Lesia regained consciousness half a day later.

Gentle hands shook her awake. While she was still drowsy and unable to fully gather her wits, Lesia’s eyes snapped open at Chelsea’s words.

“Lady Lesia, we need to prepare for the banquet, so you must get up now.”

“Ah…!”

Startled by the words “banquet preparation,” she bolted upright to find several maids besides Chelsea around her.

Chelsea introduced them.

“These are the girls who will help me with Lady Lesia’s preparations.”

“Please treat us well, Lady Lesia.”

“Please treat us well.”

“Yes, yes. I also…”

While she was awkwardly receiving their greetings, Chelsea led her to the bath.

“We’ve prepared rose water.”

“Pardon?”

Rose water? What on earth was that…

Only after seeing inside the bath did Lesia understand Chelsea’s words. Steam was rising from a bath as wide as a courtyard, and red roses embroidered the surface. The subtle rose fragrance tickled Lesia’s nose.

Unable to approach the beautiful scene that seemed fit for a goddess’s ritual bath, Chelsea removed her clothes with lightning-fast movements.

“Wait, just a moment…!”

Before she could resist, she found herself submerged in the bath. The warm water temperature and subtle rose fragrance made her body drowsy. Around Lesia, the maids scooped rose water and sprinkled it all over her body while massaging her.

“Mmm…”

Her body, exhausted from travel, seemed to melt like marshmallows in hot cocoa. Thanks to this, when she emerged from the bath, she was already completely relaxed.

In that state, they dried her hair and began applying makeup.

“Lady Lesia, could you please close your eyes?”

“Ah… yes…”

Lesia, now completely accustomed to Chelsea’s touch, closed her eyes without complaint. The tickling sensation of brush tips moving across her face kept making her laugh.

The makeup process continued for quite a long time. It felt like at least thirty minutes had passed. Finally, Chelsea announced the end.

“You can open your eyes now.”

At her words, Lesia gently opened her eyes and burst out in admiration on the spot.

“Wow… is this really me?”

Lesia in the mirror was truly beautiful, like a snow fairy. Pink tones were layered over her snow-white skin, emphasizing her loveliness. Her already long eyelashes were curled upward, emphasizing her large eyes, and her deep red lips gleamed with luscious shine.

“Now we’re just getting started.”

Chelsea, who had helped her stand, immediately brought the dress, accessories, and shoes. The dress was navy blue, densely studded with diamonds that sparkled finely with every movement.

‘Like the night sky.’

The necklace was deep blue sapphire, and the ear cuffs prepared for Lesia, who didn’t have pierced ears, were also embedded with sapphires. The shoes were also navy blue like the dress, decorated with diamonds that left sparkling traces with every step.

With help from Chelsea and the maids, she put on the dress, wore the accessories, and slipped on the shoes. Then her hair styling began.

To match the elegant yet lovely feeling, her snow-white hair was half-tied with only the ends curled and secured with a blue ribbon knot. When everything was finished, what remained was not Lesia from Flora Village, but Lesia who looked like the youngest daughter of some precious noble family.

It seemed like magic had been cast, so Lesia couldn’t take her eyes off the mirror.

“I can’t believe it. That this is me…”

It felt like looking at someone else, so she kept touching her face. Only after seeing the mirror copy her movements could she finally accept that it was really her.

The maids, who found such a Lesia adorable, giggled softly. Chelsea was no exception.

Chelsea approached with a smile and held something out to her.

“Today’s banquet has a mask concept, so you need to take this.”

What she held out was a half-mask shaped like a black cat. It had strings on both sides so it could be hung on the ears.

“I’ll put it on for you.”

“Ah, thank you…”

Lesia obediently entrusted her face to Chelsea. After carefully securing the loops so it wouldn’t fall off, Chelsea stepped aside.

Looking in the mirror, Lesia became a little dejected. The black cat-shaped half-mask was cute, but her carefully made-up face was hidden by the mask.

However, her disappointment was brief, as Chelsea’s next words made Lesia tense up.

“Shall we go then?”

