NOVEL NEXT chapter 65
I reluctantly nodded and returned to my seat, and Lukas followed suit, taking the seat across from me.
“Oh, Lady Selina! You must try on the dress!”
Thanks to Lukas knocking, the fitting session had been interrupted. Now, it was back on track.
At the mention of the dress, Lukas lifted his head and looked at the gown that Madam and Jane «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» were holding up.
“Is she trying that one on?”
“Yes! Don’t you think it would suit her beautifully?”
Vivian responded to Lukas’s question, her entire demeanor radiating the pride of someone who had personally selected the dress.
“Yes, it’ll suit her well.”
Lukas’s eyes remained fixed on the dress. He was staring at it so intently that for a moment, I wondered if he actually wanted it for himself.
Ignoring his persistent gaze, I entered the dressing room attached to my bedroom, where Jane and Madam helped me into the gown.
Since it was a sample dress, the size was a bit large, so they had to secure it with temporary pins in several places.
With the pins sticking out in the back, I stiffly adjusted my movements, wary of accidentally pricking myself, and stepped back into the room.
“Oh my!”
Vivian let out an exaggerated exclamation and shot up from her seat, clapping enthusiastically.
Madam slowly rose as well, joining in the applause, and then, caught up in the moment, Jane also started clapping.
For heaven’s sake, what kind of situation is this?
As applause echoed around me from all directions, my gaze met Lukas’s.
Seated on the sofa, he was watching me.
The corners of his lips, which had been curved in a slight smile, had stiffened. Even Lukas, it seemed, was bewildered by this absurd standing ovation.
“As expected… Lady Selina. The fit, the color, the design—wow, you’ll completely steal the spotlight at the ball.”
Vivian spoke in a reverent tone, and Jane and Madam chimed in as well.
“She has arrived. Truly, the finest young lady of our time.”
“Indeed, my lady. You are absolutely stunning.”
As the chaotic round of applause finally ended, a new phase began—the wave of praise.
I was beginning to suspect that these people were putting all their effort into messing with me.
Feeling increasingly flustered, I turned to Lukas with a silent plea for help.
But even in the face of my desperate gaze, Lukas merely blinked in silence.
What, is he trying to send me a message in Morse code? Too bad—I don’t know Morse code.
In the end, Lukas was of no help either.
There were five people in this room, yet somehow, not a single one of them seemed normal.
Resigning myself to the situation, I decided to play along. After all, life is easier when you go with the majority.
With that in mind, I spun around in a graceful twirl.
And then…
Silence.
The room, which had been filled with noise just moments ago, suddenly fell into complete stillness.
Seriously? Is this happening?
Amid the unexpected hush, as everyone awkwardly settled back into their seats, a voice broke through the quiet.
“You look beautiful, Selina.”
It was Lukas, who had been silent all this time.
Gasp.
A sharp inhale—whose, I didn’t know—echoed through the room.
Soon, I could feel the eyes of the other three flickering back and forth between me and Lukas.
This must be what it feels like to be a celebrity caught in a scandal.
“Yes, I know. And Lady Vivian looks beautiful as well.”
Vivian, who had suddenly been named, blinked in confusion. “Me?”
I nodded and continued.
“Madam is beautiful, Jane is beautiful, and Sir Lukas is beautiful too. This chair, this table, this dress—everything is beautiful. There’s nothing in this world that isn’t beautiful.”
At first glance, it might have sounded like some kind of profound philosophy, but really, I was just spewing nonsense.
I was making a grand declaration about universal beauty, yet, somehow, the three people—excluding Lukas—looked at me with deeply moved expressions.
I truly cannot understand what qualifies as touching in this world.
I returned to the dressing room to change back into my original outfit.
As Madam and Jane removed the pins, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
This translation is the intellectual property of .
Once I had changed back, I returned to my seat to find Lukas flipping through a men's fashion catalog.
“Have you decided on the dress from earlier?”
“Yes. I don’t want to try on multiple outfits.”
As I took my seat, Lukas casually pushed the catalog toward me.
“Which one do you think is better? The bottom-left or the third from the right?”
Bottom-left and third from the right… I glanced at Lukas before looking at the catalog.
Honestly, Vivian would probably be better at choosing these things than me…
Both options Lukas had selected were in shades of blue. One was a white tailcoat with blue accents, while the other was a deep navy ensemble with gold embroidery.
“Blue, huh?”
“Yes. I like blue.”
Why does Lukas have to like blue? If he wears blue, won’t it make my dress look too similar?
Not that there’s any guarantee Lukas and I will be entering together, but still.
“The Crown Prince and the Princess are coordinating their outfits. If Sir Lukas and I also end up in similar colors, wouldn’t that cause unnecessary misunderstandings?”
At my question, Lukas went silent, as if in thought.
Lifting his gaze from the catalog, he looked at me with a playful smile.
“That sounds fun.”
Yeah. Sure.
I shrugged at his sly expression and flipped through the catalog.
The front pages featured red tones, while the back pages showcased yellows—it seemed to be organized by color.
Among the blue options, the two Lukas had chosen were the best.
