The only person Madame Louise referred to as ‘that woman’ was Julia Florence.

I looked up in surprise.

“A royal ball?”

“Yes. I heard Baron Florence went to great lengths to secure a place.”

Recently, news had spread about a ball being held at the Fontainebleau Palace, the royal palace. Of course, Felix and I, as high-ranking nobles, received invitations.

Normally, a low-ranking noble like Baron Florence wouldn’t be able to attend such an event, but it seemed the Baron had managed to obtain an invitation somehow.

Madame Louise asked with a troubled expression.

“What do you plan to do? It seems Felix doesn’t want to go to that ball. Even if invited, one can’t attend without a partner.”

I answered dryly.

“What’s the use of forcibly taking someone who doesn’t want to go? If I can’t find a separate partner, I’ll have to give up on attending.”

“Yes, you’ll have to endure it.”

Madame Louise began to lecture with a pitying look. Her tone was affectionate, but the content of her words was utterly dreadful.

“A virtuous wife should be able to generously embrace even her husband’s mistakes. Even if Baron Florence’s young lady acts a bit arrogant in the future, you should understand. That way, Felix will treat you well, if only out of guilt.”

I simply replied obediently.

“Yes, Mother.”

Truly, they were a mother and son not even worth feeling sorry for.

***

Although he had come to receive an allowance from his wife, Felix de Tolomiès had not become completely impoverished.

Elisabeth hardly touched the money he used for maintaining his dignity.

Thanks to this, Felix could still save face among men. In the meantime, he made time to meet Julia.

“Isn’t that too much? How can there be such a thing! When you think about it, all the wealth of the Tolomiès Count family belongs to you!”

After hearing the whole story, Julia jumped up and down in anger.

The humiliation suffered at the hands of Madame Louise was already infuriating, but this news was even more shocking.

Felix spoke with a gloomy expression.

“I had no choice. I’m sorry I can’t buy you many nice things like before.”

“Don’t say that. You’re the one who’s most frustrated, aren’t you? Aren’t they all being too harsh on you?”

In fact, the reason Julia was angry was different. Felix losing his financial rights meant that the money he could spend on his mistress had decreased.

However, in Felix’s eyes, it looked as if Julia was getting angry purely for his sake.

Felix smiled and kissed his lover’s forehead. He wanted to somehow cheer up his lovely partner.

“My dear Julia, will you be going to this royal ball?”

Julia grinned and said.

“Yes. I thought I wouldn’t be able to go, but fortunately, someone has agreed to find me a reliable chaperone.”

Of course, she didn’t mention that ‘someone’ was none other than Duke de Lenoir. She had at least that much tact.

“You really can’t come?”

“Even if I go, I’d have to go with either my mother or my wife.”

Felix stroked Julia’s hair affectionately.

“It’s a royal ball after all. Don’t feel uncomfortable because of unpleasant people, just go and enjoy it to the fullest.”

Julia nodded.

She couldn’t go to the ball with Felix anyway. Still, a ball without the Countess de Tolomiès or Madame Louise seemed quite enjoyable.

“I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.”

Smiling brightly, she suddenly asked as if she had just remembered something.

“If you’re not going to the ball, what about that woman?”

“She won’t be able to go. Since she doesn’t have a partner to go with.”

“Oh, is that so? Then that woman won’t be able to come at all. It’s such a shame, a ball held at the royal palace for once.”

Julia muttered spitefully.

Even that looked cute to Felix, who chuckled and kissed the top of Julia’s head.

***

While Felix was out, I finished my private meeting with Madame Louise and immediately sent a letter to Duke de Lenoir.

“I need your help. I received an invitation to the royal ball, but my husband refuses to attend, so I don’t have a suitable partner to go with. Is there any way to find another partner? I will surely show my gratitude.

-Eli.”

The reply arrived very quickly.

“There’s no need to show gratitude for such a small matter. Please let me know the date and time. I will resolve it for you.

-Leo.”

After reading the letter, I tilted my head.

‘He says he’ll resolve it? How? Surely he’s not going to step in himself?’

