Chapter 64
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Debutante Dresses and Tree Climbing
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Margaret spoke in a daze.
“I’ll do my utmost to make it to Your Highness’s liking. Leave it to me.”
“Please do!”
Making the dress was an urgent matter. She had to mobilize every available hand.
But as Margaret turned to leave, the princess grabbed her. Hesitating, she cautiously asked,
“Um... would it be too much to ask for one more debutante dress?”
“Are you planning to entrust me with the dresses for the other days as well?”
This debutante ball was being held for a full five days, longer than usual. It was to celebrate the emergence of the new princess.
Of course, the true debutante occasion was the first day. The term “debutante dress” typically referred to the gown worn that day.
With the event spanning five days, attending every single one without fail would require a total of five dresses.
No matter how great the honor of crafting the princess’s debutante dress, it was impossible for Margaret to make five.
There was only a week left until the debutante ball. And in that time, she had to create two dresses already.
‘I heard the rest would be handled by other tailors.’
Princess Ellensia fidgeted with her fingers.
“Truth be told, my friend is also attending this debutante ball, and I was wondering if you could make her dress too. Ah! Of course, I’m not trying to force you. If it’s too much, please just say so honestly.”
The princess twisted a lock of her hair around her finger.
“That friend of mine is in a tough spot right now, all around, and I’m worried. I just want to give her some joy in this way. But making one more dress would probably be too hard, right?”
Attending the debutante ball meant that friend was nobility too.
For a princess who had only recently entered the palace and hadn’t appeared at any official events yet to have befriended a noble?
Margaret’s question was soon answered.
One person came to mind who could fit the bill.
Someone highly likely to have crossed paths with Princess Ellensia and currently residing in the palace as an honored guest.
Former Princess Philomel.
An awkward relationship at best, yet they were friends.
A warm feeling bloomed in Margaret’s chest.
Touched by the princess’s kind heart, she smiled and replied,
“Is that friend perhaps former Princess Philomel?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, no need to worry. I’m already set to make Philomel’s debutante dress too!”
“......Pardon?”
Margaret missed the subtle stiffening of her expression.
“Thanks to Your Highness recommending me, His Majesty seems to view me favorably as well. So Philomel’s debutante dress was entrusted to me too.”
“......Father did?”
The stark change in her expression from moments ago made it impossible for Margaret not to sense something off.
“......Y-yes. Is there something uncomfortable about it...?”
“Ha.”
A cold sigh seemed to escape her lips.
But in an instant, the princess reverted to her usual gentle smile.
“That’s wonderful! Please make Philomel’s dress beautifully too!”
Margaret left the princess’s chambers with a bewildered look on her face.
Nassar visited the southern palace two days before the debutante ball.
He scratched his cheek as he explained why he hadn’t come sooner.
“Maybe because I barged in unannounced last time, my palace entry permit hasn’t been approved easily.”
As Philomel walked with Nassar through the rear garden, she thought,
‘That time, he really did come without permission after all.’
It hadn’t been long since Philomel’s return, and the situation was chaotic, so the emperor probably hadn’t granted permission.
“Young Duke, you have a more reckless side than I thought.”
Nassar visibly flinched.
“Why use honorifics? Call me comfortably.”
“I can’t do that. I’m no longer a princess, so how could I address the Young Duke of Averyden so casually...”
“No, Your Highness.”
“You should correct your form of address too, Young Duke. I’m not a princess anymore.”
“......My apologies. I’ll amend it.”
“No need for formal speech.”
“I must insist. Please withdraw that order.”
“It’s not an order...”
This wasn’t going anywhere.
Philomel decided to just go along with what Nassar wanted, for the most part.
“So, how do you plan to address me, Young Duke? How should I address you?”
He pondered the simple question seriously before speaking.
“Then, could you call me by my name like before?”
“My name?”
“Yes. When we were young, you always called me by name. Then at some point you stopped, but the other day you did it again...”
‘Did I?’
Come to think of it, that did seem right. She hadn’t been conscious of it, but Nassar had noticed.
It wasn’t a difficult request, so Philomel readily agreed.
“Sure. I will, Nassar.”
Nassar beamed.
It was a radiant smile that seemed to brighten the world.
“Thank you!”
“No big deal. You call me by name too, Nassar.”
“......Pardon?”
