“What…?”

Rather than being confident, Klaus was taken aback by Roselia’s fierce demeanor.

Roselia took out an envelope containing a 1,000 berang check from her bosom and placed it on the table next to him with a thud.

Klaus, looking at the envelope with wide eyes, slowly picked it up and examined its contents.

“It’s twice the 500 berang I owed.”

As Klaus suspiciously examined the check, his gaze fell on the crown princess’s signature.

“This check, could it be…”

When Klaus glared at Roselia as if he would devour her, Roselia glared back without backing down.

“What wouldn’t I do when I’m in a situation where I’m collateral for a debt? Don’t worry. I’ll only hover around Her Highness the Crown Princess until I pay back the 3,000 berang I owe.”

Klaus’s expression crumpled at her deliberate provocation, openly stating she would use the crown princess.

“You…”

The sound coming through his gritted teeth as he tried to restrain himself was heavily suppressed.

Roselia’s mood twisted even more at his reaction.

“You should be more rational, Your Grace. Don’t you realize that the more you try to protect Her Highness, the harder her life in the imperial court becomes?”

It was a statement thrown out unknowingly in her already twisted mood.

The duke seemed to have vaguely sensed this fact, as he froze at Roselia’s words.

“Shut up…”

His low voice, with his head bowed, carried a clear warning. But his warning was unlikely to work on Roselia, whose temper was already twisted.

“It’s a nuisance to cling around someone, claiming it’s for their sake, when you don’t even understand your own feelings properly.”

“…”

“Have you ever asked Her Highness’s opinion? Don’t you realize that your selfish attitude is making Her Highness more embarrassed and troubled?”

Klaus, who had been listening quietly, finally approached with a threatening aura and grabbed Roselia by the collar.

“I told you to shut that mouth. It’s better not to run your mouth pretending to know everything when you don’t know well.”

As he grabbed her collar with his massive build that seemed capable of anything, her breath was cut off and an instinctive fear swept over her.

But her eyes, already as fierce as his, shone brightly as they met his murderous gaze.

“What are you going to do if I keep talking?”

For a moment, Klaus’s eyebrow twitched strangely, as if he had misheard.

“What?”

Klaus’s face, looking down at Roselia with furrowed brows, was filled with bewilderment rather than anger.

Staring at him with an unwavering expression, Roselia continued speaking clearly.

“Please don’t think of it strangely. I don’t want to interfere at all whether you pity Her Highness or are in love with her.”

As she spoke, sparks seemed to fly from Roselia’s green eyes as she met his gaze without backing down. Klaus stiffened at that bold gaze.

Again. A faint, strange scent rising irritated his nerves. It was a scent he couldn’t quite pinpoint. He even doubted if it could be called a scent.

It just felt like his mind would become hazy if he kept smelling it for too long.

While Klaus was frozen, Roselia removed his hand gripping her collar. Klaus obediently let go and looked down at her with a dazed expression.

Roselia didn’t forget to drive in the final nail while glaring at Klaus’s face.

“And whatever means I use to pay back the debt, that’s my problem, so please don’t tell me what to do. You just need to receive the right price, don’t you?”

With those words, Roselia slipped out from between Klaus and the wall and headed straight for the door.

Bang! With the loud sound of the door closing, Klaus stood there blankly for a while.

Stepping out of the room, Roselia walked down the corridor with angry steps. With gritted teeth and furrowed brows, her eyes glaring ahead were already moist.

Roselia nervously wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and muttered a curse.

Damn it, why am I crying so pathetically.

There was no reason to cry. Even if there was a reason to be angry…

Roselia ignored her reddened eyes and glared ahead with an enraged expression.

That bastard, grabbing my collar when I’m struggling to pay back his money?

When he’s destined to disappear, branded as a traitor after hovering ambiguously around the crown princess!

It was just frustrating and infuriating to see the duke walking into a hellfire pit on his own, not knowing his own future.

Even if she gave advice, the duke, with his eyes covered and ears blocked, wouldn’t listen.

Roselia gritted her teeth as she recalled his eyes shining like cold blades as he grabbed her collar.

Just as the duke didn’t stand up for the original Roselia when she was dying on the scaffold, she too wouldn’t take a single step when Klaus was accused of treason.

No, she planned to smile brightly in front of him, saying it served him right.

Closet, who had forcibly dragged Roselia to the garden saying it was a nice day, suddenly had a tea table prepared and enjoyed tea time.

Roselia, who ended up sitting across the table, blankly stared at her teacup while mechanically drinking the tea Closet handed her.

It was then that Closet, observing Roselia’s somewhat absent-minded expression, spoke up.

“Did things not go well with meeting Her Highness the Crown Princess?”

Roselia, who raised her gaze with a start at Closet’s worried question, smiled awkwardly.

“No. Thanks to Your Grace’s help, that matter was resolved well.”

“Is that so? Then why do you look like that?”

“What’s wrong with my expression…?”

“You look like a young head of household drowning in debt.”

