Adela Gilroyd was in the process of establishing herself as a rising star in recent high society circles.

To put it nicely, she was a rising star, but in reality, she was essentially the “queen of gossip.” However, Adela was very satisfied with her current position.

Trends and gossip in high society had a short circulation period.

People always loved sensational rumors, and if there was an appropriate justification to spread gossip, they were extremely delighted.

Humans inherently possessed curiosity, and Adela, who had long received an education from the family head, knew very well how to utilize that psychology.

“Welcome, Lady Gilroyd!”

“My, you look beautiful as always.”

“I can’t express how happy I am that you came, my lady. I heard you haven’t been attending tea parties much these days…”

Recently, wherever she went, she was welcomed.

It’s not that people had given her a particularly harsh evaluation from the beginning.

It was partly because they didn’t know much about Adela Gilroyd, and unlike other young ladies, she was interested in academics and didn’t have a fiancé despite being of marriageable age, so they simply didn’t welcome her much.

The reason she was being welcomed like this now was…

“My lady, thank you so much for the story you shared the other day. Thanks to that, I was able to extract a hefty alimony settlement.”

“Is that so? That’s good news to hear. So is everything settled now?”

“Of course! Oh my, really. If I had married into that family without knowing their true nature, it could have been a huge problem. You are my lifesaver, my lady.”

“Please, don’t mention it. It was your effort, madam.”

It was precisely because of the information exchanged in high society circles.

Things like someone from a certain family having improper conduct, someone having many women, what the atmosphere of that family was like, and so on.

This type of gossip was always welcomed in high society, but if the subject was someone with a daughter and son about to get married, the weight of it changed.

After all, these noble gentlemen lived and died by their honor, so they would try to select a son from a wealthy and well-off family to marry somehow.

Adela inwardly sneered and smiled towards the small table where everyone was gathered together.

So even if you just slightly embellished the information you had and threw it out, the matter could escalate.

She glanced around at those seated, recalling the fresh information she had brought today.

“Have you all been well? It’s been a while since we last met.”

“Indeed. It’s been a long time since we gathered like this, so it feels like meeting everyone after a long time.”

Viscountess Silvia, seated across from her, answered with a bright smile.

She was the person who recently married off her younger sibling to a very respectable family using Adela’s information.

Since then, she had been boasting about Adela’s information power wherever she went.

It was a grateful thing for Adela.

Because what she needed most right now was for everyone to acknowledge her abilities.

That way, she could successfully carry out the work she intended to do in the future without fail.

Adela smiled again today, looking at the people she had brought along.

“Speaking of which, I was feeling uneasy because the atmosphere has been turbulent here and there recently, but seeing you all like this makes me so happy.”

“The atmosphere is turbulent? Did something happen?”

As Adela began to speak, Madam Diane, who was new today, widened her eyes and asked.

This madam, who seemed to be around the same age as Viscountess Silvia, was probably thinking of marrying off one of her younger siblings soon.

That’s why she must have come out here.

Adela raised her teacup with an expression as if asking what had happened.

“I heard there was an unsavory incident in Valuaa recently. There are many rumors circulating about it here and there.”

“Oh my. In Valuaa?”

“I think I heard about it too. They said the young lady of Valuaa eloped for love?”

“Oh my! Then does that mean their status is not the same?”

“That’s how elopement is. A partner you can’t be with, something like that.”

As Adela started the conversation, those around her readily played along.

She had heard that the rumor she had spread at a tea party some time ago was spreading like wildfire, but to think it would spread this splendidly.

She tilted her teacup to hide her curling lips and listened to the madams chattering among themselves.

“I heard the young lady might not be alone.”

“Heavens! Then does that mean she’s already pregnant?”

“That’s why she must have tried to run away. Honestly, who would accept a woman carrying someone else’s child besides the child’s father?”

“Oh my, oh my. Heavens. I heard she was truly promiscuous!”

The stories going back and forth were getting more and more heated.

It was the atmosphere Adela loved the most.

The perfect time to throw in an additional topic.

She quietly listened to the ladies’ stories for a moment, then softly opened her mouth.

“But… There are rumors that the young lady’s lover might not be that knight?”

“What did you say? No, didn’t he even confess that he was the one?”

