Chapter 62
Excitement was felt all across the social world.
At the beginning of summer, women’s attire became lower cut and thinner than before.
Beautiful women came and went to the palace, and men in well-tailored suits stood around, unsure of what to do.
The women looked for partners to dance with tonight.
“Princess Marianne, they said that today, the princes who want to marry you will attend.”
“Okay. You want me to be well-behaved, right?”
Those words pierced her ears.
Marianne was confident she would make all of her suitors, the princes, fall for her.
It was incredibly easy to make men fall for her.
***
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Riv swept down the off-white silk dress, which Madame Ezerca was delighted with and said was her best work.
It was a dress that was not flashy but elegant, and emphasized its rich bodice instead of gaudy decorations.
She put on a thin silk shawl over it.
Riv looked at herself in the mirror.
Her black hair, gracefully curled, was firmly fixed in place.
Water droplet diamonds hung around her neck and from her ears.
“Riv, if you’re ready, let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Riv looked back at Lionel. He examined her outfit and smiled.
“Let’s go.”
There was still time before the sun went down.
If they took a carriage now, they would arrive just in time for the Royal ball.
“Lionel, wait a second.”
Riv stared at Lionel, who wasn’t wearing a wig, but wore a distinctive black suit that was tailored to his body.
He was perfect as always.
Riv brushed the dust off his shoulder and stroked his cravat, which she had made.
A bright smile spread across both of their faces.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
No more mental preparation was needed. Today was the first day of the Royal ball.
***
The Royal ball was perfect.
This year was the most grandiose and splendid because it was Marianne’s last.
The Royal Family, dressed more lavishly than anyone else in attendance, showed off their presence.
They were colorful and dazzling.
Even the King’s mistresses dressed like peacocks.
They poured money onto the Royal ball as they were tired of the small banquets in the palace. It was a huge event. Everyone had been looking forward to this day.
The protagonist of this Royal ball was Princess Marianne.
After she came of age, she had been away for two months, but Marianne came back more beautiful.
Her foreign fiancé candidates, who would vie for her hand, were also supposed to attend the ball.
“Have you seen Princess Marianne?”
“All the Royals are beautiful, but Princess Marianne is angelic.”
“I think she’s more mature now.”
Marianne was still small and childlike, but as she became an adult, she exuded neatness and sexiness.
Marianne was the only princess of the Royal Family.
She didn’t have a fiancé anymore, so the position was open to anyone.
Before the ball started, there was a crowd of men in front of Marianne who wanted to request a dance.
“Princess Marianne, you must dance with me.”
“No, me!”
They even lined up in front of Marianne and fought.
Marianne stared at them with delight as she looked for a suitable man to enjoy the night with.
“I don’t want to dance with anyone yet.”
Marianne’s fiancé candidates had yet to arrive.
Marianne sat proudly in her seat.
The princes moved to the dance floor, signaling the beginning of the ball. Many men and women paired up. The band began to play an exciting tune.
After some time had passed, the entrance became noisy.
The party’s guests who had arrived late were coming in.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sentoren are here.”
The handmaiden whispered to Marianne.
The entrance seemed to be getting louder.
People flocked to the entrance, forming a large crowd.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sentoren are here?”
It wasn’t just the royal employees who were curious.
They couldn’t believe the alleged transformation of Madame Katana, who used to be a lowly maid, and that she had become a Duchess.
The Royal Family especially wanted to see their ugly, disgusting maid, Madame Katana.
At once, the main character changed.
“The Duke of Sentoren has arrived.”
The Grand Chamberlain informed the Princes instead of the King and Queen, who had not arrived yet.
The Duke and Duchess of Sentoren immediately greeted the princes and their wives, then came before Marianne.
“……?”
Marianne was bewildered as she saw the tall couple standing in front of her.
They were so tall that she had to look up.
Marianne finally stood up.
‘My neck hurts.’
Even as Marianne got up from her seat, the woman in front of her was still taller.
She thought the woman next to Lionel would be Madame Katana, but she was a stranger.
