Chapter 141: Live to Sienna Pt.141
“There have been too many replacements of the knights.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? Since then, the skills of the imperial knights soared.”
“It’s good in terms of improving the skills of the drivers. But the new knights are not suitable for the banquets, even though they have high combat capabilities.”
The Knights of the Imperial Household were a group to protect the imperial palace and its figures, but they also served as a face representing the imperial family externally. So they were also called the flower of the imperial family. Because they played a major role in external imperial events.
In order to do so, they needed to know the rules of etiquette and to look nice externally. Because of this, in the past, when selecting the Knights of the Imperial Household, they put appearance before force.
Sienna wasn’t taking issue with their looks. The problem was that fewer knights had experience guarding the banquet. This meant that not many of the knights knew the court etiquette. As a result, she didn’t know how to deploy them.
“First of all, we are focusing on those who have worked in the imperial family and have attended the banquet before, but we are far short of people than we thought. I didn’t know that so many knights were needed for the imperial banquet.”
“It must be because a large number of nobles, as well as imperial figures, are coming.”
“I know. I have to pay attention because I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to be frustrated because there aren’t any people I can use.”
“Hmm…”
With Sienna’s worries, Carl struggled together.
“First of all, I’ll recommend experienced figures. And we don’t have to rule it out first because it’s a new group of knights. People who are to be placed inside the banquet hall should consider this and that, but those who are to be placed outside the banquet hall only need to have the basics. You don’t have to put all the knights on the face.”
“That’s true.”
“Don’t worry too much, I’ll have the entire fleet conduct etiquette training.”
At Carl’s words, Sienna smiled brightly. She was relieved to hear him.
“Thanks to you, I’m relieved.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Is there any problem other than that?”
“I think it’ll work somehow. How did it go with the invitation for outsiders to come to the wedding with Lady Ferrer?”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. As soon as I gave her permission to get married, she prepared for it.”
Sienna nodded. It was the Ferrers who cared more about this marriage than themselves. If she hadn’t come forward to prepare for the wedding herself, much would have been covered by the Ferrer family.
In the past, even though Sienna was not involved, Bluebell’s wedding was more spectacular than any other weddings. It has been talked about for quite some time.
With the claims of the Ferrer family and the permission of Carl, the wedding was also specially organized. Considering the situation, which was only a few years after the grain shortage, and not long after Carl became the emperor, it was too luxurious.
“It’s going to be a really pretty wedding. I also prepared a dress that goes well with Lady Ferrer. Besides, the weather will get warmer by then, so you can decorate the wedding hall with real flowers. Don’t you think it’s pretty good to have a ceremony with petals flying?”
Sienna was speaking with excitement in the preparation of the ceremony as if it was her own business. Carl then asked Sienna.
“Have you ever met Bluebell?”
“She’s been here before. Lady Ferrer is so…she’s as pure as a child.”
At Sienna’s words, Carl looked troubled.
“Bluebell said something strange. That you allowed me to participate in the coming-of-age banquet as a partner for Bluebell.”
She didn’t allow it, she was notified. Sienna just turned away and said, “I’ve heard from Lady Ferrer that you’re going to attend the coming-of-age ceremony with her.”
At Sienna’s answer, Carl squinted his eyes. He didn’t like it when the two women conceded him like a thing.
Carl debated if he should show his anger but he decided to keep his mouth shut. Even if he gets angry over such a thing, she will react like it is nothing.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“I don’t have much thoughts. I just want you to be happy.”
“Bluebell says she’s going to marry me, but she’s not the empress yet at the coming-of-age ceremony. So shouldn’t you come in with me?”
He wasn’t wrong. In fact, it was also what Sienna dreamed of and hoped for. But she hid her expression unanswered. Looking at her, Carl looked uncomfortable.
*
She told Carl it was all right, but it wasn’t really all right. Sienna was set to go to the coming-of-age banquet but couldn’t leave the room.
While preparing for the banquet for a month, she comforted herself over and over again that it would be okay, but it didn’t work. Sienna looked in the mirror with a gloomy face. Hain hastened her to go already.
“You’re not going? It’s the first banquet hosted by the Empress. You’re beautiful enough today, so come on.”
“Don’t you think this hair wave is loose here?”
Sienna was dragging her feet by blaming her head for no reason. She really didn’t want to go. There, she wasn’t confident of watching Carl and Bluebell come in hand in hand.
