TDNT 25

Chapter : 25

“Ah, Sophie! I told you to stay still!”

“…Ah, Arabelle.”

Sophie gulped.

Usually, Arabelle trusted and followed Sophie almost like a mother.

She mimicked everything Sophie did—even trying to copy her way of speaking.

But when it came to dressing up and makeup, Arabelle took the lead.

“You really don’t need to do that.”

“No, we have to! This is the final step!”

“No way. I don’t want to. Stay away.”

Sophie curled up tightly.

[Arabelle! Arabelle, what are you doing?]
[Is Arabelle trying to poke Lady Sophie in the eye with that stick?]
[A stick? Maybe she just wants to use it for fruit skewers?]

The spirits, curious about what Arabelle was up to, watched Sophie with interest, sensing she was in danger.

Today, the pharmacy was closed.

As promised, they were heading to the imperial palace to meet Spiritist Rolf.

But Arabelle insisted that to go to the palace, they needed to be properly dressed, and so she had hurriedly brought clothes.

“Didn’t you say neat clothes would be fine…?”

This was far from “neat”—it was downright extravagant.

The earrings and necklace were especially dreadfully heavy.

For Sophie, who usually wore a light dress and boots, heels and a fancy dress were nothing short of a nightmare.

Of course, she knew she couldn’t go to the palace in her usual dress, but still, Sophie was terrified.

“To me, this is neat clothing!”

“Ah…”

“Besides, everyone at the palace dresses like this—even the maids!”

Sophie knew that mages and spiritists working at the palace also had to dress formally.

Arabelle, humming cheerfully, applied makeup to Sophie. She even promised to heat a stick and curl Sophie’s eyelashes straight.

“I told you that’s unnecessary. It’s scary!”

“Just trust me, Sophie! I’m an expert!”

In the end, Sophie caved to Arabelle’s persistence and ended up in a frilly dress with full makeup.

“Sophie, how is your skin so fair and soft? It’s like touching a pearl!”

Arabelle marveled as she stroked Sophie’s skin.

Apparently, she wasn’t even embarrassed. Sophie was completely exhausted by Arabelle’s obsession with dressing her up.

“Wow, if I were Sophie, I’d never stop doing makeup. Every touch-up would feel worth it…”

Sophie normally went around with a bare face. She stomped through fields in dirt-stained boots and smelled more like grass than perfume.

But with just a bit of makeup, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

“You look amazing, Sophie.”

To Arabelle, Sophie had always been someone who shined. Even a bit of embellishment made her radiate.

Her sharp eyes and graceful lips made even Arabelle’s heart flutter.

Arabelle had met many beautiful people in high society.

But someone like Sophie—who glowed—was rare.

“I think even I might fall for you,” Arabelle muttered.

“I just need to finish your lips. Wait right here, okay?”

With a satisfied smile, Arabelle briefly stepped out of the greenhouse.

When she returned, Sophie was gone.

Well, not gone—she was bent over drying herbs, still in the dress.

“You’re going to get dirt on the hem!”

Arabelle gasped in horror.

“It’s been ages since I wore a dress. It’s so hard to move around in.”

Sophie felt guilty that Arabelle used to run around freely in clothes like this.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable, Arabelle?”

“It’s a bit inconvenient, but…”

“Then come by the pharmacy, and I’ll lend you one of my dresses. You’ll be more comfortable.”

“I’ve worn this kind of thing since I was a child, so I’m used to it.”

“Really? Well, if it gets uncomfortable, tell me anytime. I think you’d look lovely in a dress.”

Sophie’s kindness, even in this situation, touched Arabelle and made her chuckle quietly.

It was time to go to the palace. Unfortunately, Arabelle couldn’t accompany her due to other obligations.

“The carriage should be here soon…”

Arabelle waited for a carriage from either Arthur or Valentis.

But instead of them, only an empty carriage arrived.

The coachman explained that due to urgent matters, the gentlemen couldn’t accompany her.

* * *

Thus, Sophie rode the carriage to the palace alone.

‘It’s been so long since I’ve been in a carriage.’

Probably not since her tenth birthday.

Even when she left the marquisate, she had walked out on her own two feet.

She had walked away from the marquisate with her own legs.

‘Because I wasn’t in a position to ride a carriage.’

The one who had helped young Sophie was a stranger—she didn’t even remember his face or identity.

He had given her food and a place to stay for a short while.

He had comforted her when she cried and tolerated her tantrums without complaint.

