That can’t be.

The reason nobles are sincere about social gatherings is for a better life than before.

High-quality information shared only among them, and connections with high-ranking families.

And the young lady of Count Minster was just the age to be thrown into the marriage market.

‘She shouldn’t miss such an important time like this.’

The Countess Minster will try to change the Empress’s mind somehow.

That’s the heart of a mother with children.

And the Empress, having children herself, would understand the Countess Minster’s feelings.

Once out of the Empress’s favor, the position of Crown Princess was completely out of reach, and Countess Minster had to marry off the young lady of Count Minster somehow before their family’s fortunes declined further.

To do that, the young lady of Count Minster had to enter society and find a groom, which would be against the Empress’s wishes.

Wherever the young lady of Count Minster went, her disgraceful behavior at the Empress’s tea party would be mentioned, and the Empress would have to be reminded of the stigma of not being able to successfully conclude the tea party she hosted.

In short, it could be seen as a situation where the wishes of the Empress and Countess Minster were at odds.

‘By the way, he licked so thoroughly.’

It was when Jieselgrante quickened her steps towards the powder room, recalling Cookie who had been licking her cheek diligently as if honey had been applied.

“The Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony ended grandly, but who knows? Especially after Princess Trinity, who was considered likely to be the next Emperor, suddenly passed away.”

“Who would have known. That she would be stabbed by her most trusted lady-in-waiting, in the Imperial Palace which should have been the safest place…”

Voices of conversation were heard from somewhere.

“…What do you plan to do, my lady?”

“For now, I’m planning to observe the situation. That’s why I came all the way here.”

Who would have imagined that the son of the concubine, who was only half until recently, would suddenly appear at the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony?

Of course, the Emperor hadn’t really declared that he would recognize Filippo as a prince, but as Jieselgrante had predicted, the nobles misunderstood the Emperor’s intentions in their own way.

“I’m really worried. I wonder if I’m going to suffer losses again, investing without realizing it’s a sinking ship like last time…”

“I suppose your household also sent gifts to the Princess’s lady-in-waiting?”

Jieselgrante, who was heading to the powder room, paused for a moment.

“Oh my, of course we did. Quite a lot, in fact.”

“We did too. That’s why we’re in such a dilemma now. Gold coins are limited, but the places we need to send gifts to have doubled…”

As Jieselgrante entered the powder room, the noble ladies who had been conversing until just now greeted her with their eyes, flustered.

And they quickly turned their bodies as if to leave.

“Just a moment.”

Jieselgrante called out to them as they were hurriedly trying to leave.

The noble ladies turned their heads towards Jieselgrante.

“Young lady of Duke Amaterasu? Did you call us?”

“Yes.”

“For what reason?”

“I apologize. It wasn’t intentional, but I overheard your conversation just now.”

The noble ladies exchanged glances with troubled expressions.

“But I was also in the midst of the same worries.”

“Ah…”

Only then did the noble ladies nod with relieved expressions. Then they immediately approached Jieselgrante and asked.

“I suppose the Amaterasu ducal family has made a decision now?”

Until now, the Amaterasu ducal family had maintained a neutral stance, not clinging to either Princess Trinity or Joshua.

But anyone could guess that whichever side gained the support of the Amaterasu ducal family would have an easier time becoming the next Emperor.

Hence, the noble ladies were very curious about the stance the Amaterasu ducal family would take.

“Well… I’m not sure… I don’t really know what decision my father and elder brother have made. Neither of them usually talk to me about such complicated matters.”

Jieselgrante said with a deliberately bright smile.

“Ah… I see.”

The noble ladies nodded, exchanging glances that seemed to say ‘of course’, and then turned to leave.

It seemed they had judged that they had found the wrong person to question.

It was true that the nobles’ gaze towards Jieselgrante had softened since she came to the capital, but it was unlikely that the prejudices attached to her would be easily shed.

“But I can’t remain ignorant forever, can I? I’m an adult now.”

At Jieselgrante’s following words, the noble ladies turned back towards her.

“As you know, ladies, I’ve been in the Amaterasu duchy until now. So I’m not yet familiar with the situation in the capital? If experienced ladies like yourselves could advise me, it would be helpful…”

Adding these words, Jieselgrante slightly lowered her gaze.

Only then did the noble ladies’ expressions brighten considerably.

Their eyes were filled with expectation that they could build a relationship with Jieselgrante through this opportunity.

Moreover, there was also a glimpse of intention to try and obtain inside information about the Amaterasu ducal family by using the seemingly naive Jieselgrante.

