Episode 99. The Princess Appeared at the Department Store!
“I’d like to wear this to the warship construction ceremony tomorrow. Could you help me take it off?”
As Olivia walked over to the screen, Jane quickly followed her.
The Princess had become surprisingly elegant since she last saw her. Jane carefully removed the dress while stealing a glance of admiration at the Princess's graceful movements.
But suddenly, the Princess flinched. Her fair and elegant face looked somewhat uncomfortable.
“Your Highness, please let me know if there is anything uncomfortable, even now. I will correct it immediately.”
“Ah... no. It’s fine.”
The Princess, who had been frozen for a moment and gasping for breath, shook her head slightly and changed into a different dress.
Jane blinked, then quickly served and whispered.
“You still look uncomfortable... Are you perhaps in pain?”
Jane gently placed her hand on the Princess's shoulder while pretending to put on the dress. However, she was unsure whether she had a fever.
Olivia inhaled and slowly exhaled. As she was undressing, a shockingly intense pain pierced her chest and vanished. She had experienced pain once a few days ago, but this was even more powerful than before.
Even as she changed her dress, all her attention was focused on her chest. However, perhaps because it was a one-off, the pain did not strike again.
Of course, breathing was still difficult, and the tightness in her chest remained the same. However, since these symptoms had persisted the entire time she was wearing the corset, she could not tell whether they were medical conditions or not.
'What?'
Olivia bit her lip and straightened her back. As Jane finished dressing her by tying a ribbon around her waist, Olivia shook off her thoughts and stepped out from behind the screen.
“Then, Your Highness. I will prepare the clothes and accessories for you to wear tomorrow.”
"That's right. You worked hard."
As Jane and the assistants left, Mrs. Timberline, who still wore a displeased expression, let out a short sigh.
Mrs. Timberline's eyes circled around Olivia.
It was truly not easy to win over the Princess, whom she had thought would be an easy target. She had boasted that the Princess would entrust her with the repairs to the Prince's mansion, but not only did that fall through, but she also couldn't even get rid of the head maid, who had no background.
So, in the end, she had no choice but to resort to that tactic. To be honest, she had wanted to do it for quite some time. At the very least, she wanted to take the Princess to meet the noble ladies by last week and bring that sky-high arrogance to its knees.
She never imagined it would take this long to gather the ladies together.
Whenever she set a date, that person would say they couldn't do it, and whenever she set another date, this person would insist they couldn't do it, making a fuss.
“Why are you excluding me?! Let me join in! Seriously, weekends are a hassle for me.”
“Of course I can. Oh, by the way, I can't make it this Friday. My son and his wife are visiting.”
As everyone who desperately wanted to see the Princess up close kept making requests, the date was eventually postponed until the day before the warship construction ceremony.
Mrs. Timberlin glanced at her watch and cleared her throat.
“Your Highness, I mean the Marchioness de Letium’s salon I mentioned the other day.”
As she began to speak, not only Olivia but also Mrs. Betty, who was standing nearby, turned their heads.
"When I conveyed that I hoped Your Highness would attend, she was delighted, saying it was a great honor."
"I am very grateful that you said that."
"I am looking to schedule a day sometime next week; I wanted to ask what you think."
Olivia nodded, feeling her heart pounding.
"I like it."
“I previously mentioned that it is customary to bring a small gift when attending small-scale salons, but it seems you won’t have time to prepare one other than today, as you will be attending a warship construction event for the next few days, starting tomorrow.”
"Then, how about preparing for today? There is still quite a bit of time left."
When Olivia asked, Mrs. Timberlin gave a bright smile as if she had been waiting for it.
“Shall we? Then why don’t we just head out like this? Since we’re out anyway, why don’t we enjoy a cup of tea at a cafe downtown?”
Mrs. Timberlin acted affectionately, as if she had never worn a sour expression.
“Alright. Let’s leave right away.”
