“Are they coming again today?”
For several days now, the young ladies, including Viktoryna, had been visiting the Novellita estate.
Anes and the other servants had grown curious. Why was Erensia acting like this?
Unlike most noble daughters, who were encouraged from childhood to participate in high society, Erensia neither attended others’ tea parties nor hosted her own.
And yet now, she kept inviting girls her own age to the estate.
“They’re coming again today. Not the left one, the right. Yes, those earrings are better.”
Erensia pointed to a pair of ruby earrings in the jewelry box Anes held out.
Anes’s hands moved busily as she helped Erensia get ready.
“My lady, you’re late again! I tried to hurry, but…”
Every time, Erensia delayed, leaving Anes scrambling.
Even today, despite her hands moving so fast they were almost invisible, they were far past the appointed time.
Anes lowered her head deeply, feeling terribly guilty.
In truth, there was no reason for her to feel that way.
Considering when Erensia had actually sat down at the vanity, finishing on time would have been impossible unless she had four hands.
Even so, Anes’s head kept lowering.
“It’s fine. You did well. You’re getting better and better.”
“My lady…”
Instead of scolding her, Erensia encouraged her.
A wave of emotion washed over Anes, her eyes growing moist.
Just as tears began to well up, Erensia stood.
“You’ve arrived, my lady.”
Sebastian bowed deeply in front of the drawing room.
Ever since the door repair incident, he had become noticeably more respectful.
“Open it.”
Erensia gave a short command.
As the servants behind Sebastian opened the door—
“Lady Erensia!”
The young ladies who had arrived earlier stood up to greet her, their voices filled with joy.
Erensia quickly lifted the hem of her dress and gave a brief curtsey. If she showed even the slightest opening, they looked ready to rush over and embrace her.
“You all came early. I told you, didn’t I? The later you arrive, the more attention you draw.”
In an empire where punctuality was considered extremely important, Erensia had deliberately taught them to arrive late.
“We tried to be late too, but we can’t compare to you, Lady Erensia.”
Mary drooped her eyebrows, looking dejected.
But it wasn’t because she felt sorry for being late.
“You said we shouldn’t be too late… so is about 30 minutes okay?”
“Yes, let’s go with 30 minutes.”
In truth, how late didn’t matter. What mattered was being late.
Their reputations would naturally fall.
And when people criticized them, they would resent Erensia.
This is all because of Lady Erensia!
Then Erensia would be blamed for corrupting good ladies…
A perfect cycle for a villain.
Smiling, Erensia snapped her fan onto the table.
“Now, we’re nearing the end of our lessons. Today will be our final review. You’re ready, right?”
“Yes, of course!”
Erensia had taught them many things.
All of it completely different from the obedience they had been raised with.
For example: when someone asks for something, don’t just say yes. Ask, “Why? Why should I do that?”
When someone seeks agreement, don’t go along if you disagree.
If someone you dislike asks you to dance, don’t make excuses, just refuse directly.
Strictly speaking, none of it was evil.
They were basic rights. But rights that noble ladies were never allowed to exercise.
“There is no such thing as something that’s naturally deserved.”
Erensia always emphasized that.
“Give as much as you receive!”
She drilled it into them like a creed.
And one more thing.
“Return what you receive. Now, Mary, come forward.”
Mary was the most timid of the three.
With pale skin and noticeable freckles, she was self-conscious about her shorter height and lack of curves.
Even her family looked down on her for her appearance.
She always walked with her shoulders hunched, lacking confidence.
She also couldn’t refuse requests. Even when something was too much, she accepted it.
Erensia had paid special attention to her.
Because she would change the most.
When a kind person changes, the impact is always greater.
“At a ball, if a man you dislike asks you to dance, what did I tell you to do?”
Mary lowered her head and muttered,
“Refuse… the dance…”
“Good. Now let’s try it in practice. Clementine.”
Clementine, a servant assigned as today’s assistant, stepped forward.
The girls had already rejected his dance invitation dozens of times.
“Lady Mary, would you grant me this dance?”
He extended his hand.
