Natalie spoke soothingly to Count Pereira, whose shoulders seemed about to curl up so tightly that he might roll up like a pill bug if left alone.

“I’ll look into both the banquet attendance and next week’s debt issue, so please don’t worry, Father.”

“No, you just prepare for the banquet. The debt, I’ll…”

“No, I’ll first prepare what’s needed for the banquet tomorrow, then visit the Lindhart family the day after. I don’t need to send a letter in advance to Genya, but I should notify the Lindhart family of my intended visit. Even if I can’t meet Sir Lindhart the day after tomorrow, I’ll certainly see him at the banquet in four days, so I can ask him then.”

“But your reputation…”

Count Pereira trailed off with an embarrassed expression. Natalie faced her father and spoke in a resolute voice.

“He’s not the type to ignore my request. Nor would he judge someone based on such things. Though it’s unlikely, if I am refused, I’ll let you know. Then you can go see Count Meiforhn.”

“Alright. I’ll do that. To you, I really…”

“Please stop saying you’re ashamed. Just having raised me well all this time is more than enough.”

Her father’s eyes grew moist at her words.

Feeling awkward at his expression, Natalie spoke as if suddenly remembering something urgent.

“Ah! I should let Genya know about my visit in advance. She probably doesn’t know I’m back yet, so she might be out. I need to go upstairs and write a letter right away.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

But this time, luck wasn’t on her side.

As it happened, Genya had left to visit relatives and wouldn’t return for three days.

“Don’t worry, Maria. I have some emergency money saved, so tomorrow we can go to the shopping district and look for a rental place.”

Natalie comforted Maria, who had returned with a darkened face, pretending it wasn’t a big deal.

But inwardly, she was worried too.

Though she had emergency funds, it was only fifty gold.

She worried whether that small amount would be enough to rent not just a dress, but accessories and shoes as well.

Her concerns became reality the very next day.

“What? Fifty gold just for the dress? I’m trying to rent, not buy it!”

Natalie’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly large amount. But the shop clerk explained in a calm voice:

“Oh my, Miss. To buy this dress, you’d need not fifty but five hundred gold. Besides, we need to thoroughly clean dresses after each rental, replace the lace, and make alterations. Fifty gold is actually quite a bargain.”

“Do you have anything cheaper?”

“We do have some. But if you’re going to an imperial banquet, shouldn’t you wear something of at least this quality? We do have cheaper options, but they’re mostly plain cotton or wool dresses with almost no decorations or lace, which wouldn’t be appropriate for a banquet.”

Though the tone was slightly irritating, Natalie couldn’t deny the clerk’s words.

Even this fifty-gold dress didn’t look particularly elegant, so dresses available at lower prices would certainly look shabby.

“I understand. I’ll look around at other places and come back.”

“Yes, do as you please.”

Ignoring the now curt response of the clerk, Natalie walked out of the rental shop.

As she walked with her head down, deep in thought about a solution, she noticed an elegant pair of shoes blocking her path and looked up.

What she found was someone she truly hadn’t expected.

Natalie’s face instantly brightened upon recognizing the man standing before her. She was so delighted that she unconsciously took a step toward him.

McClain, breathing slightly roughly as if he had rushed over, asked:

“What brings you here…”

“Ah, Sir Lindhart! I actually had something important I wanted to ask you. Could you spare a moment right now?”

She naturally assumed he would readily agree to give her time.

However, after a moment’s hesitation, his answer was not what she expected.

“…I’m sorry, but that will be difficult for the foreseeable future.”

Natalie was momentarily taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to refuse even a request for conversation.

But she quickly realized that it was actually strange to assume he would naturally make time for her just because she asked. Besides, this was an unplanned, chance meeting.

He probably had his own schedule and had just stopped by briefly to say hello.

Quickly recovering from her surprise, Natalie moved on to her next prepared statement, in a more careful tone than before:

“For the foreseeable future? Does that mean it will be difficult to meet before the banquet?”

“That’s right. I have too many things to handle before the banquet. Convincing the Emperor is one issue, and there are many places I need to request support from…”

Seeing his troubled expression, Natalie blamed herself for not considering his situation. Preoccupied with her family’s problems, she had momentarily forgotten why the expedition team had returned to the imperial capital.

“Ah… I was being shortsighted. Of course you’d be busy. I received that cursed banquet invitation and lost my mind…”

McClain slightly furrowed his brow at her somewhat darkened expression. After silently looking at her for a moment, he asked, trying to change the subject:

“Have you visited the magic tower yet?”

Only then did Natalie remember telling him she would stop by the magic tower to check her condition.

She wanted to verify whether there was any impure energy mixed with the magic power in her body, and whether her tremendously improved spell-casting ability, thanks to skill acquisition and leveling up, was only temporary.

But she had completely forgotten about it because of those two thousand gold and banquet preparations.

“No, not yet… Actually, I was planning to send a letter today about visiting the Lindhart family tomorrow, but it seems visiting the magic tower should take priority.”

“Has something urgent come up? Then tomorrow I’ll adjust my schedule as much as possible…”

“No, it’s fine. We’ll see each other at the banquet soon anyway. Please spare me some time then. I have something important to tell you.”

Though her heart was urgent, there was still time until the debt repayment date.

She didn’t want to make someone she would see in three days, especially someone who would be incredibly busy until then, adjust his schedule just to solve her family’s money problems.

McClain looked at her for a moment with slightly furrowed brows. But soon he nodded briefly and said:

“Alright. I’ll hear what you have to say at the banquet. Now I must go—I’m pressed for time.”

“Yes, I’ll see you at the banquet.”

She did briefly consider putting on a brave face and asking him to lend her money right away.

If she could borrow slightly more than the two thousand gold due next week, she could solve not only the debt issue but also cover the expenses for the banquet at once.

But seeing his anxious face, she couldn’t bring herself to take up more of his time.

Besides, seeing Orlando holding the reins with an impatient face a few steps behind him, she wondered if they were urgently headed somewhere.

Orlando was the type who would have approached to greet her and ask after her well-being unless he was extremely busy.

I’ll try to manage with the money I have on hand.

That was the plan she had come out with today anyway.

Natalie hurried her steps toward the next rental shop, trying to soothe her disappointment.

※※※

McClain returned to Orlando with a strangely bitter expression and asked, “Did Marquis Jervan say he would keep his schedule open until three o’clock?”

“Yes. He mentioned having an important appointment after that…”

If the Emperor wouldn’t issue a decree to mobilize troops, they would need to gather private forces from noble houses.

The second largest holder of such forces was precisely Marquis Jervan.

Not only did he maintain a separate order of knights, but the individual knights had excellent reputations for their martial prowess, making him an essential person to persuade.

This could have been resolved at once if only the Emperor had been convinced.

McClain clicked his tongue briefly and muttered.

If the Emperor had properly accepted his report, gathering forces and requesting support from the temple and magic tower would have proceeded smoothly without requiring his personal involvement at every step.

This was all because of the Emperor who wanted to avoid reality and think only of what was comfortable for himself.

In a situation where every moment was precious for reaching max level through training, McClain had to personally run around. Even when Natalie looked at him with such a desperate expression asking for a moment of his time, he had to painfully turn her away. He wanted to hear what she had to say right away, but he had to restrain himself.

He furrowed his brow deeply as he mounted his horse.

“Let’s get going then.”

But Orlando, who should have been hurrying, showed a strange attitude.

Instead of getting on his horse, he looked up at McClain and asked, “By the way… may I ask what Miss Pereira said to you?”

McClain responded not with words but with a slightly displeased look. It was a look that seemed to say: why are you curious about such things when we’re so busy?