After the sacred flame ceremony, I requested Frigia to investigate a person named Evelyn Ballot.

Frigia’s face looked quite pleased as she handed me the information.

“Here you go.”

“That was extremely fast.”

“She was such a unique person. It was so fun investigating that I almost pulled an all-nighter. Ah, of course Eileen is the best though!”

“That’s a compliment, right?”

“Oh, of course!”

Lately it seemed I was often hearing words that I wasn’t sure were insults or not.

Ignoring the uneasy feeling, I checked the documents she gave me.

As I reviewed the information, I understood why Frigia had said those things.

‘This person really tried all sorts of things, didn’t they?’

It was written that Evelyn had attempted to make brown candy from sugar and ended up burning down an annex of a count’s estate, and that she had failed in business selling a drink of egg yolk floated on black tea.

‘The dried pollack business failed too.’

Of course, there weren’t only failures.

‘Ferveroff was right.’

She was a businesswoman who proudly opened her own shop in the Street of Wealth, and such a fervent devotee of the goddess Shaina that the grand temple held a party in her honor.

As I was staring intently at the investigation report, Frigia asked curiously.

“By the way, why did you ask me to investigate Evelyn Ballot?”

“Ah, I went to the sacred flame ceremony recently. I heard about this person there, and thought it might be helpful for business.”

“I see. There are certainly some similarities. Do you have any new ideas?”

Frigia’s eyes sparkled.

“I’ll let you know if I think of anything.”

“You must! You have to tell me before the duke, you must!”

Frigia grabbed my shoulders and shook me like crazy.

“Alright!”

I was only able to get free after nodding my head dozens of times.

‘I think I’m going to be dizzy.’

Frigia was a bright and good person, but meeting her often drained my energy.

Still, since I had already asked her to investigate, I decided to ask about the incarnator’s friend as well.

“Frigia, do you happen to know someone named Silvia Ailid?”

“Hm? Why her? Are you going to participate in a social event?”

Suddenly, what social event?

While I was puzzled, Frigia continued speaking.

“Well, there’s hardly anyone better at teaching etiquette that young ladies should know. They say if you receive Marchioness Silvia’s teachings, your debut as a debutante is guaranteed to be successful.”

Silvia was a calm and fastidious old lady, famous as an etiquette teacher for noble young ladies.

I pretended to agree and nodded my head.

“Yes. I want to learn properly. I’m thinking of sending a letter, do you think she’ll accept?”

“Of course. If she refuses, I’ll vouch for you. A recommendation from an academy professor! As it happens, the youngest son of the Ailid marquis family is currently studying in the magic department at the academy!”

The power of a magic department professor with the magic tower as her maiden family was formidable.

“I’ll try contacting her myself first.”

“Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t get a reply. She’s a difficult person to meet without connections. That’s what friends are for.”

Frigia chuckled at her casual words about abusing power.

‘Friends, huh.’

I was skeptical that the picky marchioness had the closest relationship with the incarnator.

After Frigia left, I wrote a letter to Marchioness Silvia.

‘It would be awkward to just send a letter, so I should include a gift too.’

Choco pies, Kisses, and sweet cake snacks might win her favor.

In the end, after putting in this and that, it became a box rather than just mail.

Only after I had someone send it could I finally take a breath.

‘I’ve at least made contact for now.’

If there was still no reply after this, I’d have no choice but to borrow Frigia’s power.

But there was no need for that, as a reply arrived the very next day after I sent the letter.

“A letter has arrived for you, young lady.”

“Thank you!”

I received the letter from Eshutra and opened it on the spot.

[Visit the marquis estate at 2 PM two days from now. I will tell you the story you want to hear.]

The reply written in elegant cursive contained only a concise message.

‘What’s this? I only sent a request to teach me etiquette.’

Yet the marchioness seemed to already know something.

As I was peering at the letter, Louis suddenly popped up and waved his hand from below.

“Eileen, what are you doing?”

“Lord Louis? When did you arrive?”

“Just now!”

It was another bright smile today.

I put away what I was looking at and hugged Louis tightly.

“Let’s see, judging by the time you must have come from magic class?”

“Yes! Today we made something called a ‘paper bird’!”

“A paper bird?”

Louis escaped from my embrace and showed me a bird made by folding paper.

Flap flap.

The paper bird circled around me and Louis before dropping onto my palm.

“They said you can use this to send notes to people nearby.”

His eyes were full of expectation, as if urging me to open it quickly.

Carefully unfolding the paper, I found a single line of squiggly writing.

[I love Eileen so much!]

So cute!

Once again today, Louis had bombarded my heart.

“Lord Louis, if you keep doing this I’m going to die.”

“Die? Why?!”

“Because my heart will burst because of you, Lord Louis!”

I hugged Louis tightly and tickled him all over.

“That tickles!”

The child laughed so loudly the hallway seemed to shake.

A moment later, we both sat down on the floor panting.

