Chapter 37
Helena muttered in disbelief, utterly deflated. "This is insane... This was a tight curriculum even if we crammed it over six full days..."
She'd just wrapped up the six-day deportment course in a mere two hours. I'd smirked a little while sipping water after showing off a flawless dance with Kal, who was there as my social dance partner.
"Aria's got some serious talent, right?"
"Serious? She's a genius! Both young ladies are! It's an absolute honor to teach you."
Helena's eyes sparkled like she'd witnessed a miracle with her own two eyes.
"I figured we'd barely squeeze in a bit on rhetoric at the end since deportment alone was so time-intensive, but you're both doing so well—let's do a proper rhetoric lesson too."
She clearly thought we'd pick up rhetoric just as quickly. And that assumption crumbled spectacularly just moments later.
"What if someone approaches Lady Kashmir and insults Lady Aria indirectly?"
"...I'd slap my glove across their face and challenge them to a duel."
"Lady Kashmir! I told you to smile softly first and then show subtle displeasure!"
"How could I? When they're insulting Aria!"
"No knightly speech patterns! Not 'how could I?'—'how could I do that?' Use polite indirect honorifics! How many times do I have to tell you?"
Aria's turn wasn't much better.
"What if someone approaches Lady Aria and insults her background?"
"I'd cover my mouth, smile, and say, 'How unpleasant to hear. Should I take that as an insult to the Crisis name and the duke who adopted me into it?'"
"Perfect! Now, if they insult your background and Lady Kashmir..."
"I'd hang the crazy bastard upside down from the balcony and let him get stabbed with forks..."
"Lady Aria!"
After a solid three hours, Helena gave up on correcting our speech entirely.
"Just... don't curse in front of His Majesty the Emperor or His Holiness the Pope."
Exhausted, she slumped into her chair. Kal, who'd been observing the lesson, was clutching his mouth, barely holding back laughter.
"What a shame I couldn't record you two with a magic tool. It could've cured depression on its own."
"Father and brother have such lovely manners. Like father, like son."
Aria shot Kal a glare, worn out from the endless lesson. He glared right back with a grin.
But they're the male and female leads... Aren't they looking at each other like mortal enemies?
Pink? More like blood-red. The air between them was so tense, no one would've batted an eye if one threw a glove and screamed for swords at dawn.
Are these two... not going to end up together?
I'd half-expected them to lock eyes despite the lack of plot logic, thanks to the original story's contrived force. But even I felt awkward thinking it now. Falling in love as siblings was weird anyway.
"No matter how lovely my speech is, it can't compare to our darling little sister."
Aria's eyes narrowed sharply, and Kal's gaze turned icy. I shrank back, gauging their moods amid the killer stares. I wanted to ask what they really thought of each other, but with how things were, I was sure the answer would be something like pooling money to hire assassins. So I kept quiet.
As long as they're both happy, that's what matters.
I sorted my thoughts and chugged some water. The original story meant nothing to me anymore. I'd hoped to follow it at first out of anxiety over the unpredictable future and for Aria's sake, but now that we'd veered so far off track, clinging to it would be pointless.
My current plan was to shatter the original entirely.
I'll shape my own life. I'll make happiness for the people around me too. I can do it.
With Aria safe and alive, nothing stood in my way. No more hesitation. Now that I was Kashmir Crisis, this world would diverge from the one printed on those pages.
If that's how it is,
then I'd decide my own fate.
"You both did great... I wish you a successful debutante ball..."
Helena, looking somehow a decade older, bid farewell and returned to her count's estate. Kal snickered.
"Don't worry. Whatever slip of the tongue you make, the Crisis name will cover it. Even if you curse out the emperor or pope, Father can clean it up."
I ignored Kal's disaster of a comment and drank more water. Four days before the debutante ball, preparations were going smoothly.
And the next day, Aria and I headed to the dress shop for our debutante outfits.
"You look... perfect, miss."
Dalia, who'd finished my primping before the dress shop visit, stared at the mirror in awe. There I was, looking shy and awkward.
Just moments ago, Dalia and I had argued lightly over it.
'We're just going to buy clothes—why dress up? A white shirt and pants will do. Black is essential for a knight. I'll wear the sword I brought too.'
'A dress shop isn't just a store—it's gossip central. If you don't dress properly, rumors will fly that you're not accepted in the duke's house! How about this pink dress instead? It matches your lovely pink eyes perfectly. Do you really need black... with a guard there?'
