The frantic movement of her eyes was utterly ridiculous.

‘How utterly foolish. How dare she act so vulgarly in front of me?’

Cornelia let out a quiet scoff and lifted the corners of her lips.

“Among the noblewomen and young ladies present here, is there a single family beneath yours?”

The difference between the House of Count Citran and the House of Marquis Olsen was stark.

Every noble in the empire knew well of the Olsen Marquisate’s wealth and influence.

An inexhaustible fortune, an exceptional intellect capable of reading an opponent’s every move, and even royal blood in their lineage—Marquis Olsen was the noblest among nobles.

And the most treasured person in the Olsen family was Cornelia.

Cornelia’s cold gaze landed on Grace.

While the young ladies, lacking in experience, were swayed by the situation, the older noblewomen, who had already grasped what was unfolding, pressed down on Grace with icy expressions.

Cornelia rose from her seat.

At that, Grace’s movements became frantic.

The furious face of her father, who would surely rage at her, flashed before her eyes.

If things ended here, it would mean ruin in high society.

“My lady, I was momentarily blind!”

“Are you finally starting to worry?”

“My lady! I truly didn’t realize Emily’s condition was that severe! I swear!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! I really didn’t know! It’s all a misunderstanding!”

When Cornelia questioned her, Grace’s face briefly brightened with a flicker of hope.

She thought Cornelia was willing to believe her. But it didn’t take long for that hope to turn into despair.

“You are incapable of honesty to the very end.”

“…What?”

“Take this opportunity to reflect on your foolishness. I sincerely hope you realize your mistakes and truly repent.”

With those weighty and frigid words, Cornelia turned away without hesitation.

As she exited the Citran estate, the noblewomen from high-ranking families followed her in succession.

The young ladies who had once gazed at Grace with admiration now shot her looks of contempt as she sat collapsed on the floor.

A few nobles from the emperor’s faction cast her pitying glances, but even that didn’t last long.

Grace’s actions had been far too disgraceful for a noblewoman.

Had it remained hidden, it might have been overlooked—but it was Cornelia Olsen, the celebrated flower of high society, who had uncovered it.

Her words dictated the movements of the Marquisate, and her actions represented the will of the house.

And the will of the Marquisate represented that of the entire noble faction.

From this point on, the House of Count Citran would no longer receive invitations to noble gatherings or parties.

***

A carriage, moving at a steady, unhurried pace through the capital’s central streets, came to a halt in front of the oldest bookstore in the Roman Empire.

As the door of the carriage—marked with a golden lion emblem—opened, Cornelia stepped out, still dressed in her tea party attire.

Rather than returning home immediately upon leaving the Citran estate, she had chosen this place as her destination.

She often visited whenever she had too much on her mind or felt melancholic.

“You’ve arrived.”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

With the bright afternoon sunlight streaming in behind her, Cornelia stepped inside. The bookstore owner, Hans, immediately sensed her mood and offered a brief greeting before adding,

“I’ll prepare some refreshments in your usual spot.”

As she left the tea party, Cornelia had instructed Sophie to bring Emily over.

Unlike their first meeting, where Emily had trembled with nerves, she now exuded the confidence befitting a writer of great renown.

It seemed she was more at ease when in the company of only a few people.

Sensing the relaxed atmosphere, Cornelia offered Emily a cup of tea.

“My lady, thank you.”

“Did I manage to help you? I was worried I might have made things more difficult for you.”

Cornelia’s voice was soft and slightly weary, but she maintained a gentle smile.

As she left the Citran estate, she had felt like the villain of the story, which had dampened her spirits.

But hearing Emily’s words gave her a sense of relief.

At the very least, she had been of help and comfort to the person directly involved.

Warm steam rose from the teacups placed between them.

“More difficult? Not at all. You were an immense help. If I ever publish another book, I would love to gift the very first copy to you. I’m truly grateful.”

At Emily’s sincere gratitude, Cornelia’s lips curled into a soft smile.

There was no greater joy than receiving praise from an author she admired.

Still smiling faintly, Cornelia took a sip of tea and organized her thoughts.

She wished their conversation could remain lighthearted, but unfortunately, there was something she needed to caution Emily about.

With a calm and steady gaze, Cornelia met Emily’s brown eyes.

“Miss Emily.”

“Yes?”

“I won’t ask about your personal ties with Lady Citran.”

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Emily stiffened slightly.

“I’m not here to blame you.”

“…”

“I intervened in your matters with Lady Citran on my own accord. This time, I was fortunate enough to help thanks to the backing and power of the Marquisate, but whether the issue was truly resolved remains uncertain.”

