Since Ella was in charge of dressing the princess, noblewomen in society often called her for advice on dresses.

The most shameful moment was when Ella said nothing and simply closed the wardrobe.

It meant all the clothes should be thrown out immediately.

Cecil’s face twisted, but Ella easily ignored it and clapped her hands.

Then, Ella’s attendants laid out the dresses they had brought.

Each one featured sophisticated designs, not to mention the lavish use of precious jewels and high-quality fabrics that set them apart in elegance. Penny couldn’t close her mouth in amazement.

Though she hadn’t seen them when they were in the carriage, Bianca couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at the sight of the dresses.

“These were at the Ellaroin exhibition, this one is the unreleased new arrival for this summer, and this one…….”

Ella smiled at that.

“The men of Renigrad don’t know their limits.”

This is just a small token of appreciation. If it’s a man from Renigrad I know.

“Please, take your pick.”

Even though she was speaking to Arne, Bianca’s eyes sparkled.

She quickly grabbed a green dress she had always wanted.

“This is from the 23rd Ellaroin exhibition ‘Spirit Eberthe’s Rest’!”

‘Many young ladies liked it because of the name ‘Spirit’s Rest’, but that dress……’

Ella wore an inscrutable expression.

“Do you like that dress, Lady Arne?”

“Not really.”

“What, Arne? This dress was chosen as the best at that time. What do you know. After all, you should have attended the Ellaroin exhibition at least once.”

“Sister, that dress is inappropriate for the current times. Of course, it suits you very well.”

At Arne’s answer, Ella’s gaze sharpened momentarily.

“Inappropriate!”

“It’s not well-known because Eberthe is an ancient spirit, but it poisoned the enemy’s leader. ‘Spirit Eberthe’s Rest’ signifies death, Sister Bianca.”

At the mention of poison, Bianca, who had turned pale, slowly put down the dress.

“And green is the color that symbolizes poison.”

“…….”

Bianca hid her trembling hands behind her back.

When she recalled what happened last night, anxiety washed over her.

If the truth were revealed, Bianca, not Arne, would become the empire’s mad villainess. The one who tried to kill her sister! Perhaps she would receive a severe punishment.

‘She wouldn’t talk about it, would she?’

Even with Bianca’s pranks with mana perfume, Arne had not spoken. She knew no one would listen.

But now, with the ongoing investigation into the poisoning of the Second Prince, it was different. Everyone was watching Arne. Bianca’s mouth went dry.

Arne smiled faintly.

Thanks to Cedric’s gag order at Arne’s request, only a few knew that mana perfume was the cause.

Here, only Arne and Bianca knew the truth.

“Of course, I didn’t mean it doesn’t suit you, Sister. It suits you very well. It’s just inappropriate for me to wear.”

Arne smiled languidly.

“You think so too, right?”

Ella felt a strange tension between Bianca and Arne.

Just moments ago, Bianca had been spewing disdainful words towards Arne but now she was frozen silent.

Moreover, it was as if saying that ‘Spirit Eberthe’s Rest’ suits well was not just about the dress fitting well but used as noble rhetoric.

‘It could also be a metaphor for being a suspect in the poisoning of the Second Prince.’

As Ella’s strange gaze turned towards Bianca, Bianca blinked nervously.

‘It’s okay. There’s no evidence. Mana perfume isn’t poison. What are you going to do.’

Bianca tried to calm herself when Arne smiled softly.

“Spirit Eberthe poisoned the water that the enemy general drank.”

Bianca bit her lip hard.

‘Is she going to talk about it?’

Seeing Bianca’s stiff expression, Arne smiled lazily again.

“Sister, you’re scared. Why are you scared? It’s not like Sister poisoned someone like the Spirit Eberthe did.”

Arne looked at Bianca, who had been only concerned about the green dress without a single apology.

And she wasn’t even sorry. Arne had suffered enough to struggle between life and death.

“But don’t worry, Sister. We’re just looking at dresses today.”

Bianca pressed her knuckles hard to hide her trembling hands.

Only Bianca and Arne knew the true meaning of this conversation.

To outsiders, it would seem like the sisters were merely discussing dresses as usual.

Arne smiled leisurely.

‘Not today, Bianca. Just wait and tremble for the day you’ll receive your punishment.’

Arne couldn’t reveal Bianca’s crime yet.

There was only circumstantial evidence, no solid proof. And thanks to Bianca, Kale is under suspicion by the Second Prince.

As a likely suspect.

Because of this, Duke Ronia has no plans to push for an engagement between Arne and Kale.

This was a very favorable development for Arne.

‘So just for a while, Sister.’

Arne moved past the frozen Bianca to look at the next dress.

Bianca finally exhaled. Ella passed by Bianca with a puzzled look.

‘Was it Bianca who lacked discernment? It would be embarrassing once that lack becomes apparent.’
  
Ella’s body turned, her cheerful heels clicking as she approached Arne.
  
