Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was only after struggling with corsets and dresses for a while, and even having her hair and makeup perfect that Min-ha was freed from the hands of the maids.

The maids surrounded her. With an excited face, they brought several dresses for her to try on, combed her hair, and repeated the makeup, and erased it again.

‘…How on earth did noble women do this every day?’

Eventually, Min-ha sat down on the long sofa with an exhausted expression after the long hours of decorating labor that she had experienced for the first time in her life.

Seeing her like that, at once, Mrs. Pompa hurriedly rushed towards her.

“Madam! You can’t sit like that! It ruins the shape of the dress!”

“Then, do I have to keep standing…?”

“You have to get our help when you sit down and get up.”

“Oh, my… So, I can’t sit or stand without someone’s help until I change into comfortable clothes?”

“Yes.”

“…I can’t believe this.”

“What are you surprised about? In the past, you changed into a more gorgeous dress every day than the one you are wearing now? Compared to that time, the clothes you are wearing now are a lot more simplified.”

“….”

“Now, take my hand and stand up. Let’s walk towards the mirror in front of you.”

Mrs. Pompa’s words that followed were enough to keep Min-ha speechless. She couldn’t believe the fact that women had to wear such uncomfortable clothes like this every day and had to live a life where she could neither sit nor stand comfortably.

As she thought about the patience that aristocratic women in this time endured for her beauty, she got up from the sofa at Mrs. Pompa’s words.

And, following the guide, Min-ha, who walked in front of the mirror, unknowingly exclaimed at the reflection of herself in the mirror.

“…Oh, my God.”

“I dressed you up, though you look really beautiful today. The dressing up was worthwhile, right, Ella?”

“Yes, Mrs. Pompa.”

Because she was so tired of changing into several dresses, Min-ha was so tired that she didn’t even have time to look at her dress properly.

What she was seeing now as she was standing in front of the mirror was splendidly embroidered with gold and silver threads. It was indeed a ravishing dress.

The dress, which gradually darkened from top to bottom, as if dye was sprinkled in clear water, was as rich and long as a blooming flower. Meanwhile, her silky blonde hair, suiting the gorgeous dress, was half up and half down, and her curled-up hair was crowned with a garland of woven colorful flowers.

Min-ha’s face, which was glamorous yet not excessive, was lightly painted with a light red color instead of rose that matched her mouth perfectly with the dress.

Truly, no one could take their eyes off her.

Min-ha stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, so much that she couldn’t deny the slightly unfamiliar praise she heard from her side. They were saying that she was so beautiful that no one could lose, and strangely, she couldn’t deny that she was as beautiful as a goddess in front of the mirror…

Perhaps, that was why. While Min-ha admired her own outfit, she also felt this awful feeling as well. Not only her clothes, but now, she feels as if everything she did was borrowed from someone else.

No matter how hard she tries to live as ‘Kim Min-ha,’ she has a bad feeling that she may not be able to get out of the environment in which ‘Minase Persen’ was in the end…

Thinking so, she smiled bitterly alone, invisible to the maids who surrounded and admired her, as she felt complicated for nothing.

“Come on, madam. Let’s stop admiring you now and go outside to wait for the Duke, who will arrive soon with Young Master Noah.”

“…Ah, yes. Okay.”

At Mrs. Pompa’s urging, Min-ha pushed the door open and went outside. Then, Noah, who was leaning against the wall with a bored expression, ran towards her as though waiting.

“Sister-in-law!”

“Noah!”

Noah clung to the hem of her dress tightly. Seeing that, the maids who followed her tried to stop him, but Min-ha raised her hand and stopped them. She then gently stroked the head of her child as he hung on her before lifting her hands up.

Noah stared at her with his sparkling eyes and shouted.

“Sister-in-law, you look like an angel!”

“Really? Does it look like that?”

“Yes! You’re very pretty!”

“Is that so? It’s so nice that Noah thinks I look pretty.”

With the little boy’s admiration, Min-ha put off the feeling of discomfort in her mind a while ago and adjusted her mood.

Then, as if more excited, Noah grabbed her dress and ran across the floor. As the hem of her dress got wrinkled, the maids hurried to Noah’s side and said to soothe the child.

“Noah, if you do that, the dress will be wrinkled.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. So, why don’t you just let go of the dress and go downstairs? The Duke will be back soon, so Young Master Noah should be the first to welcome him.”

“…Yes!”

“Yes, Noah. Come on, let’s hold hands and go together.”

As soon as she reached out, she slowly went down the stairs, holding Noah’s hand as she reached out his little hand.

Since she was wearing a dress that made it quite difficult to breathe, Min-ha, walking along the footsteps of the excited Noah, was slow and awkward, nevertheless, still elegant.

As she went down the stairs and walked to the gate in front of the mansion, all the knights and servants in the mansion were lined up in front.

Thinking back to the day Seth Persen left, she was embarrassed by herself as she recalled the handkerchief incident that day.

Though when Noah let go of her hand and stood first in front of the open gate, she burst into a small smile as she saw his small, shaking body.

Perhaps, he must have been very happy about his older brother’s return, but Noah was so excited that he didn’t sleep well last night. Nevertheless, he didn’t show any signs of tiredness.

“Ah?! They’re coming!”

How many minutes did she wait like that?

It must have been difficult to stand for a while, so Noah, who had already attached his body to the gate and had her head sticking out, suddenly shouted in a very excited voice.

When Min-ha also turned her head towards where Noah was pointing, she could see the Persen Knights gradually approaching with the sound of spurs of horses’ hooves on the stone path on the other side.

At the sound of the magnificent horn announcing the safe return of the knights, the cheers of the people in the castle, and the appearance of the knights approaching quickly, Min-ha felt her heart pounding without realizing it.

As fast as the pounding beat, the knights arrived in front of the castle gate and stopped talking.

Seth Persen, a knight in silver-white armor at the vanguard of the forefront, got off the horse slowly and took off his helmet.

Then, one by one, he stared at the knights coming down from their horses before stretching out his arms toward Noah, who was running towards him.

“Brother!”

Seth lightly grabbed Noah’s body as he was running at high speed, and carefully held him in his arms, fearing that the armor he was wearing might injure the child.

Moments later, he turned his head away, gently stroking the child’s head, who was rubbing his little face against his neck.

“….!”

“….”

Perhaps, it was because he met his beloved older brother, Noah, who clung to him like a piece of chewing gum, and Seth, who held such a child tightly, met eyes with him as he turned around.

As their eyes met, she spoke awkwardly, a little embarrassed by Seth’s gaze that was staring at her without turning his head away.

“…Did you come back?”

“….”

“Did you get hurt anywhere?”

“….”

However, there was no reply from Seth even after she said her greetings. At this point, a sarcastic response or something like that was likely to come back. Yet Seth just stared at her as if possessed.

‘…Is there something on my face?’

The only thing that came back to the courageous greeting was the awkward gaze, which made Min-ha even more embarrassed.

Worried, she started rubbing her cheek for nothing. And, while she was rolling her eyes awkwardly, she noticed where Seth’s gaze was placed on.

‘Ah.’

She then said to Seth, who was still staring at her, while holding the hem of her supple dress.

“…Oh, haha… Is it because of this outfit?”

“….”

“Why are you staring at me like that? …Does it not suit me that much?”

“….”

Still, there was no reply this time as well.

Min-ha bit her lower lip as her heart was about to burst at the embarrassment and blamed Mrs. Pompa and Ella, who had dressed her like this.