“Oh my, Lady Lyuschino.”

With an affected voice, three young ladies instantly surrounded her.

Blonde, red-haired, and brown-haired, they differed only in hair color, but looked like triplets with fashionable ribbon designs, lace parasols, and folding fans.

With sophisticated makeup and identical beauty marks dotting their faces, they smiled at Kasha, pretending to be friendly.

“It’s nice to see you at an event like this.”

“Your outfit is… quite stylish. Ho ho.”

Their eyes, hiding behind fans, drew the same artificial curved lines as they laughed.

Though Kasha had only attended a few social events, their faces were familiar.

They were the group that always surrounded Odette, catering to her every whim.

She understood why Simon had suddenly changed his demeanor and fled. He likely didn’t want his relationship with Kasha exposed to these social hyenas.

“Ah, yes.”

Just as she was about to leave after that perfunctory response, Kasha’s gaze suddenly wavered.

‘What is it? Why…?’

Noticing her look, the young ladies smirked. They seemed to have jumped to the conclusion that she was intimidated by them.

However, what unsettled Kasha was something else entirely.

It was none other than the scent emanating from the young ladies before her.

An intense floral fragrance that seemed to pierce the brain.

‘This is… undoubtedly the scent that came from that woman?’

The very perfume worn by the figure Kasha suspected to be behind all the calamities.

The scent of that mysterious mastermind was now wafting from all three of these triplet-like young ladies.

‘No, that’s not all.’

Kasha looked around anxiously.

‘How is this possible?’

It wasn’t just these young ladies.

The blue-clad lady who had just passed by also carried that scent.

No, coming to her senses, she realized the perfume seemed to be emanating from everywhere.

‘What on earth is going on?’

It was certainly not a mistake. Kasha, who had been collecting various flowers and recording their scents daily to ensure she wouldn’t forget that smell, was certain.

‘A blend of jasmine, rose, and magnolia… it’s definitely that perfume.’

“Hey, Lady Kasha. Are you listening to me?”

Suddenly hearing an irritated voice beside her, Kasha barely regained her composure.

“Ah, yes.”

“Let’s have a little chat, shall we? It’s not often we get to see someone as elusive as you, we can’t let this rare opportunity slip away.”

The blonde lady pretended to be friendly as she grasped Kasha’s shoulder. At the same time, her carefully manicured nails dug sharply into Kasha’s shoulder. It was clearly an intentional action, not a mistake.

Kasha, without so much as a frown, quietly brushed off that hand.

Tap.

The blonde lady seemed a bit taken aback by Kasha’s unhesitating response, but she raised her chin and glared at Kasha with a combative attitude, as if unwilling to back down.

‘Anyone watching would think I started the fight.’

Although she didn’t know what kind of trick they were trying to pull by approaching her, she wasn’t in the mood to entertain their petty provocations right now.

Kasha feigned composure as she spoke.

“A chat is no problem. But… all three of you have such a lovely fragrance. I’m curious… what perfume you’re wearing.”

Perhaps thinking Kasha was flattering them, the blonde lady finally regained her composure and smirked.

“Oh my, goodness. Don’t tell me you don’t know this perfume? It’s probably all the rage among noble ladies across the capital.”

Their exchanged glances were filled with obvious mockery. But such power plays were not the issue.

This perfume is popular among all the nobles in the capital?

It was the moment when an important clue to finding the mastermind disappeared into the fog.

Hiding her impatience, Kasha quietly replied.

“…I see. I didn’t know that.”

“That’s why you should mingle with us more often. Stop acting so aloof and superior all the time.”

“Oh my, Lady Hailey. Lady Lyuschino might misunderstand that you’re trying to embarrass her.”

“Ho ho. I’m just concerned. Princess Jasmine introduced this perfume from the Kingdom of Kazim and made it popular weeks ago, but our Lady Lyuschino seems to be completely out of the loop.”

‘Princess Jasmine?’

At this unexpected name, the rest of the content didn’t even register.

Although Kasha was unfamiliar with high society, she at least knew the name of Princess Jasmine, the fiancée of the Aranias Empire’s Crown Prince. The first princess of the long-established Kingdom of Kazim was scheduled to marry the Crown Prince soon, probably.

But could she, a foreigner, even if powerful, become the mastermind who threw the empire into chaos in just one or two years?

‘And if this perfume is popular among the nobles, essentially any noble could have been the suspect who appeared in the prison at that time.’

Everything seemed to be back to square one. She couldn’t hide the overwhelming sense of futility.

Unaware of her feelings, the blonde lady – called Lady Hailey – continued to prattle on.

“Not to mention your outfit today. Even if it’s a hunting event, to come dressed in literal hunting attire. Tsk.”

