Caroline had never seen her daughter behave this way before.
The guests were whispering among themselves, many exchanging glances filled with surprise.
Serena smiled faintly as she stepped forward, bowing gracefully in greeting.
"Good evening, Lady Blake. I recall my mother once saying that you were the most admired beauty in the capital during your youth. Seeing you now, I can only agree—her words were no exaggeration."
Her voice was calm and poised, neither haughty nor self-effacing, with a touch of politeness and grace. No one could find fault with it, yet there was something oddly unfamiliar about the way she spoke. Caroline's smile faltered ever so slightly. In all her memories, Serena had always been quiet and withdrawn, someone who would hide behind her brother when faced with a room full of nobles. But now... she was standing confidently before them all, her golden-pink eyes shining with calm clarity. She didn't just seem comfortable—she looked like she belonged.
Caroline's heart clenched with a strange unease.
Lady Blake blinked, clearly surprised, but quickly returned a smile. "Oh, what a sweet girl you are. And quite the charmer too."
"I only speak the truth," Serena replied with a slight tilt of her head, giving the impression of sincere innocence.
Not far away, her father watched her with narrowed eyes, his expression unreadable.
Serena felt his gaze. Her smile remained, but her heart grew cold.
A moment later, Blake laughed and turned to Lord Vass. "Duke Vass, you have a very refined daughter. I hear she's a student at the Royal Academy of Magic?"
"Yes," Lord Vass answered, sipping his wine without much emotion. "She's doing well enough."
Not "outstanding" or "remarkable"—just "well enough."
This was a man who wouldn't waste praise on anyone, not even his own daughter.
Serena's smile deepened, her eyes flickering with irony. So be it. She had no need for his approval—not in this life.
She glanced sideways at her brother. He stood silently beside her, watching her with a calm, unreadable look in his blue-gray eyes. The same calm she had relied on time and again.
Even if she had to fake a smile before the world, as long as her brother stood by her, she could hold her ground.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, with polite conversation and veiled compliments exchanged under crystal chandeliers.
When the carriage finally pulled away from the estate, Serena leaned back into the plush seat with a long sigh of relief.
That had gone better than she expected.
After all, she wasn't the same person anymore. Her soul had once belonged to someone in the 22nd century—a world far from this one. In her previous life, she had been a government agent, trained in espionage and counterintelligence. That knowledge had helped her quickly adapt to this world of political games and noble facades.
Before the banquet, she had secretly sent a message—using a trained raven, no less—to the intelligence branch of the kingdom. She reported everything she knew: her father's secret dealings, his plans to manipulate the royal council, and more. She hadn't acted out of loyalty, but out of necessity. If she wanted to protect her brother, she had to tear down the walls around them first.
She turned her head slightly, watching her brother's reflection in the carriage window. The golden light of the setting sun caught in his hair.
"Brother…" she said softly.
"Hmm?"
"I won't let Father ruin us again."
Her voice was firm, her smile fading.
Even if she had to risk everything—even if she had to burn every bridge in the Vass family—she would protect what truly mattered.
This time, she wouldn't lose.
But just then, the sound of galloping hooves echoed outside. The servants riding with the carriages hurried to speak with the driver, tension instantly rising within the cabin.
"What's going on?" Arthur asked, his voice alert.
From the carriage ahead, a servant replied in a low voice, "My Lord, someone's urgently seeking your presence. It's... regarding your debts."
Serena's eyes sharpened dangerously...
The convoy sped forward in the dim light before dawn, finally halting in front of the grand gates of the Ayrton family estate.
Serena looked at the magnificent family residence before her, a wave of complex emotions rising in her chest.
On the other side, a carriage door opened, and a servant hurried to another compartment, anxiety clearly etched on his face.
"Lord Count, there is a representative from another noble house outside. He urgently requests an audience," the servant whispered, his tone full of tension. "He says it concerns a debt."
Serena remained silent, merely casting a cold glance toward her father behind her.
She knew tonight would be the final straw to break her father—Claud's—will. And it was a night she had long prepared for.
At present, her father had incurred more debt than he could ever repay. Of course, this was part of her plan.
