The duke’s castle was busy from the morning. It was the day of the banquet for the nobles that the duke had arranged.

The mansion was noisy all day as countless servants bustled about.

Adeline would occasionally glance outside, looking at the sounds coming from beyond her bedroom.

Then she looked straight into the mirror at the intense force constricting her waist.

“Is it difficult for you? But the design emphasizes the waist.”

The maid helping her put on the dress gave Adeline a sheepish smile.

It was the dress that Madam Violeta had sent after modifying it.

“It’s fine, please continue.”

At Adeline’s words, the maid once again tightened the corset laces of the dress.

The appearance in the mirror was markedly different. What had been a half-exposed dress before had changed to something one might wear to a prayer house.

The only slight difference was that while there was no exposure, the design emphasized the silhouette.

The beige dress that flowed over Adeline’s voluptuous figure had a very luxurious material.

Instead of exposure, it seemed the intention was to add splendor through the fabric material, as Swarovski crystals embedded one by one in the layered tulle lace caught the eye.

The dress sparkled and fluttered with every move Adeline made.

But perhaps because there was no exposure, although it was splendid, it was somewhat bearable.

After all, she had often worn such dresses even while at the marquis’s house.

‘Should I be grateful?’

To that man who left another scandal in exchange for changing the dress design?

Thinking of Casius made her sigh involuntarily. But not wanting to be fodder for gossip among the maids any longer, she carefully composed her expression.

“It’s all done, Lady Del. The dress is splendid and suits you perfectly.”

“Is that so. How are the banquet preparations going?”

“The nobles are arriving. If you go down now, it will be just right. His Grace the Duke has also headed to the dining room.”

Adeline nodded towards the maid, but feeling only bitterness in her mouth, she bit her lip.

‘Not even the usual escort.’

At a noble house party, her partner would have come to find Adeline and headed to the banquet hall together.

But he was not accompanying Adeline, instead heading to the dining room alone.

Of course, she didn’t expect him to play the role of a lover.

‘Truly… you are no longer Mel.’

She just hadn’t been able to shake off her lingering feelings for him yet.

A slight shadow passed over Adeline’s face, but soon even that darkness disappeared.

She didn’t want to reveal her emotions. She didn’t want to be swayed anymore.

“Lady, please take my hand and come down.”

Adeline followed the maid who extended her hand towards her, heading to the dining room.

Only after Adeline had disappeared from the bedroom did the maids begin to whisper.

“Isn’t the mistress too flashy? How can even the modified dress be so extravagant? It’s so unsightly how she seems to think she’s the duchess.”

“At least she needs to be flashy. She’s a flower that could wilt at any time.”

They poured out words they hadn’t dared to utter in front of Adeline.

Then.

“What if such a woman gets pregnant and becomes the duchess…”

At one maid’s muttered words, the whispering voices fell silent.

And as if they had imagined something terrible, the maids’ expressions hardened.

Today’s banquet was a course meal prepared by a chef specially invited from the capital by Casius.

Despite the feast of delicacies laid out, Adeline found it difficult to swallow any food.

The soup, the meat placed before her eyes, everything felt gritty as if she were chewing sand.

‘I’d rather eat with the maids.’

She felt it might be a little more comfortable to eat under the watchful eyes of the maids.

It would have been better if he had at least introduced Adeline to the men.

Casius did not introduce Adeline to the nobles from the moment she entered the dining room until the meal began.

Adeline was initially taken aback, not expecting him to ignore her existence like this.

But soon, even her emotions that were about to run wild calmed down.

Not wanting to dance to his tune, she was in the midst of pretending to be even more composed.

Adeline nibbled at her food, barely eating. But the men before her were different.

“As you can see, my body is fine.”

As soon as Casius finished speaking, laughter erupted from all around without anyone taking the lead. The atmosphere in the banquet hall, except for her, was convivial.

“Hahaha. That’s right. Rumors were circulating throughout the empire that the Duke had fallen ill, and we were worried.”

“Come now, how could Duke Torpeo be such a person? He’s the Iron Duke, after all.”

They responded enthusiastically to Casius’s words, which contained not a hint of humor.

Men were truly creatures optimized for power dynamics.

