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“Miss Retina, will you open your eyes now?”
Retina slowly lifted her eyelids, which had been closed for a moment. She half-expected a burst of light and sparkles to shine around her like in a fairy tale when she looked in the mirror—but unfortunately, that kind of effect only happened in novels.
“Oh my… How can you be this beautiful?”
Still, Rina’s genuine reaction, as she clasped her hands over her mouth in awe, was worth seeing. Retina looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Her natural silver hair was hidden beneath a wig, and her eyebrows and eyelashes were colored with mascara. Her hair was twisted up in a neat bun of ordinary brown—common anywhere—and her made-up face made her look like someone far removed from House Deneuve.
Well, I do look exactly like a smaller version of Mother, after all.
Retina glanced sideways and let out a dry laugh. She didn’t regret inheriting her mother’s eyes and hair color, but seeing herself dressed like this, she felt as if someone else were sitting in front of the mirror.
Throughout the preparations, Retina fiddled with the pendant in her hand. It was a silver chain with a large blue diamond in the center—the only memento left by her mother.
Before leaving, her mother had sold or disposed of everything, leaving nothing behind except this pendant.
The design around the blue diamond resembled a noble family crest, but her mother had never explained its meaning before passing it down. After her death, Retina scoured every book in the empire but couldn’t find any record of a family with such a crest.
What could this pendant mean? she wondered, when Rina’s voice broke her thoughts.
“What kind of hair accessory should we use? I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I prepared gemstone chains, feathers, and flowers. It’s hard to decide!”
“It’s just a wig anyway. Anything’s fine. As long as it’s not too flashy.”
“There’s no such thing as ‘just anything’! Hmm… Feathers might look too elegant compared to the dress, so flowers or jewels would probably match better. There are flower-shaped jewels too.”
Rina propped her chin on her hand and carefully examined the accessories laid out on the vanity. Seeing her so serious made Retina laugh softly. She joined her in picking something to decorate the wig. Since she’d let Rina choose the dress and shoes, helping here was the least she could do.
“Then we’ll put this one in your hair… Now we just need to pick earrings, a necklace, bracelets, and rings.”
“I’d rather skip the rest. They’ll just get in the way.”
The more jewelry one wore, the greater a display of wealth—but Retina decided to keep it simple. Instead, she held out the pendant she’d been carrying.
“For the necklace, I want to wear this.”
Rina’s previously disappointed eyes sparkled instantly. She swept away all the other jewelry with renewed enthusiasm.
“Wow! How did you manage to pick a pendant that matches today’s outfit perfectly? As expected, your sense is exceptional! Instead of wearing tons of jewels, you’re choosing a single 7-carat diamond pendant to draw everyone’s attention! Brilliant!”
Rina clasped her hands together, marveling at the sight of Retina all dressed up. The off-shoulder dress revealed her delicate shoulders, and the layers of lace beneath created a voluminous silhouette. The jewel powder sprinkled across the deep blue fabric shimmered like stars in the night sky—it was truly a masterpiece that Pongfariang, the designer, could be proud of. The elegant blue diamond pendant at her neck was the perfect finishing touch.
Standing before the mirror, Retina touched the pendant hanging around her neck. Her reflection looked strangely unfamiliar.
She still didn’t understand why her mother had owned such jewelry. Her mother had been a commoner before meeting her father. When Retina first received it, she had wondered if she might actually be the heir of a long-lost noble family. But no matter how much she researched, she never found any mention of the pendant’s crest.
“My lady.”
Rina, secretly wiping away tears at the sight of Retina fully prepared, handed her a pair of sky-blue gloves. A messenger had just arrived—the Crown Prince’s carriage was waiting at the mansion gates. Retina slipped on the glass slippers he had sent and stepped out of her room.
Somehow, I ended up becoming the Crown Prince’s partner… I’m a little nervous.
People in high society didn’t know Retina well, since she rarely appeared at social events. She didn’t mind; as a duke’s illegitimate daughter, she preferred avoiding attention. It made slipping away quietly at parties much easier.
But things became complicated when her famously popular brothers started bringing her along. To make matters worse, she was now attending the imperial ball as the Crown Prince’s partner—she could already feel all the eyes turning toward her.
Even if I try not to care, it’s not like I can ignore people badmouthing me behind my back.
Her hand tightened on her dress. She could see the Crown Prince standing by the carriage in the distance, talking with her brothers. Over Heint’s shoulder, she saw him waiting—elegantly dressed.
“Right on time.”
“Retina, you…”
“Retty! How can you dress up this beautifully when you’re going with that rascal Harold to the ball! What if he falls for you? That’d be a disaster!”
Retina found herself trapped between her clingy brothers, enduring their whining. It was always amusing how the cold, sly men the outside world admired turned into doting fools whenever it came to her.
If word got out about how the mighty Deneuve brothers act at home, it’d cause a scandal in society.
