I had received permission to attend a soiree. Sir Leonhart was extremely overprotective, so I’d thought it would take longer to convince him, but he’d agreed surprisingly easily. But he hadn’t agreed out of carefree optimism or because his concern for me had waned. As always, he cherished me dearly.
If he didn’t, then when I woke up in the dead of night to vomit, he wouldn’t rub my back, and he wouldn’t have struggled for multiple days to bake me cookies. I knew he had consented for my sake.
Sir Leonhart is prioritizing my wishes over his peace of mind. I mustn’t forget that. I’m anxious that I’m not making the best of this limited opportunity, but this won’t be the only event. Don’t overexert yourself, Rose; you should approach with the mindset that simply attending will be of significant value.
Preparations for the soiree came first. My figure had changed during pregnancy, and I would need to have a dress tailored. Though my belly was still rather inconspicuous, all the dresses I owned for parties required a corset, so they were now unwearable.
Considering the changes that would occur below my chest, I contemplated having an empire-style dress made—that style wouldn’t put any pressure on my stomach. Since I didn’t have much time, I had initially thought I would need to order a ready-made dress and adjust the size from there. However, the dressmaker had told me they would make my order a top priority, so they would have time to create a bespoke dress.
The dressmaker my parents—or more accurately, my mother—had reserved for me as a congratulatory gift for my pregnancy was the most popular dressmaker in the capital. Normally, one would need to wait an entire year for their order to be completed.
The royal family isn’t just about being connected, though—I have a feeling my mother also paid a hefty sum. I’m usually ashamed to receive special treatment, but I’m thankful for it this time.
Promptly after I reached out to the dressmaker, they made an appointment to come to our home in two days to take measurements and discuss the design. Everything was falling into place seamlessly, and I was once again filled with gratitude for my mother, but...
It was the day of the dressmaker’s visit.
The tailors sent by the dressmaker shop were setting up in a different room. Their presence was fine and expected—I was, however, questioning why the other three people were making themselves at home in the parlor.
“Mother, why are you here? And with Chris and Johan too,” I asked, flummoxed.
Mother turned toward me. She put down the teacup she held with bewitchingly graceful movements and tilted her head to the side. Though she was a gorgeous beauty, the childish gesture was oddly befitting. She wore a simple, deep-blue day dress with black lace and matching accessories—on any other person, the look would’ve given off a rather plain impression, but weirdly enough, when my mother wore it, she exuded an elegant allure. Her stunning good looks had not changed one bit, and you would never have guessed that she had multiple children who were already adults.
“My, I notified you in advance, didn’t I?”
“Yes, I did indeed receive a letter two hours ago.” What am I supposed to do with two hours of notice? “If you had let me know earlier, I would’ve been able to make more preparations for your arrival.”
“I simply came to see my daughter’s face. Preparations are uncalled for.” She turned away with a huff.
I smiled dryly. She probably only gave me short notice because she didn’t want me to fuss about her visit. It was her roundabout way of being thoughtful. She’s as adorable and abstruse as always.
The three were here incognito. Their carriage didn’t bear the royal crest, and their knights were not in uniform. They had each even been thorough enough to dye their hair brown. However, their out-of-this-world beauty would still command attention no matter where they went.
“I apologize for the trouble,” Chris said, his shapely brows drooping sadly.
It felt wrong to see him with chestnut brown hair and his bangs left down instead of parted in the middle. Perhaps it was because it made him appear even younger than normal, but the distressed look on his face made me feel guilty. For some reason, I felt like I was the one who’d done something wrong.
Oh, what am I to do? I smiled at him. “It’s fine. I’m glad you came to visit me.”
“Rose.” Chris’s face lit up. The rigid expression on his face vanished like melting snow.
“Sister, come here.” Johan, who was sitting on a two-seater sofa, beckoned me over. He patted the empty space next to him.
His wavy blond hair was the same chestnut brown as Chris’s, and it was pulled back. The new look made him seem more mature than usual, but his innocent smile was still the same as ever. I took his hand and sat beside him.
