"Your grace! It's been awhile, her majesty is already at the garden with the madams." An old man who is an obvious imperial servant, he seem like he has a rank, greeted my grandmother casually yet full of respect.
"Sir Harper, I hope we're not too late." my grandmother acknowledge as the old man with bright aura lead us quickly to the imperial garden.
Not long we spotted a gazebo where the empress dowager is standing with a bright yellow aura, she looks so casual yet regal in her maroon and gold boatneck jacquard laced gown with her hair in a low gown and a crown sitting on top of her head.
"It's been awhile, both ever so busy dowager grand duchess and Baroness Farah, and Lady Althea finally came back." the empress dowager greeted while my grandmother who's holding my left hand with her right bowed and I followed along Madame Farah and Wendy behind us.
"Indeed it's been a long while your majesty." my grandmother said with a sophisticated smile.
"It's a great pleasure to see you again your grace and Baroness Farah, and it's an honor to finally meet the little lady up close." an old lady next to the empress dowager spoke as I feel my grandmother's hand squeeze mine a bit.
That lady, she has a green aura surrounding herself, mother of Marchioness Calista Melba, she's definitely Talia's grandmother, I've seen her on news paper before.
A greedy old lady trying so hard to put their family up the rank, she made the marchioness marry the marques who is twice her age, just to get that position from being a baron family.
I've never met them in person before but the newspapers really says a lot, especially when she made her the marchioness adopt Talia from her deceased sister, the Baroness Polaris attempted to put her grand daughter up there in the society at their best to capture the prince.
Today is a tea party for the elder ladies in noble society, as much as the empress dowager hates social gatherings, these type of protocol is not to be skip and ignore.
I'm only here because the empress dowager ask me to be here through my grandmother.
"Ah, come join us here." the empress invited as we go and get to the gazebo while Wendy was on standby with Sir Ulysses and Sir Orion who are the only knights both come inside since they're my appointed knights while the 10 others are outside on the parlor for the knights where they can rest easy.
I was seated next to my grandmother who's sitting across the empress dowager, while Madam Farah is on the other side across me, both on the guest of honor seats while the other old ladies are flocking near the empress.
They're scared of my grandmother, only her majesty and Madam Farah are exception.
"I prepared a grand piano here, I've been looking forward to see the lady of Wisteria and ask for a performance, if that doesn't bother you." the empress dowager suddenly requested which I just notice the grand piano under the gold maple tree next to the gazebo.
"If that would please your majesty, is there any piece you'd like to listen to?" I asked fidgeting my hands under the table where no one can see.
I've been studying piano again with Professor Louisa who visits me at the grand duchy with a schedule, although I've already learned everything about piano from the past, in this life she thought me flute and harp, I already know how to play most string instruments from my modern previous life.
"I would love to hear something peaceful." the empress dowager said while my grandmother raise her brows as I stand from my seat, excusing myself.
I feel out of place, might as well play piano for them, it will keep me from being bored too.
I walk my way off the gazebo to the piano and situated myself on the seat, readying my hands.
I started playing Clair de Lune by Debussy, a classical piece from my modern past life.
I feel the wind blows peacefully, the sound of the piano is pleasant enough to set a light mood to the tea party.
A small goldfinch bird landed on top of the empty music shelf, tilting it's head curiously and adorably which made me smile but still not missing a note as I played continuously while glancing at the bird who's watching me intently.
It definitely enjoys music, it has a powdery fiery pink and yellow aura, it kind of resembles a living ball of fire in my eyes.
I finish playing Clair de Lune but followed it up with playing Arabesque No. 1, another piece from Debussy.
I glance at my grandmother, who look so proud with that intimidating and sophisticated smirk of hers, as I smile and continue playing.
I ended the piece as I heard applause and bowing at the from my seat.
"You perform so well Lady Althea, your grandmother must be so proud." the empress dowager praised wholeheartedly while I feel flustered and my grandmother hummed.
