"How about this one? Since your skin is fair, pink suits you really well."
Erencia waved her hand, pretending only to glance at the dress. Her expression was very dark.
Agnes silently watched Erencia and chased Andre away.
"Miss, is something bothering you?"
Erencia roughly shook her head.
"No."
"Are you asking because of your partner?"
Ah, right. I was worried about that too. But that wasn't the problem right now.
“I don’t know that.”
"Miss, then did I perhaps make a mistake?"
Why does the story go there?
Erencia answered that it was not at all.
Erencia rested her chin on the back of her hand and fell into deep thought. Agnes watched her in silence.
"You know, Agnes, I have a question."
No matter how much she thinks about it, she can't find an answer. At times like this, conversation is necessary.
"Yes, please speak, Miss."
"Do I look like this these days?"
"Young lady... you're not really okay, are you?"
Agnes asked back worriedly.
"No, really not. I'm just curious."
Erencia spoke with a bright smile. Agnes felt relieved by the expression that didn't have a single wrinkle.
"You look great, don't you? You look wonderful. Beautiful as always, wise, courageous, and the very embodiment of nobility..."
"Okay, okay, wait a moment."
Erencia raised her hand to stop Agnes from speaking.
"Agnes, it's okay to be honest."
Erencia realized that the question was directed at the wrong person, but there was no alternative.
"I will absolutely not punish you for what you said."
"I know you are not the kind of person to punish me without fault for what I said."
That's a wrong belief.
Erencia tried to correct Agnes's words but let it slide for now.
"Right, the question was too broad and difficult. I will change the question so that it can be answered with only 'yes' or 'no'."
Erencia urged Agnes over and over again, "You must tell the truth."
And then she brought up the question she really wanted to ask.
“Am I a bad person?”
Agnes's eyes widened.
"No!"
As if asking how such a question could be asked, Agnes fiercely raised her eyebrows, as if she had heard her parents insulted.
"No, being 'bad' doesn't just mean committing crimes like theft or murder. To put it more simply, you could say it's like a villain from a fairy tale."
"Miss, that is absolutely not true. Didn't you hear what people are saying? Just grab anyone on the street and ask them. You are definitely not a bad person!"
Agnes was agitated. With veins bulging in her neck, she went on and on about how good Erencia's reputation was these days.
The more this happened, the lower Erencia's mood hit. It had become a foregone conclusion that her efforts had gone to waste. There were so many examples to support this that she couldn't even bring herself to rationalize it by claiming it was absolutely not true.
"Yes, I get it. Stop it."
Erencia calmed Agnes down for now.
And she sat comfortably in the chair and reflected on her actions.
She was doing bad things—things that would bring her reputation to rock bottom and make enemies—very diligently, and even well, such as insulting Stein, riding a horse into town, and buying and throwing away things she wouldn't even use.
But why do things keep going wrong?
Erencia pressed her hand to her forehead.
***
"Are you really going to wear this?"
After calming herself down with a cup of tea, Erencia began to select a dress in earnest. Although she was momentarily moved by her newfound enthusiasm—unlike before—Agnes asked with a serious expression. Erencia was holding a bright red dress around her neck and looking into the mirror. In the Empire, the dresses preferred by young ladies were those with light colors and greatly voluminous skirts. Pastel fabrics, such as pink, light yellow, and light green, were particularly popular for debutante balls.
However, the dress Erencia chose was the exact opposite. The vivid red dress clung tightly to her body and had a boldly cut back.
It is a design that is exactly the type to be criticized in an imperial atmosphere where cute women are the object of envy.
'Our young lady is going to be treated like an exhibit at the Imperial Fair!'
It was unconventional, and so erotic that it made Agnes's face turn red.
"Miss, that is a dress that even actors rarely wear. I brought it in for research purposes; I absolutely did not put it up for sale."
Andre smiled awkwardly and tried to snatch the dress from Erencia's hand.
"Yes?"
Erencia answered in an indifferent tone.
Agnes and Andre nodded with bright smiles.
The moment she saw that sight, Erencia made a decision.
"I've decided! I'm going with this."
Erencia's very satisfied voice rang out.
"Miss, as an expert, I think the pink dress Miss Agnes is holding suits you much better."
Andre expressed his expert insights, but Erencia shook her head.
"I wish you would wear this..."
Agnes's hand, clutching the pink dress, trembled.
"That's not it. This one."
Erencia confidently lifted the red dress.
"Miss, please..."
It was the moment when Agnes was trying to persuade Erencia with earnestness.
"Oh! Greetings, Miss Erencia."
Someone acknowledged Erencia. Erencia, Agnes, and Andre turned around at the same time.
Agnes looked at the uninvited guest with a tearful expression. The face looked familiar.
"I am Frederick. I am Lord Euclid Gredelus's aide."
"Aha!"
