Stella Elijah

Olivia lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.

To prepare for today's ball, the church had naturally arranged an outfit for her that befitted her status.

At this moment, as she stepped off the carriage, she was like a rose in full bloom, radiating a breathtaking beauty that was uniquely her own.

With her long golden hair, amber eyes, and a touch of youthful makeup, she was as exquisite as a work of art.

She wore an ivory silk round-neck blouse and a rose pink brocade short coat.

On her lower half, she wore a multi-layered lace full skirt, with a wine-red silk gauze overskirt layered over it, and satin leather shoes on her feet.

Looking like a noble young lady who had long lived in the depths of a secluded boudoir, her appearance immediately drew many eyes toward her as she exited the carriage.

"The Elijah emblem? Does the Elijah Chamber of Commerce have such a beautiful young lady?"

"Could she be the daughter of that wealthy merchant? I heard he has a daughter who is away all year and is extremely beautiful; it must be her."

"Now that you mention it, I did hear that the eldest miss of the Elijah Chamber of Commerce would be attending the ball today."

"I remember her name was... Stella Elijah!"

Many people's eyes lit up.

Facing the numerous gazes, Olivia maintained a reserved expression, holding her skirt as she walked unhurriedly toward the manor.

The Elijah Chamber of Commerce was a business group the church had prepared long ago. It hadn't been set up specifically for the Rose Legion, but the church always maintained such arrangements in case they might come in handy.

As a result, the process of Olivia becoming Stella Elijah was exceptionally smooth.

'However, come to think of it, I previously suggested changing my appearance, but the church said it wasn't necessary. They really aren't afraid of someone recognizing me. Though, based on my previous living environment, indeed no one should be able to... They just didn't expect that I would have a connection with the Rose Legion as well.'

Olivia thought to herself.

With various thoughts in mind, she entered the manor at a leisurely pace.

During this process, some men who considered themselves gentlemen, as well as some ladies and young misses dressed as beautifully as flowers, more or less greeted her.

After all, the public image of the Elijah Chamber of Commerce was that they were very wealthy.

Who wouldn't want to get on the good side of a daughter from a very rich family?

Just in case they ever needed to borrow money... right?

...

Not long after, in the manor's grand hall, today's guests gathered one after another.

Olivia took a seat in a corner. The people around her were all either wealthy or noble, smiling and conversing pleasantly with one another.

"Stella, your chamber of commerce always manages to mine gems with such precision. How do you do it?"

Beside Olivia, someone she had become somewhat acquainted with after a few sentences spoke up.

This was a young lady with slightly curly, emerald-green hair and deep green eyes. She wore a loose white and green dress supported by a large hoop skirt, and her face still carried a hint of baby fat.

Her name was Felicity Whitlock, the daughter of a viscount and a true noble young lady.

At the moment, she was holding a small cake from the ball, eating it in tiny bites as she asked the question with interest.

Olivia gave a faint smile. "You are asking the wrong person. I haven't paid much attention to the matter of gem mining. Professional matters are handled by professional people."

"That makes sense. I suppose it is enough for you to just be responsible for being beautiful," Felicity laughed.

Afterward, she asked Olivia about other matters.

The only reason she was asking so much was to borrow some money. Even though she was a noble's daughter, her habitual extravagance meant her finances were never sufficient.

If she could borrow some money, it would naturally be for the best. As for whether she would pay it back, that was something to worry about in the future.

Olivia also knew the other party likely wanted to borrow money.

She had asked the church in advance about who would likely attend this ball and had received a list.

Of course, the list wasn't completely exhaustive, but some people could be accounted for.

Felicity was one of the names on that list.

Therefore, during the previous three days, Olivia had used the magic mirror to gain a detailed understanding of the people confirmed to appear at the ball.

She knew more or less what different people's hobbies, thoughts, and goals were.

Even if those people weren't within the magic mirror's direct range, there was still some information about them available within its reach.

This information might come from people who had seen them or from certain archives.

Through this, Olivia had learned about Felicity, knowing she was someone who greatly enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle and didn't care about the cost, leading her to frequently run out of money.

However, as a noble young lady, Felicity also possessed the proper reserve and wouldn't state her purpose so directly.

Olivia was happy to play along, using Felicity to pass the time.

After all, the dances at the ball were truly not much to look at.

As everyone arrived, the ball naturally began. In the center of the dance floor, men and women appeared one after another and began to perform the social dances of the Holy Kelidos Empire. While their movements were elegant enough, in Olivia's eyes, the physical expression was still too dull.

Having been influenced by the dances of her previous life, she found such dancing rather unexciting.

"Do you plan to go for a dance? I think as long as you stand up, there will be plenty of gentlemen coming to invite you," Felicity joked. "That would certainly be a beautiful sight, like a rose in bloom."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't particularly enjoy dancing."

"Then do you have anything you like to do normally?"

"I like reading novels."

"That truly is a coincidence; I like reading novels too."

Felicity spoke with a smile, beginning to talk to Olivia about the content of novels.

But Olivia knew that the other party had almost no understanding of novels at all; she had forced a hobby out of thin air just to borrow money.

Naturally, Olivia didn't expose her, pretending to be interested as she conversed with Felicity.

She was also waiting for the main guest to appear.

This ball had been arranged by the Rose Legion, so it certainly wouldn't be just about dancing.

That earl, Gerard Clifford, should be making his appearance soon, right?

Just as this thought crossed Olivia's mind, she saw a middle-aged man with a majestic expression walking unhurriedly into the ballroom, surrounded by a group of servants.

She recognized this man.

Gerard Clifford!

The main guest had arrived!