An invitation from the imperial family to attend a banquet, which was also an order from the royal family. As it was an official banquet hosted by the imperial court, the heads of noble families were required to attend.

I had already told Bertisha that I would attend with Yezar, and was even threatened that if I didn’t attend, I would be dragged there by imperial decree.

I couldn’t not go.

‘Originally I would have said I wouldn’t go and didn’t.’

Because there was no place as dangerous as an official banquet. Whenever my family tried to forcibly take me to banquets, I always made up excuses by rather extreme methods like dumping cold water on myself in midwinter or jumping from the second floor.

To think that now I’m in a position where I have no choice but to go. What’s worse was that it was obvious Bertisha would approach Yezar familiarly as soon as she saw him at the official banquet.

‘I should come up with a plan. I can’t just hide Yezar in my arms.’

“What’s wrong, my lady?”

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking what if Yezar was a hamster that could fit in my pocket.”

If he were a cute little hamster, I could hide him by tucking him in my pocket. How nice that would be.

“Pardon?”

“I was just thinking that. Don’t worry about it.”

“I see…”

As I watched Yezar smile at me while tilting his head in confusion, I thought to myself that I didn’t want to see that face distorted with sadness.

***

After finishing sparring and refreshingly washing up, I returned to the bedroom after attending to the duties of a duchess, and was momentarily flustered by the scene before my eyes.

‘What is this.’

Red rose petals scattered on the pure white bed sheets and flickering candles decorating the surroundings. The sweet scent tickling my nose and the scrap of fabric placed in front of me that seemed unable to cover what needed to be covered, not fulfilling its function.

‘Did I enter the wrong bedroom?’

But the room structure was familiar. I don’t know who did this, but I wish they would return my normal bedroom.

I was about to move to try to put it back to normal before Yezar arrived, when I felt a presence behind me that I hadn’t noticed before.

Wondering who it was, I looked closely and saw it was Ember and Lopi. Where had all the other maids gone, leaving just those two suspiciously smiling there?

‘Somehow that combination seems ominous.’

I felt they clicked perfectly together, even when I noticed Ember eyeing Lopi. The thought crossed my mind that this situation was likely their joint work. As if confirming my suspicion, Lopi spoke to me with a face full of confidence.

“Hehe. I tried to create the most romantic atmosphere possible, drawing on my experience working at the Eckert Marquis household, my lady.”

“This is too… too much for a romantic atmosphere…!”

It’s quite intense… I was momentarily at a loss for words before regaining my senses. Yezar would be here soon. Being together in such a space was absolutely impossible.

“This is a space where both Yezar and I return to sleep after finishing our work, so… um… is, is there really a need to create this kind of atmosphere…?”

I tried to speak in a way she could understand. I wanted to somehow return this space to normal before Yezar arrived. But Lopi questioned my response doubtfully.

“But isn’t today your first night together?”

“What?”

First night together? Today? I was momentarily stunned by the unexpected words. Rather, Lopi asked me.

“You two get along so well. I don’t understand why you keep postponing your first night. So I took matters into my own hands!”

‘Ah. I see… I was wondering why they created such a suggestive atmosphere.’

Right. Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I came to the duke’s household. I didn’t realize because I was so busy, but it’s probably been about three months.

In a typical household, it would be normal for a couple to have a night together once a month. It seems Yezar had been postponing it out of consideration for me.

Thinking that, I understood the series of suspicious attitudes from the maids today.

‘No wonder they put extra effort into the bath water today, floating all kinds of bath products and flower petals.’

I had wondered why they were so excited, grinning as they touched my hair and kept slathering something on my skin.

So this is what it was for. I was too busy thinking about Bertisha to have any thoughts about that.

‘Ember is always trying to bring Yezar and me together somehow. It seems she used the newly arrived Lopi to create this atmosphere.’

If it was just Ember it would have been fine, but with the clueless Lopi here, I couldn’t explain the situation and ask them to clean up.

I looked with despairing eyes at the scrap of fabric placed in front of me.

Was the intention in giving me that scrap of fabric for me to change into it and lie on the bed to seduce Yezar before he arrived?

‘Ember, you know our situation! How am I supposed to wear this!’

My head that had been full of worries about the banquet felt cleared. Of course, not in a good way.

