Chapter : 64
Even though I had taken a bath, I wasn’t fully awake yet, and the moment I stepped out of the bathroom, I let out a scream because of the corset strapped onto me.
“Wait! This won’t do! I can’t get out of it!”
“Nothing’s coming out.”
“No, my heart feels like it’s about to come out of my mouth!”
“Really, a lady shouldn’t say things like that.”
Despite my screams, Yurie tightened the corset without changing a single expression.
Is it even safe to have all my organs trying to escape just because I’m putting on clothes?
This outfit was made to fit my body in the first place—so why do I have to wear a corset?
Yurie spoke calmly, as if a machine had been turned into a human.
“It’s made for humans, so it’s not impossible.”
No, check again! This was absolutely not made for humans.
I felt the color drain from my face. Seeing my reflection turn pale in the mirror, Luri said to me,
“Try breathing along with me. Hoo—ha.”
“Hoo… ugh…”
Strangely, that absurd breathing technique actually helped. Maybe humans really are creatures of adaptation.
I couldn’t manage abdominal breathing, but at least I could breathe. I sat stiffly in my seat.
While a maid dabbed powder onto my face, Luri brought the dress.
“Even looking at it again, this dress is really beautiful.”
Luri’s admiration escaped in a small exclamation. Truthfully, the dress I picked hadn’t been praised from the start.
The dress itself was extremely simple. Unlike Eloina or Viviana, whose appearance was dazzling at first glance, something ornate wouldn’t suit me.
Honestly, I didn’t want to stand out that much.
I had asked Madame Su for a simple design: a light blue dress with low saturation, finished only in chiffon, without frills or bead embellishments.
Madame Su, unaware of my plan, initially raised an eyebrow, but after completing the sketch, she praised me, saying I could even be a designer.
Once I wore the dress, it went quite well with my hair flowing down my back.
“We’ll keep the hair accessories simple,” Luri said.
She placed a freshly picked lily from the garden into my hair and secured it.
I touched the bracelet on my wrist once before standing.
I had noticed in the bath that, from the morning, one of the beads on the bracelet had started to shine.
I rubbed it, shook it, but the sparkle didn’t stop.
After stepping out of the bathroom, I observed the maids’ reactions, but since no one said anything, it seemed no one had noticed.
‘Then it’s only visible to me… What kind of signal could this be?’
There was no way for me to know yet. I decided I’d have to ask El if a letter came and shifted my gaze away from the bracelet.
“You’re ready. You look truly beautiful.”
“Thank you for your efforts. I’ll do my best…”
I gave a faint smile and stood.
Holding the hem of my dress carefully as I descended the stairs, I stopped abruptly when I saw the people gathered in the hall.
“Wow!”
“…Why are you all watching from there?”
I clicked my tongue in exasperation.
All the staff had come out to watch me go to the party.
Though I rolled my eyes, the staff ignored my reaction and began clapping.
“As expected of our young lady.”
“What if all the noble gentlemen at the party propose?”
“That could happen.”
“What could happen?”
I frowned at the laundry maid who had spoken. She just laughed and clapped her hands.
“What need is there for lights? We have our young lady here.”
No one stopped. I shook my head.
Come to think of it, my fussing over Sirinyu seems trivial compared to this.
‘Ah…’
At the thought of Sirinyu, my heart suddenly sank.
“Duke Lefrix is waiting outside.”
The butler spoke as if reading my thoughts.
I felt my mouth go dry and nodded carefully.
The staff, unaware of my inner turmoil, continued their admiring chatter with sparkling eyes.
“You can’t just be engaged to anyone.”
“That’s right. It has to be someone like the crown prince or a duke.”
‘Indeed, it really has to be him.’
I bit my lip quietly.
Yurie, following behind me, looked at my face with a puzzled expression.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
I shook my head, wanting to put aside all my complicated thoughts.
Fortunately, the moment I saw the carriage in front of the mansion, all trivial thoughts vanished.
