Chapter 66

On the day of departure for the capital to attend the ball.

I pressed my forehead at the fight between the two people, which was not different from what I had expected.

“I, as Liat’s comrade and big brother, should be her partner!”

“Brother, have you never thought that title of ‘comrade’ is rather odd?”

“Whatever it is, it’s better than your messed-up personality.”

“Are you picking a fight with me now?”

“This could end well if you’d just yield to me, your older brother.”

The way they demanded concessions from each other was truly brotherly. We had to depart for the capital a week before the ball, but the two had been fighting constantly.

‘Why did you bring it up?’

I resented the Grand Duke for mentioning it at breakfast.

“So who’s going to be Liat’s partner?”

That simple question had started the brotherly quarrel.

The Grand Duke, who had instigated the fight, was annoyingly relaxed. He could have just decided for them, but the two insisted I choose one of them.

From that moment until departure time, a game of persuasion unfolded.

“Let’s start with what Young Master Lucas has brought.”

At Sen’s mediation, Lucas, blushing shyly, handed over his gift. His glances toward me were full of expectation.

It is more peaceful to decide based on gifts rather than fighting.

“I’m absolutely not giving this with disrespectful intentions, but as a request.”

“We usually call that a bribe, Lucas.”

“If you like the gift, choose me as your partner.”

When I untied the clumsily tied ribbon, likely wrapped by Lucas himself, a wooden sculpture appeared. The bumpy sculpture, whose form was unrecognizable, had a rough surface.

‘It seems he made it himself.’

I belatedly noticed Lucas’s hands, which were covered in cuts. His hands, which had healed after receiving care for the past few weeks, were once again full of wounds.

So that’s why he had been wearing gloves again recently.

“Lucas, did you carve this yourself to give to me?”

“I hoped you would be happy.”

He prepared such a heartfelt gift in such a short time.

I smiled at the gift that had a secretly cute aspect to it. Having Lucas, who was more gentle than Tristan, as my partner seemed fine.

“I’ll treasure it. But Lucas, what did you carve here?”

“Kashian.”

“What?”

“I tried hard to create Kashian traversing the battlefield.”

Shocked, I stared at the sculpture in my hand. A round face with no contours, thick cucumber-like lips, and buttonhole-like eyes.

Did I look like this in my past life?!

My appreciation for him silently evaporated. I had thought his aesthetic sense was questionable since I saw that muscle bear outfit.

Does he actually like Kashian because she looked like this unfinished figure?

“Liat? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Lucas. This sculpture… what do you honestly think of it?”

“Isn’t it very handsome? I tried to capture Kashian’s muscles.”

Is this really supposed to be Kashian?

I looked at the body of the sculpture that resembled some tire mascot. Even though Kashian had a lot of muscles, this just looked like a squashed marshmallow!

I dismissed Lucas, who was waiting for my response.

“Yes. Next person.”

Tristan, who had been waiting, smugly mocked Lucas.

“What did I tell you? Don’t touch anything other than a sword with those bear hands of yours.”

“……”

Lucas, who had lost even the energy to retort, crouched in the corner. The air around Lucas felt damp and heavy.

Seeing his soulless expression, I felt a bit sorry.

Tristan, who had been watching me look at Lucas, handed me a box with a casual attitude, drawing my attention.

“Here. My bribe.”

This one openly calls it a bribe.

The box was as big as my waist, whatever he had put inside. When I opened the lid, a child-sized dress in a familiar color appeared.

My eyes widened when I saw the seal embroidered on the back of the dress.

“How did you get this……”

“I got permission from Father and had it properly remade.”

“So this was the design.”

I hadn’t been able to see this dress in detail because the Grand Duke had forcibly given it to me as a gift and Tristan had torn it.

The fabric was red, the same color as my hair, with gray butterfly-shaped embroidery. Jewels in the form of ribbons tied to strings jingled and shone at the bottom of the voluminous dress hem.

‘The Grand Duke must have thought I liked gray ribbons.’

The Grand Duke’s thoughtful consideration was evident in the design of the dress. Tristan smirked as he watched me unable to take my eyes off the dress.

His fox-like, mischievous eyes narrowed thinly.

“How is it? My gift is the best, right?”

“No.”

Crash.

I had a vision of lightning striking Tristan’s head. In despair, Tristan sat down next to Lucas and hugged his knees.

‘I was glad it was gone, but to think he would have it made again.’

I appreciated that he cared about having torn my clothes at our first meeting. Still, I couldn’t praise him for making me see this burdensome gift again.

I shook my head as I watched the two digging a hole in the ground.

“Maybe I’ll just go without a partner.”

Sen, who had been watching Lucas and Tristan’s gift competition, hesitantly approached me.

“…Actually, we also prepared something.”

