Chapter 36
Iris spoke with a bright, flower-garden-like smile, while the Empress stared at her face silently.
“Oh my, I’ve taken up too much of your time. I’ll come back tomorrow, Your Majesty.”
Feeling as though staying any longer might get her in trouble, she quickly bowed, left the dress sketch behind, and slipped out of the audience chamber.
The Empress didn’t particularly try to stop her, so Iris was able to return safely to her mansion.
‘Sure, I went along with it out of pity, but what if this causes a huge problem at the banquet?’
Lying in bed, she began to worry about tomorrow.
‘Oh, whatever.’
She pulled the covers over her head and fell asleep. Tomorrow’s problems could be handled by tomorrow’s Iris!
* * *
But she hadn’t expected to be this responsible for everything.
Iris asked the Crown Prince sitting across from her once more.
“So, you’re saying you can’t attend the banquet hosted by Her Majesty the Empress because you have to go to the Kingdom of Cecil?”
“It just happened to turn out that way.”
“Well, I mean, if it’s urgent business, there’s no helping it.”
It seemed the date promised with Harmia coincided with the day of the Empress’s banquet to announce her pregnancy. Iris hadn’t expected the Empress to become pregnant so soon.
“There’s no helping it, but I’m a little worried.”
“Should I contact the mage to push back the deadline?”
“No, that might cause some unforeseen complications, so I’d rather not.”
“Fair enough.”
If the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Cecil had completely fled and there was an issue with the female protagonist being taken as a hostage, it would also disrupt Iris’s plans.
“I’ll figure out a partner on my own.”
“I’ll assign my aide to you.”
“Oh, that might be better. Thank you.”
“Don’t cause any trouble until I get back.”
“Of course.”
“As soon as I returned to the empire, I was summoned by the Empress—what’s that about?”
“Haha.”
Iris slightly turned her head at the Crown Prince’s half-scolding tone.
There was no way he didn’t know what had happened between her and the Empress.
The imperial palace was a frightening place.
“Is it my fault that Her Majesty the Empress is pregnant? She was going to have a child anyway.”
“Still, the timing is just too coincidental.”
“What, do you think I’m some kind of real mage? If I were a mage, I wouldn’t be living like this.”
The Crown Prince sighed and stood up from his seat. It seemed he had come today just to deliver this news. Honestly, for something like this, he could’ve just sent a letter.
“I told you, didn’t I?”
“Told me what?”
“You don’t need to be too hostile with the Empress, but keep some distance.”
“Why is that on me?”
The Crown Prince furrowed his brow and leaned toward Iris, who was sitting on the sofa.
As his beautiful face came close, Iris instinctively leaned back, feeling overwhelmed.
“I’m starting to seriously consider our relationship.”
“What? No, I already rejected that.”
“I reject your rejection.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
The Crown Prince gave a faint smile, brushed Iris’s bangs aside, and lightly kissed her forehead with a soft smack before pulling back.
“W-What was that?”
“Stay safe until I return.”
With that, the Crown Prince left after saying his piece, leaving Iris rubbing her burning forehead, stammering.
“Tch, that crazy Crown Prince!”
It seemed she’d have to come up with some sort of plan while he was away in the Kingdom of Cecil.
‘Being swayed like this is not my style.’
She rubbed her flushed cheeks and thought.
She didn’t know why the Crown Prince was trying to define their relationship in such a way, but she believed everything would be resolved once the female protagonist arrived.
‘For now, I have to go see Her Majesty the Empress again today.’
All because of that darn dress—she’d have to keep going back and forth until it was finished, likely for at least two weeks.
‘Ugh, just thinking about it is exhausting.’
She gave a hollow laugh and began preparing to leave.
“Aster! Bring me a dress!”
“Yes, my lady!”
Aster, who was now quite adept at her role as a maid, hurriedly went to the dressing room to pick out a dress. Though she was quick to learn for someone with little training, there was one problem.
“Aster, this is too flashy.”
“But isn’t anything pretty good enough?”
“Oh, dear.”
Having lived as a street child for so long, Aster still couldn’t resist the allure of anything sparkly.
‘It’ll get better with time.’
Sighing, Iris went to the dressing room herself and chose something more subdued.
As Aster tied the laces at the back with a disappointed look, she asked,
“Dressing up as a noble is so complicated.”
“It sure is. They risk their lives for pointless formalities.”
“But aren’t you a noble, Lady Iris?”
“Who says that? I’m not a noble.”
“What?”
“Well, technically, I’m of commoner origin. Are you done tying it?”
“Oh, yes!”
Wearing the dress Aster had prepared, Iris left the mansion.
Since the Empress had personally invited her, a palace carriage was waiting in front of her mansion to pick her up, and she boarded it naturally.
‘Even receiving hospitality can be quite a hassle.’
With that thought, she closed her eyes for a brief nap.
And so, her two weeks passed. Waking up in the morning, washing lightly, eating, riding the Empress’s carriage to try on the dress, making adjustments, trying it on again, and returning exhausted—day after day of repetition.
‘This ends today.’
Leaning her forehead against the palace carriage window, Iris gave a weary smile.
She had finally heard that the dress was complete. No more of this nonsense.
Creak—Neigh!
As the coachman stopped the carriage, the horse whinnied. Lost in thought while gazing out the window, she realized they had arrived at the Empress’s palace.
The people at the Empress’s palace seemed accustomed to Iris’s visits by now, greeting her with nods.
Smiling back at each of them, she headed to the room where the Empress was waiting.
“Your Majesty, I’m here.”
“You’ve skipped all formalities now, you cheeky thing.”
“Haha, did you sleep well?”
Iris casually sat beside the Empress, fluttering her long eyelashes.
The Empress clicked her tongue, covering her face with a fan, and said,
“They said it was finished last night, so you just need to try it on today for final adjustments.”
“Oh, so I finally get to see the completed version? My heart’s racing.”
“You looked bored to death every time you tried on the dress, yet your tongue is so smooth.”
“Oh, did I?”
Our Empress is quite perceptive.
Maintaining her smile, Iris headed behind the luxurious partition. As she stood there, the maids began removing her light dress and helping her into the one prepared by the Empress.
‘Wow, this is heavy.’
With thousands of pearls adorning the dress, it couldn’t possibly be light. If even one fell off, how much would that cost? She felt utterly unworthy.
‘Pearls are one thing, but are those on the chest diamonds?’
What she had thought was embroidery in the sketch turned out to be all jewels.
So this is what an Empress-approved dress looks like. Iris quietly swallowed hard.
‘I’ll have to return this after wearing it, right?’
Imagining the Empress scoffing at the thought, Iris stepped out from behind the partition, fully dressed.
Careful not to damage the dress, she moved to stand before the Empress, blinking awkwardly.
No one spoke.
“Uh, does it look awkward?”
“…No, it’s quite nice.”
“Thank you.”
Iris gave a slight bow. She knew her face was beautiful, but as for noble elegance—well, she was all too aware she lacked talent in that area.
‘I hope I don’t look like I’m wearing someone else’s clothes.’
As she worried, the Empress’s maid whispered to her.
“…Won’t Lady Iris draw too much attention at the banquet?”
“…That could be a problem.”
It was a conversation between the Empress and her maid.
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