A salon was being held this afternoon. That day, Seres was always the main character. Always, unchangingly, from a few years ago when she began attending. So she couldn’t help but be excited.

“Did you bring this as jewelry?”

The reason she only flung the sufficiently splendid jewelry that the maid brought onto the floor and did not slap the maid’s cheek was because Seres was in a very good mood.

“I’m sorry, miss. This child has not served the nobility for long. What are you doing! Can’t you bring something that suits the lady?”

The young maid who picked up the jewelry from the floor ran out hurriedly to get new jewelry.

Today, since the master’s mood was good, it passed over with this, but without having to see, she could know what her position would be if she couldn’t bring a piece of jewelry that satisfied her anew.

All the servants working in this mansion knew well. Their little master was a typical noble. This meant that their master considered the servants no different than objects.

“Hmph.”

Looking down at the back of the skinny maid, Seres clicked her tongue. After all, the lowborn know nothing at all.

“Isn’t it obvious that it’s not enough?”

“Of course, miss. It’s too lacking.”

The salon is one of the most important places in noble society, along with tea parties and balls.

“The salon should be a place where all the prestige you have is shown off.”

“Your words are just.”

As the maid flattered her subtly, her mood improved slightly. Seres elegantly sipped the hot tea in front of her.

‘I feel dirty at the balls and tea parties with a reasonable scale, where members of the Artina Ducal family steal all the attention.’

Of course. Since the Artina Ducal family, with its high power, selectively entered the social scene, at the party where the Artina family was attending, everyone was anxious to get an invitation.

‘But the salon is different.’

Strangely, the Artina family did not attend the salon.

The nobles made several speculations. Among them, the explanation that the duchess was so clever that she had no more knowledge to accumulate at the salon, and that the princess, not only being educated under such a duchess, but also being able to stand at the top without the need to build a base in advance, was strong.

‘The salon is the domain ruled by our De Ponte Marquis family.’

A place where the marchioness enjoys power as if she were a duchess, and the marquis’ daughter fills the vanity like a princess.

So it was only natural for Seres to insist on more splendid jewelry. She could not tolerate other young ladies shining more in a place where she was the main character.

“Miss, how about this jewelry? It’s a hairpin made by carving a rare red diamond on the continent.”

“Have you still not obtained jewelry made of Morian?!”

“I’m sorry, miss. Morian is only produced in very small quantities in the Harventa Empire……”

Tsk, Seres clicked her tongue. Morian, which is not even produced in the Arcadia Empire, is so valuable.

‘If you wear jewelry made of that, your nobility will stand out even more.’

Since there are no goods themselves, it’s not easy to buy with money. Seres, who was pouting her mouth, soon raised her chin high and waved her hand swiftly.

“It’s fine. Even without that, there is no one who can stand higher than me today. Just do it with that.”

She was a naturally arrogant noble. That’s why it was hard for Seres to bear someone ruling over her. When she was younger than now, she thought about it countless times.

“Why was I not a princess? Why was our lineage not that of a Duke? Even further, why weren’t we of royal blood?

Only after she discovered that voicing such thoughts would be considered treason did Evelia learn to swallow her ambition. She could endure, but she did not understand. She was always thirsty for higher authority.

‘Power is the best. It’s thrilling. Always new.’

Her mother, sitting at the highest seat, and herself. The envious gazes of those below. The power in each and every one of her words, regardless of status, made the subservient bow deeply.

Thinking of the upcoming salon, her mood lifted once again. Evelia laughed uproariously.

By the time Elysia and Evelia finished preparing to go out, Hugo had returned.

Since the sun hadn’t even reached midsky yet, it was more appropriate to say that he had arrived at the palace and returned in less than a month because he missed his wife and daughter.

Hugo, who was waiting in the reception room on the first floor, saw Elysia and Evelia descend after they finished preparing, opened his eyes wide, then squeezed them shut.

“……They both would be angry if I said they’re grounded.”

His wife and daughter were wearing matching red dresses with the same design and embroidered patterns.

They were priceless. They looked fragile, as if they could be blown away by the smallest breeze.

Nobody would know. The Duke, who had startled all his servants by suddenly throwing his quill and rushing out while working, was now hesitating in front of his wife and daughter.

Seeing her father pacing back and forth with his long legs, Evelia, who was worried that they wouldn’t be able to leave today, took the initiative.

“I’ll be back, mother!”

“Honey, how about not going and playing with Daddy?”

“I’ll play with Daddy when I get back!”

“So, should we go out somewhere delicious with Daddy?”

“I’ll go out with Daddy when I get back!”

No matter how gently he pleaded, Evelia, who was excited for her first trip to the salon, wouldn’t listen.

‘How can I let that beautiful child go. What if she meets a villain, or meets some bad guys, or gets even a single bruise on her body or her heart.’

Elysia watched her indecisive husband and their two sons standing next to him with a deep sigh.

‘I thought it might get a little better as Eve grew up.’

Her husband and their sons’ love for their daughter was deepening day by day.

As proof, the Duke, who would have been sorry if he was the second, finally declared that he would enter the salon, the place of camaraderie for the wives and daughters. Hugo told his servant.

“Prepare to go out. I’m going too.”

However, Hugo’s declaration was cut off by Elysia’s “Shh” sound.

“No. Eve and I will just go. You should hurry back to the palace and work, and Arcan and Cedric should go study.”

“Daddy should hurry back to the palace and work, and my brothers should go study!”

When the power behind the Duke spoke sternly, the little power holder put her hands on her hips and mimicked her with a squeaky sound.

The shoulders of the large golden dragon and the two smaller golden dragons drooped. In this Duke’s household, nothing could happen without Elysia’s permission and Evelia’s wish.

As she watched the backs of the three men trudging towards the palace and their rooms, Evelia muttered with a small shake of her head.

“Oh dear everyone’s really in trouble. I wonder when they’ll grow up.”

Elysia glanced at her daughter with a cold expression.

“Why, mother?”

“You, too… never mind.”