Chapter 72
“…”
Elaine Sinclair stood before the full-length mirror, giving herself an awkward smile.
The clothes were so different from what she usually wore that even her smile felt stiff.
Flutter-
Elaine spun around quickly, her skirt fluttering with a sound, and she hurriedly grabbed the flowing hem with her hand.
It had been so long since she last wore a dress that she couldn’t even remember the last time.
The dress she saw in the mirror was something she hadn’t worn since childhood.
She felt incredibly awkward in the reflection of herself wearing the dress.
The sound of the long, voluminous skirt swishing as she moved quickly was strange to her ears.
‘This isn’t right after all…’
Elaine looked at herself with awkwardness before deciding that this just wasn’t her style.
Sure, it was for a party, but it was merely a formal one.
She wasn’t planning to stay long anyway.
There was no need to go overboard and wear a dress; she could just wear her usual outfit and go.
“Oh my! Miss, you look absolutely stunning!”
“What…?”
Just as Elaine was about to undo the buttons of the dress,
Her attendant, Maria, walked in and began clapping enthusiastically.
“Miss, you’re so beautiful! I always thought you’d look great in a dress because of your figure, but this exceeds my expectations…”
“It’s not that much…”
Elaine let go of the buttons and glanced down.
Instead of her usual, comfortable knight’s uniform, she saw a voluminous skirt.
A dress with a harmonious blend of white and yellow.
It felt awkward and uncomfortable, but the colors were undeniably pretty.
“No, it really is! I never thought I’d see you in a dress, Miss. Ahhh…”
Maria seemed genuinely moved and couldn’t take her eyes off Elaine, repeatedly exclaiming her admiration.
Elaine looked at the mirror once more.
‘Does it really look… okay?’
To Elaine, it felt like a mismatched outfit that didn’t suit her at all.
“Today’s a party day, isn’t it? Ah, no matter which young lady attends, none could outshine you in this dress, Miss Elaine.”
“That’s not true.”
Elaine waved her hands dismissively in embarrassment but couldn’t hide the involuntary smile forming on her face.
Normally, she wouldn’t have worn a dress even if there was a party.
Actually, she wouldn’t have attended the party at all.
‘It definitely feels different from usual.’
Elaine stared at the mirror, thinking.
Even to herself, the reflection seemed so different that she had to wonder if it was really her.
The more she looked, the more she started to believe Maria’s words.
‘Maybe I should go like this…’
Maria’s relentless praise and admiration boosted Elaine’s confidence little by little.
Elaine had chosen to try on a dress not just because there was a party today.
It was because of the people she would meet at the party.
Among them, Ryu Yeong, a commoner who would surely find these noble gatherings awkward.
Elaine was certain.
Ryu was skilled enough to not only attract attention from nobles but eventually receive a title from the Empire itself.
For that reason, Ryu would have to become accustomed to these events, and someone had to teach him the basics.
Elaine felt it was her duty to set an example.
Wearing a dress instead of a knight’s uniform was simply basic manners for a lady.
That was all there was to it.
No other intentions.
“Oh, try this on. I’ve kept it aside for you, thinking it would suit you perfectly.”
“…Is that so?”
Elaine looked at the necklace Maria brought over.
A jewel that wasn’t too large or small sparkled subtly. It didn’t look bad at all.
“Here, let’s put it on like this…”
‘Fine, if I’m doing this, I’ll do it right.’
Elaine rationalized her decision as she looked at herself in the mirror.
The necklace Maria clasped around her neck gleamed brightly.
It was undeniably beautiful.
It would look good on anyone, not just her.
“Wow! It’s perfect! Go like this today! Phew, you’ll have a rough day ahead.”
“…Why?”
“Because all the boys will flock to you, Miss!”
“What? What nonsense!”
Elaine turned bright red, feeling the heat spread across her cheeks at Maria’s teasing.
“You shouldn’t bring your sword today! Does it make sense to carry a sword while dressed like this?”
“Well…”
Elaine’s gaze shifted to the sword reflected in the mirror.
It certainly didn’t match the dress, but she was hesitant.
‘Leaving my sword behind…?’
Seeing Elaine’s reluctance, Maria continued.
“Oh, come on, Miss. It’s a party day. Do you really think you’ll need your sword? There’s no class or anything, right?”
“That’s true, but still…”
“Ahhh, confiscated! I’m confiscating it. Now hurry along just like this.”
At Maria’s firm tone, Elaine reluctantly nodded but couldn’t take her eyes off the sword reflected in the mirror.
