Doing something was better than doing nothing.

Erica’s life had always been very busy. Everyone thought she just went to parties for fun, but Erica was busy collecting all the information from social circles.

[Father. I think it would be good to invest in Viscountess Rosa this time.]

[Oh, is that so? But Count Sutton was asking for investment.]

[I heard he’s bankrupt.]

[Then what about Marquis Mason?]

[I heard the Marquis’s son caused an accident and needs a large compensation? It seems he’s collecting money under the pretext of investment, but many people have already been harmed.]

[Ohhh, I see.]

Count Mills was famous for receiving back his large investments with interest. Erica had only given advice after hearing rumors, yet Count Mills was able to prevent major losses.

Erica had a talent for clearly discerning the truth in rumors. She investigated the actions of the speaker to judge whether it was true or not.

But Erica also had a flaw: once she trusted someone, she trusted them blindly despite their shortcomings. 

The reason she didn’t know that her family would collapse after being framed for rebellion was because she trusted Duke Cox’s family and her fiancé, Young Lord Otis, as much as her father. 

She trusted them and didn’t investigate anything.

It was the same with her maid Murray. She liked and trusted her, so she turned a blind eye to her flaws. But now it was different. She needed to be careful since it was a matter of life and death.

“Yaaawn…”

Erica got up leisurely out of habit without realizing it. As soon as she woke up, she pulled the bell cord to have a maid bring her tea.

“Here it is.”

Unlike the maids at the Mills mansion, these maids had no expression. That’s when Erica belatedly realized that this wasn’t the Mills mansion but Duke Felix’s mansion.

‘Oh no…!’

Seeing the sun already up outside the window, she hurriedly changed into her training clothes. Then she went outside and barely joined the end of the line of soldiers running in the garden.

‘Didn’t I hear the trumpet?’

Waking up this late. Moreover, it seemed no one had come to wake her. She had overslept because her body was too exhausted, but she was afraid of being scolded. 

Then her eyes met Duke Felix’s, who was watching the training. Duke Felix glared at her, looking displeased about something.

‘He must be angry because I came out too late.’

Well, she had begged to be accepted as a knight, but now she was late on just the second day of training. Even she would feel bad about it.

Erica ran diligently with her head bowed low. However, the pain in her legs made it harder to run than yesterday. Eventually, after running 3 laps, she had to sit down on the ground.

“Haah. Haah…”

Her throat was burning.

‘If only I could drink some water…!’

When she raised her head weakly, she saw soldiers running steadily without even a sip of water. She had thought there was nothing she couldn’t do, but she wanted to give up just trying to keep up with them.

‘No. If I give up, I’ll die in three years. Even if I can’t fight, I’ll at least build up the stamina to run away!’

Erica stood at the end of the soldiers’ line and ran again. The blazing sun, burning throat, and sweat-soaked clothes. It was hard, but she couldn’t give up.

“Haah. Huff…”

She tried to go all the way, but eventually Erica sat down on the ground. 6 laps. Still, thinking this was better than nothing, she wiped the sweat flowing from her forehead with her sleeve.

The other soldiers, for some reason, didn’t mock her. They must have found it very unfamiliar to see a noble lady who had never done any hard work suddenly training to become a knight.

At that moment, Duke Felix approached Erica and stood in front of her as she sat on the ground.

“…Are you alright?”

“No… My calves feel like they’re going to burst.”

“Heh. But you’re getting better, so keep it up.”

Duke Felix wore a broad smile. Erica stared at him blankly and muttered to herself.

‘He’s handsome…’

What if Duke Felix had been at parties? They might have met earlier. But Duke Felix, who disliked parties, was as rare to see as a legendary animal. Duke Felix grabbed Erica’s wrist and pulled her up.

“It’s tonight. The imperial palace party.”

“…What?”

At first, she thought she had misheard. But the Duke’s subsequent words made her want to cheer.

“I’ve prepared everything you need. …Dress, hat? Whatever those things are. Go and get ready now. Women take a long time to prepare, don’t they?”

“…I will.”

She didn’t want to miss training, but her heart was pounding at the thought of attending her first imperial palace party.

