The month of leisure passed quickly in the relentlessly flowing time. The day arrived, heralding the first official banquet of the Asthart ducal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Asthart had been staying at their suburban mansion for the past fortnight, meticulously inspecting the state of the banquet. They examined everything from the ballroom, the centerpiece of the banquet, to the guest rooms where visitors would stay, and even the tableware and flowers to be used on this joyous day.

Moreover, servants were needed to attend to the guests, so additional staff were temporarily hired.

And so, the day of the banquet arrived.

Natasha Charliee woke up earlier than usual and began her preparations with the help of servants.

As most of those assisting with her grooming were unfamiliar faces, Cayena Ten took the lead in giving various instructions to help the inexperienced staff.

Meliana and Vanessa were scheduled to attend the banquet with their families today. Invitations were also extended to Cayena and her family, but they politely declined multiple times, saying they would gratefully accept the sentiment only.

Left alone, Cayena declared she would do the work of three people and enthusiastically assisted Natasha. Her energy and dedication seemed inexhaustible.

After finishing her outward preparations, Natasha gazed at herself in the mirror.

The blue sapphire earrings and the elaborate diamond necklace reflected the mirror’s light, standing out brilliantly. The light sky-blue mermaid dress that revealed her figure also complemented Natasha’s unique aura well.

“I chose well, didn’t I?”

Cayena winked, catching Natasha’s eyes in the mirror.

“Yes, I love it.”

“Hehe, my taste is the best, right? As expected of someone who’s been with you since childhood, my lady!”

It was the result of checking catalogs from famous salons and then modifying them to suit Natasha better before commissioning again. Cayena’s shoulders rose high with joy at her mistress’s satisfaction, a reward for her efforts.

“You’ll be the star today. Enjoy yourself to the fullest, my dear Tisha.”

Cayena’s meticulous touch continued, properly arranging stray golden hair and centering the necklace’s jewel precisely on Natasha’s chest. Finally, she smoothed out the creased sleeves, completing the inspection.

After lightly kissing Natasha’s white hand, Cayena followed with the loving nickname. It was Natasha’s precious name, occasionally used in the royal palace.

The eyes shining with affection and the voice rising gently. These sincere gestures tickled Natasha’s heart.

‘Cayena still cherishes me.’

Cayena Ten had changed. That was undeniable. And the same was true for Natasha.

It was natural for one’s mindset to change when faced with life’s crossroads. Cayena, too, couldn’t remain exactly the same as her pure former self.

Although Natasha had previously tasked Charlotte with monitoring Cayena, she had never once inquired about the situation. The instruction was merely a precaution for unforeseen circumstances; with her trust firmly in place now, there was no reason to open this Pandora’s box.

After all, a friendship of over a decade was not a wall easily cracked by a few doubts.

Numerous carriages waited in front of the mansion. The nobles who alighted from the carriages went through security checks, presenting their invitations and confirming their identities before entering the mansion.

Since all the guests would be tired from the long carriage journey and likely not fully prepared, the formal meeting was scheduled for dinner time. Until then, servants guided them to their assigned rooms, allowing the invited guests to prepare comfortably before the start of the banquet.

In the early evening, at the appointed time, the guests gathered in the ballroom.

“Oh, how beautiful.”

“I heard His Holiness the Pope specially permitted them to use the image of the temple?”

Indeed, with the temple as a motif, it was quite different from the typically lavish and extravagant banquet halls. The Asthart family’s banquet was more elegant and reverent. It had a unique, refined taste distinct from the usual dazzlingly decorated luxurious gatherings.

However, this scenery couldn’t be described as frugal either.

The Duke, who hated falling behind more than death itself, had spent an unmentionable amount on this banquet. From inviting over a hundred guests to the suburban mansion, the scale was already extraordinary, but after seeing common flowers, rare in the north, strewn about like roadside pebbles, everyone gave up trying to estimate the cost.

After greetings were exchanged, the ducal couple announced they would offer a prayer befitting the temple theme, and then brought in His Holiness the Pope, causing all the guests to gasp.

At such moments, Meliana and Vanessa swelled with pride as if they were the hosts of the banquet. They were quick to praise the excellence of the family they worked for to their admiring parents whenever the opportunity arose.

After the prayer ended, the main banquet began in earnest.

As the doors opened, attendants appeared one by one, pulling buffet trays. Male waiters circulated with glasses of alcohol, while female waiters carried light finger snacks.

