Please Don’t Let Go Of That Leash - Chapter 4 - Royal Banquet (Part 1)
Chapter 4 – Royal Banquet (Part 1)
“It’s been a long time, Roetta.”
“Have you been well?”
Shortly after the invitation arrived, Ennen visited the ducal residence. It was to try on the dress he had sketched previously before the final touches were made. Ria drank some of the potions Rune had brought and changed her hair color back to the previous pale pink hue to greet him.
“I heard you’re attending the imperial banquet.”
“Yes. An invitation was sent to me.”
While changing into the dress behind the partition with the maids’ help, Ria occasionally responded. Soon, she emerged from behind the partition. At that moment, everyone in the sitting room couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
The dress, which was shaped to reveal rounded, slender shoulders, was entirely ivory in color, but the upper bodice was lined with pink fabric to prevent it from looking dull, and the fabric that spread out below the waist was accented with a red ribbon that ran like a line through the wavy pleats.
Underneath the pleats, the same pink fabric as the bodice was layered, making the spaces between the red ribbons look like floating flowers on the water. Around her neck, she wore an ivory lace choker with small pink flowers, and the pearls continuing from the choker went across her cleavage and merged with the dress.
The design suited Ria’s pale pink hair and alabaster skin perfectly.
Ennen nodded in satisfaction and approached Ria, adjusting the pleats again.
“Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“Aside from it feeling a bit strange, it seems fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Then I think we can finalize it. I’ll send the accessories and shoes along with the dress when I deliver it.”
Ria nodded and looked around the dress. It was amazing to her that she was wearing such a splendid dress that she had only seen in medieval movies, musicals, or princess animations
“By the way, I don’t see the dukes.”
Curious, Ennen glanced around. He had expected them to be all over the place.
“Oh, they went to the imperial palace because of the banquet preparations. Kahin went with them.”
“Because of the banquet?”
“Yes. I heard there’s a lot of paperwork piling up, including arranging the knights for the banquet.”
“Hmm, I see.”
A mischievous idea crossed Ennen’s mind, wondering how the jealous lords would react to this dress that revealed her shoulders and arms.
“My lady, I will also send you a shawl to match your dress, but would you mind taking it out after you arrive at the palace on the day of the banquet?”
“What?”
“The dukes haven’t seen you in the dress yet, so you should be revealed only after arriving and getting off the carriage, don’t you think?”
Ria’s face flushed slightly. She felt a little embarrassed at the thought of showing this unfamiliar appearance.
“And please keep the shawl a secret until you take it out.”
“A secret?”
“Yes. Then something funny will probably happen.”
Ennen’s laughter was full of mischief, but Ria accepted his request. It wasn’t a particularly difficult thing to do.
After Ria changed back into her original dress, Ennen, who was gathering his things, handed her something.
“This is a letter from the Marchioness for you, my lady.”
It was a plain white envelope with a seal in the center with a rose and a bird.
“You can decide whether to reply after reading the letter.”
With those words, Ennen and the atelier staff all left. Left alone in the parlor room, Ria used a paper knife to open the letter. As this was her first letter in this world, she felt a little excited.
[Hello, my lady. I am Serena Rosevita, the prime heir of the Marquise of Rosevita. First, I hope you’ll understand that I’m addressing you as ‘my lady’ since I don’t know your exact surname.
After hearing about you from Ennen, I couldn’t help but be too curious to contain myself, so I’m sending this letter. I’m a bit blunt and tend to act first, so I worry that I might come across as overbearing. Let me apologize in advance.
To get to the point, I’d like to meet and talk to you. But it would surely be burdensome to meet in person right away, so I thought we could start by exchanging letters. If that’s alright, please write back. If not, you don’t have to.
I hope you’ll choose what you want to do, without overthinking it.
– From Serena Rosevita]
There were many sentences that conveyed a sense of consideration for her. Ria already felt drawn to Serena, even though she hadn’t seen her face yet. It was only natural to be curious about what kind of person she was.
