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Chapter 47

Finally, the social season had begun.

Every year, from May to June, for about two months, nobles moved more actively than anyone, hosting grand parties and gatherings.

These events were on a different scale from the small daily parties and meetings.

Parties were held nearly every day, and since they stretched from morning to night, nobles would move several times a day, showing their faces at various venues.

However, the beginning and end of the social season were different.

Those two days were an honor reserved for only one family each.

If last year's social season protagonist opened the grand序幕, this year's protagonist would grace the magnificent finale.

That was the rule.

'This is my chance to get Count Reno's staff.'

Last year's protagonist had been Lady Boreita.

So this year, the honor of opening the grand season fell to the Count Reno family.

To attend the party starting at noon, everyone had been busy since dawn.

"Ugh!"

A faint groan escaped Vinet's lips as she was being groomed.

"I'm… I'm so sorry! My lady! I'm so, so sorry… sob…!"

Sera, who had been shaping her eyebrows, finally made a mistake.

Blood beaded from the small scratch, and Sera, trembling, knelt on the cold floor and bowed her head.

"No, it's… it's fine…! Sera, get up. Okay?"

Flustered, Vinet stopped Daisy, another maid who was wiping the blood, and rose from her seat to help Sera up.

"B… but…!"

Sera's trembling hands were pale.

Vinet clasped Sera's hands tightly, sharing her warmth.

"Sera, look at me. Breathe slowly. Yes, like that. Good. See? The bleeding's stopped. This is a minor wound that'll heal quickly—it's really nothing."

Kind Vinet was busy comforting Sera, who couldn't even breathe properly.

'What a mess.'

I glanced around and saw the flustered maids and Ailet, whose expression had turned cold.

"Sana, could you get some medicine from Meden?"

"Yes, Lexi."

Instead of Ailet, I gave the order to Sana.

"Lady Vinet, even if we start preparing now, we'll be short on time."

"Huh? I know, but…."

"Leave Sera to me."

"Phew, alright. Sera, I'm really fine, so don't blame yourself too much. Lexi, please comfort Sera."

Before Ailet's anger could spark, I quickly led Sera out of the room.

Sera sniffled and kept repeating.

"Hic…! I'm sorry…! I'm sorry…."

"Sera, it's fine, so stop crying. Lady Vinet said she's okay, so what are you worried about?"

Noticing glances from others, I took her into an empty room and comforted the still-sobbing Sera.

"No one's here, so just relax. Stop crying."

"Waaaah! I'm just so sorry to the young lady…!"

Alone together, Sera wailed and slumped down.

"You know I don't usually make mistakes, right?"

"I know."

Sera never made mistakes unless she was in front of Vinet.

That's why she'd been chosen as Vinet's personal maid.

"I always mess up with her! I can't even do this one simple thing right, and I do it again!"

It was just a small act of shaping eyebrows, but Sera had practiced with everyone, vowing not to make a mistake.

I'd even been her practice partner, so I couldn't be harsh with her, knowing she always messed up.

It wasn't that she couldn't do it—it only happened with Vinet, which made it worse.

Her pale, trembling fingertips showed her tension clearly.

"I should just quit if I can't do it, but I can't because of greed."

"What greed? You need the money to support your siblings."

Sera, who supported four younger siblings alone, was receiving a higher salary since becoming Vinet's personal maid.

"Someone like me… is useless…."

"Don't go that far."

I cut her off before she could get self-deprecating.

"If you were useless, you'd have been fired long ago. What pointless thoughts. Yes, you make more mistakes than most, but so what? The young lady likes you."

"Yeah… you're right… thanks."

Sera clenched her still-trembling hands and thanked me.

"With just words?"

"…You know my wallet is thinner than yours, right?"

"Who asked you to buy anything? Show it to your siblings—you keep saying you'll invite me over but never do."

"You were busy…! Yeah, I'll make time. I'll invite you next time."

"It's a promise. Don't forget. Now, I'll be going. You can join the others later. Lady Ailet said she'd only take Sylvia."

"…Sylvia unnie?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Hmm. Nothing. She's the best at her work."

Sylvia was a veteran who had served as a personal maid for a long time. Originally Rahan's personal maid, he had assigned her to Vinet.

"Good luck."

Sera offered me words of comfort.

I'd only heard bits from Gemma and Rebecca, but I knew that during this season, maids were just as busy as the nobles.

"Yeah, I'll be back."

Waving, I left the room.

---

After one storm passed, silence followed.

'So this is what that phrase means.'

Whatever.

Watching the dazzling Vinet, so beautiful it was mesmerizing, left me speechless.

'Heald must have truly loved her.'

Seeing how he'd remained steadfast toward Marr Elr, despite such a beauty pursuing him, showed his genuine feelings.

"Um… Sir Adren?"

There was another person as entranced as I was.

"Huh? Ah, I apologize."

Adren apologized.

I'd bet he didn't even know what he was saying right now.

