“Haa.”
Only after the dining room door closed behind me and I was finally alone did a small sigh escape.
As I walked back to my room, I quietly sank into thought.
In front of Helga, I had spoken as if I were simply excited about going to the Imperial Palace for the first time, but in truth, that wasn’t what mattered to me.
The very first person who came to mind when I read the invitation earlier was none other than the Imperial Palace’s Archmage.
The Archmage resided in the Imperial Palace, and even if he was of common birth, he was treated on the same level as high-ranking nobles.
‘Then he’ll definitely be attending this banquet as well.’
House Krone’s special abilities were, in the end, just a kind of magical power.
Each person manifested one outstanding ability, and it was only famous because such a rare occurrence happened generation after generation within a single family.
So if I asked him, who possessed the greatest overall magical skill in the Empire, to take a look at my condition, I might be able to obtain some kind of hint about this special ability.
An overwhelming sense of anticipation billowed up inside my chest.
When I returned to my room, Ris was waiting for me.
As soon as I stepped inside, she hurried over and asked,
“My Lady, you received an invitation from the Imperial Palace, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“His Grace informed me. He said there was something he wanted conveyed to you.”
As expected of Rastan.
It seemed he had prepared in advance to have word sent the moment I received the Imperial invitation.
When I nodded, her eyes lit up as she spoke.
“His Grace said he wants to go to the Imperial Palace banquet with you, My Lady! He said he wants to escort you.”
“It’d be nice for me if we went together. But did he happen to say why I was invited to the banquet?”
After all, I wasn’t exactly an important enough figure that I absolutely had to attend the Founding Day celebration held at the Imperial Palace.
“Uh, um, that I do not know.”
Ris scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
Judging by the fact that she understood the question, it seemed she knew the circumstances behind Rastan using Duchess Pontus to have me invited, but she didn’t know the reason.
‘Ah, right.’
There was a more important question than that.
“Did you hear anything about Sally? How is she?”
“I thought you might be curious, My Lady, so I asked. They said her health isn’t good, so she is being treated at the Ducal estate.”
It was what I had expected, but having it confirmed like this made my chest ache anew.
‘She took her severance pay and was supposed to go back to her hometown perfectly fine, so how did she end up like that?’
When I let out a sigh with a darkened expression, Ris noticed and quickly spoke up.
“They say she is recovering well, so please do not worry too much. Since she is your maid, My Lady, His Grace is paying special attention to her.”
Well, Sally was under the protection of none other than Rastan right now.
And I knew well his near-flawless ability to handle matters.
“Alright. I’ll trust him and stop worrying now.”
“Yes. I will check on her every time I go to the Ducal estate as well. Please put your mind at ease.”
“Okay.”
After nodding to Ris, I stood up from where I had been sitting and went over to the wardrobe.
‘That said, what should I wear to the Imperial Palace?’
I opened the wardrobe and rummaged through the few dresses inside.
All of the decent ones among them had been given to me by Rastan.
‘Hmm… It’s the Imperial Palace, of all places. Should I buy a new one?’
I had increased my funds quite a bit so far, and there would be more opportunities to do so in the future, so it seemed fine to indulge in a little extra leeway.
As I was picturing an enjoyable shopping trip, I belatedly remembered that all of my money was currently tied up in a silver mine investment.
‘Oh, come on. I can’t buy a new one, so I’ll have to wear something I already have.’
Pointing at two of the dresses Rastan had given me, I asked,
“Ris, which one should I wear, this one or this one?”
At that, she replied with wide, rounded eyes, as if asking what I was talking about.
“His Grace said that you do not need to prepare anything at all, my Lady.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That is all I was told!”
‘Looks like he’s going to send a dress like last time.’
Then at least I could wait for the day of the banquet with peace of mind, without worrying about what to wear.
***
That evening, during dinner.
As I added two heaping spoonfuls of sugar to Helga’s juice, I asked,
“Mother, should I have a new dress made? The one I will wear to the Imperial Palace banquet.”
Thanks to Rastan, it wasn’t necessary at all, but I deliberately threw it out there to set things up.
