“Are you ready, my lady? It’s almost time to board the carriage.”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

In answer to Madam Meg, Ilenia turned to face the mirror. The tension was plain to see on her face. She lifted a hand to pull her lips up ever so slightly. The woman in the mirror returned a stiff, unnatural smile.

“Your hair is perfect, my lady.”

From behind, Amanda raised her thumb in approval. Ilenia stopped tugging at the corners of her mouth and gave Amanda a small smile instead. At last, her expression looked at least a little more natural.

It was a gathering attended solely by women. Ilenia’s attire—a modest dress buttoned all the way to the neck, careful not to breach propriety yet styled with enough refinement to keep up with the latest trends—made her presentable enough. To soften what might otherwise appear too severe, she had added a bright adornment to her hat, a touch of charm against the formality.

Surely this much wouldn’t disgrace the name of Lukehardt. She had checked her appearance over and over the night before, yet confidence still refused to settle within her.

Delphius had left the mansion early that morning. She had gathered her courage to mention the gathering at breakfast, but all he gave her in return was a single, indifferent: “Go and return safely.” She knew his schedule was full. Still, she had hoped—just a little—that he might see her off. That hope, she realized now, had been a mistake.

Ilenia folded away the sting of disappointment in her heart, forcing herself to focus on what lay ahead. For now, nothing mattered more than attending the meeting. Though she had chosen to go of her own will, courage was something she had to summon all over again on the day itself. The invitation in her hand—the pass that made her attendance possible—trembled faintly between her fingers.

Noticing it, Madam Meg gave a wry smile.

“…There’s no need to be so nervous. Everyone knows how much effort you’ve put in.”

“That’s right, my lady! You’ll do wonderfully!”

Amanda added brightly. But Ilenia could not even bring herself to smile. After a moment’s hesitation, she murmured softly,

“Sometimes, effort alone isn’t enough… and you know that too, Madam Meg.”

For a mistress who had always been so resilient, admitting defeat was proof that the scar from the last tea gathering was still very deep.

However, she could not allow her nerves to undo all her hard work. At the very least, they hoped her efforts would not be undermined.

“You need only do as you always have, my lady. After all, you are already the Lady of Lukehardt.”

Between mistress and servant, it was unthinkable for stern Madam Meg to reach out and touch her. Instead, she offered Ilenia a smile—the same radiant smile her lady so often gave her.

Only then did the stiffness in Ilenia’s shoulders ease, ever so slightly. In a calmer voice than before, she replied,

“Thank you, Madam Meg. I feel a little steadier now.”

Just then came the announcement that the carriage was ready. Gathering her nerves, Ilenia left the chamber.

She had heard that the gathering’s location was never fixed but rotated each time. What had begun as a way to ease each hostess’s burden had, over time, settled into tradition.

When she arrived at the Count of Renier’s estate, a servant guided her inside. Today’s gathering was to be held in the greenhouse beneath a rounded dome—a kind of space wealthy nobles often kept, prized for its ability to maintain a comfortable climate regardless of the season.

The moment she stepped inside, Ilenia stopped short. Unlike the last household, the atmosphere here was oddly restless, and her eyes flickered warily about.

The mood was far too different from Count Pablo’s tea gathering. Whereas that event had offered neatly assigned seats, the Renier estate’s gathering felt scattered, almost fragmented.

Perhaps it was because there were tables but no chairs. Guests stood while they conversed, making it feel more like a daytime banquet than a tea gathering.

“Lady Lukehardt!”

From not far away, Lady Hildebalt waved. At the sight of a familiar face, Ilenia felt her heart ease a little.

As she approached the circle gathered around Hildebalt, the woman welcomed her with an almost theatrical delight.

“How I have longed for this moment! It is truly an honor that you have joined us today.”

“It was you who encouraged me to attend, Lady Hildebalt. How could I not come gladly?”

The Ducal House of Lukehardt—its very name was one most here had only heard from afar. Curious, admiring glances turned toward Hildebalt, who basked in the reflected prestige as though she herself were part of Lukehardt.

With shoulders lifted in pride, she clung conspicuously close to Ilenia, eager to flaunt their supposed familiarity.

The Lady of Lukehardt herself has come! The simple fact of her presence was enough to capture the entire gathering’s attention. Every gaze shifted toward Ilenia.

For a moment, the weight of so many eyes pressed upon her, threatening to overwhelm. Yet she carried herself with composure, speaking with measured calm. It steadied her that most expressions directed at her seemed kind, even approving.

But the warmth did not last.

“I hear you and the Duke reside in the capital rather than at Lukehardt Castle. Do you have no plans to return to the estate anytime soon?”

“Is it true your husband has taken interest in a new enterprise? Might we beg your insight…?”

“That dress suits you so beautifully, Lady Lukehardt. So modest, and yet with that headpiece adding such brilliance—you have exquisite taste.”

The endless, unconditional flattery wore her down in spite of herself. No matter what she said, the replies were only more praise, until Ilenia began to wonder whether her words even made sense.

Of course, not everyone sang her praises. Still, compared to the last tea gathering, this was far easier to manage.

‘How can standing and talking feel more tiring than working the fields at harvest?’

Yet her spirits were not low. In fact, being able to speak with others unaided gave her confidence. She smiled, oblivious to the pain in her feet caused by standing for so long in her tightly laced shoes.

“Lady Lukehardt.”

It was just as Ilenia had begun to settle into the flow of conversation.

“It has been a while. You still remember me, don’t you?”

She turned with a smile to the woman brushing back her silver hair. Ilenia smiled back, but inside, her composure wavered instantly. The sudden appearance of someone who hadn’t even been on the guest list stirred not only her heart but the entire greenhouse.

“Of course, Lady Calante.”

“I heard you would be here today, Lady Lukehardt.”

Ariella’s radiant smile seemed brighter than the blooms inside the dome. Her delicate face only heightened her air of purity.

“I’ve been curious about this gathering of the new circle of ladies, so I thought I’d come see it for myself. And yet…”

Her gaze drifted around the room before falling with an air of disappointment.

“I don’t think you could stay here for long. Not with such poor preparation.”

“This is the way it is, Lady Calante. Conversation flows more easily in a freer atmosphere. You could also call it an openness to new ideas.”

Lady Hildebalt spoke carefully, yet firmly cut off Ariella’s remark. She had invested too much — going so far as to offer her own daughter — to elevate the circle’s standing. If the circle was ever to flourish, its prestige and influence could not be jeopardized by the frivolity of the Marquis of Calante’s youngest daughter, however beloved she might be. A swift defence was essential, lest the gathering descend into scandal.

“Perhaps. But that sounds like nothing more than a tired excuse from those who failed to prepare properly, don’t you think?”

Ariella turned her head then, fixing her eyes on Ilenia.

“Do you not agree, Lady Lukehardt? A gathering without even a single chair for its guests?”

“That may well be how it seems to you, Lady Calante.”

“Then…”

“However, if you consider the gradual evolution of this circle, the absence of chairs could also be seen as a turning point. In any case, there are still places to sit.”

Ilenia’s eyes shifted sideways. The carefully cultivated greenery displayed its vivid, flourishing form. At the very least, she did not want to ruin the restless yet forward-leaning atmosphere.

‘If only they would show me a little less favor…’

“If you enjoy the charm of the garden, perhaps even a gathering without chairs might appeal to you. What do you think? Would you care to walk with me and look around?”