At Olivia's signal, Mrs. Betty quickly brought gloves, a hat, and a coat. Wearing dark navy gloves, Olivia looked out the window, pressing down on her heart, which felt restless for no reason.
Mrs. Timberlin led Olivia to the department store that had recently opened.
“I hear that His Royal Highness Prince Noah has also made a substantial investment in this department store. It is a groundbreaking shopping space that brings together a diverse range of shops.”
"Did he renovate the castle?"
“Yes, that’s right. They say it is a castle that was originally scheduled to be demolished, but was renovated.”
A summer palace used by a noble family until the last century has been reborn as a modern department store after extensive renovations.
The procession of carriages lined up in front of the department store resembled a procession attending a royal party.
The Princess's carriage displayed power at such a moment. The coachman straightened his shoulders and drove the carriage majestically down the road reserved for VIPs. This was a departure from the carriages of prominent families that lined up on the public roads.
The two guard knights riding horses side by side next to the carriage also attracted people's attention.
The Princess has arrived.
As the Marchioness of Letium, who was waiting in the carriage, glanced out the window and muttered, Mrs. Seymour, sitting opposite her, let out a slow, long sigh.
“Yes, I see.”
Mrs. Seymour's blue eyes stared sharply at the splendid carriage passing by.
The hand resting neatly on the hem of the skirt tightened.
Princess.
She never thought that word would make her blood boil.
Mrs. Seymour smiled at Mrs. Letium, crinkling her eyes beautifully.
“I have always wanted to meet you, and thanks to the Marchioness, I have the opportunity to meet Your Highness. Thank you.”
"You're welcome."
The two, fully dressed, turned their heads simultaneously to look out the window as if by prior agreement. The door of the carriage that had stopped at the department store entrance opened, and a finely dressed woman was seen stepping out. The woman, dressed in a dark navy coat and hat, slowly raised her head.
All eyes in the vicinity were fixed on her.
Olivia Rosemond Astrid.
The commoner Princess, who had been living in seclusion since her marriage, made her first appearance in nearly two weeks.
To think the Princess would show up without any warning!
The general manager of the department store appeared in the blink of an eye upon hearing the news.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
Olivia was inwardly flustered as she watched the middle-aged gentleman bow deeply. Not only were there countless stares, but aside from the two knights of the Royal Guard who had accompanied her as escorts, bodyguards hired by the department store surrounded the area like a barricade.
Because of that, the spacious and magnificent main hall of the department store seemed to fill up in an instant.
"I hope I haven't caused you any inconvenience by visiting without notice."
At Olivia's kind words, the gentleman quickly shook his head and wore a sociable smile.
"Inconvenience? What do you mean? I'm grateful you came!"
“I have been eagerly hoping for your visit at any time, Your Highness. Just let me know what items you need, and I will make arrangements for you to browse and select them in the VIP room in comfort. I will escort you to the VIP room.”
At his suggestion, Olivia quickly scanned the surroundings. Countless people were watching from beyond the bodyguards, their eyes gleaming. It was indeed true that this was a place frequented quite often by commoners as well as nobles, just as they had said.
Olivia turned to look at Mrs. Timberlin with a sociable smile on her face. She held her head high, appearing as though she were already ready to go to the VIP room.
“I appreciate the offer, but I would like to visit the store in person to see the items. Countess Timberlin, could you please guide me?”
The gentleman, who had been listening intently, quickly changed his words.
"Then please just tell me the name of the shop. I will arrange for you to enter the hall."
“No, there is no need for that. Please let others feel comfortable. If my presence makes others uncomfortable, I will not be able to come here in the future.”
"Ah..."
"Besides, the knights here are sufficient for my security. I would inconvenience others' passage because of me."
The Princess expressed her opinion gently yet firmly. Perhaps due to the pressure of her status, her words seemed to carry an undeniable power.
“Yes, I understand.”
Eventually, as the gentleman took a step back, the department store security guards who had been surrounding Olivia like a wall also stepped back in unison. At that moment, the countless gazes that had been blocked by them until then surged in like a tidal wave.
