The 28th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations with Glintland
Truth be told, had it not been for Queen Mildred, Glintland would have been a weak, insignificant nation barely on the radar of the people of Ivanes. It was a poor country, and though its territory was vast, the land was largely useless. Indeed, diplomatic relations between the two nations had only begun with Queen Mildred's marriage. Even those who knew nothing of diplomacy could easily guess that Glintland was of little to no benefit to Ivanes.
Yet, a remarkably large crowd had gathered for today's banquet. This was because absolutely everyone knew the King had ordered the Grand Duchess to organize the event solely to humiliate her.
"How beautiful!"
"A summer banquet. How romantic."
Despite their polite words, the eyes of the invited guests gleamed with a vulgar, malicious curiosity. It was no exaggeration to say that the Grand Ducal couple was currently the most entertaining topic of gossip in high society.
Immediately after their wedding, the couple had secluded themselves, inviting no one. While everyone whispered that their love was nothing but a sham, rumors had simultaneously spread that the two had been spotted holding hands and embracing in the Royal Castle Garden. On top of that, there was a rumor that the Grand Duchess had a lover before her marriage, and that the matriarch of his family had taken to her bed in shock.
"I heard His Majesty sent Madame Brun, the Palace Affairs Director, to the Grand Duchess?"
"Oh my, that formidable woman... What incredible luck for the Grand Duchess."
"Is it really luck, I wonder?"
Low chuckles rippled through the crowd. In truth, whenever anyone asked the palace servants about Madame Brun's recent mood, they feigned absolute ignorance. Yet, even this silence was interpreted by some as proof that Madame Brun had thoroughly humiliated the Grand Duchess behind closed doors, and that the staff had been ordered to keep quiet.
"Still, I must admit I'm a bit disappointed."
"Why is that?"
"Well, the banquet actually looks quite decent. Oh dear, should I not have said I was disappointed?"
Giggles erupted, but the words exchanged beneath the laughter were as sharp as blades.
"It's all thanks to the Eleonora Society, of course. Say what you will about His Majesty, but he is merciful."
"He wanted to prevent her from making an absolute fool of herself, at least."
Of course, none of the people speaking actually believed the King had acted out of consideration for the Grand Duchess. Everyone knew the King possessed no such virtue. They only spoke that way because it was entertaining.
"Oh, look. Speak of the devil..."
Someone gestured with their chin toward the entrance of the banquet hall, which connected to the garden. All eyes turned in that direction. The Grand Duke and Duchess of Berk were just stepping inside from the garden.
"I hope you have been well, Grand Duke."
"What a surprise to see Your Grace in a place like this!"
The Grand Duke offered brief, polite acknowledgments to the greetings, his expression wearing its usual look of mild boredom. However, his hand escorting the Grand Duchess at his side was surprisingly gentle. Well, unless he was an absolute fool, he wouldn't publicly snub his wife at their first social appearance since the wedding—not like he had done to a certain young lady a long time ago.
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I have been eager to greet you since the wedding!"
"You look absolutely stunning today!"
Dressed in a highly fashionable gown, the Grand Duchess was quite presentable. No, that wasn't quite right. The onlookers actually felt a pang of pity for the new Grand Duchess. Standing on her own, Chloe Le David Berk would have cut an incredibly striking figure. Any woman with even a passing interest in fashion and grooming could instinctively sense it.
Her tall stature, sharp and distinct features, elegant collarbones, and straight shoulders—every physical attribute she possessed was highly enviable. The only problem was the man standing beside her. Next to the dazzling, breathtakingly handsome Grand Duke, even the most beautiful lady in the world would struggle to hear anything more than "she looks decent enough."
'Is that why she wore a military uniform at the wedding...?'
The guests continued to steal glances at the couple. But regardless of their idle chatter, they could only gossip freely until the King arrived.
"What do you think?"
Amidst the crowd, the Grand Duchess—Chloe—whispered softly. She was, of course, addressing the Grand Duke beside her. Curtis replied nonchalantly.
"I think you look hungry."
"...But there is plenty of food here?"
"I was talking about you."