Trying to calm my reddened face, I said to Lopi.

“Th-thank you. Both Lopi and Ember worked hard. But I think I’ll need some time to prepare…!”

“Of course, we’ll discreetly slip away.”

Lopi smiled mischievously.

“It would be good if you could stay as far away from the bedroom as possible… Can you do that?”

“Oh don’t worry, my lady. I’m not that tactless. How could I be a good maid otherwise?”

So bright. I wish she had enough tact to notice my troubled feelings.

Besides, why was Ember standing there with a satisfied smile? After they left, I looked around the room with mixed feelings.

And my gaze fixed again on the scrap of fabric. I neatly folded it and put it away in a corner, then rummaged through the closet for something decent to wear.

‘Hmm… Why is the closet empty?’

Ember had clearly meddled beforehand. I understand her desire to keep me close since Yezar smiles when I’m around, but how am I supposed to wear that!

Then I spotted a robe hanging neatly to one side. It seems they left the robe for me to wear after bathing.

‘Ah. Thank goodness.’

I was worried I’d have to lie down without even changing properly. The robe was thick, so if I tied the sash tightly, not a bit of skin would show.

After catching my breath, I looked around the bedroom once more. At first I was startled, but understanding the sentiment with which it was prepared, I felt bad about clearing it away.

Ember knew my situation, but the other maids didn’t. They must have been busy excitedly dressing me up and preparing.

‘Thinking of it that way, I can’t bring myself to clean it up.’

I lay down in the middle of the bed strewn with flower petals. Unfortunately, what they were hoping for wouldn’t happen.

‘Maybe I’m on edge because of the banquet, but I feel a bit tired. I should lie down until Yezar arrives.’

Still, the scent in the bedroom was certainly nice.

***

In my sleep, I heard the creaking sound of the door opening. It seems I had dozed off lightly when I meant to just lie down for a bit.

In a half-asleep state, I greeted Yezar, and heard his trembling voice. He seemed flustered like me.

“My lady, what is all this.”

I needed to explain. But a yawn came out first.

“Yaaawn… Just a moment. You see, what happened was…”

My words naturally dragged out. Moreover, the tightly tied sash of my robe had loosened as I tossed and turned. I needed to retie it properly.

My body felt limp with drowsiness.

‘Julieta. You need to snap out of it. Yezar is flustered.’

Having finally emerged from sleep, I thought I should first explain the situation. As I met his eyes. Those blue eyes were staring intently at me.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

Is there something on my face? I asked nonchalantly. But Yezar’s reaction was somehow strange.

“Per-perhaps my lady is…”

“Yes?”

What did I do? Even then, I wasn’t fully grasping the situation.

“It can’t be, but are you perhaps trying to seduce me?”

‘Huh?’

I snapped wide awake. Right. It was no wonder Yezar misunderstood. The softly glowing candles everywhere, the red rose petals scattered on the pure white sheets, and the sweet scent wafting through the air.

Anyone would think it had been thoroughly prepared.

“It’s a misunderstanding. You see, what happened was…! They said today was our first night together!”

“Ah.”

He seemed to realize too, as his trembling voice returned to normal.

“So the maids prepared all this, they said. I felt bad about clearing it away, but I couldn’t explain our situation. So I just lay down like this and accidentally fell asleep…”

After saying it, I felt I was really hopeless. As I smiled awkwardly, Yezar covered his face with his hands.

“I apologize. Your clothes were revealing too much skin, so I misunderstood.”

“Ahaha. That can happen. If skin is revealed… Wait, what did you say?”

Skin was revealed? I did feel the tightly tied sash of my robe had loosened. My trembling eyes naturally looked down.

As the sash of the robe had loosened, my cleavage was fully exposed.

‘Oh shit!’

“D-don’t look!”

“That’s why I covered my eyes…”

How thorough. Thorough, but that means you already saw everything…

I wanted to hide in a mouse hole. I fully understood why he misunderstood. The room’s atmosphere was different from usual, and as he approached the bed there was a woman with her clothes undone.

It’s totally understandable to misunderstand! I’m sorry, Yezar! It’s my fault! I silently wailed as I retied the loosened sash of my robe.

My face was burning up. It’s fortunate it wasn’t extremely bright in here. Otherwise, Yezar would have clearly seen how flushed my face was.