Chapter 16
After arriving in Dwan, time passed in a blur.
Standing under the yellow light of the hotel room, Natalie stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror.
The scarlet lace dress looked as if she had stolen someone else’s clothes. It didn’t suit her at all.
That was only natural. The dress was meant for Dorothy.
The first thing the three women did upon arriving in Dwan was to search for a dressmaker.
Fortunately, they managed to place an order at a relatively unpopular shop. Even then, it was only possible because another lady had changed her mind and abandoned her dress, so they had it altered. Still, Dorothy was very happy.
Natalie, feeling upset, chose the most expensive silk in the shop and added extra decorations.
Dorothy, who resembled the baroness, had the lightest eyes and hair among the four siblings. The soft pink and scarlet dresses, bright as spring flowers, suited her lovely aura perfectly.
Dorothy would wear the pink dress to the ball tonight. The scarlet dress was a spare, just in case she received another invitation.
Natalie borrowed that spare dress. If she didn’t want to stand out, it was wiser to wear the latest fashion and blend in among the many young ladies, rather than wear something plainly modest.
“Maybe it’s so unfitting that I’ll stand out even more…”
Natalie next examined her hair from every angle.
“Why is a half-up style in fashion now? Gives me the chills.”
This season, the trend was for a modest and neat look.
Especially popular was the half-up hairstyle with the forehead exposed, according to the dressmaker’s tip. Coincidentally, it was similar to the style that worked well in the courtroom.
It felt like she’d gone back three years, and she couldn’t help but frown. Knock, knock—someone tapped at her door.
“Mother.”
“Natalie, are you ready?”
It was the baroness, dressed in a ball gown for the first time in ages. She kept fidgeting with her clasped fingers, looking uncomfortable in her clothes.
“Yes, I’m all done.”
“The dress is so pretty. Of course, you are too.”
Knowing full well that the scarlet dress didn’t suit her at all, Natalie just answered with an awkward smile. An awkward silence followed, and the baroness hurriedly rummaged through her handbag.
“W-would you like to try this perfume? The dressmaker gave it to us to sample, and Dorothy said it was nice.”
Natalie absentmindedly accepted the small glass bottle, about the size of an apricot. Judging by her mother’s expectant gaze, she felt she should say something about the scent.
She dabbed a few drops on her wrist, and a fruity sweetness spread through the air.
“…Apple. Or is it lemon?”
“They said it’s supposed to mimic lily of the valley. It should help you relax a little.”
“I see.”
Another silence.
It seemed her mother had something she wanted to say. Natalie spoke up.
“Go ahead.”
After hesitating for a while, the baroness finally spoke.
“Natalie, dear. Please just greet the princess and then, when you can, return to the hotel.”
It was basic manners to greet the host when the ball began.
“People may have forgotten by now, but you spent three seasons in Dwan. There will be people who remember your face, and just in case…”
“Ah…”
The baroness meant that someone might recognize her, so she should just make an appearance before the princess and then disappear.
“As you know, this might be Dorothy’s last chance.”
The baroness’s expression and voice were more earnest than ever.
“I hope you won’t feel too hurt.”
“Yes, don’t worry. That was my plan anyway.”
It really was her plan. Still, she felt rather miserable. Natalie forced herself to smile.
“All right.”
With the baroness’s soft reply, another awkward silence fell.
“…By the way, this hotel is really nice. It must have been expensive…”
“I’m glad.”
The baroness hurried to bring up a new topic. It was still awkward, so Natalie answered a bit too quickly. The baroness, cut off, moved her lips but eventually gave up on the rare conversation.
“…Let’s get going. It’s been ages since Malik House was opened, so there’s no harm in hurrying.”
“Yes, Mother.”
She answered well, but it wasn’t easy to actually take a step.
Thump, thump. Her heart pounded anxiously.
Natalie finally realized she was afraid of simply standing in front of people.
“Natalie?”
“…The hem is a bit long.”
At her mother’s urging, Natalie forced a smile. Since Dorothy was a little taller, the dress’s hem did drag on the floor.
Natalie grabbed a handful of the skirt, took a short, deep breath, and started to follow her mother out of the hotel room.
‘I’ll just greet the princess, stand by the wall for a bit, and leave the hall. No one will notice me. What could possibly happen in that short time?’