‘Just for today.’
Finally, as if making up her mind, Elaine nodded decisively.
Just for today, it should be fine.
‘Is this really me…?’
Elaine looked at her reflection again.
Standing in front of the mirror was an unmistakable noble young lady.
Was this really her?
Thump-thump-
For some reason, her heart fluttered with an unexplainable feeling.
***
Noble social gatherings.
I’d been to a few before.
Every time, I felt the same. These weren’t my kind of events.
I already disliked crowded places, and being forced to engage in conversations made it worse.
“Ah, geez.”
But what could I do?
I absolutely had to attend this party today.
I randomly picked out one of the suits Addy had prepared for me and quickly put it on.
After putting on the clothes, I tested my movements.
There might be situations where I’d need to move intensely, and I couldn’t afford to be hindered by the clothes.
‘It’s comfortable.’
Even though it was a shirt and suit, it didn’t restrict my movements.
Addy must have planned ahead and chosen something practical.
She really is the best secretary.
Finally, I adjusted my outfit in front of the mirror.
A black suit that looked like something suited for a funeral.
The same color as my hair.
“Okay.”
Woong-
I teleported right away.
When I arrived at the dorm, Erica was already gone; the room was empty.
I thought she wouldn’t be able to leave the male dorms without my help, but Erica is Erica after all.
“Huuuu.”
Taking a deep breath to brace myself, I stepped out of the dorm.
It was almost time for the party to start.
The other class students probably gathered early at their booths, but we didn’t need to do that.
That’s why we planned to meet just before the party started.
As a result, the male dorm was almost empty.
When I stepped outside, I started seeing students gradually gathering.
Everyone was dressed to impress.
The female students were all wearing flowing dresses, and the male students were in sharp suits.
‘So that’s why they chose today for their plan.’
Looking at the students’ attire, it occurred to me.
The male students were one thing, but most female students were in dresses.
If something happened, they wouldn’t be able to move quickly.
<We’re already inside the venue.>
<Got it. I’ll be there soon.>
<Alright. Once you’re here, I’ll keep an eye on things from outside.>
<Okay.>
As I made my way to the meeting spot while observing the unusually lively academy, Erica’s voice came through.
It seemed Erica and Yuria were already inside the party venue.
So far, everything was going according to plan.
“Ryu!”
As I waited at the designated meeting spot, a familiar voice called out to me.
It was Cynthia.
‘She looks different.’
As instructed beforehand, Cynthia was wearing a dress.
She was wearing a blue dress, walking awkwardly.
The atmosphere around her was completely different, likely due to the unusual outfit.
“Did you dress comfortably for moving around?”
“Hehe, of course. I wore pants underneath.”
“Smart move.”
I had advised Cynthia to wear a dress but to make sure she could move comfortably, just in case something happened today.
She grinned widely and lifted one leg slightly, showing her pants.
She really did look ready to move if needed.
Not long after, Agnes and Marie arrived.
Both were in flashy dresses, their faces brimming with excitement.
Then Elaine arrived.
“I-I’m sorry for being late. The dress is a bit uncomfortable…”
“Oh.”
“Wow, Elaine, you look stunning.”
‘This was unexpected.’
I didn’t think Elaine would show up in such a dress.
She was wearing a dress with a perfect balance of yellow and white, her hair neatly braided, and a simple necklace around her neck to complete the look.
“You’re beautiful.”
“W-what? What do you mean by that?!”
“Oh, sorry.”
I blurted out my thoughts without much consideration, and Elaine was visibly flustered.
I hadn’t noticed before, but with her all dressed up, her beauty was undeniable. My comment might have been a bit too forward.
“Uh…”
While Elaine was overwhelmed by everyone’s compliments, the last to arrive was Emily.
Even compared to the others, Elaine stood out, but Emily stood out even more.
“So, we’re all here now.”
“…Yeah.”
Unlike the other girls, Emily wasn’t wearing a dress or any fancy attire.
She was in her usual clothes, her hair tied back haphazardly, adjusting her large glasses.
It was clear that she was still affected by what had happened yesterday.
I wanted to ask her directly about what was wrong, but it could wait another day.
“Shall we head in?”
“R-Ryu…”
“Hm?”
“M-my shoes are uncomfortable. Could you hold onto me for a moment…?”
“Ah, of course. Here.”
Holding Elaine’s hand to escort her, we made our way into the party venue.
The tension was starting to build.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment