Chapter 75

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Chapter 75

There were a lot of colorful clothes in front of me, but I felt like I was looking at something that was very different from the other dress waiting a few steps away. That was maybe the reason why she could present it to me with such confidence. I nodded, feeling strangely attached to the dress.

“This dress is really pretty.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Jacqueline replied with a broad smile.

It seems like she was happy with what I said. I could see that even Eldeira and Franc were fascinated by the dress in front of me.

I’m sure that the pale, purple dress, wrapped in layers like flower petals, would flutter elegantly while walking. It was a very lovely dress that won’t lose its splendor no matter how many times you see it.

‘I’ve seen my fair share of dresses, but nothing can compare to this.’

I looked at Jacqueline and opened my mouth.

“I’ll take this one and you may go.”

“Thank you, young lady.”

Jacqueline smiled and lowered her head in a bow.

“This is Madame Jacqueline, Your Highness.”

“Come in.”

Jacqueline was called to the Imperial palace after showing the dress to Shuelina.

Azuela was sitting on the sofa in the parlor, holding a cup of tea. There were other young girls sitting next to her. It looked like they were enjoying tea time.

Jacqueline stepped forward politely in front of Azuela.

“Oh my, she’s finally here, Your Highness!”

“I am so curious!”

Next to Azuela with twinkling eyes, the other young girls beside her excitedly called her. Azuela then asked Jacqueline, lightly rubbing her cheeks with pleasure.

“Are the clothes ready? You should give it to Father Emperor as soon as possible so he can give it to me.”

Azuela spoke to Jacqueline with an unusually nervous look.

They must have already sent several people to spy on her and check the situation, but now it seems that they couldn’t stand it and just decided to call her here and hear the news.

Jacqueline, holding back what seemed like a bitter laugh, answered Azuela.

“It’s all finished, and I was just showing it to His Majesty today.”

Hearing that it was finished, Azuela smiled happily.

“Alright then. Is that the one you’re holding next to you?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ah, really… I hope that Father Emperor will give it to me sooner.”

As Azuela murmured, the other young girls sitting next to her also nodded with ecstasy.

“Is this the dress studded with diamonds from the Tarind Territory? It seems like His Majesty is really fond of you, Your Highness the Imperial Princess.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing the princess wearing this to the party!”

“Standing with Grand Prince Vaillot will make you look even more perfect!”

(T/N: I am changing my translation of ‘the Grand Duke’s son’ to ‘Grand Prince’ since Shuelina is a ‘Grand Princess’, a daughter, then a son of a Grand Duke should be called ‘Grand Prince’. It is the right translation, and I only realized it now hehe sorry for the confusion. )

Azuela smiled happily as she heard the whispers of the other young girls full of jealousy. She had also already shared her plans for New Year’s Eve with her close friends. She also openly shared the fact that she was really loved by His Majesty the Emperor, her father, and that he had secretly prepared a dress for her in advance. Even the recently discovered rare diamonds were cut into beautifully delicate shapes and used abundantly to make the dress even more luxurious.

She also mentioned that she had asked the eye-catching Grand Prince Vaillot, whom she had met at the Imperial Palace, to be her escort at the upcoming party. Though everything was unconfirmed still, Azuela would do everything within her power to make the unclear clear.

Everyone laughed as they imagined a scene of a beautiful princess instructing the Grand Prince from that villainous family.

‘This is trouble. This anticipation….’

Jacqueline looked at Azuela’s face and hardened her expression slightly. She should’ve said that the dress was actually not for Azuela, but it wasn’t the right time to say that. The Imperial Princess would be a laughing stock in front of the other young noble girls if she had said that now.

The children, who were laughing and chatting by themselves, didn’t pay Jaqueline any more attention. They just told her to get the dress and go outside. Jacqueline was kicked out of the parlor in less than a minute. She sighed as she stood by the door.

She was initially worried that she might lose the Imperial Princess as a customer, but it was not a big deal now. It was the Emperor who had commissioned her for the dress in the first place and not the Imperial Princess.

