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The city became noisier as the banquet drew closer. After all, this was the biggest banquet in recent years and a lot of famous people will be attending.
The tempting Karman Hunter, despite his numerous divorces.
The soon-to-be viscount, Gillian Hutt.
Jedia Teneb, the Ministry of Finance’s rising star.
And Eliana Rose, the rumored atrocious stepmother, surrounded by promiscuous scandals, will be making her social debut.
That fact was stimulating enough, even for commoners who could not attend the banquet. They couldn’t help but talk about these luxurious people.
Eliana Rose thought it was half a success that she was at the center of such rumors. If she couldn’t get any attention such as this, she would disappear like a bubble that had been blown away.
Karman had woken the ambition that lay asleep in her heart. It was like shouting at Eliana, who wanted to quietly help her family as she had given up on her own dreams, to climb higher.
Eliana was willing to do that for them. Sometimes she would receive help, and other times she’d climb up by trampling on others. In the end, the Rose family’s name would be above all else.
On the day of the party, Eliana kept her meals to a minimum. Around two to three olives, three almonds, and a glass of milk. She hadn’t even eaten since lunch. It was to accentuate her waist even more.
“But what about this strange hairpin you keep wearing?”
Benny, who raised Eliana’s hair high, pinned it with roses and feathers tightly, and picked up the rose hairpin which Eliana usually wore. Just from one look, it seemed like it was bought somewhere in the market.
Eliana smirked and pointed her hand at the best spot in front of her.
“Put it here.”
“Here? This thing?”
“Yes. It’s an important item.”
“Did something happen? Still, I’m glad it’s not out of place at all.”
Benny didn’t probe Eliana any further. Eliana applied a white, soft powder over her face. Her lips were as red as roses in May and her eyes were sharp with a tail pointed upwards.
Her cheeks were coated with specially formulated light powder. The powder sprinkled a little life. Eliana didn’t wear her dress until she had carefully done her hair and makeup.
She was like a fallen swan. She was glamorous and beautiful from head to toe, but her innocent features still contained the image of youth. In particular, a glimpse of delicate innocence could be seen in her clear eyes. Her conflicting charms made Eliana even more beautiful.
“Ellie, you are so pretty. No one will be able to take their eyes off of you.”
“I’m glad. It’s all thanks to Benny.”
Eliana looked at herself in the mirror. Her attire was almost as similar as Madam Teneb’s as if it had been restored. On top of that, after wearing the Amazonite necklace gifted by Gillian and the hairpin from Ulysses, she felt confident and reassured as if someone was supporting her from behind.
Benny, who was looking at Eliana happily from behind, opened her mouth.
“Everything will go well.”
Eliana nodded her head at those words. She wondered what it would have been like if she had become the modest baroness of the Hunter family. Would she have lived her life quietly, subserviently obeying his words, conforming to her situation of being sold for money?
Eliana shook her head from side to side.
Perhaps Karman Hunter would have offered her a new life. The life of a baroness who could have just lived a normal life.
Eliana stretched her neck out. She then stood upright and wore her high heels. Eliana’s life was heading in a completely different direction. She was not afraid and took it one step at a time.
She felt a stinging pain in the soles of her feet, but she didn’t show it. All of this pain was bearable.
Eliana was deliberately scheduled to depart at a different time than Karman. Sharchen wanted that, and so did Eliana.
She proudly crossed the Baron’s mansion. The maids lowered themselves as they all watched Eliana, the pinnacle of splendor. It was as if they were going to get slapped if they made a mistake.
Eliana walked out of the gates with a fresh mind. However, she couldn’t take a step forward.
The carriage in front of her was on the verge of crumbling.
An old horse whose legs were so thin that they were shaking, and a coachman so old she wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly keeled over. The shabby carriage was also made of wooden planks. To mock Eliana, they put rose vines all over the carriage, but the flowers had all withered.
“No, can you even move?”
Benny said angrily.
“Of course, of course. It still works. Oh, the wheel.”
A small wheel rolled away the moment the old man nodded his head. It would be laudable if the carriage did not break right away. Eliana sighed at the childish trick she had never expected.
