CH 82

“This is obviously a dress for a child.”

For the aristocrat’s fashion, some rules were as strict as etiquette and the trend was always changing.  As soon as Marilyn stepped into the capital, I sat myself down and recalled the plot of the picture book.

‘It’s probably because Valliere’s high society is so complex.’

In the capital of Valliere, the imperial ball was such a big deal that it could be called a social arena.

Depending on what kind of clothes I wear here in the capital, the noble’s image of Lagrange might change.

“Where’s Marilyn? Kindly call her.”

“Will you not wear this dress?”

“No. That would be rude to Her Majesty. But it needs to be modified.”

“What? Why? Don’t you think you will look good in that dress?”

I sighed as I glanced at Vanessa who was tilting her head as if puzzled. Vanessa and Tally were commoners in the poor regions even in the North. Therefore, she wasn't as familiar with social etiquette any more than I was. 

“I’m already thirteen years old, and I can’t appear wearing this kind of clothing. The young ladies from other families are already at the age of making their debut.”

Now that spring has come, the time to be treated as a child has passed. Some nobles are already engaged at this age.

“However, your frame is small. Unless it’s a custom-made dress, a ready-to-wear one won’t fit.”

“Yes. Perhaps Her Majesty took that into consideration and sent it to you?”

I sighed at the innocent remarks of the maids. 

‘’More like she’s trying to suppress the spirit of Lagrange.’ 

The Emperor’s actions of treating me like a child and sending me clothes to wear for the ball must not have been just out of goodwill.

‘She’s warning us that we’re just children.’

“No. If I wear it, I’ll be a laughing stock, and if I don’t, they’ll find fault with it.”

“Please try it on for now. I will bring Miss Marilyn.”

‘I’ll have to try it on first to see if it can be modified.’

I spread out my arms and wore the dress with the help of Tally.

It’s a little embarrassing that clothes made for young noble girls fit perfectly.

‘I’ll have to work a little harder on my meal diet.’

Hermann was tall, so I’ll probably grow taller someday, too.

“It suits you very well, Princess. How can you be so cute and adorable?”

I was embarrassed at Tally who was proudly looking at me like a child. 

The maid soon pulled out a new white bonnet to match with the dress.

“The dress that Miss Charlotte received was also beautiful, but the material of the Princess’s dress seems to be better.” 

“Did Charlotte get a dress, too?”

“Yes.”

‘It’s probably not childish like mine.’

She’s an adult so it’s only natural, but I frowned at the unpleasant feeling of the Emperor’s discrimination.

“My Lady is a hundred times prettier than Charlotte. Please don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. And don’t tell obvious lies, Tally.”

Tally opened her mouth to refute, but immediately shut them when I narrowed my eyes at her.

‘Wait, if it’s an imperial ball where Charlotte attends, then……’

“Can I see the invitation list for today’s Imperial Ball?”

“There is no list, but you can think that all nobles in the capital are coming. The ball held to welcome spring is grand.” 

“……What about the Euclids? Are people from the Euclid family coming?”

“Of course, they’ll come. The Duke, the Duchess, and Young Master Hermann are close aides of Her Majesty.”

I had thought that Hermann was attending, but to think the Duke and the Duchess were also coming.

It seemed that I would finally meet the biological father and mother who abandoned Anissa. I bit my lips which trembled in fear. 

‘They won’t recognize me, right?’

It could be useless anxiety. Officially, the youngest daughter they abandoned was known to have died.

But with a strange sense of uneasiness, I grabbed the ribbon of the bonnet that Vanessa had carefully tied.

‘But it doesn’t look bad.’

I walked around in front of the mirror that occupied the entire wall of the dressing room.

The design itself was very cute, and light yellow went well with my pink hair as if it was a match. I could understand why Tally was making a fuss saying that I looked like a doll.

“Oh my. You are so cute, Princess.”

“Isn’t that right, Miss Marilyn?”

“How dare the puppet Emperor covet our Princess and now she even sent a dress like this?”  

Marilyn, who just entered the room, approached me, muttering words of admiration and anger at the same time. Her aura sparkled, reflecting her mood.

‘She likes my cute appearance, but she’s still angry at the Emperor.’

“To what extent do we have to modify it so that it won’t catch attention?”

“As long as we don’t modify it completely, it should be fine. I don’t expect you to wear this as it is.”

“Will you be able to fix it by this evening?”

“Yes, of course.”

As expected, our Marilyn’s good at cooking, sewing, and there’s nothing she couldn’t do.

