Surrounded by ladies who rushed toward her as soon as she entered, Acelia felt slightly intimidated.

Why, why. Surely they won’t hit me? Unconsciously clenching her fists, Acelia relaxed her hands when Ensia greeted her gently.

“Welcome, Your Highness. I was worried you might have lost your way.”

“The welcome greeting is unique here, Ensia. I had some business on the way.”

Acelia countered Ensia’s veiled criticism about her lateness by questioning if this was how one welcomed people.

Electric tension crackled between the two women as they smiled at each other.

The ladies who had been watching cautiously began to greet her one by one.

The first meeting took place in a rather dry atmosphere.

Ensia guided Acelia inside.

“This is your first social club, isn’t it? The Empress was quite concerned about where to place Your Highness. But thinking it would be better somewhere with familiar faces, I recommended the club I belong to. What do you think? The ladies put their hearts into decorating when they heard Your Highness was coming.”

“It’s pretty.”

Newcomers to unfamiliar spaces typically feel intimidated.

Ensia had asked her question counting on this, but Acelia responded flatly.

She merely glanced around with a look devoid of any interest.

‘Is she acting?’

But due to Acelia’s 〈Excellent Actor〉 trait, Ensia couldn’t discern anything.

‘This is magnificent. Gasp, how much did all this cost?’

Unlike her expressionless face, Acelia was internally impressed.

It was a parade of expensive treasures from small decorations to teacups, furniture, curtains, and carpets—impossible to believe this was just a social club.

Yet it didn’t feel excessive, but impressive.

A subtle yet definite display of wealth, one might say.

Though of common birth, Acelia could tell that everything constituting this space screamed “I’m expensive!” even if she didn’t know their exact value.

Offended by Acelia’s indifferent reaction, Ensia immediately showcased her secret weapon.

This was why her social club was the envy of others.

“Oh dear. These were carefully selected items, but it seems they failed to capture Your Highness’s eye. However, I’m sure you’ll like the items I’m about to introduce. They’re difficult to find elsewhere.”

Acelia slowly turned her head toward where Ensia pointed with a meaningful smile.

Being in the heart of enemy territory, she felt tense about what might appear.

Tea ceremony? Flower arrangement? What is this ladylike behavior supposed to be!

‘That’s—!’

The next moment, Acelia’s eyes widened. These were things she never expected to see here.

‘Mono○oly!’

The mountain of items were board games.

Well, not exactly the same, but somehow familiar in appearance.

Like Mono○oly, Hal○i Galli, Jeng○, Cha○ Chao, Gem○lo, mini chess and such.

‘They said they do special activities, but it’s board games?’

Acelia felt deflated. And for good reason……

“This must be Your Highness’s first time, so I’ll explain the rules. The world of competition is cold, so you won’t take issue with the results, right?”

“Sure. Let’s learn.”

She had never lost a board game to anyone in her history.

* * *

Though unsure what board games had to do with ladylike behavior, after a fiery competition, Acelia heard a familiar notification sound.

Ding!

[The trait 〈Genius Gambler〉 has awakened in you!]

Apart from a few losses at the beginning while learning the rules, Acelia had been on a winning streak.

By the middle, they had even started betting fake money, turning it into a gambling den.

‘Yes, this is it.’

Looking at the cards that fit perfectly in her hand, Acelia smiled contentedly.

Her self-esteem and confidence soared. She felt like she could do anything.

She wondered if it was cheating to play games without revealing she came from a gaming nation, but didn’t they have their own schemes too?

Acelia set aside her guilt.

Thanks to this, she enjoyed a peaceful and pleasant time for once.

She looked around the gathering with leisure.

“Who’s my next opponent?”

“……I am, Your Highness.”

Ensia stepped forward with a stiff expression.

The lady who had just lost rose from her seat with a tearful face.

Finding things not going as planned, Ensia felt perplexed.

Wasn’t this the princess’s first time playing these games?

She was exceptionally good.

Good enough to defeat ladies with professional-level skills without resistance.

Sometimes she even used mysterious tricks to toy with them.

Seeing morale dropping, Ensia couldn’t just watch her ladies being defeated anymore.

“Which game?”

“We’ll play this.”

Ensia chose Jeng○.

Acelia’s eyebrow rose crookedly.

Hmm, she must be quite angry.

