My Lover Isn't Interested With The Female lead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My Lover Isn’t Interested With The Female lead!

✽ CHAPTER 34✽

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After going through all those processes, the day of Letticia’s debut finally arrived.

 

Debutantes submitted their information such as their own and their introducer’s names and family details in writing six months before their debut. The palace rigorously assessed them, granting permission to only a few after strict scrutiny.

 

Debutantes granted permission by the palace entered the palace with their mothers who had debuted in the past or married female relatives who had gone through the palace procedures. They faced their final test by greeting the Empress at the debut ceremony.

 

After passing all those assessments and tests, debutantes selected as ‘Diamonds’ learned of their status by applying for a Minuet, the opening dance of the social season, with the aristocrats at the palace ball.

 

Following this procedure, Letticia, after receiving permission, departed for the palace with Camilla to attend the debut ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the debut ceremony was essentially first-come-first-served, the area in front of the palace was literally overcrowded due to carriages from people who wanted to get there early to secure a better spot.

 

“When do you think we can get off?”

 

“We might have to wait for another 30 minutes at least. Still, we’re quite ahead compared to others. If we had come any earlier, we would have had to take a nap in the carriage.”

 

“Who would even nap on a day like today, right?”

 

“That’s true. I couldn’t sleep either, what a waste. Thinking about it now, I should’ve just calmly taken a nap if I knew I wouldn’t become a Diamond anyway.”

 

Letticia hesitated whether to laugh at the bone-dry joke.

 

She knew Camilla hadn’t become a Diamond, and thus she had thought being a Diamond herself would set her apart. However, she didn’t know how Camilla felt about that.

 

“Um, Mother. Would you be jealous if I became the Diamond?”

 

So Letticia asked, quite bluntly.

 

“Jealous? Are you want me to laugh right now?”

 

Camilla looked at her daughter with the same expression Letticia had made earlier. It was a look that seemed torn between laughing and not.

 

“You think I’m so petty that I’d be jealous just because my daughter became the Diamond?”

 

“Well, some parents are like that, aren’t they? People who get jealous if their children achieve what they couldn’t.”

 

Of course, Letticia knew Camilla wasn’t like that, but she still wanted to confirm it.

 

Coming into the world of romance fantasy where all sorts of clichés played out, everything seemed suspicious.

 

Luckily, Camilla chuckled, dispelling her daughter’s anxiety.

 

“Those are just the kind of people who can’t be anything else. And I don’t regret not becoming the Diamond at all.”

 

Letticia was surprised by the unexpected response.

 

Not feeling any sense of inferiority for not obtaining the honor of being the top debutante in society?

 

“Why? Did you feel like you lost because the Diamonds were too impressive back then, Mother?”

 

“Not at all. It’s just that no one was convinced by the Diamond selection at the time. The palace’s decision was too blatant.”

 

“Blatant?”

 

Just as Letticia was about to ask further, palace attendants tapped on the carriage door for the escort. Camilla looked at Letticia as if it was time.

 

“Well, are you ready to surprise people?”

 

“Well, I’ve done everything since leaving home.”

 

Letticia responded without faltering and then stepped out of the carriage.

 

Placing her hand on the offered hand of the attendant and gracefully stepping down onto the footrest seemed as natural as water flowing.

 

The attendant’s eyes widened upon seeing Letticia, but she deliberately smiled more elegantly.

 

Of course, she didn’t forget to present the admission card she received from the palace.

 

“Presenting debutante Letticia Sharon, escorted by her introducer, Lady Camilla Sharon.”

 

“… Lady Sharon, and that hairstyle…”

 

The attendant glanced at Letticia’s hair, looking puzzled.

 

Instead of neatly tied up, her hair was intricately braided down, drawing the attention of even passing debutantes.

 

Some ladies were even surprised enough to point.

 

However, Letticia asserted her righteousness confidently and calmly, bordering on audacity.

 

“The debut Dress Code distributed by the palace clearly states ‘neatness’ regarding hairstyles. Don’t you think my hair is perfectly neat, even from your perspective?”

 

“Well… neatness means, tying the hair up in a more…”

 

“So, do you consider braided hair as not neat and messy? There are quite a few palace maids who braid their hair, and they’re serving the nobility just fine with their supposedly messy appearance.”

 

“No, that’s… that’s not what I meant, but I…”

 

The attendant was at a loss for words.

 

There were no stray hairs sticking out, and aside from a single jewel hairpin resembling a flower bud, there were no extravagant decorations in her hair.

 

It wasn’t overly modest, nor was it extravagant; just a different style from the usual tied-up hair of debutantes.

 

It was merely a deviation from the common perception of debutante hairstyles.

 

Faced with such an ambiguous and difficult situation, the attendant sighed.

 

However, despite searching through etiquette books multiple times, there was no rule against braiding hair; only the overly broad interpretation of ‘neatness.’

