***

The Celsior ducal family’s cruise party was a full 2 days and 1 night affair.

I headed to the seaside near the capital where the party was being held, bringing Mandy and Carl with me.

Actually, if they had invited me, who was staying with the Diart ducal family, to the party, they should have properly invited Dain and Deborah as well out of courtesy.

But the lady didn’t send invitations to those two.

The two people worried about whether it would be okay for me to go alone, but I reassured them not to worry.

With my maid and bondservant, there’s nothing to fear, right?

When we arrived at the dock, we saw a huge ship that the Celsior ducal family had recently purchased.

On the mast hung a large cloth with the eagle emblem symbolizing the ducal family, and the hull was painted bright red, making it stand out even from a distance.

With Mandy and the masked Carl flanking me on both sides as we headed toward the ship, a servant guarding the front greeted us.

“Good day. Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you could show me your invitation.”

“Here it is.”

Mandy presented Lady Celsior’s invitation on my behalf.

After confirming this, the servant wished us a pleasant time and cleared the way.

The ship was decorated with splendid ornaments and elaborate carvings, as if they had moved the ducal family’s banquet hall.

They had laid soft red carpet on the deck floor and hired mages to make gentle, beautiful clusters of light float around even in broad daylight.

‘As expected, a ducal family is a ducal family—the scale is no joke.’

Honestly, it was impressive enough to make me nod in admiration as I entered, when suddenly someone popped out and blocked my path.

“Hello, Lady Sharofe. I’m Camilla from House Roden.”

A young lady I’d never seen before approached me with a bright smile.

“Oh, hello. Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve wanted to become friends with you for a while, but I was disappointed that there was no opportunity. I’m so happy to meet you like this.”

“Is that so? I feel good hearing you say that.”

I let down my guard at her friendly tone and attitude and shook hands with her.

Camilla showered me with praise until her mouth was dry.

She said she became my fan after watching the Queen selection, or something.

After chattering away by herself, she suddenly clapped her hands and asked.

“You know there’s a dress code for today’s cruise party, right?”

“……I didn’t hear anything like that.”

There was no mention of a dress code in the invitation the lady gave me.

When I showed signs of confusion, Camilla also looked surprised, then soon took my hand warmly.

“The dress code is bow ties for men and ribbons tied around the wrist for women. Fortunately, I have a spare ribbon. I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

“What? Oh, no. Just lending it to me would be enough.”

“I said I wanted to become friends. Please let me give you a gift.”

Camilla sent me a pleading look and took out a white ribbon string from her pocket.

I hesitated because it felt a bit burdensome, but she insisted on pressing it into my hand, then waved goodbye saying she’d see me later.

‘I should either use it carefully and return it, or buy a new one to give her.’

I thought this while looking down at the white ribbon, then entered the cabin assigned to me.

Carl waited outside the door while I dressed up for the cruise party.

I tied half my hair up to secure it and wore an emerald green one-shoulder dress.

The hem was full yet cut diagonally, so it wasn’t stuffy.

I let my hair fall forward over the exposed shoulder area, while Mandy arranged the rest by sweeping it back and smiled with satisfaction.

“You look truly beautiful, Miss.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you’ll be the most beautiful at today’s party.”

“You’re being biased, Mandy.”

Even as I replied playfully, I felt satisfied looking at my reflection in the mirror.

I liked how it looked refreshing yet emphasized a mysterious atmosphere, fitting for a cruise party.

Mandy tied the white ribbon prettily around my wrist.

When I went outside, I saw Carl leaning against the wall.

“Shall I escort you?”

“No, we’ll be there right away anyway.”

“Then I’ll be behind you, so call me anytime you need me.”

“Got it. I’ll be back.”

I smiled and greeted him, then went out to the deck above the ship.

The place was already bustling with nobles who had received invitations from the ducal family.

Indeed, all the men wore bow ties, and the women had ribbons tied around their wrists.

‘But…… everyone’s ribbon colors are flashy? There’s no white.’

Even though it would be the easiest color to coordinate with, no one except me wore a white ribbon.

