Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“I didn’t say anything. Uh, don’t frown. You’ll get wrinkles.”

Saying so, Noah casually straightened Declan’s wrinkles and smiled.

“Ha.”

In the end, it was Declan who gave up.

It was fun to see the two of them arguing so much so that it made me smile without realizing it.

“Lady, doesn’t this style suit your Majesty?”

After finishing the hair, Noah asked me.

“Why are you asking for such a thing?”

Declan looked at me sternly, even as he spoke sullenly.

“Wow, he’s cooler? People won’t even dare look at you even if you smile because of the glare.”

I was half-joking and half-serious. Meanwhile, Declan looked puzzled as I continued.

“Don’t just smile only when you’re teasing. Smile often. I really like the way Your Majesty smiles.”

When I smiled and said, Declan, who was looking at me, coughed in vain and turned away.

His ears were slightly red.

‘I often see him bewildered today…?’

Where did the person who told me to look at his face proudly a while ago be ashamed?

“Your Majesty, what did I say? She said it was cool, right?”

Seeing Declan’s reddened ears, Noah smiled slyly.

“…Well, yes.”

Declan, who had barely answered, hurriedly got up from his seat.

“This time it’s your turn. Noah, get a maid.”

As Declan moved to the chair in front of the table, Noah went out and brought the maid in.

The woman with brown hair tucked up neatly bowed her back. Then, the attendants spread the screen, a small table, clothes, and necessary tools with familiar skill.

“Leave the Princess to me.”

The maid bowed her head to Declan and held out the cushion with her hands.

He gently lifted the doll, and she immediately moved behind the screen. I also quickly hid behind the screen as well. It was because if she takes off the doll’s clothes, the clothes I was wearing also come off.

“Your Majesty, you must never look over here.”

I shouted over the screen.

“Are you taking revenge? I feel bad for being treated as a pervert.”

“Can’t I just change clothes in another room?”

“No.”

I let out a sigh at that resolute answer.

While I grumbled, the maid diligently undressed the doll and wiped it meticulously with a clean cloth. The maids’ fingertips trembled a little, probably because Declan was nearby, but her skill with the doll was unshakable.

The pink dress, held by the maid, was made of high-quality materials and richly decorated with ribbons and frills, making it adorable and cute. The dress had small diamonds on it, so it was too flashy to be called a doll’s dress.

In the end, she finished off by putting on the white stockings and ivory-colored shoes with pink diamonds on the doll’s feet.

When the doll changed all the clothes, my clothes changed to be the same, too, only the size was different.

I peered around myself with curious eyes again.

Now, it was time to decorate my hair.

The maid used her tools to curl waves, and then she tied the doll’s hair in half with a ribbon the same color as the dress.

The decoration was finished only after a pink diamond necklace, said to have been made by the best craftsman in the empire, was lightly hung around the doll’s neck.

‘A diamond necklace on a doll…’

It was fortunate that Declan barely stopped buying the earrings as well as the ring.

“You’re ready.”

The maid carefully picked up the doll and placed it on the cushion, and then she approached Declan.

I also followed her and stood next to the doll.

“Wow, you are so beautiful. At today’s banquet, everyone can’t take their eyes off the Princess?”

Noah treats the doll like Chloe when there are others.

“What do you think, Your Majesty?”

Declan didn’t say anything. He was staring at me, not the doll. …From the moment I came out of the screen until now.

“Your Majesty?”

Noah tilted his head as Declan’s reaction was strange.

‘Is it weird?’

I looked at the doll the maid was holding, and although she was too flashy, she was just as beautiful.

‘Since we look the same, it wouldn’t be weird on me either?’

I turned around and observed the dress before opening my mouth.

“Your Majesty, is it very weird?”

Eventually, he slowly moved his eyes.

“…You did a great job. You can go. Noah, you, too.”

Noah, puzzled by the sudden order, took the maid and quietly left the room.

“What’s wrong…?”

Even after they left, Declan just stared at me quietly.

“It would be nice if you could be seen more clearly.”

He then raised his hand and slowly traced my silhouette. The hand was cautious, though it contained regret.

“It makes me realize how important it is to be able to feel.”

Declan, who reached his hand for the first time after a long time, took a step back and spoke softly.

“…Beautiful.”

I wanted to turn my head in embarrassment. However, I couldn’t take my eyes off his green eyes.

‘I must be crazy.’

I was bewildered by the unfamiliar feeling.

“I’ll have to prepare myself.”

Declan’s appearance, who had changed too, was so flashy that my eyes seemed to be blinded. The white robe with golden epaulets and buttons exuded a wild beauty that could not be hidden along with his arrogance as a ruler.

‘He really shines when you look at it like this.’

The wide shoulders and strong abs that were revealed even though they were hidden with clothes were enough to captivate many women.

