Darielle returned with the maids.

“Oh my, we can’t use this dress.”

Watching Darielle disappear to select another dress, her cheeks flushed unnecessarily.

Under Darielle’s swift directions, Saena had to change into another dress, choose new accessories, and redo her hair and makeup. She felt rushed, thinking the guests could arrive at any moment.

“We still have some time. Don’t worry, we can finish everything without rushing too much.”

Looking at the confident Darielle, she suddenly became curious.

Though the degree might be different, Darielle had also faced a situation of forced harassment, yet it was hard to find any sign of distress in her.

“Are you okay?”

“Pardon?”

“Before… at the banquet, that incident.”

“Ah, I wasn’t particularly surprised since I knew it would happen from the start.”

Given that there had been a pattern of behavior toward Saena before her marriage, she had entered a performance mode knowing he would openly make advances.

“I also knew Commander Wesley and Sir Rupert were nearby. His Grace was somewhere too.”

Even so, she must have had to endure the Prince’s roughness alone until the exact timing.

“Actually, that wasn’t when I was most scared.”

Darielle shook her head.

“I was most scared when falling from the second floor.”

“Ah…”

While the Prince was already unconscious, Darielle wasn’t, so that made sense.

“Trying to hold back my scream… whew, even though I knew someone would catch me, the feeling of falling was so vivid that I had to grit my teeth.”

Recalling that sensation, Darielle shuddered again.

“Other than that, well.”

As if it really was fine, Darielle shrugged and laughed broadly.

“I think I’ll be completely fine as long as I don’t have to see him again.”

Perhaps due to her straightforward personality, she seemed to get over things quickly.

‘Well.’

Saena was fine now too.

Thanks to Constantine.

And after talking with Darielle, she felt even more so.

‘Right. It’s already in the past.’

And it won’t happen again.

‘It absolutely won’t happen again.’

Perhaps when she saw the invitation, there had been a slight fear that such an incident might occur again.

‘But things are different from before. Now I have Yolly, and I have Constantine.’

She also has Rupert, and now she knows her family will prioritize her in any situation. It would be different from the past when she was caught unaware. No, it should naturally be different.

‘A masquerade ball…’

And an imperial-hosted masquerade ball at that.

Though the hosts have changed, some things won’t change.

‘Some incident will happen.’

Not just an ordinary incident, but something ugly and terrible like before.

Since it’s clearly a banquet being held for a special purpose.

‘But this time, I won’t be the victim.’

Saena’s eyes grew cold.

* * *

Hahaha.

Clear laughter crossed the threshold before entering.

They seemed to be sharing some amusing stories.

Saena’s lips curved up at the laughter that was contagious just from hearing it.

Saena had hosted a small tea party today.

Not a formal tea party, more like chat time with friends.

There hadn’t been time to sit down and socialize properly since coming to the imperial capital. Since everyone wanted to see the Kramer ducal townhouse, Saena became the host.

“Hello.”

“Oh my, Duchess, you’re late.”

Kirsten teased her slightly delayed arrival.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to change dresses at the last minute.”

“Oh my, why?”

“Did it get wrinkled?”

“Did someone hastily tear it?”

“……”

What are they imagining?

Though not entirely wrong, Saena’s cheeks flushed slightly at their overt teasing.

“Nothing like that. I just spilled some tea.”

“Why were you drinking tea right before coming out for tea?”

“Hmm, your excuse sounds more suspicious.”

Feeling cold sweat at her own flimsy excuse, Saena ordered the servant to change the subject.

“Here, replace the cold tea and bring fresh desserts.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The gathering of the four friends in full began.

“Wow, but this place is so nice.”

“It’s really pretty.”

“I was surprised when I discovered this place too.”

After various conversations, the topic turned to the venue.

When she was being shown around the Kramer townhouse by the butler before, Saena had been quite surprised to discover this space.

It was an annex building in the conifer garden of the back garden, a structure somewhere between a greenhouse and a building. While three sides were walls, one side and the ceiling were glass structures, creating a feeling of being outside despite the warm interior.

As soon as she saw it, she thought, ‘Ah, I must share this place with my friends.’

“So you’re the first guests. Welcome.”

“What an honor, what an honor.”

“Aren’t we the first guests to visit the Kramer townhouse at all?”

“Yes. That’s right too.”

Everyone giggled at the feeling of special treatment.

Good times with good people are always joyful.

“Ah, did everyone receive the invitation from the imperial palace?”

“Oh, the masquerade ball?”

The topic changed to the masquerade ball invitation.

