Chapter 1
Never in my dreams did I imagine my first party would be neither a debutante ball nor a New Year’s ball.
Of course, I knew my family wouldn’t prepare a debutante ball for someone as lowly as me, but I never expected my first step into society would be at an unofficial party hosted by a foreign noblewoman.
Well, I hadn’t even dreamed of making an official society debut anyway, with my grandfather making excuses to deny my entrance into society.
‘Not allowing me to enter society until I’m eighteen—isn’t that just a silent order to rot at home?’
To him, I’m a witch’s daughter, so it can’t be helped.
So should I consider it lucky that I’m even showing my face in society?
As I walked along with that resigned thought, whispers from all around reached my ears. The noise made my heart pound in a way that wasn’t like me.
‘There’s nothing to be scared about. You can do this, Windy!’
This was expected, so there’s nothing to fear!
Yes, Windy. No, ‘Gwendolyn Stephanie Lambert’! Don’t be afraid. Are you the type to get scared over something like this?
Think about your first time at the Debby Race (a horse riding competition in the Kingdom of Ingis. For reference, horse racing is called the ‘Denon Race’). Lion Windy!
Compared to the tension back then, this kind of gossip is nothing, right?
‘Yes, fighting!’
I kept repeating these words to myself, trying to calm my nerves.
A few months ago, tragic news spread throughout our Kingdom of Ingis.
Lady Kiira Abigail Lambert, heir to the Lambert family—one of the three great ducal houses of Ingis—had collapsed from an incurable disease.
Lady Kiira.
Unlike other noble children who engage in foolish and reckless behavior, or like a certain princess who had affairs with married men, she led an exemplary life—truly a mirror of nobility straight out of a book.
Moreover, intellectually flawless, she was pursuing a doctoral program in medicine at the nation’s top ivory tower, the Capital University—truly “the beautiful and intelligent heir to the Lambert ducal family who will lead this country.”
With such a title, explaining how beloved she is by the citizens would only be a waste of breath.
To summarize briefly……
Lady Kiira, the ducal lady adored by the entire nation, suddenly collapsed from an incurable disease and went to the quiet countryside to recuperate.
There, as a medical student, she realized her illness was nearly incurable.
Thus, this lady with a silk-like heart wished only for the happiness of her betrothed since birth and announced the breaking of their engagement.
The Lambert family, delivering this shocking news to the citizens, kept her recuperation location secret for her peaceful recovery. They bowed their heads asking for understanding.
That’s the summary of this national matter.
Additionally, it was also announced that Marchioness Donna Marcian Lambert would take the place of Duke Lambert, who had taken to his bed again after hearing the sad news about his most beloved granddaughter.
This information should be added because, in noble society, more significant than Lady Kiira’s tragedy was the big news—headline worthy—that with the heir gone for recovery and the duke bedridden, Donna, the official wife of the duke’s son, the late “Marquis of Rebon” (Marquis of the Rebon region) and my genealogical “mother,” had seized control of the Lambert family.
(As an aside, my grandfather held various titles and had passed the title of marquis to his son, with plans to pass the ducal title later.
But my father, Christian Lambert, passed away before my grandfather….)
Anyway……
While I was organizing the series of situations in my head from various angles, Donna’s cold, mocking voice reached me.
“I must commend you for not lowering your head.”
“That’s because I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Her sarcastic remark finally snapped me back to reality.
From the moment her cold words touched my skin, the surrounding situation that had been passing by like a blurry photograph began to register clearly on my retina.
Right, with the most terrifying person to me standing right beside me, mere gossip is nothing!
I smiled at the marchioness who was looking at me intimidatingly from the side, refusing to back down.
“Isn’t that right, Mother?”
Whether she liked my answer or not, I couldn’t tell, but at this point, even Donna wouldn’t expect me to become a “good daughter.”
That’s why she merely twisted the corner of her mouth slightly.
That’s right. How could she be pleased with the daughter brought home by her husband who had run away from her?
