Didn’t Father say last time that she didn’t have to do it if she didn’t want to?

“I don’t know.”

In her previous life, she had debuted at eighteen. That time had long since passed now.

Back then, debuting felt like a monumental event, but as she lived her life, she realized it wasn’t such a big deal. Whether she did it or not, it was simply a matter of choice.

“…What do you mean you don’t know? You do know that the upcoming Founding Festival is your last chance, right?!”

Elizabeth’s reaction was a bit strange.

“Even so, it’s all happening too soon…”

“No, no. I’ll help! As long as we sort out the dress, we can prepare the rest again! We can do this!”

Elizabeth’s expression as she spoke hurriedly was slightly odd. She was smiling, but there was a sense of urgency. Urgency? Why?

“…I’m fine. You’ve already debuted, haven’t you? There’s no need for you to help. Last year, it made sense because we were supposed to attend together, so I accepted your help.”

They were supposed to debut together, but Saena had suddenly fallen into a coma, leaving Elizabeth to debut alone.

Though they were friends, the debutante ball now had nothing to do with Elizabeth. Accepting her help for something unrelated felt unnecessary, so Saena politely declined, saying she was fine.

But at that moment, Elizabeth’s expression hardened momentarily. She let out a low sigh and shook her head.

“…No.”

No? What did she mean by that?

Elizabeth’s hardened expression quickly disappeared, replaced by a bright smile as she spoke.

“I haven’t debuted yet either.”

What? She hadn’t debuted yet?

“Wait, why…?”

“Right before the debutante ball, I heard that my closest friend had suddenly fallen ill and was unconscious. It didn’t feel right.”

The debutante ball was a formal event for noble ladies to announce their entry into society.

In the empire, noble ladies typically debuted between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. While the timing varied depending on personal circumstances, sixteen to seventeen was the most common.

The main purpose of the social world was to build connections, and starting that process as early as possible was advantageous.

But Saena had no interest in the social world. She had postponed and postponed until deciding to debut at eighteen, and even that was due to Elizabeth’s persuasion.

“I’ll take care of everything, so all you have to do is show up, Saena. Just show up! Got it?”

Saena, in her past life, had little interest in anything outside of ancient civilization <Arles-Promesa> and the ancient language Arlesian. She knew next to nothing about dresses, jewelry, or trends.

So, when Elizabeth offered to help, Saena had been relieved. Following Elizabeth’s guidance, she chose a dress design and matching accessories. She even attended tea parties, simply tagging along with Elizabeth, greeting the people she was introduced to, and socializing just enough to get by.

“…You were really looking forward to it, weren’t you? You put so much effort into preparing.”

Unlike Saena, Elizabeth had meticulously planned for her debut. She had poured her heart into every detail, from the decorations on her dress to the smallest hairpin.

And yet, after all that effort, she hadn’t debuted…?

“I believed you would wake up. If you woke up, we could debut together. We’re friends, after all.”

“……”

“And look, you did wake up in the end.”

Elizabeth’s smiling face gave off a strange impression.

From the conversation alone, it seemed like a moment to feel touched, but why? Saena’s heart didn’t stir in the slightest.

“……”

Was it because she was still reeling from Yuri’s absence?

Yuri had been with Saena since birth. They grew up together, ate the same food, and shared the same moments.

Even without words, they could understand each other’s thoughts, and they felt complete because of one another.

Because of that, Saena had never felt the need for another friend. But Elizabeth had been the one exception.

Among the noble ladies, Saena had been considered a bit of an oddball. Elizabeth, however, had approached her warmly, explaining things Saena was less knowledgeable about in a kind and friendly manner.

Even though she and Yuri were close, their different genders meant there were places they couldn’t go together and differences in their lifestyles. In those areas, Elizabeth had filled the gaps for Saena.

Elizabeth had been that kind of person to her.

But…

“…Saya?”

Noticing Saena’s unusual reaction, Elizabeth spoke with a slightly flustered expression.

“Are you okay? Could it be… you’re still not feeling well?”

“Oh, it’s not that…”

“You do know this is really the last chance, right? We have to debut.”

Elizabeth’s face now carried a hint of impatience as she spoke.

At nineteen, and with the New Year’s debutante ball already passed, this really was the final opportunity.

Even for impoverished provincial noble families, any noble lady listed in the noble registry was required to come to the capital to debut. To assist families struggling financially, the imperial city provided lodging, as well as rental dresses and accessories, ensuring no one had an excuse to avoid debuting.

