Episode 7
“Wait, Reina! Are you seriously going to wear that dress? To our wedding?”
“Yes. How does it look to you, Edwin? Does it suit me as well as my sister says it does?”
As I tilted my head and asked with feigned innocence—as if I couldn’t fathom what the problem was—Edwin’s face turned deathly pale.
No matter how little interest he held for me, the thought of me standing beside him at the altar in such an archaic, shabby gown was clearly nothing short of a nightmare.
Without waiting for his answer, I turned and stepped back into the dressing room. There, I changed under the careful assistance of Emily, the maid who had accompanied me from the estate.
I took a long, steady look at my reflection in the mirror.
The dress, puffed out like an apple below the waist, ended abruptly at my calves. The row of buttons securing the collar was so numerous they reached the very tip of my chin.
When I finally emerged, Edwin’s expression had darkened even further.
“No, this is just…”
“Oh my goodness, Reina! It’s as if this dress was made for you! Isn’t she stunning, Ed?”
Josepina asked, seeking his validation. Edwin remained silent for a moment, his brow furrowed in a deep grimace.
Seeing his hesitation, Josepina puffed out her cheeks and leaned into him, clinging to his arm as she whispered softly.
“Ed, doesn’t it look perfect on Reina?”
“…Yeah.”
Like a man hollowed of his own will, he nodded at Josepina’s prompting.
I noticed Josepina was fiddling with her necklace again. Specifically, the ring hanging from the chain.
The train of thought that had been interrupted by her sudden appearance at the carriage rushed back to me. There was undoubtedly a spell woven into that ring. It was likely a charm so potent that even my unique constitution—which typically neutralized all magic—struggled to withstand its influence.
‘…She isn’t even trying to hide it anymore.’
I stole a glance at Josepina, who continued to toy with the ring, completely indifferent to my presence.
Come to think of it, it wasn’t surprising. Josepina had always looked down on me.
In that moment, it clicked. The reason Edwin had treated me so coldly, eventually leading to his betrayal, must have been that ring.
Yet, even if that were the case, I had no intention of forgiving him.
However, something was different this time. Her face hadn’t changed like it did before.
‘Does it not happen every time she uses magic? Or did I see it wrong in my daze?’
I quickly dismissed the doubt. No matter how bold Josepina was, she wasn’t foolish enough to reveal a transformation in front of so many witnesses.
Then why did her face shift only before me? A new question arose, but for now, I had no way to uncover the truth.
‘Let’s finish with the dress first and move according to plan.’
I forced a bright smile and nodded.
“I’m glad you like it, Edwin. Then I’ll go with the dress my sister chose.”
“Very well… My Lady.”
The tailor looked unsettled, but I didn’t care. It didn’t matter what the dress looked like; after all, my sister would be the one wearing it in the end.
“Ah, My Lady, it is time to fit the gown for the main ceremony.”
“Very well.”
I stepped back into the dressing room. I racked my brain, recalling the gown Josepina had chosen for the ceremony in my past life.
Yes, it had been an incredibly frumpy, plain design.
But as the garment was brought in, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
“Ha.”
The gown Emily received from the tailor’s assistant was, even at a glance, a provocative, skin-tight style.
“My Lady, I shall assist you with your fitting again.”
I looked at Emily as she pulled the curtain shut and spoke.
“There’s no need. I can manage this one on my own.”
“But I cannot allow the future Crown Princess to dress herself.”
“It’s fine.”
“Understood. Please call for me immediately if you find it difficult.”
“I will.”
Once Emily left and the curtain fell back into place, the exhaustion hit me. Even though I hadn’t exerted much energy, my body—still recovering from the poison—felt depleted.
I let out a heavy sigh and leaned my head back. The massive chandelier decorating the ceiling was blindingly bright. Squinting, I turned my gaze back to the mirror.
The woman in the reflection looked weary.
“Ed, try this. It’s delicious!”
“Honestly, finish chewing before you speak. Look at your cheeks.”
Through the thin partition of the dressing room, the sweet, intimate conversation between my sister and Edwin drifted in.
“Hehe.”
The sound of her laughter was nauseating.
I realized that staying here would only force me to endure more of their public displays of affection, so I moved quickly to change.
The ceremony gown was designed to cling to every curve of the body. But there was a problem.
“Andreas.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
I clicked my tongue and called for the tailor. His voice sounded close; he had been waiting right outside the curtain.
“The measurements are wrong.”
“Pardon? May I come in to check?”
“No, I’ll come out.”
I sighed and pulled back the curtain. The tailor rushed over, looking panicked as if he feared a disaster.
“The dress is too small.”
