Ellie Finega was terribly bored. That didn’t mean she was just idling around. She had picked out two books at a bookstore and was now heading to her next stop—a dessert house. It was a place crowded with girls like her.

As soon as she met her friends, Ellie started complaining.

“Nothing exciting ever happens these days. Graduation is just around the corner… After that, what else is there to do besides going out for some fresh air?”

Aileen replied, “Didn’t you meet with Sir Bessar? You say you’re bored, so why aren’t you seeing him?”

“Forget it. He actually said that no matter how rich my family is, his family might oppose our relationship, so I should buy some gifts in advance and give them to him. Is he insane?”

Susan looked apologetic. “Haha… I feel like this might be my fault. I told him your family was well-off, so he wouldn’t have to worry.”

Ellie shook her head at Susan.

“He handed me a list of gifts… I mean, really… What’s the point of being a noble if you’re that rude? And it’s not like he’s even handsome.”

Ellie despised impoverished, insignificant noblemen who disregarded her family’s status yet shamelessly held out their hands as if it were only natural. After encountering this situation multiple times, she even began to wonder if the problem lay with her.

Before long, she found the real cause of the issue—Susan. Susan had been secretly arranging connections between wealthy bourgeois girls like Ellie and penniless nobles, charging a fee for her matchmaking services. And she wasn’t just passing along words in the background.

Ellie complained to her mother.

“Should I be impressed that she has such business acumen at a young age? Or should I yell at her for treating her friends as commodities first?”

Mrs. Finega responded weakly, “For now, tell your other friends. That way, they’ll be cautious around the men Susan introduces to them.”

Following her mother’s advice, Ellie warned her friends.

“If you notice an unusual number of poor noble heirs swarming around you and constantly trying to approach you, just know—your so-called friend is selling you out. Be especially careful with the men Susan introduces you to. Or prepare yourself.”

As a result of Ellie’s exposé and interference, Susan’s business took a hit, and she began avoiding Ellie. However, word had it that her matchmaking venture was still thriving.

One day, Aileen, visiting Ellie’s home, remarked, “She’s taking advantage of the bourgeois women’s desire for noble status. Honestly, many bourgeois girls are the ones approaching the nobles first. Some even seek Susan out after hearing rumors about her.”

Ellie replied, “My mother’s heard plenty of stories, too. It’s practically a trend now. Even with all the risks, bourgeois women keep marrying into the nobility. And in many cases, once they’ve paid the dowry, their husbands act as if they never existed. Some noblemen even prevent their wives from participating in social circles because they’re ashamed of their non-noble origins. And if the wives want to return to their families, the men just let them go and keep the dowry. If they endure, they suffer; if they run, they lose everything. Either way, it’s always the woman who pays the price.”

Aileen nodded. “I’ve been hearing a lot of similar stories lately. Bourgeois women may boast about living better than nobles, but in the end, they still want noble status. They’re always looking to climb higher.”

Ellie shook her head. “At this point… I think I’d feel most at ease with someone from the bourgeois class. After all, shared values are the hardest thing to find. Having a similar background increases the chances of compatibility, doesn’t it? Maybe I should just let my parents introduce someone.”

Aileen chuckled. “People talk about love marriages being popular, but in the end, it’s all about conditions. That’s why romance novels are everywhere—because real romance is so rare.”

Ellie nodded in agreement. Reality was harsh, and marriage was a matter of conditions and compromise. Romance novels only offered a temporary escape from that reality.

“If only a ridiculously handsome man would appear before me.”

“You’re still not giving up on looks, huh?”

“At least let me dream.”

***

Alex was exasperated. A box filled with invitations was sitting outside his door. And today, there was even someone waiting for him.

A man claiming to be from House Wiscombe said, “The Duchess of Wiscombe would very much like for you to attend. She mentioned that perhaps the invitations haven’t been reaching you properly, so she sent me in person.”

The man subtly glanced at the overflowing box. The invitations inside hadn’t even been opened.

“Please, just show your face once.”

