DYBAR - Chapter 79 < The Start Of The Summer Banquet >
Do Your Best And Regret
Everything was perfect. Why is this thread anklet a problem now?
I looked down at my palms with an embarrassed look on my face. I also shared the joy of my reunion with some familiar faces, and I even had a delicious dinner at the Vikander mansion in Jedo.
So right before I went to bed, I thought, this would be the best time to give Edwin a gift. I even packaged it in a pretty velvet box to make it an obvious gift.
After Hannah left with a big smile on her face as if asking Edwin to just leave it to her, I opened the box just in case and let out a sigh of disappointment. The seams of the thread anklet in my hand were loose and broken.
Knock knock.
When there was a knock on the door, I answered in my confusion. And I missed it. He is the only one coming in now.
"I heard you have a gift for me?"
It was only Edwin. Seeing Edwin's excited face, I reflexively hid my hands behind my waist.
The corners of Edwin's eyes were slightly bent as I clearly seemed to be hiding something. The sparkling red eyes studied me for a moment. Hands conspicuously hidden behind my waist. A troubled face. It seemed like a small problem had arisen, but Edwin pretended not to notice and looked expectant. Because he already knew what the gift was.
"Oh, that's..."
I made a mistake. I guess I'll just call it an invitation. It seemed like I said I had a gift for no reason. I said without realizing it.
"There was a gift,"
"There was...?"
"No, it's okay. Haha."
I was the only one smiling in the quiet room. Edwin's eyes widened at me and then, he lowered his head in dejection. Feeling sorry for him like that, I secretly held out my hand, which had been hidden behind without my knowledge.
"Actually, I do have a gift for you. Because a small problem arose."
His eyes continued to examine me patiently. I opened my palm, which I had carefully grasped. And I watched Edwin's reaction half anxiously and half expectantly.
"How is it?"
"It's such a pretty thread anklet."
It was a voice as sweet as melting spring snow. While the tension was dissipating, Edwin made eye contact and asked.
"Is this the same as Olivia?"
"Just the colors are different, everything else is the same."
This was a black and red thread anklet that I made on purpose for Edwin.
"It's very nicely made. Well, I've heard that you're good with your hands."
I felt a little flattered by the continued admiration and praise. My eyes narrowed as I looked at that figure as if peeking through my gap. I said with regret in mind.
"I need some repairs. As soon as I return to Vikander Territory, I will fix it and gift it to you again."
"What if I don't like it?"
The slow voice was very seductive. While I flinched at the soft approach of his voice, the top of my palm became empty. Edwin took the thread anklet from me in the blink of an eye and looked at the item in his hand as if he were happy.
"Thank you, Olivia. I will definitely wear it. With this, the number of matches we got right has increased to two."
Edwin smiled innocently and raised his left hand. A sparkling red jeweled ring flashed before my eyes, and then Edwin was bent over on the sofa. I hurriedly said as I saw the man trying to put my broken anklet on his ankle.
"I can't kick it now? Give it to me."
"Once Vikander receives something, it will never be taken away. Never, Olivia."
Edwin smiled sweetly and stood up, raising his hand. There was already a difference in height between him and me that I couldn't reach, but when I raised my hand, I was no match for him. I, who was eagerly looking at his thread anklet, pouted my lips.
"... I can't kick it now anyway. Edwin. The seams are broken."
"I can't believe this pretty green seam is broken."
Pretty green. Even as his fingers touched the seam, Edwin's gaze looked into my eyes. His slow-moving hands gave off a strange atmosphere. My cheeks flushed slightly. As if enjoying my reaction, Edwin asked, raising the corners of his elegant mouth.
"So, does that mean I can use it right away just by replacing the joints?"
"That's true, but.."
I barely finished answering. As soon as I could answer, Edwin tugged on the string on her bed. Soon, Sobel came into the room with a knock.
"Sobel."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Find a seam like this. Right now."
Right now?
My eyes widened. But Sobel responded with a look on his face that said it didn't matter to him.
"Yes."
If I had known this would happen, I would have brought a spare seam.
Baskets brought by the basting maids were laid out on the table. Edwin looked at the joints in the basket with a serious face. The maids continued to take out the seams with suppressed laughter.
"As you said, we took out all the green seams, even the seams used to repair our maids' clothes."
Naturally, there were no seams that could be used for thread anklets. When it came to accessories and trinkets, there was no way Edwin's mansion, which only used jewels offered by Baron Stone, had a place to repair other accessories, especially anklets.