"My Thea has been studying other instruments aside from piano, every time my son is at home and seen by her professors, they would always try to convince the Grand Duke to have my granddaughter enter the academy soon, even with their offer of agreement on teaching Thea at home voluntarily after her first public performance before." my grandmother boast proudly as I feel my ears itch and hear the bird twit as I glance at it and motion for it to hush with my index on my lips by instinct, trying to communicate to it somehow.
This bird, it's staring at me intently and tilting it's head, as if it's ridiculing my flustered self with it's yellow and pink aura intensifying.
I can't just shoo it with people around, especially elders of nobility talking.
"Oh my, I guess we'll see your darling granddaughter participating in capital's harvest festival since students will definitely participate, once she pass the Sectre this week." her majesty said while my grandmother hummed.
"Professor Louisa already persuaded the child to participate, of course she'll join, your majesty." my grandmother said, she wasn't wrong.
It's my way of repaying Madame Louisa after she keep me less lonely in my past life while being taught by her, sharing passion for music.
I'm doing the things she wished I could have done if I was physically well back in the past, and I'm doing it to experience what I've missed being protected while weak before, now that I'm well and awakened.
"Then I'll have something to look forward to, I would gladly attend the festival to see you, Althea." the empress dowager said with a bright smile while I slightly feel pressured and gulp nervously, it's been awhile playing on the crowd, it doesn't really make me nervous but playing with my family and the imperial family watching is more nerve wracking than ever.
"I hope I meet your majesty's expectation of me and enjoy the music I play." I spoke courteously while Baroness Polaris put her tea cup down.
"I enjoy the lady's music, but I've never heard of that piece before." the Baroness spoke curiously as I smile and look at her straight in the eye.
"I play what's appropriate and comes in my mind, Madam Polaris, most of the time I play improv and just go with the mood." I spoke confidently but still with a tone of politeness even when I put her immediately to remind her only the empress dowager and my grandmother can freely criticize me for my own good, by emphasizing her title.
"T-That's great my lady! Oh god, your grace must be so proud of your granddaughter." Dowager Viscountess Celia Holland spoke fondly while my grandmother smile proudly with her arms both on the armrest of her seat.
"Who wouldn't? My dear Thea is just naturally lovely, the talent and intelligence are just a bonus, I even thought here about family business since I've been having her accompany me on my trips, she have so much contributions to our recent business, most are her ideas." my grandmother boast nonstop.
Right, I've been more involve with her to the point she takes my suggestions seriously we ended up opening our own cafes and dessert shops, I ended up somehow creating food from my modern life out of craving it, our cafes have branches on various cities and provinces, selling hot and cold milk teas, chocolate drinks, coffees and fruit juices, the dessert shops sells various cakes, even in slices only, cupcakes, breads, cake pops and ice creams that even commoners enjoys, and the best seller there is our ice cream cakes that only our shop sells.
It's all food business since I found out my grandmother acquires lands that she haven't decided what to do yet, with overflowing wheats, cocoas, sugarcanes and coffee beans planted at the Wisteria almost going to waste with it's vast amount, I was given a plot of land next to it and ended up creating a plantation of various plants that can be brewed as teas and some are fruit bearing.
It's a perfect excuse to create a business, and my grandmother liked the idea of it she ended up naming the shop Bliss, she said desserts gives joy which I agreed.
The plantation was use to export goods while also being used for our business so nothing comes to waste.
I even suggested and designed a freezer and oven which right now only our business has, but it's functioning with magic stones provided by the dark tower, which wasn't so dark as the people feared of.
The mages are all friendly and loves it when we use the as testers for the menus, they're my grandmother's followers anyways so they can't say no if they ever hate it.
I leisurely sit till, letting the old ladies converse, while the empress dowager allowed me to explore the massive garden, it wasn't that dangerous so I go look around myself, while the weird goldfinch landed on my left shoulder as I go.
"You have a golden ring." I noticed it has an insignia of royal family engraved on it.
Must be one of the imperial family's pets, I remembered seeing a crow with same ring before, I could never forget the day my brother killed the bird with magic.
That poor bird.
"You're lucky my brother is not here, he hate birds."