 

Eventually, the attendant resigned upon seeing the carriages waiting in the back.

 

In such ambiguous cases, the only option was to let them pass and leave the judgment to the Empress.

 

“…Lady Sharon and Countess of Sharon is entering.”

 

Thus, Letticia passed through the first gate of the palace.

 

Having avoided the entrance cut, Letticia confidently showcased her braided hair as she ascended the grand staircase leading from the palace entrance to the main palace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the debutantes entering the audience hall were wearing shawls. Typically, the beginning of the spring season was still chilly, so wearing a shawl until entering the palace and then removing it upon entering the debut Hall was customary.

 

Among them, Letticia observed the other debutantes with a relaxed expression, clad in the most glamorous pink cape adorned with embroidered rose blossoms.

 

They all wore the trademark white dresses of debutantes, with some revealing a hint of collarbone, but mostly featuring high necklines covering up to the neck.

 

Consequently, when Letticia removed her shawl, the gazes, already drawn by her distinctive hairstyle, were a mix of astonishment and admiration.

 

“Goodness, what a deviation!”

 

“Have you forgotten where we are right now?”

 

“Wow, Mother, look at that dress! It’s stunning!”

 

“Where did she get it fitted? I wish I had chosen such a dress.”

 

Letticia’s dress, a silk garment layered with chiffon to create a light, airy feel, was closer to a party dress than the formal debut dress.

 

Instead of lace, white thread embroidery adorned the chest, adding a touch of intricacy. The hem was clean without any patterns, and while the sleeves were long, the material from the wrists to the arms was made of translucent chiffon.

 

However, the most eye-catching aspect of this dress was the off-shoulder design, secured with shoulder straps.

 

“How can she wear such a dress to the debut ceremony?”

 

“Just leaving it alone like that, what on earth is the Countess thinking?”

 

Voices openly criticizing could be heard from various corners.

 

Among them, there were indeed some compliments, but when people criticized, their voices tended to get louder, and listeners often heard criticism more clearly than praise.

 

“I didn’t even take mine off, but they’re making such a fuss.”

 

Shrugging her shoulders, Letticia casually adjusted her hair, drawing attention to the jewels she adorned.

 

Following the rule that accessories should not be too flashy, Letticia wore a necklace and earrings made of her birthstone, green sapphire, as well as a white aquamarine hairpin inspired by a rose blossom motif.

 

Making a deliberate effort to maintain attention on her jewels, Letticia spoke loudly.

 

“Mother, didn’t you wear clothes that revealed even more when you debuted? Yet, they’re surprised by just a bit of shoulder showing. Mother, didn’t everyone outdo you when you debuted?”

 

“That’s right. I used to wear clothes that revealed my décolletage perfectly, so what’s the big deal about showing a bit of shoulder?”

 

When the instigator of the fashion change, holding a fan, laughed, the other noblewomen couldn’t continue their criticism and fell silent. They had all debuted in their youth, so they couldn’t deny Camilla’s words.

 

“By the way, those who criticize seem quite relaxed. Soon, we’ll have to greet the Empress in person. Aren’t they even nervous?”

 

“Exactly. If we make even a single mistake, it’ll be a disgrace for a long time. Do they think they’re fully prepared even in their own minds?”

 

At these words, the debutantes who were still murmuring abruptly fell silent and checked their attire once again with nervous faces.

 

The shock brought by Letticia’s dress reminded them of the pressure and reality they had forgotten.

 

Seeing the debutantes and the women next to them tense up again, Letticia, instead of scoffing, put on the most elegant expression she could muster, pretending to be relaxed.

 

“Look at them quieting down as soon as they’re done gossiping about something. People are full enough just with their own affairs.”

 

“Well, they’re probably eager to find something to criticize anyway, so I thought you’d be their target.”

 

“Do they dislike me that much? Why would they say such a thing?”

 

As Letticia shrugged, a chamberlain waiting by the door held up a card and loudly called out her name.

 

“Debuntante Letticia Sharon, and her introducer, Countess Sharon, please prepare for entrance!”

 

At this call, the subdued murmurs resumed, this time even louder and more overt.

 

“Finally, it’s the debutante’s turn awaited by Her Majesty the Empress.”

 

“We certainly hope there won’t be any mishaps along the way. Imagine if a debutante chosen as a diamond were to face such embarrassment; how saddened the Empress would be.”

 

“Surely, the Countess hasn’t been so negligent in her daughter’s upbringing to allow that. At most, she might get confused with her greetings.”

 

With so many overlapping conversations, the gist was clear. Finding the curses amusing, Letticia chuckled.

 

Amidst the relaxed atmosphere, some were taken aback, but Letticia straightened her posture and approached the door with a smile.

 

With just one greeting, she would be tested on her appearance, manners, and etiquette.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To Be Continued…

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