Lin and Cookie both grew up in Zone 3, so it was clear they must have had a difficult childhood.

Nevertheless, they are so upright and dazzling.

They walk towards that distant hope.

But Ioan.

Where on earth are you walking to?

‘…If your father hadn’t abused you.’

Or if she hadn’t met him in that miserable moment when he was being beaten.

Could he too have held such proud and noble dreams like them, without being so twisted?

After saying goodbye to Cookie, they passed through the narrow stairway corridor again and came out onto the street.

The sun had already tilted down, and in that short time, the atmosphere of the street had changed.

The empty street was now full of children.

The children gathered in groups of three or five, picking up trash discarded on the street or collecting empty bottles.

“It’s time for the people here to wake up and start their business. …Let’s hurry and leave this place.”

Delphine followed behind Lin, leaving the street with a feeling that was hard to explain in words.

From behind her back, she heard the cheerful laughter of children exclaiming, “Wow! There’s still some alcohol left in this bottle!”

“My lady? …Lady Pryde!”

“Yes?”

Delphine, who had been staring blankly at the expensive crystal glass in her hand, suddenly lifted her head.

Baroness Gabi, who had been trying to win her favor for a while, asked with an artificial smile.

“What are you thinking so deeply about? At such a wonderful party.”

“Ah…”

Delphine, suddenly coming to her senses, looked around with a renewed expression.

Delicate chandeliers made of glass.

Plush red carpets spread everywhere.

Chocolate fountain.

Huge ice sculptures decorated here and there.

She was now attending a party held at the Imperial Palace.

It was the first social event held to welcome spring.

Beyond that barrier, people were still freezing to death even now that winter had ended.

Yet here she was, standing in a snow-white silk dress.

And on top of her red hair sat an expensive diamond tiara that scattered light in all directions.

“…I just lost myself for a moment at this long-awaited party.”

Delphine smiled at the baroness before her, trying hard to erase her thoughts.

Then Baroness Gabi, glancing repeatedly at Delphine’s tiara, flattered her.

“By the way, your tiara is truly beautiful! I had no idea Lord Pryde’s affection for you was to this extent.”

At those words, Delphine just awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth in a smile.

It was just a few days ago.

Ioan, returning from work, came to her chamber and immediately pulled out a velvet box from his breast pocket and handed it to her.

And inside was a tiara studded with countless diamonds.

Even the smallest one was larger than a thumbnail.

It was a precious item that even royalty would rarely possess.

“That is…”

She had intended to respond humbly that receiving an unexpected gift wasn’t such a big deal.

However, at that moment, Countess Morris, who had been watching their interaction with disapproval from the side, suddenly spoke up.

“That’s right.”

She said, fanning herself gently with a sweet tone.

“Who would have known that your father’s misdeeds would turn into such good fortune? Human affairs are unpredictable indeed.”

At first glance, her expression and tone seemed to be offering praise, just like Baroness Gabi.

But who wouldn’t notice the sharp knife hidden within that sweet tone?

Delphine thought, quickly regaining her composure.

Ah, yes. This feeling I haven’t felt in a long time.

This social world she stood in was a place where one should never let their guard down.

This was a place where people held knives in their mouths, pointing them at each other.

‘Did Ioan give me this tiara expecting something like this too?’

Delphine smiled leisurely, skillfully hiding her true feelings.

“Well… my husband gave me this gift without saying a word. I had quite a struggle getting a new dress to match the tiara in just a week.”

“My goodness. What an affectionate husband!”

Baroness Gabi, who immediately noticed the subtle tension, quickly interjected.

“…Indeed, some people would be happy just to have a husband who doesn’t cheat and doesn’t bring home illegitimate children from somewhere. Isn’t that right?”

At this, Countess Morris bit her lip hard, unable to hide her expression in time.

Recently, the social world had been turned upside down when her husband brought home an older illegitimate child.

“…Some champagne.”

Muttering like a defeated person, Countess Morris left her seat.

Immediately after, a brown-haired lady approached Delphine.

