“That’s to be expected. The Mermaid Dress? That design was not only innovative but also stunning,” Joanna remarked with a smile, engaging Bertia in conversation.
Joanna, you’re actually jealous that Bertia sent that design to a princess from another country, aren’t you? Or rather, if Princess Lysonna hadn’t chosen that design, you were planning to use it for your own wedding. Your eyes are practically saying as much.
When our eyes met for a brief moment, Joanna seemed to grasp exactly what I was thinking. She clicked her tongue softly, though inaudible to everyone else.
That’s a bit of a faux pas for a lady, isn’t it?
“By the way, there were a few designs Bertia came up with for Princess Lysonna’s dress that weren’t selected, right?” Following a light cough, Joanna asked, subtly shifting the topic as if she’d just remembered it.
“Yes, there were,” Bertia confirmed.
“Are those design sketches still around?”
The design for Princess Lysonna’s dress had already been finalized, and production was well underway. Despite being slightly puzzled by the sudden interest in the unused designs, Bertia responded clearly, “Yes, they’re still available.”
“Well, that’s wonderful! Actually, my ladies-in-waiting were gossiping about how marvelous it would be to marry in such a dress. So, it seems that some female nobles are eager to see the wedding dresses designed by Lady Bertia,” Joanna revealed.
While discussing observations made during working hours outside the palace might not have been ideal, Joanna likely already addressed the matter with her staff. Furthermore, Bertia’s involvement in designing Princess Lysonna’s wedding dress—and her status as a knowledgeable senior, having had her own wedding—were hardly secrets.
Alphasta, Umyuve, and Seahealby had all agreed that openly discussing these contributions—and showcasing the friendly relations among the nations—would be beneficial. Joanna’s ladies-in-waiting likely understood this and assumed it was safe to treat the topic as acceptable conversation. While it could be wise to caution them for the future, this level of discourse posed no real issue.
“Oh, the designs for the dresses as well? Actually, your wedding, Lady Bertia, was spoken of so beautifully that guests from other countries are curious about the details,” Anne chimed in, joining Joanna’s narrative.
“A friend who couldn’t attend your wedding asked me what type of wedding cake was served,” Joanna added.
“A gentleman friend of Lord Valdo from the Knights asked if I knew any romantic ways to propose that would delight a lady. I said I couldn’t think of any at the moment, but he hinted that he’d like to ask Lady Bertia, who is known for her flair for romantic gestures, for ideas. Of course, since it was a roundabout request, I pretended not to notice and let it slide,” Joanna continued.
After Joanna and Anne, Silica and Cynthia also shared similar experiences, suggesting that Bertia’s wedding production had surprisingly become a significant topic of conversation.
“Leave it to me! It’s the wedding of a dear friend, after all! Even if no one asks, I’ll prepare all sorts of surprises and things everyone will enjoy! Of course, the same goes for everyone else’s weddings too!” Bertia declared with a bright, confident smile.
Her enthusiasm elicited delighted grins from the ladies present and uneasy chuckles from my aides; everyone except the still-unpartnered Courtgain,who likely imagined what their noble partners might begin to ask of them.
“Oh dear, we’ve gotten off topic, haven’t we?” Joanna interjected, seemingly realizing that the conversation had drifted and trying to steer it back on course.
Joanna’s suggestion made everyone pause for a moment. A beat later, Bertia gasped as if suddenly realizing something.
“Then, how about we create a wedding information magazine?” Bertia proposed.
“Wedding information magazine?” the ladies and aides echoed, their voices overlapping in a collective murmur of confusion at the unfamiliar term.
“Yes! A magazine that serves as an ally for women getting married, compiling various wedding-related information into one book for everyone to see!” Bertia explained, her idea generating interest but also confusion among the group.
“Everyone facing marriage likely shares similar concerns. By including illustrations and specific anecdotes for clarity, compiling everything into a book could be very helpful,” Bertia continued, completely unaware of the surrounding bewilderment as she spoke brightly and enthusiastically about the concept of a wedding information magazine.