In the Empire, underground organizations were everywhere—assassinations, intelligence, human trafficking, even drug dealings—countless and horrifying in scale. These were future targets the Empire was determined to eradicate.
But at this moment, she had no choice but to use these dark forces to deal a fatal blow to Claud.
Now, even basic loans were no longer an option. No one was willing to offer a helping hand anymore. The family's bankruptcy was almost inevitable.
Yet Serena was not worried. She had plenty of means to revive the family from ruin.
"Let's go," Claud said coldly, though his voice was laced with grim determination.
Soon, the noble representative was led into the drawing room—a man in lavish robes, his expression stern and his words sharp and pressing.
"Count Ayrton, you should be well aware that our house can no longer continue supporting you," he said icily, like delivering an irreversible verdict. "We expect the debt to be repaid promptly. Otherwise, your family will face the most severe consequences."
Claud froze for a moment at the table before forcing a strained smile. "I understand. Your support has always meant much to us. I am preparing the funds to repay—"
The man cut him off with a sneer. "Count Ayrton, don't you understand? There will be no more funds. No more excuses. We were the last to offer you a chance, and our patience is at an end."
The air in the hall grew stiff. Every word from the nobleman was like a knife, forcing Claud to clench his fists, veins bulging, while swallowing his resentment.
"I will repay it..." His voice was low and tinged with frustration—
But just as he spoke, the sound of graceful yet firm footsteps interrupted him.
"If you can't respond, then allow me to speak."
The grand door of the hall slowly opened, and a tall, stunning woman stepped in.
Velia Ayrton—once the most dazzling flower of the Empire's nobility, still elegant and commanding today.
She wore a deep-purple brocade gown, golden hair cascading over her shoulders, and her rose-gold eyes no longer held gentleness, but a sharpness that made people avert their gaze.
She stood beside Claud, her powerful aura making it seem as though she were the true Count Ayrton.
"Lady Velia…" The nobleman was visibly stunned, a trace of unease flickering in his eyes.
Before becoming Countess Ayrton, Velia hailed from the Marquis House of Gardian. Not only of noble blood, she had also demonstrated remarkable talent in both academics and the arts.
At just eighteen, she won three Imperial Youth Innovation Awards and was personally honored by Emperor Ares IV, earning the title 'Light of the Empire.'
Everyone had believed she was destined to be the Empire's most brilliant intellect, perhaps even rising to the highest ranks of governance.
But fate took a cruel turn.
In a power-and-interest-driven marriage arrangement, she was forced to wed into the declining Ayrton family, becoming Claud Ayrton's wife.
Her achievements, glory, and brilliance—were all buried behind the heavy doors of the Ayrton estate.
Since then, Velia's voice vanished from Imperial politics, leaving only a quiet and composed countess.
Until now.
Standing in the center of the hall, Velia seemed to reclaim her lost brilliance—not because of Claud, not for vanity, but for her child, and for the dignity of the family.
Velia raised her chin slightly, locking eyes with the nobleman.
"I'm well aware of our current situation, and I admit we cannot repay all that was once lent. But the Ayrton family, though fallen, will never default."
"For the sake of the family's last shred of dignity, I, Velia Ayrton, will personally take responsibility for repaying all debts."
"We do not need charity, and we will not tolerate your arrogance or humiliation."
The nobleman opened his mouth to speak but was momentarily lost for words.
He knew full well—Velia's lineage far outshone Claud's. She had once been a force to reckon with in the Empire. Even now, though her maiden family kept a low profile, their foundations remained strong.
More importantly—Velia had never been a woman who compromised easily.
The hall fell deathly silent.
The nobleman could only lower his eyes awkwardly, embarrassment creeping onto his face.
Only Claud's expression darkened, as if the last of his pride had been stripped in public.
He glared at his wife, his eyes brimming with rage, shame, and hatred.
He clenched his jaw and cursed in his heart: "This madwoman..."
His dignity had been trampled under Velia's heel.
Serena stood quietly to the side, her gaze resting softly on her mother's back, a faint gleam in her pink eyes.
This was a sight she had never seen in her previous life—so decisive, so radiant—like a spark of hope ignited in darkness.
Her mother was no longer the silent, yielding noblewoman of before.