I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 49

When she saw the invitation, she seemed to sense the question I was thinking.

 

I paused for a moment, and then brought up my earlier guess.

 

“The invitation even had my old last name on it, so I figured it must have been sent by someone who could find out about me.”

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

“So I surmised that Lord Kianton must have told the Crown Prince about me, and I wonder if that made him curious about me?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“I’m sure he’s very interested in you, and he wants to see for himself what kind of person you are.”

 

Estella looked annoyed at my comment.

 

“No, what does he want to know about me, I don’t want to see for myself!”

 

I guess Estella doesn’t like this because she has no intention of writing a romance with the crown prince.

 

I giggled at her indignation.

 

“But that’s all speculation, really.”

 

After all, there’s only so much I can do in this castle, and sometimes I have to go out and get the answers myself.

 

I shrugged, thinking to myself. ‘But if I go to the Islands, will I even be able to meet with the crown prince properly? The difference in status is quite obvious…’

 

“You were only going to see me, but that bastard ruined it!”

 

“Estella. When you go to an official meeting, you must address His Highness the Crown Prince with honorifics.”

 

“Yes, I’ll do my best. But it’s just you and me now!”

 

Estella continued to whine after that.

 

I spent the rest of the time dangling treats from her ever-moving lips and arguing with her.

 

Finally, as darkness fell over the snowfield, Estella stopped complaining about the crown prince, but her eyes blazed with an inexplicable determination.

 

“Okay. I’m going to make this right!”

 

“……?”

 

I stared into her eyes, confused.

 

But it didn’t take long for me to realize what Estella had decided to do. Two days later, hangers of dresses poured into my room.

 

I couldn’t help but gasp in surprise when a bespectacled middle-aged woman walked in from behind one of the hangers.

 

“It’s Madame Cornelia!”

 

She was the owner of the largest costume shop in Loasen, a name that even I, a non-clothing person, knew, and a designer so famous that her clothes were sought after in the islands.

 

‘I heard there’s a month-long waiting list for an appointment with Madame Cornelia…’

 

Estella sat down next to me with a wide-eyed smile on her face, and she exclaimed with excitement.

 

“Sis, let’s go shopping together!”

 

Estella shouted at me, who was frozen in place, and opened a thick catalog.

 

I would have happily picked out more than a dozen dresses for her, but… unfortunately, she didn’t seem to be interested in picking out her clothes.

 

“What do you think would be a good dress for my sister Vanessa?”

 

At Estella’s words, Madame Cornelia looked me up and down, seeming to make an estimate, and then pushed up her glasses.

 

“From the combination of your hair and eye color, I think you’d look best in pastels rather than primary colors, and since you have a gentle demeanor, I don’t think anything too flashy would suit you.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“If you take a look at page 12 of the catalog, I’m sure you’ll find something that will suit you. I’d suggest something light and airy rather than tight, and you have a nice neckline, so you can show a little skin.”

 

Madame Cornelia was quick to quote, as she’d seen many different customers over the years.

 

Estella excitedly flipped through the pages of the catalog as Madame Cornelia instructed. I looked at the two of them, smiling from ear to ear.

 

Even if I didn’t need it, I don’t think they’d listen anyway… Let’s just let Estella have her fun, then.

 

“But do you think I’ll ever wear a dress?”

 

“Of course there is, there’s the New Year’s ball, and I’m going with you there!”

 

“But the Imperial Ball is only for nobles…”

 

“You have an invitation, so you can go.”

 

Estella said firmly and clenched her fists. Then she lowered her voice so Madame couldn’t hear her.

 

“I don’t know what Lord Kianton said about you, but I’m sure the crown prince I saw in the original story would be looking at you very funny right now.”

 

“I suppose so. I can’t imagine what a crown prince would think of a fallen nobleman.”

 

I nodded meekly at Estella’s comment.

 

She gave a small snort and continued in a determined tone.

 

“So this time, I’m going to show him that he can’t take my sister lightly, and I’m going to do it in the name of the Duke of Oppenheim!”

 

“Are you sure it’s okay to put Oppenheim’s name on something like that? I think we should get the Duke’s opinion on that…”

 

“Just trust me!”

 

I don’t know if wearing expensive clothes will change the crown prince’s perception, but the sight of Estella pounding her chest was cute, so I just nodded.

 

Estella began to focus on picking out clothes again. I looked through the catalog next to her, mentally picking out dresses that I thought would look good on her.

 

‘Actually, I think everything in here would look good on her, but…’

 

While my mind was racing, Madame Cornelia was bustling around.

 

She bustled back and forth between the hangers, showing me samples of the dresses Estella had chosen, and after some time had passed, she called me to the mirror.

 

“Come here, young lady, and spread your arms.”

 

I did as Madame called and stood in front of the mirror and saw a bare-faced woman in a plain dress.

 

I scratched my cheeks as I looked at myself in the mirror. This process was very strange to me, as I had always worn cheap ready-to-wear clothes.

 

“I don’t even know if that dress will look good on me.”

 

If it wasn’t for Estella, I wouldn’t have even thought about going to the ball, let alone buying a dress. I’d just go to the islands and sit in the mansion.

 

‘If I’m going to a ball, I should at least be able to do something that wouldn’t embarrass Estella or Jeremiah.’

 

Well… I guess I’ll have to brush up on my etiquette, brush up on my posture, and learn how to put on ball-worthy makeup.

 

I’d better get it down before I go to the Islands. I’m studying myself in the mirror when Madame Cornelia taps my outstretched arms, which I quickly open, and she takes a measuring tape and places it against my body.

 

“Apparently, young lady, this is your first time attending a ball.”

 

Madame said as she measured me. I stood there dumbfounded, but then I snapped out of it and smiled. Madame must have seen my awkwardness in her eyes.

 

“I assure you that the dresses I make will not be matched by any designer in the islands.”

 

“Haha, yes. I’ve heard of Madame’s good work before.”

 

“Yes, so the young lady who wears my dresses should take pride in them as well.”

 

Madame lifted the tip of her red-painted lips and tapped my chin.

 

“Keep your back straighter and your neck stronger, and don’t let the tip of your chin sag.”

 

“…….”

 

“And don’t let your shoulders slump; slumped posture looks unflattering, and I want my dress to flatter you.”

 

Madame Cornelia’s voice was stern but gentle as she told me how to look prettier in the dress.

 

I read in her voice the pride in the dress I had made.

 

And then I suddenly realized something.

 

‘Estella and Jeremiah are not the only ones I must not shame.’

 

As long as I am wearing Madame Cornelia’s dress to the ball, I had a responsibility not to embarrass her. The last thing I want to do is ruin her pride in her garment.

 

I did as Madame Cornelia said, straightening my back and correcting my slightly slumped posture, which alone made me look much better in the mirror.

 

“That’s right, you’re a quick learner.”

 

Satisfied, Madame finished taking my measurements.

 

Finally, she put down the tape measure and scribbled something with a pen before handing it off to another wardrobe staffer to finish my turn.

 

Now it was time to choose Estella’s dress.

 

“I can just wear anything,” she said.

 

“You’ll look pretty in anything.”

 

“Oh, sis~!”

 

Estella, who was in a daze, embarrassedly slapped my arm.