Chapter 44
When Aleisia looked at Crayton with a hardened face, he beamed brightly.
“We spoke about her at the last banquet. Niris Roshanak. Her Majesty the Empress’s niece.”
“…I remember,” Aleisia answered stiffly.
How could she possibly forget Niris?
That grating, loud laugh. The way she glanced sideways at Aleisia while clinging to Franz. Her dazzling appearance and the even more dazzling dress.
It all remained vividly in her memory, as if she could reach out and touch it.
“Didn’t you say she was still in Narot?”
Aleisia stepped back into the shadow of a building as she spoke, so that Crayton wouldn’t see her expression.
Whenever Niris was mentioned, her facial muscles would freeze up involuntarily. Crayton would notice right away.
Crayton tilted his head as she retreated but quickly brushed it off like it was nothing and continued.
“Yes, I did. But Glenna said she wanted to meet Lady Roshanak, so she decided to return sooner than planned. They’ve been close since childhood.”
“…You also said that the Second Prince was close with both of them.”
“You really do remember!”
Crayton grinned broadly, pushing back his fringe as he laughed heartily.
“Well, it might be a stretch to call it a first love or anything like that. They first met at the spring hunt in Narot. Since they were already grown then, it’s not like they were as close as Glenna and Roshanak.”
He paused and looked at Aleisia.
“Come to think of it, you attended that hunt too, didn’t you, Second Princess Consort?”
“Yes. But I didn’t get to see the three of you then.”
“That’s unfortunate. If you had, perhaps you could’ve become friends with Glenna more quickly.”
Crayton looked genuinely regretful. Aleisia listened without expression. She didn’t know how to respond.
When she remained silent, he added cheerfully with a smile,
“I hope you didn’t misunderstand anything Glenna said at the banquet that night.”
“Misunderstand?”
“There’s nothing going on between Franz and Lady Roshanak. They’re simply friends.”
Friends soon to become lovers, no doubt.
Aleisia thought cynically and nodded.
She had no interest in how Franz and Niris spent their time in Narot. How they laughed and chattered in her absence was no concern of hers.
She had obsessed over those things enough in her previous life.
In this life, at least, she wanted to shake off such thoughts. She replied flatly,
“There’s no need to explain. I don’t misunderstand.”
“Then would it be alright if Lady Roshanak is invited?”
“Of course.”
Aleisia smiled gently and looked at Crayton, her eyes curving warmly.
“It’s the First Prince’s birthday. He should invite the guests he wants.”
“…You’re quite different from what I expected, Second Princess Consort.”
At Crayton’s calm voice, Aleisia, who had been about to excuse herself and leave, looked up. Those golden eyes, so similar to Franz’s, gazed at her steadily.
“I don’t know whether to call you bold or simply indifferent.”
Crayton furrowed one brow and shook his head, as if unwilling to think too deeply.
“Well, I suppose it’s better for Franz to have someone like you by his side. Rather than a naïve and childish young lady—it would have been exhausting for both of them.”
“Thank you.”
Aleisia gave a polite nod, forcing down a bitter smile, and turned to return to the Second Prince’s palace.
Crayton’s so-called compliments weighed heavily on her heart.
A naïve and childish young lady.
The one he implied would’ve exhausted Franz… was none other than the Aleisia of the past.
* * *
Madame Lucette looked displeased. Her expression betrayed a bruised pride as a designer.
Before her, the Second Princess Consort was examining the dresses. On the surface, it seemed she was interested, but her gaze lacked any enthusiasm.
Lucette, watching Aleisia’s indifferent demeanor, put her hands on her hips.
“So, you’re saying you want me to remake it? Something more modest?”
“This is too extravagant.”
“Too extravagant? Your Highness, I’ve told you many times—this is modest, considering your position as the Second Princess Consort!”
Madame Lucette raised her voice as she pointed to the dress hanging on the rack.
“You said you liked it when you saw the design sketches! Look at this beautiful dress—doesn’t it make you feel anything?”
“It’s lovely. That’s the problem—it’s too lovely.”
