Chapter 62 - I’m Sick And Tired (2/2)

“Alright.” In the end I couldn’t change her mind, so I walked with her to the front of the mansion and saw her off at her carriage. She leaned her head out of the carriage door, her expression of regret mirroring my own.

“It’s a pity that we have to part like this,” she said.

“I feel the same. But we’ll meet tomorrow anyway.” I grabbed her hand. “Travel safely, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“…Yes.” Odeletta smiled slightly nodded, our eyes fixed on each other, and I eventually closed the carriage door with sadness.

Before long, her carriage set off for Trakos mansion. I stared blankly at the back of the vehicle as it gradually disappeared, then turned back and went into the mansion.

4. The Duke’s Birthday

I slowly opened my eyes the next morning. Fortunately, the party at the Escliffe mansion would not start until around evening.

After a late lunch, I began to prepare for the party with the help of Florinda and the other maids. I wore that pearl-colored dress that Dorothea almost took from me at the boutique, then added matching pearl accessories.

“Wow…”

“Oh my word. You look so beautiful, My Lady.”

“You look like a bride like this. So pretty.”

It wasn’t long before the maids began to pour out words of praise. I hadn’t seen myself properly yet, so by the time I was almost finished dressing, I was nearly bouncing in anticipation. How pretty did I look for everyone to be saying all this? Of course, this wasn’t really my body, so it was a little shameful for me to think this.

Finally, I went to the full-length mirror with Florinda’s help. It was at that moment when I finally laid my eyes on myself.

“Ah…”

I looked stunning. That was the only thought in my mind. I looked more beautiful in this moment than in any other moment in my life so far. This dress fit perfectly with Maristella’s image, a pure white goddess without any stain upon her. The pinnacle of purity.

“Beautiful…” I murmured, a smile spreading on my lips, and Florinda smiled at me from the side.

“You are gorgeous. So gorgeous. The dress is beautiful, and the image fits you. That’s why you look even more beautiful.” Florinda smiled. “My Lady, are you planning to seduce all the young men attending the party?”

“That’s too big of an ambition,” I said, shaking my head with a laugh. “I’m sure I will get attention. But it will be on the dress, not me.”

“When did you become so modest?” Florinda asked with a giggle, and I turned pink in the cheeks.

“How can you keep saying that? You’re embarrassing me.”

“But you’re so beautiful today.”

“Hmmm…” I wondered what Claude would think as well. He was a person who observed details well. “Well, we’ll see.”

“I’m sure that everyone will have the same reaction as me. Moreover—”

Then, a knock on the door interrupted her. Florinda naturally stopped talking, and I spoke towards the door.

“Who is it?”

“My Lady, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

At this time?

“Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s—”

But before the maid could finish, someone burst into the room. I blinked in surprise as I registered the person striding towards me. It was a familiar face.

“Hi, Marie.”

My expression stiffened, and I spoke the name of the young woman in front of me.  “…Dorothea.”

Such rudeness. I couldn’t even smile through my shock. Florinda looked alternately between me and Dorothea, then gathered herself together and addressed the unexpected guest.

“Lady Dorothea, how about you please wait in the parlor room—”

“Is it so wrong of me to come into the room to meet my friend, Flo?” Dorothea said with a prim glare towards Florinda, and the latter shrank back.

I told Dorothea off instead, offended by the situation. “It’s polite to go to the parlor room first, Dorothea.”

“Since when was that an issue between us?”

“…”

She was the complete opposite of Odeletta. Odeletta had never demanded anything like that under the pretense of friendship. Not once.

‘I’m sick and tired of Dorothea’s personality.’

I did not bother to hide my expression of displeasure. “What is it?” I asked.

“I came here to go with you. Let’s ride the carriage together.”

“…Everything was fine, but this sudden visit is very unwelcome, Dorothea.”

“Are you offended?” she asked, but she didn’t look the least bit remorseful, unlike anyone else who would ask that question.