16. I will step on his toes. Just wait and see!

Evelyn had reached a conclusion based on many years of experience.

“It’s nothing serious… I’m just having trouble digesting,” 

Stabbing his meat with a fork in a lifeless manner. Then he sighed and eventually put the fork down.

In Evelyn’s eyes, Baron Berge was truly an unlucky man. Becoming the heir to the hollow shell that was House Berge, getting scammed, a great fire breaking out in the estate, or an employee running off with valuables…

And on top of that, his wife, Baroness Melissa, passed away early from illness, and the baron had lost all will to go on with life.

“Evelyn, I’m fine, so you eat. You’ve grown so gaunt—must be from working too hard.”

“Yes, sis, don’t push yourself too much! Just hang in there this year. Once I graduate, everything will get better,” said Alto, seated across from her, in a cheerful voice to console her.

Seeing her family genuinely worried about her without any ulterior motives, Evelyn whispered inwardly,

‘Sigh, this is why I can’t turn my back on my family.’

Though they were a family she met after being reincarnated into this world, Evelyn truly loved them.

‘So I absolutely have to avoid the worst ending.’ Just as Evelyn was once again steeling her resolve to live on…

“Oh right, Evelyn. I went to the club yesterday for the first time in a while and heard a strange rumor.” 

Baron Berge turned to his daughter with a troubled expression.

“They say you’re attending the Imperial Palace ball with His Grace the Duke. Is that true?”

Before he even finished speaking, Evelyn let out a deep sigh in her mind.

‘Oh, that’s what this is about.’

“It’s true. I agreed to attend the Imperial Palace ball as Lord Rashid’s partner.”

“My word, Evelyn!”

The baron, rarely one to raise his voice, exclaimed with a reddened face.

“Call it off immediately. For an unmarried noble young lady to attend the Imperial ball as a partner…”

Baron Berge stopped speaking, his voice trembling.

Though he didn’t say it aloud, he seemed aware of the gossip going around, even if it hadn’t reached the level of rumors about being a ‘mistress.’

“You don’t need to worry so much. It’s just part of my duties as his secretary.”

“Oh wow, sis. Did His Grace ask you to go to the ball with him first?”

Alto, who had been quietly listening, asked with wide eyes. Evelyn tore a piece of bread on her plate and nodded.

“Well, there’s a bit of a story… I guess you could say I’m a substitute.”

She confessed honestly.

“Even so, it’s still amazing that His Grace asked you to be his partner… kind of unexpected?”

“Alto, what exactly do you mean by that questionable remark?”

“Well, um…”

Alto stared at Evelyn—or more precisely, her appearance. Right now, Evelyn was wearing a dress that was at least ten years old. Though Vanessa had patched up the worn-out areas, the fabric had faded, and the lines were stretched and misshapen.

“It’s just… His Grace likes fashionable people, and no matter how I look at you, sis… mmph!”

Before he could finish, Evelyn picked up a chunk of bread and shoved it into her impudent little brother’s mouth.

“Once again, I’ll remind you—it wasn’t me who asked to be his partner. It was His Grace. If you have a problem with it, take it up with him.”

“Mm, okay.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

The baron, who had been silently observing his children’s bickering, cleared his throat to lighten the atmosphere.

“I don’t know what His Grace was thinking when he asked you to be his partner, but you must make wise choices. House Berge is a noble family descended from the first Imperial Princess, Anais. Though we may be impoverished now, you must not forget our pride.”

Baron Berge launched into another one of his long speeches. Evelyn had heard time and again how she should always carry herself properly, being of a noble house with royal blood.

‘As if pride means anything for a fallenbarony like ours…’

Evelyn quietly clicked her tongue.

“Besides, Her Majesty the Empress is unlikely to be pleased by this. There’s nothing to gain by getting on her bad side, Evelyn.”

“I understand your concerns perfectly, Father, but as I said earlier, I’m His Grace’s secretary, and he gave this instruction as part of my duties.”

Of course, there was that special bonus, but that was a separate matter…

“And he and I are just playmates. You know, Father, how it’s common in high society for friends to attend balls together as partners.”

“That may be true, but still…”

“And lastly, the most important thing—Lord Rashid absolutely does not see me as a woman. He’s a ridiculously handsome man with women swarming around him. What are the chances he’d ever see me that way?”

As she said it, a lump unexpectedly rose in her throat.

Right. Rashid was two years younger than Evelyn and had just entered the ideal age for marriage.

