Unlike the famed Duke of Leontheim, little was known about the Duchess.
‘Iris Valentine.’
Despite diligent inquiries, no one could describe her appearance.
‘Perhaps it means she’s not well-known enough for rumors to spread.’
At most, the whispers suggested she was inept—unbefitting the Valentine name.
‘The only one famous in the Valentine family is the youngest daughter, Liliana.’
Though now she was more notorious for tax evasion than anything else.
But that wasn’t the point.
‘I just hope my dresses will please her.’
While Lucia’s nerves fluttered, she found herself standing before the parlor door where the Duchess awaited.
From beyond the splendid door came a poised voice:
“Enter.”
With utmost reverence, Lucia stepped inside.
There, standing before her, was the Duchess of Leontheim.
Lucia lifted her head cautiously, locking eyes, then froze in surprise.
“Oh my.”
Doubting her own eyes, she struggled to maintain her composure.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my!”
But she failed again.
“Are, are, are you the Duchess?”
“Yes.”
“By the heavens!”
Lucia could not calm her heart.
‘She is stunning!’
As a designer who sought beauty, Lucia felt a surge of excitement at beholding such radiance.
‘How could someone this exquisite remain unknown in the social realm?’
If she were anyone else, fame would surely follow.
The Duchess’s lack of renown stirred an inexplicable frustration within Lucia.
‘To think someone so beautiful could be called incompetent!’
Though appearances cannot reveal all, the noble elegance flowing from the Duchess was worlds apart from the whispered rumors.
The Duchess smiled gracefully at Lucia.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation. I have called upon you because I wish to entrust my dress to you.”
Her beauty was not of flamboyant style, but from the moment they met, a noble aura held one’s gaze captive.
Especially her erect posture, which even a noble like Lucia found remarkable.
‘…So beautiful…’
Though she knew it was rude, Lucia found herself unable to respond, her gaze locked on the Duchess.
Iris spoke with a worried tone:
“Are you unwell? Did you overexert yourself coming here?”
“Oh, no! I apologize. Could you please repeat what you said?”
“You said you wish to wear your dress to the Sacred Festival banquet.”
“Good heavens… such an honor.”
“Though you may not yet be famous, I believe your dresses carry that value.”
Like a white swan, the Duchess was elegant and kindhearted to the point of angelic.
“I will craft the finest dress, so as not to bring shame upon Your Grace!”
Iris blinked slowly and asked,
“Haven’t you already brought dresses? Could there have been a misunderstanding?”
“Oh! Oh! Oh yes! I was mistaken. You are indeed correct, Your Grace.”
Only then did Lucia realize the presence of the dresses she had brought.
‘I keep showing only my worst sides!’
But contrary to Lucia’s worries, Iris did not view her poorly at all.
‘She truly is passionate.’
Lucia was so dedicated she sent her portfolio to most guilds.
Her skill matched her passion, which made it all the more regrettable.
“May I see the dresses you brought?”
“Of course. I will recommend those most fitting for Your Grace.”
Lucia hastily fetched a hanger from behind.
“How about these? They are frilled dresses designed in my own style, currently popular in the capital.”
Though adorned with frills, the dresses all displayed elegant silhouettes.
‘I could see myself wearing them.’
As a designer with taste, Lucia’s dresses were compositionally perfect, even utilizing quality fabrics despite her modest atelier’s debts.
“But what I wanted to see…”
Noticing Iris’s hesitation, Lucia quickly presented another design.
“How about something more extravagant? This is my proudest creation.”
This design featured jewels for a more lavish effect.
But still, it was not what Iris sought.
‘This is not the design I expected from Lucia.’
The standout designs in Lucia’s portfolio were her classical lines, blending timeless elegance with refined modernity.
“Madam Lucia.”
Startled as she prepared to show more frilled dresses, Lucia looked at Iris.
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“Among these dresses, which one does Madame favor the most?”
“If I were to choose my favorite…”
Lucia’s gaze naturally shifted toward the dresses hung on the rack behind her.
Though she had brought them, she had placed them at the back to avoid drawing Iris’s attention.
“But those dresses don’t follow current trends,” Lucia said uncertainly, glancing at Iris.
“So, you don’t like any of my dresses after all?”
Lucia, who had been smiling brightly moments ago, suddenly fell into gloom.
That’s typical of me.
Her designs had been shunned by other nobles for being out of fashion.
So I tried to incorporate trends into my designs.
But it seemed she hadn’t reached the level to break through the high walls of the cultivation world’s social circle.
“If that’s the case, you may call another designer… It’s my fault for not creating better dresses,”
Lucia bowed her head deeply, as if confessing a sin.
“Raise your head. If I didn’t like your skill, I wouldn’t have called you here in the first place.”
“Then… could you tell me what part of my dresses displeased you?”
Lucia began to choke up.
Looking at her sorrowful face, Iris understood why Madame Lucia had not succeeded before.
She broke down like this.
The world of designers was ruthless.
Especially for those who led trends or failed to keep up, the path was harsh.
Now, the frilled dresses that followed trends, which Iris had previously proposed, began to look different.
They seemed like pitiful results of losing artistic pride by chasing a style that was not their own.
Though she gave her best in her own way.
The dresses were beautiful.
But they lacked the sparkle that had caught Iris’s eye.
