Of course, it’s not a banquet exclusively for nobles, so it’s possible for Hael’s family to attend.

However, as far as Yuriel knew, the lord had never invited them before.

He was a person with an extremely pervasive nobility-centric ideology.

For a moment, the whisper of Viscount Bilrod holding onto the lord brushed Yuriel’s ear.

“You’re so busy, yet you’ve put so much effort into our child’s engagement issue… Thank you for creating such a wonderful occasion.”

Ah, his words were understood a beat late.

That the lord had held a banquet without even a quarter passing was because of the Bilrod family’s young lady.

So is this gathering today a place the lord created to arrange a marriage between Lady Rike and some young nobleman?

But why did that conversation come up just as Hael was entering?

As Yuriel froze like a statue, Hael and his birth mother Catherine and birth father Olga approached.

The Olga couple stiffened as much as Yuriel.

As always, the first to correct her expression was Lady Catherine.

She had a far more important task before her today than the Yuriel in front of her eyes.

To establish a title for her family, which was said to have everything second only to the lord in this Alphonse.

It was unexpected that the lord himself would arrange such an occasion, but it was certainly a stroke of good fortune.

If this matter goes well, since Bilrod’s only daughter Rike cannot inherit the title, her son Hael would succeed to that position.

He would become the head of a viscount family, no less.

There’s also no need for her precious son to be concerned.

The Bilrod viscount family had been in heavy debt since their trading company ran into difficulties.

The largest share of that was held by Greggott Bank, and recently, a debt collection notice had arrived from there.

It was rare for the Blanchet family, the actual owners of Greggott Bank, to push so hard without showing consideration, so the Bilrod viscount family was in a predicament.

So for them too, their child’s marriage had become essential for the preservation of the family.

What a great deal this is, where those who are often disrespected by nobles with only empty prestige will be given a title, and the Bilrod family will be given not just survival but wealth.

Hael almost lost this great opportunity again because of that wench.

Until this morning, her son had argued with Lady Catherine that he would not come to this place.

Because of that, how much trouble she had getting her son to come out to this place.

It was only after skipping meals while saying he couldn’t even go out to this place that she was able to bring young master along.

Even then, Hael emphasized several times that he was just showing his face and leaving.

The arrow of anger that grew in Catherine’s heart was aimed not at her son, but at Yuriel.

Originally, her son was not such a disobedient child.

He was obedient, innocent, and followed his parents better than anyone.

How did such a child end up selling even his words for that girl, it was all too obvious.

Though doubting but not believing, that night when she went to the infirmary, she only came back with confirmation.

That her son really sold Brit and bought medicine with it.

That medicine was undoubtedly a cure for the illness suffered by that wench’s birth mother, Jane.

Even without seeing the details, it was obvious.

That wench must have somehow coaxed Hael into extracting money from the side.

How could they backstab like this, huh.

Even though they were pitied and employed as servants at least.

From the beginning when she was walking around with her head held high shamelessly, no, from when she was walking around with her son without knowing her place, she should have separated them.

Over the past few days, belated regret stirred in Lady Catherine’s heart in the midst of hellish days.

Still, it was fortunate in misfortune that they were invited to such a good place… but that wench is here again.

Lady Catherine, who had resolved to keep Yuriel out of sight for a while, couldn’t hide her embarrassed expression.

It was because she hadn’t imagined that wench would be here.

If her son shows signs of wavering from today…

She couldn’t guarantee how the Bilrod family’s young lady, whose pride was hurt, would react.

Whether Hael knew his mother’s feelings or not, he stood blankly staring at Yuriel as if determined to show it.

Moreover, that wench was wearing a dress unsuitable for her status, as if she had already rolled around with some rich young nobleman.

Making her son so haggard, and then clinging to a new man.

Now she was too dumbfounded for words to come out.

Well, Hael must be looking like this because he’s bewildered too.

Rather, it was a good thing. If only young master could sort out his feelings quickly.

However, an unpleasant feeling kept scratching at Lady Catherine’s insides like a bug and burrowed deep.

Hael’s gaze showed no signs of leaving Yuriel.

Moreover, the light in that gaze was closer to a different emotion than bewilderment.

Lady Catherine’s gaze shifted back to Yuriel.