“Actually, he did that to protect his master. They say it was all a story his master made him tell.”

At her words, the eyes of the madams who had been huddling together and chattering all widened.

The knight was not the culprit, but the knight’s master was the culprit.

Then this wasn’t just an accident?

They all thought to themselves and pondered, waiting for Adela’s next words.

This is why I can’t help but love this position.

Adela felt the gazes focused on her and smiled faintly.

“This is just a story between us madams, but I heard the young lady actually has a separate lover.”

“She has a separate lover?”

“Heavens! Then, what is it? If the knight was just following his master’s orders, then the real lover is a nobleman?”

Shock and intrigue simultaneously spread across the madams’ faces.

Adela herself knew best that these were not the kind of people to let a story like this pass by.

She threw in one more remark to pour oil on the burning house.

“And I heard he’s quite a high-ranking nobleman.”

“…A high-ranking nobleman? The young lady of Valuaa herself is a high-ranking noblewoman.”

“Then… Oh my. Heavens.”

At those words, everyone seated around covered their mouths with their hands as if on cue.

They all rolled their eyes and just looked at each other’s expressions.

Seeing that…

Adela realized that she had once again excellently completed her mission today.

* *

The first time she was offered the role was through a letter from Arianna Valuaa.

Lloyd was reluctant to work with her, but Arianna thought it would be good to have someone more active in high society circles.

However, there was no way her influence in high society could suddenly grow, and as Arianna herself began to associate with Lloyd, her social activities decreased, so it didn’t hold much significance.

A change occurred in their stagnant plans through an idea Adela proposed.

“You want to monitor places like salons?”

“Yes. Those scandals are what people are most wary of, aren’t they?”

There was always a dark side to high society.

Secret clubs, salons, cafes. Places that existed for individuals’ intimate tastes.

People always pretended to be decent on the outside while revealing their true colors in permitted places.

So the idea was to stand guard at the front and identify the people coming and going each day, along with those accompanying them.

At Adela’s words, Arianna accepted with some skepticism and the two began secretly investigating the places circulating in high society through people they sent.

Adela’s prediction was spot on.

People had far more secrets hidden than expected.

What made her realize that the information she had been gathering to use for blackmail could be used in far more places than anticipated was none other than Viscountess Silvia.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind these days, Madam.”

The viscountess was one of the targets Adela had been putting effort into recently.

Although her husband, Viscount Silvia, had a low title, he was a wealthy businessman, and her family was also a formidable financial power.

The military assistance Lloyd needed would be provided by the Duke of Valuaa, but Adela thought the more financial support, the better.

And just then, an opportunity presented itself.

“No, it’s just that my younger brother is getting married this time.”

“Oh my. Then isn’t that something to celebrate?”

“It is, but…”

“Is there something bothering you?”

After gently comforting her, who was reluctant to open her mouth, she finally shared her concern.

Her younger brother was getting married, but the bride-to-be seemed a bit suspicious.

“I was told that their family’s wealth rivaled ours. Even the matchmaker said so. But whenever I see her, there’s a strange atmosphere about her that makes it hard to believe she grew up in such a luxurious family.”

“A strange atmosphere?”

“Yes. My husband says it’s just my feeling, but… No, I don’t understand why someone who lived in such a good family has so many shadows. I heard that such things also affect the people around them, so I’m worried.”

At first, she thought it was just a hunch, she said.

But the more she got to know her, the more dispirited and depressed the person seemed, so she wanted to do some background investigation. However, once she entered the mansion, there was no way out, so there was no way to find out.

Her younger brother was so fond of her too.

“I’m the only one having these thoughts, so I can’t ask anyone for help. It’s also the first time I’ve talked to someone other than my husband about it.”

After finishing her words, Viscountess Silvia said to forget about her unnecessary remarks and tried to change the subject.

So Adela smiled faintly.

She had found the perfect place to utilize the information she had been gathering.

“What did you say that young lady’s name was?”

“Do you know her, my lady?”

“No. That’s not it.”

But I think I can look into it.

Perhaps I can create a group with an even bigger impact than I thought.

With that in mind, Adela smiled at Viscountess Silvia.

That’s how her position began to be established.

First by Arianna, and then by the Duke of Valuaa.