Of course, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

If a husband couldn’t attend the ball due to unavoidable circumstances, even a married woman could receive an escort from another man.

If agreed upon in advance, there wouldn’t even be criticism of being ‘too familiar with an outsider’.

But for that to happen, one would first need to formally request to be a lady’s partner, and obtain the consent of her husband or guardian.

‘Felix wouldn’t willingly pair me with Duke de Lenoir.’

My prediction was exactly right.

The evening after receiving the reply from Leopold, Felix tentatively brought up the topic during a rare shared meal.

“You, are you planning to go to the royal ball?”

I stopped cutting my foie gras and looked up at him. Felix continued with a very regretful expression.

“Well, of course we should attend if possible since it’s a royal ball, but as you know, I’ve been quite busy lately. My physical condition isn’t really up for such a long journey. But it would be strange for you to go alone.”

I almost snorted.

Anyone could see that Felix’s health was perfectly fine. And for the past few months, I had been far busier than him.

‘Is this some kind of revenge for having to receive an allowance from me?’

My brow furrowed involuntarily, but I had no words to refute.

In principle, if my husband Felix didn’t go with me, it was impossible for me to attend the ball alone.

Actually, there was no absolute need to attend the royal ball. But seeing Felix’s obvious intentions made me feel that I would be even more dejected if I really couldn’t attend.

Then, Madame Louise, sitting at the edge of the table, opened her mouth.

“If that’s the problem, I have a good solution.”

Felix looked up, startled.

Madame Louise’s clear voice rang out across the table.

“I’ve been having business exchanges with His Grace Duke de Lenoir recently, and the Duke was troubled about not having a partner for the royal ball. As it happens, we have one person left over here. Elisabeth, how about you go to the ball with His Grace the Duke?”

My eyes flew open.

‘So that’s what this was about.’

Madame Louise was my mother-in-law and the matriarch of the Tolomiès family. In other words, she could also be seen as my legal guardian.

A high-ranking nobleman personally arranged by my legal guardian.

He was the perfect partner that no one would dare question.

Felix’s brow furrowed.

“Mother, are you really going to entrust Lizzy’s escort to that person?”

Madame Louise clicked her tongue at her son.

“Felix, you should act more mature.”

She scolded her son sternly.

“Even if the families didn’t get along in the past, that’s all in the past. Getting along well with uncomfortable counterparts is the basics of social life.”

While Felix kept his mouth shut, she turned back to me.

“As it happens, His Majesty the King also seemed to want to see Duke de Lenoir, so it’s a good picture for both sides. Use this opportunity to make a strong impression on His Majesty.”

She added one more sentence as if to comfort her son.

“Don’t let yourself be overshadowed at all. Make the Duke de Lenoir look like your accessory.”

“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

I answered while hiding my joy.

Madame Louise frowned and nagged her son once more.

“If you couldn’t go to the ball, you should have found a separate partner for your wife yourself. Did you have to make me go through the trouble of doing even this?”

Felix couldn’t say anything in response.

And so, I was able to officially attend the ball with Duke de Lenoir.

***

A week before the royal ball, I departed for the capital in the Count family’s silver carriage.

The Fontainebleau Palace, which I was visiting after a long time, was extremely splendid.

I safely reunited with Leopold, my partner and business associate, in the guest room located in the west wing of the palace.

“I didn’t expect you to come as my partner yourself.”

“I couldn’t entrust you to someone else’s hands. We’ve shared such secrets, after all.”

Leopold smiled and lightly kissed the back of my hand.

“Since we’ve come to the royal palace, let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

“We should.”

I answered like that and then added without thinking.

“But I don’t think it will be very enjoyable. I’ll have to watch that woman strutting around right before my eyes.”

Julia Florence had lost face among people due to the failure of the business presentation earlier.

But thanks to the royal ball invitation that Baron Florence had obtained with great difficulty, her standing had risen again.

The collapse of her reputation was only a matter in this city, Montreye. In the social circles of the capital, full of new faces, such matters could be buried.

“Still, you must attend. It’s a ball held at the royal palace after all.”

Leopold said with a meaningful smile.

“I guarantee, you absolutely won’t regret it.”