“Oh my, Lady Piper. You’re wearing a dress by Selectra? It’s absolutely beautiful!”

The sudden turn of events drew people from all directions. The noblewomen who had been listening attentively to Selectra began rushing over to Isabella one after another, eager to speak with her.

“I am Marchioness Wilrna. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Piper.”

“I am Countess Greone. How lovely to have the chance to greet you like this.”

“The dress suits you so wonderfully. It seems the grand duke truly takes great care of you, My lady.”

That was all it took. The noblewomen who had gathered around Isabella offered their greetings one by one, each eager to strike up a conversation. It was all rather flustering, but Isabella smiled and returned their pleasantries one by one. She was almost grateful that the situation had thawed into something warm.

“Yes. His Grace takes very good care of me.”

“My goodness. I always thought him so cold, and yet here he is, showing such thoughtfulness to the one he loves.”

“Truly. You should have seen how urgently he pressed for Lady Piper’s dress to be made. I had never seen His Grace like that before. He must love Lady Piper very deeply to carry on so.”

Just as the atmosphere grew even more convivial and Isabella was about to fall easily into conversation with them, the doorman stationed at the entrance called out in a booming voice for all to hear.

“His Imperial Majesty, glory of the Tenat Empire, and Her Imperial Majesty, honor of the Tenat Empire, have arrived!”

The thunderous cry sent everyone scrambling. Those standing at the center of the banquet hall moved swiftly to clear a path, making way for the emperor and empress to walk through. The great doors swung wide open, and the emperor and empress, resplendent in their ornate imperial dress, entered slowly and proceeded along the corridor the nobles had opened for them.

Had she ever seen the emperor before? Bent at the knee and waist as the imperial couple passed, Isabella found herself suddenly wondering. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not recall.

“So the grand duke has actually come to a banquet for once.”

“Yes. Your Majesty.”

“I offered to pair the Second Imperial Princess with the grand duke as his partner, and he went ahead and…”

The voice carried no outright fury, but its words were barbed enough that Isabella bent even lower, pressing her head down further.

“There is no reason for Her Highness the Second Imperial Princess, noble as she is, to serve as my partner. There will be someone far better suited than I.”

“I have said time and again that the grand duke is precisely that someone!”

“Your Majesty. This ball is hosted by Your Majesty yourself. Any further quarrel will sour the mood.”

“……”

Ah. It came back to her now. He had been one of those who looked on with displeasure at her hasty marriage to Declen in her past life. The emperor had wanted to make the Second Imperial Princess the grand duchess. The Second Imperial Princess had wanted the same. But the marriage to Isabella had undone all of it.

Was this time any different? She could not see his gaze, but she felt it all the same, thick with hostility.

“You may all rise.”

“We are humbled, Your Majesty.”

At the command to rise, everyone who had been bowing straightened up and lifted their heads. Moving along with them, Isabella startled when Declen suddenly took her hand.

“Your Majesty. Allow me to make a formal introduction.”

“……”

Having bid the nobles to rise, the emperor and empress made their way to the seats prepared for them and settled in, surveying the room. Declen then gently drew Isabella’s hand and led her forward together to stand before the emperor and empress.

“With Your Majesty’s gracious approval, this is My lady Isabella Piper of the Piper barony, who will soon become the grand duchess.”

“I greet the radiant glory and splendid honor of Avilion.”

Isabella gently spread the hem of her dress, bowed at the waist, and offered the formal salutation reserved for the imperial family. The emperor’s face hardened. He had never liked her in the past either, but this was the first time she had seen it so openly, and it did not sit well with her.

“Such a young lady, and yet she knows her etiquette well. May Avilion’s eternal blessing be upon you as well.”

“Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Your Majesty ought to offer a greeting as well. If the young lady were to collapse from staying bent like that, how would you bear the grand duke’s reproach?”

At the empress’s gentle admonishment, the emperor let out a few dry coughs and finally opened his mouth as though he had no other choice.

“May eternal blessing be upon you as well. You may rise now.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Isabella straightened up and carefully rose, and Declen’s hand came forward again as though to steady her. With everyone’s eyes on them, she could not push it away, so she accepted it awkwardly. Then the emperor’s voice came again.

“I did not know the grand duke’s taste ran to such a young lady.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Had I known your taste was for such a frail young lady, I might have offered a different princess…”

“Your Majesty.”

The emperor’s jabs kept coming, and at last an edge crept into Declen’s voice. It was not only Isabella who noticed. The emperor, who had continued to speak, fell silent as well.

“Is this not a marriage Your Majesty himself approved? What matters is that I have fallen for Lady Piper, and that I wish to spend eternity with her.”

“Does the young lady agree?”