“I’ve done enough already. If I do more, the hair will burn and break. So come on. You will be late for the banquet.”
Sienna was forced to rise to the hastening of Hain. She left the palace with a face of no pleasure. Even though she had not even entered the banquet hall yet, this time felt very difficult.
Entering the banquet hall, many women pretended to know her and spoke to Sienna. It seems that aristocratic women were excluded from political affairs, but they have done a lot.
Wives played a major role in consolidating the husband’s political base. They quickly smelled the power and moved.
The most important thing in getting information in society was banquets. Since powerful aristocrats gather, the banquet was good for getting information flowing out of their mouths, identifying new figures, and seeing how the power was leaning at a glance.
However, a banquet hosted by the imperial family has not been held for a while. There was a reason for political stability, a bad year for harvest, and a post-war process, but it must have been frustrating for the aristocrats to wait, especially those in power, who had to line up quickly.
Same for the aristocratic wives. Of course, the aristocratic women were continuing their relationship with each other by holding banquets at home, but it was incomparable to the imperial banquets.
They were interested in Sienna.
Sienna had never been known to people until she became the Crown Princess. The only information about her was that she was the Duchess of Waters. However, nothing was known about the Waters family because they were far from the capital and did not come to the capital.
It was only natural that everyone’s attention was poured upon her, as the secret duchess became the empress only a few years after becoming a princess.
Sienna greeted the approaching wives with a welcome face.
She knew why they were coming to her, but she didn’t have to necessarily reject them. They could take what each other needed, be courteous, and keep the distance.
“I heard it was your first banquet, and you decorated it very beautifully.”
“Where did you get the band in charge of music at today’s banquet? It’s a band I’ve never seen before, but it’s very good.”
They praised Sienna for the banquet she had prepared alone. Sienna smiled, not hiding that she was in a good mood.
In the past, when holding a banquet, there was no one to help, so it had to go through countless trials and errors. Arya said she would help, but she didn’t help at all. She just said she would take care of it, saying, “If it’s hard, hand it over to me.” Maybe she wanted Sienna to give up and leave everything to her.
Having no other traits but resilience, Sienna said she would try to solve it all by herself somehow, but she had to be laughed at for her rustic taste.
The banquet could not be held only by the taste and eye of the host. The people needed for the banquet had to be selected well, and the help of the competent merchant was also needed. Fortunately, with the help of the Green Merchants, which was now run by Kelly, they were able to prepare the banquet more easily.
In the past, even after getting quite used to holding banquets, women used to talk bad about Sienna. It was not until later she realized that Arya strongly influenced the criticisms on the banquet hosted by Sienna. She tried to isolate Sienna thoroughly and manipulate her.
Arya was seen over the shoulders of the group talking to Sienna. Few people stayed by her side now.
The people in the capital who filled the banquet hall were those who knew the movement of power faster than anyone else. Depine Panacio, Arya’s brother, was disqualified as the Marquis and retired from the capital as Count, while her son Valore, who was emperor, died and then Carl, whom she had been in bad relations with, became emperor.
There was a rumor that she’s reached out to the Ferrers, but that’s why even the hyenas among the aristocrats left her. It was because they realized how far Arya had fallen to the bottom when she reached out to the family that was hostile to her.
Sienna felt both victory and bitterness to see Arya like that. This was because she was never happy to be around people who moved whenever power moved around. They were the ones who would soon turn their backs.
Arya, whose eyes met Sienna, came to where she was. Then the crowd surrounding Sienna split up and gave way. Arya greeted those who were beside Sienna with a cold smile.
“It’s been a long time, Countess Laurent. I heard that your daughter had a coming-of-age ceremony recently. If she looked anything like her father, it must’ve been a show.”
She called out names one by one to the members of the group beside Sienna and made a mockery of them under the pretext of greeting. The expressions of the aristocratic wives there were full of displeasure.
Arya greeted the ladies of the nobility one by one, but she did not greet Sienna. Sienna watched her quietly, without scolding. She was tired today and didn’t want to have a war of nerves with her.
After all, Arya greeted Sienna only after talking to everyone there.
“Oh, my. I’m late. Your Highness the First Empress, honor to see you.”
Sienna nodded her head with a stiff face and was greeted. Although Sienna was still the only empress, it was unpleasant to have the word “First Empress.” The eyes of several women who noticed the meaning of the word “First Empress” became thinner.