Shortly after, Adrishaa’s partner was decided.
Fortunately, Adrisha decided to go with Hikan instead of Leonard.
The Emperor seemed puzzled that Dalia had unexpectedly become Cedric’s partner.
Adrisha couldn’t even tell the truth despite being asked by the Emperor. However, he speculated that it was due to when Cedric came to Dalia rescue at that time and that’s how they were connected. Fortunately, the Emperor seemed to fall for that excuse.
On the other hand, Hikan unexpectedly accepted Dalia’s banquet partner calmly.
“I just thought that you couldn’t just go with me forever.”
Dalia was even more confused by the gentle acknowledgement.
“But be careful. Always be cautious with Sir Cedric. You might fall for his acting because you’re weak-minded.….Don’t get confused between juice and alcohol.…. And definitely be home before 10 o’clock…….”
But after that, as the nagging bombing poured out, she was rather relieved.
As expected, this is how her brother is.
In fact, Dalia continued to care about Hikan.
He continued to look depressed after the incident.
Dalia was worried about him. However, she couldn’t help it because he didn’t tell her the reason. Purifying sometimes was the best thing that she could do.
Soon it was the day of the birthday banquet.
Dalia greeted Hikan and went to the Imperial Palace early.
Today, her hair was braided and hung to one side, and she wore a light hairband. Accessories were omitted as much as possible. Because what she was going to brag about today was the dress.
Today’s dress was a design that Dalia boldly chose.
It was a dress that came out while she and Adrisha were choosing dresses for each other while looking at the catalog from the boutique, and Adrisha fell in love with it as soon as she saw it.
“This is it.”
“In, in what sense?”
“With this, Dalia can dominate the world with your beauty.”
Adrisha’s silly comments were increasing day by day.
Dalia looked at the dress she had chosen with ambition. As soon as she saw it, she was so happy that she laughed until she fell on her back.
“Oh my God! What is this?”
On the surface, it was just a moderately trendy dress.
In line with the autumn season, the color was also decided to be light purple. But there was a small twist, and that was the fabric on the back.
It was a design that splits in half when it is worn, half of it was cut and the other half is not.
Naturally, it wasn’t too low considering Dalia’s age, and it was a very small exposure that usually came only to the top of the brassiere. (*t/n: brassiere = bra)
Still, she enjoyed the deviation at this age the most.
Dalia closed her eyes and chose it. And when the finished version came, she compared it with Adrisha’s and put it on herself, causing another stir.
Madam Mathieu saw it and gave advice.
“Goodness, because of this one thing. People might think it’s a transparent dress.”
But for Hikan, this dress will be no different from a transparent dress.
Dalia even camouflaged it by attaching two fabrics pretending like it had not been cut when she showed it to Hikan. She will surprise him by showing him the real dress at the banquet later.
‘No, in that case, I might be taken home immediately.’
But it’s already too late.
Dalia was already on her way to the Imperial Palace in a dress that shows her half back.
Dalia got off the carriage and went to the waiting room as the attendant led her.
Adrisha couldn’t come with her since she will be coming with Hikan.
Soon Cedric arrived. Dalia was shocked as soon as she saw him. Of course, since he’s so handsome.
Cedric was now 19 years old. In the meantime, he became more handsome.
He was slim and tall, with a sharp nose, and added strength to his sharp jawline that was full of boyish beauty.
Still, the mysterious and beautiful atmosphere was still there, and he was becoming more and more handsome enough to threaten Dalia’s heart. In addition, when he was dressed in the royal robes, she felt the majesty of the imperial family.
‘Wouldn’t we be compared if we went out together?’
Dalia looked up at Cedric with a sad expression on her face.
Instead of saying ‘Hi, Dalia’ as always, he looked somewhat awkward.
“Hello, Sir Cedric.”
“Yeah, Dalia. Was there anything uncomfortable on the way here?”
But at the following words, Cedric smiled casually.
“It’s a bit chilly since it’s autumn, right?”
He strode over, took a blanket from the corner of the waiting room, and draped it over Dalia’s shoulders.
She must have looked cold because of the back.
Dalia slightly regretted her choice that didn’t take the season into account. But she had so much fun while choosing, so it was okay.
The two had a simple conversation until the banquet began.
When Dalia said she wanted Hikan and Adrisha to do well, Cedric raised an eyebrow. He didn’t seem to agree.
