Mist rose, and the water rippled slightly. Flower petals drifted across the surface.

A graceful figure stepped into the bath, one step at a time, veiled by the white mist.

She sat down not far from the edge. Her upper body leaned against the side of the pool, and her head rested on the stone steps. A soft moan slipped from her lips.

As the mist thinned, Viana’s alluring body appeared and disappeared beneath the water.

She relaxed and looked up at the dome above, painted with exquisite murals. But her mind was on something else.

“I wonder what kind of attitude Mr. Simon will have tomorrow.”

It was already the second night after Viana had sent the letter. Tomorrow was the day they had agreed to meet.

The moment she thought of Simon, a trace of blush rose on her face.

She had met plenty of young nobles before. It wasn’t as if none of them were more outstanding than Lei Norflin.

But not a single one of them could compare to Simon’s pull.

His background was a mystery. His understanding of duels was unlike anyone else’s.

He was handsome, and at the same time carried the calm poise of someone tempered over many years.

Together, those traits satisfied both Viana’s admiration for strength as a card player and her curiosity as a young girl.

I kind of want to keep him tied to my side...

Viana raised her right hand and tried to clench a chain that wasn’t there.

The one who cared for her friends was her. The one who was proud and cold was also her. The one with a twisted desire to control was still her.

The girl named Viana was, on the inside, exactly that kind of willful witch.

And that witch seemed to have finally found a treasure she truly liked.

To distract herself, she splashed water over her body. The hot water mixed with milk flowed smoothly down her skin, while a poor petal, caught by accident, ended up stranded on her chest.

She kept scooping water over herself. The milky white sheen slid across every inch of her skin, making it look even fairer and smoother.

Forget it. I should follow Father’s pace and talk to Simon about cooperation first.

Viana decided to hold back her little whims for now. It wouldn’t do to scare him off.

“I’m done washing.”

Viana stepped out onto the floor with a splash. Her long hair, dripping noisily, fell over her shoulders.

A maid entered with a robe draped over her arms. When she saw the flush on Viana’s cheeks, she looked a little surprised.

“Was the water too hot today?”

“No, it was just right.”

“That’s good. The master asked me to remind you that it’s time to go downstairs for dinner.”

“I’ll head back to my room first. I’ll come over in a bit.”

After changing into regular clothes in her bedroom, Viana went to the dining room.

The white light from the magic wall lamps drove back the darkness of night. White Bread, grapes, biscuits—every dish had already been laid out neatly.

She walked to her seat and sat down. On her plate was pan-seared beef tenderloin, already sliced by the servants in advance.

But when she looked at the seat beside hers, she found it completely empty.

“Brother isn’t coming back today?”

“He’s preparing to challenge for Grade B Duelist. He’s traveling around with his teacher right now, so it’ll be some time before he returns.”

Viana’s father, Kenneth of House Rod, explained while sipping his pre-dinner wine.

“Want a little?” He raised his glass in invitation.

“No, Father. I’m worried it might affect tomorrow’s date.”

“With that... newly risen genius Cardmaker?”

Remembering how his daughter had described the man, Kenneth laughed out loud.

“I never thought my precious daughter would care this much one day. I thought you weren’t interested in any man at all.”

No. I’m just afraid that if I drink, I’ll lose control and scare you half to death.

Viana said nothing. She held her knife and fork, cut the beef into strips, and put them into her mouth.

Kenneth took her silence as tacit agreement, so he continued, “Have you figured out his background yet?”

Viana shook her head. “Not yet. Mr. Simon may be from the borderlands. I suspect he’s the second son of some border noble house, which is why he came to the Royal Capital and opened a card shop.”

“The second son of a border noble?... That would explain his money and manners. I’ll have people look into it on my end too.”

After saying that, Kenneth seemed to remember something. Smiling, he swirled his wineglass.

“Speaking of border nobles, I did hear an interesting story not long ago.”

