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Chapter : 20
“It is an honor that you have visited our shop, Your Grace the Grand Duke, Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”
“We’ve come to have clothes made for myself and my wife.”
At Luciano’s words, Madame Floria led us to the VIP room.
“I’m thinking of having outfits made for the banquet to be held at the Imperial Palace in a week. I know the time is short, but I trust in your abilities, Madame Floria, so I ask this of you.”
“I will do my utmost to create the finest works. Please entrust it to me.”
I first told Madame Floria the style and color of the dress I wanted.
“The color doesn’t matter, but since this is a banquet with a clearly defined main guest, I would like something dark so as not to stand out too much. I would also like to reduce the number of jewels on the dress.”
“Then how about a deep purple dress? I believe it would suit Your Grace’s hair very well.”
“Deep purple…? That sounds fine. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Understood, Your Grace. Then what kind of outfit would you like to have made, Your Grace the Grand Duke?”
Curious about what Luciano would choose, I stared straight at him.
‘No matter what he wears, it would suit him…’
“I’d like to have my clothes made in the same color as my wife’s. Would that be all right?”
“Of course. Then I will make Your Grace’s outfit in deep purple as well.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
“I will bring the completed outfits to the Grand Ducal residence in five days. Please wait just a little while.”
“Very well. Send the bill to the Grand Ducal house.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After exchanging farewells, we left the shop.
After getting dressed nonstop since morning and visiting Madame Floria’s shop to have the dress fitted, I realized that it was already approaching lunchtime.
“Madam, it’s nearly noon. How about having lunch before we return?”
“Aren’t you busy today?”
“No. I took care of most of my urgent work yesterday, so it’s fine.”
Luciano waited for Estellin to finish getting ready, but when the wait grew long, he eventually made his way to the front of her room.
Hearing the maids and attendants praising Estellin from inside, he couldn’t help but grow curious about how beautiful she must look.
When he opened the door and saw her turn around from where she sat at her vanity, she was so beautiful it almost took his breath away.
‘She looks even more beautiful like this…’
The harmony of her pale lavender hair and silver dress suited her perfectly, and even her soft, clear voice felt flawless.
After escorting her and riding together in the carriage, a gentle lavender scent filled the space.
In the past, he would have found the idea of wearing clothes matching Estellin’s unbearably unpleasant, but now it was different.
Rather, he wanted to attend the Imperial banquet wearing the same color as her.
The truth was, he wasn’t actually free.
With the preparation for the upcoming investiture ceremony, the nobles handling imperial affairs were incredibly busy, buried under mountains of work.
‘I’ll have to stay up all night working tomorrow…’
Though he dreaded the consequences of tomorrow, the time he spent with Estellin right now was far more enjoyable, and he didn’t want to give it up.
“Alright then. Which restaurant shall we go to?”
Estellin looked at Luciano with her elegant, intelligent dark green eyes sparkling.
“If we go a little farther, there’s a restaurant called Seowondang that serves Eastern cuisine. Let’s go there.”
Linking arms, Luciano and Estellin headed toward Seowondang.
The moment I saw the exterior of the building, I was startled.
The structure looked remarkably similar to a hanok.
‘How fascinating… seeing a building like a hanok in a novel.’
Inside, not only nobles but wealthy commoners were dining as well.
“Welcome. This is Seowondang.”
“Is there a VIP room available?”
“Yes, of course. Please follow me.”
The VIP room we entered with Luciano had a large table and soundproof walls, making it ideal for nobles who valued privacy.
The food was also excellent.
Rather than being overly seasoned, it highlighted the natural flavors and aromas of the ingredients, making it easy on the stomach.
“Was the meal to your liking, Madam?”
“Yes, very much. I enjoyed it.”
It was the first warm time I had spent with Luciano outside.
After talking with him for a long while, we returned to the Grand Ducal residence.
“Your Grace! From the Imperial Palace—!”
“Shh. Come inside with me, Ed.”
Luciano glanced at me briefly before taking Ed into his study.
Puzzled by his behavior, I followed a maid and went up to my room.
“Madam, you’re back?”
“Yes. Did anything happen while I was out?”
“A letter arrived for you from Princess Ariel.”
Serra handed me a red envelope.
Since she wasn’t someone I was particularly close to, I was a bit surprised to receive a letter from her.
‘Is it because I heard about her circumstances before…?’
I went into my room, opened the envelope, and read the letter.
[To the beloved Grand Duchess of Winfoste,
How have you been, Your Grace?
