On the last day of the National Foundation Festival, Raphilen Palace, beautifully decorated with lisianthus, reopened its doors.

Even nobles familiar with Raphilen Palace were impressed, wondering if Enzo had put more effort than ever into preparing for the banquet.

Nobles who regretted the abruptly ended National Foundation banquet took extra care with their attire to attend.

With rumors that delegations from neighboring kingdoms would also be present, nobles were busy showing off, seeing this as their chance.

People who would normally be in the garden waiting for partners or observing others all headed to the banquet hall early.

Though there was still time before the celebration began, nobles who had already arrived were busy approaching those they needed to connect with.

Among them, those surrounded by the most people were members of the Medelia Viscounty.

“The Viscount Medelia must be getting busy now.”

“Haha, when Erina returns to the viscounty, she’ll need a lot of help.”

“I heard you’ve started several new businesses?”

“Yes, since Erina doesn’t know much about business, I’ll have to work hard to guide her.”

While answering the nonstop questions from nobles, Erina’s uncle Romdrick kept glancing at the entrance to the banquet hall.

He hadn’t been able to meet Erina even once since the National Foundation banquet.

He needed to meet Erina and soothe her turned heart, just like when she was young.

Although Erina had said she never wanted to see him again, if he showed her affection and comforted her like his own daughter, she might change her mind again.

She had always been a child desperate for love, so she might quickly change her turned heart once more.

If so, he could freely indulge in the businesses he had only drooled over and the gambling he had only dreamed of, without having to be cautious anymore.

Erina’s aunt Camille’s thoughts were not much different.

In her own way, she had made an effort to embrace Erina like a daughter and kept trying to see her, but was often turned away at the door.

Though angered by the repeated rejections, thinking of the wealth that would come into her hands made her swallow her pride.

Since Erina was a child who cared greatly about others’ opinions, if they gently coaxed and embraced her in front of many people, she would come back.

If they were patient and soothed her for a bit, they could freely visit the clothing stores they had hardly dared enter before, and the jewelry shops they had only drooled over.

Thinking of the sparkling future, every day was extremely happy for Romdrick and Camille.

Of course, when Bianna, who had run into Erina, came home crying hysterically, the two told their daughter to be patient for now.

They needed to humor Erina until they secured a certain share of the mana stone mine.

Although Erina had continued to refuse meetings, it would be difficult for her to reject them in this gathering of all the nobles.

Having thought that far, Romdrick and Camille strutted about ridiculously, with their noses in the air, dreaming of a future they could never reach.

Several nobles who were appalled by the two acting as if they owned the mana stone mine quietly distanced themselves.

In the banquet hall, the voices of attendants announcing the arrival of nobles echoed intermittently.

“Count Peyron Iolce and Lady Mirea Iolce enter!”

When Peyron’s name was called, all eyes turned to him.

Peyron’s much more haggard appearance than usual and Mirea’s neat look, unlike her usual peacock-like style, drew people’s mockery.

Peyron, now with the long epithet of ‘the foolish man who lost everything after falling for his mistress while abandoning his wife,’ was followed by people’s whispers wherever he went.

Mirea’s face turned bright red from the nobles openly insulting her and her son.

She hadn’t wanted to come to the banquet, but couldn’t refuse the invitation that came in the emperor’s name.

Mirea didn’t even dare to have a new dress made, as she needed to secure assets to return to the Medelia family by imperial order.

She wore the most formal dress she had left after selling the valuable ones, but couldn’t hide her embarrassment.

Peyron and Mirea took their place in a corner of the banquet hall, as if by prior arrangement.

“Count Barinen Asilla and Lady Rose Asilla enter!”

Once again, people’s attention was drawn.

Rose, known as the flower of high society, entered with a beautiful figure.

Her cream-colored dress with large red flower embroidery accentuated Rose’s loveliness.

Barinen, Rose’s father and Count Asilla, glanced briefly at Peyron standing almost invisibly in the corner before quickly averting his gaze.

Rose tried hard not to look at Peyron, who was staring at her endlessly from the corner.

With public opinion already overwhelmingly favorable towards Erina, her relationship with Peyron must not be revealed.

On the day of the National Foundation banquet, Rose had told Peyron she would return to the Asilla family.

Although Peyron had desperately begged Rose to stay at the Iolce mansion, Rose barely persuaded him that it would do no good if their relationship became known in high society.

After returning to the Asilla family, she told her father everything.

Alisa’s prophecy, her relationship with Peyron, the true owner of the mana stone mine.

Rose’s father, angry at Rose for suddenly leaving without a word, didn’t believe her at first.

But after confirming the reality of the relic Rose possessed, Alisa’s last keepsake, and verifying everything, Barinen awakened his hidden ambition.

