Count Pereira trailed off, looking deeply ashamed.

Natalie felt equally embarrassed. It wasn’t easy to make such a shabby request again after being exempted from repaying an enormous amount when she joined the expedition team.

Yet she couldn’t ignore the Pereira family’s difficult situation, having inherited all of Natalie’s memories.

Though they had actually been her parents for less than a few months, the memories of growing up loved by them remained vividly clear in her mind.

Perhaps because she had lost her real parents in a senseless accident, she felt even more attached to her parents in this world.

“Still, we don’t have much choice. Even if Count Meiforhn meets with Father and promises help, he probably doesn’t have two thousand gold on hand. I’ll likely be meeting Sir Lindhart soon, so I’ll ask him then. I think he might be willing to help us out more easily than you expect.”

She spoke with confidence, but couldn’t help feeling burdened.

In truth, if he had proposed a contract marriage as in the original story, this would have been resolved immediately.

A brief resentment flashed through her mind before quickly fading.

She knew she couldn’t expect the original storyline from McClain, who wasn’t the real McClain but someone who had transmigrated into the game.

Besides, the original plot had long since derailed. With the unexpected appearance of the demon lord, it was difficult to expect that everything would be smoothly resolved through a contract marriage with him.

So her only option right now was to ask him for help.

It felt a bit awkward to make such a shabby request, but since he was also a transmigrator, he would surely understand her situation.

She thought somewhat brazenly that he might help her. After all, this wealth would disappear like bubbles once they returned to reality.

He had also promised to help her as much as possible until they escaped together.

She briefly regretted not accepting when he had proposed a romance that wasn’t in his heart.

But that regret quickly faded.

She had received that proposal after her status window appeared and she could see affection levels. At that time, she couldn’t start a relationship with him, as he seemed the least likely candidate for a happy ending.

Then a sudden thought crossed her mind.

Judging by the current affection levels, McClain was now the most promising candidate.

And that wasn’t all. She found herself constantly thinking about him—his expressions, tone of voice, gestures, and every glance affected her emotions.

Even now, she wondered why he had acted so strangely rushed last night, whether his audience with the Emperor went well, if he had returned home by now, and what he might be doing alone in that large mansion.

Eventually, she found herself wondering if there was anyone properly taking care of him, despite his outwardly indifferent demeanor but inwardly sensitive nature.

While Natalie was lost in thought with furrowed brows, her father misunderstood her expression and spoke with an embarrassed face.

“You don’t need to worry so much, Natalie. I’ll handle this situation myself. This all happened because of my poor judgment, and you’ve done more than enough already. So please don’t worry about it anymore.”

“That’s not it, Father. I wasn’t worrying—I was just thinking about the upcoming expedition schedule…”

“Upcoming expedition schedule? Didn’t you just return from the expedition? Are you saying you have to leave again?”

“Well, nothing’s been decided for certain yet…”

She couldn’t carelessly reveal that the demon lord would soon descend, even to her father. It was classified information that would only cause unnecessary fear and worry.

As Natalie trailed off, unsure how to explain, Maria knocked on the door with unexpected news.

“Count, a servant from the imperial palace has arrived. He says he’s here to deliver a letter or something, and I think you should come down to see him.”

“From the palace? A letter? What reason would they have to send us a letter?”

Count Pereira rose with a surprised face and hurriedly went downstairs. Natalie followed her father, relieved to temporarily postpone the uncomfortable conversation about having to leave on another expedition.

After Count Pereira respectfully received an envelope bearing the Emperor’s seal, and the servant had left the mansion with elegant steps, Natalie could only be shocked by what she heard as her father opened the envelope and read its contents.

“What? This isn’t a notification about the expedition schedule but an invitation to a banquet? And it’s just three days from now?”

It was an invitation with the Emperor’s seal, no less.

Looking at the gleaming seal, which might have been gilded, Natalie felt pressure weighing on her chest rather than pride. It felt like an order to definitely attend the banquet held by the Emperor.