It seems other families received it just as Saena had.

“I don’t understand what they’re thinking. The imperial family hosting a masquerade ball…”

Masquerade balls typically belonged to the category of midnight balls.

Masquerade balls were stimulating and disorderly affairs, to the point where there was an implicit rule that ‘what happens there stays there.’

Even so, they were indeed interesting, making them the type of gathering young ladies approaching their debutante balls most wanted to attend.

“But a masquerade ball from the imperial family… Isn’t this a bit wrong?”

It was a natural assessment. It seemed quite low-class for the type of gathering the imperial family would host. There was rightfully much debate.

“It’s from the imperial family but it’s not clear which palace is hosting, why is that?”

“But isn’t it obvious? Her Highness the Princess or Her Majesty the Empress would never host a masquerade ball.”

“That’s true.”

What had been puzzling to Saena seemed to puzzle her friends as well, as they wondered why the invitation was sent with the common seal.

“Isn’t it a handwritten invitation?”

But amid this, Floria asked an odd question.

“If it were handwritten, they wouldn’t use the common seal, would they?”

“Oh, I… received a handwritten one.”

“What?”

What is this about?

“You got a handwritten one? From whom?”

“Hebeta?”

“……”

Hebeta sent only Floria a handwritten invitation?

Looking confused, Evian asked.

“Did anyone else receive a handwritten letter besides Floria?”

“……”

No one had.

“Right. I thought it would naturally be from the Prince’s palace since it wasn’t from Her Highness the Princess or Her Majesty the Empress…”

Three pairs of eyes turned to Floria.

“Why only you?”

They weren’t interrogating her out of envy for being the only one to receive a handwritten invitation from Hebeta.

They simply couldn’t understand.

“I don’t know. Actually, I had something I wanted to ask Saena about.”

“Huh? Me?”

“You used to know the Hebeta.”

“Yes.”

“Were you close?”

“Hmm. It’s hard to say we were close.”

“Really? What kind of person is she?”

“…Why?”

“Lately she keeps acting like we’re close, and something feels off.”

Since Saena had been limiting her outings, she hadn’t known, but it seems they’ve been running into each other frequently during external activities.

“…You’re right. That is strange.”

Elizabeth isn’t someone who acts without purpose.

Given her calculating nature—going so far as to bribe a maid to get close to Saena—she wouldn’t approach Floria simply for friendship.

“She wrote such an earnest invitation insisting I must attend.”

That makes it even more suspicious.

“I hate to say this, but it seems like she has some ulterior motive.”

Kirsten spoke with suspicion.

“She’s that type. The Hebeta, I mean. How should I put it—the type that only moves when there’s profit or purpose.”

Even after being by her side for years Saena hadn’t noticed, yet Kirsten could tell despite barely knowing her. It made Saena reflect on her own shortcomings.

“What? Then… what should I do? Should I not attend?”

Not knowing why the Hebeta was being friendly and inviting her to the masquerade ball, everyone found it difficult to reach a conclusion.

‘Is the target Floria instead of me?’

But why? Many things have changed since then…

Ah, come to think of it, while Saena knew Elizabeth had hated her and harmed her in her past life, she still didn’t know why.

‘Is Floria the target now because I’m no longer single?’

Could it be that George Hollander is targeting Floria this time? That bastard? Daring to target a duke’s daughter?

Even though nothing had happened yet, Saena felt her head getting hot.

“…Saena?”

Perhaps her anger showed on her face, as Floria was watching her with a questioning expression.

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, just…”

Had they reached a conclusion while she was lost in thought?

“Are you going to attend?”

Saena asked that first.

“Yes. Well, there might be some scheme, but avoiding it would hurt my pride too. If no one else was going I wouldn’t mind not going, but that’s not the case.”

“True. If there is some scheme… even if we avoid it this time, they’ll surely aim for another chance, so I think it’s better to deal with it when we notice it.”

No matter how vigilant one is, it’s difficult to prevent someone determined to do harm. So it’s better to catch them in the act when there’s a clear opportunity like this.

“Yes, I think so too.”

“We’ll make them regret whatever they’re trying to do.”

If Elizabeth overlooked anything, it’s that while Saena might have been new to masquerade balls in her past life, the current Floria isn’t.

She had already experienced most evening parties since her debut and was well aware of their light and shadows. Add to that her sharp vigilance, and whatever tricks they try won’t be easy at all.

The four friends quickly forgot their unease and began passionately discussing what concept to use for the masquerade ball.

* * *