The Rules of Friendship
Chloe extended her hand for a handshake. Even after hearing Chloe's words, Theodora shook it without a single trace of a smile.
“I, too, received a request from His Grace through my brother to look after Your Highness.”
“Ah, I see he has caused you unnecessary trouble.”
At those words, Theodora smoothly changed the subject without further comment.
“It is still a bit early, but as we could not keep the Grand Duchess waiting, everyone has gathered ahead of schedule. Shall we open the meeting?”
“Ah.”
Chloe scanned the four round tables nearby. Before she knew it, the women had already taken their seats. The expressions directed at Chloe were highly diverse.
As if they had seated themselves by cliques, those clustered together shared similar expressions. For instance, the very young ladies gathered around Agathe looked at her with overwhelmingly disgruntled faces. Meanwhile, the women seated at the table reserved for Chloe were mostly expressionless. Seeing that Chloe's seat was prepared there, they were likely high-ranking members of the Eleonora Society. And beyond them...
“Grand Duchess?”
“Ah.”
Chloe had suddenly spotted a welcome face and almost lost her train of thought.
“My apologies. This is my first time at such a gathering.”
“I was informed of that as well, so do not worry,” Theodora said, looking Chloe over once more.
For some reason, it felt as though she was being sized up from head to toe, leaving Chloe with a strange sensation. It was different from the way Agathe looked at her...
“Members of the Eleonora Society, as you all well know, the Grand Duchess of Berk has joined us today on our glorious path.”
A few women raised their hands to clap, but Theodora stopped them with a simple, light raise of her hand. The gesture was so disciplined and elegant that Chloe couldn't help but admire it inwardly.
She is a bit stiff, but perhaps she is just a strict person...
“Though the Marquise of Flandre is temporarily absent, under the watchful gaze of Ivanneres, we are deeply grateful to welcome a precious member of the royal house of Ivanes...”
Theodora conducted the opening of the Eleonora Society with absolute mastery. Guided by her, Chloe was able to exchange greetings as smoothly as flowing water, introduce herself, and explain the circumstances surrounding the upcoming banquet. To be precise, it was no exaggeration to say that Theodora practically carried her through it.
Thanks to her, receiving introductions to the members of the Eleonora Society was a breeze. Theodora introduced and explained every single person present to Chloe, detailing their names, where they served, or, if retired, what they currently did within the society and what families they belonged to.
“By any chance, Second Lieutenant Thornier, what is your role in the Eleonora Society...?”
“I serve as the general secretary.”
“I see.”
Whether she had become the general secretary because of her competence or became competent because she was the general secretary, she was an admirable woman either way. Furthermore, Theodora proactively brought up topics that might have caused resistance had they come from Chloe's own mouth.
“We should consider it an honor that His Majesty the King has chosen our Eleonora Society as the stepping stone for the Grand Duchess of Berk to successfully adapt to Ivanes high society.”
With her framing it that way, who could possibly object? Consequently, Chloe was able to discuss the division of labor so naturally that her initial anxieties felt entirely foolish.
Unlike the rigid posture everyone had maintained at the start, once the introductions were over, the conversation began to flow in a warm, amicable atmosphere. The palace servants serving tea and refreshments certainly helped break the ice.
“At a banquet, what the royal women must oversee is, after all, the decoration of the hall and...”
It was just as Theodora was continuing her explanation.
“May I join you for a moment, Grand Duchess Berk?”
Seeing the blonde woman approaching with smiling eyes, Chloe nearly jumped. It was the welcome face she had spotted earlier.
“Laura!”
Laura had been Chloe's classmate and peer in the navy. Having enlisted at the same time and served together, Laura had retired at the age of twenty-one to prepare for marriage. Since she had been a renowned beauty from the moment she joined the navy, finding an excellent match had taken no time at all.
“Have you been... well?”
“Fundamentally, the Grand Duchess is everyone's superior! Remember that you are royalty. In front of others, no matter who they are, you must show them respect. However, that does not mean you need to use excessively humble honorifics. A noble lady worthy of respect... Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”
Recalling Madame Brun's advice, Chloe quickly adjusted her tone. An astonished reply came back immediately.
“I have been very well, Your Highness. I was so surprised when I heard the news! Do you still remember me?”
Her sparkling green eyes were exactly as Chloe remembered. Chloe smiled brightly.
“How could I ever forget you?”
“But it has been such a long time...”
Despite her words, Laura sat down next to Chloe with a shy smile. In doing so, she naturally introduced herself to those around them, inevitably pushing Theodora to the side.
“I am Laura le Gautier.”
“I know. Of the House of Viscount Gautier. But it has been quite a while since we last saw you at the Eleonora Society,” Theodora noted.