The men seemed to listen to Casius’s words while occasionally glancing at Adeline.

Unable to openly ogle the mistress right before them, they would scan her with furtive glances.

Of course, among them were men who stared openly at Adeline. With eyes full of lust.

“By the way, your mistress is truly beautiful.”

Casius’s knife paused in mid-air as he was continuing his meal.

As Casius raised his head, his eyes met with the noble man who had just broached the topic of the mistress.

“I heard she wears clothes fit for a brothel, but the atmosphere is different? I was quite looking forward to today.”

The corner of the man’s mouth curled up in a sneer. The man’s sticky gaze traced down Adeline’s slender neck, collarbone, and the area where her chest would be.

It was an extremely blatant gaze.

Throughout the meal so far, no one had dared to mention Adeline first. Everyone was just watching the Duke’s reactions, waiting for when he would introduce his mistress.

As if the man’s words were a signal flare, the mouths of other nobles opened.

“Indeed. How much must you love your mistress to keep her so close?”

“Rumors of Your Grace’s love for your mistress are widespread. Even my marchioness has heard rumors of this woman.”

They were busy flattering the Duke, each with their own laughter.

“If she were of slave origin, she would have quite enticed men with her beauty. It’s a shame she’s a commoner.
I was just thinking of getting a mistress myself. Your Grace, whenever you tire of her, feel free to send her to me. Hahaha.”

He now began to openly reveal his desire towards Adeline.

“I will let all the men in the world know how beautiful my mistress is.”

“Hohoho. You’re quite boastful too, aren’t you?”

At that moment, a small emotion appeared on Adeline’s expressionless face.

‘Surely not…’

Adeline glanced sideways to look at Casius.

At first, she thought he had simply changed the dress design on a whim. As a way to torment her.

But looking at these men before her now, she kept having different thoughts.

Could it be that he changed the dress design for her sake?

But soon Adeline gripped her cutlery tightly.

‘That can’t be.’

Judging from Duke Torpeo’s behavior so far, there was no way he would do such a thing for her.

Adeline took a deep breath to calm her heart that was trying to race on its own.

Don’t harbor hope on your own. She murmured to herself.

Just as Adeline had composed herself and lowered her gaze to her steak plate, it happened.

“That won’t happen, unfortunately.”

Adeline raised her gaze at the low voice that reached her ears.

“I don’t have the nasty habit of giving my used things to others. Besides, I quite cherish this woman.”

Casius picked up his knife and began cutting the chunk of meat. Or rather, he was mercilessly butchering it.

He was cutting with such force that occasionally the knife would scrape against the plate, creating a chilling sound.

Each time, the nobles sitting together tried to smooth out their grimacing expressions. But the Duke paid no mind.

It was a kind of warning.

With each scrape of the knife, meat juices flowed onto the plate.

As if he were butchering himself, the man gulped.

And everyone froze as if they had noticed Casius’s warning. She looked at Casius like that and then lowered her gaze.

She hadn’t even touched the meat. Just as she was about to secretly swallow a sigh.

“Now, eat this, my Del.”

The main dish in front of Adeline disappeared and was replaced by the plate of steak that Casius had cut.

“Del likes meat cut into small pieces, doesn’t she? Go ahead and eat. You haven’t touched your food throughout the banquet, my dear.”

He urged her to eat while maintaining eye contact to an uncomfortable degree.

Knowing that she was too distressed to touch her food, yet forcing food on her.

‘Of course.’

There was no way this man would have done such a kind thing for her.

It must have all been her imagination.

“Come on, try it.”

Casius picked up a piece of meat and some vegetables with his fork and held it out to Adeline.

When Adeline remained motionless, he held out the fork once more with an urging look.

Finally, as Adeline opened her mouth, a small piece of cut meat was pushed inside.

She could feel neither the fragrance of the herbs nor the rich juices of the meat. It was like chewing on bitter, fishy paper and tough leather.

Eventually, Adeline began to retch.

“Ugh.”

It was when Adeline quickly grabbed a napkin to cover her mouth.

The gazes of the noble men who had been silently continuing their meal converged on Adeline.

And when Casius’s gaze finally reached her.

“Urgh.”

With another wave of nausea, the atmosphere in the banquet hall changed distinctly.