The inspection was quickly completed thanks to the knights escorting us.

After passing through the long garden and entering the lobby, a servant immediately attended to us. Following his guidance, we were given a tour of every corner of the Grand Duke’s castle as we walked through the corridors.

Whether he had been instructed beforehand, he was extremely enthusiastic, but in my exhausted state, I just wished to be shown to my room quickly.

“This painting is of the previous Duke…”

As the servant explained a hundred-year-old painting hanging on the wall, we began whispering among ourselves.

“At this rate, he’s going to explain the meaning of the rose pattern drawn on the wall.”

“Making us listen to this as soon as we arrive. Whose idea was this anyway?”

It started with grumbling.

“But there are more nobles who have arrived than I expected.”

“I know. They’re all amazing, having made it through those monsters.”

Around us, other nobles with tired faces like ours were being guided by servants. Their number was quite substantial.

“I wonder if there’s a direct teleport that only northerners use secretly?”

As I stroked my chin and posed a reasonable suspicion, a familiar voice answered from behind.

“That’s impossible.”

We all turned around simultaneously. A familiar face was standing there.

“Duke Ante?”

“Lady Lora. It’s been a while.”

He approached with a calm smile and greeted us. His previous sloppiness had completely disappeared. The servant who had been guiding us quietly retreated with backward steps.

“It’s been a while, Ante.”

Ante lifted my hand and lightly kissed it. As I strangely observed his noble demeanor, I hesitated and then said:

“Ante, I haven’t washed that hand.”

“…”

“Anyway, this brings back memories. Has your memory fully returned?”

He paused, staring blankly at my hand, then regained his composure at my question and smiled again.

“Haha. That’s confidential.”

“So it hasn’t fully returned yet.”

“Hahaha.”

“Wow, Ante! I’ve never seen you so neat. Dressed like this, you look like the Grand Duke’s aide!”

He just laughed “haha” at Irena’s innocent remark. Ante still retained his characteristic simplicity.

I whispered in a kind voice to him as he looked perplexed:

“We’re dying of exhaustion, can we skip the castle tour and go rest in our rooms?”

“Hahaha.”

“Haa. Who planned this anyway? Having to listen to legends about hundred-year-old paintings before we can even recover from our fatigue.”

His laughter echoed through the corridor like an echo. Later, I found out that this castle tour was planned by Ante. Irena went down to the dining hall and heard servants complaining that they were made to study unnecessary things. This was the problem with desk administration.

With Ante’s awkward laughter, we were finally guided to our rooms.

“Please go in.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

Irena and I shared a room, and the men were each assigned a room around mine. Even the servants were given good rooms, which suggested Ante’s influence.

Since the maids had already brought and organized our luggage, both Irena and I immediately collapsed on our beds.

“Phew, I’m really exhausted.”

“It finally feels like we can rest, my lady.”

“These three days felt like thirty.”

We experienced too many things in three days. I could barely remember what had happened until now. Lying on the sofa, I stared blankly at the dressing table with its ornate golden candlestick and spoke.

“I don’t know if Ante is giving me dung or gold.”

“Haha. But he seems to be trying hard.”

Irena awkwardly laughed and defended Ante. I pretended not to hear. Then, looking at the rose pattern embroidered on the ceiling, I muttered:

“The party starts tomorrow. I’m already tired of it.”

Having departed hastily and arrived in a rush, I had to enter the social scene starting tomorrow without even having time to recover from fatigue.

“But it’s your first social debut, my lady! I’m so happy just to have such an opportunity.”

Irena said this wasn’t the time to be like this and got up to gather dresses and jewelry.

With her bustling figure as the last thing I saw, my eyes slowly closed.

***

“My lady, please close your eyes.”

Brushes began to busily pass over my gently closed eyes. Today was the opening day of the Northern Social Party. The maids were skillfully grooming me.

“Oh my, how can your skin be so fair?”

“You’re truly beautiful. Like a fairy.”

It was early morning, and even the compliments went in one ear and out the other. Normally, I would have made a fuss about not wanting to be dressed up, but I couldn’t do that now. It was because the maids who groomed me were people of Kalschmitz.

I had to comply obediently, if only for Demian, who had visited early in the morning with wide eyes pleading, “Please behave.” I simply closed my eyes when told to close them and opened them when told to open them, with an empty gaze.

“My lady. We’re finished. Please open your eyes!”

I must have been dozing off.

As I awakened my dazed mind and slowly opened my eyes, the sun was already up outside. Looking at the mirror in front of me, there sat Lora, more beautiful than usual.

Dense eyelashes, rosy cheeks adding vitality, moist red lips, and strands of hair naturally pulled out from the updo—I looked like a woman from a masterpiece painting.

It was a beauty that made my half-closed eyes open wide.

“I like it. Thank you.”

“Not at all. It’s because your beauty is outstanding, my lady.”

The maids bowed respectfully. As I looked at my face from different angles, I raised my eyebrows in bewilderment.

“Oh, this is a problem.”

“Pardon?”

“I was planning to go quietly, as if I wasn’t even there, but that’s all ruined now. How can I do that with this beauty?”

As I talked nonsense due to drowsiness, the maids burst into laughter.

“Oh my! You startled us. But your beauty would have been too radiant to hide even without any makeup, my lady.”

As expected of a Kalschmitz maid, her social skills were maxed out. She smiled and spoke politely, and the others nodded in agreement.

I got up from my seat with a smirk. Then I stepped into my shoes and went to the drawing room.

My companions were sitting in the drawing room, and I twirled in front of them.

“How do I look?”

At my question, Sion turned his head and widened his eyes once. Then he gently closed them.

“You look beautiful.”

I laughed at his textbook response. I turned my head to the side.

“Demian, what about you?”

“You look beautiful.”

“Didn’t I tell you to put some soul into your words?”

Then he answered with a blank face:

“Yes. You truly look beautiful.”

“Demian. Did you eat something wrong?”

As I backed away in alarm, a vein popped on Demian’s forehead.

“No. I didn’t eat anything wrong. And how do I put soul into an answer? As I told you before, please stop saying such dreadful things. It’s easy to be mistaken for a dark mage.”

Irena and Lionel, who had been watching us, approached with laughter and separated us.

Irena whispered in my ear.

“Many eyes are watching, my lady.”

“I know. So what?”