As the entrance buzzed with excitement, princesses entered the Ruby Hall one by one. It was the moment Melissa had been anticipating.

Melissa approached the princesses entering the party as the host, offering formal greetings one by one. Finally,

“Princess Stella Rune Oveliet has arrived.”

The princess Melissa had longed to meet finally made her appearance.

Melissa’s first impression upon seeing Stella was ordinary.

Among the numerous women present, Stella didn’t stand out for exceptional beauty, nor did she excessively adorn herself with expensive jewels purchased with overflowing wealth.
Dressed in a modest yet not lacking elegance, Stella entered the Ruby Hall with a slightly tense expression.

“Princess Stella, thank you for attending the party.”

Melissa greeted Stella with a watchful eye, observing her.

Stella, momentarily captivated by the splendid interior decoration of the Ruby Hall, noticed Melissa approaching first and gracefully extended her greetings.

“Thank you for the invitation.”

After exchanging greetings with Melissa, the princesses who greeted them proceeded into the Ruby Hall with the guidance of attendants. However, for some reason, Melissa kept staring at Stella without assigning an attendant to guide her.

“If you have something to say to me…”

Stella asked with a puzzled expression, sensing the intense gaze fixed on her.

Observing the intense gaze, Stella couldn’t help but recall the look she had received from Duke Will, who had recently visited Berdura Castle.

It was a gaze with an intention. However, there was no reason for someone as remarkable as Duchess Melissa to have any intentions towards her.

Could it be that even Duchess Melissa has an interest in me?

Stella, with a whimsical imagination, was on guard, but Melissa smiled and extended her hand.

“No, not at all. I just want to be friends with the princess.”

“With me?”

Surprised by the unexpected words, Stella’s response was slightly delayed. Among all the noble ladies and princesses who had entered the party so far, Stella was the only one towards whom Melissa had shown personal interest.
Naturally, everyone’s attention turned to Stella. Of course, Stella was oblivious to the focus on her.

“Yes, for some reason, I feel like I would get along well with the princess in various ways.”

“Do you know about me?”

Even as Stella asked the question, she felt foolish. To think that Melissa Duchess wouldn’t know about her.

However, Stella couldn’t help but be surprised by Melissa’s immediate response.

“Of course, I know well. Who wouldn’t know about the dazzling performance of Princess Stella in the Rose Hunting Festival?”

Stella awkwardly smiled, wanting to say, “Many people didn’t know,” but she held back the urge.

Unbeknownst to them, the two were already moving towards the center of the Ruby Hall. Since the party was exclusively for women, there was no designated dance area. Instead, the central area was filled with expensive decorations, artworks, and equally lavish food spread across tables.

“Have you always enjoyed hunting?”

Melissa asked with an intriguing gaze.

“No, that was my first time.”

“For a first time, your performance was quite remarkable. It left a strong impression.”

“Thank you.”

She seemed like an unremarkable woman at first glance. Melissa couldn’t understand why this seemingly ordinary woman had captured Kai’s attention that day. Was it really just the purple-horned lizard? Melissa’s interest in Stella quickly waned.

The piles of documents were seemingly endless. The Emperor, who usually worked at a terrifying speed when focused, had been moving tirelessly like a malfunctioning machine for the past few days, frequently coming to a sudden halt.

From the last ‘response’ incident, Halmang was convinced that something had troubled the Emperor. “Your Majesty, may I at least know what is going on?” Halmang asked with an earnest voice, but Kai remained in a frozen state. He seemed to be staring at the documents, but oddly, it looked like he was looking elsewhere.

“Your Majesty?”

Halmang couldn’t help but feel anxious about how deep Kai’s contemplation must be if he couldn’t even hear her calling out to him. He had been the Emperor since a young age, and although not by blood, he had stood by Kai’s side like a son or a younger brother.

Kai’s behavior was so unusual that it was counted on one hand how many times he had acted like this. It was a matter so sad that it could cast a shadow over the entire empire. Halmang couldn’t help but worry about the Emperor.

“Halmang.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Halmang finally responded, suppressing the emotional surge that came with the thought that perhaps there was something he could help with.

“There’s someone causing concern.”

“Who is it?”

Halmang, without hesitation, stared into the Emperor’s eyes, ready to apprehend whoever dared to threaten the Emperor’s safety. Even a hint of suspicion would be enough to take immediate action.

“A person with exceptional skill in handling daggers.”