It was discouraged for young ladies to attend balls or banquets before their debutante, but for those who had special circumstances or for young ladies from remote regions, they were given a stage to experience and ‘practice’ the atmosphere first.

It was usually referred to as attending a ball hosted by a family other than their own.

“Is such a thing needed for you, Young Lady?”

“I suddenly became nervous when thinking about attended a ball.”

“. . .”

HIs doubting eyes—‘I never expected you would try so hard for your debutante’—scanned me.

I shrugged my shoulders as I had gotten quite used to acting shameless.

“I’d like to have a chance before Jeremy returns to the palace.”

He was startled with what I said, then made a complicated expression.

The eyes filled with pity and sorry, also a faint envy captured me.

Soon, he nodded with a sigh.

“I’ve sensed it in the mansion, but he seems to depend on you a lot. His real mother . . .”

His mouth was shut tight when he was bringing up the topic.

I feigned ignorance at the words he spoke by drinking my tea.

“It’ll be difficult to have your debut in the Imperial palace. We can’t open a ball in a situation that invites talk about the event in the hunting competition.”

Racking his brain, lines formed on his forehead.

The semi-debut was a place to test and gauge the competence of the young aristocratic ladies.

It was mostly realized during a ball hosted by other families or the Imperial palace.

Therefore, if the Imperial palace ball wouldn’t be opened, then the ball most suitable for me to debut would be . . .

“I have to speak with Duke Bolton.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I, who achieved what I aimed for, calmly bowed my head.

The Crown Prince continuously shook his head and looked at me understandingly.

“Even if Jeremy returns, I won’t limit communication between you two.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll try to exchange letters with Orion, and sometimes have you invited by my wife to come to the palace.”

“Yes.”

“It’s unfortunate, but I can’t help it.”

Looking at how he shook his head a few times while looking very regretful, it looked like he was sadder than I about the parting of Jeremy and I.

Of course, I did feel heavy in my heart, but he didn’t go somewhere where I could never see him again.

Besides, Jeremy had Adel, so he would find more solace than when he lived alone in the palace.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

“Ah, if it’s possible . . .”

“Tell me.”

“When the Prince returns to the palace, please give him some land.”

“. . .?”

It was already the time for Adel to be moved from the pot to the garden.

We still didn’t know what kind of plant it was, but based on its growth, it would likely grow even more.

* * *

“The mansion will be lonely if the prince returns.”

“Jeremy is originally the quiet type, so won’t it be the same?”

“Is that so?”

When Sir Rune asked back, it was unclear what I should say.

Come to think of it, I did indeed seem to stick with Jeremy more than with Orion.

“What is the Imperial family’s face?”

I smiled at his lamentation-like muttering.

“You two rarely talk to each other, right? I guess you do at least have some affection for him. Are you worrying about Jeremy?”

Sir Rune, who gave me an intense stare for a while, finally opened his mouth.

“I’m worrying about you, My Lady.”

“. . .”

“Aren’t you the one who gives the most affection to the prince?”

I blinked and he spoke while shaking his head lightly to me.

“Earlier, do you know what was your expression when you heard he has to return to the palace?”

I touched my face.

What was my expression?

I had a lot to think about, so I couldn’t pay detailed attention to Jeremy’s problem.

Even just now I was busy getting a chance to enter the Bolton Duchy, using feeling sad about the goodbye as the excuse.

“And the request you asked to the Crown Prince was to give land to the prince? The prince palace where he stays alone is at least twice our garden in the mansion.”

“Ah . . .”

He looked at me as if he was baffled and then laughed.

“Our young lady is really kind.”

My fiddling hand stopped out of confusion at that moment.

I tried to forcefully pull up my lips, but because I couldn’t, I lowered my head a bit.

That word saying that I was a kind person pierced my heart quite badly today.

“I’m not that kind.”

Sir Rune’s gaze was fixed on me when he heard the truth I mumbled out.

I wanted to be a good person, but I didn’t know what the person, who stayed right next to me, had sacrificed for my sake.

Under the pretext to make sure, there was actually me, who hoped this all wasn’t true.

“If you look at it like that, the other people are far more kind. Everyone thought about me more than themselves. You also said you worried about me because I’m sad about parting with Jeremy.”

“Isn’t that very natural?”

Before he could continue, the carriage stopped.

It seemed we had returned to the mansion.

As soon as I opened the door, Orion, who was waiting for me, held out his hand.

“Marianne, welcome. I was thinking of picking you up from the palace, but you have returned.”

“Good. I didn’t stay for long, so why come to the palace?”

Usually, he would show he was sad he couldn’t escort me by grumbling, but his eyes were quite gleaming.

As the beaming smile bloomed as if he was feeling happy, he shone blindly.

He then whispered.

“Father will be busy for a while because he’s making plans to nurture the knights, and Lady said she must give consultation because there’s an emergency with a famous theater troupe. So you’ll go to career counseling with me.”

No wonder he was so happy.

I nodded understandingly.

“I see. I think it’s good.”

All the workers, who had gathered around in a crowd, began clapping.

I had gotten used to the bizarre appearances shown by the workers of this mansion, so I could quietly step back without getting surprised.