….

After her afternoon classes, Karina was setting up their meal in the cafeteria when someone approached and handed Aresia an invitation.

Karina, leaning in, frowned as she asked, “This is an evening banquet?”

Usually, invitations are sent well in advance for preparation. Getting an invitation on the day of the event seemed impolite.

The messenger from the General Department, with a red face said, “Actually, we’ve sent one to Lady Aresia before, but it was declined. We wanted to extend the invitation again but had difficulty finding you.”

This explanation had some of truth. Aresia, having rejected previous invitations due to her busy schedule, had made a habit of avoiding social gatherings. Her reluctance made her seem unlike a noblewoman.

Typically, if an invitation was rejected once, the host would not persist. However, this time, it seemed different. Aresia wasn’t aware of the reason.

The messenger clarified, “This banquet is a celebration arranged for the chiefs of three departments. The other chiefs will attend, except you. As the new chief of the Magic Department, Lady Aresia, you are the focus of this event. It would lose its charm without your presence. And might this be an occasion for you to meet Jorgus, the new chief of the Warrior Department?”

The invitation was a hardship for the messenger, an ordinary noble, as it was clear that Aresia’s attendance was important. The refusal of her previous invitations might lead to criticism upon her return.

Recalling the invitations she had received before, it seemed she had overlooked similar ones while being engrossed in her laboratory. The rejections, written identically, were turned down due to the recipient being different.

Considering there would be other chiefs present, Aresia didn’t feel she could refuse this time. But why was Jorgus significant? Was it because they might be future teammates?

Perplexed, she agreed reluctantly, saying, “Okay, I’ll attend.”

The messenger visibly relaxed, offering a grateful smile before bidding farewell.

After they left, Karina whispered to Aresia, “Strange, with such a gathering of chiefs, I should have heard something. Maybe I missed it, or maybe it’s a private gathering?”

While not fond of banquets, this seemed different. She decided to comply.

Inspecting the invitation, she noticed this one included the reason for the event and had a special note about formal attire.

Karina noted, “Do you have formal attire prepared? What if it doesn’t fit? I’m not adept at formal styles.” Unable to help, she left Aresia feeling dismayed.

“I have the attire, but I’ll need help with styling my hair I might need to ask the dormitory supervisor.”

The palace didn’t permit servants, so when one needed help, they had to approach the dormitory supervisor. It was not easy to find suitable assistance.

Aresia pointedly asked, “You’ll come with me? It says ‘with an accompanying person.'”

With Karina by her side, Aresia felt it would be easier to engage socially. Karina was sociable and could navigate conversations, which helped when dealing with unfamiliar people.

Karina, upon hearing the invitation, felt assured. “Sure, let’s discuss clothes and hairstyles when we return to the dorm.”

Aresia, who usually spent time in the lab after dinner, nodded reluctantly.

After dinner, they headed back to their dorm, planning to visit the dormitory supervisor first.

Aresia and Karina had to wait a while before the dormitory supervisor arranged for a maid skilled in hairdressing.

Due to the floor layout, they visited Karina’s room first and fetched the formal attire. They then proceeded to Aresia’s dorm.

Aresia had an array of formal dresses in her wardrobe, nearly twenty, occupying an entire wall. Alongside were accessories like jewelry, hats, fans, and shoes. Some were favorites of the previous Aresia, while others were custom-made according to Aresia’s preferences. There were also gifts from friends. All these were meticulously arranged by the servants from the Duke’s mansion, allowing easy access when needed. Despite their beauty, Aresia had never worn most of these dresses.

Karina had visited Aresia’s wardrobe before, always marveling at the exquisite collection. Every piece was a masterpiece, some even embedded with magical jewels, exceedingly precious and not something a typical noble lady would possess. Even in comparison to her mother’s wardrobe, this collection outshone it. The Duke and Duchess indeed adored their daughter.

Eager to help, Karina selected a dress according to Aresia’s preferences. “How about wearing this one tomorrow night?”

Aresia examined the dress—a black floor-length gown with a sheer black veil over a strapless neckline. The sides of the waistline were embroidered with silver threads depicting a moon, studded with gemstones resembling stars. Despite its intricate craftsmanship, it exuded simplicity and elegance.

This dress was exceptionally costly, with silver threads made of rare mithril rather than ordinary silver, and the gemstones were transparent magical stones, scarce and challenging to carve. Crafting this dress not only demanded effort but also significant financial resources. Usually, noble ladies would flaunt such attire, but Aresia, in her dorm, had several dresses of this caliber.

Karina admired it but was secretly envious. Aresia, once again, dismissed the thought of dismantling the mithril and magical stones. These materials were too valuable, and it had been a hassle to acquire them in the first place.

“Hmm, great choice.” Aresia agreed.

“Aresia? I really like this one, can you lend it to me?” Karina, saw a beautiful dress, although she brought her own dress, but seeing a dress that’s to her liking, she can’t resist.

“Go for it.”

Aresia agreed without much thought, leaving Karina in awe. She wanted to embrace Aresia but restrained herself; the beautiful dress was irresistible to this fashion-loving girl.

Aresia was truly generous, allowing her to choose a style she liked and one that suited her, despite the fit being slightly off due to their height and body differences. Although it wasn’t a perfect fit, they needed to wear it for the banquet, lest they be subject to ridicule.

This seemingly simple thing caused Karina, who rarely had the chance to wear such high-quality attire, almost teared up.