Come to think of it, that latest mermaid dress that even she couldn’t get from the dressmaker.

It accentuated that girl’s already outstanding beauty even more.

As if that girl was the protagonist of this banquet.

Lady Catherine blocked Hael’s view so that sight wouldn’t be seen and forced a smile.

There was nothing good about the Bilrod family seeing her son’s dazed appearance.

“Thank you so much for inviting us to such a wonderful occasion.”

After Olga and Lady Catherine shook hands with the lord, formal conversation between the four people continued.

As is usual in arranged meetings for noble children, the Bilrod viscount couple did not forget to praise Hael, and the Olga couple also did not forget to praise Lady Rike.

“The minstrel who spoke of Lady Rike’s beauty should correct his words? To call such a pretty young lady merely an angel.”

Lady Rike’s face reddened as she glanced at Hael and bowed her head even more shyly.

The Bilrod viscount’s wife also highly praised Hael, not to be outdone.

“I hear Hael is outstanding even within the Blanchet Scholarship Foundation, you must be very proud.”

Afterwards, more old-fashioned pleasantries continued.

In the midst of it all, the only one growing darker was Yuriel.

To think that Hael was the match the lord had arranged for the Bilrod young lady.

Lady Catherine, who never properly showed even an artificial smile to her, was now wearing a very affectionate voice and brighter smile than usual.

The gaze looking at Lady Rike seemed as if someone had spread honey on it.

The whole scene seemed to tell her that she and Hael were not a good match.

Yes. So that’s why she was wearing her identity when she entered this mansion.

Because the fake Lady Bilrod that she was and the real Lady Bilrod were completely different in class.

In fact, she knew too.

That she was infinitely lacking as Hael’s partner.

Still, facing it head-on like this felt… miserable.

Hael, who always opened with confessions, was now looking at her restlessly like a criminal.

In fact, Hael hadn’t mentioned anything about meeting another noble young lady.

Of course, since she hadn’t accepted Hael, there was no need for that at all.

She could also roughly imagine how Hael’s parents might have dragged him here.

Nevertheless, it was still a difficult scene to face.

After all, Hael was Yuriel’s first love.

Sometimes when Hael talked about a future together with her, Yuriel also felt like she was placed on soft cotton candy.

It was actually hard every time she had to push away that sweet thing flickering before her eyes.

Still, she did so because she was afraid of the expectations and hope she would have the moment she tasted it.

And that conclusion was flowing very appropriately.

Hael goes where he should be, and she remains where she should be.

It wasn’t strange, because she had always foreseen it would be so, and expected Hael to make such a choice.

There was nothing to resent.

Hael had just done his best in his own way.

Bringing the doctor from the capital, selling Brit, and also…

So in the end, all the problems lie with her.

Her, who let him do such things. Her, who didn’t know about it beforehand.

And her, who couldn’t stop it.

Hael’s teary eyes as he received the money back for the last time were vivid.

She was a sinner just by being by Hael’s side.

So all of this is just experiencing what she should inevitably experience a little earlier.

Nevertheless, realizing that all the conversations and feelings they occasionally shared were all illusions was quite painful and empty.

Yuriel no longer had the courage to face this scene and turned her head away.

For a moment, she met the red gaze of the young master with a crooked face.

She was clearly engraved above the wavering eyes.

A light of interest was suddenly contained in those eyes.

Only then did things that weren’t visible before become visible.

‘Why would the lord arrange Viscount Bilrod’s young lady and Hael?’

There is no benefit for the lord from the union of those two people anywhere.

Cassian filled Yuriel’s field of vision.

He was watching all of this with interest, like the owner who set up the game.

Come to think of it, when Hael first entered, and when both couples were praising each other, he had that expression.

A strange assumption flashed through her mind.

‘Could it be that the one who instructed Hael to come here was…’

The red wavering that had been watching every time Hael and she met suddenly comes to mind.

The dark red eyes that always boasted a low saturation and the anger contained in them as well.

He was certainly not a person who acted out of pure goodwill.

At first, she thought he disliked Hael, then she thought it was just because he didn’t like her and tried to simply pass it off.

But all of that… at this moment, was compressed into one thing.

That the young master found the sight of her with Hael so unpleasant.

Her heart stopped.

Like a person submerged deep underwater.