The day of the culminating banquet arrived quickly.

The mansion was bustling with the busy footsteps of the servants from dawn.

I also rose early in the morning, following their movements, and began to get ready. After the combative maids withdrew their hands, I twisted my body this way and that in front of the mirror.

I wore an apricot-colored off-shoulder dress with abundant ruffles, rolled up my long straight hair and tied it down, and inserted a diamond hair corsage in the shape of lily of the valley.

Though it was far from my usual preferred style, I quite liked how modest and docile it made me appear. That was exactly the image I needed for today.

I put on silk gloves and sat in front of the console.

Glancing at the mirror in front, I saw the maids. I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable they looked, gathered like chicks with excited expressions, as if hoping for praise.

“I like it. You’ve done well. You may go now.”

“But the earrings…”

“I’ll do it myself.”

I smiled as I took the velvet box the maid was holding and dismissed them.

I picked up the letter placed on the console and read it. It was a personal note from Lady Wickley, saying we must meet at the banquet.

Antra will definitely attend the banquet today no matter what. She knows that to clear up the scandal and improve her image, she has no choice but to act brazenly confident.

I planned to drive a wedge between Antra and her allies today, completely isolating her. All this time, Antra has neglected the noble ladies, relying on Lady Wickley’s influence. Being expelled from Lady Wickley’s circle in front of everyone would devalue her, and nothing could be more miserable than that.

I languidly stroked my powdered collarbone and smiled faintly.

‘Being expelled in front of everyone today will surely shock Antra.’

At last, I opened the velvet box the maid had left. Pearl earrings set in black sponge appeared.

I put one in one earlobe, and picked up the other to put it in… or tried to.

If only the silk gloves hadn’t made my hand slippery.

And at that moment, someone knocked on the door.

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the door.

‘A maid?’

Thinking it was perfect timing, I focused on putting on the pearl earring and said.

“Come in.”

Soon the door opened and someone approached from behind.

My arm was getting sore and tired from the earring pin that kept missing the hole. Finally, with a sigh, I handed the earring over my shoulder.

I closed my eyes, which had dried from concentrating, and said.

“I’m sorry, but could you put this earring on for me? My hand keeps slipping.”

For some reason, I felt hesitation. But the other person soon took the earring. I was surprised by the slightly rough hand that brushed against mine, but I assumed it was because maids’ hands often get chapped from frequent water contact.

However, there was no movement for a long time. Thinking it might be a young maid frozen in place, I reached over my shoulder to pat the back of their hand encouragingly.

I felt the hand flinch and quickly withdrew, but. Soon cold fingertips gently pressed behind my earlobe to hold it in place. Then the pin circled around before slowly penetrating the hole.

The maid who finished with the earring took a step back.

The moment I opened my eyes and saw the figure reflected in the mirror, my heart nearly dropped.

“Count…?”

In the mirror was Edmond, his ears flushed red, covering his face with his large hands. Due to his tall stature, only the middle of his face was visible in the mirror.

“Wh-what are you doing here?”

“I put on your earring for you.”

“That’s what I mean. Why is the Count putting on my earring?”

What kind of crazy person would have you serve me…

Oh right, me.

Edmond glared at me in the mirror with an incredulous expression. As our eyes met through the mirror, I smiled awkwardly, remembering how I had handed him the earring and patted his hand.

Oh no. I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt terribly ashamed for acting as if I had the upper hand when I had made a mistake due to my own misconception.

“I’m sorry, I should have checked. I thought you were a maid.”

Ahem, clearing his throat and removing his hand from his face, Edmond meaninglessly adjusted his collar.

“It’s fine. I didn’t say anything either.”

An awkward silence followed. I was just about to stand up to apologize once more and face Edmond when.

‘Oh…’

For a moment, I was so surprised that I lost my senses.

He had cut his hair short and swept it up neatly, revealing his forehead.

Deep-set eyes, a smooth nose that looked like raindrops would bead on its tip, taciturn lips. The neat forehead revealed for the first time today. Even the splendid white tailcoat that matched his silver hair. It was as if brilliant rays of light were spreading behind his back, fully revealing his handsome features.

I was gaping blankly before I came to my senses and asked.

“Count, did you style your hair-”

“It’s not because of you.”

Edmond frowned and cut me off flatly. As if telling me not to misunderstand.

When he denies it this strongly, it makes me want to tease him even more.

“Yes, yes. I understand. It’s not because of me, right?”

Edmond made a displeased expression at my statement that seemed to humor him. He let out a languid sigh and pulled out a document from his jacket pocket, handing it to me.

