“Cain, there you are.”

Burnett greeted Cain first, unlike someone who had been looking for Count Carelina.

Cain’s gaze, which had been directed at Scarlet, turned to Burnett and Jane. The smile disappeared from Cain’s face when he spotted the two.

Just erasing his smile created a sharp atmosphere. He scrutinized Jane with hawk-like eyes.

His brow furrowed slightly as he took in Jane’s neatly coiffed hair, her exposed neck and collarbone, the excessively small earrings, and her purple dress.

When Cain’s eyes met Jane’s, he abruptly turned his head and approached Burnett.

“I should have escorted you personally, aunt.”

“Are you scolding me for being old, Cain?”

“I was just worried that a coachman, mesmerized by your beauty, might lose his way. You look especially beautiful today.”

Cain knew how to flatter. Jane was so surprised she almost dropped her fan.

“Your compliment doesn’t seem to be for me today.”

Burnett gently pushed Jane forward. Cain and Jane’s eyes met.

“You must have had a hard time getting here.”

Cain’s greeting was brief. And cold.

Burnett’s lips, hidden behind her fan, curved upward. Jane wanted to say something, but she closed her mouth as Cain had turned his back.

Count Carelina stepped in to prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward.

“May the goddess’s fortune be with you. Lady Burnett, it’s been a long time. I just heard that you were coming. If I had known earlier, I would have sent a carriage.”

Count Carelina was a well-built middle-aged man. He lightly kissed the back of Burnett’s hand and stepped back.

“I appreciate the thought, Count Carelina. It’s been a while, Miss Scarlet.”

Scarlet curtsied. Burnett and Scarlet were already acquainted.

“How is Baron Gillian? I heard he went to the countryside for recuperation. I heard he had dizziness, and I recently acquired a tea that’s good for dizziness. If you let me know when you’re available, I’ll bring it to your home.”

Baron Gillian was Burnett’s husband. Though they said he went for recuperation, he was actually laying low after a failed business venture.

“Miss Scarlet is really kind. I’ll definitely tell Gillian. He’ll be so pleased. He was just saying how envious he was of me, wanting to hear your piano performance.”

After that, conversations that Jane knew nothing about were exchanged. Jane was completely excluded. But since her chaperone was here, she couldn’t leave the place carelessly.

It would be nice if someone came and asked her to dance, but no fool would ask Jane of the Whitney family to dance first.

She was especially avoided because of the significance of the first dance. There was a custom that you must go on a date with the person you danced your first dance with at your debutante ball.

If you didn’t, a curse-like superstition said you wouldn’t find a good match.

It wasn’t something you could choose lightly.

Jane fidgeted with her fan unnecessarily. If someone would at least introduce her, she could pretend to go get a drink and escape, but Burnett, who was supposed to be her chaperone, was busy chatting with Scarlet.

And Cain wasn’t even looking at her anymore.

“…May I go? I heard the Hastings’ reception room is so pretty, thank you so much.”

In a short time, Burnett had even accepted Scarlet’s invitation.

“But the person behind…”

As Scarlet spoke as if she had just noticed Jane, Burnett finally turned around.

She pulled Jane forward with a surprised look, as if she had really forgotten about her.

“Oh my, look at me. It’s been so long since I attended a party that I made a mistake. Jane, you should have given me a hint. Then everyone would have been comfortable.”

Burnett laughed as she blamed Jane. Even though it was she who had completely ignored Jane.

“That’s Count Carelina. He’s the one who prepared the stage for your debutante ball.”

Burnett tapped Jane’s arm, telling her to greet him.

Jane curtsied deeply.

“May the fullness of the goddess fill the Carelina family. I’m Jane Whitney.”

It was a perfect, flawless greeting.

“May the goddess’s fortune be with you. Nice to meet you, Whitney… I mean, Miss Jane.”

Count Carelina mischievously mentioned her surname. Although he quickly changed it to her first name as if it was a mistake, Jane noticed.

‘This person doesn’t like me either.’

More accurately, the Whitney family.

It was understandable. Count Carelina had been recognized for his role in purging the Rose faction and was now thriving.

To Count Carelina, Jane might have been one of the targets to be purged.

“Jane, nice to meet you. May I speak comfortably?”

Scarlet addressed Jane. Only then did Jane properly look at Scarlet.

The woman with delicate facial features looked like a doll. Her fair skin, straight eyebrows, large eyes, and small nose and lips were quite cute.

More impressive than her pretty appearance was her bright demeanor.

If it weren’t for Jane, she might have been the woman Cain would have been matched with. So she might fill Cain’s side when Jane leaves.

It would be good to get along well.

Jane smiled back and replied.

“Of course.”

“I feel like we’ll be good friends. Shall we move to a place for just us ladies?”

“This old lady will excuse herself.”

