Chapter 10
Mia’s Kindness
Sena felt her heart flutter as she gently reached out toward the dress.
She touched it as though handling a priceless jewel she wasn’t allowed to lay a finger on, the texture of the fabric transmitting a delicate sensation to her fingertips.
The fine material slid silkily beneath her touch.
Based on white, it was lavishly decorated with pastel-green and blue sequins.
Silver thread embroidered elegant patterns, various gemstones glimmered across its surface, and pale blue roses—like those blooming under the white night sky—were scattered throughout.
The neckline was a little more modest than the waitress uniform she currently wore, yet subtly emphasized her figure.
From her shoulders down to her fingertips, lace and sequins created a garden in bloom.
“It’s beautiful…”
“You’ll become a lady as lovely as the Empress of the Empire. You could, Sena.”
At her feet lay pink-gold high heels.
And the mask Mia handed her—“Try this too”—was one that covered the upper half of the face.
The black mask was adorned with silver decorations and gold trim, and embellished with pale blue gemstone work shaped like feather ornaments that matched the dress.
Sena muttered that it couldn’t possibly suit her, yet she reached for the heels.
The size written on the sole matched her own perfectly.
Judging by sight, they would fit comfortably without pinching.
The shoes were undeniably her size.
Sena put everything back in place and returned the mask to Mia, her breath unsteady, unable to hide her excitement.
“Why… why did you do all this?”
“Do you like it?”
Of course she liked it.
Sena shook her head violently.
But it was also undeniably strange.
Even if she and Mia had similar features, their body shapes and shoe sizes differed slightly.
How could everything fit her so well?
As though it had been prepared specifically for Sena—
“…Would you get mad if I asked to check your shoe size right now?”
Sena asked hesitantly.
Mia raised one eyebrow and made a “hmm” sound, as if searching for an excuse.
“I’d rather you… didn’t.”
“But! …I mean, I figured the dress size would fit. You’ve gotten so thin since then.”
“If your chest looks small, you just pad it! No one will know!”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I still have some—”
Though she ate properly, her lifestyle was terrible for someone eighteen years old.
She lacked sleep, barely cared for her hair, and wasn’t even allowed to wear nail polish while working.
Her fingers were cracked with dryness, her figure likely frail.
Compared to Mia—who had lived comfortably despite her illness—Sena was clearly lacking.
“I know I’m not doing great. But… you’ve treated me so preciously. I know why I can’t go home. When you suddenly disappeared, I interrogated every relative I could. No one would tell me anything.”
“I can’t go. I’m not a noble anymore…”
Sena looked at the mask and invitation, whispering regretfully.
Rumor said that only the Empire’s and Kingdom’s wealthiest elites, noble families of highest pedigree, were invited to this ball.
Having abandoned her home and settled as a commoner, she no longer qualified.
Mia gently pulled her close.
“It’s okay,” she reassured softly.
“But I can’t go. If they find out, the hotel will kick me out. I’ll lose my job and end up homeless. Only a select few can work during the ball. They already warned us that stepping into the venue out of curiosity means immediate dismissal.”
It was one of the hotel’s strict security measures.
The word dismissal froze Sena’s thoughts.
She hated how greedy she was—unable to give up the temptation of the ball.
Even stepping inside out of curiosity could cost her job.
Her employment contract would vanish instantly.
And with it, her small future dream of buying a home.
But Mia shook her head firmly.
“They won’t find out. We have the same hair color, the same eyes, similar builds and height. Well… your waist is narrower than mine, I’ll give you that. You win there. But that’s not the point—back at university, I snuck into member-only ballroom events countless times.”
Sena stared. “Unbelievable. You’ve done this before. That’s literally a crime.”
“I couldn’t help it! So many underclassmen wanted to spend their final night before graduation with their seniors. The ones who looked similar always agreed to help. No one ever got caught.”
“Really…?”
“Think about it. Who would believe that a lowerclassman is attending a ballroom for upperclass elites? People only see what they expect to see. No noble attending a royal ball is going to assume a hotel maid is standing among them. So it’ll be fine.”
“Don’t say it so lightly! This is life or death for me!”
“Well, that’s true,” Mia shrugged.
But she already knew—thanks to years of friendship—that Sena’s heart was halfway convinced.
No, deep down, she wanted to go.
Even if she hesitated aloud, she wasn’t refusing.
And Mia knew that Sena could play the part of a duke’s daughter even better than she could.
“There’s a saying: what belongs to the goddess returns to the goddess. A duke’s daughter should return to being a duke’s daughter, don’t you think?”
“…I’ve thrown all that away.”
“Well, anyway, it’s almost time for you to head to work, isn’t it?”
Mia pointed at the wall clock.
The short hand was nearing fifty minutes.
If she hurried, she wouldn’t be late.
“We can talk more at lunch tomorrow, okay?”
“Honestly… Trying to make me do something this reckless—I am mad at you, you know?”
“Sure, sure. Have a good shift.”
“Ugh…”
She felt like Mia had played her perfectly.
Leaving her friend’s room and climbing the stairs to the top floor, Sena’s steps felt so light it was as though her feet barely touched the ground.
