The first ball for the first month had finally occurred.


    "Is he truly here?"


    "Definitely, Your Ladyship."


    Akan confidently uttered.


    Last month, he informed Her Ladyship of the person in the old lady''s house she wants Ett to protect. Ares was Count Shubert''s plaything who, in front of other people, is his trusted confidante, but behind closed doors, his kink was unsalvageable.


    Ett pursed her lips; this kind of thing is typical for nobles who had their own closed doors. Count Shubert is from the Imperial Faction, so they must handle it well as a warning for other nobles.


    As a modern person who still has a shard of conscience from what her parents taught her, this horrible, disgusting man needs to be ''hardcore'' beating. Therefore, after another month of ''recuperation'', she has been busy knowing who else of the nobilities has this kind of hobby.


    It was a headache. Even though it lessened after the Beggar Street incident, there are still nobles who can''t stop to amuse themselves with their twisted mindset.


    If this could be solved, then other reputation points can be ensured. When Ett''s death comes, her son will at least have some people who were saved and would be grateful for him when he died. After all, she is unable to truly mourn for her son and herself.


    "What a bad mother I am, I''m already thinking about his death."


    No mother would think that far for their son. She''s really horrendous.


    Just as planned, after Ett went back to her hiding place, like when the first banquet of the Emperor to see how the first ball for the nobles, Akan also entered the banquet and was only on the side overseeing everything with his accommodating smile while many of the nobles would greet him.


    Ett watched from above with a plate of dessert in front of her. She''s not much of a sweet dessert person.


    Ett likes meat, a few varieties of vegetables that could be counted by hand, soups, meat, meat again, and some seafood.


    Those other transmigrator darlings can all have the sweets of another world—she wants fats. Before, she couldn''t grow fat, yet even now no matter what she ate, this body would never be plump.


    Besides, at a glance, Ett could see Cashim within the crowds.


    Obviously, he''s one of the party people. It is an excellent way to extract information in these situations.


    Thinking about it, she hadn''t received any news yet; it must be hard to gather them. Well, it''s not like she is impatient.


    It reminds Ett of the assassin, Garth''s son, who was from northern territory. They aren''t present at this banquet. It''s impossible that they were not invited.


    "Are they still mulling over their sacrificial lamb?"


    Way to respond to the royals they serve.


    "I could be more forceful saying one of the Sons of Garth dare to raise his sword to me."


    They won''t dare to expose her identity, for the loss is greater than the benefit.


    That little young cub should know what to do if he doesn''t want his family to be obviously pressured by her.


    Buuuuuuuup.


    The trumpet rang once again, this time a little longer, announcing the entrance of the banquet host. Ah yes, of course, how could she forget about the potential bride of Guren?


    Even in the story, there is never a mention of who Guren''s arranged fiancé is.


    "The Daughter of Paralian, Lady Vrana Astielle from the Paralian Duchy, has arrived with the Son of Illiannar Sir Miro Ubefid from the Illinnar County territory."


    Son of Garth, Daughter of Paralian, and Son of Illinar is their surname too. Sometimes, Ett finds this etiquette and title-calling tiring. Politics and power are still widely predominant wherever you go; they may change in different varieties, but the common ground will always be the same.


    Her eyes laid on Lady Vrana Astielle, with brunette hair, who seemed to be sunny, with her lotus face like a porcelain doll smiling ever so jubilantly with everyone.


    Ett already considered her the happy, innocent heroine type, even if she''s not the heroine in this novel.


    Many noble boys seem to like her, too, even though she''s just a 12-year-old kid. Her parents are pretty amiable, too; look, her father affectionately hugged their daughter and kissed her daughter''s heek. It''s obvious how loved she is.


    Can such a person be able to influence the Emperor?


    No, Ett should keep her thoughts to herself once all those cuties she favoured came into view.


    "Now that I think about it..."


    What was the OG FL''s personality?


    Bubbly, innocent, bright, cheerful, kind and righteous. The one you typically see in tofu manhwas. Maybe it was too bright for Guren…did he think he was unworthy of the warmth and kindness she offered him, or was he annoyed by the illuminating light of the female lead? Strange guy.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ett mulled if an opposite female lead would be best suited for him. Was there a sub-villainess or cannon fodder that could match him?


    "This is what I get for skipping and skimming the novel when I want to speed things up."


    After watching the nobles for a while, without her knowing, Ett grew bored and slowly slept like a log without any care of the world.


    "Hmmm."


    In her dreams, she was in her own room reading some web novels on the internet that she downloaded, happily scrolling through her phone.


    The moment she slept. The world became fuzzy, and she was watching people dancing while Cashim approached her and began speaking inaudible words she couldn''t understand.