Afterwards, Barinen fully supported Rose.

But despite Rose’s efforts backed by Barinen’s power, nothing seemed to work out.

As days passed, Erina gained endless fame and people’s attention, while Rose had to struggle not to reveal her relationship with Peyron.

Even offering blood to the necklace every day without fail and enduring the pain, the prophecies that emerged were all about things that had already passed.

No matter how much blood she offered to the point of dizziness, the content about reclaiming the mana stone mine from Erina that Rose needed remained as hazy as if shrouded in fog.

With her face contorting again in frustration, Rose forced a smile and greeted the approaching young ladies.

“It’s been a while, Lady Papia.”

“Lady Asilla, it’s really been a long time since we met at a banquet.”

Tanya Papia, the second daughter of the Papia marquis family who held the position of foreign affairs minister, greeted Rose happily.

“Lady Asilla! I was disappointed not to see you at the National Foundation banquet.”

“Lady Anzle, I was so upset too. I wasn’t feeling well then, it was really regrettable.”

Belodi Anzle, the only daughter of Count Anzle who owned the most renowned trading company in the empire, also greeted Rose warmly.

Tanya and Belodi were always together with Rose, leading one faction of high society.

Rose finished greeting the two and engaged in conversation.

“I heard Ramaton Atelier is in charge of Lady Medelia’s dress this time?”

“Lady Medelia? You mean Lady Bianna Medelia?”

“Of course not. I mean Lady Erina Bril Medelia. There are widespread rumors that Duke Kerenick personally requested Ramaton Atelier.”

Rose struggled to maintain her smile, unable to avoid the topic of Erina she wanted to avoid most.

“You’ve heard the news too, Lady Asilla? They say Lady Medelia has become the owner of the mana stone mine and received a middle name.”

“Even His Majesty personally approved the annulment of her marriage, acknowledging Count Iolce’s wrongdoing.”

Tanya and Belodi, being considerate of Rose who couldn’t attend the National Foundation banquet, recounted what had happened.

But Rose, knowing everything, found their stories only painful.

She wanted to leave her seat immediately, having to quietly listen to the fact that all the attention and honor she should have received had been passed on to that girl.

Rose tried her best to maintain her expression, just smiling at the two’s ongoing conversation.

Just as her mind was about to blur from the endlessly rising anger, the attendant’s cry rang out in the banquet hall.

“Duke Sandes Devir Kerenick and Lady Erina Bril Medelia enter!”

Nobles stationed in every corner stepped forward to see Sandes and Erina as they entered.

“My goodness, look at that dress. It’s truly beautiful!”

“Ramaton Atelier must have put their heart and soul into it.”

As the two said, even to Rose’s eyes, the dress Erina was wearing was truly beautiful.

The pale pink off-shoulder dress, with pastel pink organza fabric covering the arms, accentuated her delicate appearance, and decorations of silk and diamond flowers added elegance.

Her vivid purple hair was styled in waves, half braided at the back and adorned with fresh flowers.

It was a figure that anyone would recognize as the protagonist.

Rose hid her trembling hands under her voluminous cream-colored dress.

The metallic taste of blood lingered in her mouth from biting her inner cheek hard to regain composure.

Rose hated Erina enough to want to kill her.

She hated her so much that even cursing her all day long wouldn’t be enough.

She wanted to drag Erina down right away from standing there so proudly, having stolen what was hers.

But reality was merciless to Rose.

As Rose glared at Erina with hate-filled eyes, their gazes suddenly met.

Rose’s eyes trembled as she faced Erina’s composed expression.

Rose gritted her teeth to avoid averting her gaze from Erina.

“Oh my, Lady Medelia is looking this way.”

“She must have recognized Lady Asilla!”

The two, unaware of Rose’s inner thoughts, whispered excitedly.

Erina was soon surrounded by a sea of nobles wanting to get closer.

Someone must have spoken to Erina, as her gaze that had been on Rose moved away.

“Lady Asilla, shall we go greet Lady Medelia as well?”

“Yes, let’s!”

Tanya and Belodi urged Rose, but she declined with a troubled expression.

“Oh dear. My father is calling me for a moment. I’ll greet Lady Medelia separately later.”

When Tanya and Belodi looked in the direction Rose pointed, they could see Count Asilla gesturing to Rose with a young nobleman beside him.

“Oh my, you should hurry then.”

“I’ll see you both again later, Lady Papia, Lady Anzle.”

Rose turned her back on the two and walked towards Barinen.

As Rose turned away, joyful laughter rang out from where Erina was.

Unable to bear her churning insides that felt ready to turn inside out, Rose moved quickly to leave the area.