It was time to go to the banquet.
Dalia pulled down the blanket, rolled it up, left it in the corner of the sofa, and stood up.
“Are you going……like that?”
Cedric asked in a tone that felt somewhat cautious. Dalia naturally nodded. He stared at Dalia with a somewhat agonizing look, and brought his lips toward her ears with a firm determination.
“Dalia.”
“Yes?”
“I’m saying this just to be cautious…… Please know that I have no strange intentions.”
“Yes, please tell me.”
“Your dress……, I think the fabric on the back is wrong. I can see your back because it’s split in half.”
“…….”
“I was going to tell you earlier, I’m sorry. I was so surprised that I couldn’t say anything until now.”
Cedric continued on rambling, saying that he would call someone to fix it, or even postpone the banquet.
Dalia stared at him and burst into laughter.
“Sir Cedric! This is how the dress is supposed to be.”
She swept her braided hair to one side and turned around. She then looked over and smiled as she looked at Cedric.
“Look, isn’t it pretty? Adrisha and I worked together to make today’s most groundbreaking…….”
Cedric was silent.
Dalia looked up at him.
He was looking at her with a pretty frown and bit his lips.
The corners of his eyes are slightly heated and it extends to his temples and ears. Dalia was mesmerized for a moment because he was so beautiful and looked like a person who had cried.
“You can’t.”
“Yeah? What?”
Dalia asked in bewilderment.
Cedric grabbed her shoulder and put her back on the sofa. Then, after putting her hair to the side, he folded the part of the fabric showing her back and covered her.
As he ran his hand across the centerline of her back, the separate fabrics merged and the clothes were sewn together.
Dalia was lost on the sight of Cedric’s shocking appearance, and only then did she realize the situation and was shocked.
“No, the dress! The dress is sticking!”
“……I’m sorry.”
“This is no different from other dresses! Adrisha and I worked so hard to choose this!”
“This……can’t you do this after you turn 20?”
“When that time comes, I will do something a hundred times more shocking than now!”
Cedric’s expression became more disturbed.
Dalia was so upset that she almost cried. She was looking forward to show off this dress, but now it was sewed badly behind her.
Cedric looked genuinely sorry. However, Dalia vowed not to forgive him no matter what he said this time.
“Dalia, are you angry?”
“…….”
Dalia did not respond and turned her knees to sit down on the opposite side of Cedric.
Cedric sat with his knees bent in front of the sofa and followed her.
“Sorry. Instead, you’ll shine the most at the banquet today.”
“……How?”
Dalia softly asked.
Cedric hesitated and brought a small box from above the fireplace in the waiting room.
Then as if proposing, he sat next to Dalia and opened the box then showed it.
A bright light emanated from within.
“…… Wow.”
Dalia’s attention was stolen.
Even she, who doesn’t know much about jewelry, knew this.
This was the large diamond necklace that the Empress wore to a banquet a few years ago.
There was a lot of buzz about the first appearance of a diamond of this size, and the Emperor bought it for ten times the highest price in the auction and gave it to the Empress.
Dalia couldn’t go to the banquet at that time due to circumstances, so it was the first time that she saw it in person. It was surprisingly more beautiful in person.
“I told my mother that you have made a great contribution to the return of Lady Beolde. As a token of gratitude, she said she would lend it to you if you wanted to.”
“Goodness.”
Come to think of it, Beolde was the Empress’s older sister. But she didn’t expect to receive such a gift from her.
‘But.’
She couldn’t wear this.
Even if it’s a gift, who on earth would go to the banquet wearing the Empress’s necklace with such a famous anecdote?
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Then Cedric closed his eyes and smiled.
He waved his hand once in the air above the necklace.
“My mother told me to do this too.”
Then the appearance of the necklace completely changed.
Everything from the workmanship of the central diamond, to the type of string, to the arrangement of the small jewels surrounding the central diamond.
Translator Note: Ahhh nooooo!! The dress!!
I was hoping for this kind of scene though:
Dalia: *walk into the banquet with half backless dress*
Others: *stare at her in awe*
Hikan & Cedric: *giving death glare and taking note on the men who looked at her so that they can quietly kill them later*
Side note, if that was me, if the dress that I spent time and have fun choosing, was really happy with it and really excited to wear it, to be ruined just like that *cough* bcs of jealousy *cough* I will really bawl my eyes out.
