Chapter 9

Lucretia received the dinner announcement at dinnertime and called for the butler, somewhat perplexed.

In principle, dinners in noble households are to be attended in formal attire. However, Lucretia had no other clothes except for the simple everyday dress she was wearing when she was kicked out of her home.

"Um... I'm very sorry. I don't have the formal attire necessary for dinner. Since I just arrived today, I was wondering if I could be excused to wear this dress or if I could have dinner in my room."

The butler smiled gently, his round, ruddy face crinkling with laughter lines.

"Since you are the main guest tonight, of course, the master will welcome you. Please come as you are and feel at ease."

"Thank goodness... Thank you."

She had braced herself for disapproving frowns, thinking they would criticize her for being so unmannerly, but none of the servants showed any displeasure.

When Lucretia went to the dining room, she was taken aback.

Ramilio appeared in the same clothes he had worn during the day, without changing. His hood, which covered his face, and his glasses were still on, and he was still wearing the casual, laborer-friendly material.

"Hello, I'm sorry for my appearance. I don't like to fuss over clothes because of my face."

He said this casually, but Lucretia knew he was lying. He must have heard from the butler and tried to make her feel less uncomfortable.

—What a kind person...

Lucretia tried to suppress her rising smile but ended up grinning more than usual.

Ramilio looked at Lucretia in surprise.

—Oh no, I'm grinning so much, how rude of me.

Lucretia quickly wiped the expression from her face and returned to her usual cloudy-eyed self.

***

Ramilio, who had been staring blankly at Lucretia's inadvertently revealed emotions, suddenly snapped to attention.

—Ah, so this is the trick!

It must be an act to strip me of my wealth and jewels. Otherwise, who would smile at a man like Ramilio? I almost fell for it.

—Yes, she is cute, I'll admit that. But don't think you can win me over with just that.

Ramilio's territory is in the countryside but is vibrant and well-connected, making it quite prosperous. It is one of the wealthiest lands in the world.

That's why, despite being a notorious property with six broken engagements, Ramilio still receives marriage proposals. However, the fact that his vast wealth couldn't win him love deeply wounded his mind and body.

—This girl will probably run away as soon as she sees my true face.

He sat across from her, sulking, but still managed to sit down.

At the far ends of the long table, they could hardly see each other's faces.

This distance allowed Ramilio to eat with peace of mind.

"I'll arrange for us to go to the bank tomorrow. It must be inconvenient for you to have no money on hand."

—If she asks for a dress, I won't be able to handle it.

Ramilio thought warily, but she only modestly thanked him.

—She'll probably start boasting about her poverty soon.

The moment she showed any sign of it, he decided he would absolutely not get engaged and would send her back to her family.

***

While Lucretia was arriving at the Pastore domain and exchanging awkward greetings with Ramilio,

Rosa was at a tea party, half-crying and looking down.

The noblewomen were laughing loudly, though their voices were strangely muffled behind their fans.

"Can you believe a girl who touches her hair during a meal?"

"How filthy."

"How embarrassing."

"Hey, maybe a commoner's daughter got mixed in by mistake? Someone should tell her this isn't her place."

The noblewomen laughed heartily.

For nearly an hour, they had been ridiculing Rosa's manners at this tea party.

"Hey, everyone, don't laugh so much. Maybe it's just a little girl who looks older, like an eight-year-old who got mixed in."

"Probably."

The one leading the attack on Rosa was the Countess of Tiliya, who had heard about the series of broken engagements.

The Countess of Tiliya and her salon group had summoned Rosa.

—This old woman, just because she likes my sister, doesn't need to resort to such underhanded tactics!

It's bullying for adults to gang up on a little girl like this.

—I know manners, you know.

Rosa, a descendant of the royal family and a duchess's daughter, knew the basic etiquette.

She didn't show off to demonstrate that she was a down-to-earth girl who could get along with people of all social classes.

Her idol, the heroine of her favorite romance novels, was exactly like that—down-to-earth and easy to get along with.

Rosa, born a princess, was at the age where she felt embarrassed by her noble status.

—Even if I know, I choose not to show off. These old women don't understand anything.

"Hey, everyone, don't be surprised. This girl is going to be the next Marshal's wife."

"The world is coming to an end."

"The Marshal's son hasn't even been allowed into the court yet. What's going on?"

"At this rate, the Marshal's position might be given to someone else?"

"That would be better. I'll suggest that."

Rosa was furious at the noblewomen's insolence.

—How dare they talk down to me, a member of the royal family!

Rosa's grandfather was the late king's younger brother.

In her favorite romance novels, princes and princesses were a class apart.

She could have all of them expelled from the court if she told her father, but what shallow women they were.

Rosa immediately cried to her father that night.

"Countess Tiliya mocked me for having no manners! Isn't that terrible!?"

"That woman... "

"Just a countess, and she defies me, a member of the royal family! Dad, please expel all of them from the court!"

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