as Lea wished without even asking for a reason.

It was a precautionary measure that Lea had prepared, anticipating that Chainer’s gypsy background would someday become a hindrance to her and herself.

At that moment, Viscountess Valiere stepped forward to object.

“Just because one’s status has been laundered doesn’t mean a person’s essence changes.”

“That’s right, once a gypsy, always a gypsy.”

“Rather, it’s shameful that such a gypsy has become a noble like us.”

The Viscountess’s close associates uniformly criticized Lea. They didn’t hesitate to use harsh words, saying it was like covering one’s eyes and pretending not to see.

Still, Lea accepted all their words without wavering. Just then, an elderly lady at the end of the table spoke up.

“Everyone, why are you all being so unkind?”

It was Countess Harrod. Lea hadn’t recognized her at first since she hadn’t seen her at the banquet, but Pauline had timely informed her.

“Baron Aiden Bizac is a war hero of Rubeck, just like Duke Courtois. He lost one leg fighting for our country. When such a person registers a mentally unsound gypsy girl in the family registry, wouldn’t there be a good reason? If you ladies respect Baron Bizac, you shouldn’t at least condemn his intentions as base.”

At the Countess’s words, the ladies who had been bristling like angry hedgehogs cleared their throats and looked embarrassed. Then the Empress stepped in.

“I also agree with Countess Harrod’s opinion. The Bizac baronial family is a long-established house.”

To still raise objections meant not acknowledging the merits of the Bizac family.

“We do respect them, of course. But we need to examine things accurately.”

Viscountess Valiere’s voice was subdued, as if she had been deflated.

“I suppose Baron Bizac had his reasons when he made his choice.”

“It’s not just any family, but a war hero’s family. It seems harsh to criticize them.”

The ladies’ attitudes were split.

Lea felt that now was the time to introduce Chainer to everyone.

She took Chainer’s hand from behind her and placed her where everyone could see.

“This is my sister, Chainer Bizac. She’s a genius who wove this lace cape I’m wearing in just two days.”

“Oh my!”

People exclaimed in admiration. Of course, there were still some who looked at Chainer unfavorably.

“Chainer, greet the Empress.”

Lea brought Chainer to the Empress’s side. But instead of greeting as instructed, Chainer just looked the Empress up and down.

Even Lea, who had been calm until now, was greatly flustered this time.

The tension in the greenhouse peaked, like a tightly stretched piano string.

“Empress, wow! Pretty.”

“!?”

Twang―! Like a snapped piano string, the ladies’ laughter burst out.

Contrary to what the ladies had expected, Chainer didn’t look base in person. Rather, she appeared pure.

She didn’t give off any gypsy vibes at all. Instead, her clumsy speech was endearing.

“Thank you for the compliment, Lady Bizac.”

The Empress gracefully smiled and returned the greeting to Chainer.

Lea brought Chainer back to her original place and wanted to say her final words to everyone.

“Chainer’s mind may be underdeveloped, but she’s a genius. Because such beautiful lace was created by these two hands. You ladies have discerning eyes and chose good items first. While who made it is important, please focus on the excellent result that can captivate people’s hearts.”

Lea calmly expressed her opinion.

If their hearts didn’t change even after saying this much, it couldn’t be helped. The choice was entirely theirs.

“And…”

Lea looked at the Empress.

“Gypsies, homeless people, orphans, patients in mental hospitals are all citizens of the Rubeck Empire. I’m proud of the fact that Chainer is a Rubeck person.”

Lea tried to speak dignifiedly until the end, but she ended up choking up at the last moment. At that moment, Countess Harrod added a word.

“We shouldn’t fall for articles from the Galdensian newspaper trying to belittle Rubeck. They must be jealous that our country has such talented individuals.”

“Come to think of it, the Rubeck newspapers have been quiet about this.”

The noblewomen’s reactions changed noticeably. The Empress sealed the deal.

“Lady Chainer Bizac?”

“Yes? Your Majesty.”

As Chainer stood up like a spring, laughter erupted once again.

“Would that purple cape suit me too?”

The Empress pointed to the clothes Lea was wearing.

“No! Your Majesty would look good in a… green cape. It would match your hair color.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll place an order. A green lace cape.”

“Since Your Majesty is pretty, I’ll make it even prettier for you. But it’s not free. I’ll give you a small discount. Because the lace I make is a masterpiece that no one else can imitate.”

The atmosphere became solemn at Chainer’s words. They thought she didn’t know anything, but her pride in the lace she made was extraordinary.

The Empress wore a satisfied expression, took a sip of tea, and then spoke to everyone.

“I acknowledge Lady Chainer Bizac.”

The noblewomen responded to the Empress’s words with applause. The Empress’s support and recognition were more decisive in putting an end to the controversy than the words of many others.

Of course, there were still some ladies who showed signs of dissatisfaction. However, there will be no more noise about Chainer’s background in the future.

* * *

Terran and Luke were just coming out after an audience with the Emperor. In fact, even during the conversation with the Emperor, Terran’s mind was complicated with thoughts of Grace.

‘I hope she’s doing well.’

She would need the fortitude to win over the noblewomen of Rebon and the Empress. Just then, the young noblemen they had seen earlier approached from the opposite direction, making a commotion.

“I’ve got dibs on Grace Bizac.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! First come, first served.”

“She’s the prettiest among the noble ladies, right?”

“I wonder what sounds she’d make in bed.”

“Shall we bet on who among us gets her first?”

Vulgar conversations about Grace were exchanged, and they inevitably reached Terran’s ears.

“Hey! Don’t you know Lady Bizac is engaged?”

When Louis Valiere among them killed the mood, they all grumbled at him.

“Who cares about engagement? Stop being so old-fashioned. People do everything even after marriage these days.”

Finally, they came right in front of Terran.

Terran quietly took out his leather gloves and put them on. This time, even Luke didn’t try to stop him.

Instead, he blocked their path. The young noblemen were bewildered by the sudden appearance of the two men.

“Engagement does matter. That’s why this old-fashioned man is here to teach you little bastards a lesson.”

The startled young noblemen were shocked to see the Courtois ducal crest on Terran’s uniform.

“Do you want to get hit one by one? Or all at once?”

Harsh words poured from Terran’s twisted lips.