Chapter 13

Groups of people gathered in small clusters, engaging in conversations filled with laughter, while cheerful music played softly in the background.  

Amid the typical scenery of a ballroom, a group of foreigners in unfamiliar attire stood out.  

‘Are they the delegation from the Kingdom of Kettlin?’  

The Kingdom of Kettlin was an isolated island nation.  

A land blessed by the spirits, known for producing mysterious elixirs.  

Their first impression was akin to wild, free-spirited beings of nature.  

All of them were dressed in outfits that seemed excessively revealing.  

Their trousers flared wider toward the bottom, and their sleeveless tops exposed their collarbones. The tunics they wore over these were so thin that they were nearly transparent.  

While their appearance was undeniably eye-catching, surprisingly, the space around them was relatively quiet.  

As Euphrasia tilted her head to observe her surroundings further, she noticed the staircase connecting the central hall to the second floor.  

The stairs were covered with a thick carpet adorned with gold embroidery.  

Ornate sculptures, encrusted with jewels, decorated the railings, creating an extravagant sight.  

In this opulent setting, a large group of nobles, dressed even more elaborately, had gathered in a circle.  

The nobles, both men and women, were eagerly vying for a chance to speak to someone at the center of their attention.  

‘Who could it be?’  

The Empire’s most powerful figure, Duke Herrington, had yet to enter the ballroom.  

Excluding him, was there anyone in high society who could command such attention?  

Having lived a life detached from social affairs, Euphrasia couldn’t immediately think of anyone who fit the description.  

Not wanting to draw the attention of the crowd, she carefully moved toward a secluded corner.  

It was by chance that her gaze wandered once more toward the second-floor staircase.  

At that moment, her eyes met those of a noblewoman leaning against the railing at the edge of the staircase, occupying one corner of the large circle below.  

“Lady Olden?”  

The noblewoman, who had been raising a glass of wine to her lips, muttered Euphrasia’s name in a dazed tone. Her voice was filled with suspicion.  

A few drops of wine spilled from her glass, staining the thick carpet with unsightly blotches.  

Realizing her careless behavior, the noblewoman hastily stepped away from the railing and disappeared onto the second floor.  

However, the ripple effect of her actions was significant.  

The nobles who had formed a circle began murmuring among themselves, turning their attention toward Euphrasia.  

“Euphrasia Olden? Why is she here… Does she even have the right to be here?”  

“My goodness. This will be quite the spectacle.”  

“How entertaining. I’m looking forward to this.”  

Their faint whispers reached Euphrasia’s ears.  

Yet she couldn’t grasp the meaning behind their words.  

Feigning indifference, she adjusted her sleeves while occasionally sneaking glances at the crowd.  

Some cast sidelong looks at her, pretending not to care, while others blatantly scrutinized her with persistent stares.  

The damp curiosity in their gazes made Euphrasia feel an unsettling sense of unease.  

She hadn’t expected warm hospitality from these prideful nobles.  

Nor had she hoped for sincere greetings.  

Even so, she hadn’t anticipated feeling such a chilling sensation, as though every hair on her body was standing on end, under their gaze.  

How did so many people know who I was?  

And why were they observing me as if I was some sort of spectacle?  

At that moment—  

Someone emerged from the crowd gathered in a large circle near the staircase.  

Suddenly, Euphrasia began to piece together the puzzling situation.  

Beneath the glittering chandelier, a familiar figure appeared.  

Hiding her smirk behind a white fan, she scanned Euphrasia from head to toe before letting out a malicious laugh.  

It was her stepmother, Devonie.  

“Oh my, Euphrasia. It’s been a while.”  

Snap!  

Devonie closed her fan with a sharp sound and walked toward Euphrasia with an exaggerated expression of surprise.  

‘How foolish of me!’  

This was a banquet held in the imperial palace to celebrate the victory.  

The Count Olden family would have naturally received an invitation.  

As the acting head of the family, Devonie would have also been invited to this event, and she was not the type to decline such an opportunity.  

Why hadn’t I considered the possibility of encountering Devonie here?  

The emotions ingrained in Euphrasia since childhood were deep and lingering.  

Caught off guard and unprepared, Euphrasia turned pale as she faced the fear from her past.  

“I never imagined you’d be here. What a surprise.”  

The surrounding nobles now openly displayed their curiosity.  

