Karina's skin was already flawless and clear, but when Jen applied pearl powder on top, her skin looked even more radiant. She lifted her long, voluminous eyelashes up, and her eyebrows were neatly and calmly groomed along the grain. She lightly applied blush to her cheeks to make them look lively and painted her lips red as if they were covered in roses. She slightly raised the corners of her eyes to give them a sophisticated feel rather than a gentle impression. Her soft, red, and smooth hair was neatly tied up to reveal her long, elegant neckline. She carefully matched her dress and jewelry to make it look luxurious without being excessive and adjusted the intensity.
Karina, reflected in the mirror, looked proud and elegant like a peacock showing off her feathers.
"Oh my goodness, you are so beautiful!"
Jen was excited.
"His Highness the Grand Duke might fall in love with it all over again if he sees it!"
Today's Karina was even more gorgeous and beautiful with a radiant feel.
"Wow..."
Karina also couldn't hide her surprise at seeing her changed appearance. After dressing up like this, her image was completely different from her usual plain and gentle appearance without makeup.
"It suits you so well! I'm so happy that decorating was worth it!"
Karina ended up chuckling at Jen's antics.
"Jen. You're really good at it. You decorated me so well. It's all thanks to you."
"The Grand Duchess is already beautiful. No matter how you dress up, everything will suit you."
Karina didn't mind Jen saying that. Karina picked out a necklace that would suit Jen from the jewelry box on the dresser.
"This is a reward for your hard work."
"Oh! No, Your Highness. I'm fine."
Jen waved her hands in surprise.
"I really like what you decorated for me. Please accept it gladly, as it shows my gratitude."
Karina put the necklace on Jen herself. Jen looked excited but also looked like she was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Jen fiddled with the necklace around her neck with a shy expression.
"Do you like it?"
"Of course. It's something the Grand Duchess gave me, so of course!"
Jen smiled pleasantly her eyes sparkling. Karina felt happy because she liked it.
"Your Highness, I will now inspect your dress one last time!"
As Karina nodded and stood up, Jen smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and adjusted the hem of her skirt. Then, she carefully checked Karina's dress and accessories again to make sure she hadn't missed anything.
Knock knock.
Jeremiah came to pick Karina up at that moment. They had to ride together in a carriage to the palace.
"Come in."
"Are you ready?"
Jeremiah came into the room.
"It's almost done."
Karina turned to Jeremiah and answered.
Jeremiah was wearing a sophisticated design of dark blue fabric today with gold embroidery along the sleeves and edges. The tight-fitting suit suited him very well. Even though he was wearing the suit, his muscular body underneath was not hidden.
His straight forehead was visible through his neatly-tied hair. Below that, his dark eyebrows, clear eyes, high nose, tightly closed lips, and sharp jawline harmoniously combined to create a perfect face. If other noble ladies had seen him, they would have stared at him in amazement, saying that he was so handsome. Of course, Karina only commented with a trembling expression.
'He was handsome.'
That was all Karina felt when she saw him.
"You're almost there. Just wait a moment, I'll just do this."
Karina said in a feminine tone. But Jeremiah didn't have to wait. When Jen saw him coming, she quickly finished the final inspection and gave Karina a thumbs up, saying she was done.
"It's done. Let's go now."
Karina nodded to Jen and approached Jeremiah. However, Jeremiah just stared blankly at her as if he couldn't hear what Karina was saying.
"Your Highness?"
Karina called out to Jeremiah with strength in her voice.
"Ah..."
Jeremiah only then came to his senses and blinked his eyes quickly a couple of times.
'Why are you just staring at me without saying anything?'
One of Karina's eyebrows went up. Then, Jen, who was next to her, intervened.
"Your Highness! The Grand Duchess looks so pretty today. Please say something."
'That's not it!'
Karina gave Jen a look telling her not to do that. Jen smiled as if it was okay. From that expression, it seemed like he could hear her inner thoughts, 'Oh, you're embarrassed.' Jen seemed to want the Grand Duke to quickly tell Karina that she was pretty.
'I guess he's trying so hard because he wants Jeremiah and me to have a better relationship.'
Jen doesn't know that Karina is preparing for a divorce. But from Karina's perspective, her efforts are not at all welcome.
"We don't have much time, so let's go quickly."
Karina urged Jeremiah to leave quickly as if there was no need for that. Jeremiah politely extended his hand to Karina. It meant that he would escort her. Karina stared down at the hand he extended.
'Yeah. Today is the last day. It's not a bad ending.'
Karina gently placed her hand on his palm. Jeremiah then took Karina's hand and escorted her. Karina and Jeremiah boarded the carriage heading to the palace. Even inside the carriage, Jeremiah kept his gaze on Karina with the same expression as before.
'What is it? Is it that strange?'
His gaze bothered her, but Karina decided to ignore it.
'I like the way I look today. It doesn't matter.'
The carriage carrying the two arrived at the palace in no time. There was a set order of entry into the banquet hall, and the higher the rank, the later the order of entry, so they had to wait outside the door for a while.