Naturally, someone like him—armed with beauty and power, the most influential figure in the empire—was bound to be popular.

Compared to that…

Evelyn was already twenty-five, past the prime age for marriage, and effectively the head of a declining barony.

Which meant she didn’t even have the dowry that any noblewoman was expected to bring.

‘Self-deprecation isn’t exactly a hobby, but it’s important to look at one’s situation objectively.’

As she thought that, Evelyn unconsciously nodded to herself.

“Baron, Lady Evelyn! A visitor from the House of Egenhart has arrived!”

Just in time, Vanessa entered the dining room.

‘Ugh. Don’t tell me it’s a summons to work on a holiday again!’

Rashid had a history of sending people to fetch her even on her days off.

Evelyn pouted at the memory.

“Master Alto is home from the dormitory, isn’t he? The head maid asked me to deliver some snacks for him.”

Johanna, the head kitchen maid at the ducal household, began unpacking the contents of the basket one by one.

“Oh my goodness…”

Evelyn couldn’t help but marvel at the never-ending stream of food being pulled from the basket.

Although it was referred to as “snacks,” the basket also contained beef, fruit, flour, sugar, and even butter—expensive ingredients all.

It was as if they knew exactly how strained the barony’s finances were, where even buying a single bag of sugar required days of consideration.

“Wow, cake! It’s cake!”

Alto cheered as he spotted a large cake wrapped in wax paper.

“I heard the Baron likes grapes, so I brought some along.”

At the sight of the massive bunch of grapes Johanna pulled out, Baron Berge’s eyes glistened once more.

At this time of year, grapes were a luxury that required a fortune to obtain.

“To think someone would do something so kind…”

Evelyn, however, was far more taken by the beef wrapped in thick paper than by the fruit or desserts.

Beef always beat chicken. That was an undeniable truth.

“They’re always so thoughtful… I don’t even know how we could possibly repay this kindness.”

The total cost of the items in the basket could easily match a modest family’s monthly expenses.

Whenever there was a birthday, holiday, or New Year’s Day, the Duke’s household would without fail send over a snack basket.

And because it was technically for the children, the pride of the House of Berge remained intact.

‘Come to think of it, it’s true that I’ve owed Rashid quite a bit in many ways.’

“Sis, there’s a card in the basket.”

Alto pointed a finger toward the very bottom.

Sure enough, there was an envelope bearing the seal of the House of Egenhart.

Evelyn quickly grabbed it.

[To Lady Evelyn Berge,]

Rashid Egenhart’s familiar handwriting graced the front.

“It’s a card from the Duke! Hurry and open it, Sis!”

Giving in to Alto’s insistence, Evelyn opened the envelope.

‘We’re going to see each other tomorrow anyway. What’s the point of a card…’

[To Lady Evelyn Berge,

It is an honor that you have accepted to be my partner at the Imperial Palace Ball.

The shop listed below will prepare the gown you will wear to the event.]

Below that was the address of a currently popular women’s clothing boutique in a department store, along with a simple map.

“Wow, looks like the Duke is even going to prepare your dress!”

“If it’s an imperial event, I suppose special attention to the dress is inevitable…”

Baron Berge and Alto nodded in agreement, but Evelyn pouted.

“What’s wrong with the dresses I already have?”

She might be from a fallen noble family, but she was still a lady—she had at least a few ball gowns.

They were dresses she had bought back when she still held onto a sliver of hope for marriage.

‘The best one I own is the one I wore to my debutante party… but that one’s far too out of fashion now.’

Still, the silk and lace were too good to waste, so she had been considering having it altered.

But then…

[I do not mean to disregard your sense of fashion, but please remember that trends are an unpredictable factor in style.

It would be best to keep the use of last season’s lace or frills to personal hobbies only, not formal wear.]

“Pfft.”

Alto burst out laughing as he read along.

“Come to think of it, Sis, didn’t you once try to patch up a hole in your skirt with embroidery…?”

“Enough, Alto. One more word and I’ll embroider your mouth shut.”

[Also, until the day of the ball, Madame D’Eve will visit your residence every day.

As you know, Madame D’Eve is the capital’s most renowned dance instructor.

Of course, your dancing is already admirable, but there’s no harm in learning the latest styles that are trending in society.

And, incidentally, I believe it would be wise to ensure the safety of my toes.]

At that, Evelyn declared in a voice filled with fury—

“I will step on his toes. Just wait and see!”