Sara said it as if to say there was nothing to worry about. To Raelia, those words felt like solid ground beneath her feet.

“Thank you.”

Raelia smiled softly and looked at the invitations.

“I hope after this banquet, you’ll have friends of your own, Mother.”

“Friends of mine?”

“Friends to have tea with and attend banquets together.”

“I used to dream about that, once.”

Before she’d married, Sara had dreamed of becoming a noblewoman and enjoying tea with ladies her age, attending banquets. But reality had been cold.

So she’d put that wish away early on.

And now Raelia had brought it back up. Sara’s heart beat a little faster, as if she’d returned to that younger time.

“I just hope the banquet goes well.”

After the Darhan banquet, Archan had made such a good impression that a few days later another family sent an invitation, saying their sons wanted to spend time with him.

Part of it was surely wanting to build connections with the future marquis. But it also meant the exclusion of Archan was easing. Raelia chose to see it that way.

‘I need to make that happen for Mother too.’

Raelia smiled to herself.

The original Raelia had kept Sara at a distance, but it wasn’t that she’d resented having a stepmother. She simply hadn’t wanted anyone close to her. And Sara hadn’t been unkind, just not warm.

Yet society had spread rumors that Sara mistreated and abused Raelia.

That needed to be corrected.

It was the only way to get what she wanted.

‘And she’s someone I’ll share my life with going forward, so doing good by her is its own reward.’

“Is His Grace really coming to the banquet?”

“He said he’d arrange his schedule to come if at all possible.”

“For just a banquet.”

“He’s going to be my husband! He said of course he had to come, since his future wife was hosting.”

Sara smiled faintly.

“He sounds like a romantic.”

“He’s a little different from Father.”

“He is.”

Viloten was handsome, with a face that invited romantic imaginings. Quite at odds with his stiff, blunt personality.

“But why did you choose Grand Duke Lorentz?”

Sara asked the question she’d been curious about all along.

Most ladies didn’t want a man whose heir was already decided. Yet Raelia had chosen him.

“Well…… he’s so handsome. Setting everything else aside, he’s someone I felt I could spend my life with just from looking at him.”

Raelia answered honestly.

Meeting Cassian and fangirling over him was the joy that made life in this world worth living. Just seeing his face made her heart go soft. And when he smiled at her, she was done for the rest of the day.

“Goodness, it was because of his face?”

“And his family, his standing, everything else is impeccable too. The heir situation is a concern, but there’s no guarantee my children would become heirs no matter where I married. And Zenon likes me, which makes me feel even more drawn to him.”

Raelia wasn’t wrong.

Sara thought back to a passing glimpse she’d had of Cassian once and nodded.

“I was the same way. When my husband showed up to the matchmaking meeting, I thought he had a halo around him. I’d decided that if I had to marry someone older, at least I’d pick a handsome one, so I chose the Lateran marquisate.”

“Father is, well, even now he’s a rare kind of handsome. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Archan becomes.”

Sara laughed at Raelia’s compliment.

“I never thought about it that way.”

The two of them laughed and talked.

The invitations went out to each noble family, and most replied that they’d attend.

* * *

Seria watched Raelia work. All Raelia needed to do was draw up the guest list and a rough outline of the banquet, and the rest could be left to the maids and servants.

But Raelia was staring at the list and pressing her hands to her head.

“Miss, is something troubling you?”

“Obviously.”

Raelia sipped her milk tea and looked at the list again.

It was densely filled with the names of artworks Sara owned. There were so many and such variety that she had no idea what to choose.

“This one’s lovely, that one’s nice too. They’re all wonderful, so I can’t decide which to pick.”

She’d asked Sara if she could use the artworks she’d collected for the banquet, and Sara had agreed without hesitation.

So as the host, Raelia now had to decide which pieces to display and how to arrange them.

“Haa.”

It would be so helpful to have someone with a deep knowledge of art right now.

Thinking that, Raelia jumped to her feet.