“Sharchen clearly pulled this trick!”
Benny said boldly. Joseph hurriedly said.
“I’ll look for a carriage as soon as possible.”
“No.”
Eliana stopped Joseph. Finding a carriage now would be like picking stars in the sky. It was a party attended by every noble. Would there be any carriages left? No. Probably not. Joseph would only be running around until his soles burned hot.
Sharchen was smart this time. Eliana had to admit that she failed to see the gaps. It was better for Sharchen to leave Eliana than for them to have a war of words in the banquet hall.
Compared to Eliana, she wasn’t usually clever, and that could threaten Sharchen’s status, who was well-loved in society.
She might have wanted to leave her rumored stepmother behind, who was unable to join the banquet. Eliana had a headache due to this unexpected ambush.
The time of her arrival was also critical. She had timed her entry with the Hutts. Everything Eliana had planned could be ruined by this one carriage. To make matters worse, Eliana didn’t know how to ride a horse. Besides, it would be impossible to ride one in her fancy outfit.
“D*mn it.”
She was so flustered that she couldn’t think straight. What should I do? She couldn’t come up with an answer. Eliana closed her eyes. She should have been vigilant until the end but she ended up missing a big part. Eliana clenched her fists.
***
Karman looked up at the top of the stairs where the entrance to the banquet hall was located. It was because Eliana, who should have originally already appeared, had not yet arrived. Sharchen was more lively than ever as she greeted her close friends. Karman beckoned to one of the attendants who was waiting.
“There is no word that the baroness has arrived.”
“I will check the line of carriages.”
Karman thought for a moment, then turned around and lightly tapped the attendant’s shoulder and grabbed it. Something was strange. Karman spoke in a low voice that only the attendant could hear.
“Check all the waiting carriages, and if there isn’t one with the Baroness in it, send mine back to the barony right away.”
“Yes. I will.”
Karman turned away after finishing his words. The party had yet to start, so it was just a matter of waiting, however, he was worried for some reason. Karman’s eyes and Sharchen’s eyes met. Then Sharchen softly turned away looking as if she was smiling.
She was dressed in more flamboyant clothes than usual. All the young ladies flocked around her. They were busy talking about their jewelry and where they got it.
There was a time when Karman thought that the way she looked was so lovable. But now, somehow, he couldn’t stand to look at her for a long time. It was because he kept seeing Eliana’s crying face over her happy face.
Of course, she recovered quickly. She even criticized him for the poor management of the barony. Since that day, Pepe was caught trying to erase the traces of his embezzlement, and was excluded from all the affairs within the barony. Eliana said that she will start her full-scale work after the banquet is over.
However, the documents she showed him had already proven that she would completely change the barony.
“Eliana.”
Karman quietly recited her name and looked at the entrance on the second floor. He said her name not knowing that Sharchen’s gaze was on him. Sharchen could only bite her lower lip. Karman’s gaze did not return to Sharchen.
***
Eliana sent Joseph to the castle where the party was being held. It was to convey the situation to the Hutt siblings. Joseph got on his horse and headed straight for the castle.
It might be a little late, but she will surely enter. The more disruption there was, the more she wanted to do it.
However, she couldn’t help but be anxious. There would be numerous carriages, and it would not be easy to find the one from the Hutt family.
It would be a big deal if the timing wasn’t right. Eliana clenched her fists, hoping that such a regretful thing would not happen.
Benny even had tears, fearful that Eliana might not be able to attend the banquet.
Eliana didn’t even have the energy to console her properly. She had to somehow overcome this crisis. The moment she concentrated on that thought, she heard the sound of powerful horseshoes and rolling wheels. It was the sound of an impressive carriage moving. Eliana turned her head to the side. She didn’t want anyone to see her shabby figure next to a carriage like that.
But the carriage stopped without going past the barony. It was a black carriage led by four dazzlingly beautiful white horses. The door of the carriage, which was lavishly decorated with gilded gold, opened. Eliana’s eyes widened.
The moment she met his eyes, Eliana could only think of one word. Savior. The one who will save her.