I was doing things such as preparing for the engagement party with the production of our ceremonial attires and making a list for the guests of the wedding reception.
It seems the crucial Erich Von Weimar was busy every day, so I haven’t seen him even once starting from when the engagement was decided.
He was traveling all over the world to serve as a knight for the second prince, Augusto Ferdinand Vonleklenberg who works as a diplomat.
Taking advantage of this, I advanced my plans to make the engagement party, wedding ceremony, as well as, wedding reception reflect my preferences to the max.
One other thing was that Erich Von Weimar had been a good correspondent.
He’d buy postcards at every country he goes to and sends it to me along with a little souvenir.
But the contents written were trivial.
Things like ‘I came across a tasty specialty’ or, ‘The country had an astonishing foreign culture’.
The souvenirs were items like splendidly embroidered handkerchiefs or lovely-looking confectionaries. As usual, his taste in gifts was spectacular.
However, when I remembered that this was also one of a playboy’s tricks, I didn’t feel entirely moved.
Since he wrote ‘I don’t go home very often’ in the letter, I hadn’t sent back a reply.
If I had that much free time, then I’d like to add another round or two of sword swinging practice.
I got some leeway when I got used to even these busy days
I devoted the time mainly on training my body.
While I was spending my days like that, something dawned on me.
I felt it was going to be tough driving him mentally into a corner for some reason.
He was the man who’d subdued that 15 page long letter that consisted of what looked like extortion. I knew he was a formidable opponent.
What should I do? When I thought about it, I suddenly remembered something.
I’d heard that a requirement for enlisting as a imperial guard was that he had to look beautiful.
The Erich Von Weimar I once saw at that evening party, had a slender build and looked like he didn’t train very much.
With that, I revised my strategy right away.
I shall drive him to the corner physically through fencing, I thought.
As a result of continuous practice, I was happy to see that I started developing ripped abs again after a long while since the year of my debut in high society, but when Mother, who happened to be present for my measurements, saw it, I ended up making her cry.
“In which world does a bride with ripped abs exist?”, she cried.
‘Right here, what about it?’ – I wanted to say, but I surpressed that urge and apologised to Mother saying that I was reflecting.
Making my mother, who gave birth to me, cry was one of world’s seven taboos for me. That’s why, the contents of my training were halved to lose the abs.
Instead, I devoted the time I’d spent training till now to study.
In order to deal with whatever I’m told in a calm manner, I needed an abundance of vocabulary and knowledge.
Probably because I was keeping at it too excessively, dark bags that wouldn’t vanish appeared under my eye.
I ended up getting discovered again by Mother, who happened to be there when I was trying out special cosmetics to use for the wedding. I was even told that my eyes were bloodshot.
“In which world, does a bride with a sinister look like that exist?”, she said and ended up crying.
Even though that sinister-looking bride was right here, I showed her my intention to reflect.
‘The bride-to-be should just picture the happy future where she’s committed to being beautiful’.
Mother had chided me desperately.
What in the world was my happy future supposed to be, really…?
I thought about it for a while but couldn’t come up with an answer.
◇◇◇
In the end, Erich Von Weimar did not turn up to the planned engagement party. It seems an urgent discussion between countries came up so he had to depart last night.
But there was no way we could stop it now so we just pushed through with the party without him.
A lot of people from all over the region rushed to attend the party for me. Even my beloved sisters.
I’m in awe at how cute my nieces and nephews (who I saw for the first time) were. Without caring what others think, I fell madly in love with all of them.
There were also a great number of the guests’ children invited. Since the meeting was during the day, it meant that the young children were very much awake.
When I told them that they’ll make a small candy house with a pastry chef after this, everyone’s eyes glistened all alike.
For the adults to also enjoy, I invited a world-class orchestra. Midway, Coriana-oneesama, who was given the title of world’s songstress, gifted me a song as blessings. Her wonderful singing mesmerized the audience.
Of course, I didn’t forget to speak fondly of Erich Von Weimar at the tea party where the ladies were gathered to drown out his infamy.
Since he’s always being dismissed by them, I showed them each and every one of the postcards he sent, stored in a beautifully handcrafted wooden box.
I didn’t forget to tell them the fine souvenirs I received either.
If I played up that I was loved here, I’m positive that they’ll think that even the playboy, Erich Von Weimar had turned over a new leaf by taking this marriage as his opportunity.
Though he stirs up my fighting spirit, it didn’t mean that I wanted to socially obliterate him.
A husband and wife are in the same boat. They share everything in sickness or in health, joy or sadness, so they have to look out for each other.
Although I plan to do whatever I pleased inside the house, I think that spreading around that he was a good man in public was an important job as a fiancee.
It seems that my precious friend was worried about this marriage.
Since the other person was that playboy, Erich Von Weimar, who was considered to be the worst in high society, it probably can’t be helped.
If this is the case, I have no choice but to get my friend to understand through manual labor.
–Right now, I’m a lucky woman!
I said with all my might.
I’m loved by an ally who will be my husband and, my family and relatives were also giving me their blessings.
Thinking about the happy future that I practiced imagining together with Mother, I showed an extra special smile.
At last, my friend congratulated me on my new beginning.
I was somehow able to overcome the engagement party alone.
Although it had been tough getting the stiff muscles on my face back to normal, I felt satisfied at the sense of accomplishment I felt at overcoming a big job.
◇◇◇
A surprising news came that night.
It said that that Erich Von Weimar will be coming the evening after tomorrow to visit.
Half a year had rolled by since we got engaged.
What kind of face will he lay down when he comes to meet with me?
It was so much fun, I felt my excitement rising.
Although I wanted to wield a sword or read a respected philosopher to calm myself, I refrained since it would trouble Mother.
I decided to be lady-like here and make embroidery.
–That’s right, let’s make it Erich Von Weimar’s present.
He’ll be showing up tomorrow evening.
I settled for making a simple embroidery like a handkerchief. It should be fine if I say it’s thanks for the postcards and presents and hand it over.
I fitted the handkerchief into the circular frame for embroidery.
Handicrafts was one of the hobbies of aristocratic ladies. It had been customary to give small articles that had wishes stitched into them to one’s close friend or husband.
I had decided to specially use a special embroidery thread that I’ve carefully been setting aside till now.
It seems it was in my nature to get completely passionate over one thing since it had become dawn when I realized it.
I finished the handkerchief without any problems, but the yawning wouldn’t stop since awhile ago.
When I looked over the mirror feeling a bad premonition, I saw dark bags under my eyes.
Calling the maid hurriedly, I commanded her to conceal it with makeup. But unfortunately, there was no way to cover up my blood-shot eyes.
At the dining table, Mother caught on that I hadn’t sleep.
I decided to say that I’d been sewing since I couldn’t sleep being so happy that I’ll be able to meet Erich Von Weimar.
I was told by Mother to show her the finished handkerchief after breakfast so I had to present it.
I unfolded the handkerchief that could be called my masterpiece on the table.
For whatever reason, two lines formed a wrinkle on Mother’s brow when she saw it.
“What is this?”, I was asked and “An eagle”, I answered.
In the centre of the handkerchief, a valiant bird of prey was stitched in. That, it seems, was no good for Mother.
It seems aristocratic ladies do not sew things like eagles.
I ended up getting told that though it’s okay to sew a little bird that eats berries on a tree in pastel colors, a bird that eats meat was not.
And besides, she pointed out to me, you can’t fold the handkerchief up with a large eagle stitched right in the middle of it.
She’s completely right!
Mother’s expressed thoughts were 「what a waste of talent」.
Naturally, the bird of prey handkerchief that I spent one whole night making ended up getting confiscated.