You’ll Regret Stealing Him from Me — My Sister Who Took My Fiancé and Celebrated Was a Fool - Chapter 36

As the party neared its end, proceeding exactly on schedule, the guests began preparing to leave one after another.

“It was a wonderful party.”
“Thank you very much. I had a lovely time.”
“Please invite us again. I’ll look forward to the next one.”

Words of gratitude poured forth from each of them.

I politely thanked them one by one.

“Thank you for coming.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves.”

Both the civil and military nobles left with satisfied expressions.

I watched as the last guest departed.

The sound of carriages fading into the distance.

Listening to it, I let out a deep sigh.

It was over.

Safely, successfully over.

At that moment, a wave of relief washed over me, draining the tension from my body.

A few days later, evaluations of the party began pouring in.

“The party was magnificent.”
“It was perfectly organized.”
“It was the most enjoyable one yet.”

Praise-filled voices arrived in rapid succession.

Albert soon reported that it had become a hot topic in high society.

“Lady Seraphina, it seems your recent party has caused quite a stir.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Words like ‘innovative’ and ‘groundbreaking’ are being tossed around in social circles.”

“…I see.”

I was slightly taken aback.

Of course, I had hoped for success.

But I hadn’t expected such an overwhelming response. Somewhere in my heart, something felt off.

The praise was welcome.

Yet, there was an odd discomfort lingering.

Alone in my study, I mulled over the reactions.

Gazing out the window, I carefully turned my thoughts over.

The party had been a success. That much was certain.

The attendees had enjoyed themselves.

Both civil and military nobles had been all smiles.

But were these evaluations truly appropriate? I had expected more criticism from the civil nobles.

No matter how well-executed, I had anticipated opposition simply because it was different. In conservative noble society, new attempts always invite criticism.

Yet, there was none to be found.

That, in itself, was what unsettled me.

Had the party truly been so praiseworthy? Were these evaluations based purely on its quality?

Probably not.

Back when my engagement was broken off, some had believed the rumors about me.

Some had condemned me, swayed by my sister Isabella’s words.

Among them were guests who had attended this very party.

And now, they were praising me.

Guilt, most likely.

An excessive, guilt-driven praise from those who had once believed the rumors. Overcompensating to atone for their past actions. That was why there had been little backlash.

This wasn’t genuine evaluation.

Then, there was novelty.

The excitement of experiencing a military noble’s party for the first time.

High society often cycled through the same patterns. Against that backdrop, something new would naturally stand out.

These weren’t pure assessments but compliments muddled with complex emotions and circumstances.

And that might be dangerous.

Excessive expectations lead to harsher backlash when failure comes. The higher the pedestal, the harder the fall.

And if I failed next time—

The rift between civil and military nobles would only deepen.

“Military noble parties really are no good after all.”

That’s what they might say. The greater this success, the heavier the price of the next failure.

I heaved a deep sigh. So, I couldn’t rest easy yet.

This wasn’t the time to get carried away by a single success.

If anything, now was the time to stay calm and look ahead.

“Seraphina.”

“Lord Maximilian?!”

He had entered my room without my noticing. I hadn’t even heard a knock. I must have been lost in thought.

“It was a success.”

His voice brimmed with pride. That he was pleased by this outcome made me happy. I had been of use to him.

“Yes, but—”

I hesitated.

“Is something bothering you?”

His tone was gentle.

After a brief pause, I answered honestly.

“The evaluations feel excessive.”

“Excessive?”

“Of course, I’m grateful. But these compliments don’t seem like fair assessments.”

I met his gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t think they’re purely evaluating the party’s quality. Other emotions seem to be mixed in.”

I put my thoughts into words.

“Guilt, novelty, I suspect these are inflating the praise.”

Maximilian listened intently, arms crossed, absorbing every word.

“Excessive expectations are dangerous,” I continued.

“Because of what happened before, people might be reluctant to voice criticism now. That’s precisely what makes this precarious.”

“I see.”

My unease grew.

“If I fail next time, the backlash will be severe. And the divide between civil and military nobles could widen even further.”

“Understood.”

“Getting carried away by one success and then failing would…”

I looked out the window. The dusk sky was dyed orange.

“…make them say, ‘Military noble parties really were a mistake after all.’ That’s what I want to avoid.”

Maximilian fell silent, deep in thought. Then, slowly, he spoke.

The pause had felt unusually long.

Had I overthought things?

Perhaps he was exasperated by my inability to simply rejoice in success.

“You really are wise.”

“Eh?”

“Most would be drunk on success, accepting praise without question. But not you.”

His voice carried a note of admiration.

“But—”

“Your concerns are valid.”

His expression was serious.

“You may be right. These evaluations could be influenced by various emotions. They might not be purely objective. But that’s exactly why there’s something you must do.”

“Something I must do?”

“Turn this temporary praise into something sustainable.”

My eyes widened at his words.

“Transform excessive expectations into proper understanding. Take time to integrate this new style into noble society. Then, it won’t just be novelty. Its true value will be recognized.”

“That’s true.”

I gave a small nod.

A single success wasn’t enough.

Repeat this style again and again. Eventually, it would become the norm.

“I’ve said it before, you can do this.”

Maximilian placed a hand on my shoulder.

Its warmth eased my anxiety.

“And of course, I’ll help. Let your mission be mine as well.”

Those words warmed my heart.

I wasn’t alone.

Maximilian would walk this path with me.

“Thank you, Lord Maximilian.”

“Now, rest tonight. Starting tomorrow, we’ll move forward step by step.”

“Yes, I will.”

I smiled and nodded. Following his advice, I stopped overthinking and allowed myself to relax. The rest could wait until tomorrow.

Without getting carried away by one success. Taking time, little by little.

To make this new style permeate noble society as a whole.

That was what I must do from now on and I wouldn’t forget it.