No matter how much society changed, the main topic of conversation among the social circles remained the same as ever—curiosity and interest in men and women of marriageable age.

At twenty-seven, Parma was the oldest young lady in high society. She had little in common with the younger ladies, and they were excessively afraid of her.

‘It’s convenient that they’re intimidated… but how long will this last?’

Parma was still beautiful and still carried the formidable aura of the Gareth name. Because of this, no one dared to mention her age or marital status in her presence. In her presence.

People whispered that while the Duke of Gareth stood tall with his pride, it was his sister’s even greater pride that kept both of them from marriage.

However, earlier this year, Lord Gareth had finally married. His wife was the daughter of Baron Ditche, a noble family from the Gareth estate. Since the wedding had taken place far from the capital, few had met the future Duchess of Gareth.

Just as Parma rarely spoke about her brother, she also never mentioned his wife. And since no one in high society dared to approach her to satisfy their curiosity, the subject never became a major topic of discussion.

Instead, the person who had captured the most attention in the social circles was Sol Finega.

At eighteen, Sol Finega had entered the administrative division, setting a record as the youngest ever in the empire. His promotions were swift, and while he was of common birth, his background rivaled that of any noble.

Even without mentioning the Finega family’s wealth, he was related by marriage to Ariel, the Crown Princess’s family, and his father was the first bourgeois to be appointed as an imperial advisor.

To those who knew Sol Finega, he was seen as an ambitious man determined to succeed, and he had never denied that perception. In truth, Sol Finega was desperate for success.

With his talent, background, and strong sense of purpose, Sol Finega was undoubtedly a rising star. Naturally, the newspapers and magazines began taking interest, and soon, his name spread across high society. In other words, he had caught the attention of countless young ladies and noblewomen.

Parma Gareth found it fascinating.

‘The boy who used to ride in the winter wind, his cheeks flushed red, is now a promising figure in the administrative division and the most eligible bachelor in the empire. Is time moving too fast, or am I the one standing still?’

***

Sophia greeted Parma warmly after a long time apart.

“I wanted to attend Lord Gareth’s wedding, but I couldn’t. So, tell me, what is she like? Does she resemble Lord Gareth, or is she completely different?”

Parma burst into laughter at Sophia’s rapid-fire questions—the very questions that society longed to ask but never dared to. Knowing Lord Gareth, Sophia must have been curious as well. Parma answered cheerfully.

“She’s the youngest daughter of the Ditche family—Anne Ditche, though she’s now Anne Gareth. And I finally figured out why someone who craves attention so much chose to marry away from the capital. It turns out the new Lady Gareth knows exactly how to handle Lord Gareth.”

Sophia’s eyes widened.

“How? Not by force, surely? What’s she like? How did they meet?”

“I don’t know all the details. I only saw Anne a few times when I visited the estate, and weddings are always chaotic. Besides, she’s a little intimidated by me.”

“So, in what way? I need to know what kind of person she is if she can handle Lord Gareth!”

“She cheers enthusiastically even for Lord Gareth’s childish bragging. But when something isn’t right, she’s as sharp as a knife. Because of that, he’s extremely conscious of her reactions. If something displeases her, she’ll say it right to his face.”

“She criticizes him openly? That can’t be easy. Responding to his antics all the time sounds exhausting. If she were just another one of his admirers, he probably wouldn’t have liked her as much.”

“She does adore Stefano, but not blindly. His subordinates call her a demon.”

“His subordinates?”

“Oh! Did I not mention it? Anne was a student at the Gareth Military Academy. Right after graduation, she joined Stefano’s unit and got promoted. Now, she leads her own subordinates. She’s an officer—the first female officer in the empire.”

There was pride in Parma’s voice as she spoke.

“She endured so much harassment that she earned the nickname ‘demon.’ People either fear her, hate her, both fear and hate her, or respect her. Those are the only four types of people around her. And I wouldn’t have even known this if my brother hadn’t been boasting about her.”

Sophia’s curiosity deepened.

“Does she ever come to the capital? What does she look like? How did they even connect? Lord Gareth must have acknowledged her skills to take her in as a subordinate… Did they just fall for each other along the way? That seems too easy.”

“Originally, Anne was one of Lord Gareth’s admirers. More precisely, she was a fan of his horse, Shadow.”

“Wait… does that even mean she liked him?”

“Ah… she thought he looked cool standing next to Shadow.”

Before Sophia could say how strange that sounded, Parma abruptly changed the subject.

“Did you know Sol Finega is the talk of the social scene? Young ladies and noblewomen already have their eyes on him.”

“Mrs. Finega must be proud. When was the last time you saw Sol?”

Parma thought for a moment.