Alex had every intention of refusing. But before he could say a word, the man added, “The Duchess has very few relatives. Please consider your aunt’s dignity.”

The mention of his “aunt” weakened Alex’s resolve. It had already been years since his mother had passed away. He had thought his ties with his maternal family were severed, but hearing the word “aunt” stirred memories of his mother and left him feeling conflicted.

‘I’ll have to apologize to my father later. But at least I can write to Sophia about my aunt when I send her a letter.’

After a moment of hesitation, Alex finally agreed.

* * *

“Disgusting. I’ll never set foot in this place again!”

Alex regretted not listening to his father. He was furious at having been deceived by the Duchess of Wiscombe.

He felt like a product on display. Even though he had been introduced as the duchess’s nephew, the noblewomen threw lewd jokes at him or openly flirted.

An older woman even promised to sponsor him while slyly touching his arm. Her words, spoken behind a hand covering her mouth in mock embarrassment, were utterly vile.

Either the Duchess of Wiscombe’s standards were abysmal, or his own were simply that low.

Here was the truth of it: the Duchess of Wiscombe had revealed Alex Ariel’s unfortunate circumstances to the noblewomen, making sure to emphasize the poverty of the Ariel estate.

Naturally, upon being introduced to him, they saw it as an opportunity to easily acquire a handsome young man in financial distress.

A middle-aged woman subtly kneaded his arm and shoulder as she spoke.

“I’ll make sure you never have to worry about making a living after you graduate from the academy. You can even bring your entire family to the capital if you like.”

“She must be insane…”

Unsettled, Alex fled the overwhelming scent of cosmetics and perfume, stepping not just out of the ballroom but out of the mansion altogether.

“She’s not my aunt—she’s a damned matchmaker! I should have listened to Father.”

Later, he would learn that many impoverished academy students formed such connections and received sponsorships this way. Even those who didn’t seek sponsorship still attended noblewomen’s gatherings to build valuable networks.

Though he realized that the Duchess of Wiscombe had not deliberately deceived him, Alex had no intention of getting involved with her ever again.

* * *

Outside, Alex stared at the long stretch of empty road lined with tall walls. After a moment of hesitation, he began to walk.

“If I save the money I’d spend on a carriage, I could buy Sophia a book instead.”

Since the academy was located behind the imperial palace, he would have to take a long detour through the second district. Even then, walking all night might not be enough to reach it.

Instead, he decided to head into town and wait until dawn to catch the academy’s scheduled carriage, which was free for students. As he walked, the moon rose.

“Is it still only early evening?”

The time he had spent at the mansion felt like an eternity, yet only an hour or two had passed.

By the time he reached town, his stomach, which had been unsettled all evening, now felt completely empty.

His legs growing heavy, Alex sat on the steps of a house, not knowing who it belonged to.

Looking up, he saw the moon had reached the center of the sky. It would still be hours before he could catch a carriage.

As he sat on the steps, a delicious scent drifted from somewhere nearby.

The smell was oddly comforting—it reminded him of home and his family. Almost unconsciously, he murmured to himself,

“I’m hungry…”

At that moment, a girl named Ellie, who had opened a window on the first floor to let the smell out, heard him and absentmindedly replied,

“Then come in and eat with us.”

Helen turned to her in surprise.

“Who are you talking to? Do we have a guest coming, Sol?”

“I heard him,” Sol said, running over to open the door.

“Come inside.”

Alex, caught off guard, hesitated before replying,

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to use your steps so thoughtlessly. I’ll find another place—”

The young boy, Sol, whispered conspiratorially,

“We already ate dinner. This is our secret meal. It’s really good. Our parents are at a gathering and haven’t come back yet, so hurry! If we eat quickly and clean up, they won’t find out.”

“That won’t do. Lock the door at once. Where are your servants?”

Sol’s big eyes darted around before he answered,

“They’re having their meal.”

“You should never open the door for strangers, especially when your parents aren’t home. Lock it now.”

“Okay.”

