Sister, I'm the Queen This Life (330 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 28

“The de Mare girls are truly gifted! The second daughter excels in theology, and now the eldest composes music!”

The nun in charge of hymns at the Imperial Cathedral, receiving the sheet music Isabel submitted, beamed with a broad smile. Isabel, annoyed that Ariadne had been placed on equal footing with her, forced a strained chuckle, then changed her mind.

If the Acireto Apostolic Incident was such a monumental affair, wouldn’t it be a bargain to be regarded as its equal without lifting a finger?

“It’s a full score. We’ll practice our parts separately and then gather for a joint rehearsal one day—we’ll invite you, our esteemed composer, to come and see whether your vision has been properly realized.”

Sending the nun a smile as radiant as peonies in May, Isabel resolved to gather her friends that day and truly show off.

That insignificant half-sister was receiving far too much praise from commoners—it was high time she demonstrated who was the true queen among San Carlo’s peers.

Isabel, having formally debuted as a debutante last year, was a proper young lady entitled to invite her fellow debutantes under her own name.

Another privilege of debutantes was the ability to make same-day visits to respectable places—such as churches, the royal palace, or friends’ homes—without their mothers accompanying them.

The Imperial Cathedral, where the first ensemble rehearsal of Isabel’s composed Missa Brevis would take place, was the perfect venue to host her debutante friends.

It would be a simple day: listen to the rehearsal, stroll with friends to the nearby cardinal’s residence for afternoon tea, exchange the usual compliments on beauty, return a few gracious words, and part ways feeling utterly fulfilled.

Of course, Lucrezia, who doted on Isabel more than anyone, insisted fiercely on attending, declaring that as the historic day of her eldest daughter’s composition being rehearsed for the first time, a mother simply could not be absent.

Despite Isabel’s irritation, Lucrezia—having solemnly promised not to interfere from afar—ended up tagging along to Isabel’s social gathering after all.

Ariabella, who desperately wanted to witness her own composition being rehearsed, pleaded to accompany her mother and thus joined them as well.

Isabel’s friends were steadily arriving at the Imperial Cathedral. Among them, Julia, daughter of the Marquis Valdesar, hailed from the most distinguished household, while Camellia of the Castiglione baronial family—three years her senior—had been specifically selected as a “friend” to fulfill various roles.

Until Isabel’s entrance into society, Camellia had been regarded as the loveliest debutante, and since Baron Castiglione earned substantial income beyond his feudal lands through sericulture, she had even secured an advantageous engagement despite her relatively modest status.

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