Looking at the lovely handwriting that matched Eve’s face, Kasha smiled.

“Of course, Eve.”

Finally, she had an excuse to frequent the Grand Duke’s residence.

Since that day, Leon hadn’t contacted her again, and Kasha was getting impatient.

‘Before the regression or now, you’re really not an easy man, Leon.’

Only the detestable Simon kept persistently contacting her.

He had come to the Count’s residence a few times, but Kasha had always turned him away, so they hadn’t met face to face yet.

‘But I can’t keep avoiding him like this forever.’

In her life before the regression, around this time, Kasha had handed over a few magical tools to Simon.

That’s probably why he’s so desperate now.

Because he wants to get those magical tools.

However, those magical tools, which she had completed simply thinking to receive praise from him, would be used as weapons to utterly defeat the Holy Knight Order in the Holy-Demon War just a few months later.

In this life, she had no intention whatsoever of handing over magical tools to Simon.

But would he, having lost his golden goose, really stay quiet?

And how would the figure behind Simon act?

‘I need to set the board before they make the first move.’

Thinking this, Kasha put down Eve’s letter.

For now, she needed to successfully conclude Eve’s tea party.

But of course, since Kasha knew nothing about tea parties, she would have to borrow someone else’s help.

Kasha abruptly stood up from her desk.

There was someone she needed to meet.

And there was also someone she needed to take with her when meeting that person.

She quickly opened the door and went out into the corridor.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Um… do I look alright?”

Daril asked, turning around with a nervous expression.

“You look fine. And here.”

Kasha suddenly thrust a bouquet of flowers at Daril.

“I asked the gardener to cut them. Sena did the wrapping.”

Seeing the bouquet, Daril stammered, seeming flustered.

“W-why are you giving this to me?”

Kasha faced Daril without hiding her exasperated expression.

“It’s for you to give to Miss Margaret. Not for you to keep, brother.”

“Ah. I see.”

Daril scratched his head with his large palm.

“I didn’t think of that at all.”

‘Of course you didn’t. You bear-like brother.’

Thinking this, Kasha lifted her skirt and stepped up the stairs.

They were now standing in front of the Yonder Viscount’s mansion.

This visit had been arranged three days ago, when Kasha had abruptly joined Daril for breakfast.

“What’s the occasion for you to want to eat together?”

“…Brother.”

“Yes?”

“If you’re going to propose to Miss Margaret Yonder… hurry up.”

Despite her halting speech, her blunt and direct words made Daril wear a dumbfounded expression.

“Uh… what? No, that’s… How on earth did you…”

“If you keep dawdling, you’ll lose her. Brother.”

“……”

Daril stared at Kasha, speechless. It was because he had heard advice he never expected to hear from Kasha.

“Viscount Yonder… will sell off Miss Margaret as soon as a suitable marriage prospect appears.”

Kasha had a reason for being so certain about this.

‘Miss Margaret. Boo-hoo….’

Before fleeing to the tower in her previous life, she had accidentally overheard Daril’s drunken lament in the garden after Margaret’s marriage.

‘I hadn’t even confessed yet… hic. How can someone get married so quickly?’

Daril, having failed at his first love, wiping tears with his pot lid-sized hands and crying like a child.

‘And to think she was sold off in an instant to that pervert-like Marquis… Boo-hoo.’

Recalling the image of Daril eventually beating the ground and wailing, Kasha narrowed her eyes, to which Daril retorted angrily.

“Sold? That’s too harsh. She’s a noble young lady. Even her father couldn’t do such a thing.”

Perhaps this brother was even more naive than her past self. Was such naive stupidity a hereditary trait of the Lyuschino family?

Kasha didn’t even try to hide her look of exasperation as she responded firmly.

“Not all fathers… are like Count Lyuschino of our family. Brother.”

Faced with this unexpected statement, Daril couldn’t find words to refute. He couldn’t even point out that she had called their father ‘Count’.

Of course, he knew that Viscount Yonder was the epitome of a materialistic nobleman. But to think he would try to sell off his own daughter? That unscrupulous man? To dare do that to the noble Miss Margaret?

…Come to think of it, it did seem entirely possible. Daril realized that he had been so caught up in his own pure feelings that he hadn’t even considered Margaret’s situation.

Watching Daril deep in thought, having stopped eating, she knew he would accept her advice.

From the next day, Daril began earnestly knocking on the doors of the Yonder Viscount’s residence. And three days later, they finally found themselves standing side by side at the entrance of the Yonder Viscount’s house.

Knock knock.

As soon as he knocked, a servant came out.

“We’re here to see Miss Margaret Yonder. Daril Lyuschino and Katiana Lyuschino of the Lyuschino family.”

Daril spoke to the servant on Kasha’s behalf. The servant, who seemed already familiar with Daril’s face, bowed and gestured inside.

“I’ll guide you to the young lady’s room.”

The Yonder Viscount’s mansion was quite splendid in its own way, but not elegant.

It clearly showed the characteristics of a declining family trying to keep up with the capital’s trends but hitting economic limits.

Knock knock.

The servant, having arrived at the room at the end of the second floor, knocked on the door.

“Tell them to come in.”

A soft but proper voice was heard.

As Daril was about to stride in, Kasha blocked him.

“…Why?”

“Let me go in first.”

“Why? Then what about me?”