Sol obediently shut the door. Alex, still uneasy, took another glance at it before stepping down from the stairs.

Just then, Ellie opened the door again.

“It’s fine. We made plenty, so an extra mouth to feed isn’t—”

She suddenly froze, her mouth slightly open.

Her reaction made Helen curious, and she too went to the door. Upon seeing Alex, she gasped.

“Wow! Come in, come in. Step into the light.”

Alex grew even more concerned when even Helen—who looked younger than his sister Sophia—came outside.

At that moment, Ellie clarified,

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I only invited you because you said you were hungry.”

Alex chuckled awkwardly. Since he was still dressed in his formal attire from the banquet, he didn’t appear shabby.

He appreciated Ellie’s effort to be considerate, making sure he wouldn’t feel insulted.

“You mentioned that your parents aren’t home right now. Since these seem to be your younger siblings, it’s dangerous—please take them inside and make sure to lock the door properly. I’ll find another place to—”

Helen quickly interrupted.

“No, don’t move.”

The sound of hurried footsteps and things being gathered could be heard clearly. Ellie smiled and said,

“You’re waiting for the early morning carriage because the service has stopped for the night, right? We’ve had a few people like that before. Normally, our servants would take care of them, but… tonight’s our secret late-night snack night… Our parents have their regular gathering.”

Helen handed a tray filled with food and drinks to Ellie and whispered in her ear,

“Eat with him or at least stay nearby while he eats. He’s really handsome. At least make some good memories.”

Ellie couldn’t help but laugh at Helen’s bold words, despite her young age. Still, she took the tray and stepped outside toward the stairs.

Alex accepted the tray with an awkward expression.

***

Alex sat on the steps of a stranger’s house late at night, eating, and tried his best to show that he wasn’t some suspicious person by bringing up stories about the academy and his younger sister.

Ellie spoke up.

“But right now…?”

“I ran away on my own because I didn’t like the party. I was planning to take the academy’s early morning carriage back.”

Ellie smiled in satisfaction. Just watching him was nice, but his voice was pleasant too, and she enjoyed their conversation.

Alex said,

“Thank you so much for tonight. I’ll be sure to come back and express my gratitude properly. And I also apologize for loitering on your family’s steps like this.”

“There’s no need to apologize. If you had really looked suspicious, did you see that little house over there? Someone would’ve stopped you before you even got this far. The townspeople pooled money together to form a sort of security patrol.”

“I see. I didn’t know that. No one stopped me, so I thought—”

“Why would they stop you?”

Ellie smiled shyly. Alex, not understanding, simply stared at her face.

With an even more bashful expression, Ellie asked,

“Once you graduate from the academy, will you work in the administrative district? Or are you planning to return to your hometown?”

“I have to go back home. I need to help my father. It’s just him and my younger sister there.”

“I see. So, you’ll be returning home.”

At the slight disappointment in Ellie’s voice, Alex quickly added,

“It’s getting late. You should head inside. Your parents might come home soon. I wouldn’t want you to get scolded because of me.”

Ellie hesitated before finally turning away.

‘He’s handsome. Really handsome.’

When Helen saw Ellie coming in, her sleepy eyes widened.

“For a second, I thought an angel had landed on our steps. How can a guy’s face be that pretty? I was shocked.”

“And his voice was nice too. So gentle when he spoke.”

“Oh wow! What did he say? Is he coming back?”

Ellie’s face turned red.

“He said he’d come by in the morning to thank us properly.”

Sol groaned.

“Then he’ll find out we had a late-night snack! Tell him not to come!”

Helen turned to Sol.

“No way. We have to see him again in the daylight. I need to check if he still looks like an angel then.”

***

As promised, Alex visited the Finega household the next afternoon to express his gratitude. Ellie, who had been lingering near the entrance all day, led him straight to the dessert house instead of inside.

“If my parents find out I opened the door for a stranger late at night and even talked with him, I’ll definitely get scolded.”

