Elegant gowns from a well-known tailor of the empire and even from the Skyblaze private tailor were compiling on her bed. Almost all of the colors and styles were there. However, Hemina was staring at them with a face that could not decide.

Her trusted aid, Miss Lao, was there staring at her with a troubled expression. It was unexpected to her to see the young lady wearing such a face. It seemed like something was troubling her.

The fact that she was eager to attend tomorrow night's banquet was already surprising.

The young lady was supposedly disinterested in something such a gathering. She would be the first one who disagreed when someone tried to ask her to go in one.

Even the madame of the Skyblaze family would persistently urge her to attend. But the young lady would always deny it, saying it's more fruitful practicing her combat abilities than wasting her time with such a gathering like a banquet or just to meet up with other members of great families.

She even once said that what's the need for a party? The most important thing was to prepare themselves in combat. She could not waste her time. After all, the demon's invasion was unceasing.

The madame of the Skyblaze family was very troubled by her. She wondered if she raised her daughter wrongly.

But after watching Lady Hemina's face while she was having trouble choosing from the amassing dress on her bed, Miss Lao had an understanding that the young lady was troubled by something at this moment, and not because she didn't want to attend the party. Miss Lao was very surprised that she did not refuse the banquet invitation this time. 'Could it be… the young lady is in the age in which she started to be fascinated with the person of the opposite sex?' Miss Lao thought so.

"M-My lady, are you okay?" Miss Lao worriedly asked after Hemina let a deep sigh.

Hemina glanced at Miss Lao with a troubled face. "Miss Lao, which of these dresses would look good to me?" She asked like a child with teary eyes.

A bed of sweat was on the back of Miss Lao's head. She opened her mouth while wearing a 'good grief' expression on her face. "My lady, all these dresses are beautiful on you. Whichever of them you choose to wear would certainly steal glances from the others." Miss Lao said in honesty.

Hemina glanced at her then smiled a little. Probably a little convinced of her words.

But, she wondered if that person would come.

In Goldenlotus manor, a golden-haired young lady was busy brandishing her long sword in hand towards a dummy opponent.

She was in the front yard of her domain. Her face was ever so serious. Although she was fighting a wooden dummy at the moment, she was looking at it as if it was the person that is currently the person in her mind.

"Die, idiot!" She shouted again and then rushed in a straight line and stabbed the tip of her sword to the dummy.

Sweats were dripping on her face down to her chin. Using the back of her palm, she wiped it. 

"Han, that's enough. Your father had something wanted to talk about with you." Suddenly, from her back, a slightly older woman with similar golden hair came and told her.

After hearing what she said, Hannah glanced at the back and saw the person behind her. "Okay, mother," she said. But before she left, she stopped for a second and glanced at her mother again. "How's Hanya doing?" Hanya was her 15 years old cousin.

Her mother stared at her with knitted brows. "Still the same…" she said and let out a sigh, then continued saying, "s-stop blaming yourself about it."

When she heard her mother, her hand subconsciously tightened the grip of the hilt while her mouth bit her lip.

It was her who invited that person into their domain. But who would have thought that after all the love she gave him, he would betray her? And it wasn't a typical betrayal. That person was so despicable for touching her younger cousin!

However, it still puzzled her that her family did not send that person to jail. It didn't like they didn't have the power to do it. Their family was one of the leading families in the empire. But Hannah was always haunted by the thought that the person she loved did an irredeemable sin.

Hannah came back to her room and took a bath. After refreshing up, she heard a knocking on her door.

She went and opened it after changing her dress with her ordinary one whenever she was in the manor.

"Good evening, young lady," the woman in her 50's greeted her after opening the door. Slight wrinkles were on her face, and her white hair was neatly tied at the back. The woman was wearing a maid outfit.

Hannah greeted back. The woman immediately confessed her reason for coming.

Walking through the corridor of Goldenlotus family manor, she arrived in one of the rooms.

It was the chamber of the current head of the Goldenlotus family.

After the two uniformed guards pushed the door open, she entered and proceeded to the center, where she saw three people sitting on chairs.

"Mother, father, patriarch, good evening, " Hannah greeted them while slightly bowing her head.

The chamber of the patriarch was supposed to be lively with followers. But at the moment, Hannah noticed that there were only her mother, father, and her grandfather, the current patriarch of the family. The man was said to unlock the fifth seal of the family's bloodline power. Even Hannah felt the pressure facing such a person.

The current patriarch coughed before he opened his mouth. "Granddaughter, how is your training?"

"....."

Hannah fell silent. She didn't know how to reply to it as her training didn't do well.

"Ahem!"

She was slightly startled when her father coughed, but she knew it was to awaken her from being in a daze.

"I-l'm sorry, grand-- I mean patriarch. My advancement was stagnant at the third stage of silver."