Chapter 1

Following the trend, I tried writing a story about a young noble lady.

I'll post all of it in one go, so please feel free to read it for a bit of entertainment or to pass the time.

The romantic elements are light. I'd be delighted if you could read it with a light heart and a smile.

Eliza Scothwood, the daughter of the Earl, has one small worry and one big worry.

First, her small worry is that, despite debuting at seventeen, she still hasn't found a fiancé.

It's not that there's anything wrong with Eliza herself.

While she may not be a beauty, she certainly doesn't have a face that would make anyone uncomfortable. In fact, her fair skin and chestnut hair are always meticulously maintained, giving her a silk-like beauty. She often receives envious glances from other noblewomen.

Moreover, her intelligence is acknowledged by many who know her.

If there is a flaw to point out, it might be her tendency to act before thinking. Her six years older brother often clutches his head, calling her "a pig in a lady's mask," but that's a side note.

So, what is the cause? It all comes down to the fact that "the Scothwood family, blessed with generations of business acumen, is so wealthy that even the neighboring marquess families can't compare."

In other words, the gentlemen who approach her are all after Eliza's family's wealth, not Eliza herself. It's only natural for her to reject them out of frustration.

Fortunately, her brother has a kind and capable wife, and their first son was born just three weeks ago. The issue of succession is settled.

Eliza herself isn't particularly eager to get married and, being an optimist, thinks that even if she remains unmarried, things will work out somehow.

However, the source of her worry is that her family won't leave her alone.

Her parents, who are rare among nobles for having married after a grand romance, say, "I'm not telling you to fall in love, but I think it would be good to experience marriage at least once," and "If it doesn't work out, you can quickly get a divorce and come back." They don't seem to realize that they're constantly hinting that Eliza won't be able to maintain a marriage. It's painful.

On the other hand, her brother, who is perhaps the most affected by her "piggish" behavior, says with a laugh, "Only a saint or a cunning strategist could marry her," and is apparently betting with his friends that she will never get married. How rude.

The salvation in all this is her sister-in-law, who, with a warm smile, says, "Don't worry about them, Eliza. Do what you want," and gently strokes her hair. She's like a goddess.

Thus, her days are filled with the annoyance of fending off fortune hunters and the trouble of family interference.

However, she believes time will solve these issues. They are not unbearable.

What truly torments and frustrates Eliza, both mentally and emotionally, is her "big worry."

This is the Allhague Duke's residence.

Today is a ball to celebrate the Duchess's birthday.

The Allhague Duke's residence, known for its connoisseurship, is adorned with magnificent furnishings wherever one looks. Collected not only from within the country but also from abroad, each and every item is both luxurious and elegant, worthy of the Allhague name. They are all works of art in their own right.

Moreover, since the Duke's wife is a princess, the guests gathered here are of the highest caliber. From their tuxedos and dresses to the smallest gemstones, everything in sight is resplendent.

In the midst of this, Eliza, acting as a substitute for her sister-in-law who had recently given birth, accompanied her brother as his partner and was greeting the nobles with whom their family was on good terms.

"Alphina Begrand! I'm breaking our engagement!"

A loud voice, unsuitable for a gathering of gentlemen and ladies, echoed.

The sudden and ominous statement caused a murmur among the guests, who were trying to understand what was happening. However, Eliza's confusion lasted only a moment.

Her brother, who was escorting her, winced in pain as she gripped his arm, but she didn't care.

(Oh, that stupid, brainless man! He finally did it!)

The center of the commotion was hidden in the crowd, but everyone present knew whose voice it was.

Bacchus Allhague, the heir of the Allhague Duke's family.

He was the root cause of Eliza's big worry, the source of all evil.

(I always thought he'd do something stupid, but this is beyond my imagination! How dare he!)

Eliza started walking with large strides.

Her brother, still holding her arm, stumbled and shouted.

"Eliza! I understand your feelings, but wait a moment! Just a moment!"

"Brother, you're not involved! Be quiet!"

"If you're not involved, there's no reason to bring me along, right?"

"For my dear sister, I believe a little trouble can be smoothed over with force!"

"Your words are not cute at all!"

"Too late for that now!"

Always active, Eliza, and her brother, who mainly does desk work, showed a clear difference in their daily exercise. Eliza easily reached the center of the commotion. The main characters, noticing Eliza and her brother's intrusion, turned to face them.

One was a strikingly handsome young noble with golden hair and blue eyes, Bacchus Allhague.

