Episode 6
Dustin was gone, and the debutante ball was fast approaching.
“I never thought he would actually leave like that.”
“Even if you say that, you must be a little sad, right?”
“Well, yeah. Of course.”
Today was finally the day of departure for the capital, and the whole house was bustling with activity.
I had been getting ready since early morning with the help of Lily and the other maids, and it had already been over two hours.
“But Dustin-nim is a commoner, so marriage would have been difficult anyway.”
“Well, that’s true.”
… ..? Huh? What?
“No, what marriage? I’ve told you countless times we’re not like that!”
This pattern is getting tiresome.
Whenever I’m associated with Dustin, it’s always about marriage or dating!
And what’s with the stupid “that’s true~”?
It’s just, you know, that.
I’ve been sitting here for two hours, my mind has gone numb, so that answer just slipped out!
“Hehe, well. Who said anything? Now, it’s all done, young lady.”
Who said anything? You just said something about marriage being difficult!
I decide to stop the pointless conversation, get up from my seat, stretch, and yawn.
Phew, those two hours felt like two years.
How can women spend so much time and effort getting ready every single time?
It’s truly amazing.
“Now, it’s time to choose your dress!”
No way, it’s not over yet?
It feels like it hasn’t even been 30 seconds since I felt the liberation of freedom.
I spent two hours on makeup, and now I don’t even want to know how much time I’ll waste on clothes. I just sigh.
“Let’s just do it quickly.”
Honestly, even if I randomly grab something from the closet and put it on, it’ll all be flowy and look decent to others.
They’re expensive clothes, after all.
Not that I wanted these kinds of things in the first place.
“That’s not possible! This is a special day for the young lady, who usually wears training clothes every day, to wear a beautiful dress! Ah, no, that’s not it. It’s the debutante ball! The once-in-a-lifetime debutante ball! The young lady must be the most beautiful!”
…It seems like her true feelings slipped out earlier.
Anyway, it’s true that I usually wear training clothes within the territory, as Lily said.
At first, my mother didn’t like me training, so I had to practice swordsmanship in a dress, but she eventually gave up and bought me training clothes, and since then, it’s been training clothes all the way!
People say women don’t wear pants in this world, but well.
I’m the lord’s daughter, you know?
No one will openly criticize what I wear.
My parents approved of it.
And Dustin said it suited me well.
“Even if it’s okay within the territory, the capital is different. You could get eaten alive in the blink of an eye.”
Excuse me, the capital isn’t some monster-infested forest.
I don’t understand what she means by “eaten alive”.
“The young lady is so beautiful that if you just dress up a little more, suitors will be lining up.”
Suitors, my foot.
I don’t need any of that, dear.
“So today is the day of the decisive battle! I will make the young lady more beautiful than anyone else!”
“Sigh… Alright, do whatever you want.”
Even if I say anything, it’s clear that Lily, who’s already at her maximum motivation level for dressing me up, won’t listen.
Well, besides, my parents seem to be looking forward to seeing me dressed up after a long time.
This means there’s no escape.
They’ve always let me live freely and do what I want, so I should repay them like this at least once.
It’s a shame Dustin isn’t here. He would have made a fuss about how pretty I look.
“… No, no! No way! I’m not sad at all!”
“Yes, yes..? Young lady, what’s wrong?”
“…. .. It’s nothing.”
I don’t understand why I’m acting like this.
Maybe I’ve been too close to Dustin for the past three years, and my feelings have become strangely synchronized with his.
I’m a man.
I shouldn’t like Dustin’s compliments about my appearance!
Right, right. I was so annoyed by them.
Missing him, my ass. Hehe.
“Now, young lady! Let’s try this dress first!”
Anyway, that’s not the problem right now.
The biggest problem today is how to survive this hellish fashion show.
The news of the beautiful but mischievous Yuri’s coming-of-age ceremony had already spread throughout the territory.
It wasn’t strange for the villagers to line up to see the Elliot family’s carriage procession heading for the debutante ball in the capital.
And there was one person sighing as they watched the procession from within the mansion.
“Our Yuri, she’ll do well, right?”
Her mother, Jane de Elliot, asked Count Elliot as she brushed her long, flowing hair back.
“What are you so worried about, my dear? It’s alright. You know how smart and bright our Yuri is, don’t you?”
Jane felt frustrated by her husband’s calm demeanor, as if there was nothing to worry about.
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“Her being bright? Why?”
“Of course, I know how smart, bright, and lovely Yuri is. But she’s so mischievous and wild. I’m worried if she’ll get along with the other young ladies. What if she causes trouble and gets bullied or something?”
From Jane’s perspective, Yuri was a very unique child.
She had been an ordinary girl who dreamed of debutante balls, parties, and meeting a man to marry.
All the girls in Marcia were like that.
