Originally, the boutique had offered to go directly to Eileen's house. However, she vehemently refused. Just thinking about trying on a wedding dress in the living room of her small, cozy brick house, surrounded by people, made her feel like the house would explode from being so cramped.
But that didn't mean she could summon them to the Archduke's residence. There was a superstition that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony. To avoid any possibility of Cesare seeing her, the Archduke's mansion was quickly ruled out.
'Of course, Your Grace wouldn't mind that kind of superstition.'
But Eileen cared. So she decided to go to the boutique herself.
'I keep imagining what the dress will be like.'
An excitement bubbled in Eileen's stomach. Although she hadn't been involved in the selection, a wedding dress awaited her at the boutique, ready for final adjustments. Today, it would be molded to her body and receive personalized touches. A magazine article had piqued her curiosity, fueling her anticipation for this special moment.
[… Archduke Erzet began wedding preparations with an impossible schedule, compounded by the sudden announcement of the ceremony. They only had one month.]
(What do men think about marriage, anyway! Anyone reading this article should never follow the Archduke 's recklessness . Only someone with Erzet's looks, wealth, and power could pull off such a thing!)
To make the impossible possible, the three best boutiques in the capital joined forces.
These rival boutiques have joined forces to create the wedding dress for the future Archduchess. Whether this collaboration will result in a masterpiece or a disaster, nobody knows…
There had been so much news about her and Cesare lately that Eileen rarely read the newspapers. But when she bought a magazine for the first time in a long time, she ended up reading it to the end because of that article.
In fact, she bought it because of Ornella. Someone as prominent as her would certainly have all sorts of frivolous news published about her.
However, there wasn't a single mention of Ornella. The entire magazine was too busy talking about the Archduke's wedding.
After finishing reading, Eileen only discovered more gossip about herself. It seemed she would have to find out about Ornella through other means.
- Miss! -
Under the orange tree, Diego waved excitedly, wearing his uniform with an incredibly cheerful disposition.
It was a rare opportunity to see Eileen in her wedding dress before the ceremony, and everyone wanted to accompany her. Even Senon volunteered, saying he would stay up all night, if necessary, just to be her escort.
In the end, four knights gathered and drew lots, with Diego being chosen.
Can we go now?
He closed the door of the military vehicle and began to drive, humming a melody. He decided to go without a driver so that Eileen could talk freely.
Thanks to this, Eileen took the opportunity to ask Diego some things that had been bothering her on the way to the boutique. She brought up the subject of the dowry, something that had been worrying her for days.
— Mr. Diego.
Yes, ma'am.
— I spoke with Your Grace about the dowry.
Eileen had barely started speaking when Diego burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha, I'm sorry. It's just, oh my God, I can't help it ," he laughed, trying to contain himself. It was so much that his eyes watered, until he was able to speak again.
"I never imagined you'd worry about this. This marriage was practically forced upon you. Of course, Your Grace will assume responsibility, " he said, suppressing more laughter and clenching his teeth. "Thinking about it, Your Grace made a mistake. You should have discussed the dowry beforehand to reassure you. But, Miss, it's so lovely that you thought of this, " he continued, clearing his throat and trying to sound more serious.
However, Eileen was so used to being treated like a child that she simply replied that the dowry was no longer a concern and changed the subject. She wanted to ask about Cesare, but they arrived at the boutique too quickly, postponing the question.
The boutique was located on Venue Street. When Diego, in his uniform, and Eileen stepped out of the military vehicle, they attracted the attention of everyone passing by. Eileen instinctively shrugged, but Diego, accustomed to being the center of attention, remained unfazed.
'I heard soldiers have become quite popular in the capital lately,' Eileen thought, remembering what she'd read in the magazine. She hid behind Diego, looking at the ground as she followed him. Only when they entered the boutique did she raise her head.
The air inside was rather stuffy. Mannequins dressed in extravagant outfits were scattered around, positioned so that each dress could be admired.
Further inside, they found three women in extremely different outfits, engaged in a heated discussion while holding a large clipboard covered with fabric samples. The surrounding employees nervously tried to calm them down.
Eileen found it strange that no one had come to greet them, but it seemed the women were so engrossed in conversation that they hadn't even heard the doorbell. A more courageous employee tried to intervene.
Miss Elrod should be arriving any minute now… Could you please stop the discussion and…
"Does it seem like we're just arguing? " the woman dressed in primary colors snapped in a shrill voice. The other woman responded immediately.
No, but at least pretend to be civil. Stop acting so rude.
The woman with the sober tone retorted, and the person beside her laughed sarcastically.
— Civility? Ciiiviility?
The woman in the damask dress ironically repeated the previous woman's words.
Eileen realized that the boutique owners had teamed up to create her wedding dress. Despite the supposed collaboration, it looked like they were about to come to blows at any moment.
Diego intervened in a firm voice:
Doesn't anyone here work?
His gruff tone drew everyone's attention. The women, upon seeing Diego, smiled broadly. The one in the ornate dress clasped her hands together and exclaimed:
Oh my goodness! The future Archduchess Erzet has arrived…
Eileen peered behind Diego, and the woman's previously radiant expression gradually hardened. She looked at Eileen incredulously and finished the sentence with a somber tone:
— … You've arrived.
Silence fell like a curtain, muffling the previous chaos. Moments ago, the three designers had been locked in a fierce argument, their voices sharp as scissors. Now, a stunned silence reigned, broken only by the nervous blinking of their eyelashes as they looked at Eileen.
No words were needed. Despair was a universal language painted on their faces. Even Eileen, usually oblivious to social nuances, felt an uncomfortable shiver. Insecure, she instinctively brought her hand to her face.
The designers began whispering frantically, their voices almost inaudible. Numerous hand gestures accompanied the conversation.
"The bangs first, " one whispered, looking at Eileen's forehead . "And the glasses, definitely the glasses."
"I agree. In the worst-case scenario, we can disguise it with a veil ," said another, her voice tense.
The weight of the conversation fell on Eileen's shoulders like a burden, and she felt a pang of guilt. She lowered her head, murmuring:
'If I were Ornella…'
That thought, a constant shadow in her mind, was quickly banished with a slight shake of her head. Eileen began to realize that the comparisons were becoming a self-destructive habit. With rehearsed smiles, the stylists softened their worried expressions and glided over to Eileen, regaining their professional composure.
"Miss Elrod, thank you for coming. It is a great honor to design the Grand Duchess's wedding dress ," one of them said respectfully.
— Could you come this way, please? We're going to show you the dress. But first, we thought maybe we could, just for a little while…
How about trimming your bangs a little?
Leave it as it is.
Diego intervened firmly. He looked at the women with an impassive expression. Despite the imposing presence of the burly soldier, the boutique owners were not easily intimidated.
"The Archduke himself demanded the most perfect wedding dress ," one of them grumbled indignantly . "How can we achieve that when we can't even touch a hair on her head?"
"Certainly, a bit of style is needed to complement the dress ," argued another, with a slightly condescending tone.
Diego's short laugh chilled the room. It was a sound devoid of humor, a disguised threat.
— Stick to your work.
The women's faces flushed red, their rehearsed smiles replaced by hard stares. Eileen, always the peacemaker, stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly.
— Mr. Diego, please.
She pleaded. Taking a deep breath, she took off her glasses and set them aside. An attentive employee, noticing the growing tension, quickly offered her a hair clip. With a trembling hand, Eileen pinned back her bangs, her eyes darting nervously between the furious stylists and Diego's impassive expression.
Is everything alright like this?
She said in a timid little voice, her question laden with insecurity.
End of Volume 1
To be continued….