Chapter 138

“I’m glad I brought the dress.”

I slipped into the forget-me-not bell dress Lady Lian had gifted me and studied myself in the mirror. Visually, I was presentable. Now it was time to prep the things that really mattered.

First: three movement scrolls.
My lifelines. I tucked them carefully into a hidden pocket. If things go south, I tear and disappear.

Second: message sync.
Since foreign royalty would be present, I pre-connected Diana and Larisa’s AI-synced chats. If the Autumn Kingdom royals start any nonsense, I’ll shield myself with higher-ranking nobility.

Third: ten gold coins.
Ransom money. If I get kidnapped again, maybe I can bribe my way out this time. Ten gold should be enough… I hope.

With my emergency kit complete, I sank against the marble vanity, head in my hands.

“…Do I really have to go to the banquet?”

My gaze drifted to the gold-trimmed royal invitation sitting on the vanity.

Refusing would just give them an excuse to demand a private meeting. If they’re plotting something, it’s better to be surrounded by powerful people than isolated in a trap.

I let out another long sigh. My stamina was already at zero. And on top of everything, I had to walk.

I gave the hotel’s reserved carriage to Biern this morning.

Apparently, nobles who weren’t invited to the royal banquet were holding a reunion. Bjorn, who had maintained strong ties with his academy classmates, was invited. I didn’t tell him about my banquet invitation—he’d just get riled up on enemy turf. And if he knew, he’d insist I take the carriage and interrogate me the entire way.

Thankfully, the palace wasn’t far. It was only about a 20-minute walk from the island.

I had considered booking another carriage, but the hotel had none left. Every last one had been reserved for the banquet.

So… I walked.

In my full-length, bell-shaped dress.

Because I was that girl.

I knocked on Johann’s door before leaving, intending to let him know I’d be back late. No response. He must’ve really needed that nap. I left a note under his door and headed out.

---

The road was made of uneven cobblestones.
Every step made me feel like a fancy pebble bouncing along.

The evening air was crisp and pleasant. The warm chatter of festival-goers echoed around me, rustling through amber leaves and scattering with the breeze. The scenery was beautiful—lemon sunlight melting into a darkening indigo sky.

I should be taking this in, enjoying it.

But honestly? I was so self-conscious.

Wearing a formal dress and walking to the palace on foot? Everyone was staring.

“I should’ve fought someone for a carriage.”

By the time I reached the gates, I found out why carriages were so scarce.

A line stretched across the bridge and looped around the plaza. A parade of luxury carriages inching toward the palace.

As I got closer to the gate, I noticed no one was actually handing in their invitations. The coachmen did it for them.

Which made me the one peasant manually presenting her own invitation.

“Oh… how embarrassing.”

This is why romance heroines don’t walk.

Just as I was cursing my fate and hiding behind my fan, I heard the slow clop of hooves beside me. A carriage moved alongside me, matching my pace.

The tinted window rolled down. Lace curtains parted.

Violet eyes stared out.

Natalia.
The infamous purple mushroom.

Her tightly bound hair made her eyes sharper than usual.

“…You’re not walking, are you?”

I gave her a weak smile. “Carriages were impossible to book.”

“Hmph.”

She sighed and opened the door.

“Get in.”

My survival instincts screamed danger. Every user who crossed Natalia lived to tell cautionary tales. Kindness from her often came with trauma.

I hesitated.

“Are you refusing?” she snapped.

“No! No, not at all!”

I was trying to find a way to refuse politely.

She gestured sharply. “You’re in heels. If you walk the rest of the way, you’ll end up with blisters for days. The banquet hall’s on a hill—over 100 steps.”

…That explained a lot.

“Thank you.” I curtsied and climbed in.

The ride was awkward.

I sat stiffly across from her as the carriage rolled forward. She didn’t speak, so I fidgeted with the hem of my dress and ventured a question.

“I thought you disliked me.”

“I saw through you,” she replied coolly.

“But you helped me.”

Natalia scoffed. “Of course I did. I wasn’t going to let you stumble in like a fool and ruin your feet. That would just inconvenience everyone later.”

A sharp tone, but… warm beneath it?

“Thank you,” I said again, sincerely.

She didn’t reply.

---

The Sapphire Palace came into view.

A massive crowd had gathered, and the entrance was congested. A press photographer stood snapping pictures beside a woman calling names.

“Lady Natalia of Dominica and Lady Daisy of Bomguk Estella!”

I froze.

Oh no.

Natalia leaned in behind me. “Smile.”

Click.

Too late.

We were intercepted by the banquet manager, Isabella Leticia, and a man named Antonio—the chief reporter for El Medio, Autumn Kingdom’s royal newspaper.

Apparently, they publish daily during the New Year’s Festival. They asked for permission to use our photo.

Not wanting to look suspicious, I signed.

“Why would they want my photo?” I muttered, mostly to myself.

After a short interview, we were finally inside.

Then Natalia turned and asked:

“What is your relationship with Crown Prince Alex?”

“Like I said before—we’re just expedition teammates. Nothing more. Honestly, our dynamic is closer to that of Prince Alex and Sir Chase.”

Natalia raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Yes! During the Winter Kingdom expedition, he gave me so much paperwork, I almost died. He worked me harder than the monsters did.”

That part was only slightly exaggerated.

“Work?”

“I handled most of the meeting minutes and expedition reports. I think I used up a whole forest’s worth of paper.”

Natalia blinked.

“My brother works in the palace. He mentioned how they kept running out of paper and had to restock every week…”

“Oh. That must’ve been for me.”

She laughed—softly, unexpectedly.

“His Highness has always been a perfectionist. He was like that at the Academy.”

I didn’t laugh with her. I was too busy plotting Alex’s downfall.

Then she murmured, “His Highness is perfect.”

Uh-oh.

“Even when you’re already perfect, you want to be more perfect… Sometimes it makes me want to go crazy.”

I stared ahead and began mentally counting the stairs. One, two, three…

She sighed again. “During literature class, he copied an entire book just because he liked the handwriting.”

“Even though he was already perfect.”

…Yep. We had entered fangirl monologue territory.

Then came the final nail:

“I used to watch him at the library for hours. I even wanted to send a donation under the name ‘Mana Day Kaheld.’”

Cough.
Choke.

“Are you okay?” Natalia asked, startled.

“Yes. Just… dust in the air.”

Mana Day Kaheld.
My pseudonym.

The one I used when I copied books for money.

And she just casually dropped it in conversation.

Somewhere, the system was laughing at me.