“One moment. Let me explain to the Grand Duchess first,” Laura said, smoothly turning her body toward Chloe. Having married into the Gautier family, she had focused entirely on her duties as the lady of the house after retiring from the navy, but had recently joined the Eleonora Society. She claimed Viscount Gautier had encouraged it, saying it wasn't good for her to stay cooped up at home all the time.
“After having the children, I suppose I looked terribly bored to him. Even then, I've been too busy with our second child to attend lately, but when I heard Your Highness was coming today, I felt so nostalgic for my maiden days...”
“Is that so?”
When Chloe had first enlisted, not many of her peers had been close to her. This was because Chloe's response during her naval interview—stating that she liked the job because of the steady, reliable salary—had become a hot topic in many ways. While it was an obvious fact that most women who joined the navy did not come from wealthy backgrounds, no one else dared to state it so bluntly. Yet, Laura had been friendly to Chloe regardless.
“It is wonderful to meet you like this. Daring to cherish our past connection, may I still consider myself Your Highness's friend?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you, Chloe.”
Chloe blinked. She had not meant for Laura to drop honorifics, and she certainly had not intended for her to call her by her first name so boldly in front of everyone. Instantly, the other women nearby frowned, looking taken aback and displeased.
Her past conversation with Madame Brun flashed through her mind once more.
“Grand Duke Berk ordered me to be treated according to my military rank within the military. Does that apply to the Eleonora Society as well?”
“Tsk. You choose only the questions this old woman wishes to avoid.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means that if Your Highness had gone there ignorant and embarrassed yourself, His Majesty the King would have praised this old woman.”
“That is absurd...”
“In times like that, borrowing the name of the great dragon Ivanneres to deliver a casual sarcasm is the true conversational art of Ivanes royalty.”
“The great dragon Ivanneres would be utterly dumbfounded...”
“The Eleonora Society is, strictly speaking, a private social club. There, Your Highness is not Warrant Officer Berk, but the Grand Duchess.”
“Oh.”
“It is not 'Oh'! If someone treats Your Highness with disrespect, it is a challenge to the name of Berk and an insult to the royal family!”
“Oho.”
“Staring at this old woman like that is highly impolite!”
Having bickered for three days, it seemed they had developed a strange sort of affection. In any case, Madame Brun had given her a stern warning.
Of course, Laura hadn't called Chloe "Warrant Officer Berk." Had she done so, it would have been easier to handle, as Chloe could have corrected her directly. Instead, Laura had approached her under the guise of an old friend.
Chloe hesitated for a brief moment before speaking.
“Viscountess Gautier, I believe that the closer the friends, the more beautiful it is to maintain mutual respect.”
“...Oh my.”
Laura's face flushed bright red. Chloe quickly added to make it clear she wasn't trying to humiliate her former classmate.
“Furthermore, I am here today to build friendships and seek the assistance of everyone in the Eleonora Society. Surely, the ladies gathered here have come for the glory of Ivanes, not out of personal like or dislike for me.”
The expressions of the Eleonora Society members, which had been somewhat disapproving just moments ago, shifted. Chloe continued.
“Therefore, I believe it would be wrong of me to rely on personal friendship and favor to accomplish such an important task. I hope you will understand my position today.”
Setting aside the fact that the words were so cheesy she wanted to stick her hand down her throat and scratch it, she had successfully conveyed that she wasn't here to play favorites.
Georges had once jokingly referred to her as the "second-in-command," a crude term that nevertheless hit the nail on the head. In other words, Chloe was essentially the commander of this operation.
Had Chloe still been in the navy without a commission, she would have undoubtedly been flustered and clung to Laura's familiar words, committing the blunder of reconfirming their friendship in public. There was nothing wrong with confirming a friendship, but the setting was the problem.
She was someone who had served under Curtis Shan Berk. This meant she had witnessed firsthand the methods of a man who, though called a "madman," led his kingdom to victory with genius command.
The worst kind of commander in the military is a biased one. A fair but foolish commander is a million times better than a biased genius. The latter destroys morale and fractures the unit's cohesion, while the former unites everyone else together to compensate for the leader's incompetence.
“Ah... of course. I understand Your Highness's profound intentions. I was foolish.”
Fortunately, Laura quickly nodded. Whether she truly understood or not, she at least had the sense to realize that backing down gracefully was her best option in this setting.
“Even so, Your Highness, surely you understand my desire to help you out of our past friendship?”
“Of course. I look forward to your invaluable assistance.”
Chloe gently took Laura's hand once and let go. Laura looked as though she wanted to say more, but soon smiled brightly.