CH 49

A few days have passed since then. I’ve been busy with work since this morning, so I have been lying around at home after work. Then, Lumi came in and looked at me with a frown and commented, “Sister! My God. Tomorrow is the party. Why do you look so relaxed?”

“I can prepare tomorrow,” I replied calmly to Lumi’s fuss.

She shook her head, then came up to me eagerly and said, “That’s nonsense, sister! Is there a soldier who goes to war without preparation?”

“Uh- I guess not?”

She made an example fitting for a lady of a prestigious knight family. I was pushed back by her eagerness, and I stuttered as I nodded. Lumi said with her eyes gleaming, “Then let’s get ready! There’s no time to waste! Come on, take her to the bathtub.”

At Lumi’s orders, the maids behind me took me to a tub with a frightening amount of foam and washed me. As soon as I got out, they applied perfumed oil to my body and started to apply an unknown face pack on my face. After a period of torment, I questioned my supple body and the smooth, shiny face if it was really me. It’s definitely good to have money.

“Sister, this isn’t the time to lose your mind! You should get a massage too!” shouted Lumi.

Led by Lumi’s hand, I was laid with my face down and received a message from the maids. It relieved my tired shoulders and stimulated my swollen legs.

“Now, we have to choose beforehand the dress you’ll wear tomorrow. Dear, bring all of my sister’s dresses,” ordered Lumi.

It was a bit unpleasant to see Lumi giving orders to my maid, Daisy. Ah, I just wish she wouldn’t act so rude to her. But it was good to hide my thoughts for Daisy’s sake. I’m indebted to this house, so if I had shown favor towards her, the other maids would have disliked her.

Moments later, I looked at the dress Daisy had brought. What Lumi chose was a red money dress that I bought to show off in a boutique. Lumi looked at it and smiled happily and then ordered, “This is it! Bring her jewelry, too.”

When Daisy came with my jewelry, Lumi glanced over it, sighed, and closed it. Then she called her maid. “Bring my jewelry box.”

Lumi took out a pair of pearl earrings and a necklace from her jewelry box that the maid had brought over. She then happily smiled and ordered Daisy, who was standing behind me, “Help her get changed into the dress.”

As I got dressed with Daisy’s help, I became somewhat embarrassed. There’s no way a dress like this would suit me, right? But Lumi paid no attention to my expression, and gave me earrings and a necklace, and shouted, “This is it! This should teach that rash Schuteiner girl a lesson!”

I felt tired seeing Lumi becoming more competitive than me toward Elise. I’m not worried about bumping into her tomorrow, but I’m concerned that my cousins will cause trouble.

To Daisy, Lumi said, “Help her get dressed like this tomorrow.”

After Lumi left, I changed back to my normal clothes again. I felt fatigued. To be honest, it’s not the first time I’ve fought with another person, so I wasn’t too worried. But it was very tiring for other people to care about me. Why is everyone worried when I can handle it on my own?

***

“My lady, wake up!”

I think I closed my eyes for a bit, but it was already morning as I opened my eyes from Daisy waking me up. I got dressed, and Daisy and the other maids put my makeup on. A busy hand moved about me frantically, then stopped.

Daisy carefully asked me, “Do you like it, my lady?”

An unfamiliar, gorgeous woman was looking at me from the mirror. Honestly, it was my first time wearing such a fancy outfit, so my appearance looked awkward as if I was looking at someone else. Will Elise von Schuteiner even care when she sees me like this? I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t laugh.

“Marin, is that really you?”

When I left my room, my cousins’ eyes widened in shock. Chelleno and Jianne had their mouths open while Lumi’s eyes were gleaming, but honestly, I was still embarrassed and feeling awkward.

“Who else could it be when I just got out of my room?” I asked.

“I guess that’s true. About today’s dance… If you don’t have a partner yet, why don’t you dance with me f… Ah! Lumi!”

Lumi stepped on Chelleno’s foot with her shoe to interrupt him, then smiled sweetly and said, “Brother, don’t go ahead and mess things up. There’s no way my sister doesn’t have a partner, right?”

No, my dear Lumi. I’m honestly worried. Shouldn’t at least Chelleno ask me for a dance if there’s no one else?

“That’s right. You’ll be very popular today! I swear to Usiad that there is no woman prettier than you in all of Genorium!” declared Jianne.

Jianne. That’s because you never saw any gorgeous girls. You need to broaden your horizons. You can’t swear to God’s name for such a thing. The Holy Kingdom will be furious!

“Sister, I’ll stand by your side and coach you one-on-one. You can’t dance with anyone without my permission!” shouted Lumi.

I had to nod at her determined order. I believe it was I who used to teach her a lot in the past, but now the situation has reversed. But then again, I don’t know much about the central’s beau monde, so I better follow Rumi’s advice.