“I should’ve been the one to take her as my partner. Just thinking of Retina staying by Harold’s side all night makes me sick.”
“You’re the one who suggested Harold as her partner, Heint.”
“Well, it’s better for her to go with someone else than with us. It’s strategically better for Retina, and Harold needed a suitable noble partner anyway. Right, Sart?”
Wait—it was Heint who suggested it? Retina widened her eyes at Heint. Coming from him, of all people, this was surprisingly logical. Heint usually lived like his brain was made entirely of muscles.
Then again, Heint is the one with more influence in high society, she reasoned reluctantly. She nodded; if even she didn’t trust him, who would? Retina sighed inwardly at her brothers once again.
“At this rate, we’ll reach the imperial palace after the ball’s over,” Harold muttered dryly. He had been waiting by the carriage for thirty minutes while the twins stalled. He clearly shared Retina’s unspoken frustration.
“Let’s go,” Harold said, offering his hand. Without looking back, he helped Retina into the carriage.
“See you at the palace!”
“Retty! Go on ahead!”
Sart and Heint pressed their faces to the small carriage window as if unwilling to let her go. Waving to them, Retina sighed as soon as the horses started moving.
This feels like I’m being sold off to the palace.
She watched the mansion slowly disappear through the window—her brothers’ faces filling the frame until the last moment. The duke’s estate is really big, she thought idly.
Phew…
When the mansion was finally out of sight, Retina leaned back against the soft seat and relaxed her shoulders. The ride to the palace would take about thirty minutes. She’d be stuck here with the Crown Prince the whole time.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His sharp nose and strong jawline were even more striking in profile. His golden hair and red eyes—the royal family’s trademarks—were dazzling. He really was the kind of face you never got tired of looking at.
Once I go back to the countryside, all I’ll see are squid-faced boys again. Better make the most of it now.
Resting her chin in her hand, Retina smiled as she openly admired his face. His ears seemed to be turning red… Was he sick? But his expression remained as stern as ever.
“You probably heard at the mansion—it was Heint who made the suggestion first,” Harold suddenly said, still looking out the window.
“Yes.”
“I wasn’t the one who proposed it.”
“Ah… yes.”
Then he turned his head abruptly. Their eyes met, and Retina quickly lowered her gaze.
“I’m not expecting much from you. I just needed a partner who wouldn’t embarrass me, and who wouldn’t try to use this ball as an excuse to approach me.”
“Is that so?”
“Your brothers mentioned you came to the capital for your debutante. Why didn’t you attend the debutante held at the academy before graduation?”
He’s digging quite deep, isn’t he? Retina blinked at the unexpected question.
It wasn’t exactly a secret, so she answered honestly.
“I had no interest in entering high society, nor in marrying some nobleman I don’t love.”
“That’s unexpected. Isn’t every noble lady’s dream to marry a high-ranking husband and bear children? House Deneuve could easily secure you a good match.”
“For some girls, sure. They’ve been trained to be good wives since birth, so that’s their dream. But I spent most of my life in the countryside, and I can live perfectly well without a husband who has nothing but a title and a big belly.”
One of Harold’s eyebrows arched at that. A noble lady who openly dismissed the idea of marriage to powerful but lazy noblemen—such a response was anything but ordinary.
I thought she grew up pampered behind the Deneuve brothers’ shields like a delicate greenhouse flower… His gaze toward Retina now held intrigue.
“You sound as though you look down on the nobles of Ludenheim.”
“It’s not that I look down on them. It’s that maybe they’re just too incompetent to be respected by a mere noble girl like me.”
“How many noble ladies would dare say that in front of the Crown Prince? What made you think that way?”
“I lived in Heden for a long time. It’s a small village, but anyone traveling to the Deneuve territory has to pass through it. Some people pass by quickly, but many stay for a few days. When you talk to travelers, you hear a lot about other lands. Travelers are kind to curious children.”
She stopped there—giving him a hint, but not her whole hand. She didn’t know his intentions in asking these questions, and she wasn’t about to reveal everything. Sensing that, Harold didn’t press further.
The conversation stopped, leaving an awkward silence. The quiet after a lively exchange always felt heavier. They sat in silence, each looking elsewhere, while the sound of hooves echoed clearly in the carriage.
When they finally arrived, they exchanged glances as the carriage came to a halt.
“You haven’t shown your face in society before, so if anyone asks about our relationship, just say we’ve known each other for a long time through your brothers. It’s best not to stir up unnecessary gossip.”
He exited the carriage first, then offered his hand to help her down. She accepted his escort gracefully. His expression shifted smoothly into that of a charming, familiar acquaintance.
“Let’s go,” he said warmly.
Though they’d only met twice, Harold played the role of a close family friend perfectly as he led her toward the grand palace doors. Taking a deep breath, Retina straightened her corset-tightened waist and stepped forward.