‘If it wasn’t for the tyrant title, there would have been a lot of women running for him.’

I frowned slightly at a strange emotion that I did not know whether it was regret or relief.

“What the hell are you thinking?”

“Yes?”

“There it is again. It feels insidious…”

“Your Majesty, you’re so cool. Is there anything as dazzling as you?”

I thought I’d get caught up on it later, so I cut off his words.

Hearing that, Declan grinned as I frowned exaggeratedly.

“Oh, isn’t it time to go to the banquet?”

“You don’t have to go early because you’re the main character.”

Declan rolled his eyebrows playfully.

“Still, everyone is waiting. Let’s go together. Take the doll, the main character of the day.”

Declan, who took turns looking at the doll with me, quickly grabbed it.

“…Yes, let’s go.”

As we approached the Great Hall, where the banquet was held, my heart raced.

“Are you nervous?”

“Of course.”

“Anyway, all eyes will be on me, so if you’re shy and uncomfortable, you can stay away. Don’t leave the hall.”

“I’ll stay by your side.”

I didn’t have a headache, but I couldn’t trust it. For a moment, Declan gazed at me with a strange expression, and the corners of his lips rose slightly.

“Oh, don’t talk to me when you enter the hall. This is a place where a lot of nobles gather.”

“It doesn’t matter…”

“I care! I want Your Majesty to be loved by the people.”

I faced Declan head-on and said it over and over again. “If you show them a gap, they will come at you. That’s the chance.”

He sighed a little at that.

“Anyway, I’m against it. So, if you can, don’t talk to me today.”

“…Well then, let’s do this…”

After thinking for a moment, Declan opened his mouth.

“You are next to the doll. I will look at the doll and talk.”

“Is there any option not to speak?”

“There is none.”

At that, I narrowed my eyebrows and was finally forced to resign as he looked displeased.

While talking like that, we arrived at the Great Hall, and a golden sun pattern flashed before my eyes. Deklan nodded his head to the servant who guarded the door, and the huge door opened with the sound of a trumpet.

“The sun of the Burgundy Empire, His Majesty the Emperor and the flower of the Empire, His Majesty the Princess is entering.”

At the same time as the door opened, a magnificent performance was heard announcing the emperor’s arrival.

As he went down the stairs, the nobles gathered in the hall bowed their heads in unison. His appearance was solemn, yet truly spectacular.

Declan, who was walking with a greeting as if it were natural, overflowed with an incomparable dignity.

‘This is what the Emperor of an empire is like…’

Once again, I realized his position.

“Get up.”

At those words, the nobles straightened their posture.

“Today is my dear Chloe’s birthday. Thank you all for attending the banquet. Well then, enjoy yourselves.”

After the opening speech, applause and cheers followed.

Declan sat down on the throne on the podium and placed the doll next to it.

There was a high cushion where the doll was sitting, so there was not much difference in eye level with him.

“See, I told you to put another chair.”

Declan grunted a little as I sat on the armrest of the chair the doll was sitting on.

“Then, it’s no different than admitting yourself to be weird.”

“Because it doesn’t matter.”

In the midst of a brief argument, nobles lined up in order of their titles to present gifts.

“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Princess.”

The first to approach was Mason’s father, the Duke of Buccleuch. He stood with the Duchess and his second son.

“Thanks for coming, Duke of Buccleuch.”

“It’s the Princess’ birthday banquet, and of course we have to attend. Happy birthday, Her Highness.”

The Duke of Buccleuch smiled kindly and held out a luxurious wooden box.

I felt uncomfortable seeing the Dukes bowing their heads to the dolls.

‘…How do they feel when they have to bow their heads to the dolls?’

As I remembered the ending that appeared in the original, my mood subsided infinitely.

The Duke’s box was promptly received by the attendant and handed to Declan so he could see it. As soon as the box was opened, a brilliant light poured out from within.

Finally getting used to the light, a lily-shaped hairpin caught my eye. The hairpin was platinum, adorned with diamonds and pearls.

“Wow, that’s pretty—”

Unknowingly, I let out an exclamation at the bright colors. I really liked the sophisticated and elegant feel without being too flashy.

Declan glanced at me and smiled.

“Chloe seems to like it. Thank you.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Duke Buccleuch, who was frozen in that smile, gave a bewildered expression on his face. He hurriedly shook his head once more and heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Happy Birthday, Her Highness. I hope you like the gift I prepared for you.”

Although Duke Otien was smiling softly, his eyes were not smiling.

A sinister gaze like searching for food stayed on the doll for a while.

For a moment, I felt like I was facing a snake with its fangs in front of his prey.

‘Oh, I feel bad…’

I rubbed my arms.

“This necklace is made of the highest quality amethyst. You will hardly find amethyst of this level on the continent.”

The amethyst hanging in the middle of the necklace looked like an expensive gem not only in size but also in transparency and color.