Mrs. Timberlin realized that even gazes carry weight. She felt suffocated by the stares pouring down from all sides. Frozen stiff and holding her breath involuntarily, a low voice was heard from beside her.
"Let's go, Countess Timberlin."
“Ah... yes.”
Only then did Mrs. Timberlin come to her senses and look back at the Princess. Her fair and elegant face was surprisingly calm. Olivia glanced at Mrs. Timberlin, who was stern with a hardened expression, and walked ahead.
But that was the moment.
“Your Highness!”
As the youthful voice rang out clearly, not only Olivia but also the gazes of the Royal Guards turned to one spot. A shattering silence settled over everyone.
A girl holding her parents' hands was holding out a lollipop to Olivia with sparkling eyes.
Oh my, kid!
Although they were well-dressed, it was obvious at a glance that they were a commoner family. The girl's father quickly grabbed the child's shoulders and bowed his head.
“I apologize, Your Highness. The child is young and does not realize how rude this is.”
The girl's face stiffened at her father's words. Her eyes turned red, fearing she had made a huge mistake.
Olivia recalled the girl who had offered her candy from a carriage a few months ago. That day, after receiving the candy, she walked along the old stone path, crying for a long time... and at the end of it was Noah.
Olivia quickly and carefully took the candy before the tears welling up in the child's eyes could fall. Then she spoke to the parents, who were wide-eyed in surprise.
It’s not rude at all. I’m grateful.
"Ah..."
The girl, meeting the Princess's affectionate expression, smiled with a flushed face despite her eyes welling up with tears.
"I'll enjoy this. I really like candy too."
As Olivia winked, the girl smiled brightly.
“Yes, Your Highness!! I’ll give you another one when we meet again!”
"Yeah, thank you."
Olivia gave the girl a light nod and turned around, and the parents, greatly relieved, pulled their daughter into their arms.
At that moment, a camera flashed from somewhere. Simultaneously, the precarious silence was shattered with a crash, and a murmuring sound spread in an instant.
“I’d like to wear this to the warship construction ceremony tomorrow. Could you help me take it off?”
As Olivia walked over to the screen, Jane quickly followed her.
The Princess had become surprisingly elegant since she last saw her. Jane carefully removed the dress while stealing a glance of admiration at the Princess's graceful movements.
But suddenly, the Princess flinched. Her fair and elegant face looked somewhat uncomfortable.
“Your Highness, please let me know if there is anything uncomfortable, even now. I will correct it immediately.”
“Ah... no. It’s fine.”
The Princess, who had been frozen for a moment and gasping for breath, shook her head slightly and changed into a different dress.
Jane blinked, then quickly served and whispered.
“You still look uncomfortable... Are you perhaps in pain?”
Jane gently placed her hand on the Princess's shoulder while pretending to put on the dress. However, she was unsure whether she had a fever.
Olivia inhaled and slowly exhaled. As she was undressing, a shockingly intense pain pierced her chest and vanished. She had experienced pain once a few days ago, but this was even more powerful than before.
Even as she changed her dress, all her attention was focused on her chest. However, perhaps because it was a one-off, the pain did not strike again.
Of course, breathing was still difficult, and the tightness in her chest remained the same. However, since these symptoms had persisted the entire time she was wearing the corset, she could not tell whether they were medical conditions or not.
'What?'
Olivia bit her lip and straightened her back. As Jane finished dressing her by tying a ribbon around her waist, Olivia shook off her thoughts and stepped out from behind the screen.
“Then, Your Highness. I will prepare the clothes and accessories for you to wear tomorrow.”
"That's right. You worked hard."
As Jane and the assistants left, Mrs. Timberline, who still wore a displeased expression, let out a short sigh.
Mrs. Timberline's eyes circled around Olivia.
It was truly not easy to win over the Princess, whom she had thought would be an easy target. She had boasted that the Princess would entrust her with the repairs to the Prince's mansion, but not only did that fall through, but she also couldn't even get rid of the head maid, who had no background.