Adren offered his arm, and Vinet shyly linked hers.

I'd worried about their height difference, but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

'Though Vinet's heels do help.'

Still, it looked good.

"Sorry I'm late."

Wow—

Rahan, appearing late, was also dressed to the nines.

Having only seen him in practical shirts and simple outfits, the gold-trimmed robe and formal attire felt fresh.

'Of course, his face stands out the most.'

His half-tied black hair and sharply defined features were striking.

Would the family closing this season be the Rohambriga Duchy?

'That would be a problem.'

The family that closed the season was usually decided naturally after the midpoint.

From then on, preparing for the final party would be tight.

It might be an honor for the nobles, but for the servants, it marked the beginning of hellish days.

"Lex—"

Rahan, about to speak to me, fell silent at an approaching voice.

"I apologize for being late."

The person appearing beside Rahan was Rebecca.

Parties typically required a partner. Since Rahan had no fiancée and no close lady friend, his partner was always Rebecca.

Though estranged, she had once been a lady of the Verasico family, making her a sufficient partner.

"My lady, you're so beautiful! Lady Ailet, good morning. Wow! Lexi, you look so pretty today! That dress is different from usual—is it also from Shal Dre?"

Ignoring Ailet's discomfort, Rebecca greeted her and came over to chatter beside me.

"Rebecca."

As if on cue, Rahan urged Rebecca.

His voice, lower than usual, suggested something was off, but Rebecca ignored it and answered cheerfully.

"Yes!"

Then she quickly whispered quietly.

"Lexi, this is your first time participating, right? If you don't know something, just ask Haulo—he'll explain well. Phew, I'd love to chat with Haulo too, but I'm envious of you."

Unlike Ailet's sarcasm, she meant it sincerely.

Revealing a persistent attachment to her childhood friend, Rebecca couldn't hide her regret.

Rebecca approached Rahan's side.

When our eyes met, Rahan's subtly stiff expression softened.

As if greeting me, he nodded, slowly looked me up and down, then replied with an eye-smile.

'You're pretty.'

He hadn't said a word, but the unspoken praise made me reply with my own eye-smile.

'You look very handsome, sir.'

I don't know if it reached him.

It was only about an hour from the Rohambriga residence to the Count Reno's, but time inside the carriage passed slowly.

'Phew, I thought I'd suffocate.'

That's because I was riding alone with Haulo.

'It would have been easier if even Ailet were here.'

We'd be riding together frequently from now on, and I was already tired.

Ailet had left as soon as Vinet's preparations were done.

She was also an invited guest today and needed time to prepare.

Despite worrying about Vinet and taking a break, she was endlessly devoted to her.

"Welcome. We've been waiting."

Lady Boreita greeted the party attendees with a warm smile.

Would Vinet do well?

I was sure she would, yet I felt anxious, like a mother sending her child off.

"We go this way."

Haulo, mindful of me, followed the servant to another building.

"We wait here, right?"

Among the waiting knights and servants, there were separate spaces for higher-ranking staff and for maids and footmen.

"Yes. You can wait comfortably. If the young lady calls for you, just follow the servant's guidance."

"If I need to step away and she calls?"

"Inform the servant of your whereabouts before you move. They'll find you."

Hmm. I have to state my destination.

"If it's urgent?"

"Do you have urgent business?"

"You know, like… biological needs?"

His expression subtly shifted in surprise, then quickly returned to normal.

"I'll go instead. I have that much flexibility."

His tone was stiff, like reading a manual, but he answered all my questions without showing any displeasure.

"Then I'm glad!"

"If you have any more questions or inconveniences, come find me and I'll help."

"Yes, thank you, Haulo."

Though there was a resting room, Haulo unexpectedly turned toward the buffet hall.

'This is a social gathering in its own right, isn't it?'

Haulo must be attending for information gathering.

I was also curious about their lives, but today I had two goals.

One was for Vinet to safely complete her social debut, and the other was to legally obtain Count Reno's staff.

'I have no choice but to pray for the first one.'

Unlike the original, where Vinet was pushed into society unprepared, now she had Rahan by her side, as well as Rebecca and Adren.

Lady Boreita and her loyal aide Ailet would also be with her, and finally, the protagonists Marr Elr and Heald would appear, so I didn't need to worry.

"Now, where could he be?"

I leaned on the railing, surveying the hall for my target.

[-"Jarten fixed my leg for me."

Count Reno patted his perfectly fine right leg.

"I wish I'd met him a little earlier—I would have handed over the staff long ago. Then there would have been fewer victims of brainwashing," he lamented.

"I was blind, not recognizing him even though he was right beside me."]

'A straight back, a mustache beneath a hooked nose… what else did it say?'

Recalling Jarten's description, I scanned the moving figures until a middle-aged man caught my eye.

He looked like he was replacing cold food—similar to the description of Jarten.

'Found him!'

With light steps, I bounced down the stairs.

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