If it wasn’t for the dress code, it could have ended with Sir Vieira’s one-sided love.
Although she was embarrassed at the time, she also had the confidence to highlight her specialty to the extent that even her sister’s fiancé became attracted to her later.
However, the damn dress code ruined it.

Why was the fact that she tried to humiliate Yuria and turn her into a vile older sister holding her back now, contrary to expectations?
Where did Sir Vieira hear that she would wear a light pink dress?

As a result, she was wary of the maids, and she lost the maids who would become her hands and feet inside the duke’s castle.

‘How could I be satisfied with the mere son of a count? It’s ridiculous.’

As she had been ignored as an illegitimate child, she had to go to a high position.
A high enough position that would overshadow even the Primrose duchy, which people said she didn’t fit in.
Lilika was dreaming of becoming the crown princess, the future empress.
But… getting close to the imperial family was not easy. She thought it was fortunate to have Princess Vivian come to the castle in the meantime, someone who was difficult to meet.
However…

“Lady Yuria is the one I came to meet. Not you.”

Damn it, she was still indignant about how she had to say thank you and apologize to an idiot like Yuria.

A stupid girl who, other than the fact that the duchess had given birth to her, didn’t have anything better than her.
Her reputation dropped, and each time she received a cold gaze from her family and employees, Lilika shrugged.
Everything she used to enjoy was hers, and she made it happen.
That idiot Yuria Primrose, even if her conditions were better, people called her a villainess and disregarded her!

‘But others don’t know.’

In any case… Since the princess said that she would not hold her accountable this time, other people wouldn’t know about it. As far as they were concerned, Lilika was a beloved lady.

But something was unsettling.
Her father, who always treated her as his dear child, scolded her repeatedly.
When her brother was at a disadvantage, he acted as if he had left her and was living alone.

Based on her experience so far, Jiksen had unconditionally refuted and blocked Yuria when she said, ‘Lilika is a bad girl.’
But the way she kept saying, ‘Lilika is foolish, so Brother shouldn’t accede to everything,’ and leading him… It was a little different from before.
She seemed to have gone from being a ‘lovely and nice younger sister that needs protection’ to a ‘lovely, but… foolish younger sister that needs protection’.
It was all because of Yuria.

‘Why does she keep acting up instead of just being an idiot as usual?’

Her disrespect towards the princess was not disclosed outside thanks to Yuria, but Lilika grumbled as she regarded everything as being Yuria’s fault.

Lilika Primrose will always be a dear child to her father and a sister that her brother wants to protect!
Even in the social world, she must be a good and pitiful lady who is attacked by the villainess Yuria!

So, she was just trying to recover her slightly tarnished image…

“Did Lilika bring the white lepias? Did she bring flowers you give to the dead… when paying Mother a sick visit?”
“Yes, Lilika wouldn’t have known this time too. So we have to reprimand the tutor who taught Lilika.”

Rather, the tutor who helped her enter the social world was fired. Even though she was still a person who had great use for Lilika.
Moreover, although she tried to strengthen her image as a ‘lovely and nice younger sister that needs protection’, the focus was instead on her being a ‘foolish younger sister’.
Lilika decided to acknowledge the bitter feeling she had been feeling.

‘Yuria Primrose, that stupid girl is different from before.’

She used to be easy to handle because she was hot-blooded. In particular, both Sir Vieira and her mother were weak, so they showed the expected reaction as soon as she provoked them.

“Whew.”

Today, she was going to hear only good things from the young ladies she was close to at the social gathering she was attending after a long time. She was going to handle the fact that Madam Tiller had been tired as if it was no big deal.
However, Lilika didn’t know that today would be the worst day ever.

***

The outdoor banquet hall, before Lilika arrived.
Wearing fluttering dresses, suitable for spring, the ladies sat together in harmony and laughed pleasantly.

It was a normal social gathering.
Except for the fact that among them, a lady with grinning eyes was asking a different question to the other ladies.

“Lady Lepis, do you happen to know what white lepia flowers mean?”
“What? Even a seven-year-old knows that. They’re flowers dedicated to the funeral of a dead person.”
“Right? Hoho, just in case…”

The beginning was ordinary.
As usual, it wasn’t a big deal for some ladies to talk before the meeting started in earnest.

