Isabella, who had secured a respectable escort to show off to others, instead of a partner who didn’t fill the castle, a brother who was less of a friend, entered the ‘Lily Room’ with a secret smile on her face.

Upon entering the ballroom, a royal servant handed her a small sugar cookie and a single daffodil, a welcome gift given to all female participants.

“Thank you.”

Most of the guests had already entered. Only a few, such as the royal family and the distinguished guest, Lady Lariesa de Balboa of Gallico, had yet to enter the ballroom.

Thanks to Count and Countess Bartolini, they had managed to occupy even the best corner sofa seats. Isabella reached for the champagne with its abundant bubbles being served by the servant, hesitated, then picked up the water next to her.

“Does young lady de Mare not drink alcohol?”

Count Bartolini kindly asked.

“Our Clemente also does not enjoy alcohol much.”

Isabella managed to suppress the desire to mutter, ‘You should have seen your wife who was drunk with the Duke of Campa’, and forced the most bleak smile she could muster.

“No, I usually drink a little.”

At the sound of Isabella drinking, Iacopo turned pale and looked at her. Would she drink with him in the future? Because she had always told him she couldn’t drink a single drop of alcohol in front of him.

“I haven’t long since sent my mother away……. By royal decree, I must be out of mourning within a month, but even though I take off the mourning clothes, for the time being, I want to honor my mother through my behavior.”

While Count Bartolini was looking at her with a very impressed expression, Ippolito, who had been sitting in front of her, chuckled and opened his mouth.

“Hey, to honor mom, you should go shopping like crazy as mom did in her lifetime……. Ugh!”

His speech was forcibly cut off due to a slap on the shin. When he looked at the owner of the slap, his flower petallike younger sister smiled at her brother with an unbeatable kindness.

Just then, Count and Countess Balzo joined Count and Countess Bartolini’s party. Count Bartolini introduced Isabella to Count Balzo and his wife, pointing at her with a look of approval.

“Count Balzo, Countess. This young lady is observing abstinence to honor her mother who passed away recently.”

Count Bartolini looked at Clemente with admiration, then once again at Isabella.

“Where can we find such young people these days? Isn’t it commendable?”

Countess Balzo, who had been scrutinizing Isabella with a stern gaze, looked at her as if to ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’

“Is the image different?”

Isabella cleverly turned Countess Balzo’s mutterings into a conversation directed at her, initiating a conversation with the Countess, who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to talk to her.

“I’m not such a strange person. I just want to mourn my mother.”

Countess Balzo looked uncomfortable but nodded her head.

Initially, Isabella was sitting with Count and Countess Bartolini. If Countess Balzo ignored her completely, it would be disrespectful to Count and Countess Bartolini.

Having secured even a greeting from Countess Balzo, there was nothing more for Isabella to avoid.

“Countess Balzo. I have heard so much about your honor. They say you are a person with high virtues and pure spirit…….”

“Oh, is that so?”

Countess Balzo seemed uninterested. It even looked a bit troublesome. Somehow, it seemed a bit funny that the former ‘Greatest Wealth of San Carlo’, whose reputation had completely faded, was trying to get into her sights by flattering her.

But Isabella didn’t back down and continued to talk to her.

“Our father, Cardinal de Mare, said that the service of such a noblewoman in the charity facilities attached to the Holy Hall is truly noble dedication.”

Countess Balzo was active in volunteer work, but her form of service was a bit different from other noblewomen.

Noble ladies typically held charity bazaars to donate their profits, or directly donated money, but the Countess of Balzo organized noble ladies to volunteer by wiping railings, hanging laundry, and cleaning vases with their own hands.

This was softly criticized in society as being useless child’s play, a ridiculously romantic act of selflove, or because her husband was not freely managing his finances, and it was a fraud for the wealthy to wrap themselves in jewelry and silk and mop the floors with brooms at orphanages and nursing homes.

Isabella scratched that itch.

“Oh, did you say that?”

The Countess of Balzo wore a slightly pleasant expression for the first time. Isabella answered with a beaming smile.

“Indeed. Mr. Yesak said that working hands are truly precious.”

The ‘Meditation Records’, which she was forced to transcribe during the recent seclusion period, were taking effect.

Isabella decided to copy everything from Ariadne. Whenever that bitch said such things, the old ladies would fall back. It was time to use what she had observed.