Chapter 261

Chapter 48: Dressing Up – Part 2

I obediently walked over, and a tall maid pulled out a chair for me to sit on.

“Miss Silvijah, your hair needs to be tied up—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Victoria interrupted, “Step back, I’ll do it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

She looked panicked, pressing both hands against her lower abdomen, lowering her head, and stepping aside. Immediately, a faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils.

I blinked and looked at the mirror in front of me.

The candlelight flickered in the reflection. Standing behind me, Victoria had skin as smooth as jade, like a figure from a painting.

She looked calm, gently lifting her delicate hand, brushing my hair back and forth. After a moment, she picked up a wooden comb from the dressing table and began to comb my long black hair.

A slight tugging sensation spread across my scalp, tingling but comfortable.

Occasionally, I felt the light touch of Victoria’s fingers.

“Your hair is very beautiful.”

Hearing her compliment, I couldn’t help but smile, lifting my chin slightly.

“Of course~”

Hmm.

Beautiful hair? You’re telling me!

Back at Santel Castle, Mother would praise it every morning!

“Don’t move around.”

Victoria raised her hand and gently tapped my head, while the other hand reached to the side, picking up a strand of hair and playing with it.

“Giggles, stop…”

I felt an itch in my ears and laughed softly.

“It’s a bit long; I’ll trim it for you.”

…Huh?

I was momentarily stunned.

Then I saw Victoria turn to the maid for scissors and a white cloth. She wrapped the white cloth around my neck and held the scissors in her hand, moving them above my head.

“Victoria…”

My fine eyebrows furrowed, and I cast a doubtful glance at her through the mirror.

“You can actually… cut hair?”

Why does this sound so unreliable?

Her Majesty must have been pampered since childhood, grooming others’ hair… Has she ever done this before?

If she messes it up, it’ll take ages to fix.

“I can.”

Snip.

Ah!

Victoria decisively grabbed a lock of hair and started cutting…

She looked particularly focused and serious, making snipping sounds behind me that I couldn’t see. Her technique seemed very proficient, as if she wasn’t doing this for the first time.

I felt a little more relaxed.

“In the past, I often trimmed the branches of roses and monthly roses in the palace garden.”

“Cough—”

I choked.

Not…

Are you joking with me? Cutting without knowing how? What if you make me look ugly!

“Stop! I don’t want you to cut it!”

“I said, don’t move.”

Victoria pressed down on my restless head. Of course, she ignored my words, and her movements became faster.

Snip, snip…

Black strands fell to the floor.

I was worried, but didn’t have the courage to stand up and run away.

What if she accidentally made a big cut… Who would I cry to then?

My mood was extremely anxious, and I almost couldn’t hold back my distressed expression.

Victoria, however, remained calm.

“When I was little, there was a whole wall of flowers in the palace garden, which I took care of. The roses bloomed year after year, creating a sea of beauty that was breathtaking. Every year after they bloomed, I would prune the overgrown branches, removing old branches and yellow leaves, leaving only the strongest buds. In winter, I would shape them again, and the next year, it would be full once more… It’s the same principle for cutting hair.”

What principle?!

Where did this nonsense come from…

“The house you’re staying in, number 3, those roses were also planted by me. Roses grow quickly, and when they bloom, the branches and flowers are dense and beautiful.”

It’s true…

Victoria grabbed a lock of my bangs and carefully styled them.

“I actually enjoyed doing those things. When I was young, I was naive and even fantasized about becoming an excellent florist one day… Whenever I said such things, Father would remain silent, just smiling at me. I used to think it was his silent encouragement. Only when I grew up did I realize that I could never become such a ridiculous florist.”

She spoke calmly, but it scared the maids around us half to death, each lowering their heads and looking at the ground, too nervous to breathe.

I looked at her reflection in the mirror, recalling the songs she sang late at night.

Victoria, she doesn’t really want to be a queen…

Beyond her status, she’s just a girl seeking freedom. But what she truly wants might never be within reach…

“Victoria.”

“Hmm.”

“Do you know that there are many delicious foods at the nearby markets on Randall Street?”

Victoria shook her head.

“I haven’t been to the market much.”

She hasn’t been to the market…

“Oh.”

I nodded, silently making a decision.

“Don’t move.”

“Mm-hm.”

“And when others speak to you kindly, don’t just think about eating.”

“Hehe.”

After the haircut, I glanced at myself in the mirror and found it wasn’t bad.

Victoria trimmed my hair ends and bangs; now it looked less long. However, my bangs were shorter, revealing half of my smooth forehead, giving me a somewhat round face.

That’s just how new hairstyles go…

I consoled myself internally.

“Much easier than trimming flower branches.”

“Are you comparing my head to flower branches?”

Victoria put down the scissors, wiped her hands with a square cloth, picked up the jewelry she had chosen earlier, and said to me, “Will your head bloom?”

I was immediately furious: “Your head might bloom!”

“Then why compare it to flower branches?”

“…”

I glared at her fiercely and immediately wanted to stand up.

