The person who made that knocking sound was Danae. I forcibly composed my expression that was about to harden and said.

“Yes, come in.”

Meanwhile, I had opened two jewelry boxes wide and sat on the bed. Soon the door swung open and Danae entered my bedroom.

“Sister!”

With her sparkling silver hair tied up high with a lace ribbon, and wearing a green dress matching that lace ribbon, Danae’s appearance was very cute and lovely at first glance.

How utterly disgusting.

Danae sat down close beside me with an affectionate smile and said.

“Where did you go earlier? I was surprised when you weren’t there because I wanted to go for a walk with you.”

“…I went to meet someone briefly to take care of something Uncle ordered.”

“Oh, I see. I thought…”

I answered while slightly distancing myself from Danae. Danae briefly looked at me with a suspicious gaze at my unusual attitude, but soon returned to her usual face with a bright smile.

I read the curiosity in Danae’s red eyes as she looked at me. She was probably wondering what conversation had taken place between me and the Duke.

I spoke to her, who was examining me and the two jewelry boxes on my dressing table, pretending not to know anything.

“So. What brings you here, Danae? I don’t think you came to ask for a walk at this hour.”

“What do you mean? I just came to chat with you. But sister, what’s that on your dressing table?”

Danae answered my question about her purpose halfheartedly, then immediately asked about the jewelry boxes. I answered her question with an indifferent expression.

“…Oh. I received them from Uncle.”

“From Father? To you?”

Danae stared intently at the jewelry boxes with jealous eyes. I nodded.

“Yes.”

“…Two such large jewels?”

“Yes. …Ah, they’re not both real. The one in the right box is a real ruby, and the one in the left box is a fake ruby.”

“The right one is real… I can’t tell which is real just by looking.”

“That’s right. That fake ruby is an imitation made for the real ruby.”

I added an explanation while observing Danae’s expression. Danae’s eyes glittered with greed as she looked at the right jewelry box that I had told her was real. Eventually, she spoke to me in a pleading tone.

“Sister. Can’t you give me that real ruby? Please?”

I shook my head firmly and replied.

“…I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

“Oh, sister. Please. Okay? It’s my wish.”

“No matter what, I can’t.”

“Just once! Sister, please?”

Danae begged, acting cute. I repeatedly expressed my refusal to her.

“I said no. Am I someone who has to give you everything you ask for?”

At my words, Danae’s expression momentarily froze awkwardly.

She seemed greatly taken aback. It was understandable. In my previous life, I had never refused anything Danae begged for.

But the situation had changed. The me from my previous life who was kind to Danae was dead. And by Danae’s hand, at that.

I turned my head as if avoiding Danae. Then Danae spoke, scrunching her face as if about to cry.

“How… How can you say that to me? I’m really hurt.”

By now, large teardrops had formed in Danae’s eyes. Her sobbing appearance seemed pitiable enough to sway anyone’s heart, but to my eyes, it was infinitely detestable.

I softened my hardened expression and said to her.

“…I’m sorry. My words were a bit harsh. But I really can’t give you that ruby. Instead, I can give you the fake ruby anytime.”

“What. Forget it… I’m not some beggar.”

“Why? That fake ruby, although it’s not a ruby, it’s a gem called spinel. Besides, it looks exactly like the real ruby. If mixed together, even I couldn’t tell them apart?”

I spoke, subtly emphasizing the word ‘couldn’t tell’ without being obvious.

At that moment, a strange light flashed in Danae’s eyes. She blinked her tear-wet eyes and asked me.

“Really?”

“Yes. Take a closer look.”

Saying that, I held out the jewelry box containing the fake ruby in front of Danae’s eyes.

Danae gazed at the two gems, identical to the point of being indistinguishable, as if mesmerized. I observed her and casually stood up from my seat.

“Ah, Danae, sorry. I need to step out for a moment.”

“…Okay, see you later. Sister.”

I immediately walked out of the bedroom. Danae, her gaze captivated by the jewels, didn’t even turn her head at my hastily made excuse.

The sound of the door closing echoed softly in the hallway. A moment later, I opened the bedroom door just enough to peek inside.

As I expected, I saw Danae switching the jewels in the two boxes.

I slightly twisted the corner of my mouth into a smirk as I closed the door.

