What’s wrong with that smile?

It was beautiful yet strangely unnatural, like the smile painted on a marionette.

Even the usually oblivious Alpi seemed to sense the unsettling shift in the atmosphere and gripped Evelyn’s hand tightly.

“Ha-ha. M-My lady, it’s getting cold. Why don’t we go inside?”

“Evelyn, I know it must be painful, but that’s why you should pray earnestly to the goddess. Do you understand? Sometimes, the goddess answers our prayers.”

Adonea’s usual gentle smile returned to her lips.

Without offering much of a response, Evelyn left the garden.

Yet it took a long time to escape the chilling gaze she could feel following her from behind.

“Lady Evelyn, are you all right? You look pale.”

“I’m fine, Alpi.”

‘Sometimes, the goddess answers our prayers?’

For some strange reason, those words reminded Evelyn of the accident just before she entered this world.

At the time, she had been lamenting her miserable life and the fact that she had no one by her side.

Evelyn composed her increasingly tangled thoughts.

Even if Lagria’s supreme goddess had answered her prayers, what difference did that make?

Does she expect me to be grateful?

Evelyn grumbled inwardly and quickened her pace.

For now, she needed to prepare for the imperial princess’s approaching birthday celebration.

Soft sunlight fell across Evelyn’s body, which seemed to be growing with each passing day.

It was infinitely gentle, almost as though trying to comfort her.

But dark clouds soon swallowed the light, leaving her in the cold shadows.

***

Several peaceful days passed, and the day of the imperial princess’s birthday celebration finally arrived.

During that time, Evelyn had exchanged letters with Madlette through Alpi and received regular updates on the Black Diamond Club.

Recruitment was progressing slowly but steadily.

Madlette certainly has a way with words. And because she’s a woman, noble ladies will probably find it easier to trust her.

Evelyn wanted to help with the work however she could, but her current circumstances made that difficult.

More importantly, she was presently riding in a carriage bound for the imperial palace.

“My lady, this is my first time visiting the palace.”

Alpi’s face was rigid with tension.

She had been so anxious since morning that Evelyn had even suggested she drink a cup of warm tea.

Not that it stopped her from trembling.

Watching Alpi, Evelyn wondered what was so extraordinary about visiting the imperial palace.

Of course, if she compared it to her previous life, it would be like an ordinary citizen suddenly receiving an invitation to the presidential residence. That certainly would have been shocking.

But in this world, Evelyn was not an ordinary citizen.

She was the youngest daughter of a duke.

‘It would be stranger if I acted surprised. Besides, I have far too much to accomplish once we arrive.’

Her highest priority was avoiding the incident involving the imperial princess’s myna bird.

After Evelyn was suspected of killing the princess’s beloved bird, her already terrible reputation plummeted beyond recovery.

She needed to minimize the time she spent alone and establish her innocence by any means possible.

Her second priority was identifying male nobles whom she could recruit into the Black Diamond Club.

Evelyn discreetly examined the invitations Madlette had personally designed.

Each was small enough to fit comfortably in an adult’s palm.

The invitation was written on white paper with ink mixed with pure gold, giving it an exceptionally luxurious appearance.

Evelyn smiled in satisfaction.

As expected of Madlette. Just help me create our first successful couple, and I’ll make sure you receive a generous bonus.

At present, it was a secret social club that could only be joined with an invitation.

However, once they assembled enough members, Evelyn planned to change the system so that new members could only join through an invitation from someone already in the club.

Chuckling, she tightened the strings of the pouch concealed within her dress.

She could distribute the invitations through Alpi or slip them into people’s pockets herself.

But one final problem, one she could not resolve no matter how much she considered it, was tormenting her mind.

Should she allow Adonea to attract everyone’s attention as the original story intended?

Adonea had already revealed her divine power during dinner and easily secured the family’s interest.

‘The thought of watching that happen again makes my stomach twist. I really can’t decide.’

Part of Evelyn simply wanted to interfere because imagining Adonea’s satisfaction irritated her.

More importantly, however, everything she had observed about Adonea gave her the ominous feeling that something disturbing was about to happen.

For now, Evelyn decided to watch Adonea carefully and ensure that nothing dangerous occurred.

While she was absorbed in thought, the carriage entered the vast grounds of the imperial palace.

The carriage traveling ahead stopped.

Duke Chantalis and Oden stepped out of the first carriage.

Locke and Sachi emerged from the carriage behind it. Adonea descended from the third, while Evelyn stepped out of the final carriage.

What an absurd waste of money.

Apparently, demonstrating that one could casually use four carriages for a simple visit to the palace was a long-standing tradition among the highest-ranking nobles.

The custom of separating passengers by age and gender had at least allowed Evelyn to travel comfortably.

Still, there was something ridiculous about noble daughters descending one by one from separate little carriages as though they were exhibits in a show.

Holding Alpi’s hand, Evelyn climbed the palace’s tall staircase one step at a time.

Her knees occasionally ached, perhaps because she had been growing rapidly lately.

‘I’m already this beautiful. Won’t I cause an absolute uproar once I reach adulthood?’

Ignoring the nobles staring at her, Evelyn continued walking cheerfully.

