The Obsession of the Tyrant Sub-Male Lead is Unnecessary

Episode 20

“The Duchess of Nordlinger sent this.”

Seeing the seal on the envelope, Luigi immediately identified the sender. Verona opened the seal and quickly scanned the contents.

“It’s an invitation to the Marchioness’s tea party.”

She put the letter down on the tray and opened another envelope.

“Same with the Marquess of Wygden and the Marquess of Retinan.”

“As His Majesty’s official fiancée, they must be curious about you. Now that the engagement party is over, the noblewomen want to meet you in person.”

Luigi gathered the envelopes and asked,

“Which lady’s invitation should we accept? Traditionally, the Empress would host them, but since you’re still a fiancée, you could visit them directly.”

“Perhaps Carlos won’t allow me to go.”

Luigi nodded at Verona’s comment.

“Then it would be best to invite them here. If we set a date, the ladies will come to the side palace.”

“Uh….”

Verona felt a bit overwhelmed. Though she was a princess, she had never faced so many noblewomen at once. Knowing the etiquette and actually engaging with them were very different.

Moreover, she didn’t particularly want to get closer to the nobles of Clarence. She wasn’t truly planning to become Empress, so why build relationships now?

‘Or should I? Making connections could help Waterfall.’

Unable to ignore the letters, Verona pondered.

Of course, the Grand Duke Portrey hadn’t sent an invitation since he was unmarried. Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to meet him more often.

“Ah! Speaking of which, Miss Olivia, you have a connection with the Retinan family, don’t you?”

“Uh?”

Olivia flinched at Luigi’s words.

“Didn’t Lady Retinan attend the same academy as you?”

“Uh… yes.”

Olivia’s expression was strangely reluctant.

“We were acquainted, but we weren’t particularly close.”

Luigi mentioned knowing the family through a relative who was a tutor for the Marquess’s family. Verona found Olivia’s uneasy expression curious.

‘The Retinan family is quite prestigious. I’d have thought she’d use her connection with the lady to her advantage, but she seems reluctant to mention it. Perhaps they weren’t really friends?’

Luigi said he would arrange a manageable tea party, listing the high-ranking noblewomen. The list included the Marquess of Retinan.

“Lady Retinan is graduating next year. She’s currently at the marquess’s residence for the holidays. The Marquess wishes to visit with her daughter for a conversation.”

As Luigi added the Marquess and her daughter to the list, Olivia reluctantly added,

“Our majors were different, so we didn’t see much of each other, but Lily was quite different from me.”

“Yes, Lady Retinan is majoring in astronomy.”

Lily? That Lily?

Verona, sipping her tea, was startled by the name mentioned in Olivia and Luigi’s conversation.

Lily Retinan. The name was so common she’d almost forgotten.

She was the villainess in *The Duke’s Woman*.

While she didn’t fight Olivia over the Grand Duke, she did torment Olivia during their academy days.

The novel briefly described Olivia’s academy life, so the details were unclear, but it was certain Olivia cried often because of Lily.

Later, the Grand Duke found out and avenged Olivia.

During the Emperor’s conquest, he sent Lily’s brother and fiancé to the front lines.

They weren’t part of the army led by the Emperor himself but led a vanguard to conquer a border duchy.

The Grand Duke cleverly cut off their supply lines, leading to their deaths.

The duchy conquest failed, and an enraged Emperor Carlos blamed the Retinan family for the defeat and annihilated them.

‘What did Olivia endure to cause such a fate for them?’

Verona’s curiosity was piqued.

* * *

Verona decided to respond to the invitations, carefully considering her options. She would host a tea party to meet the noblewomen, fostering relationships that might prove beneficial for Waterfall.

The day of the tea party arrived, and Verona prepared herself to meet the noblewomen. She dressed elegantly and wore her finest jewelry, aiming to make a strong impression.

As the guests arrived, Verona greeted them warmly, although she kept an eye on Olivia and Lady Retinan, curious about their interactions.

“Princess Verona, it’s an honor to meet you.”

“Thank you for coming. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

The noblewomen chatted, exchanging pleasantries and discussing various topics. Lady Retinan approached Olivia, and Verona subtly watched their interaction.

“Olivia, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has.”

Their conversation was polite, but Verona sensed underlying tension. She wondered if Lady Retinan would show her true colors during the tea party.

As the event continued, Verona engaged with the guests, maintaining her composure. The tea party provided valuable insight into the noblewomen’s dynamics and potential alliances.

After the party, Verona reflected on the day, considering how to use the information she had gathered to her advantage. She knew that understanding the relationships and motivations of the noblewomen would be crucial in navigating her new role as the Emperor’s fiancée.

By evening, the replies from the noblewomen on the selected list arrived. All of them confirmed their attendance at the tea party scheduled for the day after tomorrow.

Luigi and Mary were overjoyed and began preparing refreshments. The maids of the side palace busily decorated the reception room. Olivia, too, was busy running around as a maid.

On the day of the tea party, Retrius poked the lace-trimmed pink tablecloth with his scabbard, muttering to himself.