“Excuse me, Miss. A letter has arrived for you.”

Just then, a maid passing through the hallway approached me and held out a letter. I immediately took it and checked the recipient.

It was a letter from my fiancé, Leonard Francis Klein.

I smiled a ceremonial smile at the maid and said.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Miss.”

The maid bowed politely to me, then turned and left the hallway. After the maid disappeared, I tore the letter in my hand to shreds, intending to burn it after Danae left.

Time passed quickly, and soon the morning of His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday dawned.

Annie, who woke me up early in the morning, brought newly tailored dresses and held them up to me in front of the mirror after I finished bathing.

“Hmm, should we go with white? Or ivory? Blue would also look good with your blue eyes!”

“I don’t care what color it is, just choose something appropriate.”

I spoke in an indifferent voice to the excited Annie. Annie exclaimed in an excited voice towards me.

“What are you saying, Miss! How can you not care? If your fiancé, Young Lord Klein, heard this, he would be sad!”

At those words, my expression hardened.

Young Lord Leonard Blake Klein. He was my husband in my previous life, is currently my fiancé, and also the man who had secret meetings with my cousin sister behind my back.

Hearing his name, the memories of my terrible previous life came vividly to mind as if it had happened yesterday. I bit my lower lip, clenching my trembling hands.

Annie, unaware of my feelings, kept muttering to herself while fiddling with three dresses.

“Hmm. I heard from the tailor yesterday that Young Lord Klein had a new formal dress made with dark blue fabric… To look like a perfect match, blue would be suitable, right?”

At those words, I slowly turned my head towards Annie.

And grabbing her hand, I said.

“I’ve changed my mind. Anything but the blue dress would be fine.”

“Miss?”

Annie asked in surprise at my sudden change of attitude. I continued in a firm voice.

“I think the red dress I wore at the last dance party would be good. I’ll go with that.”

“What? But what about the newly tailored dresses?”

“I’ll wear those next time. Today, I prefer red.”

I persisted. Annie sighed deeply and brought the red dress from the dressing room.

After changing into it right away, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. The red dress, extravagant to the point of being excessive, would not match at all with Leonard’s solemn and dignified navy formal wear.

I turned to Annie and said.

“Where’s the jewelry box I left? The one Uncle entrusted to me.”

“Ah, the box wrapped in purple velvet? I put it on top of the dressing table over there.”

“Thank you.”

I immediately went to the dressing table. As Annie said, the jewelry box I received from the Duke 3 days ago was placed on the dressing table. I opened the box and quietly looked at the large ruby stone inside.

After Danae switched the jewels that day, I made sure no one but me could touch this box.

So unless something special happens, today’s plan should go smoothly as I wished. Hoping and wishing for that, I carefully hugged the box to my chest. Then I turned to Annie and said.

“Annie, has Uncle already left?”

“Pardon? No. He’s probably in the study.”

“Is that so? Alright. Go tell Uncle that I want to receive his escort today.”

“…What? But Miss, Young Lord Klein should be on his way to the mansion to escort you by now?”

Annie asked me again with a completely bewildered expression. I said to Annie.

“That’s not my concern.”

“Pardon?”

“…It’s nothing. Just tell Leonard that I’m not in the mood to go with him today.”

“…Yes, Miss.”

Annie replied with an unconvinced expression at my words.

In the end, I boarded a carriage with Duke Yusten and Danae.

My insistence on riding the Duke’s carriage instead of my fiancé Leonard’s seemed to surprise both of them.

I made excuses to the Duke, who asked for the reason, by mentioning today’s plan. Fortunately, the Duke easily fell for my explanation. Thus, I arrived at the Imperial Palace together with Duke Yusten and Danae.

An attendant from the palace came out to greet us.

“We have been waiting, Your Grace Duke Yusten. And Lady Christine, Lady Danae.”

The Duke received his greeting with an arrogant nod. The attendant immediately guided us into the banquet hall.

The banquet hall, so vast that the throne placed on the opposite side of the door looked distantly far, was already full of nobles who had arrived early.

They immediately surrounded me, the Duke, and Danae, striking up conversations. It was then, while I was engaging in perfunctory dialogue with them.

Footsteps were heard, and suddenly someone grabbed my wrist forcefully. I turned my head in surprise towards the person who had seized me.