‘At first, I also thought it was for the Imperial Princess.’

Jacqueline was in charge of the Imperial Princess dresses to the point that she looked like an exclusive designer for the Imperial Family. She thought that it was for Azuela when the Emperor called and asked her to make a dress for a six-year-old child – just like the rumor that he was really fond of his daughter, and was just preparing a dress for her New Year’s Evening dress.

She was soon surprised though, that the height and build he had described in detail was different from Azuela’s.

‘Please pardon me Your Majesty, but the size you just described to me now is a little smaller than the Imperial Princess.’

‘Just do what I said. You just have to make it like this.’

(T/N: Italicized sentence/s inside the ‘’ as in the past. )

The measurements the emperor showed her looked closer to a child of four or five years old, not six. She asked the Emperor carefully, but the Emperor just grinned at her and resolutely told her that.

Moreover, the dress ordered by the Emperor was very different from what Azuela usually wears. It is a well-known fact that the Imperial Princess likes dresses with very flashy colors and patterns. However, what the Emperor ordered her to make was a dress that was neat and lovely, a style for someone like an innocent angel. He also demanded that the actual value be different. She shouldn’t spare the cost of the materials and use the most lavish fabric and jewels, and to make sure to use white and blue, the colors of the imperial family.

The design was inspired by the clothes of a certain lady as much as possible (e/n: I’m assuming the late empress). That was the Emperor’s order.

She thought that maybe she didn’t know that much about the Imperial Princess being delicate, but she had to follow the Emperor’s orders.

‘It wasn’t for the princess in the first place.’

It was very difficult to make a dress for a six-year-old she hadn’t never met before. Then, she remembered the Grand Duke had also put in a coincidental request to make a dress for a six-year-old.

‘Oh, how were my facial expressions earlier…?’

She was able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together after she first saw the face of the Grand Princess at the Grand Duke’s residence today. Shuelina greatly resembled the Emperor. Her hair shining in the sunlight was exactly the same as the Emperor’s hair color.

‘Anyone can see that she was from the Imperial Family’s bloodline.’

It was already well-known in the rumor-fueled high society circle that the Grand Princess was an orphaned commoner. However, as soon as she saw Shuelina’s face, it shocked her and she thought, ‘Perhaps, she was an orphaned Imperial Family member?’

However, if we erase the prejudice from the other aristocrats that assumed this could never be the case (because she lived in an orphanage for commoners), they would have known that the girl was indeed a member of the royal family.

‘It’s going to be a blue New Year’s Eve.’

(T/N: As you all may know, the color ‘blue’ refers to the royal family because they aren’t simple people. So when Jacqueline thought it was going to be a ‘blue New Year’s Eve’, she was actually referring to who will wear the dresses she made, because they are both princesses: Azuela and Shuelina. )

Many will be amazed to see Shuelina. An Imperial Princess who became a Grand Princess.

In addition, Jacqueline was also worried about Azuela’s New Year’s preparations. The princess, who learned of the Emperor’s request, was convinced that it was her gift, and she hadn’t prepared a dress for it at all. At this rate, the preparation for the princess’ dress would be a mess.

‘I‘ll have to save myself for a while.’

She planned on making excuses that she actually didn’t know to whom the Emperor would give the gift, but she was a little scared. Nevertheless, the corners of her lips rose up when she thought of Shuelina wearing the masterpiece she had made. She was convinced that her work had found the right place.

“Madam Jacqueline, His Majesty is calling for you.”

A servant approached Jacqueline as she walked down the hallway with various thoughts in mind. Jacqueline bowed her head and followed the attendant to the Emperor’s drawing room.

“Did you finish the work?”

From the moment she entered the drawing room, Jacqueline, who bowed her head and lowered her body as low as possible, heard the Emperor’s stern voice.

“Yes. I brought it here, Your Majesty.”