“I don’t see why I need to wear armor and stand guard at a tea party like this.”

Verona spoke sharply.

“If I drink poisoned tea and collapse, you’ll need to be right next to me to administer treatment, won’t you?”

“Che.”

Unable to find a retort, he slumped into a corner. Verona, seated and waiting for the guests, kept a close eye on Olivia’s movements.

Just as the tea party was about to start, Olivia, who was rearranging the roses in the vase to make them look more appealing, quietly approached Verona.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

“It’s about Lady Retinan.”

Her delicate face looked troubled.

“…Please be careful.”

“Why?”

“I feel awkward saying this, but… she associates with a rough crowd.”

Olivia whispered softly.

“I’m not saying Lily is bad, but there are commoners who have poor character and enjoy being unruly. They judge people by their looks and hold improper views. Lily might be too naive to filter their words.”

“Still, she’s a marquess’s daughter. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

It might be true, but Verona said it deliberately.

If Olivia was the protagonist from the novel, the world she perceived might not be entirely true.

“But… she mocked me, saying that despite my low status, I rely on my looks to gain the Grand Duke’s favor.”

Olivia’s violet eyes looked at Verona pitifully, as if to say, “Do you still not believe me?” Verona felt conflicted.

Thinking about Lady Retinan’s tragic fate, it was clear she must have wronged Olivia somehow. Given Olivia’s beauty, Lady Retinan might indeed have behaved that way.

“The ladies and young ladies are here.”

Just then, Luigi announced the news with perfect timing. Olivia quickly moved away from Verona, whispering as she left,

“Please be wary of what Lily says, Princess.”

She looked genuinely worried. Verona nodded and stood up.

Soon, the noblewomen entered and greeted her in turn. The third guest was Lady Retinan.

“Hello, Princess Verona Waterfall. I am Lily Retinan.”

Lily, holding up her violet dress slightly as she curtsied, was a lovely young lady with chocolate-colored hair.

“Unfortunately, my mother had a stomach ache this morning, so I came alone. She wanted to meet the future Empress, and she sends her sincere apologies.”

“It’s fine, Lady Retinan. I’m happy you could come.”

“Please call me Lily.”

Lily said without hesitation. Her lively smile matched her healthy complexion well. It seemed absurd to think she would be jealous of Olivia’s looks.

“Oh?”

After her greeting, Lily was about to take her seat but stopped when she saw Olivia.

“Olivia?”

“Hello, Lady Retinan.”

Olivia, without looking at her, replied with her gaze lowered. Lily, who had been about to greet her warmly, awkwardly returned to her seat.

‘Lily doesn’t seem to dislike Olivia at all.’

Verona sensed something was off.

Nevertheless, the tea party went smoothly. Despite their high status, the noblewomen were friendly and openly expressed their interest in Verona.

“The royal family of Waterfall is said to be descended from mermaids, and it shows in your beautiful skin, Princess. It’s the fairest I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh my, indeed. You seem very familiar with the imperial etiquette, already embodying the grace of an Empress.”

The noblewomen, who were old enough to be Verona’s mother, constantly praised her.

The atmosphere was much softer than she had anticipated, allowing Verona to relax and join in their conversations. Well, mostly she just nodded along.

“Would you like some almond cookies, Princess?”

Lily approached her cheerfully. She was the only one close to Verona’s age at the tea party.

“Oh, thank you.”

“I noticed you seemed to like nuts.”

Lily’s smiling eyes showed no hint of malice. Verona admired her keen observation as she accepted the cookie.

“Actually, almonds are my favorite nuts.”

“Then Olivia must have baked cookies for you?”

“Ah….”

Lily asked, her curious eyes sparkling.

‘She even knows Olivia’s hobby?’

Verona, puzzled, looked at Olivia, who was nearby pouring tea. Olivia’s face was slightly stiff.

After filling the teacup, Olivia quickly stepped back and soon left the room. Lily looked surprised.

Fortunately, the other noblewomen were engrossed in a conversation about the latest fashion trend in veils, so no one else noticed the incident.

“I must have said something wrong. I was just happy to see someone from the same academy after so long.”

Lily, unable to hide her embarrassment, smiled apologetically at Verona.

“Knowing Olivia’s hobby of baking, you must have been close to her.”

Verona smiled and probed gently. Lily gave a vague smile, neither confirming nor denying, and took a sip of tea.

“We were close once.”

When Verona didn’t say anything, waiting for more, Lily reluctantly continued.

“A small misunderstanding caused us to drift apart. Olivia was excellent in her studies and had a great personality. All the professors were pleased when she gained the Grand Duke’s patronage. I was relieved too. Having someone like her marry an old man would have been a loss for the Empire.”

Lily’s opinion of Olivia was the opposite of what Olivia had said about her.

Olivia had implied that Lily envied her looks and connections, but Lily defended and praised Olivia instead.

Verona began to doubt Olivia’s words again.

‘Olivia seems to view everything from her own perspective.’

Verona chuckled to herself.