At Scarlet’s suggestion, Burnett stepped back. Scarlet naturally linked arms with Jane. They looked so close that anyone would have mistaken them for friends of several years.

“Please enjoy the ball.”

Jane heard Count Carelina’s farewell as she moved away from Cain. With each step she took, her empty dance card fluttered.

Scarlet led Jane to a place where people were gathered moderately. However, she didn’t rudely introduce them or push them into the group.

“Have a drink.”

Scarlet brought a refreshing lemonade. Jane, whose throat had been parched, thanked her and drank the lemonade.

“It’s really boring, isn’t it? The same people, the same music, similar conversations.”

Jane just smiled. This was her first ball. The things Scarlet found boring were fresh and interesting to her.

“I heard you lived in another region for a while. How was it? There must have been many interesting things, right?”

After listing the events that frequently occur in social circles, Scarlet showed interest in Jane’s past.

Jane’s fingers, which had been tapping her lemonade glass while listening to the music, stopped.

“In another region?”

Scarlet treated her as if she had just gone on a short trip, even though she must know why Jane had left this place.

If Burnett or Mrs. Themis had asked, she would have been very upset, but with Scarlet asking with sparkling innocent eyes, she didn’t feel angry.

It just felt strange.

“It wouldn’t be an interesting story for Scarlet.”

What joy would there be in telling a woman surrounded by glittering things about shivering through nights in dark alleys?

“No! I really like it. Adventures!”

Jane was momentarily speechless. Her desperate struggle for survival was an adventure to Scarlet.

Adventure and Jane’s life were fundamentally different. Adventure is a choice, but her life wasn’t. Adventure presupposes that you will eventually return home, but Jane had no place to return to.

“Well, I’m not very good with words. I’m not confident I can entertain Scarlet with my story.”

Jane politely declined. Scarlet’s eyebrows drooped.

“Did I offend you? I just wanted to get closer to Jane… You don’t know much about balls, right? So I wanted to talk about a subject you’re familiar with.”

The vaguely disturbing element in Scarlet’s tone that Jane had been sensing took shape.

Scarlet was completely categorizing Jane and herself as different people.

She repeatedly said that Scarlet’s world and Jane’s world were different. It was a kind of rejection.

This often happened when nouveau riche or newly titled nobles tried to enter social circles.

In severe cases, they might even be turned away at the door.

But Jane couldn’t distinguish whether Scarlet was doing this intentionally or pushing her away unconsciously.

‘Does it matter?’

Jane inwardly sneered.

Whether intentional or not, Scarlet’s behavior was rude. So Jane drew a line appropriately.

“After we get to know each other better, Scarlet. My story isn’t something to be blurted out in a place like this.”

“After we get closer? Of course! I’ll be waiting.”

Scarlet smiled brightly again.

“Oh, Jane! You should dance! It’s your debutante ball, and I’ve monopolized you too much. Look, those gentlemen are glancing at you. I should quickly make way.”

Scarlet chattered away by herself and then disappeared, taking the hand of a gentleman who asked her to dance.

Her dance card list, which Jane unintentionally saw, was completely full.

On the other hand, Jane’s dance card was still empty.

Scarlet said that men couldn’t approach because of her, but even without her, men wouldn’t approach Jane.

Who would want to dance with a woman from the Whitney family?

Jane smirked, hiding her mouth with the lemonade glass.

Before coming here, Jane had run simulations over and over, steeling her heart.

Being left alone, being ostracized, being insulted.

Thanks to that, Jane didn’t flinch when she heard people cursing, and she could endure when Lady Burnett and Count Carelina intentionally excluded her.

But she still couldn’t get used to being left alone in silence amidst the hustle and bustle.

What was worse was that this time wouldn’t end unless someone took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

She might become the first woman in the Kingdom of Embrun to have two debutante balls.

If she couldn’t dance today, she would have to attend the next ball.

Hoping that such a thing wouldn’t happen, Jane raised her head. Her gaze was already searching for Cain.

Cain was in conversation, surrounded by several women.

Unlike when talking with Jane, he occasionally smiled, and sometimes lowered his head to listen better to the other person’s words.

Then she saw him writing his name on someone’s dance card.

Jane’s heart cracked like the ground splitting in an earthquake.

‘Are you crazy? Did you expect something?’

It seems she had unconsciously expected Cain to dance with her.

Whether she was excited about her debutante ball or what, she had had several vain thoughts today.

Although the promise was now useless, Jane was hurt every time she realized that promise was broken.

Jane put down her lemonade glass and fiddled with her dance card.

She should give up for today.

Then what about next time?

What if she never gets to dance and wastes time just having debutante balls?

A frightening thought occurred to her.

“This is a nice spot.”

Just then, a bright and cheerful voice was heard.

A man with a pretty, beaming smile addressed Jane.

“May I interrupt the lady’s contemplation for a moment?”