Devonie, basking in the attention she had longed for in high society, felt her confidence swell.  

Her chin lifted, and her steps grew more assertive.  

“How dare she? This ungrateful wretch! After all I’ve done for her, she dares to humiliate me like that?”  

Since Euphrasia had fled the ducal estate, Devonie had been haunted by memories of her defiance.  

Each time, she exercised superhuman patience.  

‘As long as that lowborn girl’s bloodline becomes the Duke’s heir, I can endure this humiliation.’  

If the Count Olden family’s blood mingled with that of the Duke Herrington family, her beloved son Isaac’s future would be secure.  

With the Duke’s support, Isaac might even aspire to become the leader of the Imperial Knight Order.  

But days passed, then weeks, and there was no word from the Duke Herrington family.  

“Duke Eric Herrington has fallen for my daughter at first sight.”  

“They already have a child together, so a grand wedding will surely follow.”  

“And after that, the official announcement of the heir will be made.”  

Growing anxious, Devonie spread rumors herself.  

She calculated that the more the rumors spread, the sooner the Duke would be forced to make an official declaration to save face.  

But her expectations were completely shattered.  

“The Duke… is questioning whether Young Master Louis is truly his child…”  

A newly hired maid hesitated as she relayed the information.  

Her source was her older sister, who worked as a servant in the ducal household.  

“How useless! She can’t even prove that the child, who is undeniably the Duke’s, is his!”  

Disappointed, Devonie’s suppressed anger exploded.  

With Louis unable to inherit the Duke’s title, Euphrasia’s value had plummeted to nothing.  

After all, she was merely the illegitimate child of her late husband. Or perhaps, even that was…  

“Mother…”  

Euphrasia’s heart pounded as if warning her to flee.  

But she forced herself to stand firm on her trembling legs.  

‘I can do this.’  

She recalled the moment in the Duke’s drawing room when she had mustered her courage to protect Louis.  

And then—  

“It’s all for you. For those pitiful fools who will insult you as an illegitimate child and whisper that you schemed your way into my side. Hold your head high and make them see your worth.”  

Eric’s audacious words echoed in her mind.  

At the time, she had found them absurd.  

But now, in this moment, his boldness gave her the strength to face the situation.  

Her wavering gaze steadied.  

“Do you have something to say to me? You and I aren’t exactly on friendly terms for a heart-to-heart conversation, Mother, are we?”  

Hah.  

Devonie let out a breathy laugh, her eyes narrowing further.  

How amusing it was to see this girl talk back, unaware of the situation she was in.  

‘You’ll soon see what kind of predicament you’re in.’  

Devonie grabbed Euphrasia’s arm, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight.  

The time had come to repay the humiliation she had endured a hundredfold, a thousandfold, and more.  

“No, Euphrasia. You should address me properly.”  

Her voice was feigned with affection, but the words themselves were anything but.  

“I’m not your mother. So show me the proper respect. Yes, kneeling and placing your head on the ground would be appropriate.”  

Of course, Euphrasia already knew that Devonie had never once treated her as a daughter.  

However, never before had Devonie openly declared this in front of other nobles.  

To display such blatant hostility—  

Even for the sake of maintaining her reputation in noble society, Devonie had played the role of the gracious stepmother who willingly took in the illegitimate child left behind by her late husband.  

‘What could she be plotting?’  

Euphrasia’s arm, gripped tightly in Devonie’s hand, throbbed with pain.  

Seeing Euphrasia’s face contort in discomfort, Devonie opened her mouth again.  

Now, it was time to reveal the “truth” to this foolish girl who still hadn’t grasped the situation.  

“I spread a rumor.”  

After organizing her thoughts, Devonie spoke in a calm voice.  

At those words, Euphrasia’s vision flashed as if she had been struck by lightning.  

She had a terrible premonition that something far beyond her control was about to unfold.  

“At first, I said that Louis would soon become the young heir of the Herrington family, and that my beloved daughter would become the Duchess.”  

“I clearly told you before, Mother, that I do not wish to become the Duchess.”  

Summoning all her strength to overcome the tension running down her spine, Euphrasia barely managed to respond.  

Despite this faint resistance, Devonie’s expression didn’t falter in the slightest.  

Leaning closer to Euphrasia’s ear, Devonie whispered her next words in a hushed tone.