Chapter 7
After visiting the temple, I met the duke’s exclusive tailor, who Ellenia had called, and spent four days fitting new clothes, writing letters to the Romagna family, and preparing for the banquet.
In the meantime, even Izek’s nose could not be found, and according to Ellenia, the summer season was surprisingly the busiest with various preparations.
Anyway, that was how my first Elendaleian social event arrived.
The jade silk dress I wore during the Eucharist was the plainest dress I had ever brought.
Cream-coloured leather shoes studded with pearls and summer gloves. Other accessories were only aquamarine earrings.
My hair was also long braided downward without any accessories attached.
My modest attire was quite unexpected, and the blunt-faced maids looked a little suspicious, but they asked no questions.
“Ruby.”
I’m grateful for having an ice sculpture-like face call me by my nickname.
Standing under the hall stairs in a red dress with long sleeves, Ellenia was like a mythical G.o.ddess herself. Phew, I can’t believe she almost married Enzo. But, the person next to her…
“Ruby, say h.e.l.lo. This is an old friend of mine, Freya Van Furiana.”
(T/N: I believe the previous translator had called her Flaya(mentioned once in chapter 3) but to me, Freya sounded more natural, so I’ll be using that ^^)
“Good morning, Lady Rudbeckia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” A cool smile that revealed her white teeth. A sparkling smile unique to a person who had lived surrounded by love made the viewer feel cheerful. She was a beauty with a style that naturally attracted people’s hearts regardless of gender and age.
Her crescent-like eyes were violet-colored. The dress she donned, wrapped around her long, slender body like a glove, and her blond hair hanging around her face, seemed l.u.s.trous.
It wasn’t dark blonde, flax coloured, like mine, but paler; a cold platinum.
She was that childhood friend.
Why are you all so pretty?
My whole life was filled with beautiful people, but I feel like I’m still normal compared to some of the people from this world.
And of course, a childhood friend would be treated differently from a humble bride from a foreign country.
I could tell by looking at the maid’s eyes full of kindness.
Tch.
“Nice to meet you, too, Lady Furiana.” I said shyly, and Freya’s eyes turned wide for a moment before she turned back with a cheerful smile.
“Ellen, you didn’t tell me she was such a lovely person.”
(T/N: The word used to refer Ruby here was 부인 = wife, the missus of a household, but that would sound awkward so I just went for she.)
“You might have thought of me as a hawk-nosed witch.”
Ellenia still had a perfect poker face on.
The way she looked at me while tapping her fan was a bit strange.
Was something wrong with my clothes?
“I ask for your understanding in advance that my brother’s arrival might be delayed a little. It happens often, but…”
Aha, so that was what you’ve been waiting for.
I wasn’t expecting him to come anyway. But I hoped he would show up later today.
I had to keep a close watch to create an image. That was my fate.
***
A wagon with a colorful insignia ran through the city surrounded by walls.
It was no different from taxis of my previous life; a luxury vehicle that took you to parties on a well-maintained road. Even if the times were different and the world was different, the way people lived was similar.
Or so I thought.
I wished it was more different.
“Your Highness will be furious if you don’t make it today.”
“It’s not a day or two. What can I do? I’m sure they’ll figure it out.” As far as I remember, Freya and the Omerta siblings’ mothers were close, even before they were born, so they grew up naturally close.
That explained their connection and deep understanding of each other.
I could sense their bond.
Something that only people who had known each other for a very long time could share.
“I’m a little worried that the banquet here will look too tacky to your eyes. As you know, compared to Romagna, it’s an easygoing town.”
“I don’t think that will happen. I think Elendale is more interesting.”
With her outstanding sociability, Freya talked to me about things, and I responded as humbly as I could, so it was a very formal conversation.
Although she was treating me as a friend, with her kindness and curiosity, she was also exploring me alongside.
Freya was an old friend of Izek and Ellenia, so it was natural to worry because a woman with a notorious reputation like mine, became her friend’s wife.
She had been taking care of me, but that didn’t mean she liked me.
So I would just have to show her the same side of me. Especially since those two were the most important people after my husband.
Haa, my husband is the final boss.
Arriving at the Angvan Palace, Britannia’s pride soared high toward the sky. The scenery of the moon tower and the crowd of n.o.bles who arrived earlier greeted us.