So, in the end, she had no choice but to resort to that tactic. To be honest, she had wanted to do it for quite some time. At the very least, she wanted to take the Princess to meet the noble ladies by last week and bring that sky-high arrogance to its knees.
She never imagined it would take this long to gather the ladies together.
Whenever she set a date, that person would say they couldn't do it, and whenever she set another date, this person would insist they couldn't do it, making a fuss.
“Why are you excluding me?! Let me join in! Seriously, weekends are a hassle for me.”
“Of course I can. Oh, by the way, I can't make it this Friday. My son and his wife are visiting.”
As everyone who desperately wanted to see the Princess up close kept making requests, the date was eventually postponed until the day before the warship construction ceremony.
Mrs. Timberlin glanced at her watch and cleared her throat.
“Your Highness, I mean the Marchioness de Letium’s salon I mentioned the other day.”
As she began to speak, not only Olivia but also Mrs. Betty, who was standing nearby, turned their heads.
"When I conveyed that I hoped Your Highness would attend, she was delighted, saying it was a great honor."
"I am very grateful that you said that."
"I am looking to schedule a day sometime next week; I wanted to ask what you think."
Olivia nodded, feeling her heart pounding.
"I like it."
“I previously mentioned that it is customary to bring a small gift when attending small-scale salons, but it seems you won’t have time to prepare one other than today, as you will be attending a warship construction event for the next few days, starting tomorrow.”
"Then, how about preparing for today? There is still quite a bit of time left."
When Olivia asked, Mrs. Timberlin gave a bright smile as if she had been waiting for it.
“Shall we? Then why don’t we just head out like this? Since we’re out anyway, why don’t we enjoy a cup of tea at a cafe downtown?”
Mrs. Timberlin acted affectionately, as if she had never worn a sour expression.
“Alright. Let’s leave right away.”
At Olivia's signal, Mrs. Betty quickly brought gloves, a hat, and a coat. Wearing dark navy gloves, Olivia looked out the window, pressing down on her heart, which felt restless for no reason.
Mrs. Timberlin led Olivia to the department store that had recently opened.
“I hear that His Royal Highness Prince Noah has also made a substantial investment in this department store. It is a groundbreaking shopping space that brings together a diverse range of shops.”
"Did he renovate the castle?"
“Yes, that’s right. They say it is a castle that was originally scheduled to be demolished, but was renovated.”
A summer palace used by a noble family until the last century has been reborn as a modern department store after extensive renovations.
The procession of carriages lined up in front of the department store resembled a procession attending a royal party.
The Princess's carriage displayed power at such a moment. The coachman straightened his shoulders and drove the carriage majestically down the road reserved for VIPs. This was a departure from the carriages of prominent families that lined up on the public roads.
The two guard knights riding horses side by side next to the carriage also attracted people's attention.
The Princess has arrived.
As the Marchioness of Letium, who was waiting in the carriage, glanced out the window and muttered, Mrs. Seymour, sitting opposite her, let out a slow, long sigh.
“Yes, I see.”
Mrs. Seymour's blue eyes stared sharply at the splendid carriage passing by.
The hand resting neatly on the hem of the skirt tightened.
Princess.
She never thought that word would make her blood boil.
Mrs. Seymour smiled at Mrs. Letium, crinkling her eyes beautifully.
“I have always wanted to meet you, and thanks to the Marchioness, I have the opportunity to meet Your Highness. Thank you.”
"You're welcome."
The two, fully dressed, turned their heads simultaneously to look out the window as if by prior agreement. The door of the carriage that had stopped at the department store entrance opened, and a finely dressed woman was seen stepping out. The woman, dressed in a dark navy coat and hat, slowly raised her head.
All eyes in the vicinity were fixed on her.
Olivia Rosemond Astrid.
The commoner Princess, who had been living in seclusion since her marriage, made her first appearance in nearly two weeks.
To think the Princess would show up without any warning!
