"What is Your Majesty doing here?" It was a tea party held in the garden of the 2nd Princess' Palace. Disbelief and displeasure stood in the eyes of the guests thanked to my uninvited visiting. "I heard that the 2nd Princess was having a good time with other young ladies here. Am I not allowed to join?" "...Sure, sister. Please join us." Lobelia hesitated to answer, but knew well that she couldn't refused since there were some eyes watching her. I knew how she was, she wanted to be seen as the only generous royal noble than anyone else in front of others. As I smiled brightly with the muscles on my face, Lobelia finally gave me a seat with a reluctant expression. "Thank you," I told her. "...Then, would you like to hear Princess Lobelia's story earlier? She said that Your Majesty have resolved the misunderstanding with the Duke of Oncidium," a young lady started a chat. So the interesting topic that Bell's younger sister who worked undercover as Lobelia's maid told me was about the Duke of Oncidium. "Yes. There were unpleasant scandals with my sister who was the royal daughter but it was all just some misunderstanding," Lobelia nodded. "Oh my. That's wonderful, Princess Lobelia!" The young ladies were chattering feeling relieved, but I just smiled and glanced on the letter Lobelia's holding. "Is the letter really from the Duke of Oncidium?" A noble lady asked since Lobelia already showed them the letter who she claimed to be sent to her by Lawrence. "Yes. In the letter he said that he has nothing to do with my sister," Lobelia answered with a gentle smile. "So Lawrence of Oncidium really sent you the letter?" It's my turn to asked and she looked at me it seemed she looked frustrated. "Sister, don't act like you two are close anymore. Don't you think it's bothering the Duke so much? And see this emblem, this is clearly the emblem from of the Duke of Oncidium." I looked at it and it's true, the emblem of the Oncidium. But no matter how much they hated me, Lawrence who swore to be loyal to me would not dared to betray me and believed in the Lobelia's power. "Then, Lobelia, are you getting engaged with the Duke after this coming age ceremony?" I asked her. "Well. I guess we have to let it pass," Lobelia smiled like a sly fox. How funny, thinking that Lobelia's coming age ceremony had only few months left and she would married on that day without any engagement. "Then, should I ask him? Lawrence, come here." Before coming to the tea party, I already sent a message to Lawrence to come to the 2nd Princess' Palace. I got up from my seat as I stood on next Lawrence of Oncidium. "Now tell us. Did you really promise the 2nd Princess for a marriage?" I asked to Lawrence. Like a brainwashed and expressionless man, Lawrence denied. "I don't recall such memory." "Then, have you ever sent her a letter?" I asked again and once again Lawrence denied it. Lobelia panicked and quickly hid the letter behind her, and the young ladies started whispering. "Did you tell Lobelia in that letter that we resolved some misunderstanding?" I asked and for the 3rd times Lawrence of Oncidium denied everything related to Lobelia. "So you mean that everything the 2nd Princess said were false?" "No! You sent it to me! Lawrence... are you embarrassed? Why didn't you tell the truth?" "I didn't send anything to you. In addition, the seal stamped on that letter is only used when delivery to the Empress Dowager," Lawrence responded to Lobelia cold heartedly. Lobelia who looked so pathetically to Lawrence with her whole body trying not to fall on the ground, feeling defeated.
Lawrence and I decided to leave the tea party as the whispering from the young ladies were heating up with their own delusions. As he reached out to escort me and held my hand, their eyes looked at us with their eyes wide open. We headed back to my Imperial Palace. How long we had walked, I heard the sound of fast steps from behind. Soon afterward, I saw Lobelia screaming the air out from her lungs while running to me. "....Sister, did you come only to embarrass me? How can a person do that? Even how much I cherished and followed you...!" It's a little disgusting how she screamed like that in front of the man she loved, she's losing her elegant attitude. "Yes. I went because I wanted to embarrass the 2nd Princess." "Why! What did I do so wrong? Tell me!" This time Lobelia glared at Lawrence. "You are too much! I don't know if you were proud of yourself, but how could you help her to embarrassed me? Didn't you see my desperate eyes telling you to stop? Both of you have done it too far...!" "I didn't do it because of the Crown Princess. I was just telling the truth," Lawrence replied to her. "Ha..! My sister is really amazing. If you corrupt the person who used to be innocent like him..." "Princess. You are being rude. If you insult me more than this, I won't just go over this. You should know that I'm holding back a lot just by the fact that you already stole the letter that was delivered for the Empress Dowager," Lawrence glared at Lobelia. "This..!" Lawrence and I made an eye contact and I shook my head lightly as a sign to leave Lobelia.