And it truly was. My sister and I had a slight height difference—I was taller. Moreover, having never worn such a form-fitting garment before, I hadn’t realized how significant the discrepancy would be.
She claimed to have chosen the design and handled the fitting for my sake, but clearly, both the style and the measurements were a mess.
“Oh dear.”
Andreas fumbled, looking at a loss, before forcing an awkward smile.
“And yet, you look absolutely stunning in it as it is!”
“Be that as it may, I need you to let it out here and here.”
It felt as though I were wearing two corsets; my chest was constricted, and the fabric was so tight around my hips that every step was a painful struggle.
“Yes, I understand,” Andreas replied, nodding frantically.
I sighed and looked in the mirror one more time.
Fortunately, unlike the wedding gown, this ceremony dress was actually quite beautiful. Though the design was slightly out of fashion, it hugged the torso and thighs perfectly before flaring out from the shins like a graceful mermaid tail.
However, Edwin didn’t seem to care for this one either.
“How could you even think of stepping out in such a scandalous dress? My wedding is going to be a disaster,” Edwin sneered, his face contorted in distaste.
“I wanted to look my best for you, Edwin. I thought it suited me, but perhaps I was wrong? Sister, what do you think? After all, you personally chose this design with me in mind, didn’t you?”
“Hmph.”
He turned away, as if he couldn’t bear to look at me a second longer.
When the finger of blame pointed back at her, Josepina flustered, her words becoming a jumble.
“That’s right! It looks lovely on you, Reina. Oh, but I’m so sorry. Our frames are so similar that I must have miscalculated the measurements. I completely forgot that you’re a bit… fuller than I am.”
For a moment, I was speechless at the sheer absurdity.
I was the villainess of the original story. My appearance was the very definition of a “femme fatale.” That meant I possessed sharp, cat-like eyes and a curvaceous, voluptuous figure.
“I suppose so. I’ll have to lose some weight before the wedding.”
I didn’t bother to argue. Every dress I chose today would eventually be worn by her.
Though a flash of anger flared within me, I could endure it. My sister would be forced to stand beside Edwin in these tacky, ill-fitting gowns, mended hastily to fit her smaller frame. The Emperor, notorious for his frugality, would never permit the unnecessary luxury of ordering new ones. She would have to swallow her pride and accept her reality.
I hid a small, satisfied smile as I imagined her in those ridiculous outfits.
“I will have this adjusted. Let us move on to the next one.”
“Very well.”
By the time I had cycled through a few more of the dresses my sister had picked, I was relieved to see that Edwin’s indifference remained unshaken. It would have been troublesome if he insisted on accompanying me to my next destination.
It was only after we finished with the tailor that we finally stepped out of the boutique. As soon as we were outside, Edwin, who had been escorting Josepina, called out to me as if he had been waiting for the chance.
“Reina.”
“Yes, Edwin.”
“I’m afraid we’ll be heading our separate ways. I have somewhere to go with Pipi.”
“Oh…? What do you mean by that?”
I feigned shock, though his dismissal was entirely expected. In my past life, he had abandoned me the moment we left the boutique. Back then, I had begged him to come to the jeweler with me.
“Edwin, these are our wedding rings. How can you ask me to go alone?”
“We can just summon the jeweler to the palace later. Is there a need to do this now? People will talk, saying the Imperial family lacks class for visiting a common shop.”
“Then… could we at least tour the capital together…”
“No, let’s part ways here.”
Before I could say another word, my sister had suddenly interjected, hooking her arm through Edwin’s.
“Ed! I want to go to the North Lake! Reina has to go to the jeweler anyway, so let’s go just the two of us!”
“Sister, Edwin is my fiancé. People might talk if you two are seen alone. Let’s go to the lake together another time.”
“Enough, Reina. We are practically family; I find it repulsive that you would think such things. You truly are exhausting. Pipi, let’s go.”
“But, Edwin…”
“If you’re going to cry again, get out of my sight! I’m sick of looking at you.”
That was how he had cruelly abandoned me.
It was almost impressive how consistently foolish he was. I bit my lip to suppress a sneer and lowered my head. In my previous life, I had returned to the Marquis’s estate alone to weep. Now, however, I couldn’t wait to be rid of them. I had spent the entire fitting session waiting for them to leave me.
“…I understand. Edwin, in that case, could you give me your umbrella? The one the servant brought for you when we left the estate.”
I trailed off, looking up at him. He frowned, clearly unable to fathom the reason for such a request.
“This?”
“Yes. Since I cannot go with you, I feel I wouldn’t be so lonely if I had your umbrella with me. I won’t bother you anymore, so please… I beg you.”
“…How pathetic. Fine, take it.”
