A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 7

One week later.

A grand tea party was being held in the palace garden, close to the Crown Princess’s office.

Inside the tent prepared for arranging tea sets and sweets, Lidoria was pouring hot water into teapots alongside the maids.

“All the participants have now arrived.”

With a swish, the door curtain opened, and Amanda, another of the Crown Princess’s ladies-in-waiting, entered.

“Good. Then we’ll begin right on schedule.”

Lidoria’s face relaxed into a smile. The maids also showed relieved expressions, wiping the sweat from their brows with handkerchiefs.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess is currently greeting the attendees. We should serve the tea shortly.”

As Amanda spoke, the maids began placing teapots and cups on silver trays as if putting on the final touches.

“There are more participants than I expected.”

Surveying the maids moving busily yet with disciplined efficiency, Lidoria let out a soft sigh.

“Well, the Crown Prince’s ‘Hounds’ are all coming at once, aren’t they? Of course, unmarried young ladies would flock here for that.”

Amanda snorted dismissively.

(So that’s how it is.)

I don’t have parents. But it seems parents with daughters of marriageable age have sharp ears.

‘The lady-in-waiting the Crown Princess values highly got engaged. Apparently the ‘Hounds’ will be attending the tea party being held partly to celebrate this.’

That rumor spread through high society in the blink of an eye.

When you speak of the Crown Prince’s ‘Hounds,’ you’re talking about the elite among the elite of the Royal Guards.

Regular Royal Guards might get transferred within the palace organization, but the ‘Hounds’ are different.

They spend their entire lives with the Crown Prince.

Of course, this relationship doesn’t change even when the Crown Prince becomes King.

They’re a group of young men who would make perfect sons-in-law, but they rarely show themselves as they’re usually carrying out top-secret missions. Even when they’re present in high society, they don’t appear at soirées, balls, let alone tea parties.

And now they’re all gathering together.

It’s understandable why parents with daughters of marriageable age would get excited.

Due to the situation with Princess Melissa, nobles who avoided contacting the Crown Princess directly instead swarmed the Crown Prince’s associates.

Couldn’t you somehow get our daughter invited to the tea party, perhaps through His Highness the Crown Prince’s invitation?

The civil officials and chamberlains handled such requests impassively, and after investigating the ‘Hounds’ and conducting strict screening, nearly twenty young ladies were now at the tea party.

“Come to think of it, if they’re unmarried young ladies, they might indeed be more suitable for Her Highness the Crown Princess in the future.”

Lidoria, who was helping place tea sets on the wagon, looked up at Amanda’s voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, married noblewomen are all either followers of Her Majesty the Queen or Princess Melissa. Trying to win over people like that would be impossible. Don’t you think it’s better to tame underage girls nobody has laid claim to yet?”

“I think it’s a good idea, but your wording is somewhat problematic.”

“I just want to dye them in the Crown Princess’s colors.”

“That’s it exactly.”

“Because Her Highness the Crown Princess is such a good person.”

Though older than Lidoria and married, she pouted like a child.

“She endures Princess Melissa’s bullying, and from Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty too. She never complains once to His Highness the Crown Prince either. And she’s so kind to us, isn’t she? Yet she’s always alone.”

Hmph, she snorted roughly and crossed her arms.

“For Her Highness the Crown Princess’s sake, we’ll use young men as bait to catch young women, Lidoria. And build a major faction.”

“Your wording needs work, but of course, Amanda. Everything for Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Everything for Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

As they looked at each other and nodded firmly, the maids called out, “We’re ready.”

“Then let’s go.”

Amanda opened the door curtain wide.

Maids pushing wagons or carrying silver trays briskly headed out into the garden.

Lidoria also stepped outside, squinting her eyes.

It was perfectly clear.

The cloudless sky was filled with the characteristically transparent sunlight of this season, and numerous white parasols were spread across the garden.

Beneath them stood tables covered with cloths, where several young men and women were seated.

“Speaking of which, congratulations on your engagement, Lidoria.”

