Chapter 10
I felt half dead from waking up earlier than usual and getting all kinds of body treatments. I took a bath in a tub of water mixed with milk and fragrance extract, then got some massages, and then did both a face and body mask. These boring steps were repeated multiple times. I was almost a zombie when I got out of the bathroom and made my way to the makeup table. However, that wasn’t the end.
“Lady, how is this dress? This was bought last time and wasn’t worn once, so it’s new.”
“How about these earrings? They should go well with the dress.”
“I think tying half of your hair up would be better than tying it all up. What do you think?”
“How do you want your makeup…?”
They kept on asking, holding me down.
Do they actually hate Penelope?!
They were more excited than I was. I raised my head and looked in the mirror. It seemed like all the treatments I got this morning did their work, because my face was glowing even more than usual.
Well. It surely would be fun to decorate a face like this.
I nodded, understanding why they reacted this way, and spoke.
“Take that dress back and bring the one that covers all my neck. I’ll wear the least amount of accessories I can get away with. Take it easy on all the others, too.”
“Ehh?!”
The maids jumped in shock from my words.
“But Lady, It’s a party. The one at the Royal Palace at that…”
The words also seemed to ask ‘won’t you need to dress up prettier than others?’. The red-ish pink dress that the maids brought would leave my neck widely visible, and certainly looked like it would go well with Penelope’s crimson pink hair. And the accessories that almost looked like a set with the dress would compliment Penelope’s splendid beauty as well. But I wasn’t going to the Palace to show off my beauty like a peacock. But then, I couldn’t possibly say that I was going there to die, so I just babbled things out like how Penelope would.
“You don’t need to try too hard. Just do as I say.”
The maids couldn’t try convince me any longer after hearing my cool tone of voice, and they walked towards the dress room with a saddened face. The three dresses that the maids now brought were all decorated simply, unlike the last dress.
“This one.”
The dress I picked was a dark green evening dress. It covered my collarbones and it was the color of dark green that didn’t stand out much. I put on the dress and forced the maids to do my makeup as lightly as possible. I added small emerald colored earrings that resembled Penelope’s eyes, and called it at that.
After the makeover, I looked in the mirror and saw myself so modestly styled that I felt like I was going to the church to pray instead of going to a fancy party. This would be enough to be almost unseen. Unlike me, with my face bright with satisfaction, the maids’ expressions were all dark.
“Only Emily stay, the rest can leave now.”
I ordered them to leave, then I asked for one more thing from my personal maid.
“Emily. Could you prepare gloves that are the same color as the dress?”
“Lady, you’re going to wear gloves as well?”
If I do, then it’d be perfect.
Emily fidgeted, as if she wanted to stop me from that also.
“Then, what? I can’t go showing this to everyone.”
I said, showing the needle marks on my hand. The needle marks were faint, now hardly even visible. However, there could always be some nobles with keen eyesight that would notice it. Emily’s face went pale.
“Hurry and bring it.”
“O-Okay!”
I clicked my tongue, watching her leave in a panic. There were moments where she became a little hesitant after treating her a little well these days. I had the need to make her feel nervous when facing me. Later, the preparation was done with me putting on my gloves. Derrick scanned me from head to my toe, and made a face seeming to say ‘this is rare’.
“It seems like you’ve turned more human-like these past days of your timeout.”
It was our first meeting with each other in days, but his attitude towards Penelope stayed the same. However, I didn’t have time to get upset about it. It was because of the shining gauge bar over his head.
[Interest 5%]
What the… When did it go up? His interest has risen without me even knowing it. 5 percent at that!
I was a little dumbfounded.
If his interest towards me rises when he doesn’t see me, just how much does he hate Penelope?
If I knew about this earlier, then I would have spoken to him about not going and claiming sick. I started to regret my decision. But it was too late. The fancy carriage with the symbol of Eckart on it already stood in front of the main entrance.
