ICTV - Chapter 32

ICTV - Chapter 32

I Change The Villain

“Would you like to buy it with me in two hours? Or do you want to come with your mother later and pick out clothes all day while listening to her nag?”

“...Damn it, I’ll just buy it with you in two hours.”

“It’s a wise choice. Try on just five more clothes I’ve chosen and then go out.”

Rose and Beryl held their hands lightly and shook them up and down. Beryl went back into the dressing room. Rose was just rummaging through the clothes to relieve her boredom, wondering when the cufflinks would arrive.

“Oh my, who is this? It's really Rose Pale.”

Claudia, who runs this dressing room, appeared. Claudia, who was close friends with Primrose, asked Rose in a friendly way.

“What kind of clothes did you come to see today?"

“Oh, I came to look at my brother's clothes today, not me.”

“Oh, Beryl’s clothes? I don’t know how you coaxed Beryl to bring him here. Still, Rose.”

Claudia pointed to a row of mannequins wearing colorful dresses.

“Since you’re here, why don’t you check out the dress? You’ll have to prepare your engagement attire soon.”

It's an engagement dress. Claudia's words were certainly persuasive.

The ceremony location was decided to be the yard of the Serenity family mansion, but I felt like I had to find out about the attire myself.

“Then shall we take a look?”

"Yes. Please feel free to take a look."

I glanced at the mannequins. Since it was wedding attire, I thought it would be better if the colors were not too flashy. I think white would be the best. My feet stopped in front of a white dress. It was a mermaid dress with bare shoulders.

“This somehow feels more like a wedding than an engagement ceremony.”

“Still, I think it will suit you really well.”

Claudia immediately clung to Rose.

“As expected, you take after your parents, so your beauty shines more and more. It’s no wonder they are proud of you. Would you like to try it on? I think the size will fit just right.”

I looked back at the locker room. Beryl's scream came through the curtain.

“Why is it so complicated to wear clothes like this!”

“Ugh, Master. This is not complicated."

“Aaaah!”

I think it will take a while. It would be less boring than sitting still. I nodded. At that time, another clerk came up and whispered to Claudia. It seems that another guest looking for Claudia has arrived. Claudia said very apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Rose. I think I need to leave for a while. Instead, another store clerk will guide you.”

The clerk who whispered to Claudia lowered her head.

“I will guide you instead, Miss. This way.”

“I’ll be back soon. Please wait a little while as you slowly look at the other dresses. I also have a gift for Primrose.”

Another clerk took the lead and headed to the dressing room, holding the dress. I took off my dress and changed into a white dress with the help of a clerk. As Claudia said, the dress fit perfectly. 

I looked at myself in the mirror in the dressing room.

I took a look at it. The transparent jewels embedded in the hem of her skirt sparkled under the light.

“… It’s gorgeous, after all.”

Still, it would be better to listen to the opinion of an expert first. I'll have to keep my dress on until Claudia comes. 

I gestured to the clerk. The clerk pulled back the curtain. A gem is a gem, but my fully exposed shoulders were also very white and transparent.

“Are you experiencing any inconvenience?”

"No, I'm not."

I followed Claudia's advice and looked at other dresses. My eyes were also drawn to the ivory-colored dress and the sky-blue dress.

“I like these two dresses because they don’t have any jewelry on them. But would it be okay to have an engagement ceremony wearing colorful clothes like this?”

“Definitely, in our Empire, it is common to wear white at both engagement ceremonies and weddings. However, these days, many people deliberately wear different colored clothes to their engagement ceremonies. Because wearing only white is boring.”

“Then can I try on these two dresses later?”

“Of course. Would you like me to find some matching accessories?”

“Yes. Please do me a favor.”

While me and the clerk were in the middle of a conversation, I felt a sign of popularity. It seems Claudia has returned. 

I asked, trying one of the trinkets the clerk had just brought to her hair.

"How is it?"

“Uh... Um....”

However, what was heard was not Claudia's voice, but a man's voice. 

I froze in the same position where I was attaching jewelry to my hair.

“The dress suits you very well. You look just like an angel.”

But the more shocking fact is that the sound was not unfamiliar. The man continued speaking as if teasing the surprised me.

“Is it okay for me to be a witness at the Lady’s wedding like this?”

Why are you out there?

I looked at the male lead, Edgar Cridrian, whom I had met before.

“I thought it was impossible when I saw the red hair. Who would have thought that it would be Lady Rose where the daughter is engaged to the rumored Duke of Serenity. It was really rude back then. I never dreamed that I would be so burdened that I would run away holding hands with Duke Serenity's fianceé."

"..."

Edgar pointed to the dress I was wearing.

“Anyway, Young Lady. Instead of preparing for an engagement party, were you actually preparing for a wedding?"

“After all, you shouldn’t trust rumors.”

“...You’re preparing for an engagement ceremony, right?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. “I misunderstood because the dress was flashy.”

I was resentful of myself for choosing the mermaid dress. This dress was the worst outfit for running away. How can I deceive that person and run away this time? 

No, I don't know why Edgar is here in the first place. Since I haven't met the female lead yet.

There is no reason for her to be in the dress corner.

“Edgar.”

As soon as I thought about it, the reason appeared. A girl who looked similar to Taksha's age was walking with Claudia. Her ivory-colored hair reached down to her shoulders. The light purple eyes were staring only at Edgar without wavering even an inch.

