Chapter 3.7

The dinner was as chaotic as expected. The clattering of utensils echoed from all directions, making Ariana question whether she was truly seated at a dining table. While Rowen tried to adhere to courtly etiquette and avoid making noise with his utensils, Madame Green and Flory showed no intention of doing the same. Their constant clattering made Ariana’s quiet and careful dining seem out of place.  

“Oh my, tonight’s dishes are so delicious.”  

Madame Green, having drunk too much wine with her meal, raised her voice, her cheeks flushed with intoxication.  

“This perch dish is particularly exquisite.”  

‘It’s not perch; it’s halibut, Mother.’  

“And the wine! This Chichira white wine pairs perfectly with fish dishes.”  

‘Chichira white wine is much more acidic than this. This is Tatara white wine.’  

Ariana silently refuted Madame Green’s statements in her mind and smirked. Rowen responded with a loud cough.  

“Ahem!” 

It seemed he could no longer endure his mother’s repeated blunders.  

“Ariana, we’ll host a party at the Earl’s mansion before this social season ends.”  

“A party? So suddenly?”  

The Imperial Banquet was about to take place, marking the start of the social season. Families planning to host parties had already sent out invitations months in advance to inform guests. Hosting a party now would hardly attract attendees.  

“If it’s a small-scale party with few guests, it might be feasible. But that’s not what you’re aiming for, is it?”  

“Correct. We need a grand and extravagant party.”  

“Why?”  

“Why, you ask?”  

“There must be a significant reason for hosting a sudden party like this.”  

“Well… ahem. Flory is at the age to marry, after all.”  

At the mention of her name, Flory’s eyes widened, and Madame Green, who had been sipping wine, choked in surprise. It seemed this proposal was entirely Rowen’s decision.  

“If we host a grand party at the Earl’s mansion and Flory greets the guests alongside me as part of the host family, she’ll naturally meet noble bachelors.”  

The plan seemed plausible. It was a good way to meet eligible gentlemen or their mothers during the social season.  

‘But that’s only if Flory were a proper noblewoman.’  

Introducing Flory in such a straightforward manner, given her ambiguous status, would likely provoke reactions like “How dare you think of our family that way!” However, Madame Green didn’t seem to consider such outcomes. She was simply touched by her son’s thoughtful gesture.  

“Oh my, what a considerate idea, Earl. It’s a wonderful plan. Flory should meet a good husband soon, indeed.”  

“It’s something I should have addressed earlier. As an Earl, I’ve been too focused on my duties and neglected my responsibilities as a brother.”  

“I’m grateful you realize it now. Isn’t that right, Flory?”  

“I want to marry into a family at least equal to the Earl’s rank. It’d be… awkward to marry someone of lower status.”  

Awkward to marry someone of lower status?  

‘Your mother, Madame Green, was the mistress of Baron Alpena.’  

Did she even think before speaking? 

Ariana watched as the three exchanged absurd remarks and quietly set down her utensils.  

“Please exclude me from this plan.”  

Ariana’s words instantly froze the cheerful atmosphere among the trio. Rowen frowned at her, clearly displeased by her interruption.  

“Hosting a party and inviting guests is the lady of the house’s role. It’s not something you can opt out of.”  

“If you truly understood my role, you wouldn’t have announced the party plans so unilaterally.”

Hosting a party was no simple task. While all parties might look the same at a glance, each one had its own theme and concept. Especially during the bustling social season, countless parties were held, leading to fierce competition among noble families as they vied with creative concepts.  

Selecting guests was another challenge. It wasn’t just about sending out invitations indiscriminately; one had to avoid inviting rivals who might ruin the atmosphere if present together. Understanding such relationships was the host’s responsibility. Rowen, who had only ever attended parties and never hosted one, was entirely ignorant of these complexities and was merely demanding a grand and extravagant event. Madame Green and Flory were equally clueless.  

“Sister, it’s just a party. You send out invitations, prepare food, and that’s it. What’s so hard about it?”  

Just a party. Ariana had heard the word “just” far too often from this rude family. To them, everything Ariana had done was always “just” some trivial, unimportant matter.  

“Just say you don’t want to help me find a husband! You’re scared I’ll marry into a better family than yours, aren’t you?”  

Ignoring Flory’s sharp words, Ariana calmly dabbed at her lips with a napkin. Flory had probably intended to hurt her with those cutting remarks, but when they were so absurd and baseless, they were nothing but ridiculous.  