Aleisia looked at the dress with a troubled expression.
It was a masterpiece, sewn with care, perfectly tailored to suit her.
The rubies and diamonds attached to the hem were designed to symbolize Aleisia’s fire mana.
Lucette had spent considerable time choosing rubies in deep red shades that matched her hair.
“I suppose the sketch made it look like just a red swirl, so your surprise is understandable.”
Lucette softened her tone. Aleisia nodded.
The dress wasn’t just luxurious—it was radiant.
Each time she moved, the voluminous hem would flutter, and the countless tiny gemstones would sparkle.
“Exactly. And honestly, I don’t know if I should wear such a luxurious dress. There’s someone else who should shine the most that day.”
“It’s not luxurious at all, Your Highness. Even ordinary young ladies commonly have jewels on their dresses!”
“Just because others do it doesn’t mean I have to, too.”
Lucette groaned in frustration at the Princess Consort’s rebuttal.
Just a few days ago, she had left everything to Lucette’s atelier.
What could have caused such a change of heart in just a few days?
Lucette studied her closely. A shadow had fallen over her once-radiant expression. During the fitting, she had looked so cheerful.
Did something happen?
Lucette furrowed her brow. Had something made her self-conscious or wary of others’ opinions?
But it was hard to imagine what.
Who would dare make the imperial princess consort feel self-conscious?
The royal family of the Lauret Empire held immense power. Unlike nobles, they possessed strong mana that set them apart.
With that mana, they had led the empire through countless disasters—ending droughts, quelling forest fires, overcoming heavy snowfalls—achievements far beyond a noble’s capabilities.
Nobles swore loyalty to the royals to keep their lands under their protection. Everyone knew that loyalty to the royal family was the key to maintaining power.
So a princess consort wearing a lavish dress was nothing to raise eyebrows at.
If anything, wearing something plain would attract more attention. It would be considered odd not to match the dignity of royalty.
Even Princess Glenna was said to be commissioning a showstopping dress from the Corneille atelier.
Since the Second Prince’s wedding, bell-line dresses had become the trend, and Glenna had prepared one with an especially puffed-out hem.
One could only imagine how many jewels she would attach to it.
Truthfully, Lucette had even restrained herself from decorating the bodice entirely with gemstones.
Yet the Second Princess Consort, unaware of all this, called this dress too flashy. Lucette could only feel stifled.
“You said you trusted me, remember? Then please trust me again this time.”
Lucette spoke boldly, taking the Princess Consort’s hand.
“Wherever you go, you must be the most dazzling and beautiful. You are our atelier’s most esteemed client. I’ll make sure of it.”
At Lucette’s resolute words, the staff standing behind her all lit up with determination.
With all eyes full of purpose focused on her, Aleisia sighed.
“I can’t win with you, Lucette.”
“Of course you can’t. Don’t even try in the future.”
Lucette grinned triumphantly as Aleisia took a step back. She quickly gave instructions to the staff before the Princess Consort could change her mind.
No helping it now.
With a resigned expression, Aleisia stepped into the petticoat brought by the staff.
Lucette tightened the bodice with a serious face and arranged the skirt around her waist.
Before long, Aleisia stood before the mirror, dressed just as splendidly as she had been during her wedding reception.
Lucette clapped her hands in delight.
“See? This dress was made for you, Your Highness! The scooped neckline highlights your collarbones and slender waist, and the generously flared skirt sweetly wraps around your elegant, long legs. Not wearing this would be a crime!”
“Is that so?”
Aleisia gave an awkward smile, nearly labeled a criminal on the spot.
Even without Lucette’s exaggeration, the dress suited her beautifully.
The finely detailed gemstones shimmered even while she stood still. Under the ballroom chandelier, walking or dancing, it would shine even brighter.
The near-perfect dress brought out Aleisia’s beauty even more.
If she wore this to the ball, people would look at her.
And among them would be Lady Roshanak.
Aleisia bit her lip, recalling her first meeting with Niris and the image of her from her past life.