Alex let her pull him along without resistance. After ordering tea and dessert, Ellie said,

“I don’t plan on telling my parents the truth, so please understand. I’ll accept your gratitude in the form of tea.”

Alex chuckled and nodded.

Ellie fell silent for a moment, then looked him straight in the eye and asked,

“Do you take after your mother? Or your father?”

Alex blushed slightly.

“I’ve been told I look like my mother.”

“Then she must have been a great beauty. You said you have a younger sister, right? She must be very beautiful too.”

This time, Alex gave an awkward smile.

“My sister takes after our father, not our mother. But she’s incredibly smart. Ever since she was little, she’s been reading old records by my father’s side. She loves maps, and now she even draws them herself. She’s only fourteen, but she’s out exploring Titania, mapping the terrain. She even corrects discrepancies between the old maps and the actual land. She studies centuries-old documents and charts everything from the types of trees in the Titania Mountains to the locations of shrub clusters. She’s truly amazing.”

As he spoke, his pride in his younger sister was evident.

Ellie chuckled.

“She must resent you sometimes, doesn’t she?”

“How did you know?”

Alex looked genuinely surprised, making Ellie laugh.

“I have a younger sister too. Sometimes, her jealousy is adorable, but other times, it can be a little hurtful. I’m sure a lot of people assume your sister must be as beautiful as you. That must upset her. People probably get disappointed when they meet her, don’t they? Comparisons always leave scars—whether they’re made by others or by oneself.”

Alex nodded thoughtfully.

“If I could, I’d give my appearance to my younger sister. But Sofia wouldn’t need it. She has plenty of strengths. To me, she’s incredibly cute, but people keep comparing her to me…”

Ellie nodded as she watched Alex smile while boasting about his sister.

‘He looks even more handsome when he smiles.’

Alex, seeing Ellie smile back at him, had a thought of his own.

‘She looks cute when she smiles.’

***

Two years later, when news broke that Alex Ariel and Ellie Finega were getting married, Susan scoffed. She knew Alex Ariel as well.

“That handsome but penniless baron’s son!”

She laughed mockingly.

“Ellie Finega is really something, marrying a poor noble without even needing an introduction. She attacked me as if I was doing something shameless, and yet in the end, she’s marrying a poor noble too.”

After her marriage to Alex was decided, Ellie met with her friends to say her goodbyes, as she would soon be leaving the capital.

She had gone to a dessert house to meet them when she overheard Susan speaking with satisfaction about her marriage.

Ellie approached Susan’s table and said,

“Oh my, Susan! It’s been a while. So, you heard about my wedding too?”

Susan was momentarily flustered but quickly composed herself and smiled at Ellie.

“You’re marrying Baron Ariel’s son, I heard? He was famous for his looks even back at the academy. I wanted to set myself up with a good match too, but he was so arrogant… I doubt he’s that impressive in person. I also heard the Finega family’s business is doing well. You should’ve just accepted when I tried to introduce you to someone. You could’ve at least landed a count’s son.”

Susan suddenly stopped mid-sentence and looked behind Ellie.

Ellie, noticing Susan’s reaction, turned around. Alex was standing there, looking at them. With a gentle voice, he asked,

“Are these your friends, Ellie?”

Ellie beamed.

“My friends are at a different table. This is just someone I used to know. We’re done talking now. Let’s go.”

After offering a polite nod, Alex took Ellie’s hand and led her away toward another table.

One of the women sitting at Susan’s table muttered as if entranced,

“He’s really handsome…”

Both Alex and Ellie heard it. Alex turned back slightly, smiled sweetly, and gave another polite nod.

Susan and her companions blushed furiously.

Ellie hooked her arm around Alex’s and said,

“From now on, no smiling at other women. No, not even at men.”

Alex, with a dazzling smile, nodded.

“I’ll do whatever you say.”

Ellie smiled in satisfaction.

‘He’s not just handsome—he has a great personality too. What kind of luck is this?’

Every woman around them was thinking the same thing.

‘What kind of luck does that woman have?’