The Secret Everyone Knows
If there was a secret everyone knew but only Genevieve Bayern was oblivious to, it was that the nobles of the neighboring estates despised attending her sponsorship exhibitions.
They were rustic. Boring.
Above all, it was a chore to watch Genevieve grinning pretentiously with her ever-changing trio of young lovers draped on her arms.
They competed to concoct excuses to avoid it, but today was different.
"It's the day we finally get to see that person in the flesh!"
"I'm dying of curiosity. Who on earth could make him fall at first sight?"
"And there are plenty of eligible young ladies in our own territories, too."
Curiosity about "Ibel Eberstein," who had burst onto the scene like a comet, burned like wildfire.
Who was this person bold enough to marry so suddenly?
Did they possess such allure that the Grand Duke, who always stayed in the capital, had lingered in his estate all this time?
Many believed the noble class would vanish with the changing times.
Yet the House of Bayern would endure.
In this era of overturned common sense and seismic shifts in the world, the arrival of a lady of the house in the quintessential noble family was a major event.
After all, it meant the Bayern bloodline would continue.
"Heard the news? They say the railroad king's daughter is at the Bayern estate."
"Railroads are essential to winning wars, sure... but a commoner amassing that much wealth? These are the end times."
"Couldn't agree more. We need to see what kind of character she is with our own eyes."
The second hot topic was Cecily Bethel.
The railroad king's daughter rarely ventured to this rural backwater.
Why had she come? Why sponsor the event? Did it mean railroads were coming to Bayern too? The questions they wanted answered piled up.
And no wonder—the nobles of this era had money to burn but no clue where to invest it safely.
Thus, today's sponsorship exhibition overflowed with guests like never before.
"Vivvie, I'm thrilled—my sculptures look like they'll sell well after all my hard work."
"Me too, Vivvie. We might even break the record high."
Her lovers fawned over the elated Genevieve, who was pinching her twitching lips to suppress a smug grin as she haughtily lifted her chin.
Yes, this is it.
The taste of power!
A parade of green dresses and green cravats filled the space, like verdant summer leaves swaying in the breeze.
These days, summer's hue trended toward flashy gold, but in Genevieve's youth, it hadn't been so.
Green had been the most noble color.
"Thank you all for gracing this occasion. I hope you enjoy yourselves."
Clearing her throat, Genevieve stepped forward with a champagne flute in hand.
All eyes turned to her instantly.
About half drifted to Cecily Bethel beside her... but that was fine.
"As you're all aware, Lady Cecily Bethel of the Bethel family heard of our sponsorship exhibition and made a generous donation. Thanks to her, the party is this grand—a true blessing."
As she prattled on, she clamped a hand on Anselm's shoulder—he stood there like a statue.
Now, if Ibel would just fall into the trap and show up in that Saranna dress...
That was when Cecily cut in, interrupting Genevieve just as she opened her mouth again.
"I'm delighted and grateful to share this with all you nobles."
Beaming sweetly, Cecily clapped her hands. A path cleared on one side, and five servants appeared carrying a table draped in a white cloth!
No prior notice of this—Genevieve was caught off guard, flustered.
"I've been thinking of opening a candy shop. These are the candies that'll be sold there. Chocolate fondue, too?"
The table plunked down squarely amid the sculptures and paintings.
The servants whisked away the cloth, revealing an array of colorful candies artfully arranged.
"Wow!"
"Candy!"
To draw Anselm out with Genevieve, children had long been allowed at these exhibitions.
Most grew bored and left early, but today was different.
The children by their mothers' sides eyed the sweets with sparkling eyes.
"The candies in these glass jars are fruit-flavored. Made with lemon and orange juices. And these lollipops? Special flavors: grape, apple, strawberry."
Picking up a lollipop, Cecily offered it to the nearest child—Anselm.
He merely twitched an eyebrow, refusing to take it.
An awkward rebuff, but Cecily smiled smoothly and handed it to another child instead.
"Enjoy the artwork with these sweet treats. That's my gift to you."
Her cheerful chatter had a certain charm.
With parental nods, the children swarmed the table, snatching candies, while Genevieve stared blankly, speechless.
Cecily had seized every ounce of attention in an instant.
Using Bayern servants, no less!
Without permission!
"Impressive."
And Ibel had watched the whole scene from above.
"She turned it into a platform for her business promo in seconds. Probably planned it from the start."
Murmuring softly, she turned to the man beside her.
"You should fire those servants. Thanks to Cecily Bethel, we can clean house a bit more."
Victor gave a faint nod of agreement.
It had been Ibel's call to skip the party's start and observe first.
She knew full well how badly the local nobles wanted to see her.
She also grasped Cecily's value.
No need to appear together and turn it into a battle for the spotlight.
Regardless of who she truly was, "Ibel Eberstein" was soon to become "Ibel Bayern."
Every action would reflect on the family.
No need to stoop to Cecily's level—and she shouldn't.
"It just occurred to me. While we were on the battlefield, what were these people doing? Did they survive after we died?"
Victor's gaze shifted to her at the murmur.
His fingers twitched. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly placed a hand on her slender waist.
"Not too tight? The corset."
"It is. Uniforms were comfier."
"If you dislike it, you needn't bother. Who would dare complain? Since we're living this life over, live as you wish. Bayern will be your shield."
Ibel smiled genuinely at his words.
"I just don't want to tarnish the family name while I'm here."
"That's..."
Her words assumed a natural departure so casually that Victor faltered, words dying on his lips.
"Anyway, time to go down. We've spotted who's irked by Miss Cecily."
"...Yes."
After the morning's dress fiasco, Ibel had sensed today would be eventful and asked Victor for help.
Just timely escorts when facing the crowd—a solid shield, at least.
As they walked the corridor, Victor idly glanced out the window.
No particular reason.
Just an odd, unpleasant twinge.
A filthy sensation, like someone spying on them.
A man? Visible through glass from that distance?
The glaring sun made it hard to discern his face clearly. But something felt familiar.
Victor ceased thinking and flicked his hand on Ibel's blind side.
At the signal, a shadow in hiding sprang into motion.
Bayern's informants were competent.
They'd head to his line of sight and eliminate any threat.
Hope it's nothing.