Because Ella was looking at the dress she had worked on the most.
  
“This is ‘The Return of Roa’. It’s about when, during the Great Demon War, Roa alone defeated the enemy leader and turned the tide of an overwhelmingly disadvantageous battle. I’m a fervent follower of ‘Roa’, so I put a lot of effort into it.”
  
At that moment, not only the Duke and Duchess but also Bianca and Arne all turned their gaze towards Ella.
  
Ella blinked at the sudden attention.
  
Only Arne had a slight smile on her face.
  
Ella had been feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. As if there was something everyone knew except for her.
  
‘After all, Roa, the secret knight of Ronia, is an existence unknown to me here.’
  
Roa, a mysterious entity that inspired her the most but was the hardest to find information on.
  
“It’s truly regrettable that the identity of Ronia’s secret knight is thoroughly concealed. I would have loved to at least shake hands if I could meet her.”
  
Ella glanced at the Duke of Ronia, hoping, perhaps, that luck would allow the Duke to permit her to meet Roa.
  
But the Duke coughed awkwardly and replied,
  
“Roa is a secret knight of the Duke of Ronia, so her identity cannot be revealed. Please understand.”

“Ah, of course. There could be attacks by assassins, and for missions, it’s necessary to keep one’s identity hidden.”
  
Arne approached Ella, who was visibly disappointed.
  
“Let’s shake hands.”
  
The Duke’s eyes widened at that moment. Arne looked at him lazily.
  
“I’ve always wanted to shake hands with Ella of Ellaroin if I met her.”

“Ah, it’s an honor, Lady.”
  
While shaking hands politely, Ella felt strangely that the atmosphere had been odd since earlier.
  
Starting with Bianca. Even the Duke and Duchess seemed stiff.
  
Only Arne remained relaxed and dignified until the end.
  
‘Interesting. Usually, the youngest lady would be intimidated or nervous but instead……’
  
Ella’s sharp gaze eventually landed on Arne, who was intently admiring ‘The Return of Roa’.
  
“It seems you like it. This decoration in particular is patterned after a spell used by Roa.”

“You’ve implemented it quite well. But the bottom right part is wrong.”

“What?”
  
It was when Ella’s eyes widened in surprise. A servant from the Duke’s residence hurriedly approached.
  
“Duke! A person from the Grand Duchy of Renigrad has arrived! You need to come out!”

“A person from the Grand Duchy has come?”
  
The Duke turned his head towards the window, his pupils dilating.
  
“This is……”
  
Behind the blinking Duke, Ella clicked her heels and fully drew back the curtain by the window.
  
“Oh, it seems they’ve arrived.”
  
Everyone gasped at the sight revealed through the window.
  
The Grand Duchy of Renigrad’s flag was held aloft by a Knight Commander, leading a group of knights standing by.
  
Ella smiled broadly at Arne.
  
“It seems they’ve come to formally invite the Ronia family to a banquet.”
  
‘They come like this just for an invitation? This is almost a diplomatic envoy. What are they planning, bringing a whole knight order for this, as if they’re going to start a war on territories?’
  
Everyone seemed to share Arne’s thoughts as they looked to Ella for an answer.
  
But Ella calmly smiled and replied,
  
“Well, men from Renigrad don’t know their limits.”
  
‘To think it would be to this extent. What are they thinking?’
  
Arne slowly brushed her hair back.
  
She didn’t know then. That this was just the beginning.
  
And that the man from Renigrad wasn’t only the Grand Duke.
  
The man looking up at Arne from below the window had a persistent and heated gaze.

* * *

The reception room was in a state of emergency upon hearing that Cedric from Renigrad had arrived. All hands at the Duke’s residence were mobilized.
  
The maids, who had barely finished preparing, glanced sneakily at the knights.
  
Since there wasn’t enough seating for all the knights, they all stood in a line behind Cedric, hands clasped behind their backs.
  
Their unwavering gaze and motionless posture created an air of tight tension.
  
Perhaps it was due to the presence of a man lazily crossing his legs while holding a teacup.
  
Maybe because of his well-honed aura, it was difficult even to make eye contact.
  
However, their eyes naturally drifted towards the shirt on his uniform that hinted at his well-defined muscles underneath.
  
Whenever he moved, the sound of his uniform brushing elicited a warmth in the maids’ cheeks.
  
Though no one said it out loud, they could feel that he was Cedric Schopendha de Renigrad.
  
Perhaps due to his Northern physique, Cedric’s large back obscured the view of the Duke sitting opposite him.
  
Cedric waited leisurely before lifting the corners of his mouth slightly.
  
His gaze did not leave Arne as she sat down with Bianca.
  
When Arne lifted her head and her eyes met Cedric’s, her pupils slowly dilated.

It had been a long time since he was in full uniform.

I suddenly thought he looked handsome. Cedric shone brightest when he was a knight.

“Renigrad’s esteemed guest has arrived.”

“Greetings to the Duke and Duchess.”