Chapter 415: "See you at the hearing, Mr. Florence.”
"Astrid, it feels like we haven’t seen each other in ages."
Unlike the frozen north, the so-called City of Imperial Glory, was lush and vibrant in early March. Birdsong filled the air as wind-blown fluff swirled around rows of white-brick, red-tiled houses in the west district. Within seconds of stepping onto the streets, noble ladies’ hats and the roofs of elaborately decorated carriages were dusted with a thin veil of white.
Inside the residence of Finance Minister Florence, a finely decorated small villa, two steaming cups of black tea sat upon a solid wooden round table edged with gold, serving as a delightful accent among sweet pastries. Sunlight streamed through a nearby window, illuminating the porcelain-white handles of the teacups and the smooth, warm grain of the birchwood beneath.
Hearing Lydia’s words, Astrid gave a polite nod, her legs elegantly crossed. Her night-sky-colored dress, paired with sheer stockings of the same hue, accentuated the princess’s graceful figure, regal yet dignified.
"With graduation approaching, there are indeed many matters that require attention."
"But the moment I had free time, I thought of coming to visit our dear writer for some afternoon tea."
Recently, Emperor Hibbort had fallen ill, and rumors had begun spreading in noble circles. Many believed the day of the empire’s next heir ascending was drawing near. Some of the more noble conservatives had begun reducing their social engagements, opting to stay silent until the situation became clearer.
Among them were naturally the four cabinet ministers at the heart of decision-making, the ones closest to Hibbort. Although the Third Princess wasn’t the heir, Astrid’s close ties with Lucas made it prudent for people like Florence to distance themselves during such times.
Thus, before visiting Florence’s estate, Astrid had specifically tasked Elise with testing the Finance Minister’s willingness. Only after receiving Florence’s affirmative reply did she proceed by carriage.
It wasn’t news if young nobles met for tea, nothing too significant.
Lydia pursed her lips slightly, her gaze lingering on the flawless, delicate face across the table. Her fingers slightly twisted the lace at her sleeve, her ears still echoing that slightly intoxicating, languid female voice she found so alluring.
A self-proclaimed beauty enthusiast, Lydia’s friendship criteria prioritized moral integrity, but second to that came appearance. Fortunately, the person before her was widely acknowledged as the empire’s most beautiful woman.
Although it was true, Lydia did regularly contribute to the Empire Weekly, so "writer" wasn’t accurate, being called "our dear writer" by Astrid still made her a little flustered.
It must be because the Third Princess was simply too beautiful. Even another woman like herself could appreciate Astrid’s beauty so directly.
"I see... I was afraid Astrid had forgotten about me..."
"After all, I’m not Her Highness Princess Astrid’s closest friend."
Why did that sound strange when she said it?
Astrid curved her lips into a gentle smile. "Looks like Lydia truly wanted to have tea with me... letting such a lovely lady wait all these days, that’s my negligence."
Faced with such a courteous response, Lydia instinctively pressed her legs together, her voice softened slightly.
"It’s not too late now. Dinner is still far off."
Still, girls’ afternoon tea always passed too pleasantly, and before they knew it, their leisure time slipped away.
Astrid gave a slight nod, smiling.
"You’re right. Afternoon tea has only just begun."
With that, both lifted their teacups and took a sip.
"Spending so much time with ink and paper, Lydia seems to have gained a scholarly air."
Astrid spoke softly, inhaling the warm fragrance of tea.
"In the future, you’ll surely be the literary beauty among the capital city’s youth."
Receiving praise from the Imperial Jewel, Lydia blushed faintly, not denying it.
"I’ll take Astrid’s kind words for now. But honestly, this ’scholarly air’ might just be from dieting these past few days."
"Dieting? You don’t look fat at all."
"Well, one has to stay cautious. I haven’t been going out lately. Every day it’s either writing submissions or tending flowers at home. Sitting for long periods, no exercise, and constantly snacking on sweets, it’s easy to gain weight."
After speaking, Lydia revised at Astrid’s slender, pale wrist resting on the table, and softly added:
"Speaking of writing... I’ve been waiting over half a year for Astrid’s next work. When will it finally come?"
