CH 54

"Is Claude-nim sleeping?"

"Yes, he fell asleep very soundly. What's going on?"

"Please come here for a second!"

May grabbed Sarah's hand with a very excited expression on her face. Sarah widened her eyes as she was dragged by May. Other servants, including Ronda, followed with a smile.

"Ta-da look at this!"

May, who dragged Sarah into her room, couldn't hide her excitement as she saw a large gift box on the bed.

"What is this?"

"Duke-nim sent it!"

"Duke-nim did?"

"Yes!"

The colorfully patterned gift box looked luxurious enough to predict the price just by looking at it.

May ran around saying that even if she sold only this box, it would cover her living expenses for an entire year. Leaving May behind her, Sarah carefully opened her box.

"Oh my gosh!"

An exclamation broke out from May's mouth. As soon as she opened her box, a dress adorned with splendid jewels was flaunting its beauty. Ronda said with a smile, perhaps knowing in advance that the Duke had sent the dress.

"Duke-nim ordered it with special care so that Countess Millen-nim would wear it to this party."

"......Ah."

Sarah stared blankly at the dress. As she cared only about Claude, who was going to attend the party, she realized that she had not prepared anything. Sarah repeatedly clenched her fists and then released them again in a new mood.

"Isn't it the first time in 6 years that you show your face in the social world? It's good to take care of Claude-nim, but Countess-nim should also take care of herself."

"That's true, but……"

"I know you don't want to get a lot of attention, but there's something I have to tell Countess Millen-nim even if you don't like it."

"I beg your pardon?"

"If you have already decided to become a person of Ambrosia, you have to bear the weight of attention."

"That sounds really like what Duke-nim would say."

Sarah smiled and lifted the dress. She couldn't even remember the last time she wore such a fancy party dress like this. It was because she left right after making her debutante. At the time, she and Dieline were pretty excited about choosing her dress. It was just a time when she felt happy living a normal day-to-day life.

"Uh umm, will it suit me……"

"It was chosen by Duke-nim himself, so you can rest assured."

"It’s Duke-nim who chose the dress……, you know it's really hard to imagine, Ronda?"

"I saw it with my own eyes, but seeing it felt like a dream."

Ronda looked at Sarah and smiled softly. It was a dress that the Duke chose alone after kicking Jade out, who was running around saying 'This’s pretty, that’s pretty, if she wears that, there will be no other goddess.' It was a pity that she couldn't explain in words the appearance of Duke Ambrosia, who had been struggling as he stared at the various dresses as if he was about to tear them apart.

"I'll help you change the dress."

"No, you don't have to do that."

Sarah said that and twitched her fingers.

"......!"

Then, in an instant, the dress that was in Sarah's hand was put on. And she once again snapped, tingling her fingers, and the earrings and necklaces were worn on her ears and neck. Although she only had basic makeup on, Sarah boasted a beautiful appearance enough to attend the party right now.

"Heaven."

Ronda and the servants marveled with wide-eyed amazement as this was the first time they saw Sarah change her clothes with magic. May, who was accustomed to that figure, alone handed Sarah the fan that had been in the box as a set with the dress and praised her constantly.

"You look so good. You haven't even done your makeup or hair properly yet, but I think you can go to the party like this."

"Isn't that too much of a compliment?"

"I'm trying to be as restrained as possible right now!"

May brought a mirror from one side of the room and reflected Sarah's figure. Sarah looked awkwardly at herself in a fancy party dress after a long time. The dress that Ethan gave her had a clear azure light like Sarah's transparent azure eyes, and it seemed to depict the mana she used swirling in colorful patterns. Whenever she turned around, the hem of the soft dress spread beautifully, and then settled down along the body line.

'So pretty……'

She had promised to attend the party, but it felt more real than when she picked up Claude's outfit. She felt as if she had returned to the life of Sarah Millen, not the great magician, not Park Hyeyeon who created the disaster of the Flower of Darkness, not Sarah who had to struggle to get everything right.

"Now I feel sorry for the ladies who just made their debut."

"I know. Don't you think Sarah-nim will be flooded with dance requests, leaving all the other ladies aside?"

Even the servants who had been lost in the mysterious Sarah's magic came to their senses and were busy praising her. Sarah secretly blushed as if she was really rubbing gold lacquer on her face. She thought she finally knew why Claude's face was bursting red when she saw him in his costume earlier and poured out her compliments.

"That's enough……"

Just as Sarah was waving her hand and thinking that she should change her clothes again, someone knocked on Sarah's door.

"Yes, come on in."

"Excuse m……"

It was Ethan who opened the door after knocking and entered the room. As soon as Ethan opened the door, he paused for a moment, gazed around, and then stood still as he entered. It was because the gaze of the servants, who subtly lit up their eyes, felt more intense than usual. Not knowing why there were so many servants in Sarah's room, he entered the room with a frown on his face.

"......"

Then he saw Sarah wearing the dress he had given her and could not say anything for a while.

'Why? What’s wrong? Is it weird? Doesn't it suit me?'

Sarah felt a slight tension in Ethan's gaze, who was staring at her, and squeezed the hem of her dress tightly. In the silence that flowed between the two of them, the servants slowly retreated back and exited the room one by one.

"......"

May, who was quick-witted, also put down the mirror she was holding and gently closed the door as she left the room. Sarah opened her mouth with an awkward smile as she was left alone with Ethan.

"Thank you for the gift, Duke-nim. I heard that you made a special order?"

"Ah."

At Sarah's words, Ethan raised his hand and swept down his mouth as if he had regained consciousness. It seemed that he hardened his mouth without realizing it.

"That's a matter of course. Now that you’re part of Ambrosia, even if it's meant to show that……"

Ethan stretched his words as if he was making excuses to himself. Seeing that, Sarah knew that she was not alone in the subtle awkward atmosphere she felt. Sarah smiled brightly at Ethan, who looked unexpectedly embarrassed. Even if she didn't, she was very confident because the servants said she was beautiful in unison.

"How do I look?"

"......"

"Does it suit me? Do I look beautiful?"

Sarah said in a confident voice. It was a voice that one couldn't bear to say that she wasn't beautiful. Even so, Ethan's words were stuck in his throat and didn't come out. It felt like something so secret that he couldn't say it out loud.

"Hmm?"

Sarah stared at Ethan and urged. Her gaze seemed to have a will and fell on Ethan. Feeling a bit of being teased, he took a quiet breath and was barely able to answer.

"......You’re beautiful."

"How much?"

But at Sarah's question that followed, Ethan shut his mouth again. Seeing him like that, Sarah finally laughed out loud.

"I think you lost it because I'm so beautiful, so I'll stop teasing you."

"Thank you."

Seeing Sarah smiling with a peaceful face, Ethan sighed heavily. He did not dare to speak out that what she had casually said to him, which was a joke, was indeed true.

"You must be busy. What's up? I heard that it's a headache because the Third Prince keeps pushing people in.….."

"I solved that. Since I left the door of the mansion opens moderately, he must have found out that meeting Claude was really a coincidence."

"That's a relief."

Sarah was noticeably relieved and wiped her chest. It seemed that the Second Prince hadn't paid attention to Claude yet, and the Third Prince hadn't been able to find a connection, so at least Claude won't get involved until the party was held.

"Now I have come to ask for permission."

At Ethan's words, Sarah tilted her head and asked.

"Permission?"

He thought she'd guessed it from the moment he sent the dress, but Ethan smiled a little when Sarah didn't seem to have any thoughts.

"May I escort you to the party we are going to this time?"