Chapter 20
Lea and Pauline visited Chaner whenever they had free time. Her grandfather was always with them during those visits.
By now, the four of them had grown so close they often sat together on the grass, enjoying picnics as friends.
“Chaner, how’s the project I asked for coming along?”
Lea asked gently.
Not long ago, Lea had given Chaner a lacework pattern book as a gift and asked her to create a lace top based on a design, she had drawn herself.
“I finished it. I brought it with me.”
“Already?”
Lea and Pauline were both stunned and could not hide their surprise.
A few days earlier, Terran had informed her about the Rubek Imperial Ball taking place in September.
Since it would be her first time attending a royal ball, Lea had wanted to wear something a little more special. She had asked Chaner to crochet the top of the dress using lace.
The design was detailed and intricate. She thought it would take at least a month to complete, yet Chaner had finished it in just one week.
“Oh please. For my granddaughter, something like that is as easy as picking peas.”
Grandpa Rapa laughed heartily, waving his hand in amusement.
Finally, the moment had come. Lea opened the paper box Chaner had brought and carefully took out the clothing, her hands slightly trembling.
“Oh, my goodness. This is amazing.”
Pauline gasped as she looked at the finished piece.
The top was crocheted with golden lace thread, each stitch crafted with care and skill. To call it simply needlework did not do it justice. It was truly a work of art.
“It’s so beautiful I can’t even speak.”
Lea examined the top from every angle, letting out breathless admiration.
Although it could have easily looked too revealing, Chaner had balanced it perfectly with elegant patterns that gave it a refined and tasteful feel.
It was almost unbelievable that something so detailed had been made by hand.
After admiring it for a while, Lea gently placed it back in the box and handed it to Pauline. Then she gave Chaner several gold coins.
“Chaner, thank you. This is for the clothes and your craftsmanship.”
“I don’t need money. That was a gift.”
Chaner tossed the gold coins back into the folds of Lea’s skirt with a quick flick of her hand.
Lea picked them up again and tried giving them to Grandpa Rapa instead.
“No, really. That’s not necessary. It’s more than enough that Chaner has made such good friends.”
He politely refused as well, so she could not insist any further.
That was when Lea realized it was time to share her idea with them.
“Chaner, Grandpa Rapa, there’s something I want to do. Of course, it depends on how well this first step goes.”
“What is it?”
“I want to start a business with Chaner.”
“A business?”
Grandpa Rapa chuckled as if she had told a joke. How could you make money selling lace?
But Lea continued with a serious tone.
“Lace scarves, gloves, and clothes that are not even half as well made as Chaner’s are already being sold to noblewomen at high prices. With this level of craftsmanship, even the empress would be interested.”
That was when Grandpa Rapa finally began to take her words seriously.
“Grandpa Rapa, you want Chaner to do something meaningful with her life, right? Do you want her to spend her whole life protected and dependent, never becoming independent?”
“So, what are you asking for?”
“I’m still preparing, but I want Chaner to be part of the business I’m starting. Please think about it. If you agree, I’ll take care of her and include her in the company.”
“I want to live with big sisters.”
Chaner’s eyes sparkled with excitement at Lea’s words.
“And big sister is going to make lots and lots of money.”
“Really?”
“Your dad was great at business too, right?”
Sometimes Chaner said things that took people by surprise.
Grandpa Rapa, on the other hand, seemed thoughtful.
He was glad that his granddaughter, who others often mocked, had made such kind and respectable friends. But he still worried. Could she really keep up with them?
Lea seemed to come from a noble family. If her family found out that he and Chaner were Romani, they would almost certainly oppose it. People did not look kindly on the Romani.
“This is something I have to think about. Please give me some time.”
“I really want to do it, Grandpa Rapa.”
“Sometimes you have to say you must do something, not just want to. But Chaner, even so, you should think it through. I’ll think about it too, and I’ll try to look at it in a good way. Just wait a little longer.”
“Alright. Thank you.”
While Lea was smiling brightly, Pauline tilted her head in confusion.
Rapa? That name sounded familiar.
It was the same as the name of a notorious gang in the city of Rebon.
No, that can’t be. What kind of suspicion is that? That frail old man and the young, childlike Chaner? They couldn’t possibly be connected.
It must be a coincidence. Besides, could violent gang members really have the time to enjoy a peaceful picnic in a public park?
They were known to be ruthless and dangerous. Pauline laughed at herself for even imagining something so ridiculous and shook her head hard, trying to clear it.
The day of the imperial ball had arrived.
Lea had been preparing for days, and from the moment she woke up, she got ready with care and precision. Her hair, makeup, accessories, and dress were all planned out in advance.
I have to capture the attention of every noblewoman at the ball.
That thought was the only thing on her mind.
When she had been wondering what kind of business she could start, meeting Chaner had opened the floodgates to what had felt like an endless struggle. Finally, she had a vision.
“Pauline, don’t overdo the accessories in my hair.”
