Episode 15. The Beautiful Royal Guest
“If it weren’t for Your Majesty, I would have had to raise my voice for a long time. Thank you.”
"Don't say that, Margot. I was just as sick and tired of it as I could be. This is the first time he's treated a guest so mercilessly."
Beatrix, with a look of genuine weariness on her face, boarded the waiting carriage first. Margot followed suit, and the palace carriage gently pulled away.
As the weather grew quite chilly, the Queen wrapped herself in a shawl, and Margot closed the open window. The Queen gazed absentmindedly at the familiar palace scenery passing by, then turned her gaze to Margot.
"Miss Liberty is nineteen this year. Even if she had entered Harlington at that age, she would have been considered a genius, yet she graduated. Honestly, I've never seen the King so pleased."
Margot smiled and nodded.
“That’s great. And besides, that girl is strong.”
Olivia was impressed that Margot, who rarely showed kindness to others, had followed her here, leaving behind all the hassle.
The Queen hesitated for a long time before bringing up the topic she had been pondering for several days.
“What if we asked Miss Liberty to be Lucy’s tutor?”
“...”
Margot simply stared at the Queen. The clatter of horses' hooves filled the air between them.
As the carriage entered the main fountain garden of the VIP palace, the Queen nodded bitterly.
“Well... She's too beautiful for that.”
At a banquet she wasn't present at, the prodigal son was said to have been rude to Olivia in front of everyone. No daughter of a lower-ranking noble would have been cornered like that.
Olivia, a commoner without a family, is likely to become beautiful prey.
“Besides, Herod was very closed off.”
At Margot's cynical addition, Herod's Queen could only sigh softly and not refute it.
Isn't it a place where even a Princess can't go to school without her father's permission?
"Pretend I didn't hear that, Margot. But when you get back, tell me some news from time to time. I'll be curious."
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The carriage slowly came to a halt. Beatrix's worried expression brightened, and she spoke cheerfully.
“I see it's arrived. I hope she likes the dress.”
To be honest, Margot didn't want to dress Olivia up for this party either, but she couldn't bring herself to show it.
Even if she was a rebel to the royal family, she could not interfere with the Queen's gift.
The time in Herod was one of surprise and bewilderment.
Suddenly, news came that the event had been canceled, and an elegant middle-aged woman with her hair up came to see Olivia.
"Hello, Miss Liberty. It's nice to meet you. I'd love to have a long and friendly greeting since I've met such a famous person, but I can't. Now, first, take off your clothes."
"... Yes?"
You came here all of a sudden and asked me to take off my clothes?
She led Olivia, who was asking in confusion, with great spirit, and slowly took off Olivia's shirt and skirt.
“Huh? Why are you doing this?! Just a moment!”
"This can't be just a moment, miss. I've been doing this for almost 30 years, and this is the first time I've ever done a same-day fitting. Please take your hands off your shirt."
“Who the hell are you?! You have to explain!”
When Olivia firmly shook her hand away and straightened her face, she sighed deeply, placed her hands on her hips, and said.
"I'm Jane Ambrose from Ambrose Atelier. It's nice to meet you. To do a dress fitting, you first need to take off your clothes. Then, you can try it on."
Jane Ambrose constantly reassured Olivia, saying, "There are only women here, and what's on your body depends on me, too." They were running out of time to make it to the banquet today.
“A dress?”
Jane pointed to the dress lying on one side and unbuttoned Olivia's shirt.
Olivia was startled and began to unbutton her own shirt, carefully taking off her skirt.
"The dress Her Majesty ordered should have been fitted by yesterday at the latest. It's still too late."
“I thought I was just going to wear a shirt and a skirt?”
At those words, Jane glanced at the shirt and skirt hanging carelessly on the sofa, then widened her eyes as if she had heard something ridiculous.
"Is that right, since I'm a royal guest? Yes, let's put this on first."
Jane spoke so quickly that Olivia forgot the embarrassment of being naked in front of others.
But the problem was what came next.
She put on the light cream colored corset as instructed.
"Yes, miss. Feel like you're stacking each vertebra and fixing them together, like you're folding your ribs in."
"Yes??"
“Now, bear with it!”
Olivia had no choice but to submit to this absurd spell, and Jane Ambrose pulled hard at the corset laces.
"Gasp...!!"
Grandma Susanna had also worn a corset, but Olivia, who had always been in school, had never worn one. The unexpected pressure on her waist and chest made her widen her eyes in surprise.
“Hey, do I really have to wear this?”
“Of course? All the women in Herod’s house wear corsets.”
Olivia was left speechless by the seemingly obvious question.