I bowed slightly as a greeting, then reached my hand out to the bodyguard standing nearby. The carriage was a bit higher than I’d expected. I couldn’t see what Derrick was doing, since I was busy with lifting my dress up to get on the carriage. When I’d successfully gotten up the carriage and turned around to look at Derrick, he had his hand stretched towards me, his face stiff.
What’s up with him?
I tilted my head in confusion, but we needed to hurry up and leave if we wanted to get to the ceremony on time. There was no way he’d ride the same carriage as me, so I waited for the door to close. But, Derrick who had frozen briefly, got in the carriage.
What the- What’s happening?! Why is he climbing up here?!
I searched through my memories to see if I’d done anything wrong, however nothing came to mind. It was obvious, as we’d only just now met today and only said greetings. While I was doing that, Derrick sat down on the opposite side of where I was sitting.
“Y-You’re riding with me?”
His brows creased from my questioning.
“You have a problem with that?”
“N-No. It’s not that…”
What’s wrong with you?! You’ve never done anything like this before!
I shook my head, making sure I didn’t say that out loud. But even though I said there wasn’t a problem, the crease didn’t leave his forehead.
“If you have a problem, ride the other carriage.”
He said with a cold tone. I glimpsed out the window, actually considering doing that. However, he’d already closed the door after he came in, so it would look funny if I opened it again and left.
“…I don’t dislike it.”
I looked back at Derrick and forced the half-hearted words out of me.
“I… like it?”
I carefully glanced at Derrick to see his reaction. He, who glared at me for a moment, turned his head to the side.
I mean, if you hate it that much, why are you making it more awkward and uncomfortable for us both? Is this a new way to annoy Penelope?
I was dumbfounded at the cold aura of his figure. But then I took a look above his head.
[Interest 6%]
It went up by a percent.
I was staring at it with wide eyes as the carriage started moving.
Yeah… What could possibly happen in the carriage? I had a whole 6% interest towards me. There couldn’t possibly be a situation that would make this 6% drop in such a short time here.
Remembering the words ‘if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it’, I decided to take it as a good thing. However soon after departing, I regretted riding the same carriage with Derrick.
It’s suffocating! Save me!
It seemed like eternity until we finally arrived at the Palace. During that long time, all I could do was just watch the cold handsome man sitting opposite me with his arms and legs crossed. There was only silence in the carriage, which made me feel hyper aware of even my own breathing.
I decided to try opening the window when I couldn’t take it anymore, but Derrick stared at me as soon as I started to move, so I couldn’t do anything. When I flinched even just a little after that, he would open his closed eyes abruptly and glare at me.
Ah, why are you looking at me like that?!
I sweated, glancing at the [Interest 6%] once a while. I mentally shouted in delight when the carriage finally stopped at the Palace entrance. I could finally escape this carriage of death.
I’ll hurry and get out, then take in some fresh air.
Click.
But before I could move, Derrick got up as soon as the carriage stopped. He then opened the door and got out first.
“Take it.”
Derrick reached one hand out to me, who got up with my dress held up with my hands.
Did you eat something weird?
I blankly stared at Derrick, who was trying to escort me, with wide eyes. After a while, he frowned.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to get down?”
I came back to my senses and looked around me. The gazes of the nobles who’d just arrived were all directed towards us.
“Thank you.”
I hurriedly took Derrick’s hand and got off the carriage. With my hand in his, we walked up the stairs to the ballroom.
“Entering Young Master Derrick Eckart and Lady Penelope Eckart from the Eckart family!”
The giant door to the ballroom opened following the loud shout of the servant.
“Don’t be rash.”
Derrick’s cold words reached my ears.
“You didn’t forget that your timeout only just ended yesterday, have you?”
“…”
“If you make a fuss again, then it won’t just end with a timeout.”
My feelings of excitement disappeared from his words. I wanted to talk back at Derrick’s displeasing words, but I held it in.
“Okay, I’ll be careful.”
I put my effort into making a smile while I spoke. After my reply, Derrick turned his face away from me.
Tsk.
I pouted as soon as he wasn’t looking.
Please let me know if there’s anything inconsistent, or that needs further editing/corrections!!
-emrld
Scarlett Shoujo 