“Flory, do you really want to find a husband from among the guests I invite? Do you even know what kind of people I might introduce you to?”  

Feigning innocence, Ariana blinked as she asked. Realizing she hadn’t thought that far, Flory gasped and clamped her hands over her mouth. It was true—there was no way Ariana would introduce her to a proper suitor.  

Flory shot her brother a fiery glare, as if to say this was unacceptable, and Rowen’s expression turned awkward. In truth, he wanted to host a grand party for Alena, not Flory. But knowing Ariana would refuse to prepare a party for Alena, he had planned to frame it as a party for Flory, enlisting his mother and sister to pressure his wife. That plan, however, had now gone awry.  

Watching Rowen squirm uncomfortably after losing his allies in an instant, Ariana stood up from her seat.  

“A party for Flory should be organized by you personally. It’s a party for your precious little sister in law, after all. Naturally, you should handle it yourself. It won’t be difficult—it’s ‘just’ a party, isn’t it?”

***

Finally, the day of the Imperial Banquet arrived. Madame Green and Flory twirled in front of the mirror in their newly tailored dresses, admiring their reflections. They had gone all out for this grand event, and their dresses were lavishly ornate. With attire like this, they could confidently hold their heads high among most nobles.  

Though Rowen had pestered Ariana into attending various social gatherings since becoming an Earl, this was the first time they were attending the Imperial Banquet, and they were excited. Madame Green had always been curious about the Imperial Banquet, the pinnacle of the social season. She had even begged her lover, Baron Alpena, to take her, but he had always shown reluctance.  

This time, however, she had secured an invitation. Technically, it was Ariana’s invitation, but Madame Green had taken it—“taken” being a polite term for what was essentially theft—and now considered it hers.  

‘That wretched Ariana wouldn’t even give up the invitation when she wasn’t going to attend herself.’  

Madame Green sneered as she imagined “that plain Ariana, always dressed humbly because she grew up poor.” Ariana had never attended the Imperial Banquet since marrying Rowen. In fact, she had rarely attended such events even before marriage.  

‘She must have known she didn’t belong in such glamorous settings.’  

Only those who fit in should attend such occasions to truly make them shine. Imagining herself being the center of attention at the splendid Imperial Banquet, Madame Green headed to the first-floor lobby with Flory. They had expected Rowen to escort them, but the lobby was empty.  

Surprised, Madame Green stopped a passing servant to ask.  

“Where is the Earl?”  

“He left earlier. He said he had a card game planned with friends before the banquet.”  

“What?”  

To think he was more interested in a card game than escorting his mother and sister to their first Imperial Banquet! Madame Green suppressed her boiling anger and stepped outside.  

Fortunately, Rowen had at least arranged for transportation, as a carriage was waiting at the door. The two women climbed into the carriage without an escort, struggling slightly as they did so. Once they were seated, the coachman naturally set off toward their destination.  

Since the Astaroth Earl’s Mansion wasn’t far from the Imperial Palace, the journey didn’t take long. When the carriage stopped, the two women stepped out, their hearts pounding with excitement. But something felt off.  

Instead of the grand entrance of the Imperial Palace, they found themselves at a modest side gate used by servants. Standing in their extravagant dresses in front of this unassuming entrance, they drew curious glances from passersby.  

“That foolish coachman must have dropped us off at the wrong place.”  

Flory grumbled as she turned her head, intending to scold the coachman and get back into the carriage. But the spot where the carriage had been was now empty.  

“…Huh?”  

Flory looked around in confusion. No matter how much she searched, there was no trace of the carriage.  

“The carriage is gone!”  

“What?”  

Finally grasping the situation, Madame Green stomped her feet in frustration. But there was no way to summon the vanished carriage back. Showing their invitation to a guard at the side gate, they were told they couldn’t enter through that entrance.  

“What do we do? The banquet is about to start.”  

Flory’s face twisted in distress as she urged her mother. Madame Green bit her lip in frustration. She had spent a fortune on her dress and bragged to other noblewomen at social gatherings about attending the Imperial Banquet. They had all been astonished, which had only inflated her pride. There was no way she could go back empty-handed now.  

“What else can we do? We just need to get to the main entrance, don’t we? Who says we need a carriage to get there?”  

“So what do we do?”  

“What do you think? Use your legs and walk!”