I walked out of the palace, guided to a garden where I was scheduled to meet the empress. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me; I had barely slept the night before and had shown signs of a seizure in the morning, though it wasn't severe. Fortunately, it had subsided somewhat.
In the garden, I saw a woman with long red hair seated with her back to me, sipping from a cup. I sighed internally, gathering my resolve before stepping forward.
"Your Majesty," Wade announced, and the empress turned to face me.
"I greet the empress of this great empire," I said with a deep curtsey as she turned.
"Oh, you're here?" she responded, her tone casual as she set her cup down. I stood upright, my expression blank. "Oh, you're as pretty as I was told you'd be," she added, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and approval.
"You flatter me, Your Majesty," I replied, recalling all the etiquette Elise had drilled into me for interacting with high society.
"Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing to the chair opposite her. I nodded and took my seat. "Lady Alden, I've heard quite a bit about you," she began as she poured tea for me. I wasn't sure if I could drink it, given my apprehensions.
"I heard you are the youngest professor at the academy," she continued.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I responded, knowing that any hesitation might lead to trouble.
"Hmm… So can you tell me about your project?" she asked. I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Even Mother didn't know the full extent of my research.
"I…" I hesitated, debating whether to refuse. "I'm just studying Large Worms," I said vaguely, hoping to leave it at that.
"Oh, I did hear something about that. Are you working on a new vaccine?" she inquired. It wasn't entirely untrue, so I decided it was safe to confirm.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied, and she nodded thoughtfully.
"Why do you need to develop another vaccine when there's already one available?" she asked. I gripped my dress, struggling to come up with an explanation.
"A… A childhood passion?" I suggested tentatively. She laughed lightly, as if she understood.
"I also had a childhood passion, so I can relate," she said, rising from her seat and walking towards the flowers. I stood and followed her, eager to keep the conversation going.
"I was a very passionate person when I was younger, and I did everything I could to achieve my goals," she said. I offered a polite smile, though I didn't feel particularly reassured.
"But it's not over yet," she said, turning to face me. Her expression remained neutral, but I could sense a shift in her demeanor. Instinctively, I took a small step back, wary of what might come next.
In situations like this, avoiding eye contact was not advisable. I didn't know what the empress might do, and all I wanted was to go home.
"I'll be meeting some ladies this afternoon. Would you like to join me?" she asked. Her invitation, much like Euston's, seemed more like an obligation than a choice. Declining might lead to trouble, so I felt compelled to agree.
"That would be great, Your Majesty," I said, forcing a smile.
"Good, then let's go inside," she said with a smile, turning to lead the way. I followed her, my heart pounding.
Inside, we entered a small sitting room where several ladies were gathered. They all rose to greet the empress as we entered.
"Ladies, I'd like you to meet Lady Faina Alden," the empress introduced me.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I said with a curtsey. The ladies exchanged glances and murmured among themselves as they resumed their seats.
They began chatting and nibbling on the snacks served. To my surprise, each of them took only a single bite before setting their food aside. Why serve it if they weren't going to eat?
"Lady Alden, you've just turned eighteen, correct?" one lady asked. I turned to her with weary eyes.
"Yes," I replied, and she nodded in acknowledgment.
"I'm sure the Aldens didn't bother with a debutante ball for you, being an adopted daughter. It's rather unfortunate. I hope you're managing well in that house," she said with a veneer of false concern.
"I did have a debutante," I responded.
"Oh, really?" she said, her surprise evident.
"Yes, it was an invite-only event. Many from high society were eager to attend, despite the invitations being sent out only a few days before the ball," another lady chimed in. The empress stiffened beside me, her gaze turning cold.
"I heard people were trying to pay for invitations, but it was impossible to get one due to tight security in the East," she rambled on.
I was taken aback. I hadn't realized my birthday event had been such a big deal. I had wondered why I didn't recognize many of the attendees—was this another one of Mother's schemes?
"I'm so envious; I really wanted to go. Everyone who did attend spoke about the lady and how…" she trailed off as she noticed the empress's displeased expression. One of the ladies quickly cleared her throat, attempting to shift the conversation.
"So, Lady Alden, you're a professor at the academy," she began. "A distant cousin of mine mentioned something about the duchess funding your position," she said.
"Oh," I said, unsure of how to respond. "I've heard something like that too," I thought aloud, not realizing I'd spoken.
"Well, I'm not saying it's true, but I'm sure your side of the story is different," she said. I looked at her, unsure of how to respond.
"Come now, don't disparage the academy. You could get yourself into trouble," another lady said with a forced laugh. I just wanted to go home.
The conversation soon turned away from me, and I was left alone as they chatted among themselves. I sank into my seat, trying to disappear into the background.
"Lady Alden, are you on a diet?" someone asked abruptly. I wished they would just leave me alone.
"No," I replied, though the question seemed to perplex her.
"I thought as much. You look…" She scanned me, trailing off. "Well, you haven't touched the food, which made me curious," she said. Perhaps she wondered if the food might be poisoned or if I was simply unwell.
"Ah…" I began, but was interrupted.
"It's considered rude to ignore what is served to you," another lady said, her tone slightly admonishing. I should have said I was on a diet.
I picked up a cup, sniffed it, and took a cautious sip. The taste seemed normal, but I remained on edge, unsure if it might be a slow-acting poison. I set the cup down and looked at the others, hoping they were satisfied.
"E… e... le... gant," one of them murmured, I could barely make out what she was saying. The empress's expression darkened further. What had I done wrong now?