CH 16.3

Lila chattered excitedly in the carriage ride back to the manor.

“Today was a very rewarding day! How could this be? Did I do a good job?”

Lila’s cheeks were flushed, her excitement not yet subsiding.

“Is it that good?”

“Yes! You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to do this again, really…”

She was so happy right now, remembering how much she’d wanted to do makeup, how long it had been since she’d touched someone else’s face.

Then she realized she had slurred her words. Lucas didn’t miss the moment when Lila’s face went blank as she spoke with a satisfied expression.

But he didn’t mind, he could wait. And he didn’t care if she didn’t want to share her secret.

So, pretending not to notice, it vented an awkward atmosphere.

“I didn’t realize my wife had that talent either, but I’m glad to hear it.”

Lucas smiled softly, kissing the back of Lila’s hand lightly. Lila’s expression softened, and she began to speak again.

“I’ll have to be more prepared next time, it was too spontaneous today. Oh, and I’m glad Karin did so well today, she definitely has talent.”

Arriving at the mansion, they were about to head back to their room when they heard a voice calling out for Lila.

“Lila!”

Michael, who had come down as soon as he heard they had arrived, was running down the stairs, dressed lightly.

“Michael!”

Lila shook off Lucas’s grip and ran up the stairs.

Lucas, unable to wipe the bewildered look off his face, looked up. Michael and Lila were hugging each other tightly.

They looked so wistful, like they hadn’t seen each other in years.

“Why did you come back so late, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Did you? When did you come back? What about the academy?”

“The academy is off from today, we have to prepare for the Autumn Ball.”

“Oh, right.”

In the excitement of applying makeup, Lila had forgotten about the Autumn Ball.

“Did you eat dinner?”

“No, I was waiting for Lila to come over so we could eat together.”

“You mean you haven’t eaten yet?”

“No, I just wanted to have dinner with you for the first time in a long time.”

Lila’s mouth dropped open as if touched by Michael’s affectionate words.

“I haven’t either, so shall we have dinner right away?”

“I think so, but how long are you going to use honorifics?”

“Hmm… Then, do you want to go eat?”

“Yeah!”

Lucas couldn’t help but feel grumpy as the two seemed to be in their own world. He couldn’t figure out why they got along so well.

“Lala, you haven’t forgotten about me, have you?”

Lucas sneaked up on her and grabbed her around the waist. She jerked away and her eyes shot up to meet his.

“How do I fix my nephew’s misbehavior, who doesn’t even say hello to his uncle?”

“I said hello, I’m pretty sure I stuck my head up, didn’t you see?”

“That’s not what greeting means. How do you know it’s a greeting if you only nodded your head? It could be because you have a sore throat.”

“Uncle, this is getting a little childish. I was going to say hello to Lila first and then to you. Can’t you wait?”

“Well, whatever. Shall we eat first, Lala?”

She didn’t like how she was being called by her nickname, but he was really jealous.

Especially after she’d swatted his hand away, which felt pretty bad.

“Let’s go to the restaurant first. Lucas, aren’t you hungry?”

“I am, but yeah, let’s go to the dining hall first.”

Lila reached out to Michael, her arm around his waist. She smiled broadly at him as he casually took her hand.

“It’s been a while since my family got together, I’m so happy.”

At her words, the mint and pink eyes that had been pointed curved upward. Folded like half moons, the two pairs of eyes held nothing but her.

* * *

The day of the Autumn Ball finally arrived. Lila woke up early in the morning and filled the bathtub with water.

She had promised herself that she would live her life regardless of the original path, and the thought of the Crown Prince, Heinrich, Alfonso, and Charlotte at the ball strengthened her resolve.

She took the bath balm and placed it in the tub, then slipped off her robe and stepped into the water. Her naked body disappeared into the water, which was tinged with an ethereal purple hue.

“Ah, that’s nice.”

A sweet scent filled the bathroom. Playing with the bubbles, Lila thought.

“Today’s concept is strong!”

She was going to do everything she couldn’t do before at today’s ball.

How she resented it when she was forced to wear ugly makeup to survive, even though she loved to look pretty and beautiful.

Humming to herself, she rinsed herself off. Standing in front of the mirror, she pulled out her incognito pouch.