“This is the information you requested about Baroness Antra Dien. It’s the testimony of an old woman who worked as her dedicated maid at the time, but we haven’t been able to locate the scattered servants yet, so its reliability is lacking.”

I smiled brightly as I took the document.

“It can’t be helped since I asked you in a hurry. And this is enough.”

Edmond furrowed his brow with an uneasy face. With his neat forehead fully exposed, even the subtle changes in expression that were barely visible before were now clearly apparent.

“What are you plotting?”

“My, plotting? That’s too much. We’re in the same boat, you know.”

“…”

Edmond stared at me intently before turning his head, and I heard him mutter something about me being willful. Just as I was about to ask what he meant, he headed for the door.

“Wait a moment, I can’t receive information for free. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”

“Then please take care of my sister. She’s quite nervous…”

Edmond was speaking as he pulled on the slightly open door handle, but he stopped abruptly.

Beyond the door he had swung open wide was Lilien, covering her mouth with a rapturous expression.

“What are you doing here, Sister?”

Lilien grabbed Edmond’s sleeve and shook it.

“Edmond, look. Isn’t Lady Etricia so beautiful? Standing together with you, it’s like a mural in a temple-”

Edmond passed by with a coldly indifferent face, as if this was yet another of her antics, before she could even finish her gushing.

“Wait, Edmond! I wasn’t finished talking! Where are you going?”

Lilien called out to his back, but Edmond had already disappeared like an arrow.

Lilien pouted, saying he was too ill-mannered towards his elder, but I secretly burst out laughing, feeling as if I had glimpsed their close childhood.

Ha!

Inside the carriage heading to the imperial palace, I burst out laughing after checking the information Edmond had given me.

Lilien, who had been moistening her parched lips while gazing out the window, turned to me in surprise.

“What’s wrong, Lady Etricia?”

“It’s nothing.”

I tore up the document and put it in a small bag, then faced Lilien. Bright lights seeped into her pupils and then tilted.

I laughed at Lilien’s action of smoothing her chest and catching her breath with a “whew”.

“Are you nervous?”

Lilien nodded with a broad smile. Well, she would be entering simultaneously with Edmond as the Emperor’s escort after completing the conferment ceremony in the reception hall.

It was the day her long-awaited brother would inherit the Duke’s title, and practically an official event for her as a royal lady, so her body must have tensed up.

“Just act like you usually do.”

“But…”

Lilien smiled awkwardly as she brushed back her fallen hair. With the colorful light from outside flickering across her face, she was incredibly beautiful.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I didn’t even have a proper debutante ball. I’m worried about embarrassing myself, especially considering you and Edmond…”

“A debutante ball. Come to think of it, I cried because I didn’t want to go and ended up being dragged there by my aunt.”

“Really?”

“Yes, with a face like this.”

When I made a crying face by pulling down the corners of my mouth, Lilien laughed softly. She seemed to have relaxed.

Realizing what she was worried about, I reached out and patted her hand resting on her knee.

“If you’re concerned about Devon, don’t worry. As I said before, you won’t run into him. He’ll arrive very, very late.”

Lilien tilted her head cutely.

I told your dedicated maid, Mary, to inform Devon that I overslept and the banquet preparations were greatly delayed when he arrives at the mansion. To stall for as much time as possible.

I could clearly picture Devon kicking the carriage in frustration, shouting, “Damn it, why is it so late!”

Lilien laughed along with me without knowing why, then spoke.

“Thank you for comforting me, Lady Etricia. I feel better now.”

“I’m glad.”

“Actually, I’m sorry to Lady Wickley, but I’ve been thinking of you as my chaperone.”

“Me?”

An important qualification for a chaperone was having excellent and deep connections. I, known as the reclusive Countess, was unqualified. Her words sounded like nothing more than consolation to me.

“Thank you for thinking of me that way.”

“It’s true. No, honestly, I don’t need anyone else. As long as Lady Etricia is here-”

“Oh my, then did I make unnecessary efforts? I went to great lengths to ask Lady Wickley to be your chaperone…”

Lilien’s face hardened in an instant.

She hurriedly covered her mouth and tried to smooth over her statement. She explained that she didn’t mean to belittle my efforts, that she had no intention of marriage, that she wasn’t familiar with balls, and so on.

I secretly burst out laughing at how lovable Lilien looked in her flustered state. I had to calm Lilien down again while smiling mischievously. It seems I’ve developed a taste for teasing this pair of siblings.