Furthermore, just exchanging letters wouldn’t be too burdensome. It might even provide a little joy for Ria, who mostly stays within the estate. Deciding to send a reply, Ria smiled softly, looking forward to conversing with this new person.
* * *
Time passed quickly, and the day of the imperial banquet dawned. Ria was immediately whisked away by the bustling maids to start her preparations.
Throughout the morning, she received multiple baths and massages to ensure her skin was smooth, and after leaving the bathroom, various products were continuously applied and brushed through her shiny, wavy hair.
“Isn’t the banquet in the late evening?”
Ria’s weary voice spoke softly. However, the maids firmly shook their heads, adding a word each.
“We usually start the preparations much earlier in the morning.”
“There are even ladies who fast the day before.”
“There’s a lot to prepare, after all. Considering the time it takes to get dressed, board and disembark the carriage, and travel to the banquet hall, there are times when it’s quite tight.”
Ria ultimately pressed her lips shut at their factly explanations. It seemed even more excessive than actresses preparing for an awards ceremony.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. One of the maids helping with the preparations went to check, then returned.
“Miss, they’ve prepared some simple food for you to have. Shall I bring it in?”
“Ah, no. The refreshments brought earlier are still plentiful.”
Her appetite had vanished amidst the endless preparations since morning. Watching the maid turn to leave, Ria glanced at the abundance on the table beside the vanity. Suddenly, she recalled something the maids had mentioned.
‘There are even ladies who fast, but why am I being fussed over so much?’
Her question was not unreasonable. It was just that her case was an exception.
The three men had repeatedly emphasized to the servants that she should never be made to go hungry, no matter what. Even now, simple foods, fruits, and refreshments continued to be brought to her room, without disrupting her grooming time.
In the eyes of the three men, Ria’s body appeared far too frail and emaciated. Her petite frame only reached about chest level for them, her waist thin enough to be encircled by one of their arms, and her neck, and arms, were all delicate – as if they would shatter if they gripped her even slightly.
While they couldn’t control themselves in bed, overwhelming her, their view of her had never changed.
In fact, it was inevitable. The three men were all between 185-190 cm tall. Ria, at 167 cm, was not particularly short, but the difference was about a handspan compared to these adult men.
Moreover, they were burly men who had honed their muscles through daily training and wielding swords. Compared to their muscular physiques, Ria’s soft body with no visible muscle must have seemed fragile.
On top of that, her health had deteriorated since coming here, causing her weight to drop even further. Horrified that there was still weight she could lose, they were convinced their concern was not an exaggeration.
“Luckily, the dress the lady will wear doesn’t require a corset.”
“Corset?”
Ria, who had been nibbling on some fruit brought earlier by the maids as they worked on her makeup, looked up with wide eyes at the maid who had come to tidy the dress.
“Yes. Most ladies wear corsets to cinch their bodies before putting on the dress.”
“How can they bear it if they’ve even been fasting? That’s just crazy. How do they manage?”
‘Is it really necessary to go that far?’
Ria, who was astonished, suddenly remembered a part of the letter she had shared with Serena.
[Usually, I wear pants more often, so it’s fine, but for the banquet, I have to wear a corset, and it’s like dying. I didn’t like that, so I asked Ennen to create a new design, and it happened to be completed this time. A dress that doesn’t require wearing a corset.
So I specifically asked him to make your dress like that, Ria. Going to a banquet for the first time, being together with the two dukes who attract a lot of attention from the nobles, how uncomfortable it must be with so many uncomfortable gazes? The clothes should be less uncomfortable.
Well, the dress you’re wearing today at the banquet will also serve as a promotional effect.]
A soft smile naturally appeared on her lips. During the preparation for the banquet, Serena and Ria exchanged letters every day, and now they called each other by their names in a friendly manner. She realized that even mentioning the promotional effect was an embarrassing addition to the words.