"Suddenly I remember hearing the gossip," Lawrence broke the silence as we walked. The sunset hit intensely, his dark hair shone brightly, his sharp nose was as sharp as his personality and he looked cool. "What kind of gossip?" I asked. "That we are already engaged," he answered. "Why? Were you too shock that you still in denial?" I asked again. "I don't know. I wasn't reluctant to get married and I don't need to concern about the engagement or anything too since you said you will get all done," he replied. "So? Do you want to proceed the engagement as soon as possible?" "Even if we get engaged, we cannot get rid rumors between each other and people will say that we lie about us," Lawrence looked at me as he spoke. I thought that he wasn't wrong. "Our marriage will be announced just few days before the 2nd Princess' coming age ceremony. The betrothal is the day before her coming age ceremony," I told him. "How is it to hold two events nearly at the same time?" Lawrence asked as if it's impossible. "Correct. Some people will only go to one of the event. Which one will you choose? Will you go to the engagement of the Crown Princess and the Duke of Oncidium? Or will you go to the 2nd Princess' coming age ceremony?" "...I'll go to the engagement ceremony," Lawrence hesitantly answered. "That's good." We entered my room while I was telling him all my plans on the 2nd Princess' coming age ceremony. "Is that possible?" Lawrence was taken aback in surprise. "It's already got the Empress Dowager's permission," I answered. "Hah.. Everyone are insane... How the hell did you get permission? No. It's impossible. It means it's not only 2 events but 3 events during the same week. And our engagement ceremony is on the day before two such big events. You won't be able to get Her Majesty's permission." "I have an idea for that."
The next day, I gathered some priests and ministers for a meeting and announcing the part of Lobelia's coming age ceremony, Lobelia's quick marriage and my engagement, as I expected the ministers were objecting. "That's ridiculous! There are so many big events in one week, we won't have much time to prepare. Has the Princess Lobelia agree?" "That's right! It's impossible!" "The 2nd Princess also wished for a quick happy marriage. The suitor has already been decided so no more objection," I said. "But it's a matter of the empire!" "It's my granddaughter's decision!" The Empress Dowager cut in. The Empress Dowager took my side, because I already gave her a pill made of datura powder, disguised as vitamin. The drug I handed to her saying that it was good for her eyes, was a poison that controlled her thoughts, making her unconditionally believe in me. "It's ridiculous! When who the hell is the suitor can be?" A minister asked. "It's Sir Arzom, from the Northern Phalaenopsis," I answered nonchalantly. Everyone became quiet before started throwing their objections once again. "Isn't he 30? She's only 17!" "What's wrong with that? Didn't you have a new wife last month at the age of about 40? I heard your wife is 19 now," I replied. "Oh now.. it's..." "Sir Arzom, as he is older, he must be able to deal with the young princess with a wide heart. Besides, he is said to be warm and kind," I continued my speech. "How good is he? The citizens will never agree to this!" "I guess we have enough for today's meeting. I already gave him the news and some gold coins to get married." "...Your Majesty! This shouldn't be done!" "Empress Dowager! Please think of this again!" "Your Majesty!"
Eventually the priests went out following the Empress Dowager of the conference room door. The ministers went to the 2nd Princess' Palace. "What... What!?" Lobelia asked if what she just heard were true. She grabbed the hem of her dress and started running. "I can't let the meeting end like this!" But the first thing the 2nd Princess heard when she arrived at the conference room was, "I, the Crown Princess, have declare my order."