The money from selling the invitation was substantial. Erica distributed one gold coin each to all the employees working in the mansion, treating everyone equally.

Thanks to this, employee morale improved, creating a warm atmosphere throughout the house. During dinner, Count Mills smiled and said, “Ho ho. Erica, I heard you gave gold coins to all the employees?”

“Yes. I sold the imperial palace invitation.”

“…That’s impressive. At your age, there must be many things you want to buy, yet you didn’t spend it on those?”

“I’m fine without them.”

Erica spoke casually. Fashionable dresses and shoes were unnecessary items if one didn’t enjoy parties anyway.

‘Hmm?’

Looking at the food that tasted better than usual, she could tell the chef had put in extra effort. Though it was just one gold coin, it could be essential money for someone. And even if not immediately crucial, money was useful when saved.

‘What if they get sick…? Ah.’

Even when servants fell ill, they didn’t have money to call a doctor.

“Father, about our family physician…”

“The physician? You mean Teddy?”

“Yes. Teddy only examines you and me, right? And if we’re not sick, he has nothing to do.”

“That’s true.”

“What if Teddy could also examine the employees in this mansion and their families?”

“…Hmm.”

Count Mills considered it. But his deliberation didn’t last long.

“I’ll talk to Teddy about it. He’s a minor noble, so he might not like examining commoners.”

“Yes.”

Teddy Campbell was a minor noble from a fallen family. He had neither territory nor castle but became a doctor under Count Mills’ patronage. Having received such a great favor, he wouldn’t refuse the Count’s suggestion. Count Mills looked at his daughter with a smile.

“…Erica. You’ve changed a lot.”

Erica felt awkward under her father’s warm smile.

“I haven’t changed that much…”

“Seeing how you care for those beneath you, I think I could pass down the territory and castle to you.”

“…Father. What are you saying! You’re still in good health!”

Erica looked at Count Mills with his snow-white hair. She was already grateful that he raised her alone without her mother, but to hear him talk like this so soon.

“You’ll live long enough that you won’t need to pass anything down to me!”

“Ho ho. Yes…”

Wrinkles gathered around her father’s eyes as he smiled. Erica felt her appetite fading. After Otis’s death, she realized that death was not distant but very close. That made her wish even more for her father to live a long life.

The employees all cheered at the news they could receive free medical care. Teddy Campbell welcomed the opportunity, saying that treating many people would help his practice too.

Everyone’s faces brightened at the thought that they wouldn’t need to visit expensive doctors when sick. On important days, Erica provided the staff with plenty of meat, hired new maids to reduce working hours, and arranged rotating rest days.

She even rewarded good work with summer vacations. The maids at the Mills mansion spoke well of Erica to their families and acquaintances. Perhaps because of this, malicious rumors about Erica gradually diminished.

Erica was attending her friend Cora Grey’s party. Instead of ordering a new dress, she found one in her closet that matched the latest fashion. She intended to avoid wasting money whenever possible.

Hearing that Erica, the subject of rumors, would attend, even high-ranking noble ladies who rarely showed their faces at lower nobility parties came.

Erica immediately joined her welcoming friends. Seeing her sitting with the party’s host, other nobles hovered awkwardly around her. They knew it would be rude to ask about the incident with Otis.

Feeling hungry, Erica ate dinner before dancing. Laila, who was eating spaghetti, said, “Erica, I’ve been hearing strange rumors.”

“Hmm?”

“They say you treat your employees very well.”

“…Of course I should.”

‘Employees are deeply involved in our lives. They could stab me in the back and run away anytime.’

But saying this would obviously spread unfavorable rumors. Erica smiled brightly.

“I’m a noble, so I need to care about my reputation.”

“My, is this the same person who ran away with Young Master Otis for love?”

Sienna Harper, who had been eavesdropping on Erica’s conversation, suddenly interjected. Sienna was the only daughter of Marquis Harper’s family, a face rarely seen at such parties. Erica whispered to Cora.

“What’s going on? Did you invite her too?”