“Oh my, what’s that…?”
“It’s a carriage sent by the royal family.”
Since they had prepared a carriage last time, seeing one itself wasn’t that surprising.
But if this carriage was for a parade…
It was extremely…
astonishing, wasn’t it?
“…Where’s the roof?”
Unable to hide my astonishment, I heard a low voice from behind me.
“Is this your first time seeing a carriage like this?”
“…”
I turned toward the voice.
“The Duke… prepared it because the commoners wanted to see you.”
Without consulting me?
I looked at the carriage and imagined a typical parade scene.
‘Am I supposed to wave at people lining the street like some princess…?’
I spun around on the spot.
I won’t go until they bring a normal carriage. Absolutely not.
The moment I turned, Yurie and Luri, who were behind me, smiled brightly and turned me back.
I had just spun 360 degrees in place.
“Keep walking straight.”
“I can’t get on. This is really too embarrassing…”
“It was sent by His Majesty the Emperor.”
I sighed heavily. If the Emperor sent it, I couldn’t refuse…
Would it have been different if I were possessed by the Emperor and could do as I pleased?
While pondering that absurd thought with my lips pouted, Sirinyu raised an eyebrow and extended his hand with a puzzled expression.
Once we got on the carriage, the driver set it in motion.
Was the road to the royal palace always this long? Every passerby stared at the carriage and at me.
‘How can I ever become a side character in this lifetime!’
I couldn’t help sighing.
Sirinyu, sitting next to me with his arms crossed, looked at me.
He seemed to have something to say, but I deliberately ignored him.
Just being on this carriage made me uneasy enough—I didn’t want to add more thoughts.
When I looked elsewhere with a serious expression, Sirinyu also shifted his gaze outside.
After a long ride, we reached a point where the royal palace was visible.
I couldn’t close my mouth at the sight.
“What is all this?”
I hurriedly asked Sirinyu, who looked at me as if I should already know.
“They said it was so the commoners could greet you.”
So they rolled out a red carpet without consulting me?
The road leading to the royal palace was literally lined with a red carpet, with huge crowds filling both sides.
Where did all these people come from? I pressed my heated face against the back of my hand.
When the carriage reached the red carpet, the commoners cheered loudly.
“Lady Whedon!”
“Thank you!”
Seeing people waving their hands until their arms dropped, I felt embarrassed just standing there.
I awkwardly raised my hand and waved back.
Everywhere I looked, there were only smiling faces.
“Milady!”
I turned toward the voice and saw a child riding on their father’s shoulders.
The child held out a bouquet. Seeing the extended hand, I leaned out and accepted it.
“Thank you.”
The child beamed.
“No, thank you!”
As the carriage slowly moved, countless words of gratitude reached my ears. I felt proud yet shy.
‘Will I ever get the chance to receive this much gratitude from so many people again in my life?’
At first, I really didn’t want to do this, but now I was glad I did.
Even when I return to reality, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this feeling.
The carriage entered the royal palace and stopped in front of the building with the party hall.
I got off the carriage with Sirinyu’s escort.
The attendants waiting in front of the party hall greeted us politely.
Before entering, I checked my reflection in the glass.
My waist looked slim, as if the corset that had almost suffocated me had been worth it.
“Phew…”
I took a deep breath, secured the flower in my ear again, and looked at Sirinyu.
Whether it was because of the corset or Sirinyu’s perfect appearance, I felt short of breath.
Honestly, I had wanted to cancel being his partner a few times.
The days had been agonizing, keeping me awake at night.
I wondered if it was right for Sirinyu, Eloi’s partner, and me to attend together.
I also worried about the future that might unravel because I was attending the party with him.
Even now, thinking back, my heart felt heavy.
As I gasped for air, I heard Sirinyu’s voice in my ear.
“You look beautiful.”
Huh?
I opened my slightly closed eyes and looked at Sirinyu.
