My Lover Isn't Interested With The Female lead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My Lover Isn’t Interested With The Female lead!

✽ CHAPTER 36✽

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“Wow, there are so many people. Do they always come to take photos of debutantes like this?”

 

“Of course. The debut season is when debutantes receive the most attention.”

 

It seems the excitement around debutantes peaks during their debut season, and at most, the following season. Naturally, families have a limited budget for supporting their children’s marriage prospects.

 

“Will I be overshadowed by other debutantes next year? I thought about modeling and getting married within three years after my debut.”

 

“Well, it depends on who debuts. If you can attract suitors each season, you might be able to avoid that. You need to make it look like you haven’t married yet by choice, not because you can’t.”

 

In other words, you need to appear as a limited edition luxury item, not a clearance product.

 

Although it seemed like treating women as commodities, in the marriage market, both men and women are essentially both products and customers.

 

“After the photo session, we will return to the palace to attend the imperial ball. You’ve practiced the minuet, right?”

 

“I’ve practiced a lot. I’ve done nothing but dance for the past few days.”

 

Letticia answered confidently, fiddling with her dress.

 

The Empress had not commented on the dress, which meant it was acceptable.

 

“Will my dress become a trend this season?”

 

“That’s hard to say. Reactions were quite different during my time.”

 

“Well, you were an old noble, so everyone viewed you favorably. I’m a mixed-blood from a new noble family. People are eager to find faults with me.”

 

“But remember, the Empress kissed you. No one can change that fact.”

 

Receiving a kiss from the Empress during the audience is the highest praise.

 

Effectively, Letticia was confirmed to dance the minuet tonight.

 

“If you dance with the Crown Prince, no one can claim you debuted relying solely on being my daughter.”

 

“The Crown Prince…”

 

Letticia responded reluctantly.

 

She preferred a 50% chance that it would be the younger prince, Eustace, but knew dancing with Matthias was more beneficial.

 

“Do you dislike dancing with the Crown Prince that much?”

 

“If I must, then I must do it.”

 

Camilla laughed at Letticia’s half-hearted answer.

 

“Most young ladies would jump at the chance to dance with the Crown Prince. You’re truly the daughter of the Sharon family, uninterested in such romantic notions.”

 

Letticia didn’t feel like laughing, so she silently prayed.

 

‘God, if you exist, please let me get through this safely. If I end up suffering with the original male lead, I swear I’ll burn down the temple.’

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

While Letticia was inwardly blaspheming and threatening arson, time moved on. After the photo session, they returned to the palace and approached the entrance to the grand ballroom.

 

Camilla gave Letticia some final advice.

 

“Stay by my side tonight. If someone asks you to dance, get my approval first. And don’t dance with the same person twice in a row. If you must, dance with someone else in between.”

 

“Yes, I’ve memorized everything. Don’t worry.”

 

“You’ll do fine, but a parent’s heart still worries. Many will want to dance with you…”

 

Letticia could handle such worries with a smile.

 

‘No one could be scarier than the original male lead, the Crown Prince. He’s the worst.’

 

Thinking of this, Letticia entered the grand ballroom with Camilla.

 

Their entrance quickly drew attention, and the pair was soon surrounded.

 

“Oh my, Countess Sharon, it’s been so long! Was it since last autumn’s palace ball?”

 

“Countess Sharon, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Damon of the Milan barony. May I be introduced to the young lady by your side?”

 

“It’s been a while, Camilla. I heard your daughter is debuting this season?”

 

With greetings pouring in, Letticia felt overwhelmed trying to match faces with voices.

 

Even during the March Blossoms meeting, it hadn’t been this chaotic. The true social season was different.

 

Camilla, with over twenty years of experience, calmly responded to each greeting in turn, smiling all the while.

 

“It’s been a while, Countess Blois. I enjoyed our last conversation. Milan, this is my daughter Letticia. She’s debuting this season. Oh, Elise, I heard you came to the capital this year…”

 

After quickly exchanging greetings with everyone, Camilla skillfully led Letticia to a drinks table at the side of the hall.

