“Greetings to Your Highness.”
Lireania greeted Diana on my behalf as I was too flustered.
For a moment, I forgot to show respect to the imperial family, instead just staring at the wine bottle. The lingering image from the healing session kept flashing before my eyes. Of all things, why wine?
“Lady Ariel,” Lireania nudged me gently.
Startled, I grabbed my skirt and curtsied. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Diana shot a quick glare at me, but as soon as I finished my greeting, she smiled sweetly.
“What brings Your Highness to here? Your dresses were already sent to the imperial palace that day…”
Lireania’s remark caused a brief twitch in the princess’s eyes. But soon, with her usual grace, she smiled brightly. “The dresses were received well. The design is excellent, and the skills of the tailors here are remarkable. I came to express my gratitude and commend you.”
I wondered if she had another motive.
“It’s an honor that Your Highness would wear my clothes.”
“Oh my, Marchioness speaks so beautifully.”
Diana’s voice was overly sweet. If her goal was to establish a rapport with the future powerful marchioness, she was too late. She had already shown her true colors in so many disgraceful ways.
Diana gave a slight nod to her attendant, who then stepped forward, holding the wine bottle. “This wine was bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor.”
I noticed Diana’s lips twist slightly.
“He specifically asked that it be delivered to you.”
Her eyes also twitched. Her voice remained exaggeratedly soft, but her expression failed to hide her emotions.
Ah, I see. Diana hadn’t come to commend Lireania. She was here under the emperor’s orders to apologize. But who exactly was the apology for? I was the one who was insulted as ‘empty-headed,’ and I was the one who was threatened.
“I am deeply grateful for His Majesty’s boundless grace.”
I followed Lireania’s lead and expressed my thanks, though my eyes narrowed as I continued to glare at the wine bottle.
“Would you like to taste it?”
Diana’s sudden offer caught me off guard. Why was she asking me to taste the wine given by the emperor?
“If Lady Mellin likes it, I can bring another bottle just for you.”
I noticed the dangerous curve of Diana’s smile. At that moment, a passage from the book I’d read during the healing session came to mind:
[Diana stood in front of a dress set up on one side of Veloire, holding a wine glass.]
Instinctively, I glanced behind me. There, Lireania’s and my dresses were neatly displayed side by side.
“I’m afraid I can’t, as I need to take the dresses to the marquisate.”
“Oh my, is that the wedding dress?”
It hadn’t been revealed to anyone yet.
Lireania responded with a troubled expression. “Yes, it’s the dress I’ll be wearing.”
“Oh my, it’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.”
Her compliment was incredibly dry. That’s because her eyes were fixed on the bridesmaid dress beside it.
“And this one…?”
“This is the bridesmaid dress Lady Ariel will be wearing.”
As soon as my name was mentioned, Diana suddenly strode forward. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or a coincidence. She bumped into the attendant, causing the wine bottle to slip from his grasp. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Was this how Kasion had felt when he caught me as I fell? I leaped forward without thinking. It was pure instinct. The situation wasn’t exactly the same as what I’d read in the book, but something similar might happen. And not just to the bridesmaid dress, but to the wedding dress too.
“Kyaa, Lady Ariel!” Lireania screamed in shock.
I caught the wine bottle before it could hit the ground and, in the process, tripped on my skirt and rolled awkwardly. But unlike Kasion, I had no muscle coordination. I collided directly with the lower part of the mannequin holding the dresses, and with a loud crash, both mannequins toppled onto me, burying me completely in the dresses.
“Are you okay?”
“I-I’m fine! The wine didn’t break!”
“I’m not asking about the wine.” Lireania’s voice trembled with concern.
Of course, she was upset. The wedding dress had fallen to the ground. If only I had better reflexes.
I wriggled out from under the dresses, careful not to tear them with my shoes. My body ached in several places, but nothing was broken.
“The dress is fine too.”
I flailed wildly as I tried to escape like a turtle flipped on its back. Diana watched me with a sneer, the corners of her mouth twisted. She was the one responsible for this mess.
At least the wine hadn’t spilled on the dresses. Wine stains are nearly impossible to remove, and a disaster like that would’ve been catastrophic for Lireania, so close to her wedding.
“The wine didn’t splash on the dress, and….”
“No, I’m asking if you’re okay, Lady Ariel.”
Lireania and the staff hurriedly set the mannequins upright and helped me to my feet.
“I’m really fine, I swear….”
I checked the dresses, focusing more on Lireania’s wedding dress than my bridesmaid gown. The ribbons and jewels were all intact. There weren’t any tears or stains from my shoes either.
“See? Everything’s fine.”
Only then did I check myself. Dusting off my clothes, I stretched my limbs. I was a bit stiff but not in pain. So I must have been fine, but… My nose felt warm. Maybe it has been like that for a while now….
“Oh no! Lady Mellin! What should we do?”
Diana rushed over, pulling out a handkerchief and urgently pressing it against my nose. Her tone was concerned, but her eyes showed no such worry.
“There’s blood on the bridesmaid dress.”
I looked down at the dress. It wasn’t a lot, but a clear bloodstain had formed right in the center of the chest. And, thanks to my movements, it had taken on a sharp cross shape.
“With the wedding so close, this is a disaster.”
The one who caused the problem seemed to be the most concerned, but the cleanup was left to us.
* * *
Diana returned to the palace, having at least offered an apology. She said she would boast about how wonderfully I caught the emperor’s gift. I had no idea why Diana would want to do that. She wasn’t taking any responsibility for what happened, though.
“What should we do?”
I frowned at the bridesmaid dress. The red blood had dried into an unsightly brown stain. I had tried wiping it with a damp cloth, but that only made the cross-shaped stain spread.
“Do we have any fabric left from the dress?” I asked, worried. Even if we did, there wasn’t enough time to add it.
“No. The dresses were made from rare fabric brought from the Mellin trading company… and we used every last bit of it.”
“Then… what if we cover it with a brooch or a corsage? That might work.”
“It’s in such an awkward place. Something that big would look unnatural.” Lireania shook her head.
I didn’t care if the dress looked a bit strange. But as the designer, she wouldn’t allow it. She took great pride in her work, and it was understandable she didn’t want her meticulously crafted dress to be ruined.
“Something too extravagant won’t fit. A small decoration that just covers the stain would be enough, but we don’t have time to make one.”
She was right. Choosing the right jewels and making a matching ornament would take at least ten days. With the wedding so close, it was impossible.
“Then maybe something we already have….”
The cross-shaped stain triggered an idea.
“Oh, I know!”
I couldn’t help but gasp. I must be a genius!
“The cross necklace I lent you last time! If we place it here, it should cover the stain perfectly.”
Lireania shook her head again. “But necklaces move when you walk, so the stain will still show unless we pin it to the dress.”
“Really? Then why don’t we secure the pendant directly to the dress?”
Lireania thought for a moment, carefully examining the dress. After a while, she nodded. “It might look better than any other decoration. And it would be quicker to fix than making something new.”
She suggested only altering the lower part of the cross.
“But wasn’t that necklace a gift?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Then… shouldn’t you ask the person who gave it to you for permission?”
“If it’s my brother, he’ll definitely allow it. There’s no need to ask.”
Lireania shook her head again, this time more seriously. “No, I mean the real person who gave you the gift.”
Hi, if you enjoy the story, please leave a review in the Novelupdates. Thank you~
Thank you for the chapter!