Evelyn lowered her voice and whispered to Rashid.

“Just leave him be. He’ll figure it out on his own before long.”

Rashid glanced at his eldest son, who resembled him in every way, and chuckled softly.

“There’s no way our daughter would just let a little squirt like him boss her around.”

Evelyn agreed wholeheartedly with Rashid’s confident assertion.

“Well, a two-year difference is nothing. It’s the perfect setup for a rebellion.”

“…Duchess, your comment sounds strangely ominous.”

“Oh my, are you feeling guilty?”

Rashid pouted slightly at Evelyn’s teasing remark, which alluded to their own squabbling childhood.

“Well then, shall we head out?”

Evelyn picked up Anais, who was lying in the cradle. Rashid also took a firm hold of Louis’s hand.

“Let’s get this once-a-year family event over with.”

Then Rashid extended his other hand to Evelyn. She gladly took it, and together they headed for the grand hall, where the guests were already waiting.

***

“Agh, I really don’t fit in at these kinds of parties…”

Remy, the second daughter of Baron Chabre, had been muttering the same thing over and over, unable to calm her nerves.

The annual—or at most, twice-yearly—parties at House Egenhart were always filled with the most prominent figures in society, befitting their prestigious name.

High-ranking nobles, elegant ladies dressed to the nines, shy debutantes making their first appearances this year, and the suitors who trailed behind them.

The ballroom sparkled with fashionable guests dressed in their finest. And yet…

“I can’t even see anything properly…”

Remy grumbled quietly.

She needed glasses due to poor eyesight, but unfortunately, noble ladies were absolutely forbidden from wearing them at formal events.

「If you dare attend a party wearing those cursed glasses, don’t expect to show your face ever again.」

Her mother’s stern warning meant there was no way she could wear them.

As a result, Remy was wandering through the ballroom barely able to make out the faces in front of her.

“Agh, this is so frustrating…”

Her dress was uncomfortably tight. Her hair, twisted high atop her head, ached. Her heavily powdered face felt stiff.

“How nice it would be to just sit in a quiet corner and read a book…”

But attending a party at House Egenhart meant one unavoidable obligation for Remy.

For noble ladies of marriageable age, the top priority was—without a doubt—finding a suitable husband.

“But of course, it’s never that easy.”

Remy had debuted in society a few years earlier and was now of ideal marrying age.

The problem was the dire financial state of House Chabre, which meant they couldn’t offer a dowry.

“Forget a dowry…”

The only solution to their financial crisis was Remy’s marriage.

Under pressure from her family, desperate to marry her off to a wealthy husband, Remy had no choice but to attend a party she didn’t even enjoy.

“Remy, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Her aunt, Countess Langriel, spotted Remy hiding in a corner of the ballroom and strode over.

“You came all the way to this party, only to bury yourself in a corner? What are you thinking?”

“Well, I’m just a bit tired…”

“Of course you are! You stayed up all night reading that damned novel again!”

Startled by the precise scolding, Remy flinched. The countess sighed heavily.

“Now, there are some gentlemen I want to introduce you to. Come with me.”

“Gentlemen…?”

“Of course, your prospective husbands! Don’t even think about running off!”

The countess grabbed her niece’s hand and dragged her deeper into the ballroom.

“Wait! Auntie, I’m not ready for—”

The highlight of today’s party was the gift-giving ceremony for the guest of honor, Anais.

An endless number of birthday gifts had arrived for the precious daughter of the ducal family.

For close friends and family, Evelyn had arranged a separate moment to personally present their gifts.

The first to step forward was Adelio O’Brian, a close friend of the Duke and Duchess.

“Hahaha! Anais! This uncle brought you the biggest stuffed toy on the entire continent today!”

With a hearty laugh, Adelio presented a large brown teddy bear to Anais.

Anais’s eyes sparkled at the appearance of a toy even bigger than herself.

“Oh dear… Looks like we had the same idea. I brought a stuffed toy too.”

Murmuring with a sheepish grin was Crown Prince Cairen, recently returned from a long journey abroad.

“Haha, I wonder if Anais will like this one.”

What Cairen held was a fluffy white teddy bear.

It was a very cute toy, with its soft, fuzzy fur—but unfortunately, it was much smaller in size.

