#36

Several carriages entered the Voreoti estate located in the capital.

“Lady Voreoti, have you been well?”

“Thank you for inviting me again.”

“You seem even stronger this time—well, not that you weren’t strong already.”

These were guests invited to the small tea party Leonia held before the start of each term.

“Welcome, everyone.”

Leonia personally greeted each guest.

The tea party itself was nothing out of the ordinary.

It took place in the well-maintained garden, at a table set under the shade of the largest and most beautiful tree, where they simply enjoyed tea.

The guests ranged from academy graduates now active in society to incoming first-years.

Just a little over ten attendees.

All were people Leonia had kept an eye on at the Academy.

The conversation at the tea party was exceedingly ordinary.

“Did you read the article in last month’s newspaper?”

“I heard they carried out an external audit in the West...”

They exchanged pleasantries, and when a particular event or topic came up, they shared their opinions on it.

“They say bandits were eradicated around that time too. Could it be related?”

“Rumor has it that a small merchant group from the South migrated there...”

“But such sudden audits can cause significant business damage...”

Depending on their background, disposition, and family, their perspectives varied widely.

And in the midst of it, Leonia remained silent.

“The Marquis of Hesperi usually takes a hardline stance.”

“But this time, it feels like a poor move...”

“I agree. Disrupting the transport of goods to other regions is...”

As she sat listening to the conversation with a bored expression and indifferent eyes—

“Purge.”

Leonia picked up her teacup.

“Looks like that’s what’s coming.”

The sharp clink of the teacup meeting the saucer rang out louder than usual.

It was because everyone had stopped talking the moment Leonia opened her mouth.

“...That’s true.”

Ufikla nodded.

“Are they trying to gather evidence?”

“Openly like this? If people catch on, they’ll just hide it...”

“Even this might be a diversion.”

“It’s likely a check against other regions.”

The table buzzed again with renewed energy.

Now, Leonia began expressing her own views and joined the discussion.

A maid standing behind them was quite shocked by the conversation unfolding at the table.

‘This is what they call an ordinary tea party?’

Fragrant tea, beautiful pastries and cakes, a peaceful garden.

All of it paled in comparison to the whirlwind of conversation taking place.

‘The Academy is incredible.’

The maid admired them inwardly.

Thus, Leonia’s tea party claimed to be ‘ordinary’ on the surface. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But the fact that this gathering had long been rumored to be a “gateway to success” was no secret.

The invited guests varied as much in their background as in their school year.

There were heirs of noble families, noble children not in line for inheritance, and even commoners.

Some were scholarship recipients with excellent grades, while others left people wondering how they’d even been admitted to the Academy.

It was a group with no apparent common denominator.

Yet after being invited to Leonia’s tea party, each of them began to reveal their potential like wildfire.

The tea party was merely a façade.

In truth, it was one of the stepping stones Leonia had prepared for the day she would receive her ducal title.

A way to build connections, gather allies, and collect information.

That was why the host and the invited guests were closer to a hierarchical relationship than one of friendship.

“Oh, right.”

Just then, someone brought up a new topic.

“Aust is coming, isn’t he?”

The moment the South was mentioned, the topic of founding a new knight order naturally followed.

The general consensus was that establishing a knight order would be difficult.

Of course, those from the South voiced opposing views, insisting the order was necessary.

“Milady.”

At that moment, the woman sitting next to Leonia whispered.

Her neatly tied light brown hair stood out.

“How about a watch themed after the South?”

Her name was Katel.

She had graduated from the Academy last year and joined Leonia’s watch brand immediately after.

“A guest of such high status is visiting, and with his presence rapidly rising, I think now is the perfect time to capitalize on it.”

A faint smile tugged at Leonia’s previously indifferent lips.

As expected of someone gifted in marketing strategy, the idea was clever.

“Go ahead.”

The moment her master gave permission, Katel swiftly organized the product launch schedule and the necessary preparations in her head.

“Come to think of it.”

As the tea party progressed a little further.

The sun had begun to lower toward the western sky.

“Did anyone hear about that?”

Just as Leonia was gauging the right moment to wrap things up, she lifted her head.

“Before that—has anyone here read Life is All Just Futile?”

The sudden mention of her beloved book caught Leonia off guard.

Of course, her expression remained shrouded in elegant boredom, betraying no slip in composure.

‘No way...!’

But Leonia’s heart fluttered for the first time in ages.

“That author is releasing a new book after four whole years, and there’s even a signing event at the bookstore...”

Boom!

A tremendous crash shattered the peaceful center of the tea party.

“Kyaa!”