"The dress Her Majesty is gifting you today is the work of our Ambrose Atelier's chief designer, a creation even the most prominent ladies of Harrington's family cannot find. Look at the beautiful pearl and beadwork. Doesn't it resemble the sparkle of the night sea reflecting the Milky Way?"
Olivia nodded with a pale face, then said, unable to bear it any longer.
“Please loosen it up a little. I can’t breathe.”
Only then did Jane realize that her condition was serious and quickly approached Olivia.
“Oh, my. Have you never worn a corset before?”
“Yes, it’s my first time.”
"I see. I'll loosen it up a bit for now. But I can't take it off completely."
If she does that, it will end up looking like she's refusing the Queen's gift.
Jane untied the knot and relaxed the tension, and breathing became much easier. It was still uncomfortable, though.
“It can’t get any looser than this.”
“I’ll try to endure it.”
As Olivia nodded, Jane gestured to the staff who had come with her. They quickly put the dress on Olivia.
The pale blue dress was cut square from the collarbone to the chest, like the dresses of Herod's noblewomen, and the waist was tied with a darker blue silk ribbon.
The skirt, which was made of several layers of transparent, thin silk and flowed in a rich manner, was delicately studded with pearls and beads, sparkling.
“Please stay still, or you might get pricked by a needle.”
As Jane spoke, holding the pin, Olivia's eyes widened, and she regained her composure. They say every life has its challenges, and it seems even a lady's life isn't all that easy.
“...Yes, it’s done.”
After a moment, Jane took a step back, surveying the overall scene. Then, Olivia's figure came into view.
"Oh..."
This beautiful dress suited her so well that one would believe the designer had created it with Olivia as her muse.
Although she hadn't yet applied makeup or hair, her voluminous black hair and white skin harmonized exquisitely with the sky blue dress, making it impossible to take one's eyes off her.
“It really suits you!”
When Jane exclaimed in admiration, the staff nodded without exception.
However, Olivia's expression as she looked in the mirror was not very bright.
“What’s wrong? Are you still uncomfortable?”
“No... more like that.”
“Please speak.”
Olivia took a deep breath and carefully pointed with her hand at the white front of her chest, visible outside her dress, which rose and fell with each exhale.
“Isn’t it too much revealing?”
Olivia seemed to be very concerned about the exposed whiteness of her chest, but Jane didn't seem to mind. She pointed not only to her own clothes but also to those of the staff she had brought with her, and spoke with a certain air of concern.
"That's because it's a Herodian-style dress. They're all like that. The trend of turning up the collar ended half a century ago. These days, even older women prefer this style. It makes their necks look longer, doesn't it?"
Only then did Olivia blink and examine their clothes. Now that she realized it, their clothes were the same. She just hadn't noticed it until then.
“And now I can’t change the line. It’s just beautiful, isn’t it?”
Just then, a maid announced the arrival of the Queen and Princess Marguerite. Jane and the staff quickly retreated. Olivia stood facing the door, her hands clasped together.
As the door opened, the gentle expressions of the Queen and Margot appeared, accompanied by the sound of a light rustling of clothing. As soon as they entered the room, their eyes, as bright as lanterns, stared at Olivia.
"Oh my god!"
“Oh my, Olivia!”
Not only the Queen, but even Margot exclaimed in admiration. Her thoughts of dressing her in the clothes she brought vanished in an instant, replaced by the thought, "Yes, our Olivia should try some pretty clothes too!"
Olivia glanced down at her dress, awestruck by the Queen and Margot's pure admiration. She was still concerned about the whiteness of her neck, and the constricting corset was uncomfortable, but she didn't dislike the beautiful dress she was wearing for the first time.
She glanced at the mirror and saw a woman who seemed like a noblewoman, a stranger even to her.
The Queen approached Olivia and looked at her with a nonchalant look in her eyes.
"I've always wondered why women with daughters frequent boutiques together, but now I understand. When Lucy grows up, I'll be like her too. Miss Liberty, do you like it?"
“This is the first time I’ve worn such a beautiful dress. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Olivia bowed and carefully expressed her thanks.
Her flushed cheeks and pale pink lips were so lovely.
"I thought blue would suit me well, and indeed it does. You all worked hard. I'm very satisfied."
Jane and her staff bowed their heads at the Queen's praise. The Queen looked at Olivia again and spoke affectionately.
"Thank you for your understanding of Lucy's mistake the other day. This dress is a gift to commemorate your visit to Herod and as an apology. The banquet will begin around sunset. Enjoy your last night to the fullest."
Olivia bowed her head cautiously in response to the warm welcome. A tickling sensation in her chest made her wiggle her fingers.
"The world is inherently unfair. Accept it, but don't conform."
As her grandmother said, the world is unfair, and there are countless things you must endure. Discrimination permeates your daily lives, as natural as breathing, yet it always pierces you deeply.