Well… That’s not wrong…

As Roselia smiled awkwardly, Closet scrutinized her face meaningfully and said casually.

“I think Klaus also entered the palace that day, did you run into him?”

This little one is quite perceptive.

Roselia reluctantly nodded.

“What did that cold-blooded man say? That guy’s personality gets even worse when it comes to matters related to Ivellionne, I mean, Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Lady Closet!”

Melda, Closet’s nanny who was serving tea nearby, let out a scream-like sound.

Regardless, Closet just said what she wanted to say with an indifferent expression.

“If that guy says anything, use my name. Say you met Her Highness on my errand.”

I already told the duke to his face that I would use the crown princess to pay back the debt…

Suddenly, a wave of regret washed over her.

She could have phrased it more nicely, but provoked by Klaus’s aggressive reaction, she unknowingly spoke using material that would stimulate the duke.

If it had been someone else in that place instead of the duke, she might have been arrested for insulting the crown princess.

Hah… I need to kill this temper…

“Forget about what’s passed, Antonio. You’ve already stepped in it, so think about how to clean it up.”

You’re still young, but quite perceptive…

Roselia looked at Closet with a newly impressed expression.

Closet just tilted her teacup with a haughty expression, unfazed by Roselia’s gaze.

At that moment, Melda, who was refilling the snacks beside them, carefully opened her mouth.

“Lady Closet, you know today is the day to get fitted for your debutante dress, right?”

“Sigh… Melda. Can’t I just wear anything?”

“What nonsense! It’s Lady Closet’s first debutante, don’t say such ridiculous things!”

“Phew…”

Come to think of it, Closet’s debutante was less than a month away.

While any other girl of similar age might be eagerly anticipating that day with excitement, Closet didn’t seem to have much interest.

Well, in fact, Roselia wasn’t interested either.

Growing up neglected in the baron’s household, she never had a debutante, but she had never felt regretful about it or envious of other noble young ladies.

A debutante was said to be a social debut, but it was essentially no different from putting one’s face on the marriage market, so to Roselia, who had no interest in marriage, it was truly…

“Troublesome.”

Yes, it just seemed like a troublesome affair.

It was unexpected that Closet, a high noble, had the same thoughts.

“Troublesome? Oh my! It’s the debutante of the daughter of Duke Balthazar! I don’t know for sure, but all the young gentlemen of high society must be looking forward to it!”

“What if I end up with a man like Klaus?”

Melda tilted her head at Closet’s sulky words.

“Then wouldn’t that be something to welcome with open arms?”

Closet and Roselia simultaneously made expressions as if they had eaten something sour at Melda’s innocent reply.

As the two looked at her strangely, Melda shrugged her shoulders with a puzzled expression.

“By the way, I’m worried because it seems the butler still hasn’t decided on the concept for the party.”

“Weren’t they talking about that party concept or whatever since half a year ago?”

“That’s what I’m saying. They’ve been fussing about preparing in advance since half a year ago… It seems they’ve sorted out the basic party food and hall setup… But they still haven’t decided on the most important party concept.”

Closet responded with an expression of listening to someone else’s business to Melda’s reaction of heaving a deep sigh.

“Then why don’t they just do it without a concept?”

Melda jumped up in shock at Closet’s curt response.

“How can you say such a disappointing thing!! Have you forgotten about Lady Belmont’s debutante last time?”

“Hmm… I was so busy sneezing all day that I don’t remember well.”

The Belmont marquis family had as much standing as the Balthazar duke family, so even in the original novel, the Belmont family’s party was briefly mentioned.

They gathered all kinds of flowers from the empire and decorated so much that the inside of the building couldn’t even be seen, right?

They said the Belmont young lady appeared like a flower fairy in an atmosphere as if entering a forest of flowers.

Of course, it seems Closet suffered because of her severe flower pollen allergy…

As parties were so frequent in high society, the children of notable noble families preferred to set and show off party concepts rather than ordinary parties.

Having spent over a month close to Closet and realizing that the seemingly prickly and haughty Closet was unexpectedly easygoing and kind-hearted, Roselia wanted to support her.

But knowing well that the social world Closet would live in going forward was not easy, Roselia was also worried about her. So Roselia decided to offer a small help, though it wasn’t much.

“How about a masquerade ball?”

Suddenly, Melda and Closet’s gazes turned to Roselia.

After looking puzzled for a moment, Melda shook her head as if disapproving of her suggestion.

“Masquerade balls are too outdated. It’s been over 10 years since they went out of fashion, I think?”

Roselia smiled gently at Melda’s curt words and continued.

“That’s true for Lugbelzet-style masquerade balls.”

A Lugbelzet-style masquerade ball referred to a ball where masks covering the entire face with only the eyes exposed were worn.

As the whole face was covered, it was difficult to distinguish the identity or status of the participants, and it was briefly popular due to the secrecy of not being able to recognize the other person, but soon faded.

But the masquerade ball Roselia mentioned was the Lapelios-style masquerade ball that would become popular in the future.

“Do you know about the masks that are becoming popular in Western Empire and Western continent countries?”