Once the girls realized Albert had no intention of answering the fatal question of "who was prettier," they let him brush it off. They knew that even if they kept pressing him, they would probably only get an answer like, "Isobel is prettier."
Honestly, no girl wanted to be inferior to another, so they tacitly agreed not to pursue the matter.
"All right, let's begin tonight's dance!"
After drawing all the girls' attention, Isobel placed Yanila's slender, fair hand in Albert's palm and offered the blushing girl an encouraging smile.
Yes, as the newest addition, Yanila had been granted the privilege of dancing with Albert first.
This left Hermione, who had eagerly come to attend the Christmas Banquet, feeling rather depressed. She had deliberately worn this daring dress for Albert, yet she had failed to make him look at her any more than usual.
I shouldn't have come.
Hermione realized that, despite all her careful preparation, she seemed utterly ordinary among all these beautiful girls.
"Albert has too many lovers to look after."
Isobel keenly noticed the shift in Hermione's mood. She walked over, took Hermione's hand, and led her in a turn while soothing her gently. "Don't be upset. Gatherings like this are meant for the other girls. You're much better than them."
Under Isobel's gaze, Hermione instinctively looked away.
"You're right."
She knew that the other girls rarely got to see Albert more than a few times a year, so it was only natural for them to receive his attention.
She had prepared herself for it long ago, but when it truly happened, Hermione still felt hurt. After all, no girl wanted to admit that she was less charming than the others.
Yet what unsettled Hermione most was Isobel's attitude. As Albert's legitimate wife, she could actually accept