"I'll go out and buy it right now."
"At this time?"
I asked back, looking outside. It was time for all the stores to close, but Sobel nodded his head without wavering.
"If I contact them now, I can purchase and return within an hour and a half at most"
"Wouldn't this be okay? Olivia?"
It was then. Edwin lifted something from one side of the mending basket. At the same time, there was a clear sound of metal balls hitting.
"Beads?"
"To be exact, it's a pretty green bead."
Edwin laughed and shook the marble. As a small jingling sound spread, everyone looked at Edwin, unable to hide their bewilderment. The Grand Duke is a cold-blooded killer and cruel war hero. They can't believe he's wearing a string anklet that makes a cute jingling sound to a summer banquet.
The employees looked at the Young Lady in unison. The Young Lady seemed to have clearly conveyed the meaning of absolutely no, as she spoke in a euphemistic way.
"Shall we contact the store?"
"I like this. Olivia, doesn't this sound cute?"
Edwin shook the bell again. His eyes lowered as if it was too much, and soon I was a little taken aback by Edwin's words. Now that I think about it, he seemed cute. Edwin shook the bell.
"It's cute, though. Isn't it too loud?"
Sobel, Hannah, and the maids, who had been anxiously waiting for the Young Lady's answer, swallowed their astonishment. The only person who could stop His Highness the Grand Duke from falling so easily...!
However, Edwin presented a simple solution as if it was no big deal.
"You could add a little beeswax to make the sound quieter."
The Grand Duke's gaze turned to Sobel as if to say, 'Isn't that so?'
With that sincerity, I felt like I wanted to say that a better solution would be to open a closed store and then buy the joints.
"I'll melt the wax right away."
As always, Sobel moved competently. Already the fifth time.
I, who was repairing the seam of a threaded anklet, repeated the repair in vain. Perhaps because of the wax, the sound of the bell became much quieter, but in a quiet room, the sound was unusually loud. Even when I first made it, I didn't panic like this.
This was all because of the gaze looking at me from the other side. Even if I tried not to be conscious of it, it was difficult to pretend not to notice those eyes that were as kind and sweet as the spring sunlight. I bit my lip and stared at her thread anklets.
"Are you still doing it?"
"Yes?"
I raised my head at the sudden question. When I saw Edwin's mischievously smiling face, I felt as if I had seen through his true intentions. Did he see what I kept glancing at?
Trying to hide my blushing face, I hastily answered.
"No, I'm conscious of it?"
"Consciousness?"
Aha. A languid laugh continued as if tickling my ears.
"I meant to say that you were fixing anklets."
Oh my God. My face became extremely red. Edwin felt an uncontrollable urge as he looked at the girl's face, which was redder than a rose.
Come right now and look at that face...
"Miss. If it's okay with you, can I tell you in advance about tomorrow's schedule?"
A calm voice broke into this atmosphere, like pouring cold water on it. Edwin looked at Sobel with sharp eyes. I shook my head quickly and nodded. I wanted to avoid Edwin's giggling face more than I wanted to be embarrassed by Sobel.
I tilted my head, hoping to listen to whatever he had to say.
"What are my plans for tomorrow?"
"Yes. After breakfast in the morning, we will come to see the Lady at the hair boutique. After lunch, we will go to the tailor to check the fitting of the dress, and in the afternoon, we will also have your makeup checked. Are you okay?"
"I already brought all the dresses to wear for the summer banquet. I even decided on makeup and hair."
To my expression of uncertainty, Sobel answered seriously.
"Bethenny wrote five times, 'Do it perfectly."
I burst out laughing. I thought of Bethany, who had been showing her affectionate concern all the way from Vikander.
"It's okay. I've got everything."
"It's not possible, Miss. If there is even one bit of inconvenience in your appearance, Bethany will come and kill me."
"No way."
"I'm serious."
My tension eased as she heard Sobel's words. As a result, I was able to replace the seams on my thread anklet without any wasted work.
"It's a gift, Edwin."
Edwin smiled brightly as he picked up the string anklet with a jingling green bell.
"Thank you, Olivia. "LI will wear it for the rest of my life."
"Then, I'll go back to Vikander Territory and make you another one without the bell."
It's not even a big gift. I actually became happier with Edwin's reaction. Edwin seemed to have liked what I said and then smiled as he rolled his eyes at me.
"Sleep well, Olivia. You're going to be very busy starting tomorrow."
