Her previous life’s pre-debutante ball was just so-so from the start. Siervian had to go out in a grotesque outfit that didn’t suit her that day, too. And the eyes of the children, who still lacked the art of dealing with nobles, were honest.

‘They didn’t openly make fun of me, but the way they looked at me as if I was strange is too memorable.’

She grew up receiving the Empress’ education to maintain her dignity in any situation. However, her stiff and authoritative attitude would not have looked good to her peers.

Anyway, it was almost the end of the tea party prepared for the pre-debutante. One of the young ladies of the Count’s family suddenly burst into tears.

“My, my brooch is gone!”

Siervian wondered if she hadn’t been wearing it from the beginning. However, other people who were close to the young lady of the Count said that they had seen her wearing the brooch earlier.

“It’s a precious pendant that my grandmother passed down to me…!”

The attendants rushed in and searched the floor thoroughly, but it was nowhere to be found. As it was almost the end of the tea party, the others looked around and prepared to leave in a hurry.

“Huh…?”

It was then. The young lady who had been expressionless throughout the tea party made a strange sound. People’s eyes naturally turned to the red brooch that was in another young lady’s palm.

“My brooch! Why is it with the young lady?”

“I saw the young lady take the brooch out of her bag just now!”

They were nobles, but they were still immature children. In an instant, the tea party turned into pandemonium. Some of the older people tried to sort things out, but the young lady, the owner of the brooch, couldn’t control her emotions and responded first.

“Are you coveting my brooch!”

“Ha! If you didn’t do it on purpose, then did the brooch walk into your bag on its own?”

The attention was focused on the background of how the young lady of the Marquis family came to have the brooch in her bag, not on the fact that she had found it on the ground.

However, the young lady of the Marquis family, who was holding the brooch, couldn’t make any excuses.

After that, the children naturally distanced themselves from the young lady of the Marquis family.

“Your Highness. Viscount Carpe has arrived. Shall I let him in?”

“Yes. Ellie.”

Siervian couldn’t even have a decent conversation with her peers at that time and thought something was strange.

However, the young lady of the Count family, the owner of the brooch, was quite sociable and had many friends around her.

Therefore, the young lady of the Marquis family was branded with the stigma of stealing the brooch.

‘I don’t think even the young lady of the Marquis family knew it would last that long.’

What was thought to be a mere mishap remained a scandal in the social circles for an unexpectedly long time.

It was strange that the young lady of the Marquis family, who had power, would steal something, but the strange rumors did not subside but grew.

The incident was distorted, saying that the young lady of the Marquis family was jealous of the sociable young lady of the Count family and did it on purpose.

‘The rumors grew even greater because the young lady of the Marquis family didn’t make any excuses, which was strange… But I guess she couldn’t say anything. She probably didn’t know how the brooch got into her bag.’

In the wake of the red brooch incident, the young lady of the Marquis family endured years of humiliation in social circles. While her powerful marquis family prevented open hostility, the social circles remained a breeding ground for insidious whispers and backstabbing.

‘She must be two years older than me, I think?’

Having made her official debutante two years before Siervian, the lady continued to navigate the social circles, until the “secret” behind the brooch was revealed.

‘It was all a misunderstanding.’

Only after the truth came to light did the lady reclaim her rightful place. However, having witnessed her prolonged suffering, Siervian couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. After all, she herself had been ostracized due to a misunderstanding.

‘Because she’s a kind person, it hurts even more.’

Particularly memorable was the time the lady approached Siervian, who was weeping alone in the garden. When everyone else pointed fingers and called her a villainess, she was the only one who reached out and offered a handkerchief.

“Someday, people will understand,” she said, handing the handkerchief to Siervian.

Her actions, though accompanied by an uncharacteristically stoic demeanor, left a deep impression on her.

‘Even though the lady always had a blank expression, it was the first time someone my age had given me a handkerchief.’

Unfortunately, people never truly understood her. Yet, the warmth of that moment lingered in her heart.

‘So this time, I want to save her.’

Just as that small act of kindness, whether out of sympathy or compassion, had comforted Siervian on that day.

At that moment, Viscount Carpe, who had just arrived, entered the drawing-room. The ever-dapper viscount, a wide smile gracing her lips, stepped in front of Siervian.

“Your Highnesses, it’s been a while.”

“Welcome.”

“Long time no see, Viscount Carpe.”

“I’m sure our princess will be the most dazzling at the upcoming pre-debutante ball!”

