The next day, Rowenloa barely managed to open her heavy eyes to Mylene’s touch.

She felt an unusual fatigue enveloping her entire body that she normally didn’t experience. 

 “Ah, why am I so tired today of all days……” 

 As she raised herself from bed and looked outside through the curtains Mylene had drawn, she immediately understood why her body felt particularly tired when she shifted her gaze to the window.

It was still dawn, before sunrise. 

 “Um…… Mylene? What time is it……”

“Right now? It’s 5 o’clock!” 

 Rowenloa just sighed once at Mylene’s incredibly cheerful response.

The fact that she woke up at five meant that Mylene must have woken up even earlier to prepare, making her feel both embarrassed and sorry to say anything about it. 

 “Preparations complete!” 

 She completely surrendered her body to them in a half-asleep state.

It would be fair to say she had virtually no memory of taking her bath. 

 After dozing off for quite a while, their satisfied exclamations pierced her ears.

When she opened her eyes, the mirror reflected a completely different version of herself from what it had shown at dawn. 

 “Oh……”

“Just saying you’re pretty isn’t enough for this!”

“Of course! This is beautiful, I tell you!” 

 Filled with confidence from their admiration behind her, she straightened her back, held her chin high, and began walking.

When she went downstairs, she saw Father waiting for her, and behind him, her brothers with disapproving expressions and sleepy faces who seemed to have followed Father out, along with Leila. 

 When she took one step onto the stairs making a click– sound, they turned their attention to her.

As she descended, she noticed their gradually changing gazes. 

 If someone were to write this scene as a novel, she thought, she would definitely be the protagonist of this scene. 

 After completely descending the stairs, she gave a slight bow to Father, who seemed flustered and cleared his throat before composing himself and responding to her greeting. 

 “The dress suits you well.”

“It’s thanks to you, Father.” 

 Hearing those words, Leila flinched. 

 There was no way Father would have sent clothes to Rowenloa without having one made for Leila as well.

Surely Leila must have received a beautiful dress as a surprise from Father too.

However, judging by her expression, it seemed Rowenloa’s dress was more beautiful than Leila’s. 

 ……This might be the first time I’ve seen her face so stiff. 

 “The Duchess of Posilia will appreciate Father’s sincerity as well. Then, I shall take my leave now.” 

 As she bowed slightly to Father again and turned toward the door, she felt a presence beside her and turned her head to find Brother Rubert had somehow approached and was looking down at her. 

 ……His face seems a bit stiff, is he perhaps angry with me? 

 While she maintained eye contact with him tensely, Brother Rubert carefully offered his arm to her.

As she looked at him with a surprised expression, Brother Rubert quietly whispered to her. 

 “Father should be doing this, but it seems he has no intention to. There are also people watching.” 

 At his words, she looked around and could feel quite a few servants glancing at them.

Usually when wearing such a voluminous dress that’s easy to trip in, it was customary for a father to escort his daughter to the carriage, but since Father was standing still like a stone statue, it seemed they thought this would make for good gossip. 

 But such an action would put Brother Rubert in quite a difficult position. 

 Though thinking this, she couldn’t refuse the kindness he offered, so she smiled and gently took his arm as they walked toward the door. 

 “Rubert!” 

 She heard Brother Bershua’s voice calling Brother Rubert from behind.

Brother Rubert seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then smiled at her as if everything was fine and hurried his steps. 

 “Have a good time.”

“……What are you thinking?” 

 Hearing her words, Brother Rubert shrugged his shoulders and made an expression as if he didn’t know what she meant.

However, considering how his shoulders had flinched earlier when Brother Bershua called him, he must surely understand what she meant. 

 “This will make your position within the mansion unstable, Brother.” 

 At that, Brother Rubert showed a bitter smile. 

 “I’m tired of staying still and being cautious now. If I’m going to take a risk, I’d rather take it with someone smart like you.” 

 With those words, Brother Rubert urged Mylene to close the door.

As the carriage door closed, it began racing toward House Posilia. 

 ***

 The Posilia mansion, which she hadn’t visited in a while, seemed even more splendidly decorated than before.

Both the garden and the interior.

She could feel how important Duchess Posilia regarded this tea party. 

 “Are you Lady Rowenloa Masipacius?” 

