ITD

CHAPTER LV

It seemed like a passionate newlywed life was about to begin, but the reality was a bit different.

Richard, busy sharing the responsibilities of the empire with the Emperor, was occupied with handling the backlog of work he had postponed. Meanwhile, Courtney was overwhelmed just by familiarizing herself with the Imperial Palace and learning its systems.

Still, Richard made an effort. He found ways to visit Courtney whenever he could. The problem was, each time he went to see her, she wasn’t there. He was reluctant to barge into her bedroom in the middle of the night—after all, he had some sense of propriety. Her body likely hadn’t fully recovered, and besides, he didn’t want to seem like the kind of man who only sought her out for “those” purposes.

Three days passed as he nursed his frustrated heart. While Richard was desperately trying to find time to be with her, Courtney’s focus was elsewhere.

She was seated in the unfamiliar office, seeking advice from Viscountess Berricker, the chief lady-in-waiting.

“Hmm…”

Madam Berricker was carefully considering her response to the Crown Princess’s concern. Courtney, meanwhile, was staring seriously at the empty desk. Though the grand office had been set up, the desk and bookshelves were all completely empty.

With no Empress in the imperial family, Courtney was now expected to oversee the household. However, no one had explained to her what exactly she was supposed to do here. As a result, she had no idea where to start. The servants were in the same boat. The absence of an Empress had become the norm over the years, and everyone had grown accustomed to the palace running without a mistress.

After much thought, Madam Berricker finally spoke.

“First, we should appoint some people.”

“Pardon? What kind of people…?”

“There are plenty of attendants to serve Your Highness, but you should fill your immediate circle with people of your choosing, those loyal to the Crown Princess.”

“Ah…”

Madam Berricker’s suggestion made sense. Currently, all the attendants assigned to the Crown Princess were originally loyal to Richard. While they were trustworthy, that alone wasn’t enough.

Only Madam Berricker herself and Hansen, who’d been attending to her since she was at the Devon estate, could carry out Courtney’s most personal orders at the moment.

Courtney understood the deeper meaning behind Madam Berricker’s advice. Running even a common household was no easy task, let alone managing the imperial palace. It was necessary to establish her own inner circle.

Unfortunately, Courtney lacked the social skills and connections needed for such a task, as she had never been involved in social activities before.

“I understand, but…”

Courtney hesitated, embarrassed. If she didn’t address the issue now, it could lead to bigger problems later.

Biting her lip, she spoke up again.

“I don’t really have any close connections with noble families, so I don’t know where to begin…”

While Courtney was embarrassed, Madam Berricker remained unfazed. She knew enough about the Devon family not to be surprised, and regardless of Courtney’s background, she was now the Crown Princess, chosen by the Crown Prince himself. It was Madam Berricker’s job to assist her fully, no matter who she was.

“Hosting a tea party might be a good way to start, but it would be hard to properly assess people in that setting. Invitations will start pouring in soon, so perhaps we should wait and see.”

Courtney nodded slightly.

Fortunately, Madam Berricker was a highly competent and dedicated person. She brought out a copy of the noble register and explained the background and characteristics of each family in detail. If only Madam Berricker wasn’t so stiff in her demeanor, she would be an almost perfect companion.

Another half-day passed, and this time, Hansen returned to the office.

“Your Highness, I’ve brought everything you requested.”

“Thank you.”

Though Courtney still felt awkward around him, Hansen greeted her with a warm smile as he laid out the books he had brought.

“These are the diaries kept by the Empress from the era of the second emperor. She was once called the second sun of the Empire, so there’s quite a large volume. And this here…”

The books Hansen placed on Courtney’s desk varied from relatively recent ones to very old volumes that seemed centuries old. Some were diaries, while others were ledgers, but they were all records left by the women who had previously held the position of Empress.

With a resolute expression, Courtney nodded. With no one to guide her directly, she planned to follow the traces of the past, one by one.

The very next day, Courtney’s dilemma was unexpectedly solved in an unlikely place and by an unlikely person.

In the reception room of the imperial palace, the Emperor sat with an inscrutable smile on his face.

“So, have you settled into life at the palace comfortably?”

“Yes, thanks to your care…”

Courtney responded politely, maintaining an outward appearance of calm, though her mind was racing.

When the chief attendant  had informed her that the Emperor had summoned her, she had naturally assumed Richard would be present as well. But it turned out she had been summoned alone. A private audience with the Emperor? Though they were now family, it was still an incredibly daunting situation.

The Emperor continued speaking with a hearty laugh.

“I’ll make sure to pay more attention to you, Crown Princess, especially with the imperial heir on the way.”

“Pardon…?”

Courtney replied in a bewildered voice, then quickly bowed her head, realizing her response might be seen as impolite. An heir? They had only just gotten married! It seemed far too early to be talking about such things.

But the Emperor had far outpaced her thoughts. With joy in his voice, he continued his words of blessing.

“There is no shame in conceiving before the wedding. If the mother frets, won’t the child in her belly be upset too?”

“E-Ehh…?”