TMDL 57

Chapter : 57

Savanna’s invitation list did not include the Vinokh dukedom. Prea hadn’t even considered adding them. Actually, she hadn’t thought about it at all.

It was obvious that they still believed they were in the right. Was there really any need to see faces she didn’t want to see on a happy day?

Even if nothing were to happen, if she sent the invitation and Astella showed up at the engagement ceremony, people might think she had forgiven her.

That would give Prea an excuse to return to high society.

“Absolutely impossible.”

Astella had been the original female protagonist. The designated “main character” of this world.

It was a trait of main characters to survive somehow. Even if they suffered damage that should have been fatal, they would always find a way to appear again.

On top of that, there was still no countermeasure against the strange power she possessed. If she used that power again, there was no guarantee Prea could stop her this time.

“I have every reason to ignore her.”

Right now, Prea was thoroughly in the position of a victim. There was no reason to bend or forgive.

“Greta.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Burn this letter with the others piled over there.”

No need to see it anymore.

“Let’s wrap up today’s meeting.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work!”

The employees organized the minutes together with Prea. Among the staff, Marina, the secretary, spoke up as a representative while others watched Prea leave.

“Department Head, your engagement is coming up soon, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. Oh, did everyone receive their invitations properly?”

“Of course! Thank you for sending them. I didn’t expect to receive an invitation… I’m really happy!”

“They’re my department staff, of course I have to take care of them. I’d be grateful if you could attend and celebrate with me.”

The first people Prea had put on the invitation list were the administrative staff.

Technically, the Vinokh dukedom’s vassals and relatives should have come first, but in truth, she didn’t want to invite them.

What did bloodlines and propriety matter? Hardly anyone there would genuinely come to celebrate the engagement.

In contrast, the administrative staff had spent years working alongside Prea, helping her lead the department diligently.

They were the ones who believed in her and endured difficulties with her when she had just taken office and faced suspicious glances from others. They were far better than the self-proclaimed “family” who cared only about scraps falling their way.

“It’s not just anyone’s engagement—it’s the department head’s! Of course we’ll go.”

“Right? And it’s already the day after tomorrow. I’m so excited.”

“The department head dressed up… I wonder how beautiful she’ll look.”

“Since we don’t usually see this side of her, I’m even more curious.”

Marina and the other female staff blushed as they imagined Prea’s appearance.

“It shouldn’t be much different from the way you appear at teas or parties, though?”

“What are you saying? It’ll definitely be different!”

“An engagement isn’t the same as a normal social gathering! And the department head usually doesn’t dress up for meetings anyway. What a waste!”

“She always wears plain, simple dresses! Although anything suits her elegant appearance, it still feels like a shame.”

“…I-I see.”

Prea gave a slightly bewildered expression at Marina, Eril, and Tui’s reactions.

She had never been interested in dressing up and disliked anything uncomfortable, so she preferred simple dresses. She didn’t care much about color either—as long as it looked decent and not strange, it was fine.

There was also a reason the allowance allocated to her for maintaining decorum was so small: enough to buy maybe two dresses a month.

Dresses from famous boutiques were out of the question, and expensive accessories were a luxury. While the Vinokh dukedom wasn’t poor, the amount given to Prea was far below the usual standard for a young lady of a marquis house.

“With the money the lady of the house spends on one dress, I could buy five for you!”

Selena, the marquis’s wife, had a dress made at a luxury boutique once a week and bought new necklaces and earrings twice a month.

Greta admired Prea for living frugally on a tiny allowance, but she also felt pity, thinking a marquis’s daughter should have more.

Of course, Prea could supplement this somewhat with her salary from the royal palace.

But she saved two-thirds of her salary and kept the rest as an emergency fund.

Given the personalities of the Vinokh marquis and his wife, it was very likely she would receive nothing when she became independent, so she had to save every coin she could.

Wearing an expensive, beautiful dress now and going without accessories was neither uncomfortable nor problematic. Occasionally, there were people who looked down on her, but they could be ignored.

It was far more beneficial to save for her future independence.

“They’re reacting the same way as Greta.”

Seeing such reactions while feeling no personal lack left Prea slightly bewildered but also amused. Savanna had been like that too.

“Of course, your uniform suits you, but it’s exciting to see you in a radiant dress too.”

“I heard! Department Head, you had your dress made at Madam Kate’s boutique this time.”

“Oh, really? That place is hard to book—it’s amazing!”

“For an engagement, a special dress is needed. Madam Kate’s boutique is an excellent choice.”

Madam Kate’s boutique was a high-end shop run by a countess who had honed her talent from a young age. Known for high-quality materials and unique yet elegant designs, a dress cost at least 200 gold—a high price—but it was so popular among noble ladies that reservations took over a month.

“Oh, the dress was chosen by Madam Betelheim, and she arranged it with Madam Kate, so we were able to get a good dress even on short notice.”

Choosing the engagement dress was entirely Savanna’s decision. Prea had wanted to go with her usual boutique, but Savanna strongly insisted on Madam Kate’s.

“An engagement is almost as important as the wedding. This is the first day you present yourself to the public as a member of the Betelheim dukedom.”

“Most of your current dresses should be disposed of. They’ve never pleased me—the colors, materials… nothing is good. And the marquis’s wife has let you wear these until now? Really…”

“For now, buy just a few that you can wear immediately. From now on, have a dress made here once a week. You’re going to be the future daughter-in-law of the Betelheim dukedom, so you must maintain the dignity appropriate for it. Understand?”

Without giving Prea a chance to respond, several new dresses were ordered, and Madam Kate stayed up two nights in a row to complete the engagement dress.

Since accepting the engagement, Prea had been experiencing luxuries she had never known, from head to toe.

The power of money was truly remarkable.

“Madam Duchess already? She’s putting in a lot of effort.”

“Well, if it’s her, even Madam Kate would welcome it eagerly.”

“I can’t wait to see the dress!”

Watching the three who were far more excited than herself, Prea asked cautiously:

“Can I ask something? About my engagement to the Betelheim Duke… don’t you all think it’s strange?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean?”

At that moment, the three opened their eyes wide, making identical expressions.

And Prea was the one who felt flustered.

“It is a bit sudden, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

…What was this reaction?

Before the engagement news spread, rumors about Astella and Raiden had been so widespread that this caused a significant stir.

Above all, the administrative staff had been the closest observers of Prea, Astella, and Raiden’s relationships.

Astella came to the administrative offices almost daily, and Raiden visited two to three times a week.

The staff knew better than anyone what had happened between them and what the atmosphere had been like. They could objectively assess Prea and Raiden’s relationship.

Given all this, wouldn’t it be surprising if the two suddenly got engaged?

At that moment, Marina laughed brightly.