It was understandable.

Her hair was disheveled from riding the horse, and ash carried by the wind had stuck here and there, making her look shabby.

“Still, it’s fortunate you came within the time limit. You were the last to enter, Miss.”

At those words, she looked around the interior of the lobby carefully. Among the bustling young ladies of her age, there were two people who particularly caught her eye.

One was Lady Celsior, who was crossing her arms arrogantly while looking at her and openly frowning.

‘She really participated this year too.’

She was disappointed, having secretly hoped through a small probability that she wouldn’t be greedy this year.

At the same time, she found her strangely furrowed expression puzzling.

‘Just like someone whose plans didn’t go as intended……’

When she turned her gaze away from the lady and turned her head, she saw another person.

Glossy, wavy brown hair and blue eyes covered with layers of malice.

‘Why is she here again.’

Janice Sharofe, her half-sister, was also confidently occupying a spot, having participated in the selection.

Unlike the lady, Janice wasn’t much of a rival to be wary of, but her mere presence in the same space was unpleasant.

Moreover, she was already glaring at her with burning eyes.

She let out a short sigh at the somehow troublesome premonition.

“Good day, everyone. I am Garnet, the head maid of the imperial palace.”

A stern-looking middle-aged woman appeared and closed the lobby door.

Then, after checking the number of people currently gathered in the lobby, she said.

“From now on, the selection participants please go to your respective waiting rooms and prepare.”

“Our room is on the second floor, Miss. Let’s hurry up and start with washing.”

“Right. We need to move quickly.”

At Mandy and Rain’s urging, she first went up to the waiting room.

Fortunately, the room had a small bathroom attached, making simple bathing possible.

She washed her face clean, shampooed her dirty hair, and came out refreshed.

“Phew, good. What should I do now?”

“Please sit here. We’ll dress you up.”

Mandy seated her in front of the vanity.

Then she and Rain began earnestly preparing her.

The makeup was completed with delicate touches, and they decided to style her hair after changing into the dress.

“Wait a moment, the dress is over there.”

Rain pointed to a simple curtain partition placed near the window.

It wasn’t her first time seeing it today, since she had tried on the dress in advance two days ago to check the size.

Swish.

Rain, who had half-opened the curtain, froze and became speechless.

“Rain? What’s wrong?”

“……Rain, are you okay?”

Mandy approached Rain, who had stiffened like a statue, touched her shoulder, and worried.

Then she followed Rain’s gaze and looked inside the curtain……

“What is this?!”

She suddenly screamed.

Feeling ominous at Mandy’s intense reaction, which was unlike her, she also got up from her seat and approached the partition.

Swish.

When she fully opened the curtain, a mannequin wearing a dress appeared.

More precisely, a dress that had been torn to shreds by someone.

‘Sh*t……’

***

One hour earlier, separate palace’s lobby.

Johanna smirked when she saw Shailyn arrive just in time.

‘How did she get through all of that?’

She had set various traps on the route from the Diart residence to the imperial palace to prevent her participation.

Since she was caught off guard, she thought she would never make it in time.

She was annoyed that she had stubbornly managed to appear.

And there was one more person feeling similar emotions.

‘D*mn, Shailyn participated too!’

It was Janice.

She, who had come up to the capital not long ago from the count’s territory, decided to participate in this queen selection to establish her position in the capital’s social circles.

Unlike when she was in the territory, seeing the uniformly brilliant young ladies made her feel intimidated.

Seeing Shailyn, who had changed no less than them, made her irritation and jealousy surge together.

‘I barely managed to get a dress, but she hired a Blue Moon designer. This is unfair……’

That too was something Gwen had barely managed to get made by begging her brother.

Janice unconsciously followed Shailyn, chewing her lips nervously.

The three people entered the waiting room, chatting amicably, unaware that someone was following them.

Peeking into the room after sneakily opening the door, Janice witnessed them entering the bathroom and came up with a good idea.