Chloe's face flushed with embarrassment. In her hands, she held a small glass of fruit wine she had picked up upon entering from the garden, along with a piece of pickled fruit skewered on the end of a small fork. They were light refreshments prepared for the guests. Under the pretext of doing a final inspection and greeting people before the banquet officially began, she had been wandering the hall—and this was already her fifth piece. Wrinkling her nose, Chloe offered an excuse.
"I haven't eaten a single thing since this morning."
"So it seems. For someone supposedly tasting the food to ensure it's fit for a banquet, you've been eating quite a lot."
"I don't recall 'starving' being listed among the duties of the Grand Duchess."
It was her honest feeling. When Curtis silently raised an eyebrow, Chloe lifted the small fork with the pickled fruit and drew a tiny circle in the air in front of him, as if staging a mini-protest.
"Listen closely, my proud husband, who has done nothing but stare at me when I asked how the banquet looked."
Her words were highly calculated, spoken loudly enough for others to overhear. Curtis's eyes narrowed.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't marry you hoping for an easier life, but I never expected my expectations to be shattered like this."
"Shattered how?"
"My overtime hours have doubled, yet I keep skipping meals."
Someone eavesdropping nearby cleared their throat with a quiet cough. But Chloe was relentless. She turned her head and spoke in a clear, ringing voice for all to hear.
"Everyone, listen to this. You all know how harshly the Grand Duke worked me, right? I hear the rumors have spread far and wide."
"Ahaha, well... since His Majesty brought it up, the Royal Guard logs were published in the newspapers, after all."
As the crowd's attention focused on them, a noblewoman from the Eleonora Society who was accompanying them cautiously chimed in. Chloe shrugged.
"The Royal Guard did have one saving grace: the meals were served regularly. But now that I've become the Grand Duchess, I don't even have time to eat! Isn't that just terrible?"
A wave of laughter swept through the crowd. Chloe offered them a warm, gentle smile and bowed her head.
"If not for the ladies of the Eleonora Society, I would have been in quite a bind. I believe this will be a wonderful banquet. Though I should probably save my gratitude for the end, looking around the hall now fills me with such joy and appreciation. This is truly a blessing from the great dragon Ivanneres and Grand Asad, the creator of all things."
It was an incredibly smooth display of social grace. She had managed to flaunt her intimacy with the Grand Duke, avoid drawing attention to her humble origins, and gracefully express her gratitude to the Eleonora Society all at once. While offering thanks before the banquet had even officially begun was slightly unconventional, it was easily excused as the innocent excitement of a novice Grand Duchess successfully hosting her very first event. The guests exchanged subtle glances but accepted her greeting warmly.
"Think nothing of it."
"We, too, are delighted to have grown closer to Your Highness."
Pleasantries were exchanged. Seizing the opportunity, the guests who had been personally invited by the Grand Duchess stepped forward to greet her.
"We are deeply grateful for this honorable invitation."
A few welcome faces caught her eye—namely, Lady Basilure and her sibling, Camille. Lady Basilure beamed, offering effusive praise for the necklace Chloe was wearing.
"Ah, it's the morganite you purchased the other day! Seeing it like this, the color is exceptionally rich. It matches Your Highness's eyes perfectly! My eye for these things never fails! It suits you beautifully!"
"Oh."
"A morganite of such deep pink is incredibly rare. Even foreign royalty coveted this piece but couldn't afford it because of the price. As expected, the Grand Duke's generosity is truly in a league of its own!"
Drawn by Lady Basilure's loud enthusiasm, other guests began to steal glances before approaching to pay their respects one by one. While Chloe was grateful for the jeweler's helpful chatter, the sheer awkwardness of it all made her lips twitch. She had been smiling for so long that she desperately wanted to rub her aching cheeks.
"I wasn't trying to scold you for eating too much," Curtis whispered softly under his breath in the middle of the endless stream of greetings.
Chloe swallowed her pickled fruit with a deadpan expression and replied, "Well, I was definitely insulting you."
The Grand Duke opened his mouth to retort, but at that exact moment, the doors leading to the highest dais of the banquet hall swung open. It was the King.
"His Majesty the King is entering!"