The reason I am writing is that I would like to grow closer to you before the upcoming Imperial banquet.
As I am not originally from the Empire, I do not have many connections among the imperial nobles.
That is why I hope you will help me greatly during this banquet.
You are the only one who knows the true circumstances that no one else has heard.
I hope to see you at the Imperial banquet.
—Ariel]**
My expectations were correct.
Princess Ariel only knew Khalid, Lysianthus, Luciano, and lastly me in the Empire, so the banquet must have felt burdensome to her.
That was why she reached out to me.
“Building a friendship with Princess Ariel wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Since she was a princess of another kingdom, staying close to her could be convenient when I traveled freely after the divorce.
Of course, it was true that I had recently started to feel flustered and affectionate toward Luciano, but his power was something beyond my control.
The person truly compatible with that power wasn’t me, but the female lead, Rebecca. No matter how attached I grew, incompatibility was still incompatibility.
If I hadn’t possessed the power of the moon, I might have already considered divorcing Luciano.
A week flew by in the blink of an eye.
Between trying on the completed dress and preparing for the banquet, time seemed to pass even faster than usual.
“Madam, preparations are complete.”
Wearing the deep purple dress that Madame Floria had crafted with all her effort, along with my new hair ornament and makeup, I was finally ready.
“Madam, it’s time. Shall we depart?”
“Yes.”
Upon arriving at the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere was livelier than usual, likely due to the banquet.
“Now entering: His Grace the Grand Duke of Winfoste, head of the Empire’s sole Grand Ducal house, and Her Grace the Grand Duchess of Winfoste.”
As the doors opened, many nobles were already present, along with Khalid, Lysianthus, and even Perisian.
“Welcome, Grand Duke, Grand Duchess.”
“We greet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”
“We greet His Majesty, the sun of the Empire, and Her Majesty, the moon of the Empire.”
Khalid and Lysianthus greeted Luciano and me with bright smiles.
“Princess Ariel will be entering shortly, so please wait a little longer.”
As Khalid said, after a brief wait, an announcement signaled Princess Ariel’s entrance.
“Now entering: Her Highness Princess Ariel, the Empire’s honored guest.”
Princess Ariel emerged wearing a bright yellow dress, truly radiant.
Her red hair and mint-colored eyes blended with the banquet hall like a painting.
“We greet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”
Seeing her, Khalid stood up, visibly delighted.
“Today is a gathering for Princess Ariel, so I hope everyone enjoys themselves.”
Normally, Khalid and Lysianthus, as the highest-ranking individuals, would have danced first, but since Princess Ariel was the guest of honor, she danced first with Khalid.
“I’m so happy that you’re my partner for my first dance, Brother.”
“How have you found your time in the Empire, Ariel?”
“I’ve enjoyed it very much. Perhaps because it’s been four years since I last came. And the Grand Duchess seems like a very good person as well.”
Smiling, Princess Ariel chatted animatedly with Khalid.
“The Grand Duchess has certainly grown more noble recently.”
Khalid spoke as if reminiscing about the past.
“I want to remain close friends with the Grand Duchess even after I return to my homeland.”
“Very well. Do so.”
As soon as the dance ended, Princess Ariel approached me.
“It’s been a while, Grand Duchess.”
Unlike her previously cold demeanor, she approached me cautiously.
“I greet you, Princess Ariel.”
“May we step out to the terrace for a moment?”
“Yes, of course.”
She led me to an empty terrace.
“Grand Duchess.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I want to get along well with you. Even after I return to my homeland.”
Her voice was much gentler than before.
It seemed she had spoken more coldly in the banquet hall to maintain her dignity under everyone’s gaze.
“If that is possible, it would be an honor.”
“For an honor, you sound awfully stiff.”
She smiled playfully.
“Please call me Ariel.”
“Then please call me Estellin.”
Calling someone by name was allowed only between family, lovers, or close friends—especially among nobles who valued appearances.
“Even after I return home, I’ll write to you, Estellin.”
She warmly held my hand.
“I’ll be waiting, Ariel.”
By the time we finished talking, quite some time had passed, and people began to look our way.
“We should go back. People are watching.”
When Princess Ariel and I returned together, the nobles looked on with interest.
“Princess Ariel and the Grand Duchess being close…”
“What a fresh combination, don’t you think?”
I pretended not to hear and walked straight ahead, though it was maddeningly distracting.
“Madam.”
At that moment, Luciano stepped in front of me.
“Yes, Luciano.”
“I would be honored if you would grant me the pleasure of a dance.”