I insisted on light clothes and a long sword for instant combat readiness. Dalia pushed for a cumbersome dress and no sword.
'Ugh... fine. If you hate dresses that much, pants it is. But no plain white shirt and pants! You could shine even dressed casually, but not dressing up a girl who could be a swimming dragon—a winged tiger—with a little effort is a crime! Swap the long sword for a dagger you can hide in your clothes!'
Having lived my life in danger, I got anxious without combat prep. After a long debate, we compromised—and this was the result.
A white shirt with puffed bishop sleeves. A wine-red two-button vest embroidered with intricate Baroque patterns. A short, cute black cape. Tight black riding pants. Low-heeled leather spats boots. Even a lovely magenta cocktail hat with dense black mesh overlaying the silhouette.
It was me, but utterly unfamiliar.
"You look like the cutest porcelain doll ever—my greatest masterpiece!"
Blushing furiously at Dalia's muffled mutter, I touched my braided hair, which carried a sweet perfume scent. The black curls, neatly braided into one and swept to the right, felt awkward. Realizing my look again, heat rushed to my nape.
"Come on, miss! You have to show everyone!"
"I-I'm a bit embarrassed..."
"Aigoo, drop the formal speech already! Hurry down!"
"Uh, okay..."
Dalia half-dragged me down the stairs. Through the hall, I spotted Kaiser, Kal, and Aria. Aria had finished prepping and was sipping tea, waiting for me. I took a deep breath.
Her pink hair, braided up neatly, was adorned with a hair vine of white flowers and emeralds. In her lace-abundant mint-green dress, Aria looked every bit the fairy.
I raised her well.
Grinning proudly, I hurried my steps.
"Aria!"
Calling brightly, Aria flinched mid-sip. With tea in her mouth, she whipped around with the widest smile. Our eyes met—and she immediately turned, spewing tea all over Kaiser's lap.
"Crazy..."
Aria clamped her mouth shut, tea dribbling from her lips, looking on the verge of tears. Kaiser's eyes widened slightly as he turned to me.
"Ha... yeah. Life, huh..."
Aria muttered nonstop, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Ignoring the tea streaming down his legs, Kaiser blinked slowly at me.
"...It suits you perfectly."
Kal, dazed, set his teacup down, spilling hot tea on his hand and the table—but no one cared.
"Thanks for the compliment."
Their reactions felt over the top, heating my face. I scratched my head awkwardly.
"I kept telling you to wear colors besides black for once! Try something besides white shirts and capes! Don't just tie your hair in one braid—style it differently! And you actually did! It looks amazing!"
Aria rushed over, babbling incoherently, and hugged me tight. I hugged back, smiling awkwardly.
"It doesn't look weird?"
"Absolutely not!"
She nuzzled my neck firmly, then pulled back with a beaming smile that lit her face. The hair vine above her head jingled prettily.
"Heading to the dress shop now?"
Kaiser asked with an oddly serious expression. I nodded 'yes,' and he pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to me.
Whoosh.
I snatched the flying object midair and blinked at it.
Black dragon coiled around a sword—the ducal crest.
It was a gold medallion delicately engraved with the Crisis crest. Tilting my head in confusion, Kaiser calmly sipped his tea—spilling half of it—then took a deep breath.
"It's a guarantee token proving the Crisis family as buyer. Flash it, and you could buy an eastern island."
He scanned me slowly, then looked away. Was it my imagination, or were his ear tips red?
"...You can rip the pillars out of the dress shop if you want."
What a madman.
Kaiser Crisis was as eccentric as ever. After about twenty minutes in the ornate ducal carriage, chatting briefly with Aria, we arrived at a flashy building in the city center.
"Katrinne's is the empire's trendiest dress shop. During social season, even reservations three months ahead don't guarantee a slot."
Dalia, who'd come along, chattered on with info. Listening closely, I frowned as we reached the door.
"...But it's empty inside?"
With the Snowflower Festival looming, every capital dress shop should be swamped. Yet Katrinne's was deserted, almost eerily so. As I scowled, Dalia chuckled.
"Lately, curiosity about you two young ladies is piercing the skies in the capital's social circles. To avoid trouble on an outing, the duke rented out the entire shop for the day."
What a waste of money.
It was absurd, but renting a shop for a day wouldn't dent the Crisis coffers. Knowing that, I pushed open the door with a hollow feeling.