"Raise your head."
"Don't stand there like a criminal when you've done nothing wrong. If you stand there like that, you'll most likely end up being accused of a crime you didn't commit."
Kind yet firm words.
A gentle hand that corrects your posture.
Those were more valuable than gold to Millea Bogens, who had just come to the capital and was basically a loner.
***
After hearing Sersia Yeckerman's words, Millea realized that it wasn't because she had done something wrong, but rather because she was so outstanding that she was the reason people envied her.
Then her hunched shoulders and waist straightened on their own, and her attitude became confident. The bright smile that had disappeared for a while after coming to the capital also found its place.
Millea, who had returned to her original appearance, attracted people's attention by herself.
She tried to survive in the capital’s social circles, where she had no connections, using her ‘beauty’ as an advantage, and after about half a year, marriage proposals began to come in.
“Young lady Bogens, I heard you received a marriage proposal from the Viscount Amati this time?”
“...Oh, yes. How generous.”
Millea answered plainly, smiling neither too lowly nor too arrogantly.
However, unlike her calm attitude, the young ladies around her were excited and chattered at her answer.
“Oh my! The Viscount Amati!”
“They say there was a whole cartload of young ladies who had proposed to Viscount Amati and been rejected...”
“It seems the Young Master of Viscount had feelings for Young Lady Bogens.”
“To be honest, if you look at his face, Young Master of Baron of Jupert, who you said you proposed to last time, was more handsome...”
Someone spoke in a sly tone.
Millea put down her teaspoon and spoke politely.
“That kind of talk is rude.”
“But Young Lady Bogens is such a waste.”
“That’s right. To be honest, where else would you find someone as beautiful as Young Lady Bogens?”
“On the other hand, in today’s society, ummm...”
“To be honest, if you look at his face, Young Master of Baron of Jupert, who you said you proposed to last time, was more handsome...”
Someone spoke in a sly tone.
Millea put down her teaspoon and spoke politely.
“That kind of talk is rude.”
“But Young Lady Bogens is such a waste.”
“That’s right. To be honest, where else would you find someone as beautiful as Young Lady Bogens?”
“On the other hand, in today’s society, ummm...”
“Oh my, Young lady too!”
The young ladies who attended the tea party laughed out loud as they talked among themselves in sly tones.
Millea smiled and responded appropriately to their stories as she tilted her teacup.
However, the corners of her mouth hidden by the teacup were cold in contrast to her smiling eyes.
‘You have to be at least a Marquis.’
She couldn’t just be from a ‘good’ family.
Millea knew very well that she had a beauty that was hard to see even once in a hundred years.
However, her background was so miserable that it barely compensated for her beauty.
A humble noble family in a rural area, not even the capital.
The eldest daughter of a family with three younger sisters who had to be married off with dowries.
Given her position, Millea was full of thoughts about using her beauty to her fullest to attract as much attention from the social circles as possible and choosing the best one to marry.
Fortunately, perhaps because she had clenched her teeth and endured for half a year in the capital’s social circles, Millea was now in a position where she could walk around with her back straight among the capital’s nobles. However...
“The most handsome of the unmarried ones...”
“Of course, it’s him.”
“Count Florette!”
Millea’s fingers trembled as she held her teacup at the unexpected conversation.
However, because it was such a small movement, the young ladies did not notice it and sighed with dazed faces.
“Count Florette is truly... beautiful.”
“That’s right. Aside from being enchantingly beautiful, he is so beautiful that I don’t want to stand next to him.”
“Just... beautiful, you are.”
“The Count is the true flower of society...”
Flower of society.
That title was given to the most beautiful person in the current society, regardless of gender.
And despite her hard work, Millea was still not a flower of society. Although she
was not a ‘flower of society,’ she could not attract people’s attention by saying that she was beautiful.
There was a world of difference between the topicality of a ‘flower of society’ and the topicality of a ‘person who is the second most beautiful person in society.’
The world remembered the first, not the second.
‘What kind of a bastard is he?’
In that sense, Millea really did not like Count Albus Florette, who was called the flower of society, the lily of society.
Millea, who came from a humble family, had only outstanding beauty compared to others, and he was the one who took away even that pitiful reputation from her. On top of that, he was an arrogant person who matched that reputation.