“Where’s Leonhart?” Chris asked.
“He went to the medical facility on business. I believe he’ll come to greet you once he returns.”
“Ah, no need. We barged in on you out of the blue. He should prioritize his work.”
It’s not like Sir Leonhart could respond in time either since their letter was only delivered two hours ago. He should be home soon, but I’ll presume upon Chris’s kindness this time.
“By the way, Rose, how are you feeling? Do you have an appetite?” my mother asked suddenly.
My brothers’ eyes fell on me as well.
“My morning sickness has settled down a little, and my health has more or less stabilized. I was able to eat a normal breakfast this morning.”
“But haven’t you lost weight? You’ve always been on the thin side, but now you look like you’d snap in two if someone touched you with the slightest bit of force.” Chris’s expression darkened. He’d said a line straight out of a shojo manga with a straight face, but the mood was not conducive to any teasing.
“You look pallid as well,” Johan added. “I really think it’d be best if you let the court physician examine you. And we could all rest assured if you lived in the detached palace.”
“You worry too much,” I replied.
Despite my attempts to assuage him, my younger brother refused to relent. “But I can always come running if you live there, and—”
“I also have doctors at home,” I said firmly, cutting him off before he could continue hounding me. “Leon and the servants will be with me, so you can rest easy.” I could be polite and let his statements roll off of me with a smile, but I don’t know how serious Johan is. There’s the real fear that if I just nod along, the next thing I know I’ll be tossed into the detached palace.
I left Johan with his disgruntled mutterings and addressed my mother. “Incidentally, mother, did the dressmaker contact you?”
“Yes. I told them to inform me when you got in touch with them.”
No wonder her visit perfectly aligned with the tailor’s even though I didn’t tell her about it. I guess she wanted to help her daughter pick a dress. How can I not grant such a humble wish? And above all, mother has an excellent eye for beauty and an unparalleled fashion sense. I can trust her opinion, so I am much obliged to her for her assistance.
“I’m thinking of selecting a dress that cinches below my chest so that it doesn’t put pressure on my stomach. Could you help me pick a design and the fabric?” I asked.
“You’re in good hands.” Mother puffed up with pride, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “We should also choose one that will accentuate your beauty. Though, you could honestly pull off any dress.”
That’s definitely your parental bias speaking. I laughed awkwardly instead of denying it.
“Very true,” Chris agreed with a solemn expression. “You’ve always been a lovely child, but now you’re more beautiful than anyone. You will look radiant in anything.” He nodded, satisfied with his analysis. He looked more like a doting father than an older brother.
While Chris was a young man who possessed the beauty of a supple sapling, he also had a level of dignity that was beyond his years, so oddly enough, the fatherly line suited him. He had been watching over me since I was young, and his heartwarming words carried a great weight.
Just then, a certain person’s face flashed through my mind. It was rare for my family to congregate in one place, and one person was missing: my father.
“That reminds me, where is father?” I asked off the cuff.
The three of them flinched and averted their eyes in unison. My eyes widened in confusion. I didn’t mean anything deep by that. Father is a busy man, and I have no doubt that he’s hard at work in his office. The answer is guaranteed to be “he’s working,” and I just asked to keep the conversation going. Then again, even if he had time to spare, surely it would never strike him to go out of his way to visit me at my residence.
So why are they avoiding my gaze? They look awkward, almost like they feel guilty about something...
“Don’t tell me you purposefully left him behind...”
They flinched again.
“As if. That would never happen!” I shot down my own guess with a smile, but when my eyes met Chris’s, he awkwardly turned away.
“Of course not.”
“We’d never.”
Johan and mother were smiling, but something smelled fishy. My upright older brother was the only one who looked ashamed, which made them look all the more suspicious. Still, I couldn’t imagine my arrogant father being abandoned, of all things. I doubted he even wanted to visit my home, so I stopped thinking too deeply about it.