“My lady! Your red hair looks even more luscious against that white dress!”

This was the same person who had openly gossiped at her wedding that red-haired women were unlucky.

Starting with her, numerous nobles began to flock to Delphine.

‘…Why are they suddenly acting like this?’

They had been quiet all winter without a single invitation.

Is it really because of this tiara?

While skillfully dealing with them, Delphine glanced around the banquet hall.

Ioan had been leaning against the terrace window since earlier.

Not hiding his tremendous intimidation with a body twice the size of others.

“…My lady.”

But occasionally he would approach her with a kind face, take care of this and that, and then head back to the window.

He was openly demonstrating to the other nobles that she was the one who moved him.

As a result, the nobles, not daring to approach him who was said to be favored by the emperor, flocked to Delphine instead.

“My lady. Do you have any plans to host a party at your mansion this spring?”

“Now that the weather has warmed up, if you happen to hold a tea party, would you be sure to come?”

…This day would make social activities much easier from now on.

Delphine gazed at Ioan, who was quietly drinking wine in the corner.

“I remember you didn’t enjoy parties much. …My lady.”

Had he simply overlooked her social activities, which had been completely cut off after her father’s treason incident, because he thought she was comfortable in that state?

Why does it keep seeming like he’s really trying to do everything for her…?

“Champagne!”

At someone’s shout, the Imperial Palace servants popped dozens of champagne bottles.

The sound of ‘pop’ was heard in succession, and expensive champagne shot up to the ceiling before soon wetting the floor.

“Look at this! There’s still wine left in this bottle!”

“Give that to me! I want to take it to my mom!”

“I saw it first! So it’s mine, you idiot!”

As she looked at him, Delphine recalled the skinny children she had seen in Zone 3, Cookie who was even thinner than them, and her rotting shack.

Then she forcefully erased the clingy thoughts about Ioan from her mind.

At that moment, she saw someone moving towards the garden beyond the terrace where Ioan was standing.

‘…He’s here.’

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Delphine threw an elegant smile at the flatterers surrounding her, and soon slipped away.

Although spring had already come, there was quite a cool breeze in the evening.

Delphine stood for a moment, taking in a deep breath of fresh air, then quickly ran to the garden.

A secluded space between tall tree pillars.

It was a space used by nobles when they wanted to have secret meetings or private conversations during parties.

“Lord Humphreys.”

The marquis was there.

After receiving the invitation to the Imperial Palace party, the first thing she did was to send him a letter with Lin’s help.

Asking him to come out to this place on this day.

“Pembrook… no, I should call you Lady Pryde now.”

The marquis, standing next to a well-trimmed bush, greeted her with a lifeless voice.

Delphine looked at his appearance with a slightly surprised expression.

In her memory, he was a man with a small but solid build.

She had often heard his hearty laughter, “Hahaha,” amid the nobles who whispered elegantly in low voices and chuckled softly at parties.

However, the old man standing before her now seemed less than half of what he used to be.

What was most surprising was the clear look of depression and grief on his face, which had always been full of spirit.

“What on earth happened all this time… Why have you become so thin?”

When Delphine asked in a tone that revealed her concern, the marquis distorted his pale face.

“How could food pass a parent’s lips when their child has died in the prime of life?”

“Don’t say such things! I heard he’s still just missing. Don’t lose hope, my lord.”

“No. No. My son is not missing…”

The marquis trembled, his white mustache quivering.

“…My lady. Is what you said in your letter true? That you would help find a way for me?”

In her letter, Delphine wrote that she couldn’t write the details, but she deeply sympathized with his grief.

She also wanted to work together to find a way to resolve his unjust situation.

“Yes. I have ways to help you, my lord.”

Delphine answered firmly, looking at him straight in the eyes and added,

“Lord Humphreys. To do that, I first need to know the truth. …What problem was there between the young lord and young Duke Purcell, my lord?”

After hesitating for a moment, licking his dry lips,

Marquis Humphreys began to pour out the story of what had happened, with a face desperate for someone’s help.