Adel prided herself on having a strong mentality.

Even though she was pointed at as a villainess, she was able to put on a confident and arrogant expression as if she hadn’t heard it.

But right now, such an expression did not appear.

“How can you be so beautiful? Your skin looks like it’s been coated with honey.”

“At this rate, honey won’t stop dripping from the Count’s eyes, will it?”

At the women’s sickening laughter, Adel stuck out her tongue.

‘How can they say such embarrassing words….’

She was much more comfortable being pointed at as a villainess. She wanted to run away from this place as soon as she could.

But now, her actions had become Christine’s reputation. She wanted to be of help to him, even if it was just a little, since he had chosen her with the resolve to confront the Emperor.

So she wouldn’t run away or avoid it. She had to adapt to high society for his sake. A noble’s position was also determined by reputation in society.

“Thank you for seeing me so beautifully.”

It was when Adel, covering her mouth with a fan, gracefully replied.

“I can’t see anything pretty about it. It’s so dazzling that I can’t look at it.”

When she turned at the familiar voice, Mia was smiling among the people.

“Mia!”

Dressed head to toe by Mrs. Chanel, Mia looked sophisticated and beautiful, unrecognizable.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Adel.”

As Mia whispered, embracing Adel,

“I don’t know who can’t look at it because it’s dazzling.”

Adel also playfully retorted.

She seemed to have already adapted to the embarrassing talk.

After introducing Mia to people, the two quickly left their seats.

(This is a time delimiter.)

“I told you it’s good to have friends. To think a day would come to attend the palace banquet wearing Mrs. Chanel’s dress. Everyone’s so nice since you’re my friend.”

Mia seemed as happy as Adel today.

But Adel’s face was a bit uneasy.

“All these sudden fortunes feel like a dream. I’m a bit scared that I’ll wake up.”

“Don’t worry, Adel. The gods must have a conscience. They’re sorry for making you so unhappy until now.”

“I hope so. But did you find out about the silver wolf story?”

Mia narrowed her eyes.

“Who asked for it? I coaxed my husband gently.”

“What did he say?”

“The rumors of seeing the silver wolf were all lies. There were no anomalies on the corpse, and there were only four claw marks. Oh, and yesterday, hunters caught a wolf in the palace forest.”

“Really……?”

Should she be glad?

But something felt awkward as the matter seemed too neatly resolved.

“Oh, but there was one strange point.”

“A strange point?”

Mia glanced around and lowered her voice.

“The coroner’s reports went separately to the Emperor and Vice Count.”

“Why……?”

“But the thickness of the two reports was different. The report sent to the Count seemed much thicker.”

Does this mean Christine is hiding something from the Emperor?

Something Christine knows and the Emperor does not.

But it could have been just a condensed report sent to the Emperor. Doubts can be endless.

Especially doubting Christine, of all people.

“I understand. Keep this matter a secret anyway.”

“No need to say it twice.”

That’s when.

“It seems that a sinister nature can’t be helped. The protagonist of the banquet talking secretly in a corner.”

Seira approached them with the ladies.

“I don’t need to speak honorifically anymore since you’re no longer part of our family, right, Miss Adel?”

Then Mia, as if to protect Adel, rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward.

“Why, do you feel stung? Afraid I’ll see a flaw?”

Seira’s expression faltered. Elegantly insulting was a skill in high society. But this looked like a readiness to fight by grabbing the hair. The woman’s arm looked strong.

“What, what are you!”

“A righteous apostle who punishes villains, why!”

Adel stopped Mia like that.

“Mia, we have something to talk about, so can you please leave?”

This was the palace. If a fight broke out, Mia’s reputation, a foreigner, would only be tarnished.
“Are you all right?”

“Don’t worry. I have my fiancé.”

Adel replied loudly, as if intending for others to hear. No matter how she responded, she knew she would hear talk of how she relied on and flaunted Christine. Hearing it after his name was mentioned would be less vexing.

“Well, your fiancé is watching you like a hawk.”

Christine, who had been conversing with people, seemed to feel the gaze and turned his way.

Tall and upright in stature. A beautiful face that attracted attention even in a large crowd. A moan involuntarily escaped from the lips of the women nearby.

Adel smiled softly at him, as if for all to see. Christine also smiled faintly and nodded.

An exchange of glances that would appear to anyone as that of lovers deeply in love.

“Ah, I’m so jealous it’s killing me. I lost, I lost!”

With her voice raised high, Mia withdrew.

“A shameless, vulgar thing!”

Seira growled, glaring at Adel with resentment.

Then Adel responded with a gentle yet stern face.