With a faint hope of meeting him again someday, Sophie continued to work hard at whatever she could.

She still remembered his face. But he had never told her his name.

All she recalled was his unique ash-grey hair and brown eyes.

“We’ve arrived.”

Soon, they reached the palace.

The building was called Kevarys, located within the imperial palace.

“I think we need to rearrange the mana formations.”
“Did you see the deployment orders? They want us to go all the way to the Embrysh Mountains?”

The palace was enormous.

It wasn’t just where royals and high nobles discussed political matters—it also had facilities on the outskirts for training spiritists, alchemists, and mages.

Because it was reserved for truly gifted individuals, everyone inside Kevarys—mage or spiritist—knew each other.

‘So this is where I’ll meet Mr. Rolf.’

Since Sophie was a low-level spiritist, she unfortunately wasn’t allowed to enter the Kevarys facility itself.

After failing the Kevarys exam, she had decided to run a pharmacy instead.

‘But someone was supposed to greet me…’

Since she had been told not to wander, she looked around Kevarys from a distance.

“Who’s that?”

“Never seen her before.”

“Isn’t she a guest?”

When the strangers noticed Sophie entering Kevarys, they began murmuring.

‘This is awkward…’

She had assumed someone—if not Arthur or Valentis—would be there to greet her.

It seemed she’d have to wait a bit longer.

But she couldn’t just wander through the unfamiliar building.

Then—

“…Sophie?”

Because of a sudden meeting, Arthur hadn’t been able to stop by Sophie’s pharmacy.

So he’d rushed over to guide her personally.

But the woman he found was unexpectedly dressed like a stranger.

“…Uh.”

Arthur’s face flushed red when he saw her.

“Your Grace the Duke.”

As the two greeted each other, murmurs spread through the crowd.

Arthur Claphilde appearing at Kevarys was already shocking.

And now, the famously disinterested-in-women Duke was chatting intimately with a young lady.

It was a little troubling. Sophie bit her lip.

‘Too late now anyway.’

She had hoped to slip in and out quietly. But with Arthur showing up, she figured she might as well stand tall.

She should’ve worn something plainer, like a maid’s outfit—but it was too late for regrets.

So Sophie straightened her back and lifted her chin confidently.

“You didn’t have to come for me like this…”

Sophie gently led the flustered Arthur.

Despite being the one who had offered to escort her, Arthur jolted in surprise when Sophie placed her hand on his arm.

“…What is it?”

“S-Sorry.”

Feeling like he had committed a faux pas, Arthur quickly apologized.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Sophie spoke softly.

Seeing Arthur’s face flush red to his ears, Sophie pretended not to notice.

It seemed best to ignore the man’s obvious affection for her—at least for now.

“Arabelle got me this dress. What do you think?”

“…It’s beautiful.”

Arthur responded with a slightly dazed look.

“…Just like always.”

He really didn’t seem to realize the impact such words had—especially with that handsome face.

Sophie clutched her fluttering heart and quietly walked through Kevarys.

“Your Grace is very handsome, too.”

“…”

Arthur’s eyes widened.

“Just like always,” Sophie added sweetly.

They climbed the winding staircase of Kevarys to meet Spiritist Rolf. The building was like a maze, each section leading to different departments.

Without Arthur, Sophie might’ve gotten completely lost.

“Huh…?”

Just then, someone came rushing down the stairs at great speed.

Whatever the emergency, they were stomping so hard the tower echoed with loud thuds.

Thanks to the commotion, the eyes that had been on Sophie and Arthur now turned elsewhere.

“…Your Highness?”

Valentis, like Arthur, had also rushed over to meet Sophie after finishing a sudden meeting.

“You’ve arrived.”

He smiled slightly at Sophie.

He reached out to escort her—

But it was already too late.

He saw Sophie already holding onto Arthur’s arm.

“You came to fetch me?”

Sophie asked with a gentle smile.

Before replying, Valentis glanced around at the surrounding onlookers.

‘Who is she?’

Even a prince, in addition to the duke, seemed to know her—people stared at Sophie with curiosity.

“Is she the duke’s fiancée?”

“I haven’t heard any rumors.”

“But they suit each other really well.”

“They do, actually.”

Most assumed Sophie was Arthur’s lover or betrothed.

Because they simply looked that good together.

“…No, I was just passing by.”

Valentis quickly retracted his hand into a fist.

“Let’s go see Rolf.”

“I’ll guide you myself,” he said, turning away.