“Kyah!”

I felt a sudden jolt in my back, followed by a heavy thud and the sharp sound of breaking glass.

One of the maids had bumped into me, knocking her tray of champagne flutes over as she screamed in surprise and fell to the floor. The carefully arranged glasses scattered in all directions, like the fragments of a burst illusion.

“Kyah!”

“My dress!”

Screams erupted from the young ladies and gentlemen as champagne rained down on them. The maid, having lost hold of her tray, dropped to her knees in front of me, trembling uncontrollably.

“I’m so sorry! I’m truly sorry!”

She quivered, unable to lift her head.

“I’ve committed an unforgivable sin. Please, I beg your forgiveness.”

Seeing her so frightened stirred something in me. I bent down to help her up.

“It’s all right. Go fetch someone to clean this up.”

“But, my lady…”

“Quickly now.”

She gave a hurried bow and fled from view.

The nobles, whose clothes were now soaked in champagne, grumbled as they tried to wipe it off.

Fortunately, amidst the chaos, no one seemed to have noticed that I was the person the maid had bumped into, nor that I had discreetly dismissed her.

I stood there for a moment, staring after the maid’s retreating figure, before glancing down at my now-soaked yellow dress.

The sweet scent of apple champagne clung to me.

‘At least my dress is the same color as the champagne.’

‘What a mess… Lady Eleanor would surely faint if she saw this.’

Luckily, she wasn’t present to witness this disaster.

I let out a quiet sigh and turned to grab a napkin to dry myself off.

However, just as I did so, my foot caught on the damp hem of my dress.

“Ah—!”

I tried to steady myself, but I couldn’t regain my balance. I shut my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the inevitable fall.

However, instead of falling flat on my face, someone caught me in their arms.

The sensation was achingly familiar, filling me with indescribable sorrow. Amidst the sharp scent of apple champagne, I could faintly detect the fragrance I had once loved.

Before I could stop myself, I opened my eyes to see who it was.

“…!”

It was Claude.

He was looking down at me from close up, and he looked equally surprised.

For a moment, it felt as if time had stopped. His ice-blue eyes were as empty and hollow as ever.

“…Claude?”

Ah!

His name had slipped from my lips instinctively.

When he heard it, Claude’s expression stiffened, but after a brief moment of confusion, he quickly loosened his grip and released me.

Thud.

I fell straight onto the champagne-soaked floor.

“…?”

Stunned, I looked up at him.

“What’s this about, Claude?”

One of the young nobles standing next to Claude, whom I didn’t recognise, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him a question.

As if nothing had happened, Claude immediately erased any trace of his momentary confusion, brushing his hands off with disdain.

“Ah, I didn’t even realise. I got some champagne on my hands. Could you hand me a handkerchief?”

He took the handkerchief offered by the man and calmly wiped the champagne from his hands. Not once did he spare a glance for me, who was still sitting on the floor before him.

Even though the woman he had just dropped was a noble lady — Brianna Elwin, daughter of a baron — it was an obvious act of rudeness. The surrounding guests whispered amongst themselves, unable to look away.

“My goodness! Is she targeting Duke Cassel this time too?”

“Honestly, how can the daughter of a ruined barony dare to even dream of becoming a duchess?”

Pfft!

Soft snickers spread through the crowd.

With my face burning, I quietly pushed myself up from the ground. I didn’t want to make a scene.

“Brianna!”

At that moment, Lady Eleanor, who had witnessed the whole thing, hurried towards me, calling my name.

“Did I just witness Duke Claude von Cassel commit such a grave offence against Lady Elwin?”

Her voice rang loudly throughout the ballroom, loud enough for Claude, who had already turned his back and taken several steps away, as well as everyone else present, to hear.

It was surprising. If her intention was truly to arrange a marriage, shouldn’t she have tried to stay in his good books? Yet Lady Eleanor’s attitude now seemed more like she was rebuking him.

No wonder she was known for her unbending spirit — rumour had it that she had even refused an imperial match before. Watching her, I couldn’t help but inwardly click my tongue at her boldness.

Claude’s icy gaze swept over me as Lady Eleanor supported me, before he slowly stepped towards us.

“It’s been a while, Lady Eleanor.”

“A most unpleasant occasion for our reunion, Duke.”

“And may I ask what offense you believe I’ve committed, my lady?”

He didn’t offer me his hand or show any sign of regret. Instead, he kept his distance and treated me as if I were contagious.

“You threw Lady Elwin, the daughter of Baron Elwin, onto a floor covered in champagne. I call that an offence.”

“Threw? I merely caught her as she was about to fall.”

“My, how generous of you. I never would have guessed, seeing her lying there so miserably on the floor.”

“But at least the noble lady was spared injury, thanks to me. Besides, who’s to say she didn’t stumble towards me on purpose?”

Soft snickers rippled through the crowd at his words.

“As you can see, my lady, there are many highborn heirs gathered here tonight.”

The mockery in his voice only made the surrounding laughter grow louder. Though clearly drunk, Claude’s speech remained steady and clear.

Unable to stand by any longer, I gently tugged on Lady Eleanor’s sleeve.

“My lady, I’m fine….”

“The noble lady herself says she’s fine. Then.”

Just as Claude was about to turn away, Lady Eleanor raised her voice again. Her words boomed like thunder from deep within her chest.

“In that case, I trust you will extend the courtesy of sending an invitation to the upcoming party at the Cassel estate.”

Claude’s gaze, which had been half-turned away, shifted sharply back to her.

The annual party at the Cassel Estate was one of the most prestigious social events of the year. Only members of the imperial family and the most powerful and affluent households were invited. I was very familiar with its customs — I had overseen the preparations every year during our marriage, after all. The gathering attracted countless influential figures from the imperial court, all eager to remain in Claude’s good books — even if it meant I had to endure the presence of more than a few unwelcome guests.

By now, the crowd had grown and the whispers had grown louder, rippling through the room like a rising tide. Sensing the growing attention, Lady Eleanor leaned in, ready to deliver one final blow.

“Surely you wouldn’t tarnish the honour of House Cassel?”

Claude’s brow furrowed slightly.

“To speak of the Cassel name like this… It seems you’re the one being rude, my lady. And why should I send out an invitation?”

“Well, I believe that is something the Duke himself would know better than anyone.”

“…”

Claude had no response.

“So, what will it be?”

She asked, her gaze unwavering. With a faint sigh, as though the entire situation were a nuisance, Claude finally answered.

“If you insist, I’ll have my steward send an invitation.”

With that, he turned and strode away, disappearing into the crowd. As the confrontation ended, the onlookers gradually dispersed, returning to their own business and the festivities.

Only then did Lady Eleanor turn to scold me.

“Are you all right? You stumbled earlier as well. How can you be so clumsy?”

It was difficult to discern the meaning behind her tone—it was a mixture of worry and reproach. She dabbed at my soaked dress with a handkerchief she had pulled out of her sleeve and led me gently towards a quieter corner.

“You should be grateful that I came as your chaperone tonight. Any other lady would not have dared to raise her voice to him.”

In truth, I was grateful for her presence. I nodded faintly, and she lowered the handkerchief and continued her lecture.

“Don’t let the whispers get to you. If you truly want to rise, you’ll have to withstand much harsher things than this. You said you wanted to cure your mother—then stand firm. Endure it.”

“Yes.”

“In any case, we’ve gained something from this. The Duke probably sent the invitation in the hope of breaking your spirit completely. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to accompany you that day, so I’ll wish you luck instead.”

She truly lived up to her reputation as the famed matchmaker that everyone spoke of.