As one of the original readers of The Overbearing Prince and His Runaway Bride’s Peerless Pampering, Lydia had followed every one of Astrid’s subsequent works. Calling her a devoted fan wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
In book terms, she fell for Astrid’s talent, then became captivated by her looks.
"Time is limited. I’ll probably start writing when I have the chance in the future."
But by then, what she’d write might no longer be the romantic tales beloved by noble girls, but travel chronicles about the wider world.
Dragons, elves, the legendary Fountain of Youth, sky cities suspended among the clouds, Valeria Empire was merely the tip of the iceberg revealed from beneath the mist of the entire continent. There were so many more landscapes worth recording.
Perhaps, the one holding the pen wouldn’t be only her.
"I feel like I’ve heard Astrid say that before."
Lydia pouted slightly, the flutter in her chest from Astrid’s beauty eased just a little.
"Well then, I’ll be waiting with anticipation."
Lydia had heard whispers about how busy Astrid was, and she understood the princess couldn’t keep dedicating time to the Empire Weekly.
It was a pity, though, her favorite novelist hadn’t produced new work in so long.
After sipping tea and eating a few spoonfuls of cake, their conversation shifted from books to fashion, then jumped to capital gossip and various rumors.
Perhaps because she truly regards Astrid as a friend, Lydia didn’t avoid sensitive political topics. Instead, drawing from her identity as the Finance Minister’s daughter, she cautiously brought up a few points.
"Not attending weekly meetings for two weeks... His Majesty’s health is truly worrisome."
"I hope His Majesty recovers soon."
Florence was the cabinet’s Finance Minister and part of Hibbort’s appointed inner circle. So long as the current emperor held the throne, his position was nearly unshakable.
From a personal standpoint, Lydia, content with the current state, was likely among those who least wanted imperial power to shift. No one could predict whether the next emperor would be this old guard or, once firmly retained, gradually replace them with his own trusted aides.
After all, the Valeria Empire’s cabinet was merely the emperor’s private advisory council, possessing the right to debate but not to decide. They exist solely through imperial authority, and the pinnacle of that authority was the emperor himself, the one above all.
That was exactly why Florence, as Hibbort’s close aide, had to maintain distance from the princes to avoid the emperor’s suspicions, yet couldn’t completely sever ties with them.
Astrid had exploited this ambiguity. As a core member of the Crown Prince’s faction, though technically an outsider princess without a claim to succession, and by connecting with Lydia, the minister’s daughter and her peer, she had gradually won Florence’s goodwill and support.
Even so, she couldn’t extract any concrete information about Hibbort himself from Florence.
As a cabinet minister, everything Florence did had to prioritize the emperor. Should he make even the slightest misstep, the bedridden Hibbort would immediately strip him of all power.
"Can’t Astrid, as His Majesty’s most beloved daughter, visit the imperial chambers to check on him?"
Hearing Lydia’s question, Astrid flickered her lashes. Lydia immediately realized she’d touched on something inappropriate and quickly added:
"Perhaps it really isn’t convenient. I understand His Majesty’s position."
It wasn’t just Astrid. Even Lucas and Alistair hadn’t been allowed near the imperial chambers, aside from a few select ministers.
Hibbort’s condition was currently an utter mystery.
"Maybe next week, Father will appear at the weekly meeting right on schedule," Astrid said.
Lydia followed the topic.
"True. His Majesty has always been strong. It’s probably just a short rest and recovery. He’ll be fine soon."
As the youngest daughter at home, Lydia naturally couldn’t obtain any intelligence about the emperor from her father either.
After a few more sips of tea, Astrid brought up another matter.
"I heard Mr. Florence will be attending a hearing these days?"
"Father did mention it. It’s regarding the trial of Viscount Rostling?"
"Mm."
Viscount Rostling was one of Alistair’s supporters. He was being put on trial due to suspected falsification in tax records submitted in recent years. The one who exposed this was most likely linked to Lucas.
In the Valeria Empire, noble trials were sometimes far more complicated than those for commoners. At the viscount level, even Hibbort occasionally touched on the proceedings, sometimes personally participating in judgments.
