A few days passed after the ball ended.

Maria forced her eyes open and barely managed to sit up.

“Uhhh……”

“Good grief, what’s a twenty-year-old Miss doing making sounds like a hungover old man?”

Sylvie had prepared breakfast since early morning.

There was much to do from the morning since today was an important meeting.

Sylvie first woke the half-asleep Maria and carefully set down a tray on the bed.

On the tray sat a modestly prepared ham and egg sandwich, and a small jar with flower patterns held fragrant corn soup.

Beside it sat even a cute mini flower pot.

“What’s this little pot for?”

“The chef heard you were meeting a friend after so long and must have picked flowers from the field. Small and adorable—just like you, right, Miss?”

Sylvie’s words as she smiled brightly touched Maria’s heart. Embarrassed, she silently took a spoonful of soup.

“Going out isn’t such a big deal…… Making a fuss.”

“It’s all because everyone loves you so much, Miss. How many years has it been since you went out to meet a friend? Even if they don’t say it, everyone must have worried about you staying only in the mansion at such a blooming age.”

“Is this because Father raised your salary, so you’re deliberately acting like this?”

“Oh really, Miss!!”

“I’m joking, joking.”

When Sylvie rolled her eyes as if wronged, Maria burst out laughing. Thanks to laughing cheerfully and eating heartily from morning, she felt no worry about today’s meeting.

Maria made today her day of reckoning.

‘I won’t be consumed as just a pathetic villain from the original work anymore!’

People are meant to yearn to move toward a better path. Even if she was a character in an original work with a set ending, if she carved out her own destiny, couldn’t even someone who was merely a supporting character and villain meet a slightly different end?

That was Maria’s goal. From now on, even if she got cursed, she’d get cursed a little less. And she’d scheme more carefully about making a living. Having decided to live that way, there should be nothing left to hesitate about. So today was the day to first meet Noah Sackelpine.

It might have just been casual words, but Maria deliberately didn’t miss even those trivial words.

‘First, plant a good image with Noah. Then, have him drop some stories about me to Luca and aim for an image renewal.’

The goal was to start steadily like that, one person at a time.

Of course, Luca had promised a more serious meeting. But even if she met Luca, she had no idea what to say.

To say now ‘I’m sorry I was jealous five years ago and poisoned you, but thanks to that, didn’t you meet your lifelong love?’—she’d just get slapped…….

Maria hated herself like this too.

She wanted to move forward with courage and guts like other protagonists. But what the original Maria had done was so tremendous…… she instinctively held back.

When the carriage went out to the city, noisy sounds came from the streets. Perhaps because Maria hadn’t come out much after transmigration, she enjoyed sightseeing.

Gleaming carriages that looked better than House Certi’s carriage busily passed by.

In street corners, merchants selling armfuls of fruit and cute shops caught the eye.

While Maria was absorbed in watching outside, the carriage had already approached the center of the capital.

Small families like House Certi barely lived on the outskirts of the capital. But large families like House Sackelpine lived in the capital’s center. Most prominent nobles gathered and lived in the central part of the capital.

They gathered in the central part mainly because they needed the knights’ strict protection.

While touring various mansions, a white mansion sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight from deep in the forest caught her eye.

“Wooow~”

House Sackelpine’s mansion shone more luxuriously than other mansions.

The mansion was shaped like a giant U, showing House Sackelpine’s status. A beautifully crafted goddess statue fountain in the center made it impossible to look away.

“Welcome. I am John, the butler of House Sackelpine. I will serve you so you lack nothing during your stay, lady Certi.”

While Maria was sightseeing with drool in her mouth, John the butler greeted her politely.

Befitting a wealthy household, the butler was very courteous. Maria slowly walked the path the butler guided.

After a long guide to the reception room, Maria screamed silently.

Those curtains!!! That carpet!!! These chair armrests with every stitch of the craftsman’s touch!!!

“Khuh, how much is all this?”

Every prop was luxurious and beautiful. Whether they swept and wiped daily, there wasn’t a speck of dust on the candlesticks and wall carpets where dust easily settled.

Maria took a deep breath at that heart-stopping elegance.

“Is this where I’ll lie down today?”

If she really could lie down, she could do it right now.

Maria was so distracted she didn’t notice someone entering the reception room.

Only when she heard a click did she hastily compose her expression.

Maria had come somewhat mentally prepared before Noah entered.

They’d only exchange trivial conversation, but in high society, one small connection could work greatly later. So she took a deep breath to avoid looking bad.

But making her deep breath meaningless, the person who entered the reception room wasn’t at all who she expected.

“Eh……?”

“Hello, Miss Certi. I am Emily Sackelpine, eldest daughter of House Sackelpine.”