The other was a petite girl of Eliza's age, with soft, pale blonde hair and clear, lake-like blue eyes. She was Alphina Begrand, the Marquess's daughter, whose name was mentioned in Bacchus's outburst.

"…Eliza-sama…!"

The voice that escaped from her rosy, delicate lips was trembling, trying to hide it but failing.

Alphina, among all the girls of her age that Eliza had met, was the most perfect lady. Always calm, composed, and smiling, she treated everyone fairly, regardless of their status.

Despite being treated poorly by her fiancé, Bacchus, she continued to strive daily to fulfill her duties as a daughter of a Marquess and to become a Duchess.

She should have been able to visit galleries and theaters more often. She should have been able to read more novels. Occasionally, she would accidentally let out a sigh to Eliza, saying, "Please keep it a secret from others," with a playful smile.

She was a woman who could have been the bride of either of the two princes in the country! Eliza had even argued this to Alphina, who was her dear, proud, and respected friend, now unable to maintain her composure and trembling, unable to keep up her ladylike mask.

(How much more do you need to hurt Alphina-sama, you stupid, brainless man!)

Eliza glared at Bacchus, who then changed his expression and showed her a confident smile.

"You came just in time, Eliza Scothwood."

The next moment, what came was not a "bad feeling" but something far worse.

"Everyone, listen! It's obvious to anyone that Eliza, with her vast wealth to support her husband, is more suitable to be my fiancée than Alphina, who is just a pretty face and a nagging, incompetent woman! Therefore, I hereby declare that I am breaking my engagement with Alphina Begrand and will become engaged to Eliza Scothwood!"

"……"

The orchestra, which had been trying to restore the atmosphere, finally stopped playing. The people around, who had been watching, were also stunned.

Complete silence. In this silence, only Bacchus's foolish laughter echoed.

"Eliza, becoming a Duchess as a mere Earl's daughter must feel like a dream, right? Come to me! Compared to Alphina, your features are only average, but your skin and hair look so touchable. I'll pamper you to my heart's content!"

——Squish.

Eliza released her brother's arm. She let her arms hang loosely at her sides and took a deep breath.

"Miss, do you know? Even your small, delicate hands can become a formidable weapon if used correctly."

The memory of a mercenary's strong smile and words, whom she had met by chance, came to mind.

"When you wield a weapon, be prepared. Hitting someone hurts not just the one being hit but also the one hitting."

It's fine. She was prepared.

More accurately, her intense anger towards the stupid man far outweighed her fear of the pain she would receive!

Eliza started walking straight towards Bacchus, reciting the lesson as she went.

"First, fold your fingers one by one, starting from the pinky, and clench them tightly. But don't overdo it. Just form a fist. The power should come from your waist, not your arm or shoulder."

She raised her right hand, still wearing lace gloves, to waist level and formed a fist, wrapping it around the handle of a folded fan.

Sensing that Eliza's demeanor was different from what he expected, Bacchus slightly retracted his creepy smile.

She firmly fixed her gaze on his overly perfect face and took a deep breath, pushing the air down to her abdomen.

"Take a light step forward."

She took a step forward with her left foot, diagonally in front of Bacchus.

"Aim for the joint of your middle finger. Imagine a steel rod running from there to your shoulder."

Her upper body, brimming with power, rotated forward, followed by her arm and fist.

"Like a rapier thrust——"

(Aim straight and pierce through!)

——Thud! Smack!

"Kyaaah!"

Without trying to avoid or protect his face, Bacchus was hit squarely in the face by Eliza's fist and fell backward awkwardly. The sound of his hands and feet hitting the floor and the screams of the women overlapped, causing the hall to become noisy.

Even those who had been stunned by Bacchus's behavior couldn't ignore Eliza's actions. They whispered criticisms, saying things like, "An Earl's daughter shouldn't lay a hand on a Duke's son."

So what?

She felt bad for her brother, who would have to deal with the aftermath—though he had bet on her never getting married, so it was just a "little bit." In fact, he should be happy that this increased his chances of winning— but for the others, it was just gossip. The light-hearted comments and whispers of disapproval didn't bother her at all.

As Bacchus started to stagger to his feet, Eliza glared at him and vented her anger.

"A dream, you say? Yes, it is a dream! A nightmare! The worst one!"

Bacchus, holding his swelling left cheek, looked up at Eliza with a distorted face. He seemed unable to speak