“Miss Iris said she wants to wear this dress. What do you think?”

“ It's truly beautiful, Miss Iris.”

Edgar immediately bent down and made eye contact with the girl. Iris put her hands together and spoke calmly.

“This is an undeserved compliment. Mr. Edgar.” 

"No. The only thing I came here for is something else. Why don't you take a look to another dress? Miss Iris.”

“This is really enough for me, Edgar.”

With those words, Iris raised her head from her bowed position. Iris' light purple eyes widened momentarily. Someone standing in front of her is so beautiful.

Other people might have been most impressed by my red hair, but Iris was most impressed by my skin, which was as transparent as the jewels embedded in the hem of my dress. The statues of angels displayed in the temple were also done in the same way. 

Iris was momentarily dazed but quickly composed her expression. Claudia, who was watching, whispered to me.

“Did you know Lord Cridrian?”

I nodded.

“Ah, yes. We’re not close, just met once..."

"Oh, my goodness. Good for you. Lord Credrian is a really nice guy.”

Claudia was truly happy with my answer. Rose is the person who will later become the mistress of the Serenity duchy. Her relationship with the famous Edgar will strengthen her position. It seems like just yesterday that Primrose was complaining that she was worried about her daughter's lack of motivation and will. Rose was also working hard in her own way.

Claudia patted Rose on the shoulder very warmly, just as she did with her grown children.

“I’ll leave the room for a moment, so we can talk comfortably.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Do you really need to stop by me before you go back?”

What does it mean to be okay when I'm not okay?

I looked at Claudia with dumbfounded eyes, but it was already too late. Claudia disappeared into the dressing room.

“Edgar, this person is?"

“Well, that is.”

Edgar, who was still bending his knees, raised his head.

“May I introduce you to Miss Iris?”

"Please."

As expected, the male lead. Despite being abandoned by me at the temple, he is still kind. If it were other nobles, they would have completely ignored me or been angry at me for daring to abandon him.

I recalled Edgar's kindness as depicted in the original work. Edgar's kindness is more noticeable in the latter part of the original than in the beginning. 

Whenever Violet was mentally exhausted, he noticed it like a ghost and hugged her warmly. Readers were also healed by each and every one of his lines, and later he even earned the nickname ‘Quote Maker.’ 

There was a time when I thought it would be nice to have someone like Edgar to comfort me. Of course, it was a very long time ago.

“Young Lady?”

Rose quickly looked at the two. Edgar made Iris stand in front of me.

“Miss Iris, say hello. This is Lady Pale.”

“It’s called Rose Pale. It's an honor to meet you."

"No. It’s an honor to be there.”

“Lady Pale, this is Iris Ornette. This is the child I am sponsoring.”

"Nice to meet you too."

Iris Ornette is a child who was predicted to be a future Saintess in the Temple of Harmonia and is staying at the Cridrian family mansion to hide this fact from the public.

“Miss Iris. Is there really anything else you need?”

Iris glanced down at her shiny ribbon shoes.

"Yes. No. I’ve already chosen all the shoes.”

Iris, Edgar and Violet.

After officially starting a relationship, she naturally takes on the role of daughter. She has a mature personality that is not appropriate for her age and has a unique behavior that brings the two closer together, making readers call her their niece. 

Edgar also loved Iris very much. There was a description of him spending time shopping with Iris in the downtown area and taking her to a festival.

“I automatically imagine Miss Iris standing at the party. At this charity party, everyone will be looking at Iris. I heard there are a lot of young people around Iris’s age coming, what do you think?”

“I don’t care about them.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to stick close to Miss Iris so no one can get close to you.”

One more fact came to my mind when I heard that story. The fact that the author frequently made Iris and Taksha work as a duo. 

In the original, the two became quite close after only meeting each other for a short time and supporting the love between Edgar and Violet. Readers couldn't help but cheer for the pink future of those two children.

They were similar in that they were both mature children and even had people they respected. But now Taksha...

'What happens if you combine something delicious with something delicious?'

'Me! Something more delicious!'

'Answer! Taksha, isn't it amazing that you realized the truth at that age? Serve ham toast with cheese as a reward.'

He was far from being an adult child, and there was still no one who wanted to be like him. As the youngest member of the mansion, he's just having fun every day, being loved by everyone.

Perhaps the fact that there is still no one who wants to be like him played a decisive role in causing the original Taksha to disappear. In the original, Taksha desperately became a dignified and mature person to resemble Violet, who saved him.

“Should we eat some cake on the way?"

"That's Okay. I have to take etiquette classes in the afternoon.”

I looked at the two. 

Edgar, who ordered the silver clerk to deliver it to the mansion, joined hands with Iris.

“I want to study hard and become great like Edgar as soon as possible.”

“That’s an honor.”

They say that a growing child is like pure white drawing paper, and is easily influenced by the surrounding environment. I became serious.

I feel like I ruined a child's life. Taksha's bright future with a female lead.

Even if he stayed in the Pale family's mansion, he wouldn't be able to make a name for himself or become successful.

 A dark aura flowed from Rose.

“Young Lady? Young Lady??"

I'm sorry, Taksha. 

I lifted her weakly.

“We’ll just go now.”

“Yes, please go.”

“Oh, and...”

Edgar smiled so brightly that I couldn't see his eyes.

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