Emily greeted Maria politely. A sweet lemon scent came from Emily as she lifted her skirt slightly to greet her.

Maria looked at Emily with a puzzled face. Emily, his sister, appearing out of nowhere where Noah should have come.

Emily walked lightly and sat opposite Maria.

Then she put a spoonful of honey in her teacup. The sight was so elegant that Maria watched her blankly. She looked like a true model of a noble family’s lady.

Emily sat slowly savoring her tea without speaking for a while.

When the silence lengthened, even the oblivious Maria noticed. Though an odd tension flowed in the place, she felt she should at least drink tea, so she put plenty of honey in her tea like Emily.

After the honey melted, Maria finally took a few sips of tea.

‘Good heavens, what tea tastes this good?’

Maria’s eyes widened, forgetting to manage her expression. Through her past and present life, this was the first time she’d tasted such delicious tea.

So without realizing it, she drank the tea she’d been sipping in one shot.

While Maria focused on the tea, Emily opened her mouth.

“My brother won’t come out. Miss. And I’m truly sorry, but my brother didn’t meet you with serious intentions. My brother already has a fiancée, and neither our family nor my brother intends to break this engagement.”

Maria froze while trying to drink another cup because the tea was so delicious.

What did I just hear? I just came to get a cup of tea—what is this dog sh*t talk?

“Pardon……?”

“Also, our House Sackelpine has decided that Father won’t make even a child who received his seed an heir unless it’s from a proper marriage. So Miss Certi. If you have nothing more to say, I’ll get up now, so please slowly enjoy the prepared refreshments before you go.”

Emily, who’d poured out words without hesitation, exhaled as if she’d completed her duty. Of course, Maria didn’t understand this either.

“What? No, what do you mean……? I have no relationship whatsoever with Sir Sackelpine. I merely came to express my thanks?”

Maria’s voice cracked from being so flustered.

Not only did she come out instead of Noah, but all the words said out of nowhere were truly bewildering.

Maria suddenly thought this. Just how much trouble had this man Noah caused for his sister to say such things?

Emily, who’d been about to stand up, sat back down. Then she frowned slightly and sighed long.

Maria now began to properly examine Emily.

The two siblings Noah and Emily didn’t resemble each other externally. Perhaps because Noah was Luca’s friend, he was a handsome man with a gentle atmosphere and polite speech.

In contrast, Emily had stronger features than Noah.

A slightly large nose and large eyes.

Freckles with traces of trying hard to cover them with makeup. Such minor features made her stiff-looking impression seem a bit cute.

If she didn’t know Noah, it would be one thing, but seeing Emily after seeing Noah gave a very different feeling.

“Huu…… Miss, even if you say that, you can’t meet my brother. And even if you did meet my brother, nothing would change.”

An exasperated expression formed naturally at the frustrating conversation. Maria’s mood soured and she thought ‘This is enough, let’s just go home quickly.’

“Fine then. Instead, please tell Sir Sackelpine that I was grateful he helped at the ball, and that I came because he told me to visit.”

Emily made a puzzled expression at Maria’s blunt answer.

Though her brother acted like a scoundrel, he surprisingly kept lines. He’d never brought ladies he met casually to House Sackelpine’s mansion.

“My brother told you to visit?”

“Yes.”

Now Emily looked back at Maria with a surprised expression.

“What happened at the ball that day?”

Emily’s golden eyes sparkled waiting for an answer. Maria didn’t think much of it. Because it didn’t seem like much would change even if she explained anyway.

“Um…… I had friction with another noble that day. Sir Clodence helped with that. The moment the noble who couldn’t contain his anger tried to hit me, Sir Sackelpine also helped.”

“Oh my goodness……”

“That’s all. I really just came to express thanks because he helped.”

“Did my brother afterwards make advances…… no, did you converse or have any other happenings?”

Maria was getting annoyed at this point. She really said no, but this woman really couldn’t believe people’s words.

“There was nothing. Nothing, I said. After that, he just greeted and left.”

“My brother just left you and went?”

“Yes, since I had a connection with Sir Clodence, Sir Sackelpine left right away so Sir Clodence and I could finish talking. I wasn’t feeling well that day, so I said I’d formally visit later to give thanks to both of them.”

Maria looked at Emily with an expression of ‘Are you satisfied now?’ feeling relieved.

Emily had an expression of truly not understanding.

But Maria didn’t really care. Separate from her bad mood, her interest was now focused on the tea emitting a sweet fragrance.

When Emily’s silence lengthened once more, Maria gradually fidgeted.

It was really too frustrating. Do all nobles take this long to say one word? Because she wouldn’t open her mouth, Maria couldn’t hold back anymore and spoke. And she asked what she’d wanted to ask most since entering the room.

“By the way Emily, where did you buy this tea?”