“Why didn’t I think of that sooner!”

She wanted Sara to be the center of attention at this banquet.

That meant she couldn’t do this without Sara.

It wasn’t too late in the evening yet.

Raelia picked up the paper with the list and walked to Sara’s room.

Outside the window, fireflies drifted through the air. They seemed to notice Raelia and lit up the path where she disappeared.

* * *

The day of the banquet arrived.

It was the first event held at the Lateran marquisate since the previous marchioness had passed away.

Archan stood with Raelia, visibly nervous. She wore a brown dress today with subtle makeup, done better than usual because Sara had helped.

“Let’s go welcome our guests.”

The maids and servants steadied themselves for the occasion after a long absence from such events.

The carriages arrived and guests began filing into the hall.

* * *

“There has to be something going on. Otherwise that poor young lady would never come out with a brother who’s practically a stranger to her.”

The noblewomen’s chatter continued inside their carriage.

Those who had known Raelia’s birth mother still believed the rumors about Sara. They assumed the bright, friendly dynamic between Raelia and Archan was all performance.

So their goal in attending was to appear to comfort Raelia while quietly working to drive Sara out of society for good.

The carriage door opened and the noblewomen stepped out slowly, making their way toward the banquet hall.

But the moment they walked in, their eyes went wide.

A beautiful chandelier sparkled overhead. Not an ordinary chandelier, but a work of art strung with long chains of jewels.

The tables were made of fine solid wood. On them sat exquisite tableware, pieces rare enough that even wealthy noble families couldn’t easily obtain them. The women were struck speechless.

“Welcome!”

Raelia greeted them with a smile. Sara, standing beside her, wore a gracious smile of her own. Raelia’s expression was far too bright to be forced.

The noblewomen immediately wanted to hold those precious teacups in their own hands.

The ladies who’d come to expose Sara and comfort Raelia exchanged glances.

“Lovely to meet you, Marchioness Lorentz, Miss Raelia.”

They decided to put their goal on hold for the moment. Today wasn’t the only day, after all.

Drinking tea from those rare cups was far more pressing.

* * *

Raelia confirmed that nearly all the guests had arrived. Cassian had said he’d be late due to business at the imperial palace, so she moved on to the next part of the program.

Guests were admiring the sculptures placed around the room and the paintings on the walls. Of course, most of them owned a piece or two of their own, but having this many works displayed together in one place was rare even for a large gallery.

Raelia moved from table to table, greeting everyone. Archan, who’d arrived late after finishing his lessons, was also diligently making his rounds. The young lords he’d befriended at the Darhan banquet waved at him, and he smiled back with a nod.

Once the greetings were done, Raelia stepped up to the podium set up in the hall.

“All the artworks here were made possible through Mother’s patronage. The paintings include pieces she collected herself, as well as gifts from artists she has supported since their early years.”

A murmur ran through the room.

Patronizing artists wasn’t something even distinguished families did easily. It required an eye for art, cultural refinement, a feel for and understanding of the arts, and the financial means to sustain it.

And Sara had been doing this since she was young. People began to see her differently.

“The Marperun merchant guild allocates a portion of its profits to support emerging artists. That was something I oversaw personally from a young age.”

Sara explained calmly from her seat.

Her measured tone drew nods from around the room. Appreciating rare works and drinking tea from precious cups was an occasion that came along very rarely. Having that experience at a banquet was an extraordinary stroke of luck.

“I’m glad to share these artworks, which I’ve kept to myself until now, with so many people. I hope you enjoy your time here.”

Sara finished what she had to say.

Raelia came to her side and smiled, silently telling her she’d done well.

The rumors in society weren’t true.

Everyone began to think so.

“What is this teacup?”

A young noble lady asked curiously. Sara came over and explained.

“Far across the sea, there’s a city-state called Naprit. They craft teacups with distinctive patterns there. This is one of the most highly regarded pieces that country has ever produced.”