episode_0135

The Beauren Changbaek couple and their son decided to arrive at the grand villa where the engagement ceremony was to be held on the day of the ceremony.

Perhaps the situation in the West that had not been good was still ongoing.

In case their sensitive daughter might worry about that fact, they did not write such content in the letter they sent.

However, having evolved from a doting father to a daughter-possessed father, Eleanor had some idea of the situation in the West only on the day of the engagement ceremony.

And so, on the day of the engagement ceremony.

Leaving behind the busy servants preparing for the engagement ceremony, Eleanor and Dmitri stood in front of the villa holding hands to welcome the Beauren Changbaek couple.

Soon, a black carriage passed through the mansion’s gate and entered the courtyard. And at the sight, Eleanor unknowingly tightened the hand she was holding.

Of course, to Dmitri, Eleanor’s grip was just ticklish. Nevertheless, he cautiously spoke to Eleanor standing beside him.

“Your parents must be very proud.”

“Oh, that… it’s not like that.”

In response to Dmitri’s worried voice, Eleanor shyly lowered her head.

Although her desire to see her parents had grown as Dmitri had said.

More than that, she was full of the desire to be embraced by her mother and act like a child in the upcoming engagement ceremony.

It was, after all, an engagement ceremony.

Of course, she had caused a commotion by going first, but once this ceremony was over, the fact that she was the Duke’s woman would be publicly announced in Galatea…

Afraid that Dmitri might notice this childish heart, Eleanor took a deep breath, looking at the white strap attached to the small pumps on her feet.

However, contrary to Eleanor’s inner thoughts.

The woman visible through the open door of the carriage was a far cry from what she had expected.

“Long time no see, Elli!”

Without an escort, the woman with dark hair jumped out of the carriage. Eleanor’s eyes widened as the woman ran into her arms.

First, the woman’s softness enveloped her through her blouse, followed by the lavender scent gently wafting down under her nose.

“Dom?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Dom!”

With a playful voice, the princess smiled broadly, resting her head on Eleanor’s shoulder.

“How… did you come?”

Taken aback by the unexpected guest, Eleanor looked flustered. Dominique pulled Eleanor’s waist closer to herself, inhaling her scent deeply.

“Isn’t this a bit too much, Elli?”

When was the last time she had jumped into her arms so warmly, Dominique now stared at Eleanor with her beautiful golden eyes furrowed.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were having an engagement ceremony? Aren’t we friends?”

“I… I just wanted to keep it light. I didn’t prepare anything grand.”

“Still!”

Dmitri let out a small sigh at the sight of the two women. Then he whispered softly in Eleanor’s ear.

“I’m sorry, Elli. It seems Hilda is alone on our side.”

Then, when asked why she didn’t tell him, Dominique intercepted Dmitri’s response.

“I told him not to tell you. I wanted to surprise Elli!”

With Dominique’s smile that even made onlookers feel good, Eleanor ultimately lost her words.

“By the way, where is Hilda?”

Dmitri pulled Eleanor out of Dominique’s arms. With a cold voice, he answered, pulling Eleanor back to his side.

“Hilda is currently checking the banquet hall.”

“Then I should catch up with Hilda and chat for a while. Oh! The guidance is fine!”

Leaving those words behind, Princess Dominique slowly moved away. Her knight, Sisil, followed closely behind her.

As Eleanor tried to let out a small sigh behind Dominique’s retreating figure.

“Hey, Elli!”

Suddenly, Eleanor was startled by the voice that came out of nowhere. Her shoulders jerked, and her words were more relaxed than usual.

“Yes, Dominique.”

“Today, the Changeback is coming, right?”

Dominique turned around and smiled slightly differently from before. It was a smile filled with caution, a bit hesitant. Eleanor nodded in response, tilting her head slightly.

“Don’t worry, Elli. That’s just how he is.”

Finally, Dmitri’s warm hand gently stroked Eleanor’s back. With his touch, Eleanor’s heart relaxed.

“That’s right. That’s how he is.”

“More importantly, your blouse is wrinkled.”

“Uh, oh!”

Of course, that was just for a moment.

Eleanor let out a startled scream as she felt a strange man’s hand on her waist. Dmitri was also surprised by the sound. And only then did Dmitri realize what he had done.

“Oh, um, Elli. This is, um…”

“Hey, it’s okay. He’s a foreigner.”

Foreigner approached Eleanor, who was pouting. Eventually, when he straightened out her disheveled clothes and fixed her messy platinum hair.

The carriage carrying the Changeback couple to the Villa de Berbrites passed through the entrance of the mansion and stopped in the courtyard.

#

“Sigh…”

A quiet sigh escaped.

The busy hands of the maids, who were moving quickly, stopped suddenly.

“Why are you like that, miss? Is something bothering you?”