Her nails glistened with the nail art she had finished last night. A silver butterfly stood out against the gold.

She blow-dried her hair and lightly curled it up. Quickly applying her foundation, she sprinkled on makeup fixer.

Waiting for the moisture to sink in, she pulled out her eyeshadow. To match the colors of her dress, she decided on black, blue, and silver and applied them in sequence.

She applied the eyeshadow as if the Milky Way was falling in the night sky, then flicked out the corners of her eyes to create a sharp cat eye.

Holding the eyeliner firmly in place, she pulled out a black mascara that she hadn’t used because it didn’t match her mauve lashes.

She used the curler to define her lashes and then boldly applied the black mascara.

She then added a little red glitter to the corners of her eyes for shading and highlighting.

Her eyebrows were groomed moderately and then defined with mauve eyeshadow. She added a light touch of mauve blush to her cheeks, then lined her lips with a dark red lipstick that was almost a cherry color.

At last, she applied a light dusting of makeup fixer and checked her reflection in the mirror.

“Wow… You look crazier than ever.”

Even though it was her own face, she couldn’t help but compliment herself. Even if she was pretty, she was too pretty.

“It’s the main character buff…”

Lila was so excited and ecstatic because she had never made herself properly before.

“I can’t believe this is really my face… I can’t believe I’ve been looking at it for ten years.”

Just then, a voice came from outside the bathroom.

“I’m here, Madame. Are you in the bathroom?”

At the sound of Jessie’s voice, which was right on time, Lila pulled out what she needed and slipped the secret pouch into her amethyst ring.

“Just in time. Can you help me with my hair?”

After coming out of the bathroom, Lila spoke towards Jessie. The girl who was complaining about the party being a hassle seemed to have disappeared somewhere, leaving only an excited appearance behind.

Once she was ready, Lila pulled the last ring Lucas had given her out of her jewelry box: a blue sapphire ring in the shape of a hydrangea.

She slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand, overlapping it with the black ring she always wore.

Jessie blushed bright red at the sight of her and was speechless.

She understood what it meant to be speechless. How beautiful it must be to be beautiful, but it was wrong. Jessie looked at his mistress and exclaimed to herself.

She was too beautiful for words.

“Well, shall we go?”

“Yes, Duchess!”

Kate, who was at Jessie’s side, replied cheerfully, with a look of remembrance on her face. Though she had some circles under her eyes from all the work on her dress.

Lila loved the dress she had made for her. It was indescribably beautiful, and she marveled at her talent.

The birdcage-shaped evening gown fluttered open at the ends with Michael’s harnesses, floating in the air without dragging.

It was a different version of the one he’d made with the fluffy harness.

She tucked it into the back of her waist to make the lace float down her back.

She looked and felt like a star in the night sky, a concept she and Kate had collaborated on.

She descended the stairs slowly. Lila wanted to hurry when she heard that Lucas and Michael were already down on the first floor, but her dress was wider than usual and had many layers.

Michael and Lucas finished their ceremony and waited for Lila.

“Is my Auntie here yet?”

“Why are you calling her Auntie.”

Michael glanced at Lucas, who sounded surprised.

“I’m going to call her Auntie from now on so I don’t slip up in front of everyone.”

“I like that.”

“Will it still take a while?”

Michael tapped his foot as she continued to stare down at him.

“I wonder. How pretty will she be?”

The glimpse of Lila earlier had left him speechless.

She stopped by Michael and Lucas for a moment and quickly fixed their hair and makeup and before disappearing.

Lucas’s mind replayed her words from earlier.

“You asked me to show you my bare face, right?”’

It was such a stupid thing to say, but he understood what she was trying to say.

She wasn’t giving him and Michael makeup because she was ashamed of them, but because she knew the humiliation they’d endured and wanted to protect them.

Plus, he knew she loved their freckles.

“Even a single word she says is so beautiful, so how can she not be beautiful?”

Michael nodded vigorously at Lucas’s words.

“Of course, I agree.”

“You go find your own mate. Show little interest in my wife.”

“She’s my aunt, too. Just because you’re my uncle doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do.”

“Hmph… I wonder if you’ll say that when you find your mate.”

The chattering duo spotted the sight of Lila, who had finally emerged, and shut up at the same time.