“Your Highness, you may not realize it, but for children, bigger is always better when it comes to toys.”

Adelio declared proudly.

“Now then, Anais. Which one do you like better?”

At that moment, all eyes turned to Anais.

Nestled against soft cushions, the jewel of House Egenhart looked between the two toys and the men holding them.

“Oooh…”

Evelyn watched with a fascinated smile, eager to see her daughter’s choice.

A moment later, Anais’s bright green eyes moved from the toys to the men’s attire—until they landed on one particular detail.

“Waaah!”

Adelio groaned.

Anais had set her eyes on the royal insignia attached to Cairen’s uniform—the gleaming emblem that signified his imperial lineage.

As if she knew what it meant, Anais giggled and reached out with her tiny fingers to tightly grab the white teddy bear held by Cairen.

“Aaaaah! Anais, how could you…!”

“Ahahahahaha! I win!”

Adelio’s wail and Cairen’s booming laughter echoed through the hall at the same time.

“Your Highness, this is cheating. You used your princely authority to win over a child!”

Adelio grumbled absurdly. Cairen shot back,

“The young lady of the ducal house already has excellent social instincts. I look forward to her future.”

Cairen handed the teddy bear to Anais, who smiled brightly at him.

“She is my daughter, after all. Of course, she should be.”

Evelyn responded with a smile.

As if to prove her mother’s point, Anais let out a cheerful little giggle.

***

“Haa, how am I supposed to escape this…”

Having fled her aunt, Countess Langriel, under the excuse of fixing her makeup, Remy now hid on the balcony connected to the ballroom, trying to cool her flushed cheeks.

“My hair’s a mess…”

She had hurried out of the ballroom and accidentally bumped into a servant carrying a tray. Fortunately, she didn’t dirty her dress, but her high-piled hair had come undone, and the accessory she’d pinned in had vanished somewhere.

“Well, it was just a cheap imitation gemstone anyway. Nothing to feel bad about…”

There was no way a bankrupt baron’s family could afford real jewels. She had picked out the best-looking trinket she could find at a market stall, but now she regretted the effort.

“That’s it… I’m just going home.”

This unexpected mishap had completely drained her will.

‘Yeah, who am I kidding, getting married?’

‘My family is poor, I have no dowry, and to top it off—I have red hair.’

As Remy wallowed in gloomy thoughts—

“Would you like a cool glass of lemonade?”

A bright voice called out from behind her.

Startled, Remy turned to look, but without her glasses, she couldn’t see clearly.

Blink, blink…

After blinking several times, she finally recognized the figure and gasped in shock.

“L-Lady Egenhart!”

As soon as she realized who it was, Remy grabbed the hem of her dress and curtsied. In doing so, her already unruly hair completely fell apart, cascading down.

“I-I’m so sorry. I lost my hair ornament…”

Frantically, she tried to gather her thick hair in her hands.

To appear in such disarray before the hostess of the party and the empire’s most prominent duchess—her parents would have a fit if they found out.

“You’re the young lady from Baron Chabre’s household, aren’t you?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right, Your Grace. Thank you very much for inviting me to the party.”

Still clutching her hair, Remy bowed again. Evelyn smiled as she looked at her.

“You have such beautiful hair. My daughter’s hair is red too—I hope it becomes as lovely as yours one day.”

The sincere and unforced compliment left Remy speechless.

“Thank you… Actually, no one’s ever told me my hair was pretty before…”

It took her a while, but Remy finally stammered out her thanks.

“What’s wrong with everyone else’s eyes? It’s such a rich, gorgeous color.”

Evelyn shook her head and handed her the cup she’d brought.

“Here, drink this and take a breath. I’ll send a maid to help redo your hair.”

The lemonade was cool and just the right temperature. Remy drank it down without hesitation, setting aside her pride.

“How did you know I was out here?”

“Every time there’s a party, there’s always a few young ladies who flee the ballroom and hide out on the balcony.”

“Oh…”

“As the hostess, it’s part of my duty to care for such unfortunate girls.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Remy bowed her head again, her expression shy. Evelyn looked at her warmly.

“To be honest, a few years ago, I was in the same position as you. Not just a wallflower—I used to hide on balconies and pray for the party to end.”

“You were like that too, Duchess?”