With the emperor’s condition uncertain, the responsibility for the trial had fallen to the cabinet. This gave Alistair’s faction a significant opportunity to maneuver.
This hearing wasn’t merely about condemning or acquitting Viscount Rostling, it was more like a clash of factions between the two princes, a display of strength aimed at the nobles watching from the sidelines.
As for Hibbort... perhaps he also wanted to see who would gain the upper hand...
So long as things didn’t escalate too far, the emperor, usually so low-key and reserved, probably wouldn’t interfere.
"Will Astrid be attending too?"
"I plan to go and listen."
Astrid lightly tugged her black silk gloves, her crimson eyes reflecting the delicate surface of the tea.
"After all, it’s the trial of a viscount. For it to reach this scale is rare even across the entire nation."
To put it bluntly, in today’s Valeria Empire, a feudal nation still operating under medieval systems, it was nearly impossible for disputes between nobles and commoners to escalate to such levels.
Only conflicts between nobles themselves could reach the courtroom. A few years ago, the quarrel between Duke Cassian Ashwick and Duke Thomas Redgrave over mining rights showed similar signs. Had the two princes not acted as mediators, it might have forced the emperor to personally arbitrate.
On a small scale, one might argue that a viscount’s domain was limited, and poor harvests might explain tax shortfalls for next year’s reserves. But on a larger scale, this was tantamount to reduce the tribute owed to the emperor. The final judgment would depend on how Lucas and Alistair played their hands.
After a brief pause, Lydia grasped the stakes, a flicker of worry crossing her eyes.
"In my memory, I’ve never heard of something like this before."
With the Finance Minister himself directly involved, and considering the empire’s current tense and unusual atmosphere, even this girl who’d grown up in an ivory tower felt a faint unease.
Noticing the anxiety in Lydia’s gaze, Astrid spoke gently.
"I trust the judge will deliver a fair verdict for Viscount Rostling."
"..."
"I hope so."
Feeling the mood growing heavy, Astrid scooped a spoonful of cake, chewed it slowly, then steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Lydia, this dress you’re wearing today is really beautiful."
"And the tights on your legs too, the pale white floral pattern matches perfectly with that star-shaped bracelet."
"Ah? Really?" Lydia’s eyes brightened.
Astrid replied, "Of course."
When it came to fashion, the imperial princess’s taste was always impeccable.
She remembered when Lyra was still in the capital, how the clumsy maid had relied on Astrid’s advice for nearly every daily outfit. Even an ordinary village girl from Morin, with average taste, could become stunningly radiant after receiving Astrid’s guidance.
She was like a sweet-scented cream cake, always emanating charm.
Thinking of Lyra, Astrid’s lips lifted slightly, then quickly pressed together, her mouth opening and closing.
"Though, of course, Lydia’s natural beauty helps too."
Hearing this, Lydia’s mood lifted, and she smiled warmly.
"Having afternoon tea with Astrid really is delightful."
Not only beautiful, but also good at compliments.
It was a shame, though, Astrid already had someone else as her best friend.
At that moment, Lydia suddenly felt a twinge of envy towards Lyra. But recalling the latter’s gentle nature and the dazzling presence she showed on stage during competitions, the envy faded slightly.
So radiant, standing beside Astrid without seeming out of place. No wonder she had become the princess’s chosen closest confidante.
After a few more cups of tea, realizing it was growing late, Astrid took out a silk handkerchief, wiped her lips neatly, and stood to leave.
"I’ll take my leave for today. See you next time, Lydia."
"Mm. Be careful on your way, Astrid."
Before departing, Astrid spotted Florence trimming plants in the garden. She estimated the distance and concluded their earlier conversation had likely been within the Finance Minister’s earshot. Her crimson eyes flickered, and she elegantly approached on black high heels.
"Mr. Florence, I’ll be on my way now."
Seeing that Astrid didn’t hastily question him about the emperor’s condition, Florence gave a slight nod, his opinion of her rising once more. He politely responded:
"We welcome you back anytime, Princess Astrid."
"Then..."
Astrid gently touched the ruby at her chest, her voice calm and steady.
"See you at the hearing, Mr. Florence."