I ran to Marilyn, smiling, and gave her a big hug.

“Marilyn is the really best.”

“Hoho. I also think you’re the best, Princess.”

Tally and Vanessa looked at Marilyn with envy.

────── 〔✿〕──────

“Anissa, Is the dress you’re wearing right now the one Her Majesty sent you?”

Charlotte was clad in a purple dress that clung to her body showing off her beautiful appearance as a female lead.

‘So you sent that kind of dress to Charlotte.’

It’s the same pearl motif, but her dress was rather old-fashioned than alluring. 

‘I guess that kind of design is popular in society right now.’

I nodded my head in understanding.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“We chose the dress together but I don’t remember it being that kind of design.” 

Just thinking of slapping that puzzled expression on Charlotte's face made me smile widely.

‘Remember Anissa, she means no ill will.’

She was simply the female lead who lacked tact. I comforted myself and held my anger.

“So you chose my dress with Her Majesty? Thank you.”

"Yes. I thought it would look good on you because you are so cute. It was Madame Lavaline's dress. Of course, that outfit is cute, too."

Charlotte hurriedly added the backstory, lest I misunderstand what she said.

‘Being cute under the current circumstances would not be a compliment.’

I didn't want to show my dissatisfaction with the emperor to Charlotte, so I replied with a smile instead. While I laughed like a fool, Dietrich appeared. 

“Oh my.”

I saw Charlotte’s mouth become round when she saw Dietrich. Until yesterday, she was pouting, saying he was a rude duke but now her cheeks had turned red.

‘Well, of course, it’s because he’s handsome.’

The male lead in the original was Hermann, but Dietrich was the main focus in the romance aspect. I was sure that the reason was because of that beautiful appearance.

“You look good in that tailcoat that I chose.”

Charlotte muttered quietly in a proud voice.

The dark curls and black eyes tinged with red aura, which couldn’t be seen properly when buried in shadows, were far from sparkling, but how gorgeous they look. 

As she said, Dietrich looked like a noble, born and raised in the capital, simply by wearing a dark gray tailcoat.

“Good evening, Duke.”

Charlotte reached out her white and fine hands to him as if it was a given. He looked at her hand in front of him for a moment, but Dietrich reached out to me.

“Come here.”

“Huh? Me?”

Usually, my escort should be someone around my age.

Dietrich and Charlotte were eighteen years old, and they were the protagonists of the future romance that would develop.

“Yes, you.”

However, Dietrich reached out to me, who was smaller than him. I hesitated and looked at Charlotte’s face flushed in embarrassment and linked my arms to Dietrich.

“Won’t we paint a weird picture because of our height differences?”

“You should grow up fast.”

“Dietrich is just too tall for an 18-year-old.”

“But I can’t cut off my legs.”

Who told you to cut off your legs to match the height difference?

I climbed into the carriage and my eyebrows knitted at Dietrich’s harsh words, whose forehead was neatly and refreshingly exposed. 

Charlotte followed behind me in the carriage with a smile on her face as though she wasn’t offended.

“It’s your first time in Valliere, isn’t that right, Princess? Let me tell you a few things to be careful about.”

‘Yeah, as expected, she’s nice.”

I nodded and smiled at Charlotte, who pointed out certain people to pay attention to.

‘She’s bad at reading the room. I guess that’s why her aura is white.’

Marilyn has a beautiful personality that was comparable to my standard of an angel, but her aura was not as pure as Charlotte’s.

Perhaps Charlotte had never hated or been jealous of anyone in her entire life.

"Oh! Marquis Deus was just in the capital, so I heard he was coming today. Be careful."

“Why?”

“Hmmm. You’ll know when you meet him, Anissa. He doesn’t give off a good vibe. He’s someone who would meddle in another country’s war.”

“I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

Charlotte smiled beautifully after hearing my thanks. Even I, who didn’t have such a good feeling toward her, would fall in love with that smile, so my mind went blank for a moment.

“Don’t worry too much. You can adapt well.”

“I’ve never received etiquette lessons.”

“Oh my. I-It’s because Anissa is a Northerner.”

Charlotte murmured as if she understood, and nodded her head. What the hell do the people in the capital and southerners think of northerners?

“No, it’s just me that didn’t learn it. Dietrich’s etiquette is perfect.”

“His Grace seems to be a special case. He’s a bit different.”

I bit my lip for a moment at Charlotte’s excited voice. It’s natural that she, the female lead, liked Dietrich. But why was I feeling upset?