She no longer thought of escaping anyway. She had neither the means nor the ability to investigate separately. Emilia quietly stared at her reflection in the window.
Her expression had naturally settled into one of calm without any effort. She stared intensely into her own eyes in the window as if facing her inner self, then turned her head as if to look away.
The carriage was already passing through the gates of the duke’s estate. Soon, the carriage stopped, and Emilia stepped out, receiving an escort from the waiting butler as she entered.
“You’ve arrived.”
Enrico, standing by the window, slowly turned around. The radiant sunlight scattered brilliantly behind his back, creating a halo. The cold indifference he had shown before was gone, replaced by a gentle demeanor as he greeted her, prompting Emilia to blink calmly.
“The dress for the ball is ready. Try it on.”
He gestured to one side as he closed the distance between them. The room she entered for the first time had one wall entirely covered with mirrors. In the center, mannequins dressed in dresses were displayed, and behind them was a curtained area, making the room feel like a spacious dressing room.
Emilia nodded compliantly and approached the waiting maids. Although she felt a peculiar sensation on the back of her neck, it soon disappeared. The maids moved efficiently. They gathered the dress and accessories and escorted Emilia behind the curtains.
The first dress was made of navy fabric with white jewels adorning it from top to bottom, designed to expose her shoulders. The skirt, reminiscent of a ballerina’s tutu, was airy and delicate like a night sky filled with stars.
After adorning her with accessories featuring small transparent jewels, the maids brought Emilia out from behind the curtain.
Enrico was seated on a couch in front of the mirror. He paused, a cigarette held to his lips, as he was about to light it. He stared at her intently for a moment, then blinked briefly and scrutinized her from head to toe.
‘This is no different from playing with a doll.’
She nearly let out a laugh but managed to suppress it. Emilia quietly endured his uncomfortable gaze. When he gestured vaguely in the air, a maid brought over a mask adorned with blue feathers.
The mask, which only revealed the mouth, looked quite extravagant due to the long feathers. Enrico tilted his head to the side, removed the cigarette from his mouth, and tossed it onto the table.
“Next.”
He uttered the word curtly, his eyes dropping to the cigarette now lying on the table.
‘Does he really want me to try on all these dresses?’
Following the maids back behind the curtain, Emilia glanced at the mannequins around her. There seemed to be more than ten dresses, and she was already feeling tired.
She hoped the decision would be made within three dresses.
It was a small wish, but it seemed even that wouldn’t be granted as she was now on her fifth dress.
‘Is he really going to make me try them all on?’
Sighing slightly, Emilia stepped behind the curtain again. This time, the dress was apricot-colored and the best she had tried on so far, but Enrico simply repeated the word “next” without any comment.
The maids were fetching the dresses in the order they were placed on the mannequins. Realizing this wouldn’t work, she chose the most eye-catching white dress with delicate embroidery.
A large jewel and small pearls adorned the center of the chest of the dress, which revealed her shoulders in a rounded shape. Light purple ribbons encircled the shoulders and waist, and the full skirt, made of subtly shimmering silver silk overlaid with delicate lace, gave off an intricate yet lavish impression.
She wore a large pearl necklace as an accessory. Feeling the weight on her neck, Emilia walked out from behind the curtain. Enrico, who had been leaning on the back of the couch with his chin resting on his hand, slowly lifted his head.
His thick eyebrows, neatly arranged below his smooth forehead, moved subtly. For the first time today, she felt uncomfortable under his seemingly enigmatic gaze.
‘Why doesn’t he ask me to wear a mask?’
Lowering her eyes, Emilia spoke.
“…Should I wear a mask?”
“No.”
His voice was firm. As she raised her head again, their gazes locked as if he had been waiting. He stood up.
“Everyone, leave.”
At his low command, the room emptied instantly. The sudden solitude with just the two of them made her composure waver slightly.
A shadow fell over her head. He stopped barely a step away. The emerald-colored eyes that looked up at his broad chest wavered.
“I thought of trying different colors on you, but you look too good in white.”
His long fingers touched her chin. Despite his slow movement to lift her face, her gaze remained downcast. His index finger traced her jawline, moving towards her ear, and she flinched as she felt a light touch on her earlobe.
His eyes, which she thought would be languid, now held a peculiar warmth. It was a look she had never seen before. The atmosphere was different from how he usually looked at her, making her slightly flustered. In the meantime, his hand cupped her jaw and cheek.
“It’s a shame you’ll have to wear a mask.”
His thumb slowly brushed her eye area. Though the touch was extremely gentle, as if considering her delicate skin, a faint pink shadow appeared around her eyes, as if she was starting to blush lightly.
“It will ruin a perfect picture.”
For a moment, her eyes twitched faintly. His words revealed that the heat in his purple eyes was merely a passion for artistic value, cooling her mind rapidly.
How could she have hoped he might be treating her as a person? The realization that she had become so accustomed to being treated as an object was deeply disheartening.
Emilia closed her eyes tightly, then opened them and gently pushed his wrist away.
“Then, should I wear this dress?”
Her submissive tone caused his brows to furrow slightly, as if something displeased him, though he wasn’t sure what. He quietly looked down at her for a moment, then clenched his hand in the air.
He turned abruptly.
“Yes.”
He then stood by the table, his posture slouched, and took a cigarette from the golden case he had opened earlier. The sound of the cigarette burning filled the room.
Emilia inhaled and quietly observed his back as he raised his head.
“Come back here immediately after you’re done. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“Yes.”
His side profile became visible as he turned slightly, long, thin streams of smoke escaping his lips in a lazy manner. However, his previously relaxed face now bore a hint of irritation at her indifferent response.
“You may go.”
Enrico strode out of the room. Experiencing such a direct dismissal for the first time, Emilia blinked her eyes briefly.
* * *
The night of the masquerade ball finally arrived. As soon as Emilia arrived at the duke’s mansion, she hurriedly began to prepare.
She loosely tied up her hair, and put on the dress that had been tailored to fit her perfectly, gradually creating the picture-perfect image he had envisioned.
Wearing long silk gloves and holding an ornate mask in her hand, she prepared herself. The mask, adorned with diamonds over one eye and lavish white feathers like those of a peacock, had a white lace veil to cover her mouth.
Before leaving the room, Emilia took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. The appearance she saw was a far cry from how she looked during ballet performances. She appeared more noble than ever before, surpassing even the days when she wore dresses as a child.
‘…If my parents were alive, they would have been thrilled to see me like this and would have eagerly awaited my debutante banquet.’
She recalled her parents’ dreamy talks about her future. They had promised to dress her more splendidly than anyone else, to make her the most beautiful girl in the world, and to make her the star of the event. The tender memories of their whispers made her heart ache.
The grand image of herself stared back from the mirror. Her mouth tasted bitter. With a sorrowful smile, Emilia turned away, almost as if to reject the current image of herself.
As she opened the door and descended the stairs, she saw Enrico waiting below. Dressed in a white suit that matched her attire, he slowly turned around.
“……”
“……”
A strange silence stretched between them for a few seconds. Enrico looked like one of those perfect statues of the mansion, so flawless was his appearance.
His sharp and beautiful features, perfectly balanced below his jet-black hair, were impeccable. Even to Emilia, who disliked him, his beauty was undeniable, making her realize how attractive he must be to others.
“…It suits you well.”
His eyes, perhaps catching the light, seemed to glisten briefly as he stared intently at her. Emilia awkwardly nodded at his belated remark.
* * * *
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