“Nice to meet you.”

Aidel greeted the young ladies, making eye contact with each of them.

“I regret we couldn’t greet each other at the wedding, but I’m glad we can meet like this now.”

At the Grand Duke’s wedding, attendance was limited, with mainly the heads of each family present. The young ladies of the families didn’t receive invitations, so this was everyone’s first meeting.

Everyone outwardly smiled at the Grand Duchess’s greeting. However, the cold contempt in their eyes was palpable.

“I feel like I’m dreaming to finally meet Your Grace, the Grand Duchess. I’ve been curious about what kind of person you were, since you haven’t participated in any social activities until now.”

“Seeing you in person, you’re even more beautiful than I imagined!”

“That’s right. No wonder you’ve monopolized the love of two men.”

‘Two men…?’

Aidel looked at the young lady who mentioned ‘two men’. She was a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and a haughty impression. She had introduced herself as the eldest daughter of Count Repenser when greeting earlier.

“Two men…?”

“Oh my, did I perhaps say something rude? I heard you were previously engaged to Marquis Chalet as well.”

The Count Repenser’s daughter covered her mouth, momentarily appearing flustered, but her eyes remained confident.

“Marquis Chalet and of course His Grace the Grand Duke! I meant it as a compliment that you’ve captivated both of them, Your Grace. I hope you’re not offended.”

“How could she be offended! The Grand Duchess has such a broad mind.”

Roselyn answered on her behalf with a subtle smile.

“Besides, it’s true. Especially the affection His Grace the Grand Duke shows towards the Grand Duchess is quite exceptional.”

“Come to think of it… earlier when greeting the late Emperor, His Grace the Grand Duke mentioned falling in love with the Grand Duchess at first sight. I was quite surprised to hear that.”

This time, Katrina chimed in. At Katrina’s words, the young ladies’ envious gazes pierced Aidel like thorns.

“His Grace said he fell in love at first sight…?”

One young lady muttered in disbelief. She was from the Baron Dessen family and had been in love with Caeron for a long time. She had even hidden in a carriage once to try to catch the Grand Duke’s attention.

Never having received a proper glance from the Grand Duke even once, she finally met his gaze head-on at that time. The Grand Duke, who had boarded the carriage, noticed her presence sitting across from him and looked at her indifferently.

– Y-Your Grace… I-I…

As his gaze fell on her, her body began to tremble. Just as she was about to introduce herself with quivering lips, a cool voice cut through the air.

– Gregory.

– Yes, Your Grace.

Gregory responded as he boarded the carriage at the Grand Duke’s call. That’s when Gregory also noticed the trembling young lady.

– Who is that person?

– No need to know, pull her out.

The Grand Duke’s gaze was already fixed on the documents in his hand.

– Y-Your Grace! Just a moment! I have something to tell you!

She called out desperately, but the Grand Duke had already completely erased her existence, his gaze not leaving the documents. Even until the moment she was dragged out by the attendants…

Recalling that humiliation, the Baron Dessen’s daughter trembled. She gritted her teeth and held back the tears that were about to fall.

The Baron Dessen’s daughter’s resentful gaze turned to Aidel. She was bitterly jealous of the Grand Duchess’s existence, receiving the Grand Duke’s affection that she herself could not have.

“Your Grace the Grand Duchess…”

The Baron Dessen’s daughter’s voice was filled with irrepressible resentment.

“I heard that you were already engaged to Marquis Chalet when you met His Grace the Grand Duke later and broke off the engagement!”

With a completely distorted face, the Baron Dessen’s daughter clenched her fists and trembled.

“Did you choose His Grace the Grand Duke simply for his status? His Grace seems to sincerely care for you… I wonder if Your Grace feels the same way.”

If the Grand Duchess’s feelings for the Grand Duke weren’t sincere… she felt she absolutely couldn’t accept it. The Baron Dessen’s daughter threw a sharp question at the Grand Duchess, knowing it was rude.

‘Status…?’

Aidel hid her inner turmoil at the mention of status by the Dessen young lady. In truth, the marriage with the Grand Duke was a contract with conditions that both parties wanted.

To hide the true circumstances of this contract marriage from the public, the Grand Duke was expressing affection for her, but… the reality was different.

Aidel slowly closed her eyes and opened them again. It was difficult to have to hide the hidden truth and deceive others. But it had to be done.

“If you’re asking about my feelings for His Grace… I feel the same way. I sincerely care for and think of His Grace.”

“Of course you do. I’m sure the Baron Dessen young lady knows that well and still asked. I’ve heard there are people who doubt Your Grace’s sincerity because you broke off your engagement with Marquis Chalet and immediately married His Grace the Grand Duke.”

Katrina chimed in, agreeing with Aidel’s answer and covering for the Baron Dessen’s daughter.

“I’m sure the Baron Dessen young lady was upset that Your Grace is receiving such suspicion, that’s why she asked.”