“Hmm… it’s been a few years, I think? Since I’ve been moving between the estate and the capital. Maybe at a royal ball?”

Sophia gave a slightly awkward smile. The truth was, the two had met just three months ago. Parma didn’t remember, but Sol had put in an immense effort just to have that brief encounter.

“I was going to tell her I got promoted and that I practically lived in the administrative office, working day and night.”

Sol’s first love at fourteen was still ongoing at twenty. However, Parma was still Parma—proud, and rightfully so.

“She’s already established three schools in the Gareth estate alone. She must be busy. She might not even remember meeting me. Maybe Mother is right. It’d be better to get rejected sooner rather than later.”

Sophia spoke.

“I’m planning to meet Sol and his friend after a long time. Do you remember? There was a genius even younger than Sol—Randall Frost. He’s already publishing a book. An author at eighteen… Would you like to join us, Parma?”

Parma, feeling that she had been meeting the same kinds of people lately, readily agreed.

“That sounds interesting. I’d love to.”

Sophia let out a breath of relief.

‘Finally, I can fulfill Mrs. Finega’s request.’

* * *

The four of them decided to take a walk in the Imperial Palace gardens while they talked, as the weather was pleasant. The young genius, Randall, still looked frail. But as soon as he spoke, it was clear he was different. It was as if all his energy was concentrated in his intellect. Meanwhile, Sol remained unusually quiet, too conscious of Parma’s presence.

Parma, intrigued by Randall’s book, spoke up.

“Once it’s published, would you be willing to visit Gareth? I think it would be a great experience for our students. It’s rare for them to get a chance to meet an author.”

At this, Sol quickly chimed in.

“There’s already a special lecture planned at the Academy, so there wouldn’t be much additional preparation needed. It could be a nice change of pace to visit Gareth. I could go with you as well.”

Despite Sol’s eager suggestion, Randall shook his head.

“There’s no need… I think that’s something to discuss after the book is out. There’s still a lot I need to refine, and I’m already working on my next book.”

His indifferent response only made Sol more anxious. Noticing Sol’s restlessness, Sophia glanced at Parma. But as usual, Parma pretended not to notice.

Sophia then turned to Sol and asked,

“Sol! So how’s work in the administration office? I heard rumors that they’re considering you for an auditor position?”

Sol swallowed a sigh before answering.

“It’s too soon for that. Auditors oversee the lords, and with my current experience and age, it would be difficult. And if I were to encounter nobles with resentment toward the Finega family, it wouldn’t just be tough—I might not even be able to do my job properly.”

“I thought the Empire already had auditors from commoner backgrounds, so your status wouldn’t be an issue. But I see… It’s the name ‘Finega’ that’s the problem.”

Sol gave a bitter smile.

“There may be those who think highly of the Finega family, but that also means there are just as many nobles who resent us. It’s inevitable.”

Sophia felt sympathetic. After all, she knew her own position as Crown Princess played a significant role in the hostility toward the Finega family. In many ways, the resentment toward her and the backlash against the Finegas were closely intertwined.

Sophia hesitated before saying,

“If there’s anything I can do to help… though my involvement might just make things worse.”

Parma spoke, looking at Sol.

“Then why not just keep working in the administration office? There’s no need to take on assignments that require traveling to different estates.”

Sol gave an awkward smile.

“Traveling for work helps with promotion.”

Parma raised an eyebrow.

“You’re more ambitious than I thought.”

This time, Sol smiled genuinely. His ambition had always been driven by a single reason—to be someone worthy of Parma Gareth.

Realizing that hesitation would get him nowhere, Sol acted impulsively. He stepped in front of Parma, blocking her path, and met her gaze.

“I’ve liked you for a long time, Lady Gareth. The reason I strive for success is simple—I wanted to stand out to you. I wanted to show you my achievements. That’s why I’ve chased after every title—youngest, first—because even though I’m still far from worthy, I wanted to at least offer you that.”

Parma hesitated for a moment before laughing.

“It’s good to have goals, but trying to succeed just to win someone’s heart? Won’t that feel empty in the end?”

Sol met her gaze unwaveringly.

“The time I’ve spent striving for you has never felt empty. Even if you don’t see it that way, for me… being able to talk to you like this right now is my reward. If you would just give me a little more time… I know I can become someone greater.”

Parma looked at Sol with new eyes. Meanwhile, Randall and Sophia found themselves awkwardly witnessing Sol’s bold confession.

‘You should’ve waited until you were alone with her,’ Sophia thought.

She turned to Randall.

“Why don’t we step away for a bit? You’ve never seen the Imperial Library before, have you? It has a collection of ancient texts and rare manuscripts. Would you like to take a look? It’s more productive than standing here watching Sol’s confession.”