Lea tied her hair into a neat bun, coiled upward. It brought out her delicate face and graceful neckline.
Her makeup highlighted her clear, luminous skin while giving definition to her features. It was polished, elegant, and subtle.
Finally, it was time to wear Chaner’s masterpiece.
The golden lace top revealed just enough bare skin to feel daring. The back was cut low, all the way to the waist. Yet it never looked cheap or inappropriate.
She paired it with a voluminous satin skirt in a deep shade of green. There was no need for extravagant jewelry. The dress alone drew every eye with its richness.
“Wow. Miss, this is almost too much. You look unreal.”
Pauline clasped her hands in front of her chest and stared at Lea with awe, as if offering a prayer to a goddess.
“This lace is… kind of seductive.”
“Is it too much?”
“No, not at all. Your hair, the skirt, and the accessories are all simple. And most importantly, your beauty speaks for itself.”
“Come on, Pauline. To your eyes, everything I wear probably looks beautiful.”
Please, let Chaner’s lace succeed.
Lea repeated that wish to herself again and again as she waited for Terran to arrive.
It would be her first time attending an imperial ball with him, and her heart was racing so fast she could hardly stay calm.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
Lea was curious to hear what Terran thought. She wasn’t looking for compliments about her looks, but rather his reaction to the lace dress.
Terran finally appeared in full formal dress.
“Tada. Miss Grace, what do you think? How does the duke look?”
Pauline stretched her arms wide in playful excitement.
But Terran stood frozen, unable to move.
Lea and Terran stared at each other, taking in every detail.
She was surprised to see him in a white suit. He usually wore only dark uniforms. The change in color gave him a completely different presence.
She always knew he was handsome, but she had never expected him to look so striking that it made her heart flutter.
Terran, for his part, barely recognized Grace. He was used to her being soft and delicate, and now she looked confident, sensual, and mature. For a moment, his thoughts simply stopped.
She was terribly beautiful.
The golden lace top especially drew his eyes. It was dangerously bold and impossibly elegant at the same time.
“You look beautiful.”
He wanted to say more, something grander, but he held back. There would be too many jealous eyes watching them at the ball.
I don’t want to go to the ball anymore.
The thought of taking such a beautiful woman into a room full of strangers and letting them see her left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Let’s go.”
When Terran held out his hand, Lea gently placed hers in his and smiled.
“You look wonderful, Terran.”
As his eyes met her radiant violet gaze and her softly curved lips drew closer, Terran felt himself swallow involuntarily.
He escorted her like a true gentleman. But something caught his attention. Was he seeing things, or was Grace’s back completely bare?
“Hold on a second.”
“What is it?”
“Did they forget to finish your dress? There’s no fabric on your back.”
“This is how the dress is designed.”
“This is how it’s supposed to look?”
It was not something he could easily accept. At this rate, he would have to spend the whole evening shielding her back with his own body.
Men would no doubt be staring freely at her smooth, pale skin. The thought alone gave him a headache.
And every time his hand brushed against her back, it felt like a jolt of electricity ran through his fingertips. The dress was bold and beautiful, but it was torture for an engaged man whose feelings for her only continued to grow.
From the first moment he saw the lace, one thought kept repeating in his mind.
I want to tear it apart.
Forget the ball. That lace teased him endlessly. He wanted to rip it away and devour the beautiful body underneath it without restraint.
A wave of heat surged through him. He had never been this overwhelmed with desire before. Being close to Grace had become almost unbearable.
“Are you alright? Is something wrong?”
She smiled at him innocently, completely unaware of what she was doing to him. That only made her more dangerous.
The imperial ball was held in grand style. The finest nobles of Lubeck and honored foreign guests filled the hall.
But the most exciting news of the evening was that Duke Courtois, who was known for avoiding parties, had arrived with his fiancée.
There were whispers that the emperor and empress were especially pleased about the duke’s presence.
I’m so nervous.
Lea had attended balls as a child alongside her father, but this was the first time she was attending as an adult, on her own.
At last, the grand doors of the ballroom swung open. One by one, the guests were introduced and entered the hall.
“Duke Courtois and Lady Grace of the Vizak Barony.”
It was their turn.
Lea entered slowly, her arm linked with Terran’s.
As expected, all eyes turned to them the moment they stepped inside. It was exactly as Lea had imagined.
The noblewomen and young ladies of the capital had dressed in their finest gowns, as if they had been waiting all year for this single night.
“Duke Courtois at a ball? That is unexpected.”
“I heard he never goes out anymore, ever since the war ended.”
At first, all the attention was on Terran. But only for a short while.
Soon, the stares turned to Lea. She could feel every gaze like it was pressing into her skin.
“Look at Lady Vizak’s dress.”
“That is quite daring, isn’t it?”
“The gentlemen will have trouble keeping their focus tonight.”
Lea felt a wave of relief.
So far, so good. I just hope no one says anything cruel.