The Dessen family was one of the families closely tied to Katrina. She stepped in preemptively in case the Grand Duchess might rebuke the rudeness.

“The matter with the Chalet family is already over. I would prefer if it wasn’t mentioned anymore.”

Aidel drew the line with a firm expression. She knew they were suspicious, but she couldn’t mention the real circumstances behind her engagement to Marquis Chalet. It could potentially disparage the Count Fluor family.

Roselyn smirked at Aidel’s response. She had deliberately and subtly informed the young ladies about the Grand Duchess’s broken engagement with Marquis Chalet. Knowing that Aidel wouldn’t be able to reveal the truth anyway.

‘Now, shall we move on to the next topic?’

Today’s tea time was like a pre-prepared play. All the young ladies gathered here were actors in the play she had orchestrated. They should all be prepared as per the hints given beforehand.

Roselyn gave a look to the Count Repenser’s daughter sitting across from her. The Count Repenser’s daughter caught the signal and changed the topic with a smile.

“Ah, yes! Belated congratulations on your admission to the Imperial University.”

“I saw it in the newspaper too. You’re the first noble woman in the empire to be admitted to the Imperial University.”

“And I heard you were admitted with top honors. I couldn’t help but be impressed!”

Like a repeating pattern, they started with feigned compliments. What would come after those sweet words… tension settled in Aidel’s eyes.

“That’s right. Our intelligent Grand Duchess has been close to books since childhood.”

Roselyn put on a sad expression as she told an old story.

“She preferred reading books to attending social gatherings. She even bought books instead of dresses. Sometimes I felt pathetic going to social gatherings in dresses when I saw her like that.”

“Lady Roselyn, how can you say you felt pathetic! Attending social gatherings is such an important duty for a noble lady.”

Aidel’s behavior of not attending any public social gatherings, including her debutante, became a target of attack.

“To think she only stayed at home reading books…”

“Oh my, I’m worried we might be taking away Your Grace’s precious time.”

“I hope you don’t consider this tea time with us a waste of time…”

“If so, we apologize, Your Grace!”

The young ladies made a fuss as they apologized. It was empty words with no sincerity. Rather, their eyes clearly mocked her for not attending social gatherings until now.

“There’s no need to apologize. As the Grand Duchess, I plan to arrange times like this often in the future.”

Aidel made eye contact with the young ladies and continued in a firm voice.

“Entering university is something anyone can do if they want, regardless of status or gender. The same goes for all the young ladies here.”

She tried to express her thoughts to change their closed minds, but the young ladies didn’t listen. It felt like talking to a wall.

“The more we get to know Your Grace, the more surprised we are by how unladylike you are!”

“Has there ever been such a noble lady before? You must be the first!”

“The newspaper article said Your Grace would lead social change for women, but I could never even dream of that.”

“That’s right. Ordinary nobles like us could never keep up.”

While their words on the surface seemed to praise her, their gazes filled with mockery and ridicule pierced like arrows.

Roselyn’s lips curled up in satisfaction as she observed Aidel’s face, which showed complex and frustrated emotions.

‘It’s not you who leads the noble ladies, but me.’

Innovation and change? Without support, it was mere recklessness. She intended to clearly show this to her sister who was meddling here without knowing her place.

Katrina was also pleased with the atmosphere isolating Aidel. She calmly raised her teacup and spoke.

“Come now, everyone! Is there such a thing as an ordinary standard for nobles? The noble status itself is special.”

Then she looked at Roselyn with a fond smile.

“But even among the special, there are nobles who rise to the most noble position. Like the position of Her Majesty the Empress. Isn’t that right?”

“Of course! I’ve heard that Lady Roselyn has been having special meetings with His Majesty the Emperor lately. She even entered as his partner at today’s imperial banquet.”

“Everyone’s expecting Lady Roselyn to become Her Majesty the Empress in the future.”

“It’s because you’re so beautiful! And you maintain the dignity of a noble lady, so of course you’re the most suitable for the position of Her Majesty the Empress.”

The topic naturally moved towards its final destination. All the young ladies gathered brightened their eyes and busied themselves praising Roselyn.

It was much better to be on good terms with the future Empress who would uphold noble prestige than with the Grand Duchess. Among the many young ladies, Roselyn currently had the highest possibility of becoming Empress.

“What are you all saying? The position of Her Majesty the Empress is far too much for me. I’m not worthy of it at all.”

Roselyn feigned surprise and spoke humbly. However, her highly raised chin was full of arrogance.

“Please become the esteemed Her Majesty the Empress and uphold the ‘authority of the nobility’!”

As if for the Grand Duchess who was undermining noble authority to hear, the Count Repenser’s daughter emphasized and said.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement with her words. Seeing their behavior, Aidel let out a deep sigh quietly.

Is this how a soldier feels when facing an enemy army alone? It felt as if dozens of sharp sword tips were aimed solely at her.