THE TEA PARTY

"My Lady, you have been invited to a parlour party with the young Lady of Count Leopold." The new butler, barged in respectfully of her room. It's been almost a week since the disappearance of Helena as the Duke came back normally. 

Or was he even normal?

"What is it, John?" She asked as she lifted up her head, looking in the direction of the man who stood up next to her door, proper and groomed. As expected of Alexander's selection, quite the loyal type towards him. 

"You've received a letter addressing you. They also send a carriage for you to come there, hoping you'll join them. Or do you want me to send the carriage away?" John, the new butler of the manor asked her who remained silent as she pulled herself to sit on her bed, looking puzzled. 

"Is it alright for me to go out though? The week still hasn't passed for me to go out?" She asked the butler. Isn't that a bad thing if she were to exit the house and look like they're not sulking over the death of the Duchess?

But she wasn't sulking or saddened with her death. More like she's even happy because of it, but rather... It's how people should behave when someone from the family dies. Not that she treats her like a damn family. 

She didn't even treat her as family anyway. 

"What nonsense is that? You can still go out but you have to wear black clothes. Don't let those noble fools dictate what you have to do." John answered, like he was containing a deep hatred of people. 

That may be the reason why Helena hasn't turned him as her pawn. His hatred against the world is something else. Good thing he's kind to both of them, Alexander and her. He would have become a pain in the ass if he's not. 

"I see... But I really don't want to move actually." She sighed, letting her body succumb to the soft mattress as she laid down, meeting John's annoyed expression because of her laziness. 

"Madame, at times like this, you should be building your social network. Plus, it will be a great time to use this to your advantage knowing that the woman is still not in the house." John answered, sighing as he clapped his hands, summoning Olivia and another servant behind his back. 

Felicia's eyes went wide upon realizing how prepared the butler was to make her move her ass. "What's with your hatred of my sister?" She asked as she was being pulled by the servants forcefully to submit to their service.

"I have no hate. I just generally hate the world. I hate everyone." John mumbled, making Felicia chuckle. She was being dragged everywhere, from the bathroom to her dressing room, until she was completely done at such speed that she found herself walking outside, heading towards the carriage with Count Leopold's insignia. 

She was wearing a black dress, and a veil to create a character that she's still mourning with the death of her stepmother, to which she really isn't mourning. This is just for the public's eyes. 

"Don't forget your gift." Olivia approached as Felicia boarded the carriage. Olivia then handed her a basket filled with women's necessities but what caught her the most was the box being wrapped with ribbon in which she looked at Olivia with her eyebrow raising. 

"What's with the box?" She asked as Olivia replied with a shrug, didn't know what to say since she also didn't know the content of what was inside the box. It was the young Master who gave the box to include as a gift after John told him about the invitation. 

"I see... Well then, take care." Felicia sighed as the door of the carriage finally closed, followed by the neigh of the horses and the rocking of the carriage, signifying that it was starting to move away from her house. 

"Hm... Should've both something instead." She mumbled to herself as she looked outside of the window, looking through the fading image of the manor, the peaceful manor with no intervention coming from that brat. 

But honestly? The Duke felt like he returned to normal. But the normal him when he hated her the most. He began to throw Felicia some scornful eyes, always letting her know how much of a disappointment she was and how she should've been the one being buried.

Of course, he never said those things but his eyes really hurt a lot. The one thing that she also noticed was how his irises had turned somewhat white, different from how irises would've looked like. 

Irises are black of course but his, it was weird. So what she actually thought that he was under a powerful spell is true. That someone is controlling and suppressing his emotions and memories. 

She massaged her temples. All this thinking is making her head throb in pain, too much overthinking it seems. She sighed, nevertheless, she would try to revert the Duke way back to what he was before. 

To make him normal once again.

—

"Thank you so much for accepting my request, Lady Felicia. Even though it was selfish of me to invite you to a party while you are still grieving. My sincerest condolences to you and your family, lady Felicia." The little Countess approaches Felicia, smiling sadly at her while bowing her head. 

It was Cordelia Leopold who invited her to a parlour party, together with the ladies who seemed to be neutral and quite friendly, those who weren't picking fights with her way back before. 

That time when the Empress bullied her. 