The question turned to her without warning. Isabella paused for a brief moment, then smiled. She had already decided to go through with the marriage. So she had to. He would be leaving her life before long, but she did not want even the smallest trouble to fall on him. Isabella matched Declen’s smile and spoke.

“It is embarrassing to say, but I too wish to be with His Grace.”

“Is that so? Then why did you send away the grand duke’s carriages?”

“At first, I thought His Grace was mocking me, someone so lowly.”

“……”

“His Grace, the captain of the Holy Knights and a grand duke, and a mere baron’s daughter with nothing to her name. He is so far above me that I could not even dare to look up at him, and yet such a person was showing me favor. I was suddenly overcome with fear.”

“……”

The emperor’s gaze remained fixed on her with the same hard look, but Isabella did not stop.

“So at first, I refused His Grace outright. I know as well as anyone how humble my family is compared to His Grace. But…”

Isabella let the pause stretch deliberately. The emperor and empress were listening, but so were the other nobles, and she knew it. She needed to hold their interest. She needed to satisfy the doubts of those who questioned this match.

“His Grace’s sincerity, shown to me again and again, slowly drew my heart toward him. Whenever I was frightened by the sudden changes in my circumstances, he told me it would be all right and never stopped being gentle and warm with me.”

“……”

“Even so, the difference in rank weighed heavily on me for a long time. But His Grace told me that too was all right.”

“……”

“And so I chose to trust His Grace and decided to be with him.”

The room had gone utterly still. Just as she had anticipated, just as she had intended, everyone was listening to her words, and she was glad of it. She had said enough. No one would say anything openly now. They might huddle together and whisper among themselves, but no one would say it to her face.

“You speak rather well.”

The emperor’s tone was still indifferent, but there was a willingness to let it go, and Isabella exhaled a breath so small that no one around her could hear it. That was a relief, at least.

“Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty.”

“Will the wedding be a grand affair, Grand Duke?”

As though his business with her was now entirely concluded, the emperor turned his gaze back to Declen.

“Yes. Preparations are already underway. As it is the one and only wedding for both myself and the young lady, I intend to make it magnificent and splendid.”

“I will send the Second Imperial Princess to the wedding.”

“We are humbled, Your Majesty.”

“We are humbled, Your Majesty.”

With those words about sending the Second Imperial Princess to the wedding, the audience with Declen and Isabella came to an end. They bowed deeply at the waist and head to the emperor as he waved them off, then withdrew, the other nobles parting to make way.

“I will receive the remaining audiences in due course. For now, enjoy the banquet.”

The emperor raised a glass of deep red wine and declared the banquet open, and a beautiful melody began to fill the hall.

“Well done, Isabella.”

“Thank you. You as well, Your Grace.”

“Please wait a moment. I will bring you something to drink and eat.”

She followed Declen as he guided her toward the back of the banquet hall, to where chairs had been set out. Even that brief exchange had drained her completely, and she knew she needed to rest a little. Declen had noticed quickly and spoken up first, and she was grateful for it.

“You spoke well.”

“Thank you.”

The moment Declen disappeared somewhere, someone approached and spoke to her. She turned at the sudden voice, and the moment she saw it was Selectra, the tension melted away. They had not known each other long, but she found it curious that she already felt more at ease with her than with anyone else here.

“Where is Declen?”

“He went to fetch something to drink.”

“I see. By the way, are you really not interested in being friends with me?”

“……”

Isabella looked quietly at Selectra, who had been asking to be friends from the very start. Why would she want to be friends with her? With someone who had not a single close acquaintance among the young ladies and had to stand apart like an outcast.

“I may not be of great help to you, but I can at least make navigating society easier. And even setting that aside, I genuinely want to get closer to you.”

Why would she want to get closer to someone like her? It was puzzling. No young lady had ever approached her this quickly before.

“Why do you want to be close to me?”

“It’s not just me. Everyone here wants to get close to you.”

“……”

“Look around. They can’t bring themselves to come to you because they’re watching Declen’s reaction, but you’ll see it on their faces. They’re dying to get close to you.”

Selectra leaned close to her ear and whispered softly. Isabella rolled her eyes around and surveyed the room.

“…!”

“See? You can tell they all want to say even a word to you, can’t you?”

What Selectra had said, which Isabella had not believed, was true. Whether it was because of Selectra or because of Declen, who had since disappeared, she could see people gathered in a ring around her. She almost wondered if they should all be over by the emperor instead, trying to get a word in with him.

“The other noblewomen and young ladies will envy you, I’d wager.”

“Envy me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Selectra smiled more brightly than she had at any point before, in answer to Isabella’s question, full of bewilderment.

“Because this Selectra Blair is going to be the future grand duchess’s very best friend.”