“Patience.”

Victoria grabbed

I held back.

“Not yet.”

She started pulling my hair, twisting one strand after another into a rope.

“Disheveled hair looks so untidy.”

The hair rope was quickly braided into a small braid and coiled around my head. Victoria was very meticulous; her golden eyes focused seriously on the back of my head, her warm breath exhaling on my neck like a fragrant orchid.

“Peylo.”

“Hmm?”

“Is Schentel Castle beautiful?”

“Haven’t you been there?”

“Mm-hm, never had the chance.”

“That’s really a pity.”

“I heard that the snow and wind there are wonderful, the full moon like a plate. At night, the stars seem as if you could pluck them with your hand.”

“Yes, and there’s the Great Snow Mountain. There are silver foxes in the snow mountain! You must have never seen a silver fox.”

“Never have…”

Click.

A sapphire enamel silver hairpiece securely fixed the braids on top of my head.

“When everything settles down, I want to go see the City of Winter.”

I was startled, turned abruptly, and looked at her with surprise.

“Why, is the City of Winter not welcoming allies?”

“No… Not exactly…”

I shook my head.

If Victoria could go to Schentel Castle, I would definitely be very happy, but those words sounded like setting up a bad omen… Pfft!

There couldn’t be such a cliché thing…

“Feel free to visit my home anytime.”

“So be it then.”

“…Mm.”

After Victoria finished arranging my hair, she picked up the gemstone feather earrings… Wait, earrings?!

I suddenly realized where this thing was worn and hurriedly covered both ears.

“I don’t want to wear this!”

Victoria frowned. “You’re already wearing the dress, how can you not wear earrings… Put your hands down.”

“No!”

I shook my head vigorously.

“Be good.”

“No!”

Victoria kept trying to put the earrings near my ears while pulling my arm down. I twisted my body in resistance, lifting my head high to rest against her soft belly, making it harder for her to reach me.

What a joke…

Wearing a skirt and tying up hair is fine, but how can a man like me wear something like this! This is the last bit of dignity a man has left, and I must hold onto it!

It’s not because I’m scared!

“If you mess up my hair again tonight, you won’t get anything to eat.”

“Fine, I won’t eat!”

I shouted angrily, but my struggle weakened unconsciously.

“Put your hands down.”

“No.”

I shook my head firmly.

Seeing Victoria staring at me, I glared back at her fiercely.

After a moment, Victoria held the earrings in front of my eyes.

The clear blue sapphires glittered under the firelight, and I blinked my eyes.

“Are they pretty?”

“They are.”

Oh no—

I accidentally blurted out what I was thinking.

“You look even prettier with them on.”

“Mmm.”

I tilted my head slightly in thought. By the time I noticed, my hands had already moved away from my ears.

Victoria touched my earlobe, then leaned closer to examine.

“The ear holes seem to have grown over.”

I know…

That’s why I resisted; it must hurt…

Maybe I used to wear them often? But since waking up in Woodward Forest, I haven’t worn earrings anymore. It’s been so long, the ear holes must have grown over.

“So Victoria, let’s not wear them…”

I hugged her slender waist with one arm, deliberately speaking in a weak voice and tilting my head to make a pitiful expression.

But Victoria wasn’t fooled by this, shaking her head lightly.

“No.”

She pushed my hand away and turned to ask a maid for alcohol…

I stared blankly as she burned the needle of the earring over the candle flame, dipped it in alcohol, and prepared to pierce my ear.

This is bad…

I’ve always hated needles…

My heart was racing. I tensed my body, closed my eyes, and made a final plea to Victoria.

“Don’t…”

“Don’t move.”

“It hurts…”

“Just a little, I won’t hurt you.”

“Don’t…”

“Be good.”

“Can’t I just not wear them…”

Why do you have to force me to wear these!

“Dinner is a formal occasion, you are the little princess of Schentel Castle. If you’re not proper, others will mock you.”

What…

“I’ll have the kitchen stew goose meat for you.”

Hearing this, I immediately calmed down.

Goose meat…

Forget it.

It’s just a prick, I’ll just go through with it!

“Here we go.”

Suddenly, my ear felt cold.

“Ahh!”

I couldn’t hold back, straightened my back, and let out a soft cry.

“It hurts…”

The earlobe felt heavy. Before I could react, the other ear felt the same pricking sensation.

“Sss—”

“It’s done.”

I opened my eyes quickly. In front of me was Victoria’s face close by, with her slightly dazed eyes.

“Go look in the mirror.”

She patted my head and said.

So I turned to look at the girl in the mirror.

Her eyes, slightly moist, were black and clear, shining like stars. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, her once silky black hair coiled on top of her head, revealing the edge of the hair accessory, her fair earlobes faintly pink.

My God…

How can it be so beautiful!

At this moment, I am completely different from before. My youthful body was outlined by the mermaid dress, weak… No, impressive curves. And those earrings were like finishing touches, adding a hint of alluring maturity to me.

Like a young fruit tree, blooming with its utmost beauty at the moment of blossoming.