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As Lobelia sat down at the table, Countess Dora spoke to the guests, thanking them for coming. However, she seemed nervous and kept folding and unfolding her fan. Lobelia nodded as she noticed her behavior was consistent with the description she had read in the Original. Countess Dora was a poor performer at leading parties. It was for this reason that despite being a close handmaiden of the Empress, her reputation was not great.

“Oh my gosh, Helen. Are you still nervous in front of people?” At that moment, a gorgeous blonde woman sitting at a table next to Countess Dora spoke up. It was Florin, the sister of Countess Dora.

“I have no choice but to take my place today.” Florin said with a crooked smile. Countess Dora’s face turned white. Eventually, she excused herself, leaving Florin to take over as hostess.

As Florin confidently took charge of the party, Lobelia couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity for Countess Dora. From what Lobelia knew, Florin resented her sister because she was still single in aristocratic society, a great shame for a woman. This inferiority complex caused Florin to constantly intrude on Countess Dora’s parties and try to take over as hostess. Countess Dora was unable to get rid of her sister, so she was forced to endure it.

Lobelia came to the party today with the intention of raising the flag of Countess Dora and winning her favor as a stepping stone to the queen. Now, as she carefully examined the situation, Lobelia was ready to approach the poet she had noticed earlier.

“Speaking of which, Miss Lobelia is at today’s party.” Florin, who was discussing last week’s performance of Why Don’t You Wait with the women, suddenly mentioned Lobelia’s name. Lobelia turned her head away from the poet and looked at Florin, encountering her brown eyes full of mischief.

“Nice to see you again,” Florin said, smiling slyly as she fluttered her fan. “You saw me at the opera house last time, right?” Lobelia remained silent, unable to find the words to answer. It was hard to tell what Florin was trying to say to her.

Florin furrowed her brow slightly, offended by Lobelia’s silence, and opened her mouth. “Don’t you remember? I even talked to you.” Lobelia couldn’t remember. There had been so many people watching, and it was impossible to remember every single face.

“I don’t have a good memory…”

Just as Lobelia was about to humble herself and move on, Florin spoke again.

“Well, maybe you don’t remember. Miss Lobelia was distracted by something else at the time.” She continued, “You were seducing Elyan Regretina even though Duke Ferrado was there. Like the daughter of a sleazy gypsy, always attending parties as Miss Aina’s maid and shamelessly coveting a luxurious life. And here you are, flirting with so many men without a care in the world.”

Florin shrugged as she looked around at the crowd in the party room. “It’s funny. Isn’t it?” Everyone burst out laughing, and the men who had previously avoided Lobelia’s gaze and turned their heads now laughed the loudest of all.

Lobelia quickly understood Florin’s intentions, as this was not the first time she had been the target of ridicule while serving as Aina’s handmaiden. But this time, the ridicule was more direct and cut deeply. Lobelia could see why—when she was just a handmaiden, she was clearly beneath the nobles and they did not feel the need to scrutinize her. But now, with the favor of Jade and dressed in a luxurious gown, Lobelia was perceived as a threat to the nobles. They couldn’t stand the illegitimate Lobelia standing in the same place as them, and so they tried to bring her down with their own flag.

Lobelia looked around for support, but no one was on her side. Even Countess Dora, tired of her sister’s words, would not lend her aid. Lobelia knew that if she did not stand up for herself now, she would face this kind of humiliation every time she appeared in the social world.

I can’t help it, this one.

It was time to hit back.