“From now on, just Philomel will do.”
“How could I, dare to call you by name...”
Nassar rattled like a broken tin doll.
‘What’s this? Does he plan to keep calling me ‘Your Highness’?’
If someone overheard and misunderstood that she still clung to her princess title, she’d be the one in trouble.
To prevent such mishaps, Philomel firmly instructed Nassar.
“You must call me by name. I want you to, Nassar.”
“......I’ll keep it in mind.”
Blushing, Nassar added softly after a long pause.
“......Lady Philomel.”
“You can drop the ‘Lady’.”
“I cannot.”
Nassar replied resolutely.
“Wow, Nassar. You’re so firm when you want to be.”
Philomel giggled.
Nassar, smiling back at her, suddenly glanced behind her.
“I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you Philomel’s new guard?”
Jeremiah, with his completely altered appearance, stared at them sullenly.
Whenever he appeared in public, he not only pulled his hood low but also borrowed the power of his necklace.
Normally, the palace barriers restricted magic items here, but after Rguin tinkered with it, the necklace regained its function swiftly.
Jeremiah retorted in his usual rude manner.
“Can’t you tell by looking? I’m the guard.”
Philomel approached Jeremiah and quietly scolded him.
“Jeremiah, use proper manners.”
“......Tch, my apologies to the great Young Duke. I’m the new guard.”
Nassar didn’t change expression and smoothly responded.
“I see. Though it’s our first meeting, you feel strangely familiar. Have we met somewhere...?”
Come to think of it, Nassar had traveled from Angelium with the three brothers.
He couldn’t recognize him now due to the necklace, but getting found out wouldn’t be good.
Philomel hurriedly grabbed one arm from each man.
“Haha, Jeremiah has a very common face, doesn’t he? We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, so how about a handshake?”
Jeremiah tilted his head cockily.
“Who knows if we will or not.”
Nassar stated firmly, extending his hand first.
“We will.”
The two shook hands. It was a grip loaded with unusual force.
She thought only Jeremiah was prickly, but Nassar’s gaze wasn’t exactly gentle either.
‘Do they just not get along?’
Philomel decided to avoid letting them cross paths as much as possible.
To prevent friction between the two men, she kept Jeremiah at a distance, and Philomel and Nassar continued their walk.
But an anxious voice echoed from far across the garden.
A certain maid paced under a large tree. It was Emily, the one Philomel had planted as a spy.
Emily looked up at the tree and shouted.
“Your Highness! Please stop and come down! You’ll get badly hurt!”
Only then did the figure hidden among the leaves become visible.
Ellensia was clinging to the tree, climbing upward. Philomel’s eyes widened at the unexpected sight.
‘Why is she doing that here?’
This was the southern palace garden. It was quite a distance from the western palace where Ellensia lived.
Ellensia, perched on the lowest branch, reached for a higher one.
“Butterfly, I’ll save you!”
Butterfly?
Too far to see clearly, but it seemed Ellensia was trying to rescue a cat up in the tree.
Why had Ellensia come all this way to throw herself into cat rescue?
Nassar’s offhand remark helped Philomel make sense of the baffling scene.
“That must be Princess Ellensia. A pleasure to see her for the first time.”
Right. This was Ellensia and Nassar’s first meeting.
‘The moment they fall for each other!’
In her mind, the scene from [Princess Ellensia] unfolded.
The situation was eerily similar.
Ellensia was climbing a tree just like this, to return a fledgling bird to its nest.
But she falls. And by coincidence, Nassar passes below.
He catches her heroically, their eyes meet, and in that instant, he falls in love at first sight.
Something about an angel falling from the heavens.
Even though it was a year early, was a similar scenario unfolding because it was fate? A chill ran down her spine at the exquisite twist of destiny.
Philomel sidelong glanced at Nassar beside her. Would he fall for Ellensia right here and now? She was curious.
Then Nassar, who had been watching Ellensia, spoke.
Philomel tensed up.
What would his reaction be to the woman he’d passionately love in the future?
“She climbs trees like a monkey. Impressive.”
“......That’s it?”
“What more is needed?”
“Never mind.”
She facepalmed.
‘Okay, it’s a compliment in its own way... but calling a princess a monkey? Really?’
Does he fall in love only after catching her, then?
Philomel tilted her head.