When Jacqueline presented the work, someone accepted it on behalf of the Emperor. For a while, there was the sound of the fabric unraveling. Jacqueline looked down and stared with curiosity.

‘There’s no way you wouldn’t like my clothes.’

If not, it’s because he doesn’t have a knack for girls’ clothes. With such a firm thought, she waited for something to be said above her head.

“You did it beautifully.”

The Emperor muttered in a slightly hoarse voice, as if he was thinking of something. Perhaps he was imagining someone wearing this outfit.

“I remember the time when Her Majesty the Empress wore this robe.”

The knight standing behind the emperor murmured in a quiet voice. Jacqueline was now completely sure when she heard that voice – the Shuelina who will wear this dress is the daughter of His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Empress.

(T/N: The first Empress said by the knight refers to the former Empress, who was Shuelina’s mother. On the other hand, the second Empress in Jacqueline’s mind is referring to the present Empress, Azuela’s Mother. Jaqueline thought that Shuelina is her daughter. )

‘The Grand Princess will wear both of my clothes.’

An innocent purple dress commissioned by the Grand Duke, and the noble royal blue dress requested by the Emperor. Both dresses must have been for Shuelina. Knowing everything, Jacqueline asked the Emperor in a cautious voice.

“Pardon myself, can I take my leave now? Or shall I bring these clothes to the Imperial Princess?”

“Princess? Imperial princess?”

The Emperor, who was mumbling as if he was moved by something, snorted out loud.

“These clothes do not belong to Azuela.”

Jacqueline was about to say ‘Then, I should hurry and make clothes to give to Her Highness the Imperial Princess…’ but she shut her mouth. Anyway, it wasn’t her job to make her new clothes immediately.

The Emperor looked at Jacqueline, who was hesitating.

“Is there anything you want?”

“I….”

Luxurious wealth? Bigger store? Fame? Thinking of what to ask for, Jacqueline put more weight on her ambitions. She needed wealth and fame. She was always hungry with everything. Even if she already had the best, she was hungry and wanted to have bigger adventures.

“Your Majesty! Judging from what I heard in this room… I think there will be an official introduction of a member of the royal family soon.”

“….”

The Emperor did not say anything. Jacqueline endured her trembling voice and continued.

“Then, at the time of the introduction, please let me take care of the clothes that the new princess will wear.”

“…You are very greedy. But it seems you could read the current situation.”

The Emperor looked down at Jacqueline’s bowing figure and tapped on the table. It was a good signal.

‘It’s done. After that, let’s leave it to the Grand Princess and the Grand Duke to protect me.’

Jacqueline had no doubts that she would also be the best designer of the year.

The process of choosing a dress was really hard. It had been hours since I changed clothes into something comfortable and took a nap in bed. My chest was heavy as if it was being pressed by a rock, and I didn’t feel refreshed the whole time. Then I woke up randomly because I felt that the air that touched my skin had changed.

Somehow, it was because the surrounding area became cool as if the wind was blowing.

“…Shushu, Shushu. You have to wake up.”

It was the Great Duke. I blinked a few more times and tried to look around. I might not have noticed there was something amiss if the Grand Duke hadn’t looked at me with such an intense gaze and smiled.

“…Dad?”

The Grand Duke remained unchanged in my doubtful gaze. He was still smiling at me affectionately…

‘I already saw the corners of your mouth twitching.’

There was no mistake that the Grand Duke was hiding something. Yap! When I turned my head, I could see the hand of the Grand Duke extending to one side pushing Kaiden away from me. When I met Kaiden’s eyes, the baby dragon pitifully groaned and rolled back.

“Dad, don’t bully Kaiden.”

I quickly got up from my seat and hugged Kaiden. Kaiden leaned heavily on me with his purple eyes half closed. He even wrapped his wings around my arms as if to say that I should hug him tighter.

“Sigh, you were making a fuss earlier…”

The Grand Duke muttered something, but at that same moment, Kaiden noisily nuzzled his face into my arms and I couldn’t hear what he said properly.

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