It seemed her flashy skills learned from a former friend in the previous round had made Ensia wary.

Since Jeng○ was a game decided purely by sense od balance and luck, even Acelia couldn’t guarantee victory.

But did they know there were techniques to Jenga too?

After setting up the Jeng○, Acelia said generously,

“I’ll let you go first.”

“……”

Without even the composure to manage her expression, Ensia removed a jewel-embedded block with a rigid face.

The beginning progressed smoothly.

When they reached a precarious point, Acelia recalled ‘that method.’

The keys to mastering Jeng○ were first posture, second breathing technique, and third meditation.

Taking a strange pose, she inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, controlling her mind.

Come on! I’ll pull out any block.

“Hyaap!”

“Gasp!”

“My goodness, how did she do that!”

Successfully removing the one remaining block without toppling the tower, Acelia looked triumphantly at Ensia.

‘See that?’

She could have chosen another block, but she specifically picked this one to tease Ensia.

It was a gamble that would have meant immediate defeat if she failed, but she pulled it off, didn’t she?

Feeling humiliated, Ensia bit her lip.

“……I lost.”

“But we’re not finished yet?”

“I lost, I said I lost!”

Ensia irritably knocked down the Jenga tower.

Seeing this, Acelia thought, oops.

She had come to the social club thinking of gathering followers, but looking around, she was only creating enemies.

Still, someone must have been impressed by her play, as her follower count had increased by three.

‘This is a disaster.’

Deciding this approach wouldn’t work, Acelia sought another path.

At least she had shown up, so the empress wouldn’t have anything to say.

Acelia quietly prepared to leave.

“Oh my, look at the time. I should be going now.”

“You’re leaving?”

The response was sharp.

Acelia deliberately folded her arms arrogantly and looked around at the hostile ladies.

She didn’t forget to lift her chin and look down at them.

“Only if you’re worth my time…… Practice more and I’ll come back.”

An angry energy surged among the ladies.

Good, with words like these, they wouldn’t mind if she never returned.

Acelia backed toward the door stealthily, afraid she might get hit.

“It’s a shame you’re leaving like this.”

At that moment, Ensia said something she didn’t mean.

Acelia stared blankly at her.

In truth, she had played along with Ensia to figure out why she was treating her this way.

Acelia wasn’t stupid.

And she found a familiar emotion in Ensia’s pink eyes.

Inferiority.

Ensia felt inferior to Acelia.

‘That’s strange. She has a good family, beauty, many followers. Why would she feel inferior to someone like me who has nothing?’

The emotion of inferiority was profound—being rich didn’t mean you were free from it, and being poor didn’t mean you were filled with it.

Inferiority could arise when someone else had something you didn’t.

Though she didn’t know exactly, Ensia might lack something that Acelia possessed.

But she had no intention of being swayed by her emotions anymore.

“I’ll be going.”

Turning around and leaving Rosementium, Acelia felt a bitter taste.

She seemed to understand the reason, yet didn’t.

Back at the princess’s palace, Acelia lay on her bed resting.

But the script about ash trees or something that the lady at Poinsettia Palace had been holding kept circling in her mind.

“Ah! I should have asked for that lady’s name.”

Having taken a long break from acting, Acelia stomped her feet, eager to perform.

Her mind was full of thoughts about that script.

Just then, knock knock, bang! Someone barged into Acelia’s room without waiting for permission.

Ah, that again. He was doing well for a while, but still hasn’t fixed his bad habit.

The one who entered casually was Gale.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Is it mealtime already?”

“Do you think I only come to see you for meals?”

“Head maid, is the meal ready?”

“I was just coming to escort you.”

Acelia gave Gale a look that said, ‘See?’

Gale, without a hint of embarrassment, changed the subject saying, ‘Shall we eat then?’

Before the dinner, Gale asked indifferently,

“The Founding Day Festival is coming soon. People will be coming from outside. Aren’t you doing anything?”

“What should I be doing?”

“You’ve already trampled all over the Yulitas Empire delegation.”

Why bring that up again? Acelia grimaced.

“Do you think I do that to just anyone? I’m not doing anything. I’ll spend it quietly.”

She was aware that the Founding Day Festival was approaching.

Many people would come from outside, and there would be festivals……

‘That’s right, why didn’t I think of that?!’