The next morning.
Three days remained until the wedding.
As soon as dawn rose, the Duke's estate woke like a massive machine forced to run beyond its limits.
Servants moved everywhere.
Rapid footsteps echoed across the stone corridors.
Doors opened and closed.
Paper rustled.
Someone called another person's name from the far end of the main hall.
The entire atmosphere felt like a race against time.
Everyone wore the same hurried expression—like they were holding a bomb that might explode at any moment.
I stood on the steps leading into the main hall and watched the scene.
At the center of the hall—
Head Butler Brom was directing everything.
The heavy dark circles beneath his eyes made it obvious he had not slept all night.
One hand held a long task list.
The other kept pointing toward different areas.
"This table needs two more chairs."
"That invitation goes on the other tray."
"No, no— the flowers go in the middle of the table!"
A group of maids stood around him, listening to his orders.
Brom spoke while constantly turning his head to count the tables.
His eyes flicked down to the list in his hand.
Then back to the wedding invitations.
Everything had to match.
Not a single detail could be wrong.
On the other side of the hall, several other maids were hanging ribbons and floral decorations.
Occasionally the wooden ladder creaked as they climbed higher to place wreaths above the pillars.
Messengers ran in—
Then ran out again.
One delivered a letter.
Another received an invitation.
A third immediately left.
The cycle repeated without stopping.
Outside the estate, the sounds were even more chaotic.
Carriage wheels rolled across stone.
Horses neighed.
The gate guards shouted the names of arriving noble houses.
I stepped closer to the window.
The road leading into the estate was nearly packed.
Lines of noble carriages stretched one after another.
Different family crests were engraved on each carriage door.
Noble houses from all over the kingdom were arriving.
In the front garden, rows of small tables had already been arranged for a tea reception.
Even though it was still early morning, several nobles were already seated there, chatting.
Steam rose gently from teacups.
Low conversations and laughter drifted through the air.
The atmosphere felt lively—
almost like a festival.
…
I stood in the middle of the main hall.
And suddenly—
I felt out of place.
A strange feeling.
If this were the wedding of someone I truly loved…
How would I feel?
I didn't know.
The thought made my chest tighten slightly.
I stood there for a moment, absent-minded.
Then I shook my head lightly.
No.
I slowly drew in a breath.
Held it.
Then let out a long exhale to steady myself.
No matter how many tangled thoughts filled my mind—
I still had to carry myself like the daughter of a Duke.
I could not embarrass Father.
I stepped into the hall.
My dress brushed softly across the stone floor with each step.
At that moment, up ahead, two maids walked past carrying a tray of drinks.
One of them was giggling mischievously.
That face…
looked familiar.
I stopped.
…Wait.
Wasn't that Lily?
My younger sister.
What was she doing there?
My gaze dropped to the tray.
Clear glass cups.
And inside—
the water was bubbling.
Tiny bubbles rose to the surface.
It looked extremely…
suspicious.
A bad feeling rose in my chest immediately.
This wasn't good.
I quickly gathered my dress and hurried toward them.
"Ah, Sister?"
Lily jumped in surprise.
"Lily."
I stopped in front of her.
My eyes immediately dropped to the glasses.
They were still bubbling.
Up close, it looked even worse.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah… well… Sister…"
She clasped her hands behind her back.
Her eyes darted away.
A very familiar expression—one she always had when she was about to cause trouble.
"I was going to…"
"Hm?"
"I was going to teach that man who bullied you… and those nasty nobles a lesson."
My ears rang for a moment.
…Here we go again.
What had my little sister done this time?
I raised a hand to my forehead.
"Honestly…"
Seeing my worried expression, Lily immediately grinned.
"Hey, don't worry!"
She lowered her voice as if sharing a great secret.
"I only sprinkled a little pepper into the drinks."
She giggled.
Slowly, I turned to look at the maid holding the tray.
The poor girl looked like she was about to cry.
"I guarantee they'll sneeze until their eyelashes fall out!"
Lily placed her hands on her hips.
Her expression was extremely smug.
As if she had just invented a brilliant plan.
I sighed.
Then lightly waved a hand toward the maid.
"Take those glasses away."
"Yes, Miss!"
The maid nearly ran off.
"Ah—wait!"
Lily immediately tried to chase after her.
But I had already grabbed the ribbon tied behind her apron.
A light tug.
"Ah! Hey! Sister! What are you doing?!"
She struggled.
While she fumbled to retie the ribbon behind her back—
I lightly flicked her forehead.
"You're almost grown up now."
"Stop doing things like this."
"If I wasn't here… Father would punish you."
Lily pouted.
"But…"
Her voice grew quieter.
"Mother probably won't make it back in time either…"
She lowered her head.
"I wonder if Aunt's illness has gotten any better…"
I paused for a moment.
But Lily quickly lifted her head again.
Her eyes had turned serious.
"But I won't let anyone bully you."
…
I let out a soft laugh.
Right now, she looked exactly like a cat tangled in its own ribbon.
Half fierce.
Half pitiful.
I crouched down.
Then gently retied the ribbon behind her back.
"All done."
"Now you can go running around again."
I patted her head.
Her soft hair shifted beneath my hand.
A quiet thought suddenly rose in my heart.
I hope…
you'll have a life that is free and happy.
"Now stop causing trouble."
"Go back to your room and get ready."
"Act like a proper daughter of a Duke."
Lily turned and walked away.
But after a few steps—
she looked back at me.
Her eyes were slightly wet.
…
At that moment—
a maid hurried over to me.
She bowed her head.
"Miss."
She leaned closer and whispered beside my ear.
"The head seamstress is looking for you."
"She needs to measure you again for the final adjustments to the wedding dress."
I nodded.
"I understand."
As soon as she finished delivering the message, the maid hurried off again.
Clearly, no one had time to stop today.
The main hall grew noisy once more.
For a moment—
I was the only one standing still.
Then I slowly turned, about to leave.
But just then—
my eyes drifted toward the far end of the hall.
There—
Baron Alasto was speaking with several lower-ranking nobles.
There was no loud laughter.
No open mockery.
The atmosphere appeared polite.
But—
suddenly,
I noticed something.
My gaze swept across the main hall.
Every pair of eyes around the room—
was focused on a single person.
Baron Alasto.
No one laughed loudly.
No one said anything rude.
They were simply—
watching him.
I could hear their voices echo through the vast hall.
"Congratulations."
"A truly blessed marriage."
The words were spoken perfectly.
Polite.
Refined.
Exactly the kind of congratulations a noble should offer.
But when I looked more closely—
I noticed their eyes.
Cold.
Distant.
Not a trace of warmth.
The congratulations continued to echo throughout the hall.
Yet not a single one of them…
was sincere.