Yep, I’m gonna throw up, I muttered internally as I was subjected to inquisitive stares.
I had finally made up my mind that enough was enough and that I needed to pull it together as the Duchess of Prelier, so here I was, at an evening soiree hosted by the royal family. The moment I stepped through the doors with Sir Leonhart escorting me, I was pierced by intense gazes from every direction.
I may be conceited for thinking this, but I feel like every single person in the hall is looking at us. I kept the archaic smile that my mother had taught me plastered on my face, and although I was somehow keeping it fixed, I hated standing out. Being in this situation was pure torture.
As a princess, I had attended a relatively large number of functions where I’d had to stand in front of people, but those experiences were completely useless now. Are the gazes of the general public and the gazes of nobility that different? There are inquisitive stares mixed in among our citizens, but I never really feel any ill will. It just feels like they’re looking at something novel... Maybe it’s similar to the way people go to a zoo to see pandas.
On the other hand, nobles stare at you like they’re appraising an item. They observe carefully without missing a single hair on your head and will find fault over the tiniest stray strand. I’m scared that if I make a single mistake, it’ll instantly be game over.
I was surging with the desire to forget about my brave front and turn tail and run home. But then, a quiet voice called my name. “Rose.”
Startled, I turned to my side and locked eyes with Sir Leonhart. His warm gaze melted the stiffness that had taken hold of my body, and I was finally able to take a deep breath.
That’s right. I’m not here alone. I have a reliable partner right next to me who won’t even budge if I lean my entire weight on him. Even if I fail, I’m sure Sir Leonhart will say, “There’s always next time,” with a lighthearted smile.
Reminded of this fact, I was able to relax and smile naturally. He seemed relieved that I’d gotten the message, and a gentle smile spread across his face. When he did, I heard admiring sighs from all around us.
Regardless of age or gender, you’ll be charmed by Sir Leonhart’s smile. I have the best husband in the world!
“Leon, you’re so dashing that everyone is captivated by you,” I whispered to him. I wore a nonchalant look as we proceeded into the venue.
He blinked and then smiled wryly. “Do you think these stares are only being directed at me?” His smile was sweetly contrary to his tone, which sounded like he was exasperated from dealing with a hopeless case.
“Huh? But...”
“Eighty percent of the hall... No, ninety percent is enchanted by you. I’m merely a garnish.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You could never be a mere garnish.”
His face and physique remain unchanged, even though he’s past thirty. Actually, if anything, he’s becoming sexier by the year. How could he be just a garnish? The main dish would be upstaged if he played the role of parsley!
“You’re as thickheaded as ever, or perhaps better put, out of touch,” he said.
A lot of people have told me that, so it’s probably true that I’m thickheaded. But I think Sir Leonhart is fairly thickheaded too. I mean, every time we take a step forward, I see another lady swooning over him. Innocent young noblewomen who have recently made their debuts, beautiful wives—everyone is ogling Sir Leonhart, spellbound. I can’t believe he feels like he’s a piece of garnish.
I wanted to tell him that he was just as out of touch as I was, but I refrained. I’m proud that my beloved husband is such a popular man, but I’m petty, so I’m a little... No, I’m very jealous. This’ll be my little secret.
Sir Leonhart gave me a puzzled look. “Rose?”
I smiled at him to show that nothing was wrong. Shortly after we entered the great hall, the royal family began to make their own entrances. Johan would come first, then Chris, and my father and mother last.
Johan sported a perfect smile, completely unperturbed by the euphoric squeals of young women. He wore dark colors—a grape-colored justaucorps, a gilet of the same shade, and a black cravat—but that only underscored his gorgeous face.
Chris, on the other hand, was not greeted by the same excited shrieks—perhaps because the women who admired him tended to be more mature. And yet, their gazes burned with all the more passion. However, Chris was expressionless, either not noticing their fiery stares or unbothered by them. The combination of his blue justaucorps and gilet and white cravat suited his intelligent, handsome features very well.
And, near my brothers’ wrists, the raden cuff links I’d gifted them glistened. At this point in time, there weren’t many who’d noticed the existence of their unique accessories. Only a small portion of the few fashion-minded people had. Nevertheless, practically everyone here would notice when they saw the accessories the royal couple wore. After all, they would be wearing theirs in the most conspicuous places—my father had a brooch pinned to his cravat, and my mother wore a necklace.
I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself! There’s no better advertisement than them, I mentally praised myself. At first, I’d fretted that my parents were too beautiful and that they’d outshine the accessories. However, light colors and the black base of raden accessories surprisingly went well together, so the accessories complemented their beauty like shadows.
The couple wore matching green outfits that harmonized well, with some slight differences in their styles and shades. In particular, my mother’s bright, emerald-green dress with black lace matched the colors of her raden necklace very well. I wondered whether she’d purposefully had it tailored to match.
The sight of these four exceptionally attractive men and women lined up together was truly breathtaking. And it stood out that they each wore accessories of the same craftsmanship.
One of my goals is to advertise exclusive products that Prelier will have in the future, and I’d say we’re off to a great start.
My estimation wasn’t wrong—when guests were free to enjoy the soiree as they pleased, we were instantly surrounded by a crowd, as though they’d been lying in wait. At first, they spoke to us under the pretext of paying respects or congratulating us on our future child, but their eyes were glued to our accessories. Noble ladies, the trendsetters in high society, were especially curious.
“Duchess, your earrings are absolutely splendid. They’re colorful yet elegant, and very eye-catching. I’ve never seen such craftsmanship in our nation. Could they be from another country, perchance?”
“Yes. They were crafted by artisans from the Kingdom of Osten, an island nation that lies east of the continent.”
“An island to the east? Acquiring goods from such a faraway land must have been no easy feat.” The fashion-conscious Marchioness Ruben’s eyebrows drooped in disappointment. She’d anticipated that the accessories were items imported from another country, but she hadn’t expected that they’d be from outside the continent.
When you learn it’s something you can’t attain, it’s human nature to desire it even more. I feel like she’s staring at my earrings with added fervor. I’ve got her now.
I smiled evilly on the inside and continued the conversation. “Normally, that would be the case, but we actually have artisans from Osten in our domain. These earrings were crafted by them.” I smiled as I touched my earring.
The marchioness’s eyes lit up. “My! In Prelier?”
In the beginning, when she’d come to greet us with her husband, she had been an elegant and impeccable lady, but she now appeared restless and a little fidgety. I could tell she wanted to ask more about the artisans, and she was frustrated that she couldn’t blatantly gather information.
High society was a battlefield where nobles vied for beauty, so many wished to hide information on their favorite tailors and artisans. Although it wasn’t a breach in etiquette to ask what shop an item was from, there was an unspoken agreement not to question excessively. However, I had no desire to stand out more than others in high society, so this rule meant nothing to me.
I’ll divulge as much information as you want, so please spend all the money you like. “They plan to open a shop in Prelier soon, so if you’re interested, please come visit,” I said in a hushed voice, hiding my mouth with my fan.
The marchioness beamed at me like an excited little girl and nodded. I glanced at Sir Leonhart—who was keeping the marquis company—and he shot me a tiny smile. His gaze seemed to be praising me with a Good job, and I felt like I was on cloud nine.