It had been half a month since a tailor, who was well known even in the capital, had visited the Doan Viscounty.

During that time, Martian had only met the tailor to have her measurements taken and for fittings.

She had been a little concerned when she saw the quality of the fabric during the fitting – it was exceptionally luxurious – but she trusted the butler to manage things well, as everything was supposed to stay within the approved budget.

But today, Martian was speechless as she looked at the clothes laid out before her.

The newly tailored outfits were far more extravagant than she had expected.

There were two satin blouses, lavishly decorated with lace, and a dark formal suit.

The suit was finished with light embroidery on black lace and all the buttons were made of precious stones.

The newly ordered shoes were decorated with finely worked gold ornaments.

The butler continued proudly.

“I have also sent some of your old clothes to be altered. They’re being brought up to date with the latest fashions in the capital, and within a month you should have several new outfits.”

“Butler, have you discovered a tree that grows money? Or have you found a gold mine?”

The budget she had approved for her new wardrobe was by no means substantial.

She had reluctantly increased it slightly because the butler had looked so discouraged, but even then it wasn’t a significant amount.

There was no way these clothes could have been produced within the funds she had approved.

“…My Lady, to tell you the truth, Master El did send a letter. He has been awarded a scholarship for his final term at the Imperial Academy.”

“A scholarship? What does that have to do with anything? We have already paid his tuition.”

Like most nobles who would not inherit a title, her younger brother El Doan had enrolled in the Imperial Academy.

The school’s guaranteed curriculum and powerful network of connections meant that graduation would almost certainly open the door to a livelihood.

For nobles who wished to become self-supporting rather than living off their families, the Academy was the most rational choice.

Of course, as with all rational choices, it came with a heavy financial burden.

Academy tuition was extremely expensive, and the cost of living in the capital was another matter entirely.

Every year, Martian had allocated a fifth of the family’s annual budget to support her brother’s education.

The butler opened his mouth again.

“He sent the scholarship money back with the request that it be put to good use.”

Martian gave a short, incredulous laugh.

That meant the butler had spent the money her brother had sent back without asking her permission.

“Sigh… Butler, should I be celebrating my brother’s excellence, or should I be furious at your overstepping your bounds?”

“It is my fault, my lady.”

The butler bowed deeply.

He knew that what he had done was an overstep of his authority and grounds for punishment.

Yet he had spent the money on Martian’s clothes.

Because he knew better than anyone that if he had asked for permission, she would have refused.

Had he not taken matters into his own hands, she would never have had the opportunity to own such clothes.

He said in a determined voice:

“I will accept whatever punishment befits my transgression, my lady.”

Martian turned her gaze to the garments before her.

Each piece, crafted in colours that complemented her appearance, was delicate and luxurious – fine enough to be worn even at a wedding.

Had the butler not acted on his own, she would never have considered ordering such clothes.

In the end, the old butler had gone too far for her.

He simply cared too much for her.

She didn’t feel like reprimanding or punishing him.

After all, he had cared for her longer than her own parents had.

Martian opened his mouth.

“Take today to reflect. Overstepping is still overstepping.”

The butler looked puzzled.

“Pardon?”

A single day of reflection was far too lenient a punishment for spending the family budget without permission.

Martian chuckled.

“You must have been so anxious to use the money behind my back. Take a day off and rest. After that, focus your energy on work again. Honestly, how could I manage the household without you?”

She gestured at the new clothes.

“I’ll wear them well. Thank you, Butler.”

***

Only thirty or forty years ago, the southeastern borderlands of the Empire had been a lawless place.

This was because foreigners, hiding deep in the eastern mountain ranges, often descended to raid and pillage.

The Empire had deliberately allowed the situation to fester.

After all, it was not the Empire’s own citizens who suffered most from the raids, but the neighbouring weak kingdoms.

The Empire was waiting for these countries to come begging for help.

The problem was that the southeastern borderlands had also suffered from raiding and pillaging.

The nobles who ruled the borderlands had repeatedly asked the Empire for help, but their pleas were always met with empty promises to “wait a little longer”.

In the midst of this, the Count in charge of the Sevan territory died while confronting the marauding outsiders, and the land had been without a lord ever since.

The young count had not yet married and had no children, and his parents, the former count and countess, were already dead.

There was no one eligible to inherit the title, and none of his relatives wanted to claim the land.

Without imperial support, it was almost impossible to defend a frontier territory constantly disturbed by outsiders.

