I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 50

I picked up a design from the catalog and held it out to Madame as if in anticipation. This, that, and the other seemed to suit Estella.

 

Madame seemed to enjoy it even more than I did, having the perfect model in front of her. Her fingers quickened as she scribbled in her notebook.

 

“Well, it was worth it to get to you first, Princess, to set aside the heat reservation.”

 

Madame murmured, her voice full of glee.

 

By the time she was done shopping for dresses, the sky had turned scarlet.

 

Estella folded up the catalog and handed it back to Madame, who placed her final order.

 

“All that’s left is my brother’s robes!”

 

Apparently, she was going to match Jeremiah’s clothes as well.

 

At Estella’s words, Madame’s eyes sparkled more than just a little. No wonder, for Jeremiah was as perfect a hanger as Estella.

 

“It is always a pleasure to meet His Highness the Duke!”

 

“Madame, I would like to ask you one favor…”

 

Estella glanced over at me and whispered something in Madame’s ear. Madame nodded her head in understanding, smiled broadly, and left the room.

 

The room felt empty now that all the hangers were gone. I slipped out of my jeans and eased the pressure on my back.

 

“I feel like I’m in trouble.”

 

I wondered if Jeremiah was going to go through the same process, but his clothes were probably simpler than hers, so he wouldn’t have to worry about the jeans falling out.

 

Estella giggled and leaned against my arm as I mumbled helplessly.

 

I smiled through my exhaustion and stroked her hair.

 

“I like shopping with you, though. I don’t know about you, but…”

 

“Of course I do, and thank you, Estella. For taking care of me first like this.”

 

“Then you promise to have fun with me in the islands!”

 

“Will I?”

 

With a bashful smile, Estella held out her pinky to me. I smiled back and hooked my finger in hers.

 

* * *

 

Jeremiah looked far more tired than I had expected to see him at dinner. Madame Cornelia’s assault must have been more insistent than I had realized.

 

“Esti, I thought you said you didn’t need to buy new clothes, but why should…”

 

“As far as I can see, you have nothing but dull clothes.”

 

“Dull…”

 

“Anyway, I think you should take this opportunity to change your image and make yourself more attractive!”

 

“What appeals…?”

 

I tilted my head at the unintelligible sound, but there didn’t seem to be anyone who could answer me right now.

 

Estella was gripping her fork and admonishing Jeremiah, who seemed to be taking the brunt of his sister’s unrelenting assessment in real time.

 

He seemed a little more… well, more reserved. I don’t know what it is, but it’s good to see.

 

‘By the way, I’m sure Jeremiah looks good in whatever he wears…’

 

If Estella says it’s dull, is it because he usually only wears dark colors, or did he order brightly colored robes this time? I suddenly wondered what he would look like at the ball.

 

Meanwhile, the food was prepared and set out on the table.

 

Jeremiah, barely able to escape Estella’s nagging, picked up a knife and sliced into his steak, then blurted out a question.

 

“Do you know how to dance?”

 

Realizing in hindsight that his question was directed at me, I stuck my fork in my mouth and narrowed my eyes.

 

At my bewildered look, Jeremiah added, with a hint of cool.

 

“I thought you might want to have it ready, just in case.”

 

“Well…?”

 

I rolled my eyes, putting down my fork. I’d actually thought about it, but no matter how much I thought about it, there was no way I was going to dance.

 

‘Who would ask a girl who isn’t even a noble to dance?’

 

Even if the ball was dancing and I could get in, the imperial balls were, after all, for the nobility. There was no way I would get a turn.

 

‘Of course, there may be some people who will come up and not recognize me at first.’

 

There would be some who would see Madame Cornelia’s dress and assume I was a noble, but in the end, I would be unable to deceive them.

 

I don’t know what the repercussions would be if I said nothing and accepted their request to dance…

 

What was clear was that I was better off staying put.

 

There’s no way Jeremiah doesn’t know about this.

 

Still, I don’t understand why he asks me if I can dance.

 

I scratched my head again, wondering if it was just a thought.

 

“I can do a waltz,” I said.

 

“It’s a little different than a waltz.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

I stroked my chin and suddenly looked up at Estella.

 

She was blinking her eyes, looking back and forth between Jeremiah and me. It was almost as if she was expecting something.

 

‘Come to think of it, I think it’s more Estella’s problem than mine.’

 

Unlike me, she’ll never run out of dance requests. I don’t know how any man in the world can look at her and stay still.

 

I could already see the men lining up to get a chance to hold her hand.

 

Of course, Jeremiah will weed out the bad ones… but Estella, unlike me, will have to dance a few times.

 

…Does Estella know how to dance?

 

Of course she’s learned, but I’m not sure if the new Estella knows it.

 

Since Jeremiah doesn’t ask Estella about dancing, he seems to take it for granted that she can.

 

‘If Estella suddenly told Jeremiah here that she can’t dance, he’d think it was weird.’

 

I looked at Estella with some concern, but she must have misinterpreted my look.

 

She locked eyes with me, nodded vigorously, as if to say, “Trust me,” and then opened her mouth.

 

“You can teach my sister!”

 

…Huh?

 

“She’s never been to a ball before, so you can teach her other things.”

 

“Are you okay about that, Miss Vanessa?”

 

Jeremiah asks Estella, and I feel a little uncomfortable.

 

Wasn’t the story moving too fast…? Had something been discussed between them beforehand?

 

I stared at the two of them, tongue-tied, and barely managed to speak.

 

“I don’t think it’s necessary for the Duke to do that… I’m not even going to dance.”

 

“You’re not dancing at the ball?! No way!”

 

“But Estella, I’m not a noble, and you don’t have to act like a real noble just to get into the ball…”

 

“Then I’ll dance with you, no, you dance with her first!”

 

“Huh?”

 

No, why are we talking about it again…

 

I just stared at Estella with my lips pursed, but she insisted that I should dance.

 

It wasn’t until Jeremiah replied that he understood that she was right, that Estella’s momentum subsided.

 

“No, Estella. The Duke. No matter how much I think about it, it’s not…”

 

“Be nice to her, brother, be nice to her, be gentle, be gentle! You know what I mean?”

 

“Okay, okay, I’ll try.”

 

No matter what I tried to say, the siblings wouldn’t let me speak, and so it was decided that my first dance at the ball would be with Jeremiah.

 

The end of the story ended with Jeremiah teaching me a separate dance.

 

I hadn’t even gotten a chance to say a word before I was overcome by her brother’s momentum.

 

‘Yeah, I’ll learn to dance from Jeremiah. I’ll have a use for it someday, if not now.’

 

Jeremiah’s help wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, since she was planning to re-learn the etiquette anyway.

 

Jeremiah is the perfect teacher for me because he’s been to a lot of balls and banquets and knows the etiquette of the place.

 

I put on my best face and decided to learn from him.

 

Oh, well, I’ll just have to learn from Jeremiah first and then teach Estella.

 

I realized later that I could use Jeremiah’s teachings to my advantage.

 

Then he wouldn’t be suspicious of Estella, and I would have less to worry about… and maybe she would think it was better to learn from me than from someone else.

 

“Okay, this is for the best.”

 

Having made my plan, I nodded resolutely and turned to Jeremiah.

 

“Please take good care of me, then, Duke.”

 

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

 

“Of course. I’ll do my best to learn.”

 

Jeremiah looked a little peeved at my words, but he nodded anyway.

 

Estella seemed pleased that Jeremiah and I had come to an agreement.

 

I picked up my fork again, deciding to finish my meal first, even though I felt like we were all having a statue dream.