* * *

The banquet hall was outdoors, and she heard they had reused the same outdoor banquet hall from ten years ago. She wanted to find the Flora Village people, but everyone was wearing masks, and since Lesia was a little late and the banquet had already started, finding the villagers seemed difficult.

Giving up on finding people, Lesia picked up some fruit and juice prepared on the long table and sat at any nearby table. The moment she put a large strawberry in her mouth, she unconsciously started humming.

“Would you like some too, Chelsea?”

Chelsea, who had come to guide her to the banquet hall, was still remaining by Lesia’s side. At Lesia’s words, Chelsea smiled faintly and shook her head.

“I’m fine. If it suits your taste, shall I bring you more?”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Rather than that… I have something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

Lesia hesitated for a moment before carefully bringing up the topic.

“Earlier, Chelsea said that His Grace the Grand Duke was waiting for me.”

Even as she spoke, it was hard to believe, so her voice became small. Chelsea answered matter-of-factly.

“Yes.”

“That… why? Why would His Grace the Grand Duke wait for a commoner like me…”

It had been a constant question. Lesia had never even left Flora Village, let alone the Grand Duke’s castle, so how could the Grand Duke know about her and wait for her?

But while thinking, Lesia started.

‘Really… have I never left the village?’

Something seemed about to surface but wouldn’t quite emerge, making her want to beat her chest in frustration. Chelsea, who had been staring intently at such a Lesia, spoke.

“…I am the head maid who oversees all the maids of the Grand Duke’s castle.”

“Head, head maid?!”

Lesia’s eyes widened at Chelsea’s sudden confession. Even as a commoner, she knew how high a position the head maid of Velius Grand Duke’s castle was.

And such a person had helped her with bathing and dressing! She was so surprised she felt dazed.

“Why did you… for me…”

“It was a special order His Grace the Grand Duke gave me personally. To serve Lady Lesia of Flora Village with utmost care.”

“Why would His Grace go to such lengths for me…”

“I cannot know his intentions, but he emphasized to me several times that I must serve you well, that you must not feel even the slightest discomfort.”

“…”

She couldn’t understand it. She was just an ordinary commoner, neither noble nor anything special.

With so many incomprehensible things, Lesia found herself wanting to meet him.

‘I heard he’s a young man.’

That was the moment. Suddenly the surrounding lights went out and light gathered on the stage. The gentle melody changed to a lively tune.

Then, like it was planned, people gathered on stage, paired up, and began dancing. At such a dreamlike scene, Lesia forgot about the Grand Duke for a moment and just watched.

Then Chelsea quietly suggested to Lesia.

“Lady Lesia, why don’t you go up too?”

“What? But…”

Before Lesia could answer, she was already being pulled up onto the stage by Chelsea’s hand.

“Have a dreamlike time.”

In the blink of an eye, Chelsea let go of Lesia’s hand.

“Ah…!”

Lesia was instantly sucked into the dancing crowd and pushed to the very center. Without a partner, Lesia was left alone in the middle of the dancing people.

‘How embarrassing.’

Thank goodness she was wearing a mask. Otherwise, her face flushed with embarrassment would have been clearly visible.

Actually, Lesia had secretly wanted to come up, so she had pretended to be reluctantly dragged along, but once she was up, regret washed over her like a tide. She had no partner and couldn’t dance.

She would have hurried down, but she had no confidence in breaking through the dancing crowd to get down. Unable to do this or that, the lively melody changed back to a calm waltz.

This seemed like the perfect timing to escape, and just as Lesia was about to take a step…

“My lady.”

Someone extended their hand to Lesia. Startled, Lesia looked up.

A man wearing a bright blue mask was extending his hand to Lesia. Red eyes could be glimpsed through the half-mask. His hair was black like the night sky, just like the dress Lesia was wearing.

He bowed at the waist, met her eyes directly, and politely requested.

“Would you dance with me?”

A large hand with calluses here and there was extended before Lesia, waiting for her choice. At the sudden situation, Lesia blinked.

Then, like someone under a spell, she took his hand and nodded.