The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 116

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After a moment.

Surprised voices began to spring up one by one from the guests. 

“Was that too far, even for Lady Bennet?”

“I hear you. That was too rude of her.”

“It doesn’t matter if she knows the organizer, too hit a child….”

The guests standing nearby were reluctant to speak up. 

“Lady Bennet, what are you doing?!”

At the piercing shout, every person in earshot’s distance was wide-eyed. 

It was for good reason, as it was the first time Charlize has ever spoken with such ferocity. 

She took a step forward, her fists clenched. 

Seeing the blood-curling gaze, Lady Bennet involuntarily shrank back. 

‘W-What is this?’

The next moment, Lady Bennet put up a piqued expression. 

‘Now this…did I just get intimidated by that girl?!’

‘No way! I won’t have this!’ 

Lady Bennet gritted her teeth and raised her voice.

“Why are you looking daggers at me? Are you going to hit me?”

Instead of responding, Charlize glared at Lady Bennet with an icy gaze. 

A strange pressure emanated from her silent stare. 

Just as Lady Bennet said, I wanted to hit right then and there. 

However….

‘This is Sienna’s Tea Party.’

And didn’t Damian deal with the exact same problem and not let it get to him?

I can’t lose my sense of sound judgment if the Crown Prince had acted with consideration for this tea party. 

Closing her eyes briefly, Charlize opened them again. 

Lady Bennet pretended not to be discouraged and raised her voice. 

“If Lady Charlize starts a fight, it will disgrace the image of Viscountess Antes, the host of this tea party!”

“Well, to my eyes, it seems that Lady Bennet has already disgraced Viscountess Antes.”

“What did you say just now?!”

At Charlize’s composed reply, Lady Bennet’s face turned red.

In contrast, Charlize had cooled down and spoke rationally. 

“The children invited to this tea party are children whose parents had devoted themselves to the North.” 

“Look, Lady Charlize!”

“Because of their parents’ sacrifice, the people of the empire can live safely.” 

Charlize looked back at her children, pursing her lips at the same time. 

“Look at them…you really believe you’re in the right here?”

At that question, people’s eyes reflexively turned to the children.

“No…”

“She’s right.”

Gasps erupted spontaneously from people’s mouths.

The children were huddled together, their frightened faces apparent for everyone to see. 

“Viscountess Antes is someone who will become a great future Marquess of the North.”

“Well, who doesn’t know that?!”

“If you knew, shouldn’t you have comprehended how Viscountess Antes intended on mending the children’s aching hearts?” Charlize spoke sharply. 

“Besides, this tea party is not only attended by those children but also by Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and Her Majesty, the Empress.”

That’s right, both of her majesties are here!

Lady Bennet’s face went  white.

“Do you think it’s dignified of you to make a fuss about your status on the spot?”

“So incessant! Making something out of nothing!” 

“Lady Bennet.”

In an instant, a cold voice called Lady Bennet.

“Ah, Viscountess Antes?”

Lady Bennet raised her head with a brightened expression.

Sienna, who had arrived on the scene at some point, stood in the way between Charlize and Lady Bennet.

‘Viscountess Antes is a noble among nobles. Surely, she’ll take my side as a fellow aristocrat!’

With that belief, Lady Bennet looked at Charlize, pitying her. 

“Isn’t Lady Charlize being too sensitive?” 

Sienna stared blankly at Lady Bennet.

Lady Bennet desperately tried to sway Sienna to her side. 

“They’re lowly kids at best. They’re not even that hurt…”

“Please return home.”

“…huh?”

At Sienna’s calm voice, Lady Bennet’s eyes widened.

“I’m telling you to go home.”

Sienna said so coldly, without any hesitation. 

“What, why me?!”

Lady Bennet was stupefied as her face grew ever redder. 

“I am the daughter of the Bennet family, and a relative of Her Majesty, the Empress.”

“So?”

“So?! You would rather send me out than that kid!” 

“As Lady Bennet said earlier, I am the host of this tea party.”

After saying that, Sienna grabbed Bennett’s wrist.

“So, wouldn’t it be my right as the host, to decide who’s suited for my tea party?”

At the same time, Sienna slightly strengthened her grip.

Lady Bennet twitched as her shoulders became taut. 

The feeling of her wrist being constricted was akin to a chain being wrapped around it.

It was that tight.

“H-Hey!” 

Lady Bennet tried to force herself loose but to no avail. 

Perhaps because Sienna carefully controlled her strength, Lady Bennet’s gripped wrist felt no pain. 

However… … .

‘N-No…if I put my mind to it, I can break away from her grasp!’

Unfortunately for Lady Bennet, whom Sienna had no intention of releasing, she struggled once more but Sienna did not budge one bit. 

