Chapter 1.1

Aness is the youngest daughter of the Klein Barony, who possess a very small territory on the outskirts. They are nobles in name only, with such little wealth and humble status that there is only one maid to help with the housework.

Having experienced the shame of their family’s status for generations, Baron Klein desperately tries to cling to the fringes of power, going out every day to lobby in a servile manner.  

If he could form connections with a renowned noble family, he might get a chance to go to the capital where the Imperial Palace is and make himself known to the Emperor.  

In truth, at that time in the Eupherion Empire, there were only a few ways to rise as a noble: either distinguish oneself on the fierce battlefield, or attach oneself to high-ranking nobles in the capital and obtain the right to join the Imperial Council.  

If one was not a noble of distinguished lineage from the start, there was no other way. So, the aging and frail Baron, instead of going to war, hired a carriage today as well and headed to the racetrack, where the leisurely high nobles enjoyed their entertainment.  

Of course, there was another way. He had three daughters of marriageable age. Fortunately, the eldest, Imelda, and the second, Erika, had inherited their mother’s beauty, so he had some hope.  

If he could marry his daughters into distinguished families, wouldn’t at least some crumbs fall their way? It would open opportunities to be invited to Imperial Palace banquets.  

So, he even borrowed money to buy dresses for his daughters and actively helped them debut in society. And in this plan, the youngest, Aness, was excluded.  

Though she was only a year younger than her sisters and had just celebrated her coming-of-age at nineteen, the Baron did not give the youngest a chance.  

Of course, borrowing more money to buy another dress was a big deal, and Aness was less beautiful compared to her sisters.  

Not that she was plain, but she certainly wasn’t a striking beauty like her sisters.  

Her long, wavy brown hair was lovely, but her body was skinny like a young boy’s, and the freckles on her nose stood out enough to be noticeable.  

Moreover, her personality was not as polite and sociable as her sisters; she disliked being in the spotlight and was quiet. In short, she was judged not to be a notable prospect.  

With money so tight, the Baron gave up on introducing his youngest daughter to society and focused only on the older sisters. Of course, he didn’t feel entirely guiltless about this.  

After all, her pale skin and frail, thin body resembled his own.  

So, he comforted his youngest daughter Aness by giving her a coin once a week. Each time, the youngest would take the allowance from her father with a dejected expression, as if protesting the sadness of being left out.  

Whenever this happened, the Baroness and the household’s only maid, Dana, would look at her with pity, but such feelings were ultimately pointless.  

In fact, Aness was secretly delighted about the situation. She did not want to marry early just for good circumstances like her sisters.  

She only pretended to be timid and lacking confidence on the outside; it was all an act. In reality, she was a supporter of free romance. Strictly speaking, not for herself, but for others. That is, she was secretly devoted to helping other young men and women fall in love and get married.  

No one knew this fact. That she was the famous Madame Boris, whose name often appeared in society magazines.  

She not only matched unmarried men and women, but also actively counseled their concerns. For example, if a young lady confessed she had a crush on a young man and asked for help, Aness would even solve that problem.  

Because of this, Aness had been making quite a bit of money since she was seventeen. Of course, she always used a pseudonym, and wore a mask during counseling sessions, so she was also known as <the Masked Madame>.  

Her skill came from extensive reading, keen observation, and relentless drive, but above all, it suited her perfectly.  

She truly enjoyed and loved helping others with their romantic problems. Thanks to her matchmaking, more than fifty noble couples had gotten married.  

Rumors spread so widely that requests even came from neighboring countries. So, such a famous matchmaker had no interest in her own marriage.  

That’s why, when her father practically gave up on her, she was secretly overjoyed. The coin he gave her was trivial, but she pretended to be happy. Under her attic’s old bed, she had saved up as much as 3,000 gold.  

But that money was never what she really wanted. What truly burned in her was boundless curiosity about couples around her and a blind determination to make matches.  

‘Hmm, it looks like Sister Imelda won’t end up with the second son of the Lavanza Earldom. Father is just wasting his efforts. James already has a secret lover. Just because they danced once at a ball and seemed to get along, thinking of marriage is a stretch.’  

After seeing her father off, Aness climbed the stairs to her attic, lost in thought. Of course, she could step in and help. If she acted as Madame Boris, the noblewomen she was acquainted with would help, and she could arrange several meetings between her sister Imelda and that second son James.  

‘But Sister’s personality is the problem. She’s too reserved. But James doesn’t like women who are too elegant. His taste is clear. He likes lively women. And slightly plump women.’  

Before she knew it, Aness had flopped onto her old attic bed, and pulled a notebook from under her pillow.  

It was filled with lists of promising young nobles in the Empire. There were even detailed tables analyzing their names, ages, personalities, and eating habits. Her job was to use this information to match suitable couples.  

“Let’s see, what’s the request for three days from now? The eldest daughter Abel of the Strauss Ducal family, and……”  

As Aness flipped through her notebook for her previous records, she found a name and frowned.  

“Ha, it’s this guy again.”  

Clicking her tongue, she sat up from her bed. That troublesome name had come up again.  

“Duke Caron Perschtman.”  

He was truly a troublesome existence. The target of every young lady’s desire in the Empire. Currently the Captain of the First Order of Knights in the Eupherion Empire, and not long ago awarded the title of Duke, he had even joined the Imperial Council as the youngest Foreign Minister. He was truly the Empire’s best catch.  

If it ended there, it would be one thing, but the problem was that he was also excessively handsome.  

“So disgustingly handsome……”  

Aness sat at her desk and took a bite of the hard apple pie left over from yesterday, shaking her head.  

She had also seen him once at a masquerade while wearing her mask. At first, she thought the sun had left the sky and crashed into the ballroom by mistake. He was that dazzlingly handsome.  

With soft golden hair that seemed to hold sunlight and deep green eyes, the ultimate handsome man overwhelmed everyone else in the room as if they were mere beetles. He was so dazzling that young ladies had to shield their eyes with feather fans.  

Of course, every woman had to carry a handkerchief to wipe the drool that naturally fell from their lips. If word spread that he would attend, all the young noblemen avoided the event. Who would want to be compared? Without warning, he appeared at the Callard Earldom’s social ball, and Aness finally saw his face there. As it was, countless young ladies were clamoring to be matched with him as a bride.  

“Wow, with looks like that, he could even aim for a princess from another empire. Honestly, what young lady could possibly match him?”  

Aness, who had little interest in her own romance or men’s looks, just shook her head and hoped no more requests would come to be matched with him.  

But the eldest daughter of the Strauss Ducal family, Abel, who didn’t know her place, wanted to try again even after being rejected once.  

“Sigh, but still, I should try one more time. She wants it so badly……”  

Aness shook her head and stood up.