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On the day where the wedding ceremony would be held, I turned my room upside down to find the crystal ball.
I was sure that I brought it to the house but I couldn’t remember where I put it.
Dana, who was helping me in finding it, shook her head.
“That’s why I told you that was not something that you could just leave anywhere.”
“It was because I didn’t expect him to call me.”
“If the crystal ball isn’t for calling then what would it be for?”
“What would such a person even call me for? Of course, I thought of it as a gift to keep up appearances.”
The thing that was unlikely to be found was found in an unexpected place.
The ball that, as small as a knuckle, rolled out of a dress ornament and then onto the floor before getting crushed under the feet of a maid that was helping out.
The sound of hundreds of gold flying was cheerful.
“Nothing’s going well.”
After spending the beginning of a day like that, I was unlucky all the way after that.
The perfume that was put on the bathtub was so poor that I had to change my dress because of the rashes on my skin. That incident soon caused my hunger, as I lacked the time and consequently missed my meal.
“However, my Lady.”
“Yes?”
“Do you really not want to invite Mr. Zenin?”
Dana asked carefully as she subtly glanced at me.
“Yes.”
Even in the past, Zen had never attended Mother’s wedding ceremony.
He did not want to come, and even if he came, he was not a good guest.
There was no reason to invite him when I would, without a doubt, become busy with the wedding.
“But, isn’t this time a bit different?”
“Different?”
“The groom is the Duke of Miller. Because this is a wedding of a high-ranking noble, I’m sure a lot of nobility and higher up people would come . . .”
“It’s not like those people attend the wedding to see me or Mother.”
I was sure they came to the wedding to see Duke Miller’s grace.
“Won’t he get upset about this?”
“No way.”
I laughed lightly.
Even I— the daughter— was eager to leave the ceremony as soon as it ended. For what would Zen want to come to the wedding?
“If he does come, it will be fortunate if he doesn’t make any ruckus.”
Actually, Zen was still full of bad impressions of Mother’s marriage partner and his son.
The result of trying to call him a few more times was that, to him, Orion had become a ‘noble kid with perverted eyes and even though his money was endless, he never used his head.’
But I really didn’t say anything.
Looking at the modifier that increased every time I called him, it was better for Zen to not meet Orion.
Dana looked as though she wanted to speak further, but she closed her mouth and focused on preparing me.
She tied up half of my curly hair and let the rest hang down. She then fixed the rest of the hair with a pin that I had received as a gift long ago.
The light blue, sky-colored pin harmonized with the lavender dress.
“If only you would dress up like this every day.”
After smiling at Dana who showed her regret, I slowly rose from the seat.
I had a lot on my mind.
* * *
“Lady Marianne.”
“Thank you for coming.”
A noble lady gave me a faint smile.
Her elegant demeanor was as natural as flowing water even though she was in high heels and an uncomfortable dress. It was as if she had been trained for a long time.
Is this why the nobility are so different?
It was clear that they were a bit different from any of the people I had seen before.
“Your mother, her scale is so extravagant.”
Reynia, who was by my side, whispered the words.
The deep yellow colored dress that looked lively matched well with Reynia, who had a charming appearance.
Her dark brown pupils and her pale brown hair that wind was slowly blowing over her shoulders matched perfectly with her dress.
Usually, she avoided this kind of dress because she did not like to be told that she looked younger than her age, but it was undeniable that dresses of this style suited her.
“By the way, apparently Zen had a total misunderstanding .”
“Huh?”
“He gritted his teeth, saying your new brother is a pervert. He asked who on earth your mother was marrying.”
I sighed to myself at Reynia’s words.
Even if I tried to clarify, I was also in trouble with the modifier that he kept changing every time I attempted to tell him.
“What kind of relation is there between whoever Mother’s marriage partner is and me? Just as we have always done,  I will live as myself and Mother will live as herself.”
“But I think there is a relation here.”
Reynia mumbled.
“Isn’t that blond beauty the Young Duke that will be your new brother?”
“Blond beauty….”
It was a word that befit him well.
If beauty was different in the eye of the beholder, no one could deny that Orion was a beauty who could only be seen in pictures.
“He keeps staring at you.”
“Ah, that.”
A lamenting sigh came out of my mouth.
“It is because there is something I have to pay to that person.”
“What?”
Reynia’s voice rose a bit in volume.
When the forgotten luxurious crystal ball came back to mind I asked my close friend,
“Do you have some money?”
Reynia raised one of her mouth corners then raised her chin as she spoke,
“I have nothing but money.”
As expected of a noble who received their title because they suddenly struck wealth from their mining business.
I leaned on her shoulder as she proudly boasted of her wealth.
“You are dependable.”
“There is nothing you can’t do with money. Don’t worry. I will press your brother-to-be with my financial power. Let’s get a head start in the game.”
“No, don’t do that.”
He is a Young Duke of the empire.
What on earth are you trying to do?
I only needed you to pay the price of the crystal ball, nothing else.