 

Sipping lemonade, Letticia managed to gather her thoughts and match names to faces.

 

“The first person who greeted us was Countess Blois?”

 

“Yes. The Blois family has been bureaucrats for generations, and the current Count works in the Foreign Office. The Countess often entertains foreign envoys with her husband, so she’ll have interesting stories.”

 

“And what about Milan?”

 

“The Milan barony is a new noble family. They own the Milania Publishing House, which you know. Talking about novels or plays with them won’t be boring.”

 

“And Elise?”

 

“She’s an old friend of mine. She married into the Cassilis family in the west. Their estate’s specialty is truffles, so you can talk about that. Or ask her to share childhood stories about me.”

 

Along with names and families, Camilla provided useful conversation topics.

 

As Letticia absorbed Camilla’s tips, the murmuring grew louder. Suddenly, the music stopped.

 

 

“His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, the His Highness the Crown Prince, and the prince arrives!”

 

As soon as the attendant’s announcement ended, the chattering nobles fell silent, all fixing their gaze in one place and bowing their heads.

 

A few seconds after the murmuring subsided, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the hall.

 

“Raise your heads, everyone.”

 

The charisma in the voice was fitting for an emperor.

 

Letticia, curious about the face of Matthias’s father, discreetly lifted her head to observe the emperor’s face.

 

‘He doesn’t really look like Matthias. He does resemble Prince Eustace a bit, though.’

 

Although it was said that Matthias resembled his mother, he looked nothing like the emperor. Unlike his objectively handsome son, the emperor, while dignified, could not be called handsome, and his face bore some wrinkles appropriate for his age.

 

Prince Eustace somewhat resembled the emperor’s elegant eyes, but overall, he took after his biological mother, Empress Liliana, making him look quite different from Matthias as well.

 

Still, with all three having black hair, they looked like a family when standing together.

 

Shifting her gaze slightly, Letticia looked at the empress beside him. In the earlier audience, she had been too overwhelmed to properly observe her tiara. Now she smiled slightly at the sight.

 

The tiara, with its rose gold base matching the empress’s hair color and decorated with sapphires, complemented her blue eyes beautifully.

 

Letticia knew the empress was a regular customer of Sharon Jewelry, but seeing her wear it in person made her feel anew.

 

“I am delighted to mark the social season in spring, when all life begins anew. I wish all the young lords and ladies who have come to find their match here today the best of luck in finding happiness.”

 

Following the emperor’s brief speech, the empress spoke.

 

“To the debutantes entering society this season, I am pleased to announce the diamonds of the season, blessing your new beginnings.”

 

After a brief pause, the empress smiled and called the first name.

 

“Though all flowers are beautiful, there is always a queen among them. Letticia Sharon, who has demonstrated the full bloom of beauty and perfect etiquette like a rose, will be the first diamond of this season.”

 

The nobles’ reactions to the empress’s announcement were divided between exclamations and sighs.

 

However, even the sighing nobles couldn’t help but applaud, and when the orchestra began to play and the crown prince approached Letticia to escort her, all she received were applause and admiration.

 

‘Damn it, it’s Matthias after all…’

 

Despite trying to think only of the benefits with reason and logic, she couldn’t completely hide her uneasy feelings.

 

Forcing a smile to suppress these thoughts, Leticia placed her hand on Matthias’s proffered arm and stepped forward.

 

As she stood before the empress and bowed, the empress nodded in satisfaction and called the next name.

 

“Manners and dignity are always to be polished, but those with exceptional skills deserve praise. Seraphina Eskis, who has shown swan-like elegance, is the second diamond of this season.”

 

Letticia was so surprised by the unexpected name that she almost failed to manage her expression. Others seemed similarly shocked, as murmurs broke out before applause.

 

“Lady Eskis? The daughter of Marquess Eskis?”

 

“She debuted in the capital? Why?”

 

While the nobles whispered among themselves, only Prince Eustace remained dutiful, approaching the newly named debutante and extending his hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To Be Continued…

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