It was only after hearing his introduction that Erencia thought of Frederick.
The reason I can't remember even after seeing him many times is that Erencia is indifferent. It's partly Euclid's fault, too; I tell you, when I look at Euclid, I don't even notice the people around me.
He was a person who absorbed all the surrounding light and gaze.
'Ha, what a waste.'
If only he weren't Gredelus—no, if only this weren't my fourth life.
"Hello..."
Agnes greeted instead of Erencia.
"What brings you here? Ah! So you've come to choose a dress. Is it a pink dress? Then you'll have to match the color, my Master."
Frederick was chattering excitedly to himself.
"Are you saying you accepted my partner request?"
Erencia, who had shown little interest in Frederick's appearance, asked with sparkling eyes. Andre pricked up his ears and focused on their conversation.
What a scandalous affair between Novellita and Gredelus!
Andre is good at making dresses, but he is also good at spreading rumors.
"No."
Then, a low-pitched voice was heard.
She could tell just by the voice. It was Euclid.
What's with having a handsome voice too?
Euclid opened the door to the reception room reserved exclusively for VIP customers and entered.
***
Euclid, who had come to the dressmaking shop at Frederick's urging, narrowed his eyebrows upon seeing the carriage in front of the shop.
"It seems Lady Novellita has arrived."
A gold-carved reindeer head, the symbol of the Novellita family, sat atop a dazzlingly white carriage.
Although it was impossible not to know whose carriage it was and who was riding in it, Frederick insisted on pointing as he explained.
"Since you're here, let's sort out the partner matter as well."
Frederick was happy whenever something related to Erencia happened.
He became very talkative and moved actively and independently.
Frederick recently received a breakup notice from his girlfriend.
Frederick claimed that it was because Euclid had pushed him so hard that he didn't even have time to meet, but Euclid was indifferent.
Of course, isn't work more important than dating? If your partner can't even tolerate that much, it's better to break up early.
Frederick trembled his fists and cursed Euclid, saying that if he lived with such a mindset, he would grow old without ever having a romantic relationship in his life.
Of course, just inside.
After that, Frederick enjoyed seeing Euclid in trouble.
Since he cannot be put in a difficult position with work, he is simply glad to see what happens when he meets Erencia.
Euclid clicked his tongue, seeing through Frederick's true intentions, and entered the dressing room.
Euclid was escorted to the VIP room.
There were two special rooms for VIPs on the second floor of Andre's dressmaking shop.
Euclid was guided to a different place than the room Erencia was already using.
Just in time, Erencia's voice was heard from outside the door.
It seemed an argument broke out while choosing a dress. He could hear voices talking about pink and red.
Euclid could not understand why women were obsessed with dresses.
He did not consider appearance to be very important.
Actually, he was planning to wear whatever he had on hand for this banquet as well, but he ended up coming all the way here because of Frederick's insistence.
"Shall I go over first and tell them that the Master has arrived? You will greet her, won't you?"
Frederick's eyes twinkled like guide stars in the night sky upon hearing Erencia's voice.
Yes. Right, it’s actually for the best, since we were going to have to make a special appointment to meet anyway. Euclid nodded.
"Take care of it."
Frederick entered the special room where Erencia was, practically flying with excitement.
Euclid followed behind Frederick, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close.
"Are you saying you will accept my partner request?"
So, he heard Erencia's voice clearly.
An ambiguous voice, impossible to tell if it was happy or annoyed.
'That woman has been acting like that since last time.'
She was the one who proposed and asked to be partners, but she tried to run away if Euclid gave her any leeway.
That provoked Euclid. It is all Erencia's fault that he acts coldly toward her.
Euclid opened the door.
"No."
A faint smile spread across Erencia's face. Euclid stared intently at Erencia. It was not easy to figure out her intentions.
"So, are you rejecting my partner request?"
At first, Erencia wanted Euclid to be her partner. Because she needed a partner who wouldn't be intimidated even in front of her first husband.
However, since he kept acting in a puzzling way, she felt a sense of aversion for some reason.
'Since Andre is right by my side to spread the word, if he refuses...'
Will I get rumored to be the young lady who got rejected for a partner? That wouldn't be so bad.
Erencia rubbed her hands on the hem of her dress and stared intently at Euclid's lips.
She was ready to act, grabbing his pant leg and saying, "Please be my partner."
Because he will definitely refuse.
Euclid's eyebrow lifted slightly as he looked at Erencia, then instantly returned to its original position.
"That will absolutely never happen."
What?
Once again, the Euclidean style of 'neither this nor that' was activated.
Erencia was starting to feel anxious.
When Euclid appears like that, it usually doesn't end well.
Euclid gave a smooth smile.
The way he fakes the smile while even squinting his eyes shows top-notch acting.
"I should be the one to ask to be your partner. Lady Erencia, would you grant me the honor of escorting you?"
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