Koushaku Reijou no Tashinami - Ch 170

Departure

"Marriage, or ... what other option do I have?"

After all, that story... the royal prince said, that proposal... it is in a state of floating in the air.. without conclusion.

It is not something that can be decided soon, so it can not be helped if it's in the air...

Even if I were to talk to the royal family in the first place, what will I accomplish with it? I noticed that.

The king ... has not been involved in public affairs because he is seriously ill. Princess Elle is out of the question. The second prince has no right to decide and there is a possibility that my request is misunderstood as another meaning... also it will depend how they take it... depending on who becomes the king.

Will the king return..?

...... In the first place, I do not know who in the current royal palace is taking the decisions.

"Excuse me lady. The dress arrived from Madam."

While I was immersed in my inner feelings about the proposal, I was late in time to go to the capital, so Tanya began preparing to help me pack up.

The dress is delicate and with a lot of details but in the front the clavicle can be seen, a dark blue gauze is layered on the chest. Pearls are sewn and scattered on the gauze, and they shine and sparkle every time they receive light.

The dress is narrow at the waist, very close-fitting, and it became a gradation of thin blue color gradually turning dark blue and going downward.

It looks like a pleat dress, and it shakes every time it moves.

I specifically asked Madam to use this gradation fabric.

Actually, this gradation fabric is a new product of Azuta Corporation.

The idea was that Madam wanted to have such a thing as a fabric with many colors as a dish.. so developers of Azuta Corporation squeezed out their wisdom and repeatedly made researches to achieve it. Everything seems to have some ingenuity.. that is the impression the weaving of the silk gives.

Because I got an idea how to use that fabric, I made a contract with madam to  made it a preferential sale.

"It is enough that we can secure a nice cloth" although Madam actually said... she was talking about interests of testing some pairs of designs with that fabric.

...... Speaking of madam, it seems like she was really happy with how this dress ended.

The rough form was decided at the end when I ordered it and the details were discussed hotly by Madam and Tanya.

I loose my hair and attach a diamond hair ornament. Finally, put on a choker and finish.

Today is the ball party sponsored telling the beginning of the social season.

The sons and children of the nobility of twelve to eighteen years old greet the king and make a debut to society. 

Incidentally, there is a range in age because each house selects their children that will debut each year.

If you make an early debut it will be more advantageous as you get the opportunity to create a personal network earlier, but if you make the debut, you will not be allowed to conduct yourself as a child anymore, so you lose privileges too.

It is like bringing out a young duck to the swines party.

So they usually make a debut having a little experience when they are twelve or fifteen.

If the debut is too late, there also will be problems because society would see it strange or can think that the person has a fault or is not prepared.

By the way, I made my debut at the age of thirteen.

As Princess Elle had the intention to take advantage so she can position the second prince Ed, ahead of the first prince, Ed said he would debut at that age, so I was force to debut at that time too as a fiance.

... Well, even so it's all in the past?

Bern came to pick me up in the room after my preparation was over.

"I have kept you waiting"

"No really... are you done now?"

"Yeah, are you okay with this?"

Bern tilts his head to my question.

"What does -ok- mean?"

"Today's Escorting, I'm always asking you favors ... I'm really sorry."

In official occasions, I always am escorted by Bern.

It is because father told Bern that it would not matter who escorts me, as in the party I'm the only one who has to talk, letting him be the only one to offer me company all the time.

Rather than to care about me, I want Bern to find a wife soon.

When I go with Bern, I really feel like he keeps watching me like a guard dog.

...... for moments, the party has aspects of encounters, to create social contacts and gain benefits.

The birth of the next generation of the Duke of Almeria is what I desire from the bottom of my heart, for the people of my territory.

...... However, my head hurts when I consider Yuri's behavior and the kingdom state.

At first it seems that Yuri wants to get the kingdom destroyed, is it not?

"Because I'm not busy, I do not care about accompanying you sister."

So with a bitter smile, I extended out my hand.

When he grasps it, we stand up together.

"It is beautiful today, is not it?"

"Thank you"

We got into the carriage while talking lightly and headed for the royal palace.