‘Does she think I’m an idiot? Is she trying to pick a fight with me?’

It didn’t feel good being asked something that even a seven-year-old lady in the empire knew.
In particular, Lady Seira, who asked the question now, was a little light-mouthed, so it bothered her even more.

“But why do you ask such a question?”
“I recalled that the Lady was educated by Madam Tiller.”
“But what do white lepias have to do with being educated by Madam Tiller?”
“Then, one more question. Do you know that lead is bad for your body?”
“Of course, I know. I don’t apply powder mixed with lead because I like it.”

Why was she asking something that was common sense? This was clearly intentional. Lady Lepis kept a smile on her face and emphasized her voice.

“Lady Seira, are you being sarcastic?”
“Don’t get angry. I’m just asking out of curiosity.”

As the mood was about to change, Lady Seira secretly made her point.

“I mean, it’s just… I’m curious, because I heard Madam Tiller doesn’t teach you that.”
“Who says such a thing? Let’s ask Lady Mila. She was also educated by Madam Tiller, as I was!”

However, Lady Mila already looked very uncomfortable.
And when she saw Lady Lepis, she opened her mouth first, as if she had come at the right time.

“Lady Lepis, don’t we know basic common sense like white lepia flowers?”
“Yes, of course! We were taught that!”
“But I keep being asked if the ladies taught by Madam Tiller don’t know about that. It’s annoying.”
“What? How famous is Madam Tiller!”

How long did she have to wait in line to learn from Madam Tiller?
Lady Mila, who also suffered such hardship, vigorously agreed.

“Exactly. Thanks to Madam Tiller, I was able to learn proper etiquette!”

The best teacher in the social world who only teaches the best manners. The ladies who had learned from Madam Tiller were proud enough to hold a special gathering among themselves.
They drew each other to themselves and supported each other, forming a specific group in the social world.
Didn’t Duke Primrose also appoint Madam Tiller as Lilika’s teacher at all costs because he knew that?

“Lady Seira, why…”

While a young lady who had learned from the same teacher as Lady Lepis was there, she scowled at the person who was spreading groundless rumors.

“Oh my, so both Lady Lepis and Lady Mila learned that, right?”

But Lady Seira was excited faster than that, and chattered away.

“But Lady Lilika said that Madam Tiller didn’t teach her those things!”
“Sorry?”

Listening to Lady Seira’s words, the ladies were shocked.

“Lady Lilika is also here, so won’t you talk to her? After teaching her, I can see that she is a wonderful and virtuous lady.”

Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Madam Tiller’s recommendation, the illegitimate child would never have joined their meeting. Even if it was an out-of-wedlock child of the Primrose duchy!

“I mean, why wouldn’t she teach her that? Madam Tiller said she only raised the best ladies, and had us take a common sense test from the beginning…”
“That’s right. You even take a test like that in case you missed the basics. I don’t know why Lady Lilika said that!”

When the two ladies became indignant, Lady Seira looked embarrassed and said,

“But I did hear that Madam Tiller was fired from the duchy for that reason. That’s what the other lady over there who also learned from her said.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“We let her join the gatherings because Madam Tiller earnestly asked us, as she was ignored for being an illegitimate child… Is this how she repays her?”

Hearing the loud voices, the ladies around them also stepped in, curious.

“What is this, you seem to be having fun. What are you talking about?”
“That…!”

There was no lady who was not surprised to hear what Lilika had said.
They either covered their mouths, asking how she could do that, or they shook their heads, saying that it couldn’t be possible.
But as they continued to gather one after another, all the pieces of the story that had been circulating were connected.

“Well, I heard that Lady Lilika offered white lepia flowers to the sick Duchess!”
“What?”
“In addition, I heard that the people of the duchy almost died of lead poisoning because she bought a lead pot without giving it any thought. And that she even ate from it herself. How foolish is that?”

While they were chattering loudly, one lady closed the mouth of the lady speaking passionately.

“There, over there…!”
“Ah, what is it? I don’t know if Lady Lilika…!”

The irritated lady paused.
A pale Lilika stood behind her.

——