The morning of the banquet.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I was dragged by Vivi to wash up, and by the time I went down to the first-floor reception room, Madam Zed was there waiting for Ian with an incredibly excited expression.
Flanked on both sides by her staff, who stood in a V-formation like wings.
“You’re here!”
‘What on earth…’
Witnessing this extraordinary scene first thing in the morning, I stood next to Ian, my mouth slightly agape.
“The two of you must have been sleeping well lately! Your pores are absolutely beautiful!”
Beautiful pores? What does that even mean…
I let out a faint laugh.
It felt like just yesterday when I first met her in that rundown shop, but now, she had eight staff members lined up on either side.
I’d recently heard that it now takes a full two years just to schedule a fitting at Zed’s Salon.
But before I could feel any pride, I had to brace myself against the fiery enthusiasm of Madam Zed and her team.
Why, why are they looking at me with such burning eyes?
“I, Madam Zed, have been waiting solely for this day! Your Grace, Your Highness! Leave everything to me today!”
“Are you… unusually passionate today?”
“No, not at all!”
Oh my, my ears were about to burst.
“This is not excessive in the slightest! Today, the two of you must look like the couple of the century!”
Madam Zed’s eyes were ablaze with determination.
…Hmm.
It seems she’s also heard the news of Diana’s return.
Lately, about 80% of the people I encountered were caught up in that uproar.
“Now, let’s move!”
At Madam Zed’s loud clap, her staff, who had been lined up on either side, split into groups of four and approached us, suddenly grabbing Ian and me and pulling us in opposite directions.
“…What’s going on?”
Separated abruptly, the two of us exchanged bewildered looks, to which the staff responded with sly smiles.
“Your Highness, this way, please! Allow us to assist you!”
“We’ve heard so much about you from the Madam, Your Grace. We’ll transform you into a goddess even more radiant than on your birthday!”
“Absolutely, today the two of you are one body!”
What? What does that even mean? Terrifying.
Shivering slightly at the subtle intensity radiating from them, I glanced at Ian’s side.
“……”
Even Ian, who was typically unflappable, had his mouth slightly open, looking just as bewildered as I felt.
Meanwhile, Madam Zed’s clear, resounding laughter pierced through the air.
“Hoho! Quickly now, make them the most beautiful couple in the world!”
“Yes, Madam!”
❖ ❖ ❖
It was exactly four hours and forty minutes later that I finally escaped their crazed hands.
‘This is insane…’
With a half-dazed mind, I stumbled out of the powder room.
I swear, if aging mentally were possible, I would’ve aged forty years during those four hours.
Madam Zed, true to her reputation as the capital’s number one eccentric, seemed to have recruited staff who were just like her.
‘Not just the dressing up—my ears were about to bleed…’
How could they chatter so loudly and endlessly from every direction without a moment’s pause?
Still slightly stunned and with my ears still ringing, I stepped back into the reception room, where Ian was waiting for me.
And in that moment, I felt as though my already half-lost soul had completely left my body.
“…Wow.”
Thank you for letting me live to see this moment.
The first impression was intense.
Ian, whom Madam Zed and her team had poured their hearts into dressing, looked just like a prince.
With his silver hair swept to one side and dressed in a white uniform accented with purple and navy, he was utterly dazzling.
As I stood there, mouth agape and speechless, Ian tilted his head at me.
“Eloise?”
His voice calling my name snapped me out of my trance, and I shook my head slightly to regain focus.
“…Can I be honest?”
As I stepped closer to him, Ian’s gaze naturally followed me downward.
He smiled in his usual way.
“When have you ever not been honest?”
Somehow, he seemed unusually indulgent.
I stared at him for a moment, my lips opening and closing a few times before muttering softly,
“…I don’t want to show you to anyone else.”
The end of my sentence was practically a whisper, which made Ian pause for a moment before his eyes widened slightly.
Then, suppressing a grin, he leaned toward me.
His face drew suddenly closer.
“In that case, shall we not go?”
“……”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
He looked ready to pick me up and carry me straight to the bedroom upstairs if I gave even the slightest nod.
‘And this man isn’t even joking.’
I was half-joking, though.