‘I should ruin the dress while they’re gone!’

Since childhood, she couldn’t stand seeing Shailyn have better things than her.

Regardless of the selection results, she hated to see Shailyn appear in a prettier dress.

Stealthily infiltrating the interior, Janice moved aside the partition set up on one side.

“Wow……”

The dress with a full hem, delicate silver embroidery, and dozens of diamond dust sprinkled on it was beautiful.

It exuded a pure yet elegant atmosphere, like mixing a clear summer sky with a sparkling galaxy.

Momentarily entranced by the sophistication that couldn’t compare to her own dress, Janice soon gritted her teeth and looked around.

When she discovered the scissors Rain had used and left on the table, she picked them up without hesitation.

Rip.

When she mercilessly slashed the dress with the sharp edge, the clothes quickly became tattered.

“Hehehe.”

While letting out a satisfied laugh at her handiwork, Janice was startled by the presence she felt from the bathroom.

She hurriedly escaped the room before being caught.

‘Oh, I came out with the scissors……?’

She looked at the silver object in her hand in confusion, then eventually threw it carelessly on the floor.

Clink.

‘If I throw it away like this, how would anyone know who used it?’

With that thought, Janice hurriedly moved her steps, and a handkerchief protruded from her pocket and fell.

And the shadow that had been secretly watching her picked up the scissors and handkerchief scattered on the floor.

“Hmm……”

Johanna, who narrowed her eyes and alternately looked at the remaining objects and where Janice had disappeared, pulled up the corners of her mouth.

Originally, she had come to try something on Shailyn, but unexpectedly witnessed an interesting scene.

“Interesting.”

Johanna, who muttered softly, took the scissors and handkerchief and left.

***

“This…… when did this happen? Who did this?”

At the sight of the dress that Rain had carefully completed just a few days ago now miserably ruined, she barely held onto her nearly breaking composure and asked.

“I, I don’t know. It was definitely fine until just before we came out to meet you, Miss……”

Mandy shook her head with a face fallen into chaos.

Then, Rain muttered blankly.

“My scissors disappeared.”

“What?”

“Someone must have snuck in and ruined the dress with my scissors before leaving.”

Rain tore at her hair, tormented that she had been careless.

She comforted Rain while carefully asking.

“Isn’t there any way to repair it……?”

“The clothes are completely ruined, so it would take at least a day to fix……”

This is maddening.

Honestly, even she could see it wasn’t at a level that could be restored in an hour, so she closed her eyes tightly and opened them.

But she couldn’t give up like this.

“Then we need to find another way to solve the current situation.”

As she said that and looked around, Mandy suddenly ripped her maid uniform apart.

“……?!”

“Can’t we use this fabric somehow, Rain?”

Mandy earnestly pleaded while holding out the torn cloth to Rain.

“I can give more if needed.”

“Mandy……”

Seeing her sacrifice even her own clothes for her sake, she felt such overwhelming emotion that her chest swelled.

She smiled, a dimple appearing on her chin, and gave Mandy a grateful look before suddenly looking her over.

At that moment, a good idea flashed through her mind.

“Rain, can you make a dress according to what I tell you?”

“Um…… could you tell me?”

When she earnestly explained the modern clothing that came to mind, Rain’s previously dejected eyes gradually came alive.

“Yes, it seems possible. But it might be quite radical and cause controversy…… would that be okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Rain, who gained confidence from her resolute answer, began repairing the dress.

Meanwhile, she sacrificed the dress she had worn as material and received hair styling from Mandy in her chemise.

She slightly parted her bangs and used a heated iron to curl only the ends of her hair, making it voluminous.

This created a mature yet noble and pure impression, like when she participated in the Celsior ducal party.

“There, you’re all done.”

Mandy, who finally pinned a hairpin decorated with white flowers to her side hair, smiled brightly.

Shortly after, Rain’s alterations were also completed at the right timing.

“I’m done too. H-how is it……?”