A NEW FRIEND

"I see... What a thoughtful gift from the Emperor." The Empress made a remark, smiling the embarrassment away as she still didn't invite Felicia to sit down. Everyone seemed to notice how the Empress gave off the vibe that she didn't like the young woman. 

"You may sit with us." The Empress finally let her sit down, however, the only available chair was the farthest from the group, surely this was planned to exclude her from their party.

Seeing this as an indicator that she doesn't want her at all, she bowed her head and followed the Empress' command, sitting at the last chair while minding her own business. Some snickered and gave her glances, especially Helena who seemed to be mocking her with her blue eyes. 

Tsk, just because she's favoured she's looking down at her. 

"Dear you, Saintess. You look so beautiful. It's as if the peonies from the fields are floating around you." The nobles started to compliment Helena, making Helena smile shyly at the showered compliments from them.

"Of course, my niece is blessed by the Goddess because of her beauty. Her beauty should match the highest position." The Empress commented looking spitefully at Felicia who remained calm while drinking her tea.

So this is the agenda of their tea party, to throw some shades at her. To give a boost to Helena for her image after she wrecked the night. She smiled as she sipped her tea, how low can the Empress step in just for her?

It's making her somewhat proud. An Empress lowering herself in standards? That's something out of the ordinary. "But lady Felicia, your dress really captivated everyone's eyes. Where did you buy it?" A noble lady asked an innocent child who earned people's scornful gaze after she decided to talk to her. 

"Ah?" Felicia looked. "The dress? I bought it from an old friend of mine, the Viscountess Rajeh. Her boutique is located in the capital. Quite exotic for the taste but honestly, it's very beautiful." Felicia answered, smiling at the girl who admired her. 

"But to think you wore a dress that does not resonate with valuing pureness. It is quite... Too flashy." One of the noble women commented, using her fan to hide the smile on her lips. 

'Too flashy? That wasn't even flashy compared to what everyone has worn.'She thought to herself as she sighed. These nobles think that they should stick to what the Empress wears.

Times changed. 

"I don't think that the lady wore something flashy. You could say Madame Parr that it was absolutely fresh in the eyes but not flashy. It's beautiful." Another girl commented, looking at Felicia with a smile. 

She was gentle, her brown hair and hazel eyes suited her pale skin. 

"Right! I think it's only right for a new wave of fashion to arrive at this time." Someone added, boosting Felicia's image that made her stand out despite the Empress planning to exclude her from this event. 

"I shall visit the boutique too and recommend this Viscountess that you are talking about. I can't believe a woman has made a dress." Another Madame said with such enthusiasm, bringing forth the topic of her dress. 

Seeing how the situation had turned to her favour, she eyed the Empress who was gripping her teacup, her face looking like a crumpled paper while Helena's expression twitched, didn't want this to happen at all. 

"Can a woman really create a dress?" Helena replied, hoping to create a loophole but the noblewomen looked at her, frowning upon what she had just said. Even the Empress didn't like what she said, looking at Helena as if she made a grave mistake. 

"What's the matter? Aren't women supposed to be housewives —"

"I beg to disagree, your Holiness. But some women do work. Who do you think works with the dresses that you are wearing? Do you think those men who monopolize the fashion industry do them? No, they require a female worker to do the sewing. Have you not learned that?" The same woman who helped her earlier spoke, making Felicia look at her. 

What's with her helping her? Does she need something from her?

"I-I..." Before Helena could even form a word, everyone disagreed with her but those who were on the Empress side kept their mouth shut and didn't want to say anything that could lead to the Empress' wrath. 

Her remark was very offending and yet the nobility tolerated this. It must be because of the Empress' wide influence that people didn't say something about it. Or it could be because of her necklace once more that is starting to glow in an awful colour. 

However, this time, Felicia felt nothing at all. Unlike what she felt last night that made her weak, it wasn't weakening her compared to today's effect. 

"How could you say those words to the Saintess? She clearly knows that. Is it just a woman running a business? Isn't that a taboo? Women like us need to stay as housewives. We are not meant for businesses." A person from the Empress's side, mentioned.

Oh dear, so it does create the ability to hypnotize someone. Yet why didn't she feel weak because of Helena using her ability? She could feel the back of her hair standing out due to an ominous feeling but no, it didn't have what she felt last night. 

"So are you belittling women?" Felicia asked, smiling at the woman who said those words. "Dear me, so in short you are belittling the Empress," Felicia added, looking at the Empress who then sighed, massaging her temples.

Perhaps she had thought that it was a bad idea for her to invite Felicia. 

"What? I didn't say that! What I meant was—"

"No, you definitely said that. Women do not belong in the business world but have you heard about the Empress' jobs? It's managing the internal affairs of the kingdom, isn't that a business already? What a pity." Felicia added, shaking her head lightly as the woman went pale after she cut her off. 

"Everyone." The Empress called, making them look at her. "Please, this is a time for us to spend the day socializing." The Empress reminded them, looking at Felicia right in her eyes, giving her a cold stare. 

"Let us not fight, shall we?" She instigated then smiled. But her smile was so fake, she could see the ends of her lips quivering in anger. Or she could be wrong about it. 

As soon as everyone calmed down, the Tea party started once again, overshadowing Helena who was in the corner while the noble ladies started to talk towards Felicia, inquiring about her dress and basically talking about the whole ordeal of what happened last night.

They shouldn't have really opened the topic, now look at them, and exclude them from the talk since they can't relate.

—

As soon as the Tea Party ended up in Felicia's favour, those who were on Helena's side left the party glaring at her, some even tried to spit their saliva at her if not for the knights behind her. 

"Milady." Someone called, making Felicia look behind and saw the brown-haired girl approaching her, smiling elegantly as she pranced herself. If it isn't the girl who kept Helena's mouth shut. 

"I am Cordelia Leopold, daughter of Count Leopold." The woman introduced herself, bowing her head. "I actually wanted to talk to you last night after seeing your dress. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it." The woman said as she then straightened her back after giving her greetings to Felicia. 

"I was enamoured with how flawlessly you delivered the dress. A lot of noble ladies actually wanted to ask you where you bought the dress. It was also unexpected for me to see you here." She added, smiling widely at Felicia who was quite taken aback because of the girl's radiating energy. 

Which reminded her of a golden retriever's energy. Shining with radiating happiness and innocence. She smiled, seems that another friend had landed on her position, an ally in the making. 

"I see, I'm glad that you are invested in my friend's work. She hand-stitched the dress into such a magnificent attribute so I hope you'll give her a chance. After all, all her creations are nothing but eye-catching pieces." Felicia answered, returning back the energy that Cordelia showed her. 

Cordelia gasped, how beautiful is the person in front of her? And to think that she and her fiancee are close to each other. She had seen the two dancing in front but she didn't think anything about it since it's well known that the two had just created friendship. 

"Would it be possible to uhm... Invite you to my gathering, Lady Felicia? I would love your presence present in my future tea parties. I hope you won't mind." Cordelia asked shyly at her, making Felicia let out a chuckle. 

"If you don't mind my presence then I'll accept it," Felicia replied, making Cordelia's smile turn into a big grin. She really looks like a dog right now. Too much energy is making her drain even more. 

"Then, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'll see you soon again, Lady Felicia." Cordelia bid her goodbye as she then walked away happily, leaving Felicia standing there, watching the lady's back with a smile.