The orchestra began to play. As lively waltz music filled the air, women and men lined up facing each other and started to dance. Focused on their dance steps to avoid becoming a laughingstock by missing a beat or making a mistake in choreography, they also subtly showed off their wealth and beauty.

After the first song ended, they remained in place and shook hands with those across from them. Then, in time with the music, the front row of people moved, followed by the back row, alternating as they greeted new partners.

When the performance ended, a short break was given. Meliana and Vanessa approached Natasha, unable to contain their excitement as they exclaimed:

“My lady, it’s amazing!”

“It’s all thanks to Lady Lean and Ten’s efforts.”

“This will surely be the best banquet of the year.”

“Everyone is saying it’s even more enjoyable and grand than the imperial banquets!”

After continuing their effusive praise, they quickly moved on to discuss the new faces. For unmarried ladies, handsome and kind men were undoubtedly the most interesting topic of conversation.

They were in the midst of discussing who they hoped would ask them to dance during the upcoming slow dance time when other guests flocked to Natasha, who had been proudly watching them.

“We are honored to meet the Moon of the Empire. Thank you for inviting us to such a delightful banquet.”

The crowd had completely surrounded her. Raising her heels slightly to look across, she saw that Sieghart was in a similar situation.

It was a bit dizzying and somewhat nerve-wracking, but the lively atmosphere was always enjoyable. Natasha responded kindly to all who approached her, without exception.

It was then that new food was replenished on the buffet trays. Drawn by the appetizing aroma, people began moving to the dining tables one by one.

Natasha politely declined numerous requests to join their tables.

There were still many people she needed to greet. As she made her rounds through the banquet hall, an unfamiliar figure entered her field of vision.

A middle-aged woman leaning against a corner pillar looked as if she was deliberately hiding from others’ gazes.

‘Who could that be?’

Unlike those trying to build new connections, the woman seemed fatigued by the situation.

As Natasha stood still, a baroness’s daughter who had been lingering nearby whispered in her ear.

“It seems no one knows who she is. It’s a face we’ve never seen before, and apparently, no one knows her identity.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, and since they thoroughly check identities and invitations, she couldn’t have entered under false pretenses…”

At that moment, a name popped into Natasha’s mind.

It was a name she had neither met nor heard before, yet it gave her a sense of déjà vu simply because the surname was the same.

Natasha excused herself and left her spot.

“Miss Calent?”

The woman’s bored expression suddenly softened. Recognizing the Duchess, she hurriedly greeted her.

“Ah… Good evening, I’m Ash Calent. It’s an honor to meet today’s host.”

Natasha returned the greeting, grasping her skirt and bending one leg. The graceful movement adorned her curtsy.

“So, Miss Calent? The invitation stated you were single…”

“Yes, you may address me as such.”

After brief introductions, the two engaged in light conversation about the day’s banquet. Miss Calent, like others, led the conversation by praising how grand and thoughtful the banquet was.

Although her face didn’t look particularly pleased as she said so.

“I heard you came from the Galonde Empire. I’m glad you could attend despite the long, tiring journey.”

“Not at all. It’s only proper to come running even from the opposite side of the continent for the Asthart family’s first banquet.”

“Come to think of it, I heard that you’ve visited the ducal house occasionally, Miss Calent.”

“Yes, though not frequently, I gratefully visited whenever the Duke invited me.”

Ash Calent’s short and concise answers made it difficult to find any openings. Natasha naturally wanted to inquire about the other’s connection to the ducal family, but her counterpart didn’t give her the slightest chance.

Was it simply because of the large age difference between them? Or was it difficult due to the difference in social status?

It couldn’t be the former, as the ladies Natasha had been dealing with until just now were all around Miss Calent’s age. If it were the latter, Miss Calent wouldn’t have attended this party where everyone was obviously of noble status, if only to avoid the pressure.

Ash seemed to be wary of the Duchess. Despite her polite manners, there was a thorny edge to her attitude.

“I’m very curious about Miss Calent’s connection to the ducal family… Might I hear about it?”

Natasha, who had been considering whether to end the conversation and leave, finally ventured to ask.

If there was no opening to probe, she would create one. She knew that even a politely phrased question might feel like an unwanted imposition to the listener, but she had no other option.

Calent.

A name that could be a mere coincidence, yet it bothered her so much.

Among countless families, the existence of the Calent family in a foreign territory shouldn’t hold much significance, and yet…