When Siervian mentioned needing a dress for the pre-debutante ball, the viscount had dropped everything and rushed to the princess’ palace. Carpe Salon had further solidified its reputation as the place where the princess had her gowns made.

Especially since the princess, who rarely made public appearances, always stunned with her fashionable presence whenever she did appear, the salon’s fame had soared even higher. So, the viscount’s expectations weren’t entirely unfounded.

“Ah…”

However, this time, Siervian felt a lack of confidence. After all, there was always someone else who was considered the main character of the pre-debutante ball.

Lady Irvita, the same age as Siervian.

‘Come to think of it, I need to meet her as well.’

The thought of meeting her former rival from her previous life suddenly made her nervous. While Siervian was condemned as a villainess, Irvita was envied for her pure and kind nature.

“Viscount, while you’re here, I’d like to request clothes for myself as well.”

“It would be my honor, Your Highness.”

Irvita was also known as the one to whom the Crown Prince had presented a Sevinel flower.

‘Now that I think about it, did my brother court her back then?’

A sudden feeling of unease washed over her. Siervian stared blankly at her brother, who was speaking with Viscount Carpe.

“In clothes that go well with our Siervy.”

“Huh? With me?”

Only then did she come to her senses at his sudden words.

“Yeah… Do you, by any chance, dislike it?”

Her brother lowered his eyes slightly as he watched her reaction.

Siervian suddenly felt a pang of guilt as his silver eyelashes cast a shadow.

Maybe her brother wants to wear matching clothes with his younger sister.

“No, it’s just, why suddenly?”

Siervian couldn’t help but ask. Damian then smiled bashfully again and spilled his feelings.

“A while ago, Father said you wore similar clothes to Karmen.”

“Ah…….”

“So, I wanted to try it this time, too. It wouldn’t be fair if you only gave Karmen special treatment.”

“Uh-huh, right.”

Siervian nodded, even though she hadn’t given Karmen any special treatment.

‘I wonder why he suddenly said he was here to pick out clothes.’

Damian smiled again at her permission.

[Damian Erveldotte]
Thought: If Siervy were older, she wouldn’t even be playing with this older brother… We should be together when we can.

The sudden thought was strange, but it was true.

Her older brother, whose cold gaze from his previous life she could no longer remember, had become so affectionate.

“Then shall we begin? Your Highness, you’ve grown taller in the meantime. Should we take new measurements?”

“Yes.”

There was no need for Siervian to take the cumbersome measurements as she had been fitted for clothing not long ago.

Siervian leaned comfortably against the sofa as she sipped the drink that Ellie had brought her quickly.

“In the meantime, I would like to talk to Your Highness about the theme of this outfit.”

“Okay.”

The always passionate Viscount Carpe would occasionally bring in such unexpected work.

Most of the time, she would draw dress designs and such, saying that she had thought of Siervian.

That’s why Siervian, who had lightly accepted the Viscount’s opinion, soon widened her eyes.

“This is the outfit I’ve planned for this time, Your Highness!”

“This, this is…”

Flustered, Siervian put down the drink she was holding and took the paper the Viscount handed her.

There was a very innovative dress with only one wing attached to the torso.

‘This is that wing dress from back then!’

She worked so hard to refuse it, but it’s back!

Then, Damian, who had become curious about the design because of Siervian’s reaction, approached her.

“Oh my…”

And he let out an exclamation of shock.

‘Is it strange to my brother’s eyes, too?’

With hope, Siervian looked at her brother.

Please, please talk me out of this experimental design.

“It looks like it would suit you so well, Siervy!”

‘What!’

However, her brother shattered Siervian’s expectations.

As she was shocked and speechless, Viscount Carpe, pleased, explained the intention of her work(?).

“It’s a dress that expresses the fairy-like cuteness of the princess, whose fame is well-known in the world. After years of research on fabrics I have finally succeeded in creating wings that are light and do not lose their shape!”

‘No, you’ve been working so hard on research?’

She thought she had convinced her to give up back then, but she guessed she was wrong.

“No, wait a minute….”

Just then, her brother, who had been silently nodding at the Viscount’s words, suddenly spoke.

Siervian’s hope blossomed as she saw his slightly darkened expression.

‘Are you saying no after thinking about it again?’

[Damian Erveldotte]
Thought: If this is the case, I won’t be able to match it with her…. But Siervy would be so pretty in this dress…
Hmm, it’s a dilemma. If I were as wise as Father, I would have found the answer right away.

‘That’s not it!’

—