“Regardless of the law or anything else, I would have ripped him to shreds on sight. And if that wasn’t enough, I would burn him and crush him. I would do so viciously and cruelly, more than what my child suffered.”

You too, your child too, everyone.

Calix’s lips split into a smile, turned upward.

It was a predator’s smile.

“That brooch suits you very well, Madam Fisher.”

“I regret that I haven’t seen such a noble person in our social circles until now. If it’s alright with you, would you attend our party this time?”

“Please visit our party next time. We have some good alcohol this time.”

Margaret felt a slight warmth in her ears at the blatant expressions of favor from the ladies.

She knew that all of this was happening because she was sitting next to Liviana. Everyone present wanted to look good in front of Liviana in one way or another.

Yet even knowing this, the corners of her mouth twitched. It was more amusing than she thought to see the proud ladies, who used to look down on her as less than an insect, wagging their tails first.

And most importantly, weren’t they being friendly to me because of the Duchess of Craiton?

Sure, Liviana is sitting in that seat right now, but soon it will be my turn, so their fawning is eventually to my benefit.

As long as I have the child of the Beak growing inside me.

“I appreciate the invitation, but my priority is to serve the Duchess of Craiton. I’ll just accept your good intentions.”

Margaret held back her laughter, which felt ready to burst, and reached for her teacup.

Even if she couldn’t drink the tea, she could pretend to. In the Empire, where they enjoyed tea to the point of holding tea parties, tea etiquette was the most basic and a good way to demonstrate one’s level of manners.

As the Duchess of Craiton, she had to be everyone’s role model, which meant she had to be proficient in all manners.

This was a great opportunity to finally showcase herself. There was no problem because she had practiced many times before, even though she didn’t have a chance to demonstrate it in society.

If only Liviana hadn’t picked up the teacup first.

And if only she hadn’t compared her graceful manners to those of Liviana’s, which flowed like water, making her nervous.

Clang.

All eyes turned to one place at the sudden noise that intruded on the gentle atmosphere.

Margaret, who became the focus in a way different from expected, blushed and quickly bowed her head.

No one said anything, but the staring eyes couldn’t mean anything good.

Making noise with the dishes was bad manners.

It was then. A soft hand touched the back of Margaret’s hand.

“It’s okay, Margaret.”

Liviana adjusted Margaret’s hand that held the teacup. Then, as if the silence had never come, she turned her head casually.

“In that case, I should intervene. Madam Sarand, I am fine, so please send the invitation to Madam Fisher.”

“Since you’ve said so much, I can’t refuse.”

“Please wait a little. As soon as I return, I will send an invitation to the Duchess of Craiton.”

“Of course, you will also come to our party, right?”

When Liviana started talking, everyone opened their mouths as if they had been waiting.

Unnecessarily provoking Liviana, who was holding Margaret’s hand, wouldn’t benefit them.

It was enough to look good in front of the host of the debutante ball. There was no need to stir up trouble.

A great marriage meant making the best deals under the best conditions until the formal wedding and the signing of the marriage contract, and the debutante ball was the start of that.

The more noticeable you are at the debutante ball, the better the marriage you can find.

The debutante ball was more than an event for young ladies and gentlemen to enter society for the first time.

Nobles generally have early engagements, but the social world was vast, there were many nobles, and marriage was irreversible. Trusting in a naive promise from the past and waiting was not an option.

Before the marriage vows were signed, it was an unspoken rule in social circles not to trust any promise.

“I am, no. I am fine, Countess of Creighton.”

One mistake was enough, yet another mistake was made.

Margaret bowed her head, blushing at the expression that had come out of habit. Her reflection in the tea was shaking from side to side.

Despite practicing relentlessly, once her calm was lost, she felt dizzy. Even without speaking, she felt like she could see what the ladies watching her would be thinking inside.

“It’s because I’m not fine. Lately, you haven’t been able to rest comfortably because of me. It would be good to mingle and enjoy the company of others now.”

What was most uncomfortable was not only the inner thoughts of the ladies. Rather, it was more horrible to see Liviana covering up her mistake and laughing as if nothing had happened.

Despite losing her memory, Liviana’s etiquette was perfect, as textbook as could be. Her body, not her head, remembered out of habit.

For Liviana, socializing was a matter of course.

A woman who was only ever called beautiful was unaware that for someone, even sitting in this position, not at the exact center, was impossible.

Margaret’s fingertips tightened. She felt a sudden bitter taste in her mouth.

She still remembered.

How surprised she had been when she first met Liviana. How many times she had held her trembling heart, thinking such a woman could exist in this world.

‘She was beautiful, really.’

Blonde hair was usually described as more beautiful the richer the gold color, but that common sense did not apply to Liviana. Despite having platinum blonde hair with a very faint hint of gold, she was regarded as more attractive for it.

Like reflecting her pale hair, she had snowwhite skin, but her eye color was particularly intense. Therefore, when you first saw her, you inevitably saw her eyes first, and naturally fell for her.

The depth of her eyes, as if containing the sea, had a strange power to churn a person’s heart just by looking.

That was quite enviable. Her hair and eyes, unlike her own dull color as if watersoaked, felt very different.

But she did not get greedy. If she were a little better, she would have been jealous, but Liviana had crossed that line.

Born with lineage, appearance, personality, she was a woman who could not be approached in any way and naturally stood at the top of the ecosystem.

She knew without saying.

She and Liviana were just friends in words, but in fact, it was a relationship of superior and inferior.

Liviana behaved in accordance with the philosophy of the academy, which educated everyone as equal students, regardless of title, status, or family. She never flaunted her family.

Even if she said she didn’t discriminate, children who were treated differently and those who were not, were different.

Just like the etiquette Liviana’s body remembered, the atmosphere surrounding her naturally made her feel diminished.

Contrary to Liviana’s words that she was a good friend, there were too many people around her, and she was just one of them. Even the talk of friendship was burdensome, not pleasant.

But even the perfect her finally fell apart.

Creighton and Pieren, the stigma of rebellion imposed on the two families who were considered the best in the empire at the time, burned everything and knocked down the perfect woman to the abyss.

Then, she knew.

That perfect woman was also a human like me.

In front of the falling family, isolated, and with the side of the collapsing woman empty, Margaret could sincerely smile at her friend.

Unless Liviana, who was dying, suddenly appeared holding the hand of her lover.