At the Archduke's 90th birthday, guests present lavish gifts until Ms. Eva unexpectedly unveils a memorial tablet that reads "May Archduke Craig Garett rest in peace," shocking the assembly. Guests accuse her of cursing the elder; guards are ordered to drag her away while others rush to distance themselves. An offended guest admits he set a trap, crowing that Eva has humiliated his founding-family's honor, turning public outrage into political ammunition. The Archduke, enraged and unimpressed with apologies, demands the tablet—leaving Eva at the mercy of his temper and immediate punishment.