The room next to Eugenie’s room on the second floor of the mansion had become Eleanor’s dressing room, where she was preparing for the engagement ceremony.

In front of a mirror as tall as herself, Eleanor sat, looking at herself beyond the mirror. The maids standing beside her were diligently applying makeup to Eleanor’s face.

“Oh, no. It’s not that.”

Shaking her head, Eleanor continued.

“Just… it feels so real.”

Eleanor gazed intently at her reflection in the mirror.

The off-shoulder dress accentuated her white skin. The dress, tightly fitted to emphasize femininity, was uncomfortable to move in, but the gathered chest on her white skin gave Eleanor an elegant womanly curve.

Pink powder was applied under her platinum hair, which was neatly tied up, giving a rosy glow to her creamy white skin.

“Right, Eugenie.”

In response to Eleanor’s call, Eugenie, who was standing beside her, kindly replied.

“Yes, miss.”

“Will Dmitri… like this look?”

At Eleanor’s cute question with a flushed face, Eugenie and the maids beside her finally let out a sigh.

“Of course. You look so beautiful like this.”

The foreigner approached Eleanor with a gentle smile, extending his hand elegantly as if escorting her, and offered her a smile.

“Miss, would you like to stand up?”

“What…. are you also imitating the domi?”

“Hehe.”

Playing along with the joke, Eleanor placed her small hand, covered in lace gloves, on the hand extended by the foreigner.

Then, the foreigner politely lifted Eleanor’s hand and helped her to her feet.

Knock knock –

The sound of a polite knock interrupted the steps of the two women.

“It’s Dimitri. May I come in for a moment?”

The room became noisy with the low, resonant voice of the man.

The maids in charge of makeup quickly put their brushes back in the case on the vanity. The maids in charge of clothing hurriedly picked up the dress and shoes Eleanor had been wearing and hid them in a basket.

“Is there anything else we need to do?”

Amidst the awkward atmosphere, a clear and pure voice calmed the room.

“Oh, no. Just double-check before entering the dining hall.”

“I’ll show you the dress again, Miss.”

The maids, who had now become quite familiar, replied to their mistress in a gentle tone.

Eleanor nodded to the foreigner beside her. He also nodded and then opened the closed door, leaving the room with the maids.

Finally, Eleanor was left alone in the room with Dimitri entering cautiously.

“They say if the groom enters the bride’s waiting room, they won’t be happy for the rest of their lives, right?”

With her back turned to Dimitri, Eleanor jokingly spoke in a playful tone.

“Is that a saying in the West? In that case, I should leave.”

“No need. It’s just something I made up.”

Turning gracefully like a dance at a ball, Eleanor faced him elegantly.

With her makeup done, her face more beautiful than Galatea’s, tension was visible in the redness on her face. The same could be said for the black man across from her.

“So, what’s the matter, Dimitri?”

Trying to calm her trembling heart, Eleanor asked, but Dimitri stood there without a response, just staring at her face.

“Um, Dimitri.”

As Eleanor took a step closer, Dimitri seemed to come to his senses.

“Oh, yes! Elli.”

“So, what’s the matter?”

“Well, um. It seems like it’s time.”

“Already time?”

The crystal clock on the wall with sky-blue eyes pointed towards it. The time for the meal was set for 2 p.m. The sapphire cubics on the clock hand had not reached the number yet.

Once again, facing Eleanor’s sky-blue eyes, Dimitri let out a small smile and opened up.

“Besides, we probably won’t have time to talk alone after this.”

“After the meal, we’ll still be together.”

However, the black man didn’t completely reveal his true feelings.

The reason he came early was simply because he wanted to see her before anyone else out of childish jealousy.

“So…. what I wanted to say.”

He paused. Stood in place. Eleanor took another step towards Dimitri. Coming close enough to hear each other’s breath, she shyly raised her head and met the black eyes.

“How about…. your bride?”

The face that turned the pure white skin red.

The sky-colored eyes facing each other.

The wavering gaze.

The trembling voice.

All of that led Dmitri to Eleonore.

“You are more beautiful than anyone in this world.”

Dmitri carefully brought his lips to the forehead, elegantly tied up. It was the first time Dmitri realized how sweet the scent of soap powder on his lips actually was.

Eleonore’s engagement ceremony, as she had declared, was modestly held. However, it couldn’t be called modest with the attendees being extraordinary individuals.

The Beorn, who oversees the West.

Dominique Galatea I, the princess of Galatea and a prominent heir to the throne.

And even Dmitri Verbritz, the Grand Duke known as the Empire’s Sword.

The engagement ceremony where the talented individuals of Galatea gathered.

Moreover, the news of their engagement quickly spread to the capital, as it was a politically important event of the union between the North and the West.

“It’s not time yet…”

And hearing the news through a cheap tabloid, Julian crumpled the paper in his hand, biting his lower lip.