Edwin seemed to decide that giving me an umbrella was a small price to pay to avoid a scene. He took the umbrella from the waiting servant and handed it to me.
“Thank you, Edwin!”
I accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure, stealing a quick glance at the sky. If my memory served me correctly, it would rain soon.
In my past life, Edwin had climbed into the carriage they had taken from the estate with Josepina. As I watched the carriage disappear, a sudden downpour had started. I had been left to pick out the rings at the jeweler while soaked to the bone, returning to the estate alone to wait for him.
But this time, I had no intention of catching a cold because of Edwin. I also knew perfectly well there were no spare umbrellas in that carriage.
“Then I shall take another carriage to the jeweler. I’ll ask Emily to arrange it, so please don’t worry about me. Sister, please look after Edwin for me. I shall see you both later.”
I gave them a quick, polite bow and turned back toward the boutique. Leaving Emily behind to coordinate with the tailor had been a wise choice.
The moment I opened the door, Emily’s eyes met mine. She didn’t look surprised; she had likely been watching the whole scene through the window.
“Emily, call a carriage.”
“I have already prepared one, My Lady.”
“Thank you. And Andreas, prepare a robe for me. A plain, simple one without any patterns.”
At my request, Andreas hurried to fetch a robe. While I pulled the hood over my head, the carriage Emily called arrived.
“I leave the dresses in your hands,” I added to Andreas before heading out.
Now, it was time to select the wedding rings as planned. Fortunately, Josepina hadn’t interfered with the jewelry in either life. Since jewelry was easy to exchange if unworn and payments were usually handled later, she likely didn’t see the need to bother.
Moreover, even if she had wanted to interfere, she wouldn’t have dared. The budget had been personally authorized by the Emperor—a rare gesture of generosity intended to appease me after my relationship with Edwin had soured.
“Choose the wedding rings as you wish,” he had said.
In the past, I had been hurt by his gesture, feeling as though he were treating me like someone who could be bought. Now, I was nothing but grateful. The Emperor had unwittingly handed me the perfect tool for my revenge. And I was not one to let such an opportunity slip away.
As I climbed into the carriage, I gave the driver his instructions: “To Valkof’s Jewelry.” It was not the shop I had originally reserved.
Beside me, Emily looked restless, her eyes filled with pity for me. When our eyes met, she quickly looked away.
The carriage soon arrived at the capital’s central plaza. In the center stood a grand fountain, and directly across from it was a magnificent building. Valkof’s was a three-story establishment: the first floor for general sales, the second for the master goldsmiths, and the third reserved for high nobility and finished masterpieces.
“I’ll go in alone. Emily, wait here.”
“But, My Lady…”
“It’s fine. It’s a jewelry shop in the heart of the capital; what could happen? Wait for me in the carriage.”
“…Yes, My Lady.”
I pulled my hood low to hide my face and stepped inside. The moment the door opened, I locked eyes with the elderly proprietor. He bowed politely, his eyes scanning my attire with practiced ease.
“Welcome. Do you have an appointment?”
“No. Is an appointment required to browse?”
I answered in a low voice and pushed back my hood. The man’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure and offered a refined smile.
“Not at all. It is a tremendous honor to have Lady Elvain, the future Crown Princess, grace Valkof’s with her presence.”
“You recognize me instantly despite not being a noble. You have a sharp eye.”
He smiled warmly. “I caught a glimpse of Your Grace from afar during the New Year’s festival parade.”
“Ah, I see.”
Every year, the Imperial family paraded through the capital to display their power. Though I hadn’t been officially crowned, I had been required to attend to demonstrate the stability of the alliance between the Imperial family and House Elvain. It was a tedious affair, but it offered the citizens a sense of security.
“What sort of gems are you looking for? Is it for the upcoming state wedding? Since you have graced us with your presence, I shall prepare only the finest stones worthy of your stature.”
“Indeed. I’ve come here specifically because there is a gem I can find nowhere else. Tell me, where is the real owner of Valkof’s?”
“…Pardon?”
As I asked the question with a faint smile, the elderly man froze, his body turning rigid. I ignored his shock and walked deeper into the shop. Moving with purpose, I headed toward the door in the right corner, where I knew the stairs leading down were hidden.
“Lady Elvain! Even if you are to be royalty, you cannot simply wander through the shop like this!”
“I have business with the owner. Wait there.”
“I am the owner of Valkof’s! Please, speak to me!”
“I already know who the true master of this place is. I would appreciate it if you didn’t insult me further with your lies.”
The true owner of this shop was Killian Delmas. The hidden mastermind of the original story—a man driven by a singular, obsessive desire to tear down the Imperial family.
And the man who was going to become my partner.