Late at night, the Grand Duke's drawing room.
"Rumors are spreading in social circles that the Young Lady has received Vikander's oath. They have confirmed that it has not yet spread to the imperial palace. In addition, rumors about the Princess's' visit to Viscount Katanta's residence are accelerating."
It seemed that Jade Madeleine, who had returned to the capital, had spread the rumor properly. Winster finished his report recalling Jade's face.
The Grand Duke, who had been listening to the report with a drowsy face, nodded.
"Have you finished confirming 'that' that Lord Drowyn was talking about?"
The same spark that Brock Drawin spoke of.
"You are now completely Vikander's person! As expected, His Majesty the Grand Duke won! Such a perfect blessing,"
The reason why Grand Duke Vikander proposed to the eldest Princess Madeleine was revenge on the previous Grand Duchess. Nonsense story. Winster nodded slightly.
"I confirmed this based on rumors that were briefly floating around in areas where there was strong antipathy towards the imperial family."
"A spark shouldn't become a wildfire. You know, right?"
At those words, not only Winster but also everyone in the living room nodded with serious faces. Only one person, Sobel, tilted his head for a moment with a puzzled look on his face.
'No, the Lady is Liv Green. What a ridiculous rumor. Surely you don't know each other yet?'
Meanwhile, the Grand Duke stood up. Every time the tall, sturdy body took a graceful step, a very small jingling sound was heard.
***
The garden of the Empress's palace. bathed in summer sunlight.
"As expected, it was a good thing I asked my mother for wisdom. I told my mother, and my tea parties became as peaceful as ever again."
The Princess smiled elegantly and told a story about the last tea party. The story was that Ethella Madeleine did not come, and Maria Ethel apologized to her and expressed her intention to prepare the best banquet.
The Princess looked triumphant for the first time in a while. She looked completely different from the last time she came to the Empress and was so angry that she comforted her and sent her away.
The Empress's eyes widened beautifully as she looked at the Princess.
"What do you think about making Lady Ethel the Crown Princess? Your Majesty."
A few days ago, she remembered what her brother, the Duke of Elkin, said.
Since it wasn't a bad match, the Empress said she would keep an eye on it. No matter what she did, she was in a position to pick a card.
It was the day before the summer banquet. Everything was going smoothly.
***
And the first day of the summer banquet. An elegant melody flowed through the gorgeous banquet hall. It was full of eye-catching beautiful sculptures and mysterious decorations reminiscent of a fairyland, but the nobles looked unimpressed.
It was worth it. That's because it was the same as the 'Fairy Night' concept that Olivia presented the year before last. Leopard gritted his teeth. All they're doing is rehashing the previous banquet. There can be no more disgrace like this.
The Princess who first entered her banquet hall could not hold back her anger and immediately went out to the terrace. She could clearly see her bright red face looking at Leopold. It was clear that as soon as the banquet was over, she would come running and argue.
Maria seemed to have noticed the strength in the hand that was holding her arm as if he was escorting her and smiled coquettishly.
"Leopold, smile. It's a banquet."
It was a charming gesture that seemed to melt the hearts of many men, but Leopold's frown did not ease. Leopold swallowed his sigh and his gaze sank coldly.
Anyone who was astute could notice that the noble sea-colored gaze was constantly looking towards the door of the banquet hall.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the banquet hall.
"This is similar to before."
"Well, isn't that where all the summer banquets are held?"
"But Her Royal Highness always showed us new banquets."
"What's important today is the concept of the banquet, isn't it?"
A secret voice rose above the regretful muttering. At the same time, the nobles looked into each other's eyes and smiled.
Rumors spread throughout the archipelago that Grand Duke Vikander and Princess Madeleine would attend the Princess's' summer banquet. The story spread that someone had asked Conrad Madeleine whether 'Princess Madeleine was attending' and was harshly criticized.
However, it was not enough to stop the nobles' interest in the two people. In the distance, the Prince and Maria Ethel, dressed in gold like their partners, had an ominous atmosphere. On the other side, Duke Madeleine and Conrad Madeleine were also in a bad mood.
The nobles quickly began to read this new atmosphere. The Emperor and Empress had not yet entered, and everyone was desperately waiting for the door to open and the Grand Duke and Princess Madeleine to enter.
The servant standing at the door was caught moving busily.
"His Royal Highness Grand Duke Edwin Lowell Vikander, war hero, and Olivia Madel, no, Miss Olivia, are entering!"
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