Amanda congratulated her with a smile. Lidoria shrugged.

“But I’m not getting married yet.”

“That’s fine. There’s no need to rush. Oh? Speak of the devil.”

Following Amanda’s gaze, she saw a tall man quickly approaching them.

It was Alex.

“Where have you been?”

Those were his first words. She was used to his expressionless face, but she still resisted that low voice. It made her feel like she was being severely scolded, which inexplicably made her angry.

“Where have I been? I was performing my duties as a lady-in-waiting.”

When she glanced toward the maids pushing the silver wagons forward, he clicked his tongue.

“There have been too many requests regarding seating arrangements. Please help out too, my lady.”

“Seating arrangements?”

What’s that about? she and Amanda exchanged looks.

“Seating arrangements… They were decided from the start, weren’t they?”

Lidoria said. Amanda also nodded vigorously.

“We confirmed everyone was seated before Her Highness the Crown Princess began her speech.”

Actually, Amanda had been in charge of reception.

She checked the participant list and explained they should sit in the seats marked on their name cards. The seating considered rank and age, and the Crown Princess should have approved it.

“The moment that speech ended, the women started saying things like ‘I want to sit near that green-eyed man over there’ or ‘Not this seat, I want that one instead’.”

Alex spoke with such intensity he seemed about to tear his hair out.

“Why don’t you just tell them no?”

Lidoria said, exasperated.

If you listened to that sort of thing, it would never end.

“And it’s not just the women – our squad members started saying things too! ‘Vice Captain, can I move over there?’ or ‘Huh, but there are no women at this table!'”

Alex occasionally added imitations and gestures as he explained, but since they came without facial expressions or voice changes, it created an eerily terrifying effect.

Anyway, he seemed angry.

“Never mind the women, what’s with our squad members? Starting tomorrow, I’m increasing their duties and training. They’re too energetic, getting excited over women and becoming restless.”

“It’s not just your squad members – the young ladies are bolder than I imagined too. This tea party looks like a hunting ground to them.”

Amanda said.

I see, Lidoria thought deeply.

She had thought she remained unmarried until now due to family circumstances, but that wasn’t it.

It was gumption.

Better prey go after their targets themselves. She lacked that spirit. The prince on a white horse wouldn’t come no matter how long she waited. Not unless she went out to capture him.

Just as Lidoria gained this new realization, she saw the maids all returning from the venue simultaneously.

“What’s wrong?”

Their trays and wagons still had tea sets on them. There was no sign they had been served.

“Well… everyone isn’t sitting in their seats.”

“A few people are seated, but could you tell us how we should serve?”

The maids were also perplexed.

“This is bad. If Her Highness the Crown Princess’s tea party becomes like this.”

Amanda’s words brought her back to her senses. That’s right. This is the Crown Princess’s tea party.

If it turns into a lawless zone for fiancé hunting, who knows what Princess Melissa would say.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess’s speech is finished, right?”

When Lidoria confirmed, Amanda and Alex nodded simultaneously.

“Then let’s stop with the formalities and change it to a picnic style. How about laying out several blankets in the garden and letting people sit wherever they like? Those who want to sit in chairs can do so, and those who want to sit on blankets with people they like can choose that option.”

“What about the tea and sweets?”

Amanda asked, and the maids turned serious eyes toward her.

“Let’s make it buffet style. We’ll quickly prepare a tea and sweets serving area in one corner of the venue. How about having the men invite the women they like to come get them together?”

Lidoria turned to face Alex.

“I’ll go explain to Her Highness the Crown Princess and get her approval now. Lord Alex, could you thoroughly inform your squad members? Tell them to escort the young ladies they like to get tea and sweets, then move to wherever they prefer.”

“Understood.”

Alex turned on his heel.

“Amanda, sorry but please work with the maids to prepare the buffet and create the picnic-style atmosphere. I’ll help too once I get permission from Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Understood!”

Amanda and the maids nodded deeply. Confirming this, Lidoria firmly grabbed the skirt of her dress. Then she energetically ran off toward the Crown Princess.