A perfect inverted triangle body in uniform, precise dance movements. Large hands supporting Natalie’s slender waist. That gentle expression as he looked down at the princess, who was much smaller than him.

Bella bit her lip firmly.

‘…Bastard.’

Her heart ached. If only he hadn’t touched her, she could have happily watched the two of them dance with excitement.

It was then. While spinning Natalie around in his arms, Blake took his eyes off the princess. His gaze turned toward Bella, who was standing at a distance near the wall.

As their eyes met, Blake’s eyes narrowed. His lips parted slightly as if wanting to say something, then quickly closed firmly again.

His gaze remained fixed on Bella for a moment before breaking away as he took the next turn step.

After leading Natalie through a turn with stiffly precise movements, Blake looked down at the princess and whispered something with a smiling face. Natalie laughed softly in response.

Watching this scene, Bella unconsciously clutched her skirt.

‘I need to prevent her from choosing Blake.’

But seeing them dancing so affectionately reminded her of the Blake she had liked in the game. And in the very next moment, she also recalled the face looking down at her with lust-filled eyes.

She simply couldn’t bear to watch the two of them anymore.

Bella lowered her gaze and turned around.

“Oh my. Be careful.”

With a familiar voice, Bella’s view was blocked by a man’s chest. The man she had nearly bumped into lightly held her shoulders with both hands. Bella looked up in surprise.

Bright golden hair, as if he had stepped out of a fairy tale book, with cool blue eyes. The person standing behind her was Leon.

Bella hastily grabbed her skirt and curtsied.

“Your Highness.”

“I wondered who it was, but it’s Miss Carta.”

Leon nodded slightly to acknowledge her greeting.

“Did you receive the gift well?”

“Ah, yes! Thank you.

Bella quickly bowed her head with words of gratitude. Watching her, Leon asked in a gentle voice.

“It seems you liked it?”

“Yes. It was truly beautiful. I wonder if it’s too generous a gift for someone like me.”

“I had it specially made to match your hair color, so don’t think that way. It’s a token of my appreciation. Have you used it yet?”

The paperweight? While she might have used it in real life, in the game she would have no occasion to write letters. Bella had no close friends here, and the only person she was somewhat close to was Natalie.

Leon’s gift would likely end up as just a decoration on her desk, but Bella politely answered.

“No, not yet. But it’s beautiful just to look at.”

“Is that so? I’m glad.”

Leon smiled elegantly. How could he look exactly like his character in the game? With those blue eyes curving into gentle lines and that slightly playful expression, Bella’s heart melted.

Leon extended his hand to her.

“What do you say, Miss Carta. Would you care to dance with me?”

It was truly a princely gesture. Bella shook her head and clasped her hands together.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to dance…”

“Oh my. For my next gift, I should send you a dance instructor.”

Leon withdrew his hand and smiled playfully. At his joke, Bella couldn’t help but smile too.

After exchanging a few light words with Bella, Leon disappeared into the crowd. By then, the dance music had changed.

This time, it was Everitt who took Natalie’s hand.

Bella watched Natalie dancing with Everitt after Blake. Since she didn’t want to attract Everitt’s attention, she leaned against a wall in a far corner.

In the past, watching Natalie’s romance had been exciting and joyful, but now it wasn’t as pleasant as before.

She now felt a bit regretful that she didn’t know how to dance. For all the future balls she would attend, rather than standing in a corner every time, dancing with strangers might be better for her mental health.

‘I’ve shown my face enough by now, I suppose.’

She secretly slipped out of the ballroom and fled back to her room.

***

The very next morning, Bella discovered why Natalie’s expression had hardened at the ball.

“After setting the trend for Empire dresses, how could you wear an old-fashioned dress? Are you saying you can’t wear the dress you recommended to the princess?”

“Your Highness, that’s not it…”

“If you have a convincing reason, I’m willing to hear it. But it shouldn’t be an excuse.”

Natalie, seated at her vanity, crossed her legs. Her light blue eyes, with upturned corners, looked particularly fierce today.

“Your Highness…”

Bella was quite taken aback, not expecting Natalie to react so strongly just because she wore a different style of dress.

There was no way she could tell the truth. And since she wasn’t the type to spontaneously come up with a plausible lie, she found herself at a loss for words.

“Bella. I would like you to continue wearing Empire dresses.”

Natalie spoke in a softer voice, her tone gently coaxing.

“As you know, it’s a dress modeled after the attire from ancient times when gods still lived on earth. It was named ‘Empire’ out of respect for that era of art and intellect.”

So that’s how it was. Bella didn’t know, but she nodded anyway. Natalie reached out and gently held Bella’s hand.

“You recommended it to me, but in my opinion, the person who suits that dress best is you, Bella. When you wear that dress, you look just like a goddess descended from the age of gods.”

“Your Highness… That’s an exaggeration.”

Bella blushed in surprise. Yet she didn’t withdraw her hand from Natalie’s grasp.

Natalie held Bella’s hand with both of hers, looking up at her with a playful smile.

“Are you denying my observation?”

“No, how could I? It’s just that when you compare me to a goddess, I dare not…”

“That’s how you appear to me. So I hope you’ll continue to wear those dresses. Of course, without a corset, like the real ancient goddesses. You can wear whatever you like normally, but for occasions like balls or tea parties, please honor my request. Understood?”

What else could Bella say to that? She could only nod and answer, “Yes.”

“Don’t dress like yesterday again. It doesn’t suit you, and it reflects poorly on me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Only after receiving this confirmation did Natalie turn back to face her vanity.

While brushing Natalie’s hair, Bella looked anew at Natalie’s reflection in the mirror.

‘Was Natalie always a character with such strong opinions?’

She seemed somewhat different from the princess Bella had known.

In the game, while she certainly had clear opinions, she was more cute and lovable, not the type with such overwhelming charisma that seemed to press down on others.

Thinking about it now, Natalie had been like this throughout this dream.

She had been decisive and unrestrained when using Bella as a mannequin for dress fittings, and when punishing the other lady-in-waiting who had bullied Bella.

‘Perhaps the character’s personality in the game reflected the player’s own tendencies when choosing options.’

Perhaps what she had thought was the princess’s lovable characteristic was actually the ideal image of a female protagonist that Bella had wanted to see through her.

The real princess, without Bella’s influence, might be the proud and charismatic Natalie of now.

In any case, Bella had no choice but to do as Natalie instructed. Natalie was the highest authority among the characters, and Bella was just a low-ranking lady-in-waiting.

Having thought that far, Bella couldn’t help but laugh. When playing the game, she had been the one choosing Natalie’s actions and dialogue, but now Natalie was restricting her behavior.

‘Well, it’s just a dream. I should listen to my digital daughter a bit.’

Though her personality had changed somewhat, Natalie still looked pretty and lovely in Bella’s eyes. Bella brushed the pink hair until it shone and inserted the hairpins that Natalie had selected. And as always, she sincerely complimented her, saying how well it suited her and how beautiful she looked.

Natalie gazed thoughtfully at Bella’s back as she finished her work and left the room.

Left alone, she stared blankly at the closed door and murmured quietly.

“What will you do if you keep covering yourself up like that? There are still three more left.”