Episode 19
Early in the morning, a royal messenger arrived at the palace.
“Lady Selena, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a gift for you.”
Everyone had gathered at the entrance. It was because Selena had loudly called her family together the moment the messenger arrived.
She beamed with pride and joy as she hugged the gift sent by Raymond.
It was truly ridiculous.
“What’s this gift about, Selena?”
“Mother, well… actually…”
Selena hugged the gift from the Crown Prince and shyly confessed.
“His Highness agreed to be my partner.”
“Oh my! Is that true?”
The mother and daughter were clearly speaking loud enough for Katrina to hear.
“Congratulations, Selena,”
Damian also offered dry congratulations to Selena.
Only Katrina stood apart from them all.
Ha.
So this is how it is, Raymond…
You just had to insult me in the end.
Do you really hate me that much? Did it have to be this way?
Katrina couldn’t understand Raymond. And she never would.
At that moment, Duke Abiche looked at her.
“Send that thing off to the convent.”
Katrina looked at Duke Abiche in shock.
“It’s no longer needed, so it must be disposed of.”
It was clear Duke Abiche had no intention of keeping the now ‘useless’ Katrina around.
In that moment, all eyes on Katrina turned cold.
As if looking at an unwelcome guest who would soon be gone.
Seriously…
This is why I hate all of you.
“What are you doing? Get that thing out of my sight!”
That bastard of a father.
At Duke Abiche’s words, the servants looked around nervously and then cautiously approached Katrina.
Katrina raised her hand.
“I’ll go on my own. There’s no need for you to come near me.”
I’ll walk out myself. No need for this charade.
“Once the Harmony Ball is over, send her to the convent. Damian, you handle it.”
“Yes, Father.”
Katrina turned her back on them.
“From now on, make sure she never appears before me again.”
I don’t need any of you either.
Plans will change.
I should’ve trusted what was worth trusting. I was foolish.
Why did I ever plan something that depended on others?
Foolish Katrina. After all that, you still didn’t understand them?
Were you going to steal the perfume recipe from my room…?
Raymond Ascliffe, that bastard.
Did he get Selena to steal the perfume recipe?
That damned bastard. You really are the worst.
How could you do this to me again?
Katrina collapsed against her door when she returned to her room, trembling all over.
“Haha…”
It was just so absurd.
But Raymond… what will you do now?
That’s not the perfume recipe.
Do you even know what that is?
Let’s see how well you use it.
Katrina handed the promised money to the maid.
“Here, take it.”
It was the maid who had delivered Katrina’s letter to Raymond secretly, hiding it from the eyes of the family.
“My lady…”
“Sorry it’s late. I should’ve given it to you earlier.”
As soon as she returned to this world, she went straight to the bank.
“Thank you so much…”
The maid looked stunned, as if she hadn’t expected to actually receive it.
“And there’s one more thing I’d like you to do. Are you interested?”
The maid hesitated for a moment—probably worried about Katrina’s fallen status.
But seeing the heavy pouch in her hands, her mind changed, and she nodded right away.
“I need you to deliver another letter.”
Katrina had just written it a short while ago.
It was a partner proposal enclosed with an invitation to the Harmony Ball.
Due to Katrina’s poor reputation, the recipient might hesitate…
But who could possibly refuse an invitation from House Abiche?
An invitation from Abiche symbolized more than just attendance—it meant influence in noble society.
That man would never want to miss the chance to hold a card like Katrina.
Several days passed.
Katrina received a reply.
“I cannot express the joy I felt when I received your invitation.
Thank you sincerely for thinking of me despite your busy schedule.
It is an honor in itself to be Lady Katrina’s partner, and I eagerly await the upcoming event.
– Heil Evans –”
Perfect.
Heil Evans.
He was someone she’d been keeping an eye on for a while.
If Katrina was to survive in House Abiche, he was someone she would eventually have to face.
She had to meet him.
What if he said no? she had worried.
But it had gone according to plan.
Now then…
Whack!
Suddenly, the letter was snatched out of her hands.
What the—?
Startled, Katrina turned around to see Selena reading her letter.
“What are you doing?”
“Evans family? Never heard of them. Where are they even from?”
Katrina immediately snatched the letter back from Selena.
“Provincial nobles, maybe?”
“Who taught you it was okay to snatch someone’s letter?”
“Didn’t Father tell you to invite the Crown Prince?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Heil Evans? Never heard of him. Who is he?”
“I said it’s none of your business, didn’t I?”
How annoying.
“Inviting a man like this… aren’t you ashamed?”
“I’m not.”
“Well, I suppose none of the reputable families would let their sons be your partner.”
Selena smirked arrogantly.
“You’ve made a poor move, Katrina.”
“…”
“Father’s going to be furious when he finds out.”
Katrina didn’t care.
She’d used a maid to send the letter because she feared it wouldn’t go through. Now that the reply had arrived, there was nothing left to fear.
“But I won’t tell him. Consider it my final gift to you.”
Gift, my ass.
She probably just found something new to mock.
What Katrina would take from Selena was that arrogant carelessness.
Soon enough, you’re the one who should be watching your back.
The Day of the Harmony Ball
“Katrina Abiche—that woman’s alive, isn’t she?”
The high nobles of the capital gathered at House Abiche.
The Abiche estate’s garden was like something out of a dream—gorgeous and elegant.
It truly matched the estate’s reputation.
This Harmony Ball attracted more attention than ever before.
“I heard she was supposed to go to a convent.”
“Yes, but apparently, His Highness suddenly took an interest in her.”
“Oh my, is summoning someone to the palace considered interest?”
“They say he even visited her while she was ill.”
Everyone was curious about Katrina—
The most infamous woman in the Empire.
