The Budding Salon and the Unexpected Guest

“And… Llewellyn, as for you. Am I not the closest adult woman to you? I’m sure the Count tries his best, but he’s always been a bit behind the times when it comes to trends.”

I know this play.

Behind Annette’s smiling face, I could see the cold calculation of my own utility. While the Crown Prince had aggressively forced an ‘apology’ on me while disregarding my opinion, Annette was dredging up old stories in an attempt to foster a sense of intimacy.

“It’s been that way since he was very young. Do you have any idea how shocked I was when he wore an emerald-encrusted brooch to his debut? Rubies were the trend that year. Emeralds were a fashion from two years prior. To top it off, the jacket he wore was black with gold embroidery.”

“The Count was quite famous for that,” Rowena chimed in.

I had assumed the Count’s taste was just ‘classic,’ but it turns out he might have lacked fashion sense entirely, choosing standard options only because he had given up.

“Cale takes after his father, but we used to joke amongst ourselves that it was a relief he took after his mother in that regard.”

I didn’t have the power to reject Annette as she dropped names—my father, my mother, my brother—to appeal to the idea that ‘I am this close to you and I know you well.’ I simply put on a smile and chirped, “I’d love that!” It was a relief that my young age gave me a naturally healthy complexion; my flushed cheeks likely looked adorable. At least, they did when I practiced in the mirror.

Banquet. Salon. These two words felt much heavier than I expected.

What felt more unsettling than the check on the Crown Prince was the fact that people were gathering. The major characters of the original story were currently around the same age as me or the Crown Prince. Every prominent noble would surely attend such a grand banquet, meaning the probability of encountering them much earlier than in the original timeline was high.

Time flew by as I spent my days in a whirlwind.

In the meantime, I reached a point where I didn’t collapse even after running ten laps around the training ground, and I finally began receiving corrections on my sword-holding posture. The lessons I took at the 4th Prince’s Palace had also progressed significantly. Lewis showed an aptitude for magic and was scheduled for an affinity test, while Elliot excelled at mathematics. Geoffrey, who was teaching talented disciples these days, had abandoned his initial dry attitude and was now showering Elliot and me with praise.

The surprise was Aiden’s decision to learn the sword. His instructor was a name from the recommendation list the Count had curated. Whether it was his talent or the teacher’s skill, Aiden’s confidence had surged lately, which was good to see.

The passage of time meant that the salon Annette had previewed was drawing near.

During a meal where the entire Imperial Family was present, Rowena finally spoke to the Emperor. Erkel recounted the situation vividly. Being an author, his description was so lengthy yet delicate that it felt like I had been sitting in that seat myself.

The biggest factor was that the Empress did not oppose it in a public setting. Elisha—the mother of the 2nd Prince, who was already at the Academy—surely hated the idea, but seeing Annette and the Empress remain still, she likely felt there was no need to make a scene and didn’t show much outward distaste. Ariel, the mother of the 3rd Prince, was one of the Empress’s people. Had the Empress opposed it, she would have joined in, but since the Empress remained silent, she didn’t interfere either.

The Emperor was not a father affectionate enough to dote on a child who showed no great talent or distinction, but neither was he a husband stingy toward the concubines who had birthed his princes. After a moment of thought, the Emperor readily gave his consent.

Annette didn’t voice an opinion either way. She simply sat to the Emperor’s left with a smile beautiful enough to melt stone, tending to his meal. However, the fact that the usually quiet Rowena had brought up such a major proposal meant there was someone backing her. And it was no secret to anyone that Annette and Rowena were particularly close.

The sudden announcement of a major event sent the nobility into a frenzy.

The capital nobles were the first to move. No one wanted to cross the Emperor’s most favored concubine. Since even the Empress, who usually clashed with Annette openly, hadn’t opposed it, there was no reason to hesitate. As they began to move, the provincial nobles grew anxious as well.

Famous boutiques and designers were flooded with reservations; even if one rushed there now, it was uncertain if their turn would come within the next two years. The demand for jewels skyrocketed.

At Annette’s persuasion, the Emperor willingly opened the Velet Palace. Since it was a palace with a large banquet hall and two side halls, it could accommodate many children. The wealthier nobles who didn’t usually reside in the capital were especially eager, eyes blazing with the desire for rarer and more special adornments.

The lack of a fixed schedule only added to their anxiety. Still, they would be fully prepared to meet the deadline even if Annette announced she wanted to start before the end of this spring.