Sen carefully pinned a silver brooch to my chest.

“What’s this?”

“We pooled our money to prepare this congratulatory gift. Is it too humble for the Grand Princess to use?”

“No, I love it.”

A large jewel was embedded in the center of the silver butterfly brooch.

I caressed the gift Sen had given me with my fingertips. This small brooch probably cost at least a month’s wages for the maids.

There was nothing better than a gift filled with precious sentiment.

“Would you like to be my partner?”

Sen laughed brightly at my joking question. The expressions of Lucas and Tristan, who had not received good reviews for their gifts, grew even more gloomy.

***

For some reason, the gift-giving continued even after that. I thought Sen had suggested it to prevent Lucas and Tristan from fighting.

But as soon as I left the room, the vassals presented me with gifts.

As it turned out, there was a custom of giving gifts to children who were having their debutante.

“This is a sweater I knitted myself. I used soft yarn, so it will be good to wear in autumn.”

“Thank you. I’ll wear it well.”

“Grand Princess, what I prepared is a mini sword for Lord Daebak!”

“Daebak is not a swordsman but a spi… No. I’ll take it well.”

No sooner had I embraced the gifts with both arms full than the next person popped up.

Among them were knights I had only met a few times. As I was frantically collecting gifts, a dark shadow fell over my head.

The chef, from whom I had received great help previously, stood before me.

‘Oh no, this is bad.’

I remembered pretending to be an ordinary maid and getting a ride in his cart. I stepped back hesitantly as I looked at the rough-looking chef’s face.

“Um, I didn’t mean to deceive you on purpose, at that time…”

“It’s alright.”

He cut off my words with his deep voice and pulled something out.

Rustle.

A small weight settled on my head, and the scent of flowers wafted around.

When I grabbed what was placed on my head, it was a crown made of fresh flowers. The crown, with thorns meticulously removed from each flower, was unprecedentedly beautiful.

The chef, wrinkling his nose, said in an embarrassed voice.

“I was surprised to learn you were the Grand Princess, but it was a happy experience.”

“Sorry for deceiving you.”

“Helping a cute child, regardless of status, is only natural. I hope you like my gift.”

The chef, who laughed heartily, vacated his place. Then the next people who had been waiting rushed in and gave gifts one after another.

The last person remaining was a knight with an unfamiliar face.

“Finally, it’s my turn. I thought I might never get to give this.”

The knight took out two envelopes from inside his coat and handed them over. One contained a hairpin and a letter, while the other contained a blank check.

Curious, I put down the other gifts and read the letter first.

[How are you doing?

I am currently traveling briefly with Lady Stephanie. During our travels, we heard the news that the Grand Princess will soon have her debutante. Stephanie insisted that money must be included, so I’m attaching my gift and a blank check. Please use it well.]

So Gerard and Stephanie sent gifts too. I realized anew that a debutante is an event celebrated by many people.

Since I’ve never done it before, I couldn’t know these customs.

The knight, who had been carefully observing my reaction, asked worriedly.

“Grand Princess, do you perhaps not like the gifts from the two?”

“No. It’s just that even after living for a long time, there’s still so much I don’t know.”

“Life is always full of new things.”

“Yes. It seems so.”

When I had hit the peak of depression in the past, life itself felt mundane, and I didn’t want to do anything. It was just recently that I had wished to never be born again.

That thought itself hasn’t changed much even now. But…

“The aftermath is happy. The divine beast is reborn and receives the love of many people.”

Why am I thinking of the old tale Juno told me now?

Maybe because that divine beast, who grew tired of living and wished for death, resembled me a little. When I first heard that story, I didn’t like the hastily concluded ending.

“Juno, aren’t you afraid of living as a slave?”

“I am afraid, but I’m also a little excited. No matter how unhappy life is, there are always shining moments.”

“Those moments are very short and insignificant.”

“But they definitely exist. It’s as natural as stars existing in the dark sky.”

Just because stars exist, people set out on journeys. Juno said that humans move forward by illuminating dark paths with lanterns.

I think I understood a little of what Juno said then.

“So now I won’t be receiving any more gifts?”

After the knight who gave the last gift left, the maids gathered all the gifts I had received. As I was walking with quick steps, thinking of returning to my room to rest, I saw a pair of black shoes right in front of me.

The Grand Duke pressed down on the crown of my head as I was about to look up.

“Where are you going?”

“To my room. I want to rest until departure.”

“Just a moment.”

The Grand Duke suddenly bent down and placed a necklace around my neck. It was a necklace with a small dagger attached.

“When in danger, turn the handle.”

When I turned the handle attached to the dagger as the Grand Duke instructed, the earring on one of the Grand Duke’s ears lit up.

I realized the nature of the crazy item he had given me.