Count Florette only attended fairly influential parties, and Millea, who had not yet built up enough connections to attend high-ranking nobles’ parties, had not yet met him. She had only heard rumors that were not true.
Millea knew very well that she had a beauty that was hard to see even once in a hundred years.
However, her background was so miserable that it barely compensated for her beauty.
A humble noble family in a rural area, not even the capital.
The eldest daughter of a family with three younger sisters who had to be married off with dowries.
Given her position, Millea was full of thoughts about using her beauty to her fullest to attract as much attention from the social circles as possible and choosing the best one to marry.
Fortunately, perhaps because she had clenched her teeth and endured for half a year in the capital’s social circles, Millea was now in a position where she could walk around with her back straight among the capital’s nobles. However...
“The most handsome of the unmarried ones...”
“Of course, it’s him.”
“Count Florette!”
Millea’s fingers trembled as she held her teacup at the unexpected conversation.
However, because it was such a small movement, the young ladies did not notice it and sighed with dazed faces.
“Count Florette is truly... beautiful.”
“That’s right. Aside from being enchantingly beautiful, he is so beautiful that I don’t want to stand next to him.”
“Just... beautiful, you are.”
“The Count is the true flower of society...”
Flower of society.
That title was given to the most beautiful person in the current society, regardless of gender.
And despite her hard work, Millea was still not a flower of society. Although she
was not a ‘flower of society,’ she could not attract people’s attention by saying that she was beautiful.
There was a world of difference between the topicality of a ‘flower of society’ and the topicality of a ‘person who is the second most beautiful person in society.’
The world remembered the first, not the second.
‘What kind of a bastard is he?’
In that sense, Millea really did not like Count Albus Florette, who was called the flower of society, the lily of society.
Millea, who came from a humble family, had only outstanding beauty compared to others, and he was the one who took away even that pitiful reputation from her. On top of that, he was an arrogant person who matched that reputation.
Count Florette only attended fairly influential parties, and Millea, who had not yet built up enough connections to attend high-ranking nobles’ parties, had not yet met him. She had only heard rumors that were not true.
“Rumors are always exaggerated.”
Millea desperately tried to hide the thorns growing in her mouth and smiled softly.
Then she began to speak quietly.
“I have not yet met the Count, but is he that beautiful?”
“What?”
“You still haven’t seen Lord Albus’ face...!”
“Young Lady Bogens, that’s it! Living without knowing Lord Albus’ face is a waste of life!”
Those words brought an explosive response.
They nodded enthusiastically, to the point that Millea, who had asked the question, was a little surprised, and expressed Albus’s beauty.
At that moment, the only young lady of the Countess in the room grabbed Millea’s hands.
She said with blazing eyes,
“I can’t. I heard that Count Florette will be attending Marquis Stania’s party this time? Come with me as my partner, Young Lady Bogens!”
“Yes? That, that much...”
“You’re wonderful, Young Lady!”
“Please let Young Lady Bogens know about Count Florettea’s beauty!”
Millea was taken aback by the young ladies’ appearance, who were putting aside their pride and applauding, even though they couldn’t stop her.
But that was only for a moment.
Regardless of the process, her heart swelled with excitement at the thought that she would be able to attend such a prestigious party.
‘Once.’
Just once, she had to show up in front of influential figures.
Millea was confident that with that one time, she would leave the name ‘Millea Bogens’ in their minds.
It was a well-founded confidence.
‘Did you say Albus Florette?’
No matter how beautiful he was, his beauty would stand out even more because he was a man.
Millea was certain that her beauty would definitely stand out more if they stood next to her.
And she fought hard until the day of the party to hone her beauty.
On the day of the party, the Young Lady of the Countess, who had found Millea as she got off in front of Marquis Stania, let out a heartfelt exclamation.
“Oh my, Young Lady. You are so beautiful today.”
“That’s too much praise. Even Young Lady is dazzling.”
Millea responded with a grin.
She covered her mouth with her fan and glanced around.
“Good.”
Everyone who got off the carriage to attend Marquis Stania’s party, including the attendant who was checking the invitation at the entrance, were all lost in thought as they looked at Millea.
Only then did Millea’s lips form a satisfied smile.