Women were dressed in thin dresses with long sleeves and men in dark tailcoats.
The few knights dressed in armour stood out.
Most of them were paladins, but as they were the important members along with priests in the neighborhood where monsters were prevalent, they did not seem to be caught off guard because of their misconduct.
Ellenia, who had the best knight as her brother, was by far the best flower in society.
In addition, the combination of the power of the Omerta family, the advantage of being the queen of the king, her own great beauty, and impeccable character made it clear that everyone was longing and careful.
And so, the Omerta siblings’ best friend Freya was definitely a target of envy.
It was different from what I thought, but somehow it reminded me of my family and social circle in Romagna.
People who did all sorts of favors to me, or to my father’s mistress, Lady Julia, for making connections with my father and older brothers.
No matter what the rumors or public criticism were, Cesare had a huge fandom following, regardless of gender, and Enzo wasn’t any different.
Whatever my situation was from the inside, I was the object of envy and admiration. At least, in my previous life. What would everyone think of me if my miserable innermost thoughts were revealed? How would it all tumble down? Funnily enough, there were times when I was afraid of it.
I had to say, I felt like a little girl between two models.
d.a.m.n it, being short was the same downside as in my last life.
“Oh my…”
“That’s…”
“h.e.l.lo.” As I approached to greet Ellenia and Freya, I replied with a smile to those who cast curious eyes on me.
I was suffocated by all the curiosity, contempt, hostility, envy, and other vibes flowing from this large crowd, but it was okay because I was used to it.
Ah, my facial muscles are tense.
The priests, wearing brown robes, whom I encountered occasionally, came up and greeted me to ask about my father and older brother.
Whether His Holiness was healthy these days, or Cardinal Valentino planned to visit Elendale, and so on. That was how we got to the fancy dome banquet hall surrounded by people.
“That man is really…” I opened my eyes wide and looked back at the place where her eyes were directed at, as Ellenia muttered quietly.
I had never imagined such a sentence would come out of her mouth. And there, I saw…
“Izek?” Freya’s surprised voice rang out faintly. Near that small stage, among the paladins loitering in black metal armour, was my husband, whose presence had been a mystery, let alone the excuse that he might be late.
What was he doing over there?
If he was trying to humiliate me so earnestly, I’d say it was a very admirable try.
Was this worth the effort?
“Izek!”
At the sound of Freya’s welcoming cry, Izek glanced over this side instead of talking to his colleague. He hesitated on seeing me squeezed between his sister and childhood friend, and looked away again.
Haa, same as ever. Well, that sure didn’t hurt me at all.
“My Lady, do you want us to go and nag him?”
“Why do you think he’ll listen?”
Ellenia threw a lamentable comment at Freya’s suggestion. Nevertheless, I bravely began to move towards my husband.
“Ruby?”
The interesting expressions of people divided like the Red Sea were impressive. It was obvious what they were expecting, but they wouldn’t get to see what they wanted. The fact that I was a nuisance from the first night and that Izek was turning a blind eye to me was already a known fact.
Everyone took it for granted, so no matter what I did here, there was no chance that his reputation would be damaged.
It was rather my side that would suffer.
As I approached the paladins, who exuded a daunting and solemn atmosphere, eyes naturally turned towards us.
Eyes full of curiosity.
Why? Do they think I’m going to slap my husband in here?
I don’t think I could even reach his face.
“Oh, Lady Rudbeckia?”
Ah, wasn’t he the pretty, foul-mouthed knight who pretended to know me?
I smiled at him and then greeted my husband, who stood across from him.
“I’m so happy to see you again. You look great today, too.”
Soon the surrounding area became quiet. Looking up at his tall figure staring down at me with an expressionless face, I forced on an ecstatic look, gulping saliva down my sore throat.
He was an unnecessarily tall man.
After a while, he turned away from me and spat out. “You seem to have no sense and no face. As you can see, I’m a little busy right now.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt. But, if I don’t do this…”
“I’m sure I heard you say that you wouldn’t bother me.”
“Y-you remember. So, you were listening to me?”
“…what?”
Only
“Thank you, and I’m sorry. I won’t ever bother you next time. I’ll just hide and watch.”
I was about to take my leave. At that moment, the man who was staring at me with an absurd expression grabbed my shoulder.