“If it weren’t for Your Majesty, I would have had to raise my voice for a long time. Thank you.”
"Don't say that, Margot. I was just as sick and tired of it as I could be. This is the first time he's treated a guest so mercilessly."
Beatrix, with a look of genuine weariness on her face, boarded the waiting carriage first. Margot followed suit, and the palace carriage gently pulled away.
As the weather grew quite chilly, the Queen wrapped herself in a shawl, and Margot closed the open window. The Queen gazed absentmindedly at the familiar palace scenery passing by, then turned her gaze to Margot.
"Miss Liberty is nineteen this year. Even if she had entered Harlington at that age, she would have been considered a genius, yet she graduated. Honestly, I've never seen the King so pleased."
Margot smiled and nodded.
“That’s great. And besides, that girl is strong.”
Olivia was impressed that Margot, who rarely showed kindness to others, had followed her here, leaving behind all the hassle.
The Queen hesitated for a long time before bringing up the topic she had been pondering for several days.
“What if we asked Miss Liberty to be Lucy’s tutor?”
“...”
Margot simply stared at the Queen. The clatter of horses' hooves filled the air between them.
As the carriage entered the main fountain garden of the VIP palace, the Queen nodded bitterly.
“Well... She's too beautiful for that.”
At a banquet she wasn't present at, the prodigal son was said to have been rude to Olivia in front of everyone. No daughter of a lower-ranking noble would have been cornered like that.
Olivia, a commoner without a family, is likely to become beautiful prey.
“Besides, Herod was very closed off.”
At Margot's cynical addition, Herod's Queen could only sigh softly and not refute it.
Isn't it a place where even a Princess can't go to school without her father's permission?
"Pretend I didn't hear that, Margot. But when you get back, tell me some news from time to time. I'll be curious."
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The carriage slowly came to a halt. Beatrix's worried expression brightened, and she spoke cheerfully.
“I see it's arrived. I hope she likes the dress.”
To be honest, Margot didn't want to dress Olivia up for this party either, but she couldn't bring herself to show it.
Even if she was a rebel to the royal family, she could not interfere with the Queen's gift.
The time in Herod was one of surprise and bewilderment.
Suddenly, news came that the event had been canceled, and an elegant middle-aged woman with her hair up came to see Olivia.
"Hello, Miss Liberty. It's nice to meet you. I'd love to have a long and friendly greeting since I've met such a famous person, but I can't. Now, first, take off your clothes."
"... Yes?"
You came here all of a sudden and asked me to take off my clothes?
She led Olivia, who was asking in confusion, with great spirit, and slowly took off Olivia's shirt and skirt.
“Huh? Why are you doing this?! Just a moment!”
"This can't be just a moment, miss. I've been doing this for almost 30 years, and this is the first time I've ever done a same-day fitting. Please take your hands off your shirt."
“Who the hell are you?! You have to explain!”
When Olivia firmly shook her hand away and straightened her face, she sighed deeply, placed her hands on her hips, and said.
"I'm Jane Ambrose from Ambrose Atelier. It's nice to meet you. To do a dress fitting, you first need to take off your clothes. Then, you can try it on."
Jane Ambrose constantly reassured Olivia, saying, "There are only women here, and what's on your body depends on me, too." They were running out of time to make it to the banquet today.
“A dress?”
Jane pointed to the dress lying on one side and unbuttoned Olivia's shirt.
Olivia was startled and began to unbutton her own shirt, carefully taking off her skirt.
"The dress Her Majesty ordered should have been fitted by yesterday at the latest. It's still too late."
“I thought I was just going to wear a shirt and a skirt?”
At those words, Jane glanced at the shirt and skirt hanging carelessly on the sofa, then widened her eyes as if she had heard something ridiculous.
"Is that right, since I'm a royal guest? Yes, let's put this on first."
Jane spoke so quickly that Olivia forgot the embarrassment of being naked in front of others.
But the problem was what came next.
She put on the light cream colored corset as instructed.
"Yes, miss. Feel like you're stacking each vertebra and fixing them together, like you're folding your ribs in."
"Yes??"
“Now, bear with it!”
Olivia had no choice but to submit to this absurd spell, and Jane Ambrose pulled hard at the corset laces.
"Gasp...!!"
Grandma Susanna had also worn a corset, but Olivia, who had always been in school, had never worn one. The unexpected pressure on her waist and chest made her widen her eyes in surprise.
“Hey, do I really have to wear this?”
“Of course? All the women in Herod’s house wear corsets.”
Olivia was left speechless by the seemingly obvious question.
"The dress Her Majesty is gifting you today is the work of our Ambrose Atelier's chief designer, a creation even the most prominent ladies of Harrington's family cannot find. Look at the beautiful pearl and beadwork. Doesn't it resemble the sparkle of the night sea reflecting the Milky Way?"
