On the day of the engagement.
I had risen early in the morning and was in the process of having my makeup done by Lily and Laura.
I awoke much earlier than I usually do, and stifling yawns was almost impossible.
“Which earrings would be best?”
“The red ones would be better. By the way, have you prepared the necklaces?”
“Yes, they’re here!”
By my side, wearing a white dress, Lily and Laura bustled about while exchanging words.
For a simple engagement ceremony, this level of preparation seems to be due to the fact that the other party is Abel, isn’t it?
Who is Abel?
The Duke known as the “Iron-Blooded Duke.”
Renowned for his icy demeanor and handsome features, he’s so popular that it’s rumored all young noblewomen fall in love with him at least once. His looks are truly impressive—so much so that if God were to sculpt a statue purely for beauty, it would probably end up being him.
But the “icy atmosphere”…?
“…Hmm, not really.”
The idea of him, the one who constantly teases me, having a cold demeanor, only felt plausible when I first met him. Now, not so much.
While I was reflecting on it, Lily called out to me.
“Miss Adelle, which necklace do you prefer from these two?”
Caught off-guard by the choice, I examined the necklaces they had selected. The one on the left had a large ruby embedded in it.
Certainly, by color alone, it might suit me, but…
the size of the ruby was too large. In contrast, the one on the right had a small ruby embedded in a simple design.
“Hmm… I think the one on the right would be better.”
At my words, Lily’s expression slightly dimmed. Seeing this, Laura smirked and whispered to me.
“For your information, the one on the left was chosen by Lily and the one on the right by me.”
“…Is that so?”
“Lily will be consoled by me, so you don’t need to worry.”
“…Alright.”
Laura smiled as she clasped Lily’s hand and whispered something into her ear. The previously dejected look on Lily’s face transformed into one of steely determination.
“…What did she hear?”
“Then, shall we wrap this up soon?”
“Yes! Master!”
In response to Laura’s question, Lily, who began picking out brooches and finishing the decorations, said this while organizing various trinkets.
“…I’m tired.”
I tried to suppress a wave of exhaustion and a yawn that began to rise.
“Miss Adelle, we’re done!”
At Lily’s announcement, I turned my head and looked into the mirror.
“…Amazing.”
In the mirror was a woman of striking beauty. She possessed an ivory-like complexion with ruby-like eyes, and her white dress contrasted beautifully with the ruby jewelry she wore.
Her sharp eyes were slightly softened, exuding a gentle aura, and the dark circles beneath her eyes had completely disappeared.
Unlike my previous reputation for being villainous, the transformation was so significant that it made me look like a pure and innocent woman.
“Indeed, Miss Adelle! Your makeup came out beautifully!”
“Are you satisfied, Miss Adelle?”
“…It’s definitely satisfying.”
“Good.”
Laura wore a relieved expression as she spoke.
“Then, let’s go meet Lord Abel!”
With an excited tone, Lily opened the door. Despite being a little tired, I figured I had to see him before the engagement ceremony.
Thinking so, I followed her.
We passed through the rather extravagant hallway and arrived at his study, where Lily knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
At Abel’s voice, Lily briskly opened the door. Abel, who was looking at some documents, spoke without lifting his eyes.
“What is it?”
“I have brought Miss Adelle for a moment!”
At her words, he raised his head and looked at me. Holding the document in his hand as if he’d forgotten it was there, Abel stared blankly at me.
Something feels different from his usual reactions, but I can’t quite tell what it is… Maybe it’s because I’m so tired my thoughts aren’t processing correctly.
“What do you think?”
“..You look better than expected.”
Compared to his usual self, his praise felt unusually stingy, causing me to tilt my head.
After all this—wearing the dress and jewelry—this response was somewhat disappointing. But I guess Abel thought my appearance wasn’t enough to impress him.
Strangely, I felt a lump of disappointment rising in my throat.
I don’t even know why I’m feeling this way. After all, we’re just in an arranged engagement.
If I had to pinpoint it, maybe it’s because I wanted him to say something smooth and insincere at least to make me feel better.
I swallowed the feeling and said:
“Then, I’ll go first.”