"Aren't you nervous?"
Jeremiah asked out of the blue.
"What's there to be nervous about?"
'I'm just killing time and then I'll declare divorce and leave, and that's It.'
Karina said the following quietly, without making a sound. Jeremiah, who had been looking at Karina for a moment, quietly opened his mouth.
"It suits you well."
"...?"
Karina looked at Jeremiah with a questioning expression.
"The dress. It really suits you today."
"..."
Karina, slightly embarrassed, looked up at Jeremiah with an expression asking if he was serious.
'When was the last time you looked at me like that?'
Jeremiah had a blank expression on his face that made it hard to read his mind. Since this would be the last time he would attend the banquet with her anyway, she thought she was giving him one last kind word before the divorce.
'I'm surprised by something like this. I feel like such an idiot.'
Karina cleared her throat and repeated his words back to him.
"It suits you too."
And then she turned her head and stared straight ahead. In the meantime, it was their turn to enter.
"Grand Duke Jeremiah Colesberg and Grand Duchess Karina Colesberg are entering!"
The two entered the banquet hall. As it was a banquet where all the nobles of the capital gathered, the interior was extremely large and splendid. The faces of nobles who were considered important in the imperial political scene were seen here and there. The nobles of high rank approached Jeremiah, greeted him, and proposed a conversation.
"Can I be alone for a moment?"
"I don't mind, just go."
Karina replied immediately as if she didn't care at all.
"I'll be back soon."
Jeremiah left his seat. Then, as if the barrier had disappeared, other nobles gathered around Karina.
"Hello, Your Highness."
"Is this your first banquet since getting married?"
"It's so nice to see you after such a long time."
The noble ladies of the capital, with whom she was not particularly close, clung to her like a swarm of ants.
"What about the north? I heard it's not a place where people can live because the weather is cold and the land is barren."
"How have you been adjusting?"
"How frustrating it must be for you to live your whole life in that northern land where there is nothing."
Why is it that she can't even open her mouth in front of Jeremiah, but she talks so much in front of me?
While thinking about this, Karina smiled brightly and responded to their words.
"The North is also a place where people live. Of course, the environment is very different from the capital."
Karina just said that, but they took it a step further and said it recklessly.
"Oh, that's right. Well, what else would you need when you have such a handsome husband by your side?"
"That's right. How does it feel to live with the most handsome man in the empire?"
"What can I say? Of course, it would be nice. I would spend every day feasting my eyes on it."
The noble ladies chatted among themselves and laughed heartily as if they were having fun.
"..."
Karina smiled crookedly, one corner of her mouth raised.
'What's the use of pleasing the eyes? Even if a person I hate is handsome, what's the use of that?'
Jeremiah was objectively very handsome. Not only the noble ladies, but even the noble ladies with husbands were busy stealing glances at Jeremiah whenever he appeared.
When the topic of handsome men blossomed in social circles, Jeremiah's name was never left out. His appearance was so dazzling that rumors about Jeremiah spread even beyond the empire to other countries. It was said that Jeremiah's impeccable swordsmanship skills were undervalued because of his appearance. However, that was a story that had absolutely no effect on Karina.
'Heard things like this will end today.'
Divorce was imminent. Karina knew without even looking at the expressions on their faces and what they would say later on, the people who were pretending to be friendly and laughing and talking like this in front of her. She didn't need to pay attention, but today was an important day. She could listen to this much with a smile.
"Is there anyone in the Empire who can compare to His Highness the Grand Duke in beauty?"
Before they knew it, the topic of their conversation had changed to the handsome men of the empire.
"I heard that there is an incredibly handsome man on the other side of the sea at Magic Tower. He is said to be the beloved disciple of the lord of the magic tower. I heard that he looks like an angel descended from the moon."
"Hey, if you're talking about an angel, you're obviously talking about His Highness the Crown Prince. They say he resembles His Majesty the Emperor when he was younger."
"That's right. I heard that when His Majesty the Emperor was young, he made women cry a lot."
"Not only did he inherit her looks, but he also has Her Majesty the Empress's blue eyes, so that says it all."
Karina listened to their conversation with a blank expression.
"Oh my, the Crown Prince is over there!"
When the Crown Prince was seen talking to a group of nobles from afar, an uproar broke out among the young ladies who had discovered him.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is truly noble today."
"Look at that brilliant blond hair. Doesn't it look like it's made of gold?"
"And his eyes were as vivid a blue as the ocean. He was truly dazzlingly handsome."
Karina absentmindedly turned her gaze to where the Crown Prince was. Indeed, the Crown Prince's appearance was so extraordinary that he was on their lips and compared to Jeremiah. A man with blond hair that sparkled in the light, white skin, distinct features, and deep blue eyes that could be mistaken for black at first glance was standing gracefully.
The Crown Prince looked in this direction, perhaps sensing the hot gazes of the young ladies.
'...!'
Karina felt like her eyes met his for a moment.
'...I must be mistaken?'
Karina denied it, saying that it couldn't be true, but the Crown Prince turned around and started walking towards her.
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