    Frowning, Ett pushed Cashim away, and the moment her eyes caught Guren, who seemed to turn into his early 20s, looking at Ett with hooded eyes, her view distorted.


    Ett gasped and sat on her bed.


    "What was that? Wait, my voice?"


    She looked around and saw that she was in her own room.


    Her cell phone was on the ground, maybe when her hand loosened when she fell asleep.


    "This..."


    She frowned thinking she truly got isekai''d in a novel, it turns out she was just dreaming.


    "Hahaha. That was quite a ride. Howee~."


    Opening her phone, she was still on the novel''s webpage; ah, yes, she was reading the novel.


    After staring at it for a while and looking at her room, she put her phone on her nightstand, making sure it was charged, and then she turned back and went to sleep.


    "Scared me to death."


    Just a dream.


    Ett slowly wakes up feeling empty and senseless.


    "...just a dream."


    What a nostalgic and bizarre feeling.


    So that''s what it feels like; it reminds her of one of the famous poet''s titles. A dream within a dream.


    She can''t quite explain the oddness.


    It''s too casual to even say there was a meaning behind it. Still, it made Ett curious about herself if it was like any other transmigrators who had their body become vegetables or maybe she time-travelled and her face transformed into something that even surgeries can never attain.


    Now, that''s unbelievable.


    Ett was still in her fuzzy moment, rubbing her eyes to wake up.


    "The banquet has not ended yet?"


    How long has she been awake?


    The people were fewer now than before. She also can''t find Cashim. He must have returned to his house after collecting information and having fun with the lords and ladies. He looks fetching like a Casanova even when hooking up with some noble ladies.


    Now, Ett should return to her chambers and continue to rest.


    Maybe, in her next dream, she''ll turn into grass.


    "Greetings, Your Ladyship. Had you had enough rest?"


    "…how many hours?"


    Who would have thought Akan was waiting for her.


    "About 2 hours, Your Ladyship."


    "Oh."


    That''s quite a while.


    "What did you find after talking to her?"


    She fell asleep fast, not even watching Akan''s acting to test the targeted Lady Astielle.


    "She is quite a bright, smart and positive child."


    "Mmm."


    "Quite educated and graceful and keen eyes."


    "Overall?"


    "I''m sure the whole palace will have a ray of sunshine inside the palace halls."


    "Indeed."


    Ett just worries if it''s too blinding for someone like Guren. But, sigh. Who knows if it''s what he needs? His sun?


    "Did you engage someone to spill her drink, someone to humiliate her and protect someone weak?"


    Akan nodded.


    "She pardoned the lady who spoiled her drink with a smile, even when someone bumped into her and stepped on her dress. When one of the ladies was abused because of her social standing and lineage, being one of her parents was a commoner, she defended the person using the rights of the Empire."


    "Oh, that''s kind of her."


    The charming lady before the FL.


    Akan continued, "The last one was in the garden; she did well on protecting using her eloquent words, and when she protected someone''s daughter just because it was not born by the main wife, it was fiercer than how she protected herself."


    She missed such a great movie for those two hours without any monthly or annual subscription; truly, what a loss. Next time, Ett should better keep in mind staying awake during the entire ordeal to watch a good show.


    "Rules of the Empire, huh?"


    Ett just recently read the recent rules done by Guren.


    One of those is anyone with talent, skill, and innovation, whether the person is of direct in line, noble blood or not, as long as it can be contributed for the Empire, they can get acknowledgement; however, they were also warned that entering the nobility who values blood and status can be a daunting task for lower people to rank up.


    "Yes, she even recited everything clearly, and he even mentioned that the recent Emperor had done it."


    "Oh?"


    "Of course, knowing it would be of great exaltation to His Majesty the Emperor, I helped her a little bit."


    Ett nodded in satisfaction, a royal boost even if it was a tiny Winnie. "You''ve done well."


    The ordinary people would think brightly, while the nobles would be in a bad mood. But that''s alright. Gaining favour from ordinary people is a great job. More talents could come up, the better it is for the Empire. Akan and Guren could control the nobles so they would be at bay if something happened again.


    "Oh, and don''t worry, no one has noticed Your Ladyship''s choosing of each of the family''s daughters."


    Indeed, even the Ecluss and Zalore''s daughters were present, but she could not focus on observing them.


    "I''ll also discuss with you some information and observations I found about the other two ladies."


    For some reason, Ett felt pricked from dozing off. This guy seems to be enjoying how she hasn''t watched such a lovely play; Ett cleared her throat, "They''ll have their own limelight."


    "Limelight?"


    "Chandelier."


    Akan''s head was full of question marks.


    "...it is, as you say, Your Ladyship."


    "Let''s go."


    This guy is quite excited with his gossip.