To be honest, I was tempted by his suggestion, but there was no way we could skip the banquet today.
Not only because Diana, who had just returned, would be attending, but also because today was the day Grand Duke Claude would announce his abdication of his claim to the throne.
‘I worked so hard for this!’
Clenching my fists, I shook my head.
“There’s no such thing as not going! Let’s hurry and leave already.”
He glanced down at my arm, which was lightly poking him, then looked back up at me with a soft hiss escaping between his teeth.
It was an expression that seemed to say, “Of course, as expected.”
“Alright, fine. Let’s do that.”
As he straightened his back, I raised myself slightly on my tiptoes, gently pulling on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear,
“…But, coming back early doesn’t sound so bad.”
He froze.
Ian rolled his eyes toward me, staring for a moment before smirking mischievously.
“Oh, you…”
“……”
“You seem to have taken quite the liking to the bedroom lately.”
This man, seriously.
My face flushed bright red in an instant, and I hit his shoulder with a thud. He just laughed, completely unaffected by the blow.
As we bickered, I suddenly realized how deathly silent the reception room had become.
Huh? Wait.
Turning my head, I saw Madam Zed and her staff watching us with their hands covering their mouths.
As soon as our eyes met, they quickly averted their gazes, and one of them even gave me a discreet thumbs-up.
“…Ah.”
It dawned on me what kind of nonsense I had just been spouting in front of others, and my face grew even hotter.
‘Good grief, I was completely entranced by this man’s face!’
Ian, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered by the awkward atmosphere and continued to chuckle quietly.
Stifling his laughter, he extended his hand to me.
“Then, as you suggested, let’s make an early return today.”
“……”
“I find myself missing the bedroom a little, too.”
This man is absolutely relentless!
❖ ❖ ❖
“Announcing the arrival of Grand Duke Ian Cloud and Grand Duchess Eloise Cloud!”
The banquet hall of the imperial palace.
The attendant’s booming voice echoed through the room.
I took a final look at my dress, stood beside Ian, and straightened my back.
‘There’s no avoiding it now…’
The reality hadn’t hit me during the carriage ride, but now that we were moments away from entering, my heart was pounding as if I were crossing a rickety bridge.
As the heavy doors opened, the brilliant light from the banquet hall spilled through the gap, and the faint sound of the orchestra flowed gently into my ears.
Normally, I wouldn’t have hesitated to take a step forward, but now, I stood frozen, unable to move.
‘This is it…’
The moment had come to meet Diana.
Standing next to Ian, as Eloise Cloud.
‘…In the original story—or rather, in the original timeline—I shouldn’t have even been here.’
So much had changed that I couldn’t predict what might happen next.
‘But after meeting Diana today, I’ll know for sure.’
Until recently, I’d been filled with anxiety and unease, but for some reason, I didn’t feel that way now.
Without realizing it, I gripped Ian’s hand a little tighter.
“…Eloise?”
“Let’s go.”
I brushed off his curious tone and finally took a step forward.
As we entered the banquet hall, I felt hundreds of gazes turn toward Ian and me.
I was used to this kind of attention by now.
“Oh my, they actually came together.”
“See? I told you. Just look at their outfits today…”
“Then what about Lady Lawrence…?”
Perhaps because my senses were heightened, even the whispers, hushed as they were, didn’t fade into the music. They pricked my ears clearly.
Grand Duke, succession rights, Grand Duchess, Lawrence…
The snippets I overheard were enough to piece together their conversations.
I glanced at Ian. As always, he appeared completely indifferent, as though he couldn’t hear any of it.
His hand, holding mine, was steady and unwavering.
It was strange.
What used to annoy me about his demeanor now felt incredibly reassuring.
As we passed through the center of the banquet hall and moved slightly out of the spotlight, I opened my mouth to call out to him.
“Grand Duke Ian Cloud, Grand Duchess Eloise Cloud.”
A small, delicate figure stepped forward and bowed.
I instinctively turned toward the voice and froze.
The moment our eyes met, the figure smiled.
“I am Diana of the Lawrence family.”
“……”
“It’s been a while.”
• • •
Support my translation for more and faster updates 🐳
