As the autumn social season approached, many nobles returned from their estates to their mansions or townhouses in the capital of Arcan, busily unpacking and settling in.

Biare, too, was busy with preparations for the social season and her upcoming birthday party, with the help of her servants.

Although she had hosted several parties in the past and was no stranger to organizing such events, this time she felt a little pressed for time due to her preoccupation with recent events and incidents.

Coincidentally, she had received a letter from her only close friend, Ushua Genshaoti, during this social season.

Having forgotten that Ushua used to visit the Marta Empire around this time in the past, Biare was eager to prepare attentively for her visit and the party.

Ushua was the daughter of the wealthy Genshaoti family from the Eastern Kingdoms, whom Biare had befriended during a visit to Chailo Daisangdan as a child.

She was the legitimate daughter and the future head of the Genshaoti family, proficient in the languages of the Western, Southern, and Northern Kingdoms.

With her bold and open personality, which was rare in the Northern Kingdoms, spending time with her was never dull.

Biare was particularly fascinated by the fact that the class pyramid of nobility had been abolished long ago in the Eastern Kingdoms.

Biare, along with her brother Gaisen, had once visited the Eastern Kingdoms with their father and felt the stark contrast to the Northern Kingdoms.

The Eastern Kingdoms were filled with broad-leaved trees lining the streets, unlike in the Marta Empire, and boasted many vibrant cultures she had never encountered before.

The Genshaoti family was so well-known in the Eastern Kingdoms that not knowing them was akin to being a spy; they had the ability to multiply wealth merely by breathing.

Just as Biare found different cultures fascinating, Ushua also found the aristocratic culture of the Marta Empire intriguing and had expressed a desire to attend a social event there.

In her letter, Ushua complained about her father overworking her and expressed a wish to stay at the Biare’s estate during the social season.

After being swamped with preparing to inherit the family business, she had finally found a moment to fulfill her wish.

Biare knew that Ushua would have set off immediately after sending the letter and was likely to arrive soon.

‘I should warn Gaisen in advance.’

Ushua found Gaisen incredibly cute and couldn’t resist teasing him, to which Gaisen was always repulsed.

But since he couldn’t behave as he pleased towards his sister’s only close friend, he always tried to maintain a compliant attitude to preserve his dignity.

Knowing that Ushua’s visit would require mental preparation for Gaisen, Biare decided to give him a heads-up and stood up.

Walking down the bustling corridor, greeting the servants, she reached Gaisen’s room and knocked.

After a couple of knocks, a half-asleep Gaisen opened the door, looking more tired than usual from his recent workload.

“What is it, sister?”

Without a word, Biare handed him the envelope bearing the seal of the Genshaoti family.

“The Genshaoti family?”

Hearing the name, Gaisen’s voice trembled, and he handed back the envelope with a wry smile, as if he had seen something dreadful.

“I thought I should tell you in advance.”

Hearing just the name and looking as if he was about to die, Gaisen elicited from Biare a decision to inform rather than console.

“Ushua will be visiting our estate soon.”

“That means I’m definitely on an all-nighter that day.”
Poor Gaisen had thought that Biare’s friend would only stay for a day at the Duke’s residence.

“Well, she plans to stay for a few days.”

“What? We haven’t recently collaborated on anything.”

“She wants to enjoy the social season.”

At this, Gaisen sighed and began to grumble.

“Planning to engage in noble games in the Northern Kingdom, is she?”

Biare raised an eyebrow and responded as if questioning what the problem was.

“She’s a wealthy heiress from the Eastern Kingdoms. Do you think noble games would impress her?”

In the Eastern Kingdoms, even though the nobility system was abolished, the wealth of their high-ranking nobles could easily rival those in the Northern Kingdoms.

Gaisen, too, should have been well aware of the Genshaoti family’s formidable influence, which was not to be taken lightly.

“Just make sure she doesn’t find her way to my room.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve also mentioned that you might soon have a fiancée.”

“A fiancée? We’re not even engaged yet.”

On the day the Dantelro family visited the Duke’s residence, the conversation between Gaisen and Rosalyn ended uneventfully not long after Biare had left the room.

Realizing his sister was gone, Gaisen quickly led Rosalyn to the terrace and left the Duke’s residence soon after.

This was something Biare learned from Joyan, whom she had secretly placed as her trusted informant.

Joyan, who had become Biare’s shadow, understood her role perfectly and performed it well.

“Be nice to the lady. You won’t refuse her anyway.”