So the land was abandoned until the Empire reclaimed it fifteen years ago.

This happened after the surrounding small states and confederations finally asked the Empire for help.

In exchange for increased tribute, the Empire reclaimed Sevan, made it Imperial territory, and sent Imperial troops there.

Once the military was mobilised, the outsiders from the Eastern Mountains were quickly swept away.

Sevan became the only Imperial territory in the Eastern Region.

With Imperial troops stationed there, people began to feel safe travelling to and from the borderlands.

Merchants began to pass through Sevan, trade markets were established, and the territory’s population grew steadily.

Eventually, Sevan was transformed into a proper estate, generating its own income.

The land, destined to become even more valuable in the future, was given by the Emperor to the Duke of Sebloard, one of his most loyal allies.

“They say it was in recognition of the Duke’s contributions to overhauling the city’s waterworks, but still…”

Martian pondered the basic facts again as he scanned the banquet hall of the Sevan estate with the detachment of an onlooker.

The walls and ceiling were decorated with intricate paintings and carvings, and over twenty massive chandeliers hung overhead.

Musicians played incessantly, filling the hall with a light and lively atmosphere, while well-trained servants ensured that the guests’ hands were never empty, tirelessly offering food and drink.

The vast hall was packed with people – a mixture of nobles from the eastern territories and those connected with the ducal house of Sebloard – and the differences between the two groups were stark.

Where the Duke’s connections exuded leisure and affluence, the eastern nobles were desperate to forge new relationships, eager not to miss their chance.

Naturally, the first person everyone wanted to ingratiate themselves with was Huey Sebloard, the host of this mansion.

Most of the crowd gathered around him.

“With the Count taking over Sevan, it’s such a relief. Securing the border has always been a source of concern, and we have often wondered when His Majesty would finally send a proper guardian for this land.”

“I heard that you graduated first in your class at the Imperial Academy a few years ago. His Majesty surely recognised your talents and chose you specifically for this post. It warms my heart to think of Sevan’s future development.”

“You flatter me. I don’t know much about the East yet, so I may need your help soon.”

“Oh, I would be honoured to help at any time. To help you, Count, would be a privilege in itself.”

It was clearly the local nobles trying to flatter the count.

Martian stood some distance away, shaking her head as she watched the spectacle.

She had no interest in pushing through the crowd just to exchange a few more words with the count.

She nudged Ron, who had come with her, and said:

“Let’s leave after a reasonable time. It’s a shame for the butler who arranged this, but frankly it feels like a complete waste of time.”

Martian had never had any great ambitions.

All she wanted was to manage her own estate peacefully, and that was something she could achieve through her own efforts.

Building a stable household and raising a successor – well, that would be a bit harder – but it wasn’t something that would be solved by lingering at this banquet anyway.

For her, attending this event was just a boring obligation.

She looked around at the other guests.

There were certainly many people with clear ties to the ducal house.

“Money and power… people really love them, don’t they?”

She muttered to herself.

She’d thought she’d find some decent candidates here, but as expected, a backwater was still a backwater.

The men who were clearly from the capital stood out – all tall, slender and well groomed.

Their skin was smooth and their hair immaculately groomed – they looked like spoiled, well-bred show dogs.

The man who stood out the most was Huey Sebloard.

He seemed born to attract attention and his appearance was strikingly glamorous and beautiful.

His golden hair was as thick as honey, his skin was pale and flawless, and his features were delicate yet sharply defined.

From the way his clothes fit, it was obvious that the body underneath was just as perfectly built.

Without realising it, Martian found herself imagining wiping out the Doan family – then quickly turned her head away.

He was certainly her type in appearance, but he was not someone she wanted to get involved with.

He was the kind of delicacy that would cause serious trouble if consumed recklessly.

‘Better to just enjoy the food.’

Martian decided, dismissing her useless thoughts and concentrating instead on the feast before her.

The banquet offered a wide variety of dishes, all prepared with generous amounts of expensive ingredients.

Meat richly marinated in spices, fresh and tangy vegetables, bread heavy with fragrant butter and cheese – as she sampled each dish, her mood gradually lifted.

Perhaps the long journey here hadn’t been such a waste after all.

“Ron, have a drink too.”

When she offered him a glass of wine, Ron took it without hesitation and drank.

Perhaps because she had neglected him a little earlier, he now reacted immediately to everything Martian said.