Joanna’s enthusiastic reply—”That sounds wonderful. I would love that.”—sparked a glow in the eyes of the women present. It was clear they had already begun imagining the magazine filled with their ideal wedding concepts, dress designs, and cake styles.
This could become problematic. If we continue down this path, we might end the meeting without properly discussing Princess Lysonna’s wedding.
While I found the idea of a wedding information magazine intriguing, it was clear that the discussion would be better suited for another time. There was no deadline for the magazine, but Princess Lysonna’s wedding had a fixed date—and that imposed a clear time limit on our preparations.
Clap! Clap!
To refocus the conversation, I clapped my hands to draw everyone’s attention.
“Let’s put aside the wedding information magazine for now and return to the topic of Princess Lysonna’s wedding. Bertia and I will be attending, and considering travel time, we have only about two months left for preparations, so we can’t afford to get off track.”
With a reassuring smile, I gently reminded everyone of the urgency. The ladies quickly fell silent and adopted a more serious demeanor.
It’s commendable how quickly they can adjust their focus.
Encouraged by my prompt, the discussion moved forward smoothly. Pleased with the steady pace of the meeting, I turned my attention to listening.
It seems the preparations are going well overall.
The meeting wrapped up without any diversions or issues, successfully covering all agenda items. Therefore, I was caught off guard by Bertia’s next remark.
“In just a few more months, Princess Lysonna will go from Lysonna Umyuve to Lysonna Seahealby…”
Bertia’s words trailed off as we walked together after the meeting, reflecting on how smoothly the wedding preparations were progressing. The sudden pause in her voice prompted me to glance at her. She looked thoughtful, tilting her head slightly to one side.
“What’s on your mind, Tia?” I asked.
She tilted her head to the other side, her expression faintly troubled as if she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.
“Well, it’s nothing really… But for some reason, the name Lysonna Seahealby feels familiar to me.”
“Considering we’re involved in her transition, isn’t it only natural you’ve heard the name a few times?”
“No, that’s the thing. Since Princess Lysonna’s transition hasn’t happened yet, the name I’ve seen and heard is still Lysonna Umyuve.”
Bertia appeared troubled by a thought she couldn’t quite grasp, mumbling and slowly tilting her head from side to side as she pondered.
“I can’t recall! But it feels like I heard it somewhere long before all this wedding talk. Now I’m starting to wonder if it was just my imagination. I apologize for worrying you. Please don’t mind me.”
Bertia, frustrated and cradling her head, came to terms with her memory lapse. Yet, she soon regained her cheerful demeanor.
“I understand,” I said, feigning acceptance of her conclusion. However, something in this situation felt off. Although Bertia appeared to have surrendered to her inability to remember, my instincts were raising red flags.
As the meeting attendees left, I returned to my office to tackle administrative tasks. I noticed Courtgain walking behind me, so I slowed down a bit, and he, picking up on my intention, moved in closer.
“Courtgain, could you please investigate Princess Lysonna and her fiancé, the crown prince, along with any recent activities between Umyuve and Seahealby, as far as you can find, and report back to me?” I asked quietly.
Courtgain, who had been listening with his head slightly bowed, looked up at me with a momentarily surprised expression as if to say, “Why now?” His reaction was a clear sign of his inexperience.
“Is there anything you’re worried about?” he asked.
“No, it’s simply a feeling I have. There’s no specific reason, but since Tia is putting so much effort into this, I thought it might be wise to conduct some preliminary research to avoid any potential mishaps,” I explained.
Courtgain appeared somewhat skeptical of my explanation but replied with a brief, “Understood.”
“I hope nothing comes of it,” I mused, especially regarding anything related to Bertia’s past life. However, trouble often seemed to arise precisely when you least expected it. Regardless of whether something happened, it was better to be prepared and not let our guard down.