CH 2

Chapter 2 – The uncouth daughter’s heavy dress

It was at a grand ball held at the royal palace.

The first prince has already taken a wife from another country, but the second prince is still free and has not yet decided on a fiancée.

The ball was also a place where daughters from all over the world gathered to appeal to the second prince.

However, I could not be part of the circle surrounding the prince.

Because I couldn't confront the fully armed daughters with their eyes bloodshot like that. I was scared!

Besides, there is no way in hell that the prince would ever look me in the eye when I go there. He would only make fun of me...

There was even a duchess who was considered the most likely candidate for the second prince's fiancée, an exotic marchioness with all the beauty in the world, and a baroness who was said to be the prince's favorite. Anyway, there was no room for me.

Even the prince would be annoyed if he were approached by a potato lady dressed all in white. He would just smile amiably and leave. I can easily imagine that.

So, I couldn't even talk to the second prince, and my ball ended in a disastrous failure. I never want to go to the royal palace again. I want to be a recluse.

In the future, please send me to a monastery. I beg you.

"But father won't give up, will he? He's too proud to give up."

He would be ashamed that his daughter would go to a convent without getting married.

"That's too much, it doesn't even matter where I go. My brother is going to take over the Marquise's house anyway. Don't expect anything from me."

After a while, the maids came in to change my dress.

It took several of them to carry the heavy dress. I was wearing that super heavy dress all by myself.

"I've had enough of this engagement racket. Wherever I go, it's just going to be miserable."

I lay my lightened body down on my bed and opened the book I kept under my pillow. I love reading, it takes me away from the unpleasant reality.

I had already read all the books on my bookshelves at home.

The one I am reading now is a grimoire I ordered from a bookstore in town. Everyone in this country can use only one magic that suits them.

Although I myself can only use a crude magic called "material enhancement," it is interesting to see the various kinds of magic. Magic that makes you smaller, magic that makes you bigger, magic that transforms you into an animal, they all have their own unique personalities and are wonderful.

As I was escaping reality with my grimoire, my mother came into my room. I wish she would at least knock.

"Agnes, you're going to be at the princess's upcoming engagement party. You will be there and this time you are going to get engaged to the right person. Do you understand?"

"...... yes."

"We can't be complacent anymore. The eldest sons of the nobility of your age are getting engaged one after another. It's all your fault!"

If you want to get a quick engagement going, you'll have to help me out a little. Mainly the dress and so on.

But if I try to appeal to my mother about that, she will attack you thirty times over with her complaints.

"So, who should I target this time?"

"The son of the Viscount of Bree!　Their family is rich and they want a connection to the Marquisate of Evantail."

"I understand."

Engagement for status. I'm afraid that's the pattern of being unfaithful after marriage.

I'd rather be in a convent.

"You will wear one of your grandmother's dress again. You have plenty, don't you?"

"Um, my old dress is heavy and hard to move around in, so I need a new one. It doesn't have to be expensive..."

"Well, what a load of hogwash! What nonsense are you talking about? Walking out in a cheap dress made of flimsy fabric is outrageous! Your grandmother's dress is so priceless that you can't even get it nowadays, okay?"

Indeed, my mother was right, and dresses like the one my grandmother had would not be available today.

I hope you can guess why such 'priceless dresses' are disappearing. Because they are too heavy to sell!

"Can I at least modify the skirt part to make it lighter?"

"Don't be silly, you can't do that!? It's a very important dress that you will pass on to your children."

In the unlikely event that I should ever have children in the future, I would not want to be part of child abuse by super heavyweight dresses. I would definitely buy her a new dress.

"Anyway, don't screw up this time!"

My mother's words made my heart grow heavy.

"No way, I don't want to go..."

Is what I want to say, but there is no way I will be forgiven.

I can only wait with trepidation for the day of the big engagement party.

※

Finally, the day of the princess's engagement party approached.

Once again, I was forced into a heavy dress, they my face painted as hard as they could, and stuffed into a carriage.

Under a gloomy sky, the carriage drove along the streets, gradually getting further and further away from the Marquise's house.

The carriage was now on its way to the royal capital, a journey that would take several days. There was no escape now.

My mother's sermon started again in the carriage, but I can't go outside while it is moving. This is painful...

By the time we arrived at the royal capital, I was already worn out.

The Marquisate of Evantail also has a small mansion in the royal capital. I would stay there for a few days and then go to the royal palace.

Since they had come all the way to the city, the members of the Evantail family had no intentions of going out in the royal capital. They all thought it would be disgraceful to be so frivolous.

So, I am not allowed to go out in the city and can only read books in the house.

Even if I went to the city, I would look out of place in my current attire. They say city girls are fashionable...

I don't have the kind of clothes that a girl my age would like.

In the Evantail's household, where frugality goes to excess and old things are always better anyway, all the clothes are hand-me-downs from my grandmother and mother.

I can't even dare to leave the house without telling anyone, since I would be laughed not only at the party and ball, but also on the streets.

I felt so ashamed of myself.