I found it somewhat strange as I walked toward the center of the deck, when people began whispering as they looked at me.

“Oh my, goodness. How shameless.”

“What is she doing right now?”

“I heard she’s looking for a husband, but even so, isn’t this a bit too much?”

What is it, why are they saying something again?

If it were because of the revealing dress, there were many young ladies wearing similar designs.

It had become trendy since the selection, so there was no reason to suddenly get criticized again.

Even the men were glancing at me and murmuring, which made me flustered, so I spotted Camilla, whom I had just met, and approached her.

“Lady Roden.”

“Hello, Lady Sharofe.”

What, why are you greeting me like we’re meeting for the first time?

“Why are you suddenly acting like this? We met and talked earlier.”

“We did……? Oh, I think we might have greeted each other in passing.”

She been so friendly with me, but now Camilla played dumb like a split personality.

Not only that, she narrowed her eyes and looked at my wrist, pointing it out.

“But Lady Sharofe, isn’t a white ribbon on your wrist too much?”

“Why is this too much? You told me the dress code and gave it to me as a gift.”

“I did? I never did such a thing! Don’t falsely accuse an innocent person.”

Camilla widened her eyes and denied it with the most wronged expression in the world.

Anyone would think she was telling the truth.

As I let out a hollow laugh in bewilderment, she whispered with the surrounding young ladies and opened her mouth again with outstanding acting skills.

“Common sense would tell you that since I’m meeting you for the first time today, why would I give a ribbon as a gift to a young lady I have no friendship with?”

“No…… Lady Roden, that’s exactly why I felt burdened to receive it, but you insisted on pressing it into my hand. Did you lose your mind in the meantime?”

That was when I expressed the question of whether she had gone crazy in a roundabout way.

Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind and turned me around.

“Lady Sharofe.”

Reddish-gold hair and golden eyes that shone even more brilliantly under the seaside sun.

It was the crown prince wearing a burgundy bow tie.

“Your Highness……?”

“Quickly untie that ribbon from your wrist.”

He spoke quite urgently. I furrowed my brow, completely unable to understand.

“……Why is everyone acting like this? Today’s dress code is bow ties for men and wrist ribbons for women.”

“That’s right, but…… ha.”

He pressed his forehead and sighed, then leaned down to whisper in my ear.

“Tying a white ribbon around your wrist means ‘I accept date requests from anyone, so men, come approach me’—it’s a seductive signal.”

“……!”

Huh? This sh*t……

Having been properly backstabbed, I whipped around to look at Camilla, and she was lifting her chin with a shameless face.

***

Camilla Roden was a young lady from a humble family background.

Without wealth or honor, she struggled to establish herself in high society when someone extended a helping hand.

That person was Johanna Celsior.

A few days before the cruise party was held, Johanna secretly called her out.

She threw out bait, saying she would invite her to her party, which only invited nobles of renown.

‘Lady Sharofe has also agreed to come to my party. But I think that young lady is muddying the waters of high society a bit. The way she only picks blond young lords to flirt with…… don’t you think so?’

‘Yes, yes! I agree too, Lady!’

‘Then would you like to expose Lady Sharofe’s true nature in front of people?’

To Camilla, who agreed unconditionally like a tail-wagging puppy, Johanna made her request with a smiling face.

To destroy Shailyn, she planned to first thoroughly crumble her reputation.

The most fatal image for a woman in high society was being too forward with the opposite s*x.

She intended to use Shailyn’s behavior of probing here and there to find male leads and brand her as an easy woman.

Naturally, Camilla couldn’t refuse Johanna’s request. More precisely, she didn’t.

Because she thought it was an opportunity.

‘If I do this job well, the lady said she’ll help not only me but my family too!’

Conscious of Johanna looking down at her from above, Camilla sharpened her eyes and glared at Shailyn.

Shailyn, who had roughly figured out what was going on through Linus’s words, glared back at her…… no.

She suddenly smiled brightly.

‘……She’s smiling in this situation?’

Shailyn turned toward the slightly flustered Camilla and slowly opened her mouth.