 Following the guard knight’s words at the main gate, as she stood in the main lobby of House Posilia, a white-haired woman who appeared quite elderly approached her. 

 That woman’s name was Del.

Though dressed as a maid, Del was actually Grace’s teacher who had been employed by the young duke Posilia since long ago.

The Duchess Posilia always ordered Del to dress as a maid and guide the invited young ladies when hosting these tea parties. 

 And Del would report every single one of their actions from the lobby to the tea party to the Duchess.

Those who treated Del rudely, seeing her as just a servant, would never be invited again to these parties hosted by Duchess Posilia. 

 This was information that Grace, who didn’t want to grow distant from Rowenloa in her previous life, had secretly passed on to her. 

 “Yes, I am Rowenloa Masipacius.” 

 She greeted Del with an attitude that was neither too formal nor too dismissive.

Del looked at her with a briefly surprised expression before returning to wearing a gentle smile. 

 “I will guide you to the garden.” 

 At her words, Rowenloa nodded slightly in gratitude.

Upon arriving at the garden, she saw other well-dressed young ladies already seated. 

 She could see people gathered around a red-haired young lady.

Del cleared her throat to draw attention to them. 

 “Lady Masipacius has arrived.” 

 The young ladies who heard this looked at her with round eyes.

Since there was no way to know who would be attending the Duchess’s tea party until they arrived at the gathering, the young ladies seemed surprised that she, who had not yet debuted in society and was rumored to be treated coldly in the Marquis’s household following recent news of her father’s adoption, was attending this gathering. 

 She smiled gently at them and spoke. 

 “Hello, I am Rowenloa Masipacius. It is an honor to be invited to this gathering with all of you.” 

 The young ladies’ wary gazes swept over her.

Some looked dazed while examining her dress.

And some seemed to be appraising the jewels on her dress with dissatisfied expressions, as though they found something displeasing. 

 Without yielding to their gazes, she quietly went to sit in an empty seat.

As soon as she sat down, the young ladies began speaking to her. 

 “Lady Masipacius, your dress is so beautiful today!”

“Indeed…… I don’t think I’ve seen these jewels before, did the Marquis procure them for you?” 

 It seemed this tea party had mainly invited young ladies who had recently had their debutante ball like Grace, who had hers early this year, and those who would soon have theirs around the same time as her. 

 “Yes, Father obtained these jewels for this gathering.” 

 As she spoke, the red-haired girl about her age sitting across from her snorted. 

 “Lady Masipacius seems to receive great love from the Marquis, unlike the rumors.” 

 When she stared at her expressionlessly, the girl flinched momentarily, then looked around at the young ladies seated around her before turning back to her with a triumphant expression. 

 She opened her mouth with a composed smile toward the girl.

With Del watching the situation, she absolutely couldn’t show signs of being flustered even if she was. 

 “Father has been very proud of me going to the Imperial Palace alone recently. He gifted me these beautiful clothes and jewels, saying I should maintain proper etiquette as a noble young lady who has visited the Imperial Palace.” 

 The girl looked at her with an expression of displeasure.

Just as she was about to speak again, Del’s voice was heard once more. 

 “The Duchess of Posilia and young lady have arrived.” 

 Looking toward the building, they could see the Duchess and Grace approaching them.

They all stood up and bowed to show respect to Duchess Posilia. 

 “Ah, please sit down everyone. Since I invited you all, there’s no need for such formality with me.” 

 But how could they not show proper respect before the Duchess of a family said to rival even the imperial family?

Everyone seemed to share this thought, as we were only able to sit after Duchess Posilia and Grace had taken their seats. 

 “It seemed you were having some conversation before we arrived.” 

 At Duchess Posilia’s words, the red-haired young lady sitting across from her curled her lips unpleasantly and spoke. 

 “I have been rude to Lady Masipacius, Duchess. I apologize, Lady Masipacius. When I heard the Marquis had adopted a daughter, I wondered if there might be some issue between Lady Masipacius and the Marquis.” 

 Hearing those words, the Duchess looked at her with sparkling eyes.

While Grace wore an uncomfortable expression, she just kept her lips tightly sealed and fixed her gaze on her plate. 

 She realized then. 

 Ah, the Duchess is testing me.