The young genius nodded without hesitation, and Sophia, using the excuse of guiding him, quickly left the scene. Parma made no effort to stop them—if Sol was going to be rejected, it was better if no one else was there to witness it.

Parma spoke.

“…Sol. Or rather, Sol Finega. I’ve known for a while that you liked me. Back then, I thought it was just a young boy’s admiration. But now, you’re twenty years old.”

Sol smiled slightly. Parma Gareth was just as breathtaking now as she had been then.

“I’m an adult now. And I still see you as a goddess. I haven’t let go of that admiration. Even if you won’t date me, would you at least acknowledge me as a formal suitor and allow me the chance to meet you?”

Parma was about to decline with a smile when Sol spoke up.

“Isn’t it boring? Having the same conversations with the same kind of people? I respect you, Lady Gareth. You’ve built schools in Gareth territory and even established a girls’ school in the capital. I admire your dedication to your work, your unwavering determination to walk your own path at your own pace. Having a devoted admirer like me wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?”

“I’m not the kind of person who would idly accept someone’s devotion and affection just because I’m bored, even if that’s what you think—”

“I don’t see you that way, Lady Gareth. What I meant was, please look at me. If you still see me as the boy from back then, that’s fine. But… I’ve grown now. Compared to you, I’m still lacking in many ways, and I’m not someone worthy of the Gareth ducal house. But I’ll keep working harder. I want to be able to stand before you with confidence. Will you allow me that chance? No, please grant me that chance.”

Parma, caught off guard by Sol’s earnest plea, found herself nodding before she even realized it. She could still see traces of the young boy he used to be. But then, the face smiling so radiantly before her now looked like that of a man. For a brief moment, she felt as though she had been swayed.

Sol, now beaming brighter than ever, said, “Thank you. As your suitor, I will visit the Gareth estate often. I’ll send letters, too. I won’t insist on a reply, but if you do send one, I would be truly happy.”

Parma shook her head. “If you visit the Gareth estate as a suitor, people will talk. The Duke of Gareth won’t take it lightly either.”

“That’s only natural if I want to win Lady Gareth’s heart. I’ve already prepared myself for that. The most important thing, above all else, is earning your heart.”

The more she thought about it, the more Parma found herself pleased. Having someone so willing to go through hardships for her affection wasn’t unpleasant at all. When Parma gave a small nod, Sol eagerly suggested they continue their walk.

He then bombarded her with questions—her favorite novels, favorite authors, how she usually spent her time. He asked if he could send her books he liked, or if she preferred to find them herself. He was relentless.

Parma found herself secretly enjoying the way this young man was so eager to win her favor.

Later, after Sol and his friend had left, Sophia saw Parma off and asked, “How was it? Sol gave such a passionate confession, but we ran away before I could see how it ended. I’m dying to know.”

“I agreed to let him court me, officially and earnestly.”

Sophia’s face lit up. “Congratulations, Parma! You won’t be bored now. Enjoy his pursuit. You know, there aren’t many young men like him these days—ones who boldly confess their feelings and are willing to chase after someone for so long.”

“Is it really okay for me to let him?”

Sophia nodded. “The Finega couple, myself, and everyone who knows Sol already understood why he was so obsessed with success. Do you know, Parma? Why did he suddenly rush into the academy, why did he clung to titles like ‘youngest’ and ‘first,’ why did he even learn horseback riding and how to raise horses? It was all because of you. Everyone knew. But because the gap between the Finega family and the Gareth ducal house was so vast, no one said anything. We knew that no matter how hard Sol worked, closing that gap would be nearly impossible.”

As Parma’s expression hardened, Sophia quickly continued, “If anything, the Finega couple would be relieved if you responded. Even if you reject him later, everyone will understand. Sol, too, would be better off pursuing you directly rather than struggling in the shadows. Honestly, today’s meeting was arranged with the hope that you would turn him down. Mrs. Finega wants him to come to his senses.”

“Would it really be okay for me to reject him? Won’t it devastate him? And what about everyone else…?”

“If anything, the Finega couple is waiting for that. They don’t think you’ll accept him. Rather than letting him waste his life away, they’d rather he face rejection and move on. They’re afraid he might never stop otherwise.”

Parma hesitated. “I don’t know either. I suppose time will tell.”

Sophia, however, was convinced. Just the fact that Parma had accepted Sol as her suitor meant that, perhaps, her heart had already begun to open.

‘Sol and Parma… The Finega family really doesn’t hold back, huh?’

And so, the legendary courtship of Sol Finega began—an affair that would be remembered throughout Uranus.