‘Who the hell is this?’
The slender woman with dark hair and white skin looked like a Northern beauty.
Her bone structure was pleasant, and her exposed arms, collarbone and neck were long and slender without fats.
The white dress she wore had minimal decorations, but it accentuated her elegance.
She had no expression, but she acted gracefully and exuded dignity. There was no unnecessary movement from the woman.
‘But why is she familiar?’
Marianne couldn’t recognize the woman whose arms were linked with Lionel.
For a moment, she wondered if Lionel had brought a mistress instead of the Duchess of Sentoren.
The woman called Marianne’s name.
“Princess Marianne.”
Marianne didn’t like the elegant woman that was one head taller than her.
She hated her white skin, her black, luscious hair, and her delicate features. Even more so her elegant-looking arms and legs, and her voluminous body.
Her deep blue eyes, her pointed nose, and her sharp lip line reminded her of the woman Marianne hated.
“Who are you?”
Marianne arrogantly raised her head and stood on her tiptoes.
The woman spoke in a familiar voice.
“Princess Marianne, I am Madame Katana.”
“What?”
Marianne involuntarily tilted her head up.
A woman with a voice she knew all too well, familiar eyes, a distinctive white face and dark raven hair, one head taller than Marianne.
Those conditions were clearly met by Madame Katana.
Perhaps she was hiding her slim figure under that terrible mourning dress, though Madame Katana’s face resembled an old widow.
“Do you not recognize me, Princess Marianne?”
“What?”
Marianne felt as if she were possessed by a ghost. She forgot about everyone around her.
“Y-You, you are a distant relative of Madame Katana, right? Or are you that girl’s twin?”
“The Princess knows that Madame Katana doesn’t have any relatives, doesn’t she?”
“…”
All eyes turned to the Duchess of Sentoren.
Behind her was the Duke of Sentoren, whose expression hadn’t changed.
Marianne’s lovely appearance seemed to have lost its appeal compared to Riv’s dignified look.
She was Princess Marianne, but she was considered to be young and insignificant at the moment.
“Y-You are not Madame Katana.”
In Marianne’s memory, Madame Katana was a gloomy-faced, oversized b*tch. The kind of girl whose existence was terrifying.
“Believe what you want to believe, Princess Marianne.”
“What?”
Riv had looked forward to meeting Marianne.
She had imagined this reunion countless times.
In front of Princess Marianne, who had killed her in the past, she hoped she would not collapse in terror.
But now everything was hazy.
“Princess Marianne is still lovely.”
A beautiful and adorable doll that grew up slowly. A child whose mind had not grown as much as her body.
“Riv!”
“Yes, my name is Riv Sentoren, Princess Marianne.”
Not only Marianne, but even those next to Marianne froze.
This was not a simple transformation.
In the eyes of everyone, Madame Katana had transformed into another creature. They couldn’t believe Riv was really Madame Katana.
In particular, Marianne’s shock was so great that she froze.
Lionel whispered into Riv’s ear.
“Queen Selina is coming.”
Riv raised her head to face Marianne.
“Princess Marianne, I have to go say hello to the Queen now.”
Riv and Lionel met Queen Selina, who had been absent from the ballroom previously.
Queen Selina, wearing extravagant high heels, appeared with her clown maids all around her.
“Queen Selina, I am Madame Katana.”
The Queen wore a splendid dress glittering with gold and silver and a sophisticated white wig.
Her gigantic dress was like armor wrapped around the Queen’s body.
“You.”
The Queen’s cold eyes turned towards Riv.
She quickly recognized Riv who was standing next to Lionel.
“You must be Riv… Sentoren.”
“Queen Selina, it is good to see you. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Lionel was reticent and Riv politely greeted the Queen.
“Queen, I received your present last night. I am thankful.”
“……!”
Queen Selina’s eyes widened for a moment, but there was no other change in her expression.
It could be because her makeup was too thick, or it could be because she was good at managing her expression.
A deep contempt for Riv flashed across the Queen’s face.