Ch. 10 Valenberg Tea Party
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 10 – Valenberg Tea Party
The day after arriving in Reading, I was on my way to attend the scheduled tea party. I took the carriage prepared by the hotel and arrived at the Valenberg estate. At the main gate, I showed my invitation to the guard on duty and made my way to the garden.
The Valenberg estate, located on the outskirts of the city, was a stately building that seemed to carry the history of the family. As I admired the well-maintained garden and the elegant fountain, someone emerged from the mansion.
“Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you, Liese!”
It was Frederica, daughter of the Valenberg baronial family.
She greeted me with a delighted expression and quickly approached me.
Her ears, perched atop her head, twitched excitedly, showing just how happy she was to see me.
“Thank you for inviting me, Frederica”
I greeted Frederica, who welcomed me warmly, and followed her into the garden.
The beautiful garden, filled with the Valenberg family’s symbolic lily of the valley, was the venue for today’s tea party. Since I had arrived earlier than the scheduled time, the garden was still empty.
There wasn’t any particular reason for arriving early. I simply had some time to spare and wanted to catch up with Frederica, whom I hadn’t seen in a while. We had known each other since childhood due to the frequent interactions between our families, so we were quite close. By the time we were old enough to enter the academy, we could introduce each other as childhood friends.
Upon arriving at the garden, I sat down at a small prepared table. Before the tea party officially began, I thought it would be nice to have a light conversation with Frederica.
“I heard you arrived yesterday and stayed at a hotel”
Frederica said, while waiting for me to sit down before bringing up the topic.
“Yes, I stayed at the Sheraton Vinos by the coast. The room had a lovely view of the harbor”
I replied, while picking up a cookie from the table. It was a chocolate chip cookie with a rich, buttery aroma.
“I heard you made an investment in a new business?” Frederica suddenly brought up the topic.
“It’s a company called Daimler Engine Works. They’re making carriages that move without horses” she said.
I set down my teacup for a moment before responding.
“Without horses? Like a train?”
“Yes, but unlike trains, they run on oil instead of coal”
she explained.
I pretended not to know much about the technology, even though I was familiar with the principles of automobiles. It would have been strange to know too much about a technology still in development.
“Hmm… should I invest a little too?”
I shrugged lightly and smiled at Frederica, who was considering the investment. To her, it might seem like an unproven new technology now, but I knew that automobiles would undoubtedly revolutionize transportation and logistics in the near future. Investing now would surely yield significant profits soon.
“You won’t regret it.”
“If Liese says so, then I’ll invest too!”
Frederica said with a bright smile.
After she made her decision, I took another sip of my tea. The conversation topic was something you wouldn’t expect from two 12-year-old girls.
But then again, this was typical for the Valenbergs.
The Valenberg family was one of the wealthiest in Prussia, and they were highly sensitive to matters of money. While the Aurich-Besermauer family had accumulated power through strong military influence as the guardians of the eastern border, the Valenbergs had built their influence through finance and various industries. Countless companies operated under the Valenberg name, and their influence reached every corner of Prussia. There was even a joke that if you borrowed money in Prussia, you could repay it to the Valenberg family.
Frederica and I continued to chat about various topics, from the latest fashion trends in the capital to popular operas, promising companies, and investment opportunities. Before we knew it, it was time for the tea party to begin. Guests who had received invitations began to arrive one by one, and Frederica stood up to greet them. I also got up to mingle with the other guests.
Most of the attendees were from noble families in the east and south. Occasionally, there were guests from central noble families or some from the west and north, but the majority were families with close ties to the Valenbergs.
As I enjoyed the tea and snacks, I casually scanned the surroundings. My reason for attending this tea party wasn’t just to catch up with Frederica. I was also looking for someone. I found her among a group of young ladies from southern noble families.
“Excuse me for a moment”
I said to the people around me before making my way over.
“…!”
As I approached, the young ladies from the southern noble families looked startled and fell silent.
It was as if they had encountered a wild beast, but I couldn’t blame them. The Aurich-Besermauer family was the center of the east, and these were the daughters of southern noble families.
Ignoring their wary glances, I greeted the person I had come to see.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lieselotte of the Aurich-Besermauer family.”
“Ah, nice to meet you too. I’m Angelica of the Straubitz-Schlesien family.”
Angelica, the protagonist of this arc, was also invited and present here. The Aurich-Besermauer family from the east and the Straubitz-Schlesien family from the south, along with the Nordrhein-Westfalen family from the northwest, were the three margrave families responsible for the borders of the Prussian Empire. Two of these families were now in the same room.
“Yes, I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s an honor to meet you”
“No, the honor is mine to meet you ”
Said Angelica.
She seemed kind, or perhaps naive. Although we were both young, the situation was tense, given the historical rivalry between the Aurich-Besermauer and Straubitz-Schlesien families. The other young ladies around us were nervously watching the interaction, as if expecting a major confrontation at any moment.