The general manager of the department store appeared in the blink of an eye upon hearing the news.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
Olivia was inwardly flustered as she watched the middle-aged gentleman bow deeply. Not only were there countless stares, but aside from the two knights of the Royal Guard who had accompanied her as escorts, bodyguards hired by the department store surrounded the area like a barricade.
Because of that, the spacious and magnificent main hall of the department store seemed to fill up in an instant.
"I hope I haven't caused you any inconvenience by visiting without notice."
At Olivia's kind words, the gentleman quickly shook his head and wore a sociable smile.
"Inconvenience? What do you mean? I'm grateful you came!"
“I have been eagerly hoping for your visit at any time, Your Highness. Just let me know what items you need, and I will make arrangements for you to browse and select them in the VIP room in comfort. I will escort you to the VIP room.”
At his suggestion, Olivia quickly scanned the surroundings. Countless people were watching from beyond the bodyguards, their eyes gleaming. It was indeed true that this was a place frequented quite often by commoners as well as nobles, just as they had said.
Olivia turned to look at Mrs. Timberlin with a sociable smile on her face. She held her head high, appearing as though she were already ready to go to the VIP room.
“I appreciate the offer, but I would like to visit the store in person to see the items. Countess Timberlin, could you please guide me?”
The gentleman, who had been listening intently, quickly changed his words.
"Then please just tell me the name of the shop. I will arrange for you to enter the hall."
“No, there is no need for that. Please let others feel comfortable. If my presence makes others uncomfortable, I will not be able to come here in the future.”
"Ah..."
"Besides, the knights here are sufficient for my security. I would inconvenience others' passage because of me."
The Princess expressed her opinion gently yet firmly. Perhaps due to the pressure of her status, her words seemed to carry an undeniable power.
“Yes, I understand.”
Eventually, as the gentleman took a step back, the department store security guards who had been surrounding Olivia like a wall also stepped back in unison. At that moment, the countless gazes that had been blocked by them until then surged in like a tidal wave.
Mrs. Timberlin realized that even gazes carry weight. She felt suffocated by the stares pouring down from all sides. Frozen stiff and holding her breath involuntarily, a low voice was heard from beside her.
"Let's go, Countess Timberlin."
“Ah... yes.”
Only then did Mrs. Timberlin come to her senses and look back at the Princess. Her fair and elegant face was surprisingly calm. Olivia glanced at Mrs. Timberlin, who was stern with a hardened expression, and walked ahead.
But that was the moment.
“Your Highness!”
As the youthful voice rang out clearly, not only Olivia but also the gazes of the Royal Guards turned to one spot. A shattering silence settled over everyone.
A girl holding her parents' hands was holding out a lollipop to Olivia with sparkling eyes.
Oh my, kid!
Although they were well-dressed, it was obvious at a glance that they were a commoner family. The girl's father quickly grabbed the child's shoulders and bowed his head.
“I apologize, Your Highness. The child is young and does not realize how rude this is.”
The girl's face stiffened at her father's words. Her eyes turned red, fearing she had made a huge mistake.
Olivia recalled the girl who had offered her candy from a carriage a few months ago. That day, after receiving the candy, she walked along the old stone path, crying for a long time... and at the end of it was Noah.
Olivia quickly and carefully took the candy before the tears welling up in the child's eyes could fall. Then she spoke to the parents, who were wide-eyed in surprise.
It’s not rude at all. I’m grateful.
"Ah..."
The girl, meeting the Princess's affectionate expression, smiled with a flushed face despite her eyes welling up with tears.
"I'll enjoy this. I really like candy too."
As Olivia winked, the girl smiled brightly.
“Yes, Your Highness!! I’ll give you another one when we meet again!”
"Yeah, thank you."
Olivia gave the girl a light nod and turned around, and the parents, greatly relieved, pulled their daughter into their arms.
At that moment, a camera flashed from somewhere. Simultaneously, the precarious silence was shattered with a crash, and a murmuring sound spread in an instant.
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