As I walked back into the mansion to console Lily, who was as happy as ever to be eating ice cream, I was met with stares from the servants in the hall. They were all stunned by my appearance.

It was the same look I’d gotten yesterday when I returned with Diart.

“Do I really look that bad?”

“That’s why I told you not to crawl on the ground.”

Lily, who had been adamantly opposed to the idea of hiding in the bushes and crawling to the training hall, sulked as she pulled the leaves off my shoulders.

Lily was probably worried about the dignity of the nobility, but for me, whose life was at stake right now, it was as dangerous as walking on thin ice. I should be more careful from now on. In this world, I should behave according to my status to avoid unnecessary scrutiny.

“It would be best if you took a bath quickly and changed into a dress.”

“You should go wash up too. You look quite messy.”

“Madam should go first.”

“I can wash on my own.”

Ironically, that was more comfortable for me. After living independently all my life, it felt uncomfortable and awkward for someone to assist me as I bathe. But Lily shook her head as if it was absolutely not allowed.

She had a face that seemed like someone who heard something big. Well, if that was the noble’s way, I had to adapt to it. I had decided to behave according to my status from now on.

“Alright. Then I’ll be assisted by the other servants, so you go wash up quickly.”

“Can’t I just do it myself? There aren’t many days left when I can have you like this…”

“Lily, you know you’ll be by my side for another six months, right?”

Once again, I called the maid standing a little away from us, as Lily raised her head with a tearful expression.

“Annie.”

“Yes?”

The maid named Annie widened her eyes as if she didn’t expect me to call her by name.

“Could you help me for a while?”

A bewildered Annie quickly came forward. She and I headed to the room, and she couldn’t help but glance at me from time to time.

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

“W-Well… I didn’t think Madam knew my name.”

Ah, now that I think about it, in the original work, Roeni never called the servants by their names. Considering her perception that the nobles and commoners were different, she probably wouldn’t have called them by their names even if she knew them.

That’s probably why Lily looked so surprised when I asked her to name the servants.

“Of course, I know you, Annie. I know the names of everyone here, not just you. Jessie, Sue, Mary, Jean, Jeremy….”

I pointed at each servant in the hall and called out their names. Fortunately, only the people I had asked Lily about earlier stood out. The servants seemed surprised but soon had touched expressions on their faces.

It might seem like they were getting emotional just because I called their names, but it was a good thing. As someone who wanted a peaceful parting from this Duke’s house, improving my relationship with the servants was not a bad idea. It would be good to have at least one more person on my side, just in case.

As I smiled faintly, I felt the servants melting away. It seems that they become so delighted just by me smiling at them. They all have hearts like cotton candy.

‘But I wonder why the owner of this house doesn’t do the same.’

* * *

After taking a bath, Lily, Annie, and I had ice cream. The ice cream, which was covered in sweet chocolate syrup and sprinkled with crispy peanut crumbs, freshened up my mouth that had been dry and dusty, making me feel refreshed.

In this world, it seems that ice cream is considered quite a luxurious dessert. Lily and Annie looked delighted with each spoonful.

‘Hmm… It seems like the malteses have multiplied.’

While I was feeling pleased looking at my adorable younger sisters, someone knocked on the door.

“Madam, it’s Gordon.”

“Come in.”

Cautiously opening the door, Gordon walked up to me and bowed.

“What’s going on?”

“Madam, a letter has arrived for you.”

“A letter for me? Where is it from?”

“It was sent from the palace.”

Gordon respectfully handed over the letter he was holding. I took the letter and carefully inspected the stamp imprinted on the red wax after removing the seal. It had a clear primrose flower shape.

I glanced at Lily. It was customary for members of the royal family to use different stamps, so I had no way of knowing who sent it. Lily, who received my SOS, seemed oblivious.

“I’m not sure why the Imperial Princess suddenly sent a letter.”

Fortunately, Gordon was the first to speak about the person who sent the letter.

‘But if it’s the princess….’

There was only one princess in the empire, Princess Leticia de Bellic. According to the original, the relationship between Roeni and Leticia was not good.

A few years ago, at a ball, Roeni had spiked the wine of the woman Diart was talking to. Princess Leticia, who witnessed the incident, reprimanded Roeni, and since then they had treated each other as strangers at parties.

Gordon’s worried expression was probably because he knew about those events.

‘Why did the princess send me a letter?’

I tore open the scented envelope, emanating a faint primrose fragrance, and took out the letter.

「Dear Duchess Roeni Wheaton,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am sending this letter abruptly to invite you to a dinner party that will be held in five days.

I believe it will be a good opportunity to have tea, chat with other ladies, and foster friendship.

I hope the Duchess will be able to attend and grace us with her presence.

Yours, Princess Leticia de Bellic.」

…Very polite, isn’t she? Contrary to what I thought, that it might be a duel or an insult, the letter from Princess Leticia exudes affection. But why suddenly the sudden banquet?

‘Weren’t they on bad terms?’

“What’s the matter?”

Gordon asked with a worried expression.

“Read it.”

I handed the letter to Gordon, who read it.

“Why is Her Highness the Princess inviting the madam to a tea party…”

He furrowed his brow and murmured in puzzlement, but then quickly lowered his head, as if realizing something.

“I apologize. This is the first time something like this has happened, so I was surprised…”

“It’s strange even from your perspective, isn’t it? We’re not close enough to chit-chat and yet she’s inviting me. Why do you think that is?”

“That’s true.”

‘What was Princess Leticia’s personality like?’

I pondered for a moment, trying to recall the original work. But no information about her came to mind. She was such an insignificant extra character that it was only natural.

“Do you plan to accept the invitation?”

“No. I won’t go.”

I responded firmly. Refusing an invitation from a princess was a difficult decision, but I was determined not to attend the tea party, even if I had to put up a fuss. Something about this invitation felt like a trap. If I accepted it and went to the palace, I had a premonition that I would end up in a clichéd situation, where I would be mocked or embarrassed while singing cheerfully and heading to the imperial palace.

‘No, I’m a wicked woman, so maybe I won’t get hit. This kind of harassment is usually reserved for the female leads.’

Nah, it’s fine. The other party is Leticia, the princess with whom I have a bad relationship iwth. I should have cut ties from the beginning. Let’s not be foolish and walk towards the enemy knowing well enough.

I plan to leave for a quiet country after the divorce, so I don’t need to worry about my reputation or go through unnecessary mental strain. Anyway, even if I attend such tea parties now and then, Roeni’s social reputation is already so bad that it can’t get any worse.

I am curious about how the magnificent description describes the palace, but anyway, I’ll see it in three months.

‘And in just a few days, the curse will manifest. Where would I have the time to visit the palace? Unless there’s a hidden way to lift the curse at the palace…’

…Huh?

“In that case, it’s best to decline with a suitable excuse. Since Her Highness the Princess personally sent the letter, it wouldn’t be against etiquette for the Duchess to write a response by hand.”

“……Wait a moment.”

I raised my palm to stop Gordon’s words. He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong?”

In an instant, it felt like I was struck in the back of my head by a figure that flashed before my eyes. Right, why didn’t I think of that?

I don’t know if there’s a way to lift the curse at the palace, but my favorite character is hiding there!

Edgar de Bellic. The character I like the most in this novel and the one I’ve invested all my stocks in. My absolute favorite with a modest and gentle charm.

To think I didn’t even consider meeting my favorite after being reincarnated in this novel, what a foolish thing to do.

“It seems like I have to go to that royal palace!”

I decided to do the foolish act of walking into enemy territory, humming a tune, just to meet my favorite.