It was a measure meant to provide all noble ladies of the empire with an equal opportunity to debut.

But in reality, unless they were truly destitute, no one debuted in rented attire—especially if they intended to participate in the central social scene afterward.

“Hmm…”

Honestly, Saena felt indifferent.

If she were to be honest, she didn’t even want to debut. Her life had started to go awry after her debutante ball in her past life.

Although it was mandatory, one could avoid it by paying a fine. The fine was more expensive than the cost of debuting, but the Debov family wasn’t poor, and given Saena’s current situation, it was a plausible excuse.

“I’ve been keeping up with news about the social world and this season’s trends. I’ll handle all the preparations, so like I said before, you just need to attend.”

“Hmm.”

“…Of course, you’ll need to come along for measurements and fittings. But really, there’s nothing else you need to do.”

Perhaps because of Saena’s lackluster responses, Elizabeth’s anxiety became more apparent.

“There’s not much time left until the Founding Festival, but since we’ve already prepared before, we can manage.”

“……”

“It’s fine, right? Just attend.”

Ugh, honestly, it felt like such a hassle.

Saena swallowed her response and turned her gaze toward the window.

“Madame Charlize’s Boutique will surely be fully booked, but since we commissioned her last year, she might make an exception.”

“……”

“Saya, are you listening? We’re already years behind other ladies. We have to prepare perfectly to make up for it.”

Saena shifted her gaze back to Elizabeth. At some point, Elizabeth had pulled out a list and was passionately going through it.

‘…So this wasn’t just a casual visit to check on me.’

If her visit had been purely to see how Saena was doing, she wouldn’t have brought such a list.

Saena, who felt a slight sense of indebtedness to Elizabeth for coming all the way to Delvon, now felt oddly relieved.

“If you were in such a rush, you should’ve just debuted first. You know I wouldn’t have cared about that.”

Saena asked, slightly curious. Elizabeth’s expression stiffened briefly but quickly softened into a bashful smile as she replied gently.

“You might not have cared, but I would’ve. People would’ve gossiped, knowing we’re friends. How could I enjoy a party alone while my friend was bedridden?”

“…It’s not like anyone could blame you for me being ill. If anything, it’d be strange for them to do so, wouldn’t it?”

“Why are you acting like this? Are you saying I was wrong?”

Surprisingly, Elizabeth’s tone sharpened slightly.

“That’s not what I meant.”

For Saena, the debutante ball and the social world were far less important than figuring out why this had happened to her, why no one remembered Yuri, and whether anyone else had experienced something similar.

Moreover, though she wasn’t fully aware of it, Saena was going through a burnout from the prolonged mental and physical strain of her illness and recovery.

Even though her body was younger, her memories remained intact, making it difficult to act like a cheerful young girl.

She didn’t want her father or brother to think she had become even more strange, so she was making an effort, but…

“Debut or not, I honestly don’t feel motivated. It just feels exhausting.”

At her response, Elizabeth’s expression visibly softened.

“Saya… That’s understandable, considering you’ve only just recovered.”

Elizabeth’s soft smile returned, her tone gentle but persuasive.

“But you have to debut eventually. This is your last chance.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything. You just need to rest and recover, then show up on the day. You can manage that, right? It’s not too hard. Count Debov will surely be pleased too. Okay?”

Listening to Elizabeth’s fervent words, which felt almost like a passionate plea, Saena eventually nodded in agreement.

Fine. If she had to do it, she might as well get it over with.

Besides, with Elizabeth going to such lengths, it felt too harsh to outright refuse.

Elizabeth’s face brightened instantly at Saena’s agreement, looking as fresh as ever.

* * *

The family dining room of the Debov estate.

At the head of the table sat the Count, with Sage and Saena seated to his left and right.

This was the first dinner Saena attended with her family since finally being freed from her convalescent meals.

Even in the past, it was an unspoken rule in the Debov family to gather in the family dining room for dinner unless there was a special occasion.

During dinner, Yuri and Saena would always bicker over trivial things, while Sage would quietly put a stop to their twin squabbles. Their father would look on in delight, as if to say, “What’s the harm?”

But now, it was far too quiet. Other than the occasional sound of plates being placed or cleared by the servants, the room was silent. Uncomfortably so, to the point of tension.

This oppressive silence was undoubtedly… her fault. Saena felt embarrassed.

‘Oh dear…’

Ever since she woke up, her father and Sage had been hovering around her as if she were a fragile baby bird, constantly fretting over her every move. It was as though they were walking on eggshells around her.

Her mother had passed away when Saena was young.