‘Being by the Duke’s side brings such opportunities. This time I’ll collect information… Oh, no. I’m going as an apprentice knight…’

Her cheeks rose with joy. When she ran to her room, many maids were standing in front of it holding dresses, shoes, hats, and bags. The maid in charge of hair and makeup bowed her head.

“Lady Erica, shall we get you ready?”

“Yes!”

Erica entered her room with dancing steps.

[Are you going out to play now?]

She hadn’t thought that Duke Felix, who said those words, would have prepared dresses. But the dress and shoes he had prepared were from a very famous designer.

When the Duke’s maids put on a wig the same color as Erica’s hair, her short hair was suddenly restored to its former length.

Though they didn’t speak, they were all so skilled at styling hair that before she knew it, her hair decorations and makeup were complete. 

The Erica in the mirror was luxurious from head to toe, beyond any complaint. That appearance even looked somewhat mysterious at a glance.

‘Amazing.’

Was this why high-ranking nobles maintained such splendid attire? 

Her dress was the most luxurious she had ever worn, and the hat decorated with flowers was surprisingly beautiful. The transparent glass shoes and bag made of premium leather also looked dignified.

Following the butler out, she found Duke Felix waiting for her next to the carriage, dressed in a bright red suit. A golden cloth that tied his long black hair hung down. His intense red eyes captured the gaze of others and wouldn’t let go.

A firm chest, tall height, and well-proportioned body. Anyone could see that Duke Felix was perfect.

Come to think of it, she was going as an apprentice knight, but wasn’t this outfit too fancy? 

Taking Duke Felix’s hand and boarding the carriage, Erica felt self-conscious. As soon as she sat on the carriage seat, she looked at him cautiously.

“Something to say?”

“Ah. No… I’m going as an apprentice knight, but isn’t my outfit too… fancy!”

Erica laughed awkwardly. Duke Felix rested his chin on his arm and raised one corner of his mouth.

“When you go as an apprentice knight, it’s usually to the battlefield… Right now it’s a party, so you’re going as my partner.”

“What? Partner?”

“Yes.”

Erica’s mind raced with confusion.

“But don’t you have a fiancée, Your Grace? Why choose me as your partner instead of your fiancée…”

Sienna Harper, the only daughter of Marquis Harper’s family, was Duke Kai Felix’s fiancée. However, Duke Felix shrugged nonchalantly.

“A fiancée and a partner are different things.”

“Ah… That’s true.”

Erica was also engaged to Young Lord Otis, but he had never once called her his partner. Rumor had it that he often called Sienna Harper his partner. She had never seen them together in person, but that’s why Erica had always disliked her.

‘To choose Sienna, a marquis’s daughter, as his partner over me, his fiancée… Moreover, there were rumors that the two of them had gone all the way.’

Others criticized Erica for being foolish. Despite being able to enjoy herself with other men, Erica maintained her chastity alone. 

Meanwhile, her fiancé Otis always emphasized chastity while having promiscuous relationships with other women. Yet Erica hated Sienna Harper, his partner, more than Young Lord Otis.

Would Sienna Harper’s heart ache if she attended as Duke Felix’s partner? 

Unmarried noble women couldn’t ask men to be their partners first. They were in a position to be chosen, and now Duke Felix had chosen Erica Mills, not Sienna Harper. Erica hummed a tune while looking out the window.

In any case, since it was an imperial palace party, her fiancé Young Lord Otis and Sienna Harper, whom she rarely saw, would be there. The thought of seeing those shameless faces made her somewhat excited.

‘This will be fun.’

Duke Felix’s gaze became strange as he watched her excitement. Looking at her face, which had become particularly white with makeup, and her cherry-like lips that had turned even redder, he cleared his throat. 

Then he tried not to look at Erica. If he looked any longer, he might forget they were in a carriage and pounce on her.

Fortunately, the carriage quickly arrived at the imperial palace. The two got out of the carriage and entered the hall following the guidance of the palace maid.

As soon as they saw Duke Felix, the attendant at the entrance shouted:

“Duke Kai Felix and his partner!”

Erica, whose name wasn’t even announced, entered with her lips pursed, arm in arm with Duke Felix. The party venue buzzed at the sight of the two.

“Isn’t this the first time Duke Felix has brought a partner?”