''...''
''…Your majesty?'' Leanna raised her gaze to give a subtle glance at the empress who spoke no reply after her words.
''Leave it here.'' Rose said with a sigh, scrunching her eyebrows in annoyance. Just when she previously thought that her life was finally on track, she had to receive an invitation from that woman.
Archduchess Windsor.
The wife of the emperor's late uncle, Archduke Windsor.
The title Archduke was for a member of the imperial family with no ambition of the throne. Not only would their imperial title change but their surname would also be changed by the emperor.
'and I can't refuse her invitation….' Rose opened her eyes to the exquisite envelope right in her front on the table.
''Is that all?'' She took a glance at the maid standing close to the table with a tray in her hands.
''Yes your majesty.''
'I guess I have no choice…' Rose eyed the exquisite envelope for a moment. She gestured for Leanna to come closer with the tray. Without moving her gaze, she took the silver knife meticulously carved unlike a regular cutlery knife and sliced through the wax seal.
After placing the silver knife on the table near the teacup, Rose took out the folded paper and let down the envelope on her lap.
''….What does the letter say, your majesty?'' Leanna was worried how the empress's blank expression did not change after a moment of reading the letter from Archduchess Windsor.
Normally, the empress's smile would always falter at the sight of letters from Archduchess Windsor. Now that the empress had stopped smiling as often as before, Leanna had no way of knowing the thoughts of her mistress.
''It's a tea party invitation. The Archduchess seemed to be worried about this empress's health.'' With her gaze still on the paper, Rose replied, feeling a little disgust in her heart. Even from the letter, she could feel a sense of shamelessness from this Archduchess Windsor. It seemed the disrespect for the empress was not only limited to the servants within the imperial palace.
''Prepare for a visit to House Windsor, Leanna.''
''…..As your majesty wishes.'' Leanna heeded after a brief pause. ''Will your majesty write a reply to the Archduchess?''
Perceiving a certain edge in her tone, Rose lifted her gaze away from the letter. Her eyes took in the sight of Leanna's fingers that seemed to tightly grasp the tray and her lowered gaze to the ground.
'You don't want me to go.' Rose came to that conclusion of Leanna's hesitancy and took her gaze back to letter still in her hand. 'Or rather…you don't want the empress to attend the Archduchess's invitation.'
From the memories of the empress and her own experience, Rose could see that Leanna was a sharp and quick maid. Even if there was a sense of intimacy between them, Leanna had never been one to forget her place as a maid.
Though Leanna must have had disagreements against the empress's decision, she had never been one to voice out her words unless given the chance to do so.
Just like now.
Leanna seemed to have disagreed on her decision of seeing the Archduchess Windsor, but she held herself back from saying a word and listened to her own.
The maid knew her place and respected the little friendship between them.
'I feel a little jealous of you for having such person, empress.' Rose revealed in her heart. In her life as the empress of the entertainment industry, she had no one this loyal and respectful by her side. Even the manager she had by her side was someone who decided on her behalf. Her manager had never been one to listen and abide by her words and decision unless force was used which she rarely had done.
''Get rid of the letter, Leanna and call for Valerie on your way back.'' Rose felt good for having such person care for her. Even if she was not the true recipient, she still felt good nonetheless.
''Your majesty will not write a reply?'' Leanna questioned, feeling confused. Since the empress has decided to go to the House Windsor, shouldn't she write a reply in return to state her visit?
''No.'' Rose replied with a small quirk on her lips. ''I am the empress, Leanna.'' Saying this, she put down the letter on the table.
Upon hearing those words, Leanna's countenance froze a bit. Her eyes widened a bit as though she was in a state of shock.
''As your majesty wishes.'' Leanna was quick to recover herself and made a move to return the letter, the envelope and the silver knife back on the tray.
''Allow this maid to get Miss Valerie for your majesty.'' Leanna requested, feeling her mood lighter than before. Ever since the empress had fallen into the lake, she had noticed a change in her behavior.
The empress had stopped smiling. Rather, she became someone whose thoughts that she cannot guess anymore.
The empress had stopped wearing dresses that were more fitting for the queen than her own self.
The empress just now admitted her position with confidence in her tone. Even if she was attending the invitation from Archduchess Windsor, the fact that the empress admitted her position with an informal tone….
''You may leave, Leanna.''
''Yes your majesty.'' Leanna gave a deep bow before walking out of the pavilion on lighter steps.
'For your majesty to boldly admit your position…I guess I don't have to worry…' Having put a good distance away from the pavilion, Leanna thought with a relieved smile. Though the empress might be a little different from the past, Leanna felt this was a good change.
''Your majesty is also the young lady of House Cortez. This maid hopes that your majesty uses these identities to an advantage.'' Leanna whispered with sincerity deep down from her heart. At the same time, her voice merged with the breeze fluttering the strands of her as though the bearing witness to her words.
****
''Aren't you curious, Vance?'' Rose's gaze left the disappearing back of Leanna and moved to the quiet younger butler who seemed to have blended into the background.
"..."
"Aren't you curious why this empress needs to leave the palace for an Archduchess with no power?" Rose repeated with more words this time. Her lips held a smile that seemed to have a tempting appeal.
"..." Vance remained quiet with a blank yet vigilant countenance.
"That won't do, Vance. As this empress's butler, you should be curious. It seemed the head maid didn't teach you all about being a butler." Feeling a little parched, Rose took a sip of her tea that had cooled down during her time with Leanna.
"This empress will do that in her stead." Putting down the tea cup, Rose put the head maid's name on her list of people to deal with. For the time being, the Archduchess was the number one and the head maid will be the number two.
She didn't need someone like the head maid to be frequent in the empress's palace.
"Your first assignment will be to get all the information of the Archduchess, Vance. Find all you can about that woman and present them to me after the tea party." Rose looked at the young butler with a smile.
'….and why does such a woman seem to feel superior to the empress?' Adding to her thoughts, Rose shifted her gaze to the fluttering petals of the garden. 'It's quite amazing how you dealt with such people with a personality like yours, empress....'
'….and also disgusting just because of an emotion called love.'