It happened on a bright afternoon.

It happened in the garden of the Duke of Vandyk’s residence.

Martiana had come out to the garden earlier than scheduled to await the guests due to attend the tea party.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that she was feeling slightly nervous.

It had been five years since she had last stood before a gathering of people.

These were hardly the kind of people she felt comfortable around.

There was something she needed to accomplish today.

More than ever before, she was determined to succeed.

And yet—

“That’s strange.”

Ten minutes passed. Then nearly thirty more.

The designated spot remained quiet.

Not a single guest had appeared.

It was unheard of for even a modest social gathering to keep the host waiting like this.

For a moment, she wondered if Drisena had told them not to come. Otherwise, it was simply too strange that nobody had shown up.

She even began to wonder if this was another scheme intended to cause her trouble.

“Little Madam, there’s a problem.”

The butler, Boridge, arrived breathlessly with urgent news.

Had it not been for him, she might still have suspected Drisena.

However, what Boridge told her was equally perplexing.

“What did you just say?”

The explanation was brief, yet as she listened, Martiana doubted her own ears.

It was unbelievable.

Absurd, even.

So that was why no one had appeared.

“They can’t get in?”

The guests were unable to leave or enter the estate.

They had arrived, only to find that they were unable to pass through the entrance.

The carriages were apparently stuck in a chaotic standstill in front of the main gate.

She was so taken aback that she nearly laughed in disbelief.

She had hosted and attended countless gatherings in her life.

Never had something like this happened before.

And then—

“The guards stopped them?”

That was the most astonishing part.

Two days ago, Melissa mentioned that there were guards stationed around the estate.

At the time, Martiana hadn’t given it much thought.

She could never have imagined that it would lead to this.

What were they doing without her permission?

“Then the guests are still there?”

“Yes. We’ve asked them to wait rather than turn back immediately, but… what would you like to do?”

“I’ll go. I’ll see it myself.”

Martiana rose from her seat at once.

Her steps were hurried.

Although the butler had asked them to wait, there was no guarantee that the guests would remain there until she arrived.

The closer she got, the more anxious she became.

Truthfully, she was angry.

Why had she arranged this gathering?

‘Why? For what reason?’

Was the purpose she had set herself about to crumble?

Anyone in her position would have felt the same.

For Martiana, the success of this gathering was paramount.

Only then might she discover the slightest clue as to Licorice’s whereabouts.

And yet they were being blocked.

By whom? And why?

“Who is in charge here? On what authority did you do this without so much as informing me?”

Martiana hurried to the main gate and raised her voice.

She hadn’t planned to shout, but when she saw the situation for herself, she lost her composure.

The iron gates were tightly shut.

Guards were stationed firmly in front of them.

The guests were unable to enter, and they looked displeased.

Most of them were acquaintances of Drisena’s. The looks they cast at Martiana were anything but kind.

Among them stood Baroness Basel, the true objective of the day.

“My goodness, so she really is the Duchess.”

“I wasn’t sure when I received the invitation.”

“She looks quite normal, doesn’t she? Weren’t there rumors that she’d gone mad?”

Whispers drifted through the iron bars.

Martiana knew what was happening the moment she heard them.

They had not come out of courtesy. They were the kind of curious glances usually reserved for observing an animal in a cage.

Their eyes swept over her from head to toe.

They murmured comments.

They pointed, as if to say, ‘Look at that.’

All of this made one thing clear. Even if they turned back now, nothing would change.

From the moment they saw her — or perhaps even from the moment Drisena sent the invitations in her name — this outcome had been inevitable.

It was not beyond her expectations.

Anyone would have reacted the same way.

If someone who had not appeared in public for five years suddenly stepped forward to show their face—

—and that person was the mother of the missing young lady whose disappearance had once gripped the entire nation, it would be shocking.

“Ha…”

Martiana took a deep breath.

Unlike when she reprimanded the guards on arrival, she now seemed more composed.

She had believed she would be fine while preparing. But under those gazes, her lips dried out without her realizing it.

There had once been a time when she would have fled from such looks and words.

After losing Licorice, Martiana had feared crowds.

She had feared gatherings like this.

But now—

“It seems I have caused you inconvenience when this was meant to be a long-awaited greeting.”

She could not retreat.

Too much time had passed.

Besides, she needed something from this place.

So, she stepped past the guards blocking the gate and moved towards the guests.

As the host.

As the mistress of the house.

It was her duty to greet them first.

“We will resolve this shortly. Would you be so kind as to wait a little longer?”

She spoke with composed courtesy toward the other side of the gate.

One noblewoman replied, making no effort to conceal her displeasure.

“Will five minutes suffice?”

Her tone suggested her patience was thin—but she was willing to see how this would unfold.

Martiana nodded calmly.

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Then she turned toward the guards.

At her approach, those nearest visibly stiffened.

“Who is in charge here?”

Her voice was steadier now.

A man stepped forward.

“I am.”

He had an unremarkable face — the kind that one might not notice until he spoke. The only notable feature was his guard’s uniform, which was identical to Siliar’s.

Judging by the insignia on his shoulder, he was not a particularly senior officer.

Martiana examined the emblem before speaking.

“State your name and rank. And explain this situation to me.”

“I am Charles of the Guard Security Division. We were instructed to secure the area surrounding this residence and verify all external individuals entering or leaving.”

“Who—… So this is the result? Without so much as a word to me?”

For a moment, she considered asking who had issued the order. But then she changed her mind.

She didn’t need to ask.

Aside from the king, there was only one person in the kingdom who could command the guard at will.

She simply could not understand why this was happening.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am only carrying out my orders. We were instructed not to allow anyone to enter or leave this residence without authorization.”

“Anyone? Those are my guests. I will vouch for them, so open the gate.”

“My apologies, but visitors may not enter without approval.”

“I am giving that approval—”

Martiana’s voice rose with frustration, but she trailed off mid-sentence.

Something had struck her as she spoke.

This situation.

A guard was blocking her path and demanding authorization in her own residence.

It felt wrong.

This was the Duke of Vandyk’s estate.

She was its mistress. And yet he stood there as though awaiting permission from someone else.

Which meant—

“Are you waiting for the Guard Commander’s instruction?”

That had to be it.

Martiana bit down on her lip and stared at him.

“No.”

“Then—”

“As I have stated, approval has not been granted.”

“Approval—!”

Once again, she faltered for words.

This time, she was almost speechless.

Why did Siliar’s approval matter?

She was the one who lived in this house.

Was she supposed to inform the guard about everyone who came and went? And wait for a response before meeting them?

That would be absurd.

“Then I will go out. If they cannot enter, I shall step outside and greet them myself.”

Gathering the hem of her dress, Martiana moved toward the gate.

But—

“I’m sorry. That, too, requires authorization.”

Even then, the guard stepped into her path and blocked her way.

She was quite literally confined.

She was like a prisoner barred from leaving her cell.

If she could not come and go as she wished, then she was indeed imprisoned.

Her body trembled.

“So I cannot leave at all?”

“If you wish, I can relay a request to His Excellency.”

“And after that?”

Does she have to ask permission every time she wants to go out? Did she have to wait for approval?

It was unthinkable.

This could not be happening.

Martiana dragged a hand down her face.

The guests outside were no longer the issue.

First, she had to resolve this situation.

This incomprehensible situation.

“Call your superior.”

“…Pardon?”

“Bring the Guard Commander to me at once!”

Her eyes flashed as she raised her voice.

This was perhaps one of the few times in her life that she had sounded so openly furious.

***

“Ah! No—!”