Mary hesitated.
Erensia stepped closer and whispered,
“Mary, think of the man who hurt you at the last ball. What if he tries to trouble you again this time?”
The moment she recalled him, anger rose within her.
The man who had asked her to dance, only to drop her hand the moment another woman appeared.
The man who mocked her afterward for daring to dance with him.
Mary’s hunched back slowly straightened.
Her drooping brows lifted.
She raised her head.
Do it like Lady Erensia.
Inside, she repeated, I am Erensia, ten times.
It worked.
Her eyes gained life. Confidence filled her.
Mary lifted her chin.
“I decline the dance.”
“That’s good, but—”
Erensia said,
“If it’s a complete trash of a man, you say it like this.”
She leaned in and whispered into Mary’s ear.
“C-Can I really say that?”
Mary’s eyes widened.
Erensia smiled brightly.
“Of course.”
Mary repeated the words under her breath.
Erensia watched with satisfaction.
“Mary, aren’t you monopolizing Lady Erensia a bit?”
Viktoryna cut in.
“We also need our final evaluations.”
Evelin puffed her cheeks.
“There’s plenty of time. I’ll go through all of you. One by one. Very thoroughly.”
Their motivation was palpable.
Everything is proceeding perfectly.
Erensia smiled brightly.
Time passed quickly.
Only one month remained until Erensia’s debutante ball.
Her crash course in villain training had ended yesterday.
At last, it was time for her prized students to shine.
“You should start deciding now.”
“Deciding what?”
Anes spoke to Erensia, who was enjoying rare free time.
Lying lazily on the bed and eating cookies, Erensia set one down and looked up.
“Your dress, your jewelry… and your partner.”
“Let’s do it as usual.”
Erensia felt uncomfortable about this ball.
It was at this very event that she had met the husband who would later kill her.
It had been her debutante.
She had fallen in love at first sight.
He had been that handsome. Not as much as Euclid, but still.
At the time, Euclid hadn’t attended that ball, so that man had been the most handsome she had seen.
He had seemed to shine.
She had mistaken that for love.
Looking back, it wasn’t love.
She had simply needed a man who would make her shine.
And he had seemed suitable.
In the end, she died by his sword.
My weakness for handsome faces is the problem.
With belated regret, she had avoided balls and men in her later life.
But not this time.
Even if she tried to blend into the background, Viktoryna, Mary, and Evelin wouldn’t let her.
“Ha… I’m not looking forward to this.”
She muttered, looking out the window.
She didn’t want to get entangled with her first husband again.
To avoid that, she needed a strong partner.
Someone who would make that man look insignificant.
“Anes.”
A certain person came to mind.
She didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, my lady.”
Anes turned from organizing a list of designers.
“I need to write a letter.”
“You must attend.”
Prince Barlos said.
Euclid gave a wry smile.
“Your Highness, I was not invited.”
Barlos’s mother, the current Empress, disliked the Gredelos family.
It was a matter of past romantic scandal.
Back when she had been Crown Princess, the Crown Prince had been deeply infatuated with a lady from Gredelos.
Rumors had spread that once he became Emperor, she would take the Empress’s place.
It was an open secret that they had met secretly on a ballroom balcony.
The Crown Princess had tightly controlled the Crown Prince.
He grew tired of her and declared he would leave her.
But then, the Gredelos lady suddenly died.
Ironically, it was the Crown Princess who comforted the grieving Crown Prince.
She became Empress.
They had two children: Barlos and Selvarena.
That was the story of the current Emperor and Empress.
Because of that, Empress Lillie despised the Gredelos family.
“Don’t worry about my mother.”
“She is the mother of the Empire. How could I not?”
It wasn’t concern so much as inconvenience.
Euclid preferred not to oppose her.
“Come for my sake.”
But this time, Barlos was firm.
“Your Highness.”
“Euclid.”
They called each other’s names at the same time.
![Your God Sent You [Completed]](https://i1.wp.com/novelvibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/resource-5.jpg?resize=151,215 "Your God Sent You [Completed]")
