At her solemn voice, the staff brought out dozens of boxes containing already crafted accessories ready to wear.

“Since it’s a halter neck, skip the necklace. Others might wear necklaces, but your neck is already thin and straight, so it’s better without one. Instead, let’s add earrings as a point and bracelets that jingle when you dance. With such thin wrists, anything would suit you, but……”

Rudbeckia smiled brightly and touched her wrist at Elfleda’s words.

How could anyone not love this beautiful woman with such a lovely smile, apart from being a proud female knight who had shared battlefields?

Elfleda lightly pinched her cheek with an “ooh–” as she smiled.

“At this rate, aren’t you going to be the most beautiful woman at the banquet? No, just being beautiful isn’t enough. Haughty enough to exude an unapproachable aura.”

“With your shoulders, collarbones, and wrists all exposed, that exposure still remains elegant, doesn’t it?”

“Madam is truly the best, I tell you.”

Rudbeckia blushed at the continued praise from the two.

Words like ‘pretty’ and ‘beautiful’ were always a bit embarrassing to hear.

“Though time might be a bit tight, we have quite excellent skills, hohoho! On the day of the banquet, in the afternoon… Red Moon? Blue Whale? Where should we deliver it?”

“Please bring it to Marquis Argen’s residence.”

All plans were in Elfleda’s hands, and Madam Goretti was the epitome of professionalism.

* * *

As promised, Madam Goretti delivered the clothes to the Argen residence in the early afternoon.

Caleb and Rudbeckia had arrived at the mansion earlier in the morning and were being frantically adorned by the maids.

Rudbeckia glanced through the mirror at Elfleda, who was passionately directing the maids.

Though banquets were often held at the Sanders Grand Duchy as well, if adornment was counted as combat power, they never raised it to this level.

From nails to every strand of hair, there was no place left untouched by the skilled maids’ hands.

“I will do the hair ornament myself.”

Looking in the mirror, as if putting the final touch on a dragon painting, she inserted a black jade hairpin that seemed perfectly matched with the dress. Elfleda had recommended jewels, but the hairpin was still better.

Wearing a deep navy halter neck dress that looked like a piece of the night sky with finely sparkling jewel dust sprinkled on it, she had half her hair twisted up while the other half embroidered golden threads over her snow-white skin.

As she admired herself in the full-length mirror, turning this way and that, she suddenly thought of Caleb.

‘What would Caleb say if he saw me?’

Rudbeckia, who was being adorned in a different room from Caleb, swallowed her words inwardly.

Though she often wore dresses in Sanders, this was the first time she had worn something so splendid that even she herself was wide-eyed.

— Boom!

Raising her head at the unfamiliar sound, she saw fireworks announcing the victory banquet bursting in the sky where the imperial palace was located.

The banquet had already begun. The carriage to take them had just arrived at the entrance of the mansion.

Elfleda and Rudbeckia went down to the lobby together.

The two women walked slowly toward Caleb, one hand on the railing, the other holding the hem of their dresses.

Caleb’s gaze was fixed solely on Rudbeckia.

The dress that fit her body perfectly without any slack made his face flush as if just looking at it took his breath away.

“Caleb, how do I look?”

Elfleda spoke as she nudged Caleb’s side.

“Ah, um…… Dame Elda, you’re pretty. Pretty.”

Caleb’s mouth was directed at Elfleda, but his eyes kept turning toward Rudbeckia.

Rudbeckia bowed her head lightly, as if showing off her elegant lines.

“N-no one would think she’s a knight…… wouldn’t that be a p-problem?”

Caleb stuttered foolishly, spitting out nonsensical sentences.

The two women headed toward the carriage, giggling behind their fans, and Caleb escorted Elfleda first, helping her into the carriage.

“Caleb, pull yourself together when we get out.”

“Uh. Uhh……”

The moment Elfleda entered the carriage, Rudbeckia whispered in his ear.