After careful consideration, I pointed at the black tailcoat.
A villain always looks best in black.
With our outfits settled, Lukas and I had our measurements taken.
Afterward, we spent some time enjoying refreshments with Madam and Vivian. Strangely enough, Lukas seemed more at ease conversing with them than I did.
Time passed, and soon, it was time to part ways.
We had only met with two people, yet somehow, I felt utterly drained. Perhaps it was because they were both so full of energy.
“Well then, I should take my leave. Lady Selina, I truly had a delightful time.”
Madam now seemed much more comfortable than before, smiling warmly as she said her goodbyes.
I was about to return the greeting when my eyes landed on the tailcoat catalog atop the tea table.
Just as Madam reached to place the catalog back in her bag, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.
“Wait a moment.”
At my call, Madam paused her movement and looked at me.
“Yes, Lady Selina? Please, speak.”
It must have been unusual for me to stop someone like this because Lukas and Vivian were both watching me with interest.
I pointed at the tailcoat catalog Madam had been about to place in her bag.
Following the direction of my finger, Madam tilted her head before picking up the catalog and handing it to me.
“This is for men, my lady?”
I know. That’s why I asked for it. I nodded and opened the book.
Flipping through the pages, I skimmed over a variety of designs, from extravagant and colorful to sleek and simple, until my hand stopped on one page.
It was a collection of green-toned tailcoats.
“Oh my, but Sir Lukas has already chosen a blue ensemble…”
Vivian trailed off as she glanced at Lukas. Right, we had already decided on his outfit.
“This isn’t for him.”
“Then… is it for the Duke?”
Vivian asked cautiously, and Madam’s eyes gleamed. Well, of course—if she managed to secure the Duke’s attire as well, it would be a massive success for her atelier.
Unfortunately for her, she was wrong. I shook my head.
“No, it’s for the escort mage.”
“Aiden?”
The one who responded this time was Lukas.
Hearing him say Aiden’s name felt strangely unfamiliar.
“Yes, Aiden.”
My handsome servant? That phrase felt oddly dangerous somehow.
Still, it wasn’t exactly incorrect, so I nodded.
“Yes, but he’s not a servant anymore.”
“Oh my!”
“Selina.”
Vivian gasped dramatically, covering her mouth with both hands, while Lukas calmly and succinctly said my name.
It almost sounded like a warning not to say too much.
Well, I hadn’t intended to elaborate anyway.
Without another word, I pointed at one of the tailcoats.
It was a cream-colored ensemble accented with green, a design that would suit Aiden well.
“I’ll send over one of Aiden’s old outfits from the stables. Please adjust the size accordingly.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Madam made a note of my selection before truly preparing to leave this time.
“Then, Lady Selina, I’ll have the clothing delivered once they’re finished.”
“Yes, I’m counting on you.”
“Lady Selina, I’ll see you at the Founding Festival ball!”
“Yes, see you then. Take care.”
After the brief farewell, I stumbled slightly, and Lukas steadied me.
“Are you alright, Selina?”
“Yes. Other than feeling completely drained, I’m fine.”
I straightened up and began walking again, with Lukas slowly following behind.
It seemed he intended to escort me back to my room.
“Are you planning to ask Aiden to escort you at the Founding Festival ball?”
Amidst the quiet hallway, where only the sound of our footsteps echoed, Lukas asked in a low voice.
“Well, that depends on whether he arrives in time.”
Lukas didn’t reply. The sound of our footsteps felt a little louder than before.
“There’s no better occasion than the Founding Festival ball to officially introduce him as an escort mage.”
I added another remark to the lingering silence.
“…Is that all there is to it?”
At his follow-up question, I stopped walking.
There was a bit of distance between us, so when I stopped, Lukas did as well.
Is that all there is to it?
What else would there be?
Curious about what absurd thoughts were running through his head, I turned around—only to be met with Lukas’s stiff expression.
He looked like a man dying of thirst.
But I had no water.
And even if I did, I wouldn’t give him any.
“What else could there be?”
The date of the Founding Festival ball was approaching quickly—only five days remained.
It was a major imperial event, and since it was hosted by the royal family, it was bound to draw a massive crowd.
Imagining the crowded ballroom made my stomach churn, so I gulped down some cool lemon tea.
In front of me, Jane was chewing on a cookie-topped cake as she grumbled playfully.
“Most people would be busy dieting right now… but you, my lady, make sure to keep up your snack time.”
I scooped up a big bite of the cake with my fork.
The exaggerated motion felt like a statement of defiance.
Jane sighed, muttering something about how I was truly hopeless, before reaching over to wipe the corner of my mouth.
I don’t feel nineteen. More like nine.
Oh, wait. When I was nine, I had to wipe my own mouth.
“By the way, why did you order a chocolate cake again this time?”
Jane gestured toward the chocolate cake with her eyes.
Naturally, my gaze followed.
It sat there, untouched, standing tall and pristine.
“…Good question.”
Even I wasn’t sure why I had ordered it.
Well, life is often full of unexplained mysteries.
With my fork, I scooped a small portion of the chocolate cake’s outer layer.
As expected, it was unbearably sweet.