It’s common knowledge that the marchioness dislikes me and finds me uncomfortable.
Therefore, I was honestly pleased with my mature behavior in excellently countering her elegant yet intimidating actions that I had already anticipated.
Somehow filled with confidence amidst the numerous interested gazes fixed on me, I held my head high.
Yes, I’ve been through too much to lower my head over something like this.
After all, I’ve been the hot gossip topic of this Kingdom of Ingis since the moment I was born.
‘Indeed, people live by wickedness and strength. Villainesses are truly the best.’
So, shall I say I crossed the hall proudly, following Donna who was walking confidently through the hall?
Of course, my feet hurt from the unfamiliar high heels.
“Oh my, Marchioness Lambert.”
Soon, a lady in a splendid dress, seemingly the hostess of this party, spotted us and came running over with a fuss.
“If you had let us know in advance that you were coming, we would have sent a carriage for you….”
“No need. The duke only rose from his sickbed yesterday… if anything, I should apologize for not contacting you earlier.”
“Oh my….”
After sighing like that, the lady, now confirmed as the hostess of this party, began to fidget with her large body and steal glances at me standing behind Donna.
‘Ah, yes. I know. You must have many questions.’
Seeing her behavior, I said that to the hostess in my heart.
Still, this lady is one of the few who isn’t completely twisted and crooked like the others in this toxic social circle of the Kingdom of Ingis.
Her actions revealed her innocence, unable to hide her expressions.
Is it because she’s a foreigner?
“Thank you for your concern, Countess. The lily of the valley you sent as a token of friendship has been placed in Mother’s bedroom.”
Seeing the countess still glancing at me repeatedly, clearly wanting to say something, I approached her first and expressed my gratitude.
As my tension eased, the information Donna had shared with me in the carriage on the way to the party began to flow smoothly in my head.
The host of this party was… what was it? I forgot the name, but anyway, she’s a countess from the Karan mainland who “sent lily of the valley as a gesture of comfort when the duke collapsed”—a person who knows proper etiquette.
In fact, it’s truly something to be grateful for.
Other ladies of Ingis had sent orange blossoms or dark red roses to Mother with malicious intent.
‘These damned foxes!’
Among them, those who deliberately sent those expensive deep red roses also known as ‘black roses’… I can’t help but be furious at their obvious intentions!
Sending black roses, the emblem of the Vittenbergian ducal family which was my sister’s former engagement—it’s like saying, ‘Congratulations on your broken engagement!’
“You must have gone through a lot, Miss Gwendolyn.”
“Not at all.”
Looking into the countess’s teary eyes that seemed to say ‘I understand all the heartache you’ve been through,’ I bowed.
I don’t doubt her sincerity.
The sensitive countess, again looking as if tears might fall at any moment, firmly held both my hands and led me to the center of the salon.
And naturally, as Donna and I moved toward the center of the hall, people began to sneer more blatantly.
“Wow, I really didn’t expect them to appear so early?”
“Practicality over shame, I suppose?”
“Still, they didn’t attend the New Year’s ball, did they?”
But I laughed at them inwardly to my heart’s content.
I’m not one to be hurt by such hidden sneers.
‘Especially for our marchioness, those words won’t have any effect.’
I glanced at Donna and was relieved to see her still maintaining an expression that wouldn’t bleed a drop even if pricked with a needle. So I held my head even higher.
‘Gossip all you want behind your fans. You’re only hurting your own mouths.’
Words from cowards who don’t have the courage to speak to our faces have no impact, right?
The strong pride of Donna, from the ancient royal family of Isaro in the Karan continent, isn’t scratched by such words, right?
And you all know who I am, don’t you? I am the public gossip topic of the Ingis Kingdom’s society, “the second daughter of that Marquis Lambert,” Gwendolyn Stephanie Lambert!
“But it was really unexpected. Who would have thought it would be Kiira who caused the trouble?”