Of course, I had only come to greet her, and Angelica seemed genuinely innocent. However, given the long-standing enmity between our families, the onlookers likely saw it as a powder keg ready to explode.
“By the way, I heard you’re engaged to His Highness. Congratulations.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Angelica smiled warmly at my congratulatory words, and I couldn’t help but smile back. She seemed to be doing well, and I sincerely wished her happiness in her engagement. It might seem strange coming from someone who had shot and killed both of them in a previous timeline, but I truly hoped she would find happiness this time.
However, to the onlookers, my words probably sounded sarcastic. The southern noble ladies glared at me sharply, though they didn’t dare say anything outright. Of course, their glares had no effect on me, and I simply smiled back.
If I were an ordinary girl of my age, I might have been nervous under so many gazes, but it didn’t faze me at all. I shrugged lightly and turned away. Even after I left, Angelica’s followers continued to glare at me for a while.
Having exchanged greetings with Angelica, I decided to return to enjoying my tea. I planned to chat with other young ladies and enjoy the refreshments.
“What did you just say?!”
A sharp sound echoed from a corner of the garden.
I turned my gaze and I saw two young ladies arguing in a quiet spot.
Despite the garden’s size, their voices were loud enough to draw the attention of most guests. The Valenberg family’s servants, who were attending to the guests, looked flustered by the sudden commotion.
“Hmph! Did I say something wrong?”
“Are you insulting our family now?”
“Oh my, getting so angry must mean I hit a nerve, right?”
I immediately recognized the two arguing. It was Hannelore of the Zallier baronial family and Claudia of the Reiningen baronial family.
Their families had always been at odds, and they often clashed at social gatherings.
However, they had never fought so openly before. Typically, they would exchange subtle, metaphorical insults, as befitting nobles.
I glanced at Frederica to see how she was handling the situation. As the host of the Valenberg tea party, it was her role to mediate such disputes. She was already making her way over to the two, trying to calm them down. However, despite her efforts, the argument showed no signs of subsiding.
“Sigh…”
I wondered what they were even fighting about. It was undoubtedly over something trivial, and I had no interest in getting involved.
Still, I decided to step in to help Frederica. It wasn’t like I had anything to lose, and I might as well make the most of the situation.
I observed the two girls again. While they were the ones arguing, this was really a clash between their two baronial families. The actual reason for the fight didn’t matter. What mattered was whose side I would take.
It wasn’t about who was right or wrong, but about who I wanted to align with. In that sense, I decided to side with Reiningen this time.
While preparing my mind, I subtly signaled to Frederica and approached the two arguing girls.
“Frau Claudia, raising your voice like that is unbecoming of a lady”
I said addressing Claudia first.
“Ugh…!”
Claudia clamped her mouth shut at my remark.
She looked indignant, but I didn’t care about the details. My goal was to put her down immediately.
I had decided to side with Reiningen, and I intended to act accordingly.
“Frau Hannelore, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Yes, the pleasure is mine, Frau Lieselotte…”
Hannelore looked at me warily, her earlier bravado was gone. She had been openly mocking Claudia just moments ago, but now she was subdued in the presence of the Aurich-Besermauer family.
Since I was here to help Claudia, I needed to make Hannelore back down—preferably in a ladylike and elegant manner. I quickly organized my thoughts and spoke.
“I heard your mother has been quite interested in music lately?”
“Yes…?”
Hannelore looked confused by my sudden change of topic.
Realizing she didn’t understand, I continued.
“I heard she invited a musician from the Berlin Academy to perform for her.”
“!!!”
At this, Hannelore seemed to catch on.
She tried to stammer out an excuse, but I spoke first.
“He’s quite skilled with the viola, isn’t he? Perhaps you could invite me to one of these performances sometime?”
“Th-that’s…!”
The word “viola” was not just the name of an instrument—it was also the name of Hannelore’s mother, Viola. In other words, I was subtly suggesting that her mother might be having an inappropriate relationship with the young musician.
Hannelore’s face turned pale as she struggled to respond. The other young ladies around us began to catch on, their expressions shifting as they understood the implication. This was how social maneuvering worked. Direct insults were for amateurs. A true lady hid her thorns within a beautiful rose.
Admittedly, this was a bit much for these young girls. I had years of experience in social circles, and it was almost unfair to use such tactics against them. Still, I couldn’t help but smirk at Hannelore.
“I-I suddenly feel unwell. I think I’ll take my leave now!”
Hannelore stammered before hastily retreating.
“~Take care of yourself”
I called after her, then turned back to the others.
“Th-that was amazing, Frau Lieselotte!”
Claudia Reiningen’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
To this young girl, I must have seemed like a hero
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