She walked elegantly and headed to the party venue with the Young Lady of the Countess.
Millea had to bite her lips tightly to keep herself from exclaiming the moment she entered the party venue.
“...It seems like all the wealth in the world is gathered here.”
For her, who was born a Baron, the Marquis’ party was a great shock.
Half a year after arriving in the capital, Millea had attended quite a few parties during that time.
She had been invited by several families who were said to be wealthy.
However, she could be sure that the price of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling was more expensive than the combined price of all their luxuries.
'Let's not be discouraged.'
Millea desperately tried to hide the thorns growing in her mouth and smiled softly.
Then she began to speak quietly.
“I have not yet met the Count, but is he that beautiful?”
“What?”
“You still haven’t seen Lord Albus’ face...!”
“Young Lady Bogens, that’s it! Living without knowing Lord Albus’ face is a waste of life!”
Those words brought an explosive response.
They nodded enthusiastically, to the point that Millea, who had asked the question, was a little surprised, and expressed Albus’s beauty.
At that moment, the only young lady of the Countess in the room grabbed Millea’s hands.
She said with blazing eyes,
“I can’t. I heard that Count Florette will be attending Marquis Stania’s party this time? Come with me as my partner, Young Lady Bogens!”
“Yes? That, that much...”
“You’re wonderful, Young Lady!”
“Please let Young Lady Bogens know about Count Florettea’s beauty!”
Millea was taken aback by the young ladies’ appearance, who were putting aside their pride and applauding, even though they couldn’t stop her.
But that was only for a moment.
Regardless of the process, her heart swelled with excitement at the thought that she would be able to attend such a prestigious party.
‘Once.’
Just once, she had to show up in front of influential figures.
Millea was confident that with that one time, she would leave the name ‘Millea Bogens’ in their minds.
It was a well-founded confidence.
‘Did you say Albus Florette?’
No matter how beautiful he was, his beauty would stand out even more because he was a man.
Millea was certain that her beauty would definitely stand out more if they stood next to her.
And she fought hard until the day of the party to hone her beauty.
On the day of the party, the Young Lady of the Countess, who had found Millea as she got off in front of Marquis Stania, let out a heartfelt exclamation.
“Oh my, Young Lady. You are so beautiful today.”
“That’s too much praise. Even Young Lady is dazzling.”
Millea responded with a grin.
She covered her mouth with her fan and glanced around.
“Good.”
Everyone who got off the carriage to attend Marquis Stania’s party, including the attendant who was checking the invitation at the entrance, were all lost in thought as they looked at Millea.
Only then did Millea’s lips form a satisfied smile.
She walked elegantly and headed to the party venue with the Young Lady of the Countess.
Millea had to bite her lips tightly to keep herself from exclaiming the moment she entered the party venue.
“...It seems like all the wealth in the world is gathered here.”
For her, who was born a Baron, the Marquis’ party was a great shock.
Half a year after arriving in the capital, Millea had attended quite a few parties during that time.
She had been invited by several families who were said to be wealthy.
However, she could be sure that the price of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling was more expensive than the combined price of all their luxuries.
'Let's not be discouraged.'
Millea forced herself to take a deep breath and straighten her back. If she stood there like a criminal despite having committed no crime, she would most likely end up getting blamed for everything.
She remembered every word of those words without a doubt.
"Oh, my parents are over there. I'll introduce you to them."
"Thank you, Young Lady."
Fortunately, the Young Lady of the Count, who had been looking around at the time, spotted her parents and grabbed Millea's arm. From there, Millea chatted absentmindedly among the acquaintances the Count and his wife had introduced her to, and the acquaintances those acquaintances had introduced her to.
She remembered every word of those words without a doubt.
"Oh, my parents are over there. I'll introduce you to them."
"Thank you, Young Lady."
Fortunately, the Young Lady of the Count, who had been looking around at the time, spotted her parents and grabbed Millea's arm. From there, Millea chatted absentmindedly among the acquaintances the Count and his wife had introduced her to, and the acquaintances those acquaintances had introduced her to.
"Nice to meet you, Young Lady Bogens."
"I've heard quite a few stories, but you are truly beautiful."
"You are much more beautiful than the rumors say..."
Millea felt a little relieved when the children of high-ranking noble families showed their enthusiastic interest in her.