“Huff, huff… Oh my, I’m tired.”

I sprawled out completely. Playing with children was an exercise that burned a lot of calories.

But it seemed I was the only one tired, as Louis quickly pounced on me again.

“Lord Louis, please have mercy just once.”

“Eileen, you lack stamina!”

“That’s right. Most adults are like this.”

And that’s normal.

As I meekly admitted defeat, Louis laughed while sitting on top of me.

“Eileen, can I invite a friend to the castle?”

“A friend? Ah, shall we send an invitation to young lady Lafia?”

I recalled the shy young lady I had met at the sacred flame ceremony.

Certainly, playing with a friend her own age might be more fun than with me and my poor stamina.

As I was inwardly agreeing, Louis said something puzzling.

“Yes, and I have to send one to my secret friend too!”

“Who is your secret friend?”

“Ah, I can’t say!”

Louis covered his mouth tightly as if surprised by his own words.

‘Come to think of it, it seemed like he made another friend at the party.’

Could that be the secret friend?

“Then how will you send the invitation?”

“Umm, I’ll send it myself!”

“Alright, do that.”

The child trying so hard to send it secretly was too cute, even though the servant delivering the letter would find out anyway.

“I’m curious who Lord Louis’ secret friend might be.”

“It’s a secret because it’s a secret friend!”

The child ran away dodododok as if he shouldn’t say any more.

‘So cute.’

It was another good heart-fluttering moment today.

As I was smiling fondly and stroking my chest, it happened.

“Your head’s getting bigger, doing things like this.”

“Eek!”

My hair stood on end at the sudden touch.

I found myself in Kashar’s arms before I knew it.

“I told you not to startle me!”

As I struggled, feeling wronged, he kissed my triangular eyes.

“Because you’re cute.”

“…”

“See, you like it.”

I still had no immunity to his sudden attacks.

‘Heart, don’t act up.’

At times like this, I should coolly say no!

While I was having an internal conflict, Kashar boldly held out his hand.

“Give me that.”

“…But Lord Louis gave it to me. And he’s a child, not a man.”

I’m telling you this because you seem to keep forgetting, and he’s even your brother.

Despite my objections, Kashar snorted.

“Look at him acting like this already. He’ll grow up soon. What a little fox.”

He was insisting that “all men are beasts.”

“He must take after Kashar! This is mine, you know?”

“Well, have it your way.”

Kashar shrugged as he watched me preciously hold the note to my chest.

‘What? Why is he giving in so easily all of a sudden?’

Just as I thought he was letting it go too easily, it happened.

“I can just take it from you at night.”

He whispered intimately into my ear with a secretive smile.

“…!”

My face instantly burst into flames.

I pushed him away and stumbled backwards.

“Where are you going?”

“…To my room!”

“Ah, come to think of it, there’s no reason to wait until night.”

He spoke as if he had realized something important.

‘That’s a fox. No, a snake.’

The royal family must have cunning blood flowing through their veins.

‘I can’t go now!’

I have a mountain of things to think about!

I pointed to what he was holding to change the subject.

“Kashar!”

“Hm?”

“What’s that?”

What Kashar was holding appeared to be a very old book.

Actually, it had been bothering me for a while.

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen him holding a book.’

He looked more intellectual and safer than when holding a sword.

As I stared blankly, he asked with a smile.

“Curious?”

“Yes.”

As I nodded quickly, Kashar’s kind introduction followed.

“Forty-five ways to be a good groom.”

What… forty-five ways?

“The servants are calling you the future madam, so I thought I should prepare too.”

My face had no chance of returning to its normal color.

Turned into a burning sweet potato, I completely lost interest in the book.

“Ah, that’s right. I’m planning to go out two days from now.”

“What kind of outing?”

“Well, I received an invitation from Marchioness Silvia Ailid. I asked her first if I could learn social etiquette.”

It was me who had said I would let him know when I was going somewhere after getting caught sneaking out before.

Kashar nodded at my words, then spoke as if it was a good idea.

“Ah, bride lessons? Do that.”

How can ‘social’ be heard as ‘bride’?

“Social! Etiquette!”

As I was teaching the meaning of the words anew, dumbfounded, Kashar picked me up.

“Then that’s a bit disappointing.”

“Eek, where are you taking me?”

Kashar kissed me as I screamed.

“You’re cuter when you lack manners.”

His lips stole my voice.

In the end, it was me who was dragged into the bed.

[This is the timeline separator]

Two days later, the day of my appointment with the marchioness arrived.

‘I dressed as neatly as I could, but…’

I was even more nervous since she was someone who taught etiquette.

After a while, the carriage arrived at the marquis estate.

Ludvion escorted me as I got out.

Soon, the estate’s butler came out to guide us.

“Welcome, Miss Eileen Hallen. I will escort you to where the madam is waiting.”

The marquis estate was a beautiful mansion full of lilies.

I could see a tea table among the lilies.

Silvia was waiting for me in the fragrant garden.