A maid behind them covered her ears with both arms and collapsed.

“W-What ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) is...!”

“The table...!”

No one could believe their eyes. The scene before them left everyone speechless.

The large round table had split clean in half.

Amidst the chaos, Leonia alone remained elegantly seated.

In her hand was a teacup—cleanly halved from being slammed against the table.

“Ugh.”

One young noble fainted on the spot upon seeing it.

“...So.”

Leonia passed the broken cup to a maid and spoke.

“Who said what about what?”

***

After the tea party safely ended—

“Countess Bosgruni will be deeply moved.”

Who wouldn’t be thrilled by a successor who inherited their legend?

Tra murmured as he watched the broken table being carried away by servants.

But based on his quiet addition—“What should I tell the master about this?”—it was clear:

That table had not been cheap.

Still, Leonia couldn’t have cared less.

“Uwaah, uwaaah, uwaaaaaaah!”

Back in her room, she stomped her feet and let out shrill screams for quite a while.

Then she jumped onto her bed and rolled around like crazy.

“My dear author!”

Each time she pounded her innocent pillow with her fists, she cried out for her beloved author.

“...Leo?”

And watching all of this—

Was Scandia, who had come to deliver a message from the Emperor.

“Boom-Boom!”

Leonia sprang up from the bed and ran into his arms.

“What’s got you so happy?”

Scandia lifted her up with a surprised smile and kissed her all over her face.

“It doesn’t seem to be because of me, which is a little disappointing.”

“Oh, come on! To me, you’re always the best, Boom-Boom!”

Leonia mimicked what Scandia had just done and planted kisses all over his face in return.

She especially lingered when kissing him on the lips.

“The author is coming!”

“The author?”

Scandia gently placed her on the sofa and asked.

“My favorite author!”

In that moment—

“...Favorite author?”

Scandia’s smile froze into stone for just a second.

Unusually, Leonia didn’t notice the change.

Partly because Scandia quickly composed his expression, but mostly because she was far too excited.

“Look, look at this.”

She had moved over to the bookshelf, clutching a worn-out book in her arms.

“This is the first book I read when I was little.”

With over ten years passed, the book was stained from use and repaired in places—it was old and battered.

But Leonia carried it with her wherever she went.

“It’s the book that comforted my heart.”

Each time she lovingly touched the cover, vivid memories returned.

When she had first read the book, it had soothed her through the injustices she had faced.

The novel’s protagonist had understood and embraced the pain Leonia hadn’t been able to confess to anyone.

“If I could get the author’s signature on this... I’d be so happy.”

“I see.”

“Scandy, will you come with me?”

Leonia asked brightly.

“We could go to the signing, then eat, visit the plaza, and find somewhere quiet to spend time alone...”

She didn’t forget to glance shyly at him when mentioning a ‘quiet place.’

“...You don’t want to?”

As if.

Scandia shook his head so hard it almost fell off.

“I would’ve been genuinely hurt if you hadn’t invited me.”

“Yay!”

Leonia immediately wrapped her arms around his waist.

‘Ahh, this sensation!’

Even through his clothes, she could feel the bulging muscle and his slightly higher body temperature.

At this point, no other muscles could excite her.

She had found her one and only muscle—and it was perfect.

Besides, these muscles were the proof of love Scandia had built up just for her.

Why would she ever need to look at anyone else’s?

There was no reason at all.

That was exactly why she didn’t bother peeking at Ferio or the Gladiago Knights anymore as she grew up.

“You’ve read this book too, right, Boom-Boom?”

“Any book you recommend, I read unconditionally.”

Even if it were a secret fanfiction sold under the counter.

Before they knew it, the two had sunk into the sofa, whispering in low voices meant only for each other’s ears.

That wasn’t enough, apparently—Scandia even pulled Leonia onto his lap.

When he suddenly lifted her, she giggled.

‘But... what should I do...’

Scandia held Leonia tightly and thought.

‘Should I tell her now that the author is Usis?’

But he couldn’t.

He didn’t want to.

He didn’t want to be the one to say something that would make her sad.

“Leo.”

“Yeah?”

Leonia looked up, having been playfully poking at his biceps.

Her wide eyes blinked innocently.

‘...I’ll think about it later.’

Scandia brushed aside her slightly messy black bangs and thought.

If it’s something she’ll find out eventually, maybe it’s kinder to let her enjoy the moment a little longer.

“You’ll play with me before that, won’t you?”

Scandia nuzzled his face against hers like a puppy and asked, lowering his eyelids just so.

And just as he expected—

“......”

The smile on Leonia’s face faded into something deathly serious.