'Alright.'
If the response was this good, the invitations from high-ranking noble families would start to increase before long, and eventually, the number of marriage proposals mixed in with the invitations would increase.
'I may not have earned the title of the flower of society, but this is not bad...'
That was when.
"Count Albus Florette is here!"
At those words, the noisy party venue became quiet as if cold water had been poured over it.
But it was only a moment.
Soon, several times the volume of voices before the silence rang through the air.
“What?”
“Count Florette?”
“Oh, my goodness. I’m so lucky today.”
People were talking excitedly.
Young Lady of the Countess also grabbed Millea’s arm with a flushed face.
“Young Lady Bogens, over there! Over there, it’s Count Albus Florette! Golden hair, golden eyes!”
“Young Lady, wait a minute...”
Millea was about to talk to the Marquis who had just started talking to her, so she frowned to suppress her irritation.
But the next moment.
“...”
A face that had briefly appeared beyond the crowd caught her eye.
At the same time, her mouth fell open reflexively.
‘...This is ridiculous.’
The appearance of Albus Florette, which she had only heard from others, was literally shocking.
Millea was also called a beauty who made people sigh in relief.
But Albus Florette was so beautiful that it took away even her breath for a moment. His beautiful lips curved toward the people rushing at him.
Then, his eyes also folded along the corners of his mouth, drawing elegant lines. His neatly hung golden hair sparkled more beautifully than a chandelier.
Even the diamonds embedded in the eyes of angel statues would not shine as brightly as his eyes.
A head taller than the others.
A body with a slender line, but with well-defined muscles that did not look frail at all.
Many expressions came to mind, but none of them were enough to describe Albus Florette’s appearance.
It was almost despair.
The ‘confidence’ that had barely grown inside Millea was completely shattered.
‘From the beginning, I, I had... nothing... nothing.’
She bit her lips hard to hold back tears. She felt her eyes turning red, despite all the effort she had put into dressing up.
And at that moment.
Albus Florette and Milea Bogens’s eyes met through the crowd.
“...!”
Was it because Milea was glaring at him with resentment despite meeting him for the first time?
Albus’s eyes widened in surprise when they met. His mouth fell open slightly.
At that moment, someone grabbed Albus’s arm.
It was the lady who had been talking to Milea earlier.
“Come to think of it, this is your first time meeting the Count. We have an important guest at the party today!”
It was the lady who had been talking to Milea earlier.
“Come to think of it, this is your first time meeting the Count. We have an important guest at the party today!”
As the lady dragged Albus along, the people stepped back to make way for him.
“Now, wait a minute....”
Albus was dragged to Millea with a look of embarrassment on his face.
Regardless, the lady introduced them one by one with a smiling face.
“Lady Bogens, this is Count Albus Florette. Count, this is Baroness Milea Bogens.”
“...”
Milea and Albus looked at each other in silence for a moment.
Finally, it was Albus who spoke first.
“Nice to meet you, Baroness Bogens. I am Albus Floret.”
Albus barely managed to control his expression and slowly extended his hand.
His fingertips trembled at Millea’s gaze, silently looking down at Albus’s hand.
“...I am Millea Bogens, Count Florette.”
After what felt like an eternity, Millea replied in a calm tone and placed her hand in his.
Albus then bent down and lightly placed his lips on the back of her hand.
That was the first meeting between Millea Bogens and Albus Florette.
“Now, wait a minute....”
Albus was dragged to Millea with a look of embarrassment on his face.
Regardless, the lady introduced them one by one with a smiling face.
“Lady Bogens, this is Count Albus Florette. Count, this is Baroness Milea Bogens.”
“...”
Milea and Albus looked at each other in silence for a moment.
Finally, it was Albus who spoke first.
“Nice to meet you, Baroness Bogens. I am Albus Floret.”
Albus barely managed to control his expression and slowly extended his hand.
His fingertips trembled at Millea’s gaze, silently looking down at Albus’s hand.
“...I am Millea Bogens, Count Florette.”
After what felt like an eternity, Millea replied in a calm tone and placed her hand in his.
Albus then bent down and lightly placed his lips on the back of her hand.
That was the first meeting between Millea Bogens and Albus Florette.
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