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Thank you so much for inviting me, it was my own accord to come and join you. I wouldn't reject it, of course." With such a fake approach, she lied smoothly towards Cordelia as she offered the basket she bought. 

"A little gift, for you. As a way of being grateful for your intention to let me join with you." She added, giving the basket to her while smiling innocently at her. The lies she uttered were smooth, like a baby's face. 

Of course, she didn't want to move earlier. She was even forced to go out of her room despite nothing. She really wasn't feeling all bubbly and in the mood to socialize with everyone after what happened. 

She just wants to take a long rest, nap, eat, and nap once again. 

"You shouldn't have to, lady Felicia. Your presence is enough to grace our party right now." A faint blush appears on her cheek, blushing at Felicia's gift while smiling shyly at her. 

What a cute child, this child is too easy to become a pawn towards someone. Be it the Queen but that's impossible since she has already made the Empress her enemy, then that would end up being targeted. 

"Oh! Goodness me, I shouldn't have kept you standing here. Come now, Lady Felicia. Let us start the party. I hope you'll enjoy being together with these amazing ladies. They are my friends." She introduced herself as Felicia got pulled towards the table where young ladies were sitting, waving at Felicia properly. 

"It's an honour to meet you, Lady Felicia." One by one, everyone was bowing their heads, greeting her to which she also added, slightly bowing her head, enough to recognise their presence. 

She's still the person who has the highest position. She still has some etiquette to follow but that would be not bowing entirely in front of them. She's still a princess and will become the next Empress. 

Soon enough, the party started with everyone discussing the fashion trends shifting into another era, thanks to Felicia and her very magnificent dresses, the continent seems to be on her side in terms of fashion. 

"Oh my, your palm has callouses, Princess. What do you do for you to have callouses?" An innocent question began to gain attention as Felicia blinked in surprise, didn't expect the lady to have some quite advanced observation. 

How the hell did she know her hands have callouses? It looks like witchcraft to her. It's a joke. 

"How did you know?" She asked, chuckling to herself as she slightly hovered her veil on top of her head, for her to eat properly and drink her tea. She can't drink with the veil covering her face. 

"Your hands are veiny and they look like a man's hands. Do you do hard work for you to earn them?" The lady once again asked her, making Felicia avert her eyes because of the question. 

But what's wrong with answering such a harmless question anyway? It's not like it's life-threatening for her to avoid such questions.

"I practice how to use a sword and I gain mastery in using swords." She answered, leaving them speechless with her answer. Even Cordelia didn't expect her answer about how she gained her callouses. 

"I'm not only into swords, I'm also into archery and spear fighting. Basically, I have tried every weapon I could find way back in the Dukedom." She added as she gracefully placed her teacup back in its place. 

However, silence fell in the atmosphere as they didn't expect the princess to learn such tomboyish behaviour, developing skills that are meant for men. But somehow, it sparked their attention, their desire to learn how to use a sword. 

"But... But aren't those for men only?" Another lady asked, looking anxious while thinking about using a sword. God, the thought of the lady harming herself with the sword is making her feel anxious. 

"Who says so?" Felicia asked, making everyone gasp at her boldness. "Who said that swords are only for men? Who said that fighting and using weapons are only for men? That's not how the world works, little girl." She chuckled upon answering her question. 

"The Goddess even used a sword to fight crime, much less us mere mortals do when putting up a defence for ourselves. We don't have to be so weak and have to rely on men, we have ourselves to fend off any loitering evilness. Who said that women are being limited? We're not." She answered as she stared into everyone else as if she was encouraging them. 

"Just because we are women doesn't mean that we just let ourselves be underestimated by men. We can do what they can do, so says a woman can't run a business? Look at my friend, the Viscountess Yulie Rajeh, becoming a millionaire overnight. What more if it's using weapons?" She asked them, leaning on the back of her chair as she smirked, folding her hands on her chest. 

"We, women, aren't toys to be played with. We have our own minds and our own desires. So don't let people mock you for doing something you love, instead, you chase them. Because look at me now, equipped mastery of swords and can protect myself during dangerous situations."

"Win-win situation." She even added, not letting the smirk face on her lips. Why not start another revolution again where females can use and do whatever they want, just like men do?