Christina's Dilemma

Even at eleven o'clock at night, Leipzig was still brightly lit.

In an estate on Bronze Avenue in central Leipzig, the guests were gradually taking their leave.

A middle-aged man with somewhat thinning black hair, still neatly combed back until it almost gleamed, held a glass of red wine and smiled as he nodded goodbye to his guests.

Just then, a girl in a yellow dress who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, with long, pale-golden curls, suddenly stepped forward and boldly curtsied. "Your Excellency!"

"Hmm?"

The middle-aged man smiled warmly, his tone almost paternal. "What is it, the star of our gathering? Did you enjoy yourself, Christina?"

"I had a wonderful time, Earl Dawn! Thank you so much for inviting me to your banquet..."

The girl wore a bright, innocent smile. "So I thought about it... Is what you said before still valid?"

"Which part?"

Earl Dawn merely smiled. "I don't remember very clearly."

"It's—"

Christina looked a little anxious.

She paused, then lowered her voice. "You said earlier that you thought highly of me and wanted to hire me as your secretary..."

"Ah, that really is unfortunate, Miss Weber."

Earl Dawn smiled. "But I've already found a secretary—she also came from Helsing University, just like you. However, she's a doctor. Surely you've heard of her. Miss Zoe Ravens."

"S-so that's how it is... She was interested in this too..."

Christina Weber clearly knew the name, and a trace of fear and unwillingness appeared in her expression. Clearly, she did not dare compete with that girl named Zoe.

Could this be the last time I attend a banquet of this level?

Christina unconsciously bit her lip.

As an alchemist, without funding, she had virtually no chance of advancing any further.

It was rather ironic. Alchemy had begun as