Other nobles might have been delighted and considered it a family honor, but given the Pereira family’s current circumstances, it was a burdensome command.

With Count Pereira’s business failures driving the family finances to the worst state, they had no resources to spare for attending a banquet.

‘We’ve sold all our dresses…’

As revealed in the conversation with her father just before the servant’s visit, they had already sold all their real estate, jewels, silverware, the few high-quality dresses they had, and even small accessories.

She couldn’t even afford to repair her mage robe that she wore like a school uniform, having to make do with patch after patch.

And now, an imperial banquet.

Even though she was a mage by profession, she couldn’t appear at an imperial banquet in a shabby robe. She needed to wear a dress that matched the occasion, if not something lavish and expensive.

Someone once said that manners make the man.

In this world that faithfully implemented a medieval fantasy setting, it wasn’t so much manners as seamstresses who made the person. People were judged differently depending on how famous the boutique was and how expensive and elegant the dress they wore.

If they didn’t want to openly advertise that they were a ruined—or rather, completely bankrupt—family, they needed to wear a dress that met the minimum standards of propriety.

And that wasn’t all. While she could manage her appearance with Maria’s help, she couldn’t enter the banquet hall without any hair ornaments or accessories.

Simple accessories, and even without a folding fan, gloves and a handbag were necessary as a matter of etiquette. And of course, she would need shoes that matched the dress.

“Well… for a banquet at the imperial palace, shouldn’t we prepare things like a dress and accessories…?”

While Natalie was deeply frowning in contemplation, Count Pereira spoke in a gloomy voice. He too seemed to feel more burden than joy at receiving the imperial banquet invitation.

“I can borrow a dress and simple accessories from Genya. She’s quite interested in such things and has dresses of all kinds.”

Lady Genya Erban.

She was Natalie’s only close friend and a fellow mage who was proud to the point of adoration of having a mage friend.

Fortunately, due to a timing mismatch that prevented her from investing in Count Pereira’s business, their relationship remained debt-free and they were still close friends.

Having heard that Viscount Erban’s investments were thriving lately, borrowing a dress shouldn’t be too much trouble.

She was so fond of Natalie that, had there been more time before the banquet, she might have dragged Natalie to a boutique to have a dress custom-made for her.

Perhaps she could borrow not just a dress but various accessories as well.

Natalie was optimistic, but her father’s worried expression didn’t fade.

“But there’s quite a difference in your builds. If you borrow Lady Erban clothes, they might be too short and loose on you…”

Her father was right. There was definitely a difference in build between Natalie and Genya.

Unlike Natalie, who was tall and slender, Genya had a petite yet voluptuous figure.

“The chest might be a bit loose. But that can be temporarily taken in with some alterations.”

If entrusted to the skilled Maria, she could alter it discreetly and then restore it quickly.

The problem was the length. While long dresses could be shortened, short dresses couldn’t be lengthened.

But Natalie quickly found a suitable answer.

“I’ll try to borrow one with some extra length. There was a time when floor-dragging dresses were in fashion, so she must have some of those.”

“Even if you borrow a dress, won’t you need money for accessories? We don’t have a single piece of jewelry left in the house, not even one as small as a fingernail…”

Despite Natalie’s proposed solution, Count Pereira’s hunched shoulders wouldn’t straighten.

Natalie felt resentful toward the Emperor.

The demon lord was about to descend, and he was holding a banquet?

Because of that Emperor sending an unnecessary invitation—no, because he was holding a useless banquet in these circumstances—he had only added to the worries of Count Pereira, who was already troubled enough about money.

“I’ll ask Genya about that too, and if that doesn’t work, we can rent. I’ve heard there are quite a few places that rent dresses and accessories these days.”

“Yes. I suppose we’ll have to do that. I wonder how much the rental will cost. As your father, I feel ashamed to be worrying about money when my child has been invited to an imperial banquet.”