He took a sip, then continued.

“I heard a viscount came to the Royal Capital on his own and returned his title and fief to the king. The king’s having a headache over who to send there now.”

“A viscount from the borderlands?”

Viana felt as if some thread in her mind had suddenly connected.

“Father, do you know that viscount’s family name?”

“I don’t...”

Kenneth’s movement stopped as well. He looked at Viana’s reaction and frowned.

“You suspect that brat is this viscount?”

“There’s a high chance. It’s not likely that so many nobles from the borderlands would appear in the Royal Capital at the same time. If that were the case, the noble circle here should’ve reacted already.”

Kenneth nodded. “Then I’ll have people ask around some more.”

The nobles of the Royal Capital and the border nobles could practically be counted as two separate factions. They rarely interacted, so he didn’t know much about the situation over there either.

After that little detour, Kenneth sighed again.

“If you really do have feelings for that boy, I wouldn’t oppose it over something like status. It’d just be too good for that brat.”

House Rod was an old count’s family. They no longer needed marriage alliances to raise their standing.

In Kenneth’s eyes, as long as his future son-in-law wasn’t useless, he could accept it.

Of course, it would be even better if that son-in-law could bring benefits to the family.

As it happened, their family had never produced a genius Cardmaker. If this really worked out, it would fill that gap nicely.

Kenneth’s calculations clicked away perfectly, except for one thing—he had completely misjudged his own daughter.

That was only natural. Viana usually hid herself too well. Even now, Kenneth still thought she was just a good child with her own opinions, yet obedient.

If he ever learned what Viana was really like, he might faint on the spot from the way young people played these days.

For the sake of her father’s mental health, Viana gave nothing away. She kept playing the part of the elegant lady and dabbed her lips with a napkin.

“Don’t worry, Father. I’m not thinking that far ahead for now. This time, I’m only going to talk with Mr. Simon about cooperation.”

“Alright, alright. It’s all up to you. You and your brother are grown now. You can make your own decisions.”

“Ah, and me? I’m only getting worse with age.”

Hearing her father suddenly sigh, Viana asked with concern, “Did something happen in the Royal Capital again?”

“Nothing major... but The Luminous Order is getting more and more aggressive. I’m afraid they’ll force us to take sides sooner or later.”

Kenneth pressed a hand to his forehead and shook his head.

At the words “The Luminous Order,” Viana also held her head, feeling the same ache as her father.

After all, that name had hung over every Duelist and Cardmaker for three thousand years. Even the royal family had to lower itself before it.

To ease Kenneth’s mood, Viana changed the subject and chatted with him about everyday things. Only after more than an hour, when a maid came to remind her, did she return to her bedroom.

Back in her room, Viana sat on the edge of the bed and swung her feet back and forth.

“Tell me, what should I wear for tomorrow’s date?”

As she spoke, she turned to look at the mirror on the dressing table to the side. Reflected in it were Viana in a loose nightrobe and the maid who had just attended her after her bath.

The maid stood there thinking for a moment, then took out a formal dress with elaborate accessories from the wardrobe.

“If it’s for negotiating cooperation, then perhaps, Miss, you should wear something more dignified?”

Viana looked at it and shook her head in dissatisfaction.

“Even if it’s a negotiation, it’s also a private date. There’s no need to dress so formally.”

“And Mr. Simon is a young man my age. If I dress too stiffly, it’ll create distance.”

With that, she stood up and walked to the wardrobe. After searching through one outfit after another, she finally made her choice.

“What do you think of this one?”

“Th-This... isn’t this a little too... bold?!”

The maid’s face turned red the instant she saw the outfit Viana was holding.

“Is it? I think it’s fine.”

“But you’re going on a date with a man you’ve only met once!”

“Doesn’t that make it even more important to seize the second meeting?”

Viana changed into it with a smiling expression, then turned to face the maid.

Under the moonlight, a goddess of the deep night had descended into the mortal world.