Sure enough, at those words, Helga’s lips twitched and twisted.
If one were living with their future in-laws, the future mother-in-law would normally take care of preparing for a banquet, but Helga had acted all day as if she had completely forgotten about the banquet altogether.
I could tell exactly what she was thinking, and that was precisely why I deliberately brought up the topic.
Helga, who had been biting down on her thin lower lip with her brows furrowed, replied in a voice that sounded like she was forcefully holding something back.
“…Take care of it yourself.”
‘Yes.’
It was exactly the answer I wanted.
“Yeees, Mother.”
I replied in an intentionally dejected voice, then turned my gaze toward Gerald and opened my mouth.
“My Lord, may I perhaps take House Lansval’s carriage that day?”
At that, Gerald’s eyes spun quickly.
It was obvious at a glance that he didn’t want to lend it and was racking his brain for an excuse.
And soon, it seemed he had found one.
“Ah, ah! That’s what I’ll say.”
‘Oh dear.’
Perhaps his mind was in such a hurry that Gerald blurted out his inner thoughts without even realizing it.
“I need to use it that day, so that won’t work.”
“Pardon? Do you know what day it is?”
The Founding Day banquet was held on one chosen day during the week of the founding date, and the date changed every year.
Since Gerald hadn’t seen the invitation, I figured he wouldn’t know the exact date and decided to prod him.
And sure enough, flustered, he could only roll his eyes with his mouth hanging stupidly open.
“Uh…”
‘What is this, like saying you suddenly have plans to be sick next week and can’t attend a gathering?’
Since being refused was the goal anyway, I didn’t press further and spoke with deliberate dejection.
“Then how am I supposed to get to the Imperial Palace?”
“J-just call some hired carriage or something! Figure it out yourself!”
It annoyed him that only I had been invited while they were left out, so he wanted to stop me from going however he could.
Since he couldn’t directly interfere with someone invited by the Imperial Family, it seemed he had decided to be uncooperative instead.
‘Even so, since I’m about to become part of the family, you’d think they’d take care of things for the sake of House Lansval’s dignity.’
Still, they were so very much like themselves that it almost felt reassuring.
With this, Rastan had gained a justification to take care of me.
At the time, I didn’t realize that Ris, who had been attending the meal behind me, was listening carefully to all of this and nodding to herself.
***
In the afternoon, an urgent messenger arrived from House Blake’s estate.
And a short distance behind the messenger, Ris was coming in with her usual brisk steps.
‘So that’s where she suddenly disappeared to.’
It seemed she had gone to the Ducal estate at some point and returned together with the messenger.
The messenger relayed the message to Helga, who happened to be at home.
“What? Duke Blake is visiting today?”
The household was instantly thrown into chaos. Helga bustled all around the mansion, sharply scolding the servants in a shrill voice.
“If I see even a speck of dust, I’ll throw you all out!”
By the time the massive cleaning effort, with every servant mobilized, was finished, Rastan arrived, dressed in a neat, modest suit.
Even though he wasn’t dressed up like he had been at the engagement party last time, the moment he stepped inside, the Lansval mansion, which had just been scrubbed clean, looked downright shabby.
Rastan declined even the offer of tea and brought up his business the moment he sat down in the reception room.
“It has come to my attention that Duchess Pontus extended an invitation solely to Lady Krone for this year’s Founding Day banquet.”
At his words, Gerald fidgeted in his seat as if he were sitting on a hot coal and spoke.
“Please speak comfortably, Your Grace!”
“Of course! There is no need for you to be so formal with us!”
Helga eagerly chimed in as well.
They had lectured me about in-laws and propriety, yet here they were, flattening themselves without a second thought before someone powerful and high-ranking.
A small scoff slipped out of me without my realizing it.
Rastan let out a quiet chuckle as well, then replied in a low, captivating voice.
“All right. In that case.”
As he listened, Gerald’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Ah, then perhaps…!”
I found myself wondering just what he was expecting, and before I knew it, my attention was fixed on his mouth.
“Are you inviting me as well?”