Olivia nodded with a pale face, then said, unable to bear it any longer.
“Please loosen it up a little. I can’t breathe.”
Only then did Jane realize that her condition was serious and quickly approached Olivia.
“Oh, my. Have you never worn a corset before?”
“Yes, it’s my first time.”
"I see. I'll loosen it up a bit for now. But I can't take it off completely."
If she does that, it will end up looking like she's refusing the Queen's gift.
Jane untied the knot and relaxed the tension, and breathing became much easier. It was still uncomfortable, though.
“It can’t get any looser than this.”
“I’ll try to endure it.”
As Olivia nodded, Jane gestured to the staff who had come with her. They quickly put the dress on Olivia.
The pale blue dress was cut square from the collarbone to the chest, like the dresses of Herod's noblewomen, and the waist was tied with a darker blue silk ribbon.
The skirt, which was made of several layers of transparent, thin silk and flowed in a rich manner, was delicately studded with pearls and beads, sparkling.
“Please stay still, or you might get pricked by a needle.”
As Jane spoke, holding the pin, Olivia's eyes widened, and she regained her composure. They say every life has its challenges, and it seems even a lady's life isn't all that easy.
“...Yes, it’s done.”
After a moment, Jane took a step back, surveying the overall scene. Then, Olivia's figure came into view.
"Oh..."
This beautiful dress suited her so well that one would believe the designer had created it with Olivia as her muse.
Although she hadn't yet applied makeup or hair, her voluminous black hair and white skin harmonized exquisitely with the sky blue dress, making it impossible to take one's eyes off her.
“It really suits you!”
When Jane exclaimed in admiration, the staff nodded without exception.
However, Olivia's expression as she looked in the mirror was not very bright.
“What’s wrong? Are you still uncomfortable?”
“No... more like that.”
“Please speak.”
Olivia took a deep breath and carefully pointed with her hand at the white front of her chest, visible outside her dress, which rose and fell with each exhale.
“Isn’t it too much revealing?”
Olivia seemed to be very concerned about the exposed whiteness of her chest, but Jane didn't seem to mind. She pointed not only to her own clothes but also to those of the staff she had brought with her, and spoke with a certain air of concern.
"That's because it's a Herodian-style dress. They're all like that. The trend of turning up the collar ended half a century ago. These days, even older women prefer this style. It makes their necks look longer, doesn't it?"
Only then did Olivia blink and examine their clothes. Now that she realized it, their clothes were the same. She just hadn't noticed it until then.
“And now I can’t change the line. It’s just beautiful, isn’t it?”
Just then, a maid announced the arrival of the Queen and Princess Marguerite. Jane and the staff quickly retreated. Olivia stood facing the door, her hands clasped together.
As the door opened, the gentle expressions of the Queen and Margot appeared, accompanied by the sound of a light rustling of clothing. As soon as they entered the room, their eyes, as bright as lanterns, stared at Olivia.
"Oh my god!"
“Oh my, Olivia!”
Not only the Queen, but even Margot exclaimed in admiration. Her thoughts of dressing her in the clothes she brought vanished in an instant, replaced by the thought, "Yes, our Olivia should try some pretty clothes too!"
Olivia glanced down at her dress, awestruck by the Queen and Margot's pure admiration. She was still concerned about the whiteness of her neck, and the constricting corset was uncomfortable, but she didn't dislike the beautiful dress she was wearing for the first time.
She glanced at the mirror and saw a woman who seemed like a noblewoman, a stranger even to her.
The Queen approached Olivia and looked at her with a nonchalant look in her eyes.
"I've always wondered why women with daughters frequent boutiques together, but now I understand. When Lucy grows up, I'll be like her too. Miss Liberty, do you like it?"
“This is the first time I’ve worn such a beautiful dress. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Olivia bowed and carefully expressed her thanks.
Her flushed cheeks and pale pink lips were so lovely.
"I thought blue would suit me well, and indeed it does. You all worked hard. I'm very satisfied."
Jane and her staff bowed their heads at the Queen's praise. The Queen looked at Olivia again and spoke affectionately.
"Thank you for your understanding of Lucy's mistake the other day. This dress is a gift to commemorate your visit to Herod and as an apology. The banquet will begin around sunset. Enjoy your last night to the fullest."
Olivia bowed her head cautiously in response to the warm welcome. A tickling sensation in her chest made her wiggle her fingers.
"The world is inherently unfair. Accept it, but don't conform."
As her grandmother said, the world is unfair, and there are countless things you must endure. Discrimination permeates your daily lives, as natural as breathing, yet it always pierces you deeply.
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