They called her the seed of evil, yet whenever her golden hair fluttered, their expressions went blank with wonder.

Evelyn was quietly giggling at them when Sachi, who had been walking ahead, approached her.

“Are you all right, Evelyn?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“If anyone says something to you, or if you notice anyone suspicious, tell me. I’ll deal with them.”

With an utterly calm face, Sachi casually uttered something rather frightening.

To Evelyn, he still looked like a child. Yet his determination to protect his younger sister was admirable.

Delighted, Evelyn linked her arm through his.

“All right. I’ll place my trust in you, Brother.”

After briefly stiffening in surprise at the unexpected contact, Sachi gave her a warm look.

“Good, Evelyn.”

Oden glanced toward the two of them as they laughed together.

Watching his eldest son, Duke Chantalis moved his pen through the air.

[What is it? Are you jealous?]

“Of course not. I’m merely curious about what happened between them.”

[Their sincerity must have reached one another, whether it was Sachi’s or Evelyn’s.]

Oden frowned.

He remembered the time Sachi had defended Evelyn and stood against him.

‘That Sachi, who finds fighting with others more annoying than death itself…’

If anyone else had seen it, they might have said there was nothing strange about it.

But to Oden, it was extraordinary.

As the eldest son of House Chantalis, he knew his siblings’ basic temperaments better than anyone.

By all he knew of Sachi, he should not have gotten along with Evelyn, nor should he have taken her side.

Evelyn was certainly very beautiful on the surface, and she even seemed quite intelligent, but for Sachi to fall for that…

Oden abruptly stopped thinking.

‘What the hell did I just say?’

He was dumbfounded by his own thoughts.

Yet objectively speaking, nothing he had thought was incorrect.

Not only had Evelyn’s behavior improved dramatically with each passing day, but even her vocabulary had become far more sophisticated.

Most striking of all, her entire way of thinking often seemed considerably more mature than before.

What could have caused such a sudden change?

For generations, House Chantalis had produced so many exceptional children that people joked Lagria would fall into ruin the day a foolish child was born into the family.

Though Oden was reluctant to admit it, he began to wonder whether Evelyn might eventually become one of the most exceptional examples of all.

Whether because of the beauty she had inherited from their mother or because of her intelligence.

Duke Chantalis chuckled as he watched his son sink into thought.

He is still a child after all.

Oden had begun acting fully grown after their mother’s death, but his thoughts still showed plainly on his face, just as they always had.

Meanwhile, Adonea, who was walking in the middle of the group, shyly addressed Locke beside her.

“Brother, your outfit suits you wonderfully today.”

“Oh, does it? You look beautiful too, Adonea.”

Locke smiled bashfully.

Adonea smiled sweetly at him, then glanced back at Evelyn following behind them.

At that moment, her red eyes turned frighteningly cold.

Locke happened to see it and flinched.

‘Has Adonea always made expressions like that?’

“Adonea?”

“Oh, yes! I was only checking whether Evelyn was keeping up with us. There are so many stairs, what if she becomes exhausted?”

“She’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much.”

Adonea smiled.

Locke wondered whether he had simply misread her expression.

Just then, Evelyn looked at the enormous doors before them and smiled excitedly.

“Brother Sachi, look. We’ve arrived!”

The doors, lavishly decorated with precious jewels, swung open, releasing the sweet aroma of food into the air.

The herald announced loudly, “His Grace, the Duke of Chantalis, and his children!”

At the announcement, every noble already gathered in the banquet hall turned toward the entrance.

Young noblewomen close in age to Oden, Locke, and Sachi stole glances at the brothers while pretending not to.

Had it not been for Evelyn, the three would have been renowned throughout high society as the finest prospective husbands of the next few years.

Then the girls’ attention settled upon Evelyn, wrapped in a pitch-black veil.

They appeared even more excited to see the rumored seed of evil in person than they had been to see the Chantalis brothers.

“Is that really her?”

“Yes, it’s that thing. It has to be!”

“Wow, I’ve never seen her in person. Dressed like that, you’d think someone had died.”

The young ladies giggled.

An older noblewoman who overheard them promptly reprimanded her daughter.

“Emil, what are you looking at? Turn away this instant.”

“But Mother…”

“Luina, that includes you. Unless you wish to be cursed, look away.”

Terrified that their children might become involved with House Chantalis, the parents hurriedly led them elsewhere.

Only members of the other ducal families approached without hesitation.

Evelyn examined them carefully.

‘If I remember correctly, they were the fat Duke Ripon, the timid Duke Siola, and the treacherous Duke Germand.’

Duke Ripon was intelligent but lazy.

Duke Siola was so indecisive that few could rival him.

Duke Germand was even more troublesome. He was notorious among the nobles for provoking House Chantalis at every opportunity in an effort to ruin its reputation.

Sure enough, Duke Germand was the first to approach Duke Chantalis, stroking his mustache.

“It has been a long time. Was the last time we met at Jubel’s funeral?”

Duke Chantalis reached for his pen to respond, but Duke Germand covered his own mouth and exclaimed dramatically.

“Ah, that’s right! You still can’t speak, can you? What a tragedy. Weren’t you once the Iron-Blooded Duke who held all of Lagria in the palm of his hand?”