Their ultimate dream and goal was to meet a kind and good husband, be loved, become the mistress of his family, and be a wise and virtuous wife.
But Yuri was different.
She was far from an ordinary girl and did things others couldn’t even imagine.
She wore pants and ran around the whole territory, and there were even rumors that she had entered the dangerous forest and defeated monsters.
“My dear, don’t worry too much. I believe in our Yuri.”
Jane felt both resentful and frustrated by her husband, who seemed to be taking their daughter’s side, whether he understood her feelings or not.
It wasn’t that Jane didn’t believe in Yuri.
As her mother, she was the first to know that Yuri would become someone great.
However, Yuri was a girl, and the place for women in this world wasn’t that big.
“I just want her to be happy without getting hurt.”
As a mother, that was all Jane wanted for Yuri.
Even if she had the talent to walk a different path from others, Jane hoped she wouldn’t have to walk that difficult path.
“You can’t go through life without getting hurt. We need to respect the path she chooses. That’s all we can do as parents.”
“.. You’re right, as always.”
“And if she chooses a difficult path, wouldn’t we be the only ones who can protect her without hesitation?”
Count Elliot smiled brightly at his wife.
He was that kind of person.
Someone who pushed forward with what he believed was right.
Even when everyone told him to take concubines for the sake of an heir, he refused, saying how could he sleep with another woman when he loved Jane.
“Indeed. Looking at you like this, Yuri is just like you.”
“Is that a compliment, my dear?”
“Of course. How can it not be a compliment to resemble the person I love the most?”
Count Elliot also smiled brightly as he looked at Jane, who finally smiled with a sense of relief.
And it was at that moment, when their silhouettes overlapped, that a soft knock was heard from outside.
“Is no one here?”
After finally escaping the hell of dresses and finishing getting ready, I came to my father’s office at Lily’s insistence that I should see my parents first, but…
For some reason, I can’t hear anything.
“Father, Mother. It’s Yuri. Are you here?”
I considered just opening the door, but then I would definitely get scolded by Lily, who’s standing next to me, for being rude.
“Hmm, hmm. We’re here. Come in.”
A somewhat unnatural cough and voice.
Hmm? What, were you two having a moment?
Oh no, the clueless daughter… no, son… no, daughter…
Ah, damn it. Whatever.
I ruined the timing with my cluelessness.
“Ah, I can come back later, you can finish what you were doing…”
I’m speaking playfully with a mischievous tone, but before I can finish my sentence, the door bursts open.
“Wh-What! Don’t play pranks on your parents!”
Seeing my mother come out with a bright red face, it seems like it was real.
“Hehe, what did I do?”
I put on an innocent expression, and my mother glares at me for a moment before quickly softening her expression and taking my hand.
“Anyway, you look absolutely lovely today.”
Oh, that “lovely” word again.
It’s so embarrassing I can’t stand it.
I think I’ve heard it hundreds of times on my way here.
It’s like the servants made a pact or something. Every time I run into someone, they shower me with compliments like “You look so lovely” or “You’re the best”.
“Oh my, is that really our Yuri? Haha, no matter how I look at it, she looks like a different person. Maybe a fox is disguised as her?”
I can’t help but chuckle at my father’s playful attitude.
“But even I think I went all out with the dressing up today. It took over three hours!”
“Oh my, our mischievous little princess must have been restless after sitting still for three hours.”
Well, I’m not a princess…
Anyway, I nod at my father’s accurate words.
I really was restless to the point of going crazy.
“I think everyone is amazing. How do you endure this pain every time?”
“Right? I always think the same thing.”
I love how I can always connect with my father.
There’s a certain vibe between men, ahem.
“Look who’s become a soulmate.”
“Ah, Mother. Don’t be angry. I consider you my soulmate too.”
“Who’s your soulmate? You have no filter when talking to your mother.”
I feel happy even after getting a light flick on the forehead.
If only I wasn’t a girl.
I would have spent more time with my parents and had fun.
I actually avoided meeting them because I was always called “princess” and such.
“Now, let’s get going. It’s your first time visiting the capital, right?”
“Yes, I’m curious to see what it’s like. Can we go sightseeing in the city when we arrive?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure if we’ll have time.”
“Aw, Father! I want to go sightseeing!”
Ugh, “aw”.
It’s disgusting, but there’s nothing like acting cute in these situations.
Honestly, even I would want to grant any wish if a girl who looks like the one in the mirror whined like that.
“Ahem, cough. Then I’ll try to squeeze some time into our schedule! My dear, what do you think?”
“We should grant our lovely princess’s wish.”
As expected.
I feel proud seeing my parents with heart eyes, ready to do anything for me.
Haha, wow.
I guess this world is also all about looks.
It would have been better if I was a handsome man, but well.
There’s nothing I can do about it.
I have to make the most of the appearance I already have.
Let the tsundere take over!!!