“Could you bring me the dress you have over there?”
Iris gently requested Lucia.
“Th-That dress?”
“Yes. I like the dress over there.”
With a hesitant face, Lucia fetched the dress from the back.
The minimally adorned, classical dress was beautiful but definitely out of sync with recent trends.
Worried, Lucia added,
“B-But it’s too different from current fashion. The Duchess isn’t very active in the social circles…”
“You’re right,” Iris said, slowly stroking the dress.
The glossy navy dress complemented her pale skin perfectly at a glance.
“But I believe this dress suits me best.”
“B-But still…”
“What do you think?”
Iris felt certain.
She seemed to fit perfectly with Lucia’s classical design.
Faced with Iris’s kind question, Lucia finally broke into tears. Tears streamed down her reddened cheeks.
“You mustn’t do that, Your Grace. The Sacred Festival banquet is an important occasion.”
Lucia, who had only come on commission, began to worry for the gentle Duchess.
I can’t let the one who trusts my dress suffer.
In the past, Lucia had confidence in her skill.
So, despite a poor family background, she confidently pursued the path of a designer.
But I was only a designer whose style was out of fashion.
There were countless designers like Lucia in the world.
They presented better fabrics and designs to catch the nobles’ eyes.
But nothing changed. Her designs remained ignored.
“It’s good that you think well of me, but my classical dresses carry too much risk.”
Wiping her tears, Lucia replied with a self-deprecating tone.
“How can you trust my dresses? I’m just an unproven designer.”
Iris couldn’t understand why someone like the Duchess wanted to wear dresses even Lucia lacked confidence in.
“I have seen your portfolio circulating among the guilds.”
Warmth filled Iris’s sky-blue eyes as she looked at Lucia, as if offering comfort.
“Your designs were full of passion and sparkle. I wanted to meet you in person right away.”
For some reason, meeting those eyes, Lucia couldn’t stop her tears.
“But no guild leader ever said my designs were marketable.”
“In my eyes, you have enough potential. Isn’t that enough?”
Finally, Lucia covered her tear-streaked face with her hands.
“…Thank you.”
“What is there to thank me for?”
Iris signaled to the butler Margaret behind her, who brought a handkerchief.
“I’m just someone who appreciates your dresses.”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
Lucia looked at the dress Iris had chosen.
A dress from her early days.
“I will truly do my best.”
The design bore no trace of recent frill trends.
But precisely because of that, it radiated a distinguished elegance.
“I will make sure the Duchess wears the most beautiful dress in the world.”
The Sacred Festival approached.
During that time, Iris adjusted Lucia’s dress to fit her figure and selected matching jewels and accessories.
She especially wanted to incorporate the white peony corsage that Sedric had gifted her, so deciding on how to use it took considerable time.
Sedric had said to just keep it as one of the options.
But for Iris, choosing Sedric’s gift was only natural.
Iris objectively assessed her reflection.
A vintage navy satin dress that revealed her fair, straight shoulders.
Her lavender hair, half-tied, paired elegantly with her snow-white northern skin and the noble navy satin.
The dress’s hem was embroidered with gold thread, but the overall impression was quietly elegant.
For banquet-worthy splendor, she adorned herself with refined pearls.
Three strands of pearls graced her long, slender neck, and pearls were delicately arranged near the peony corsage in her hair’s center.
“I like it.”
Yet Iris knew that liking it didn’t mean she truly belonged in the banquet hall.
“I’m not someone fit for the banquet.”
Her father had never allowed Iris to attend such events.
“You can’t sully the name of Valentine by letting someone like you show your face.”
She had never properly celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony at eighteen like any noble maiden would.
“It’s not much anyway. It’s just tiring. Don’t obsess over trivial things, Iris.”
“I want to rest at home peacefully, like my sister. It’d be easier if no one liked me.”
Even if she went to the social scene, she doubted she’d make any impact.
She wasn’t bright or lovely like Liliana, the flower of the social circle.
“But I have to do well.”
She couldn’t burden Sedric by being an inadequate duchess.
“It’s absolutely perfect!”
Lucia, having finished styling Iris to match the dress, excitedly exclaimed beside her.
“This is the masterpiece of my life! I could die happy now!”
“Don’t say that.”
Iris smiled awkwardly. Lucia clapped without caring.
“Every man at the banquet will want to propose—or rather, marry the Duchess. Everyone will fall for you.”
The maids at Lilac Manor echoed Lucia’s words.
“That’s right. Even the flowers of the social scene can’t compare to the Lady.”
“The Duke will be amazed at how beautiful you look!”
When Sedric appeared, Iris involuntarily paused for a moment.
“Would the Duke really think so?”
It was such an unlike-Iris question. She felt awkward even asking it herself.
Why am I like this?
Thinking of Sedric made her heart flutter for no reason.
She didn’t care if others didn’t recognize her—those people were worthless to her.
But Sedric…
I hope he thinks well of me.
He was always the one who said she was beautiful, so surely he would.
Still, her heart stirred strangely.
“What are you saying? Anyone with eyes would be amazed.”
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
“Madam, are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Sedric opened the door and entered. Iris turned her head to look at him.
“……”
Sedric stood there, dumbfounded, mouth slightly open.
As if his mind had frozen.
Chapter 57