“…Father told me to invite all girls my age. He’s very excited because we received an imperial palace invitation this time.”

Cora’s lips turned down slightly with a disgusted expression.

“I sold mine.”

“…You already have a confirmed marriage with Duke Felix. I hardly get any marriage proposals, so I have to go. Father is so excited, acting like I’m already the Crown Princess. Even though with so many high nobles attending, a baronial family like ours will just be background decoration.”

Laila nodded at Cora’s words.

“I got an invitation too. Let’s go together, Cora.”

“Just thinking about it exhausts me. An imperial palace party… there’ll probably be a bunch of stuffy women there.”

Sienna Harper, seeing Erica and her friends ignoring her, became angry.

“What are you talking about?”

“The imperial palace party.”

Erica replied casually. At those words, Sienna’s eyes widened slightly. She blushed and turned up the corners of her mouth.

“Hmm? Really? By the way, you know I’m a strong candidate for Crown Princess, right?”

This was Sienna Harper, who had lost Otis to death and been rejected by Duke Felix. As long as she didn’t go to Duke Felix, Erica didn’t care what she did.

“Yes. I’ll pray for you to become the Crown Princess.”

Erica’s words made Sienna’s nose rise higher. After she left with her group, Laila whispered, “Erica, are you in your right mind? If she becomes the Crown Princess, we’ll have to bow to someone like her! To that girl!”

“…Well, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Erica thought about Sienna Harper’s words. Even if Sienna became the Crown Princess, wouldn’t it be fine as long as they didn’t cross paths? Since her father said he would pass down the territory and castle, perhaps she should move to the territory and live there from now on.

‘Yes. Now that there’s no immediate danger, I can live peacefully in the countryside until old age.’

“I’m going down to the territory.”

Cora and Laila’s eyes widened. Laila dug her index finger in her ear, wondering if she had misheard.

“Cora, did I hear that right? Erica didn’t just say she’s going to the countryside, did she? Erica, what about your wedding with Duke Felix?”

“…Duke Felix will probably act like nothing happened.”

“What? I was going to ask you about the rumors that Duke Felix is postponing the wedding! There’s a lot of talk about you two growing apart. But I didn’t believe it…”

At Laila’s words, Cora chimed in.

“I didn’t believe it either. How could the prettiest among us not marry into a ducal family over something like that?”

Erica was the prettiest among them, with the highest standards and excellent fashion sense. Even the dress she wore today wasn’t bad.

“See? You’re the only one who looks beautiful even in a dress that’s out of fashion.”

“…What are you saying?”

Erica’s face turned bright red. Although she was happy whenever her friends complimented her, it wasn’t easy to recover her already broken self-esteem.

‘Even the Duke’s soldiers look down on me…’

“Did Duke Felix say he wants to cancel the wedding?”

“No, Kai didn’t say anything.”

“Then ask him. Giving up like this isn’t like you. When you liked Young Master Otis, you visited his mansion every day, even when you couldn’t meet him.”

That was true. Back then, she tried so hard to see Otis’s face even a little because she liked him so much.

‘Have I ever tried to appeal to Kai?’

Thinking about it, not really. At first, she approached him because she needed him, but after that, he always came to her. Even when she said she wanted to become a formal knight, while others would have dismissed her, the Duke took her seriously.

‘Oh, what should I do…’

Meeting someone like him was a once-in-a-lifetime fortune.

“I’ll go.”

“Where?”

“To Kai…”

Cora and Laila exchanged glances. The two smiled brightly and pushed Erica’s back.

“Go quickly!”

“If things go well, put in a good word for us too. He’s a Duke, after all!”

“…It might not work out.”

Erica made a promise to herself, knowing she might be driven away. If she was rejected this time, she would completely give up and go down to the territory.

Getting back into the carriage she came in, the coachman with the whip asked where she wanted to go.

“To Duke Felix’s mansion, please.”

“Understood, Lady Erica.”

Erica clenched her fist. She couldn’t become a duchess if she feared a mere soldier of the Duke. This might even be a test for her.