TOOCM | Chapter 028

Episode 28

All the noblewomen rose from their seats and paid their respects upon spotting Reina.

“We greet the Star of the Empire and the Guardian of the North.”

“Pleased to meet you all.”

Reina, adeptly receiving their greetings, moved toward her seat but stopped precisely in front of Lady Mary.

Lady Mary, who had been lost in thought and hadn’t noticed Reina’s arrival, belatedly stood and offered her greeting.

“I greet the Star of the Empire.”

Her words caused a stir among the gathering. She had deliberately omitted the title “Guardian of the North.”

This was tantamount to refusing to acknowledge Reina as a northerner.

Yet Reina did not call out her omission.

Instead, she responded with an airy remark.

“You seem to have trouble with your legs. Or perhaps your hearing is failing?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m saying you stood up late while everyone else rose to greet me.”

Her blunt reprimand prompted awkward coughs from the others.

In aristocratic society, expressing intentions indirectly was an unspoken rule.

But Reina, ignoring this custom, had pointed out the fault so directly that it startled them.

Lady Mary, with an awkward smile, offered an apology.

“My apologies, Duchess. I’ve been preoccupied with various matters lately, so my greeting was delayed. I beg your forgiveness.”

“Indeed, you’ve been burdened with quite a heavy workload.”

“It’s all due to my shortcomings. Still, I’m grateful for the trust placed in me.”

“No, now that I think about it, it seems Lady Mary has been overwhelmed with too many duties. Perhaps it’s time to lighten your load?”

“Pardon?”

As Lady Mary looked puzzled, Reina continued.

“It wouldn’t do to keep overworking an elderly lady, would it?”

“…”

Lady Mary’s primary responsibility was to assist Dahlia, the heir.

This meant she was effectively leading the future of Crensia.

Since Aiden had immersed himself in his research, she had even taken on the affairs of his entire family.

The message directed at Lady Mary, the de facto power behind the vassal family, was clear.

It was a warning that someone else could take her place.

The atmosphere among the noblewomen shifted subtly as they grasped the implication.

Some looked at Reina with gleaming eyes, while others glanced at Lady Mary with concern.

Realizing the meaning behind Reina’s words, Lady Mary gritted her teeth.

‘Is she challenging me now?’

This young princess, barely wet behind the ears, dared to provoke her without knowing the consequences.

With a mocking smile, Lady Mary replied.

“Well, I’d like to step back, but Lady Dahlia and Young Lord Aiden trust me too much.”

“Is that so?”

Reina, as if uninterested in her opinion, smiled and moved to her seat.

Humiliated, Lady Mary flushed and sat down.

Her attempt to flaunt her connections had backfired, leaving her embarrassed.

* * *

Reina quietly observed the group mingling cordially.

In truth, the purpose of this social gathering wasn’t merely to exchange pleasantries with the northern noblewomen.

Her real goal was to discern the inner circles among the northern aristocracy.

People naturally gravitated toward those they were close to.

These groups formed tight-knit cliques, fostering strong bonds.

They also competed with other groups of similar standing.

Reina took note of those gathered around Lady Mary.

At the same time, she observed the clique centered around Baroness Brington.

She had long known that the Brington and Mary families were at odds.

Thus, she had deliberately placed Baroness Brington’s seat right beside Lady Mary to provoke her.

As expected, Lady Mary couldn’t hide her displeasure.

Yet, her determination to hold her ground in this setting was likely to demonstrate her resilience.

Then, Reina’s gaze fell upon another group.

Unlike the two factions busy competing, this group was intently watching her.

Among them, the most striking was the Marchioness of Saint.

The Saint family, like Crensia, was one of the key families guarding the North.

They were also part of the reformist faction that had stood by Crensia until the end in her past life.

Having lost many family members to the Emperor’s actions, Reina felt uneasy under their gaze.

The Marchioness of Saint’s expression was calm.

Unlike Lady Mary, who showed hostility, or Baroness Brington, who offered fawning smiles, she revealed nothing.

Such restraint signaled her seasoned nature.

‘How can I earn their trust?’

Those who supported Kaiden were also allies to Reina.

She resolved to make them her own when—

“Oh my!”

With someone’s exclamation, the group, previously scattered in conversation, parted to the sides.

Kaiden was walking toward Reina through the divide.

The sudden appearance of the Duke silenced the room.

Reina stared blankly at Kaiden as he approached.

“Kaiden, what brings you here?”

“I heard you were holding a gathering and got curious.”

Kaiden, with proper etiquette, kissed the back of her hand and spoke warmly.

He then scanned the room with a sly smile.

“I thought you’d be nervous for your first social event, but it seems you’re a natural.”

“No way. I’m so nervous I can’t even drink water.”

“Hahaha!”

Kaiden burst into hearty laughter at Reina’s shrugging remark.

The evident closeness between them drew quick glances from the noblewomen.

In truth, most northern nobles had been skeptical about their marriage.

Unlike the founding era, the current Mernie royal family excessively kept Crensia in check.

Three years ago, during the great famine, the royal family had provided meager aid to the North compared to other regions.

They claimed it was due to limited resources, but in reality, it was a political move to weaken the North’s military power.

In response, Crensia had opened its own coffers to provide relief.

Thus, it was hard to believe that Crensia would accept a princess as the Duchess merely on the Emperor’s orders.

The Marchioness of Saint observed the pair with a curious gaze.

The Emperor had subtly boasted that he had orchestrated this marriage.

No noble was unaware that the grand banquet in the capital was meant to showcase his influence.

Yet, watching the two, it seemed their bond wasn’t solely due to the Emperor’s command.

Sensing something more between them, the Marchioness of Saint stepped forward.

“I greet the Guardian of the North.”

“Lady Saint, I presume.”

“Belatedly, I congratulate you on your marriage. May Crensia and Mernie stand together.”

Her greeting, evoking the original oath, made Reina blink.

For a northern noble, known for disliking the royal family, to directly mention Mernie was significant.

It was an implicit acknowledgment of Reina as a northerner.

Kaiden, understanding this, looked at the Marchioness of Saint with satisfaction.

“Thank you. I hope Saint will join us in that endeavor.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

The Marchioness of Saint gave a faint smile and bid Reina a reluctant farewell.

“I must take my leave due to other matters. I hope we can continue our conversation at Saint Castle another time.”

It was a sign that her probing was done, and she was ready to depart.

Reina, with a subtle smile, nodded in agreement.

“I’ll gladly accept your invitation anytime.”

“I’ll be in touch soon.”

With an elegant smile, the Marchioness of Saint departed with her group.