Returning to the Amaterasu ducal residence from the Tarel count’s residence, Jieselgrante gave instructions to Lindsey and Ola respectively.

“Lindsey, go to the Grand Temple again tomorrow.”

“Yes, young lady.”

“Ola, stay by the young lady of Count Zimmer’s side.”

After explaining what she should do there, Ola nodded as if to say leave it to her.

“Yes, young lady.”

Only then did Jieselgrante take off the dress she was wearing and change into her nightgown.

While brushing through Jieselgrante’s golden hair scented with perfume, Lindsey asked.

“How was today?”

“Same as usual.”

Though she said that, in fact, it was a day when she had gained more valuable information than ever.

‘It was the young lady of Count Zimmer. One of the Empress’s minions who had been attached to me.’

It was also the day when she realized who among those she had trusted was the traitor.

Through the conversation with the noble ladies she had encountered in the powder room of the Tarel count’s residence.

After Princess Trinity’s death, the lady-in-waiting other than Baroness Oppenheimer, who was imprisoned, were each given punishments.

Among them, the young lady of Count Zimmer was given house arrest.

There were not a few voices saying that the punishment was too lenient given that the mistress she served was murdered, but it could be considered fortunate just to have saved her life.

The house arrest was said to have been chosen by the young lady of Count Zimmer herself.

So it seemed unlikely that she would go out on her own for the time being.

“Young lady.”

The next day, while Jieselgrante was sitting on a sofa well-lit by sunlight, reading a book.

“Young lady. I have something to tell you, do you have a moment?”

As Jieselgrante put down the book she was reading on the table, Lindsey began to talk about what she had seen and heard at the Grand Temple today.

“It seems a special person visited the Grand Temple today.”

A tall woman wearing a long white veil and people who seemed to be her guards were stationed here and there in the Grand Temple, dressed as commoners, she said.

“…I see.”

Jieselgrante was certain that the woman Lindsey saw today was the Empress.

The Empress would often visit the Grand Temple whenever she had worries, and strangely, problems would often be resolved a few days after she visited the Grand Temple.

The fact that the Empress visited the Grand Temple meant that she currently had worries.

‘The Empress’s biggest concern would be Countess Tarel and Filippo.’

Filippo’s power comes from Countess Tarel. Countess Tarel’s power comes from the Emperor.

But if the fact of the butler and Countess Tarel’s affair was revealed to the Emperor, that problem would be cleanly resolved.

Why she hadn’t done so until now, the reason for that was still unknown, but…

Anyway, it was certain that the Empress would soon take action to resolve her current worries.

“What about Ola?”

“Fortunately, she seems to have settled by the side of the young lady of Count Zimmer.”

“I see.”

“Ah, and there’s one more thing to tell you. It seems the trial of Baroness Oppenheimer will be held soon.”

Jieselgrante nodded and lowered her gaze back to the book.

But the letters didn’t come into focus well.

Eventually, Jieselgrante put down the book she was reading and stood up.

“Young lady, where are you going?”

To Lindsey’s question, she nodded and moved her steps.

“I need to go out for a bit.”

How much time had passed since the young lady of Count Minster, provoked by Jieselgrante’s words, caused a scene at the Empress’s tea party, a battlefield without swords?

The Empress finally banned Countess Minster from entering the palace under the pretext of giving her a vacation.

It meant that the Empress had decided to use Countess Minster as a card to discard.

As this rumor spread quickly, noble ladies aiming for the position of the Empress’s lady-in-waiting emerged.

That wasn’t all.

Many nobles who had been interacting with the Minster count’s family until now turned their backs.

Since the Empress had abandoned them, the decline of the Minster count’s family was now an expected course.

And it was completely unexpected that the young lady of Duke Amaterasu, the source of all this trouble, would visit Countess Minster.

“How shameless… Or are you here to apologize now?”

Countess Minster expressed her displeasure openly.

But Jieselgrante’s expression facing her was only gentle.

That rather provoked Countess Minster’s anger.

Just as Countess Minster was about to shoot out another word, Jieselgrante spoke calmly.

“The Minster count’s family’s downfall isn’t my fault, is it?”

It wasn’t entirely wrong.

In fact, misfortune had befallen the Minster count’s family even before the young lady of Duke Amaterasu appeared in the capital.

But the fact that Countess Minster could no longer enter the palace was largely due to the young lady of Duke Amaterasu.

“Hah, this is tiring. Just state your business briefly. Why did you come to see me?”

Countess Minster asked with an expression that said she didn’t want to exchange any more words.