“I’ll go in and… talk about you well. Please come in later.”

“Really? Um… thanks, Kasha. I didn’t know you’d care about me this much.”

Kasha had actually just made an excuse to meet Margaret alone, but Daril’s face looked thoroughly touched.

Kasha deliberately ignored Daril’s moist eyes as she entered Margaret’s room.

“Lady Margaret.”

“Lady Kasha.”

The two women lightly bent their knees in greeting.

“It’s been two weeks, hasn’t it?”

Margaret smiled awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

“Yes.”

“Um… thank you for the ball. I’ve felt bad about leaving in a hurry without greeting you properly that day, and I’m grateful that you’ve even come to visit me first.”

Margaret offered a seat as she greeted.

Looking closely, her face had become quite haggard.

‘She must have been through a lot.’

Kasha thought this as she accepted the greeting.

“It’s nothing. Brother Daril was very worried.”

At those words, Margaret’s face slightly reddened.

‘It’s not impossible. That’s good, Daril.’

Thinking this, Kasha glanced around the room.

The room was a bit small, but it revealed the owner’s neat and dignified character.

The curtains, fabrics on the furniture, and small paintings on the walls were modest but sophisticated. Unlike the overall atmosphere of the house.

‘It seems I’ve come to the right place.’

As Kasha thought this, Margaret opened her mouth again.

“Lady Kasha. Why… did you help me that day?”

“Hmm.”

“I… shamefully, I’ve only been watching when Lady Kasha was in difficulty. Of course, I always cared, but I lacked the courage…”

Margaret’s face darkened with shame and self-reproach.

Perhaps, this fact had troubled Margaret the most over the past few days.

That Kasha, whom she had turned away from, was the first to help her.

‘Because Margaret is a kind and conscientious person.’

“Were you displeased? That I stepped in.”

At Kasha’s direct question, Margaret’s eyes widened in surprise.

“How could that be? Honestly, at that time… Lady Kasha’s face reaching out to me seemed to be shining with a halo.”

Margaret smiled weakly.

‘Yes. Your face looked like that too then, Margaret.’

Before the regression, Margaret was the only person who reached out to Kasha when she collapsed at the Tyrot Duke’s ball.

Of course, she soon withdrew her hand under Odette’s pressure, but that was something.

‘Not everyone goes through a terrible death and regression like me.’

Margaret’s reaction was extremely normal and sensible.

And in the life Kasha had experienced, such normal and sensible people were very rare.

“Raise your head, Margaret.”

At Kasha’s words, Margaret slowly raised her downcast eyes.

Meeting Kasha’s eyes, she stared at her for a while as if entranced, then opened her mouth.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Somehow… you seem to have changed a lot. Lady Kasha.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, I didn’t know you well before, but you’re very different from what I imagined from afar.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You seem like a very confident and strong person.”

“Then, Lady Margaret, you should live like that too.”

“Pardon?”

“If you only live to conform to your family, to your surroundings… you’ll never be able to live as the person you want to be.”

“…That’s.”

“It’s unfair… that only people like Odette get to live as they want.”

At the mention of Odette’s name, anger and fear simultaneously appeared in Margaret’s eyes.

Kasha continued, as if soothing her.

“I’ll help you.”

“……”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that.”

“Then, what do you think of… our brother Daril?”

“What? What do you mean…”

Margaret’s cheeks turned bright red. Kasha, seeing that shy face, spoke with sincerity.

“Our brother will protect you. So, even if it’s with his help, please… try to live as you want.”

Tears welled up in Margaret’s eyes.

“But… isn’t that using his feelings? I have nothing… and my father is already preparing to sell me off in marriage for money.”

Kasha deliberately glanced towards the door.

“Perhaps, our brother would… rather like it if Lady Margaret used him.”

“Oh my, what are you saying.”

As if Kasha’s words were both embarrassing and amusing, Margaret giggled while her eyes were still teary. Thinking that sight was pleasing, Kasha spoke as if making a promise.

“Don’t get sold off, Lady Margaret.”

“Lady Kasha……”

“Make your own choice. I’ll help you.”

At Kasha’s unrestrained affirmation, Margaret smiled with tears in her eyes.

Margaret seemed to be in a much lighter mood.

Perhaps because someone appeared to push her in the direction she wanted.

Staring at Margaret’s smile, Kasha suddenly felt a strange feeling.

Sharing worries with a same-age, same-sex friend and supporting each other.

A relationship usually called ‘friendship’, which she had only read about in books and yearned for.

Even after returning through death, she hadn’t really expected this. Maybe she had guarded against it, considering it excessive greed.

But now, facing Margaret, with whom they had each reached out to each other once, she suddenly thought that this might be what that ‘friendship’ emotion she had only read about in books felt like.

Kasha abruptly opened her mouth.

“Then, Lady Margaret. Does this mean… we’ve become friends now?”

At this direct question that came suddenly again, Margaret replied with a smile, as if it were obvious.

“Of course, Lady Kasha.”

The two looked at each other and laughed together.

Kasha, forgetting about Daril outside the door, conversed with Margaret for a long time. Then, suddenly remembering the purpose of her visit that she had forgotten, she hurriedly asked.

“By the way, Lady Margaret, may I… ask you for a favor?”

“…? Of course. What is it?”

“Have you ever hosted a tea party?”