“No, my lady. Had you not stepped in, things could have been much worse for me. I’m already more than grateful.”

Emily quickly shook her head, her hands moving in a hurried gesture to dismiss Cornelia’s concerns.

Seeing her flustered reaction, Cornelia smiled faintly and continued,

“I’m relieved to hear you think that way. However, if you ever find yourself in trouble again, or if you need help, please don’t hesitate to seek out the Marquisate of Olsen.”

Cornelia spoke as gently as possible, yet with enough firmness to instill confidence in the author, Emily.

She had already issued a strong warning to Grace.

If Grace had any sense at all, she would remain still. However, given the dire situation, she might resort to the worst possible move.

Even though Carlisle had made it clear that their relationship was purely strategic, Grace was the kind of woman who craved power so much that she was willing to exploit the title of “the Emperor’s lover” for her own selfish gain.

Cornelia, at the very least, did not want Emily Hathaway to become an unwitting victim of the sword she had wielded.

So, she had to show as much consideration as she could.

Once Emily left, silence settled over the room.

Left alone, Cornelia fell into quiet contemplation.

She did not regret stepping forward for Emily.

However, she did feel some guilt over pushing Grace to the point of being ostracized from high society.

She had thought of it as helping her favorite author when she faced an unfair situation. But to say that there was no personal emotion involved at all would be a lie.

She could have let it remain a minor incident.

There was definitely a way to de-escalate it, yet she hadn’t done so.

It was because, throughout the entire tea party, Grace had repeatedly—albeit subtly—boasted about being Carlisle’s lover. That had gotten under Cornelia’s skin.

The incident with the sculptor, who had tried to manipulate public opinion using Carlisle, had also played a role.

‘What exactly is Carlisle’s connection to the Citran family?’

A sudden curiosity sparked within her, but Cornelia suppressed the emotion.

She had a strong sense of possession over everything within the boundaries she had set for herself—affections, objects, even people.

She had pushed him away, telling herself it wasn’t true. She had rejected every invitation to meet him.

But before she realized it, Carlisle had already stepped inside the line she had drawn.

Perhaps that was why she had reacted so sensitively.

She had pretended to be fine, acted as if she didn’t care, but all the words she had ignored had built up, only to explode the moment Emily became involved.

Now that she was forced to confront the fact that he had taken a step into her domain, Cornelia felt herself sinking even deeper.

She had grown greedy.

Her heart wanted to bind him to her.

Cornelia was unsettled by these emotions that had broken free from her control.

She had thought she was drawn to him simply out of curiosity—because he was utterly different from her in every way.

Their first encounter had been so intense that it had reinforced this belief.

Standing still, Cornelia took a deep breath, then opened and closed her eyes.

“Let’s meet ten times. Then you can decide—whether having me as your lover is reasonable or not.”

The moment Carlisle had whispered those seductive words flickered before her eyes.

She was fine with a lighthearted relationship.

She even liked this unfamiliar feeling of excitement that rose whenever she thought of him.

Though their time together had been short, she did not deny the emotions he had stirred within her.

But this was as far as it could go.

He was a man as tempting as the devil’s whisper, yet a free spirit who could never belong to her.

He was the Emperor, and she was the daughter of the noble faction’s leader.

She had to remember that.

No matter how long their meetings continued, Carlisle was not someone she could marry.

Cornelia turned her gaze toward the bookshelf.

Seeing the rows of books packed tightly to the ceiling calmed her stormy heart.

Her slender fingertips traced along the neatly arranged books before pausing at one.

Her small, pale fingers hovered just above the book, barely touching it.

“Hmm. It’s higher than I thought…”

Being slightly shorter than the average imperial woman, she had no choice but to rise onto her tiptoes. Even so, her fingers still couldn’t quite reach the book she wanted.

At times like this, she truly resented her petite height.

Cornelia glanced around in search of the ladder positioned along the bookshelf.

Just then, a large shadow fell over her from behind.

“Is this the book you wanted?”

Startled.

At the voice so close to her, she turned—and found her vision suddenly filled with a familiar face.

Cornelia’s eyes widened.

“Carlisle?”

She was surprised, but more than that, she felt a surge of delight.

Carlisle reached out his long fingers, plucked the book from the shelf, and at the same time, wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her into his embrace.

He was closer than she had expected.

As she found herself enveloped in his broad, firm chest, the turbulent emotions that had unsettled her just moments ago miraculously quieted.