Published: August 10, 2026
I suddenly stood up, desperate to get away from the mana stone as quickly as possible.
Since I hadn't given any signal to my attendants, of course no one pulled out my chair for me. With a clatter, everyone seated at the table turned to look at me.
"A-ah, um, I just remembered that I had something urgent to discuss with my Foster Mother and Charlotte. I need to ask them to gather the seamstresses for the fitting of my clothes. Right, Liselotte?"
"While it is certainly an urgent matter, this is not something one should ask for in the middle of a banquet."
As Liselotte said that, she gently pressed my shoulder and motioned for me to sit back down.
But I couldn't stay here.
I was dizzy, and yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from the mana stone. Goosebumps rose on both my arms, and every part of my body was screaming at me to leave this place at once.
"But I'm returning to Arensbach tomorrow afternoon, so I have to have the fitting in the morning. I've grown so much all at once that I'm having trouble even with the outfit for meeting the royal family."
"Lady Rosemine, you can't send a messenger on the morning of the day itself and gather seamstresses that same morning. Besides, the castle still isn't in a state where merchants can be allowed inside yet. I think it would be best to do the fitting after you return from Arensbach."
"Rosemine."
As if cutting off Liselotte's words, Ferdinand called my name.
When I turned toward Ferdinand, the mana stone disappeared from my field of vision, and the tension in my shoulders suddenly eased. Ferdinand, who had been wearing a forced smile as if hiding his bad mood only moments ago, was now back to his usual stony expression.
"What is it, Lord Ferdinand?"
"I have a little business to discuss with you."
The moment he gestured for us to move somewhere with fewer people, Grandfather lightly raised a hand.
"Ferdinand, is that truly necessary after taking the current state of the banquet into account?"
"As Bonifatius says, please wait until after the banquet at the very least. The situation is extremely complicated right now."
Leonore also agreed with Grandfather's words.
I didn't understand what she meant by "extremely complicated." Tilting my head and placing a hand on my cheek, I looked at Leonore and Liselotte, and they explained it to me.
When we went to Kilnberga, there were several of Foster Father's attendants and knights who accompanied us to operate the teleportation circle. Because of that, it seems news that I possess the Gultrishite and that the royal family's courtship magic tool was handed over by the aub has already reached the upper ranks.
...I guess news in the Noble District spreads in three days.
Once the royal family's magic tool was handed over through the aub's hands, it apparently meant that the aub had expressed his intention to comply with the royal family's demands. The nobles seem to have already taken this as proof that my engagement to Wilfried has been broken off for good.
I have supposedly become an unofficial fiancée of the royal family: after being proposed to by the royal family and having the aub accept on my behalf, I am now a maiden tormented by a love with a clearly visible parting, all while waiting for the official announcement at the lords' council. The noble ladies are apparently watching over me with a warm, indulgent gaze, as if to say that even an unfulfilled love is beautiful.
...Ugh... So they're pitying me for being heartbroken before I've even had my first love? Isn't that way more pathetic?
"The rescue of Arensbach has been embellished into a noble tale like something out of a story, which is fortunate. However, we do not need any more scandal."
What Leonore was indirectly saying was that, from the perspective of appearances, it would be best if I simply accepted that I had a one-sided crush on Ferdinand, treated it as an unfulfilled love, and married into the royal family. For that to happen, she was subtly asking Ferdinand not to involve himself any further.
Ferdinand looked at everyone seated here, their attendants, and then the people in the small hall who were casually watching us, before crossing his arms and slowly exhaling.