“Lady Lyuschino, I’m giving you this advice out of goodwill because you really seem not to know, but a lady’s role at a ‘hunting event’ is to encourage and cheer for the brave men.”

“Ho ho. Could it be that there’s no one in the Lyuschino family to teach you such basic etiquette?”

Despite the increasingly blatant criticism, Kasha’s expression remained unchanged.

It seemed Odette had ordered them to thoroughly intimidate Kasha. Judging by how viciously they were attacking her.

Well, in her previous life, Leon and Odette’s engagement had been officially announced at this very hunting event.

On the pitch-black night in the abandoned temple, Leon’s words before his death came back vividly.

‘I can still clearly see that woman’s face, her mouth splitting into a wide grin as she received the game I offered. It felt as if I was offering myself at her feet, rather than the hunted prey.’

He said he had felt uneasy since then. However, in his previous life, he had neither the justification nor the will to refuse the marriage his father, the Grand Duke, was pushing for. That’s how he walked into an unhappy marriage. Offering himself as a sacrifice.

At that moment, misinterpreting Kasha’s smile, Lady Hailey flared up.

“Look here, Kasha. Why are you laughing? Do you find our words amusing?”

Kasha looked straight at Lady Hailey. Faced with the deep pink gaze that met her without hesitation, Hailey flinched slightly.

“What if that’s not common sense, but a stereotype?”

“What did you say?”

“I will win. By participating in the hunting competition myself. With my own hands.”

At Kasha’s deliberately enunciated words, the faces of the three young ladies were equally colored with bewilderment.

However, that bewilderment soon turned into intense mockery. The three ladies poked each other with their elbows, giggling.

“Come on, Kasha. Really. This isn’t even funny. You’re going to participate in the hunting competition? Do you think the hunting competition is child’s play? You’re talking nonsense, really.”

As the red-haired lady snorted in derision, suddenly Lady Hailey twisted her lips arrogantly.

“Ah. I see what this is.”

Her face was triumphant, as if she had caught onto something significant.

“…”

“You’re thinking of trying to catch Leon’s attention this way today, aren’t you? Since he doesn’t budge with ordinary methods. You’re using your head quite well, Lady Lyuschino.”

“Oh my, oh my. Good heavens. So that’s what it was?”

The red-haired and brown-haired ladies chimed in noisily.

Emboldened by their support, Hailey raised her voice even more confidently.

“Well, we understand that Kasha might be attracted to someone like Leon, assuming she has good taste. What lady with properly functioning eyes wouldn’t have pined for Leon at least once?”

As she looked around her group as if seeking agreement, this time the red-haired lady picked up the conversation.

“But that doesn’t mean all those ladies thoughtlessly throw themselves at Leon. There’s such a thing as a lady’s honor, you know?”

“‘Usually’ that’s the case, ho ho.”

“For young ladies raised in noble houses that understand honor. Ho ho.”

Watching them mock her openly, Kasha furrowed her brow blankly. The perfume emanating from them was giving her a headache. It felt like she was being forcibly reminded of the last day in that bitterly cold prison.

Just then, Lady Hailey snorted as if letting off steam and brought her face close to Kasha’s.

Her eyes were fierce, as if thoroughly displeased with Kasha’s attitude. So much so that one might believe her to be a back-alley thug rather than a noble lady.

“Listen here, you illegitimate wench.”

“…”

Her words were even harsher than her gaze. It was hard to believe such language came from the same mouth that had been going on about nobles understanding honor.

“Odette Tyrot will get what she wants anyway. No matter how much you prance around in front of Leon, the result won’t change.”

At that very moment.

“Kasha.”

A low, firm voice was heard from behind.

“Were you here?”

Simultaneously, heavy footsteps approaching them, which had become familiar to Kasha.

“…Leon.”

Hearing his voice, her muddled mind cleared. Kasha took a deep breath and turned slowly, savoring the sight of the young ladies around her scowling miserably.

“You’re late.”

As soon as he appeared, Kasha, having regained her composure, calmly greeted him.

At her words, Leon slightly lifted the brimmed hat he was wearing and lowered his eyes.

Today, instead of his uniform, he wore a loose shirt with form-fitting trousers and suspenders. With leather boots, a long sword, and a bow, he was dressed appropriately for the hunting competition.

“So it seems. I apologize.”

“It’s alright.”

In an instant, the gazes around them focused on the two.

Most of them contained jealous anger directed at Kasha.

Perhaps Leon sensed it too.

Suddenly, Leon took off the hat he was wearing. The sunlight shattered brilliantly on his disheveled platinum blonde hair.

His next action was even more unexpected. He placed the hat he had taken off right onto Kasha’s head.

Kasha looked up at Leon with a puzzled expression.

Leon’s face, looking down at her, was backlit, making it difficult to discern his expression. He simply added quietly:

“The sunlight seems too strong.”