“..Alright. Go ahead. I’ll be right there.”
Leaving the study with Lily, I could tell she was humming excitedly. Curious about her high spirits, I asked:
“Why are you so happy?”
“Because it seems like His Grace is pleased with your appearance, Miss!”
“..I don’t think that’s the case.”
Normally, Abel would be so overly sweet and eloquent towards me that it would feel nauseating.
But if he didn’t even go that far this time, it means he must not have liked how I looked right now.
At my words, Lily shook her head vigorously.
“No way! He definitely liked it!”
“Alright… then let’s just go with that.”
It feels better to just convince myself of that for mental peace. Lily, upon hearing this, took my hand and moved forward. We were about to hold the engagement ceremony soon.
For some reason, I’m starting to feel slightly nervous. How much of my bad ending can I change with this engagement?
Since the save point has been set to this morning, there’s no going back now.
“I can only hope this turns out well.”
*
White marble floors lined with red carpets, silver candle stands hung on the walls.
The ballroom, decorated far more beautifully than usual, buzzed with the comings and goings of numerous nobles.
The reason so many nobles had gathered here was due to an engagement ceremony taking place here today.
The engagement between Duke Abel von Hardenberg and Countess Adelle von Estelle had become one of the most famous gossip topics in the Ariad Empire.
From stories about how they met by chance during a trip and fell instantly in love, to the fact that they were even holding a formal engagement ceremony despite not needing to.
The nobles chatted endlessly about such tales, so much that more than a hundred nobles had agreed to participate in the ceremony, the vast majority of whom were provincial nobles unfamiliar with Adelle’s infamous reputation.
“…I don’t understand how this could have happened.”
Among those who were aware of Adelle’s misdeeds, Lady Luna of the Aite Viscount household was particularly upset with the situation. She simply could not understand what charm the infamous villainess possessed that had captivated the Iron-Blooded Duke to the point of seeking an engagement.
However, beside her, Estelle von Louis simply scratched her cheek and smiled silently.
Though she was one of the direct victims of Adelle’s misdeeds, knowing that those were all misunderstandings, Estelle didn’t hate Adelle as much. She had repeatedly tried to set things right by talking to Adelle, only to find her missing every time.
She had decided to take advantage of this opportunity and attend the engagement ceremony in hopes of resolving the misunderstanding.
“Hmph.. What on earth does he see in her?”
“Luna.”
Muttering under her breath, Luna paused at the sound of Estelle’s cool voice. Turning around, she saw Estelle’s face adorned with a calm but chilling smile.
“Let’s be careful with our words.”
“…Alright.”
Luna gave a slight nod, looking somewhat frightened, and Estelle sighed in relief.
Lady Aite was perfect, save for her overly loose tongue and impulsive nature.
If she let her speak freely, who knows what trouble might arise, so Estelle often found herself reminding her like this. Fortunately, Luna seemed to have realized the danger of her own words and remained quiet, her head bowed.
“There are quite a number of people here…”
Agreeing with the comment from a noblewoman sitting beside Luna, Estelle nodded silently.
It was fortunate that the ballroom was spacious; otherwise, the crowd could have felt rather cramped.
After some time had passed, it was the hour for the engagement ceremony to begin.
“The Duke Abel von Hardenberg and Countess Adelle von Estelle will now enter!”
At the shout of the guard holding the ballroom’s grand doors, the doors were swung wide open. A man and a woman entered, arm in arm, drawing all eyes in the room.
The Duke Abel on the left indeed matched the rumors of his striking appearance. Though the scar on his face could be considered a flaw, it was insignificant when compared to his striking good looks.
The woman on the right, Adelle, looked so vastly different from the infamous villainess she was reputed to be that doubts of her identity surfaced.
Her somewhat gentle eyes and vibrant red irises imparted a surprisingly fresh impression.
As Estelle observed them, a faint noise—a sharp nail-biting—reached her ears. It was Luna, nervously gnawing at her nails.
For a moment, Estelle considered stopping her but decided it was wise to let her be, assuming she wouldn’t cause trouble at such an official gathering.
Amidst the focused stares of hundreds, the engagement ceremony began.