“I’ve decided that Lady Bennet is unsuitable for my tea party.”

“Viscountess Antes!”

Sienna gently pulled Lady Bennet closer as if she were in no mood for further protests. 

Lady Bennet’s eyes widened.

Even if it was something so painstakingly simple…

She couldn’t free herself from Sienna’s grip. 

‘That’s right. Although people see the gentle face on the outside, on the inside, Sienna is a warrior who’s been fighting beasts in life-and-death situations for over ten years.’ 

When she recognized that fact, Lady Bennet felt goosebumps run down her spine.

“Oh, Lady Bennet. You should be grateful to me.” 

Hitting the nail on the head with her timing, Sienna opened her mouth, speaking softly. 

“Will I, Viscountess Antes, personally be escorting Lady Bennet out?”

Upon hearing those words, Lady Bennet’s face became crumpled.   

For what she did to that child, Sienna was giving Lady Bennet a taste of her own medicine.

“Hey, let me go!”

“You choose, Lady Bennet.”

Sienna smiled an icy smile as she watched Lady Bennet wriggle her wrist pitifully. 

“Will you go quietly, or will I have you be forcefully taken away by the knights of Antes?”

“But, Viscountess!”

“I wonder if it’ll help your judgment if I tell you in advance.”

Sienna’s smile grew a little broader.

“The Knights of Antes take after the land they came from, and they aren’t as polite as the knights of the empire.” 

Lady Bennet’s eyes shook violently.

However, Sienna only met her gaze with a calm look.

“….um, h-have a good time.” 

In the end, it was Lady Bennet who withdrew.

There was nothing more embarrassing than being dragged out by knights here.

After Lady Bennet had left, Sienna looked back at the people and smiled.

“Just a bit of commotion. Sorry, everyone.” 

‘Wow…’

Charlize looked at Sienna in a new light. 

It was because Sienna had expertly taken care of Lady Bennet.

Even noble ladies from other noble families would not have been able to cope with it so masterfully.

Damian, who watched the situation unfold from the side, jokingly asked. 

“Why is Sienna acting so responsibly?”

“Your Highness, give credit where credit is due.”

Charlize, who was glaring at Damian when she said so, immediately came to her senses and tended to the hurt child. 

“Hey, are you all right? I’ll have it treated right away!”

But the child covered her wrist and shook her head.

“Hey now, it’ll be fine,” reassured Charlize.

“…are you sure?”

“Yes. It’ll heal after applying some ointment.” 

Hearing those words, the child looked up at Charlize, still doubting her. 

…I guess the child really took to heart what Lady Benner said earlier.

Charlize squinted her eyes.

“Is it because of what she said? Listen, if you’re hurt, you should seek treatment.”

“Ha, but.”

“But what? Come here.”

Charlize held out her hand to the child with a gentle expression.

After some slight hesitation, the child grabbed Charlize’s hand.

She wriggled her fingers a bit. 

Her hands were so warm that Charlize somehow felt like crying. 

***

With a first-aid kit placed on the table, Charlize sat the child down in front of her. 

“Give me your hand.”

The child cautiously held out her hand.

Charlize carefully examined her injury, scrunching her forehead as she sighed lightly. 

“…It’s a scratch.”

An injury from a fingernail. 

‘How does someone treat a child like that, scratching the back of a child’s hand with their fingernails?’

Charlize felt a burning sensation inside her. 

Although the cut wasn’t deep, it seemed like it would scar if not treated properly. 

“Even if it stings, be strong.”

Charlize dabbed the back of the child’s hand with a cotton ball dipped in disinfectant.

The child breathed in and out and closed her eyes tightly.

Charlize praised her in an admirable voice.

“It’s okay. You’re doing well.”

It was true, the child didn’t tear up or whimper until after Charlize applied some ointment and placed a gauze over it. 

It’s normal for kids her age to whimper when there’s stinging…

Charlize was sorry for what had happened to the child but quickly refrained from sighing. 

“All right, all done.”

Charlize smiled proudly after applying the gauze neatly over the scratch.  

However, the child’s expression was not as bright.

‘Why the long look?’

As Charlize looked at the child with curious intent, she heard a faint voice.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“It’s my fault…the commotion happened because of me.”

The child’s shoulders dropped a bit.

“It would have been better if I had endured a bit more…”

For a moment, Charlize choked up. 

The child reminded her of herself when she was younger. 

Five-year-old Charlize would blame herself, thinking that everything was her fault. 

Charlize unconsciously stretched out her arms.

“Char-, sister Charlize?”

The child’s eyes widened. 

Charlize embraced the child in her arms, holding her tightly.