Above all, it was three years ago. There must have been countless new scandals since then. No one would care about her.
No one should.
But contrary to Natalie’s hopes, as soon as she entered the hall, someone recognized her.
***
From a blind spot overlooking the entrance to the ballroom, Ian was, as his aide wished, watching the guests. More precisely, he was watching the problematic bride candidates recommended by Catherine.
“Your Highness, the young lady who just entered is the daughter of Viscount Lington.”
Marcus compared the guest list and a tiny portrait book as he spoke.
Leaning lazily against a pillar, Ian looked down at the Lington girl. Clad in pink satin, Miss Lington looked around the ballroom, both dazed and excited.
‘Pink again.’
The prince wasn’t bothering to memorize the ladies’ faces, but was sorting them by color. But with so many pink dresses, even that method was becoming impossible.
“Viscount Lington went bankrupt recently from gambling debts. He’s timid in all things except gambling, so at least he won’t get greedy.”
It might seem heartless to be so indifferent about the person who would become his wife, but it couldn’t be helped.
He thought of his bride as a one-year contract employee.
“Also, there’s a rumor that Miss Lington is the result of the viscountess’s affair, and her engagement was abruptly canceled a year ago.”
“Duchess Horace is doing a great job. Every bride candidate is a real contender.”
Ian replied with a mechanical smile and a lifeless voice. Marcus frowned, displeased by the prince’s usual habit when bored.
“Please, Your Highness, try to focus. You’re not interested at all.”
“Haha. It’s only a one-year marriage. No need to go to so much trouble.”
Marcus’s face crumpled at the prince’s joking tone.
Having an unsuitable spouse was the easiest way to destroy a prince’s sterling reputation.
And divorce was the surest and most peaceful way to lose succession rights. Ian had once joked, ‘It’s not like I can become a traitor.’
Marcus agreed that being divorced was better than being a traitor. But as someone who cared for him, all of this was painful to watch.
So, even though he knew it was pointless, he hoped Ian would at least marry the best of the candidates Catherine had found. Marcus was about to nag the prince when…
“Your Highness, but still, maybe…”
“Sigh…”
The prince let out a deep sigh.
Remembering how much Ian hated repeating himself, Marcus quickly shut his mouth. He glanced at the prince’s face and saw that the sigh wasn’t because of him.
Ian’s brow was oddly furrowed as he looked down at the entrance. It was more puzzled than annoyed.
“Why is she here…”
Ian muttered with a complicated expression.
He wondered if there had ever been anyone else who caught his attention like this, popping up every time he thought he’d forgotten her.
Ian straightened from his slouch against the pillar and, looking uneasy, began to scrutinize the woman entering.
Three years had passed, but the woman looked exactly as she had the last time he saw her.
She looked just as anxious and younger than her age as she had the day she was crying in court. Only now, as a guest at a royal ball, she was dressed more splendidly.
Apart from looking nervous, she seemed fine. Ian felt a bit relieved, though he didn’t realize it.
‘Did she steal that dress…’
Of course, with his refined taste, the scarlet dress looked terribly mismatched on her.
***
‘Better than I expected.’
Natalie thought as she leaned against the wall. She blended into the background, moving busily whenever someone seemed to approach.
‘Who knew all that running away from dance requests in my youth would come in handy.’
Despite her nerves, she didn’t see anyone who might recognize her. Maybe she hadn’t needed to worry after all. Charlotte’s ball was completely different from any she’d attended before.
Malik House, called the most beautiful mansion in the capital, was truly magnificent, and the guests were all big names.
‘There are a few country girls like me who got invited, though.’
It wasn’t as if she’d never attended a royal ball before.
The year she debuted, she was invited to a ball at Oberon Palace, where the king’s office was. But that ball was open to every debutante, so it was packed with eligible young men, women, and their parents.
This ball was different. Nobles and ladies she’d only seen in society sketches were alive and moving before her eyes.
For example, Duchess Horace, known as the queen of society. She was so elegant and captivating that anyone with eyes couldn’t help but look at her from time to time.
Thinking again, it really wasn’t a ball for a mere baron’s daughter like Natalie Dawes.
As she was thinking that, and staring at the duchess like all the other guests, something happened.