The Suenil family, the Empress’s house, also lent a hand. Though the Princess had not yet debuted, she was among the eldest of those yet to debut, so they likely anticipated she could become the pillar of the salon. After all, Annette’s son, Lucas, was only six years old. The relationship between the Empress and Annette couldn’t be called good even as a joke, but what mattered in this situation was not personal friendship, but the interests one could gain. This was a world where yesterday’s enemy became today’s ally, and today’s ally might stab you in the back tomorrow.

“You may lower your arms now.”

Annette had sent over the most popular designer in the capital. My eldest brother looked uncomfortable, but even Edwill couldn’t summon such a person immediately, so he didn’t refuse.

“Any color would suit you, but since it’s spring, how about something refreshing?”

“We don’t know when the banquet will be.”

“Everyone is ordering spring clothes. The trending colors won’t change much even into the summer.”

“The sky blue among the samples you showed seemed nice,” the eldest brother remarked.

“You have excellent discernment. It’s a sky blue like the early morning. It’s been highly sought after this season, but just as many have failed with it. It’s a difficult color to pull off. However, that won’t be an issue here.”

“Since he’s still young, wouldn’t yellow be good too?”

“Faint hues are better than overly vivid primary colors. How about this?”

My eldest and third brothers put their heads together in deep thought. Which buttons to use, what color the fabric should be, whether to add embroidery—and if so, what color and pattern—what kind of collar, and the shape of the shoes. Everything was a subject for debate.

I knew Cale, the eldest, would come since he’s always been the most interested in my clothes, but I didn’t expect Abel to join in. My second brother, who usually had no interest in fashion, even took a day off to be there, though he looked utterly lost as to what they were discussing. Honestly, the second brother had the kind of physique that looked good even if he just threw a coat over a shirt. Truly, one must exercise hard.

“Llewellyn would look cute and pretty in anything.”

“That’s true, Leo. But this is an important occasion, so we must be more meticulous than usual.”

“Leave him be. Second Brother doesn’t understand these things. I bet he can’t even tell the difference between garnet and ruby.”

“I know the red one is ruby.”

“Sadly, garnet is also red, Brother.”

Abel looked at him as if he were pathetic, followed by his signature clicking of the tongue. The second brother grumbled but couldn’t break through the wall of the three who were already deep in their own world. It was a relief for me. If the second brother hadn’t been there trying to make conversation, it would have been my job to stand there dazed while being swayed by their chatter.

“Normally, I don’t produce more than one outfit, but…”

The designer, likely the busiest person in the capital, seemed to have taken a liking to Llewellyn’s face and body. After trying out various fabrics and jewels for a long while without reaching a decision, the three brothers proceeded to order four different outfits, varying in style and color. I suppose a face that works well on men doesn’t go anywhere. Looking at the designer burning with artistic soul, I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.

“I shall see you again soon.”

Finally.

The eldest and third brothers were satisfied and saw him out personally. On the other hand, I was exhausted from changing clothes several times and holding various poses to meet their demands. If it weren’t for the stamina I’d built through exercise, I would have collapsed long ago. I sent a silent thank-you to Sir Spellman. Thank you. I survived because of you. I’ll be in your care from now on, too.

“Llewellyn, you have a visitor.”

Abel, who was still debating even as he left, poked his head through the door. Ever since he realized I was soft toward his “cute” acts, he occasionally acted younger than his age.

“A visitor? For me?”

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t unusual for visitors to come to Edwill Castle, but this was the first time someone had come specifically to see me. Who could it be? While lightly pushing away the second brother who was hovering around me, I narrowed down the list of potential candidates. The range didn’t narrow easily.

The face that entered with my eldest brother was familiar.

“Elliot?”

“Hello, Llewellyn.”

Tall for an eleven-year-old. Sharp eyes despite his youth. It was Elliot Dylan.

The second brother lingered in the room, seemingly unwilling to leave, but was eventually grabbed by the third brother and dragged out. His cry of “Llewellyn!” was tragic, but no one paid it any mind.

“I heard the Edwill brothers were close, and it seems it’s true.”

“Does it look that way?”

Elliot smiled playfully. I smiled back, but I felt a bit awkward. If I had to pick the most comfortable person among Elliot Dylan, Chloe Rooster, and Lewis Chloe, it was definitely Dylan. Aiden was younger than his age, and Lewis acted exactly like a ten-year-old. To put it another way, Elliot was like a “little old man.” Erkel and I were adults on the inside, so it made sense for us, but I was impressed that a real eleven-year-old could be like this.