This was a battlefield where even the Emperor would be. Showing such awkwardness from the start……

— Clatter clatter

Since Elfleda was the Crown Prince’s fiancée, an imperial carriage had come to pick her up, and the carriage bearing the national emblem passed through the palace entrance without a body search and stopped at the entrance of the ‘Crescent Moon Hall’ where the banquet was being held.

“Wow…… Thanks to you, Rud, I won’t have to stay quiet in a corner of the banquet like a dead mouse.”

When the coachman opened the carriage door, Zeno quickly ran over at the sight of her brilliant golden hair and escorted her while speaking.

Since Caleb and Elfleda were going together, Rudbeckia was paired with Zeno, Caleb’s childhood friend whom she had seen continuously since their days at the Sanders Grand Duchy.

“Why? I’m planning to stay quiet in a corner like a dead mouse too.”

At her question, Zeno looked her up and down and then shook his head silently with his mouth closed.

Rudbeckia was beautiful enough to make people stare with their mouths open.

Sharp jawline, straight nose, high forehead, skin as soft and white as peach, slender waist, wavy golden hair, star-like golden eyes, and red lips…… each feature was beautiful on its own, and the overall effect was beautiful too.

Caleb and Elfleda also nodded continuously as if agreeing with Zeno’s opinion.

“It was right not to add any pleats at the waist. See how the dress naturally curves because of your slender waist, even without a single pleat.”

At Elfleda’s comment, everyone’s gaze shifted to her waist. Rudbeckia tightened her stomach muscles, suddenly standing at attention.

“I was worried the halter neck would cover all your collarbones, but Madam Goretti designed it well. Is your neck uncomfortable?”

As attention shifted to her neck, she pulled in her chin and tensed her shoulders.

“It’s not uncomfortable.”

“Pfft. Ahahahaha! Rud, what’s wrong with you? Are you nervous? Ahaha!”

Perhaps it was tension at the thought of soon meeting the Perron imperial family. Elfleda burst into laughter at her very formal answer.

Caleb and Zeno pressed their lips together to hold back their laughter, afraid she might get hurt, but seeing her frozen like a wooden doll, unable to laugh by herself, they finally burst into roaring laughter.

“Rud, you’re the one who needs to pull yourself together.”

Caleb stroked her head lightly as he moved ahead.

Upon reaching the last door and first entrance to enter the Crescent Moon Hall, Elfleda stopped Zeno and Rudbeckia, saying she and Caleb would go in first.

Naturally, they asked if the Marquis’s daughter and Caleb, the protagonist of the victory banquet, shouldn’t be last.

To that question, Elfleda gave no answer but raised an eyebrow once, winked, and went in first.

“Hey, look over there.”

Ah…… she had anticipated this situation.

The large banquet hall was already packed with people.

It was the first large-scale banquet held after the August harvest festival, and everyone including officials had been ordered to attend.

As Elfleda had predicted, most people were gathered near the entrance looking for marriage partners, and as the two entered the hall, the crowd pushed forward slightly and soon surrounded them.

“To think such blonde hair still exists on the continent.”

“Must be from the Glimm Kingdom?”

“Glimm? Wasn’t that family exterminated?”

Questions poured in. Rudbeckia couldn’t count how many times she had stated her name.

Zeno was busy pushing away those trying to touch her hair.

Though smaller than Caleb, he had a sturdy build above the knight order’s average, but he was helpless against the swarm of nobles.

“Where are you from? Could it be… Glimm…?”

“No, I’m from Sanders.”

“Ah, there are many blondes there too.”

“Still, such beautiful golden blonde hair is really rare……”

“Sanders has many platinum blondes and golden blondes.”

She was tired but answered each question precisely, thinking to herself that if she revealed she was from Glimm with blonde hair, she might be executed on the spot. Better safe than sorry.

Surrounded by people, even taking a step forward was difficult, making Elfleda’s words about this being another battlefield ring true.

A battlefield at the height of splendor. It could only be described as having captured the moon and stars.

Under the crescent-shaped glass ceiling, chandeliers decorated with gold and various colored jewels beautifully adorned the hall, sparkling in different colors whenever moonlight touched them. All were expensive jewels, as if there was no place for mere crystal.