Under my feet were beautiful shoes, adorned with several translucent gems, as if made of glass. I stumbled several times in the unfamiliar high heels, and each time Mio supported me. Eventually, we somehow reached our destination. The central part of the white castle was sealed by a pitch-black door.
Mio opened the door.
"Please, come in."
It was a party venue.
This must be the largest hall in the castle. It was vast and open, a space where a hundred people could dance vigorously.
The polished stone floor was adorned with a single crimson carpet stretching straight from the door. People lined up on either side of it, likely the castle's servants. They all stood with their feet together, bowing, waiting for my entrance.
"Please... proceed as you are."
Slowly, slowly.
As I walked, I looked around.
The side walls were entirely covered in mirrors.
I gazed at them absent-mindedly.
...Who is this?
...There is a woman I don't know in the mirror.
She was a tall woman.
Her soft, flowing red hair was slightly shorter than her waist but had a strong texture and volume, like a large bloom.
It framed her slender jaw, blooming proudly.
Her features were well-defined. Her tanned skin was smoothed and evened out with a slightly darker foundation. Her plump lips were painted a sweet cherry color.
Her slightly slanted eyes were accentuated with a sharp, intellectual makeup.
Her tall figure was accentuated by the mermaid flare of her bright red dress, which highlighted her long legs. Gold threads were used to draw vines around her waist, emphasizing her curves.
I gazed at 'her' absent-mindedly.
--Beautiful.
...Who is she?
“Lady Mary. Please, go to Lord.”
Mio urged me. I started walking absent-mindedly.
The Earl was standing in the middle of the hall, on the carpet.
He was just standing there, nothing special. I felt somewhat intimidated but continued to approach him as Mio instructed.
I bowed when I was close enough to see the color of his eyes, then looked up.
He was expressionless, silent.
Cyrus Granado, the Earl, was tall. Even in heels, I had to look up at him. His green eyes pierced through me. Was he glaring? No, there was no hostility in his gaze. Rather, it was warm, almost melting.
He said,
“--Mary...”
“...Lord Cyrus?”
I called out, but there was no response. He kept his gaze on me, pressing his jaw and trembling. I didn't understand.
...What's wrong? Is he angry? Maybe he's disappointed.
Despite the bath I gave her, how dirty is her red hair?
Despite the fine dress I lent her, how ugly is she?
He must think that. I bowed my head and bit my lip secretly. I felt so ashamed. I must be...
Just before the tears fell, Lord Cyrus raised his voice.
“Ryu-Ryu! Ryu-Ryu, come here!”
Ryu-Ryu?
A light voice responded to his almost shouting call, “Yes, yes!” A woman's face appeared from behind a nearby pillar.
She was very beautiful. Her deep-set features and exotic makeup complemented each other. Her brown skin, framed by lush lashes, and her green eyes.
“You could hear me even without shouting, you know.”
The ageless beauty snorted and smiled at Lord Cyrus and me. Her gaze stopped on me.
“Huh, huh, huh. I see. Cyrus—turns out you have quite the taste.”
Taste?
I was bewildered by the unfamiliar word.
The woman, who was grinning, frowned at Lord Cyrus.
“Ryu-Ryu, stop fooling around and look properly.”
“But you've already decided, haven't you?”
“...This is a formal ceremony. I want to do it properly. Please, Mother.”
Mother?
I remembered that Lord Cyrus was of mixed heritage, and his mother was a pure-blooded citizen of the Eastern Republic. So this Ryu-Ryu must be his mother.
The green-eyed woman looked at me intently. Her gaze was strong.
I averted my eyes.
“...No. It's not enough.”
“...Mother.”
“Your confidence is severely lacking. A future duchess must stand tall with confidence, strong and proud—by the day of the wedding.”
Lord Cyrus gasped. He looked down at his mother, his eyes sparkling.
“Mother...”
“Yes. You may have put on a good show today, but you're still overwhelmed by your makeup and clothes. The real test is yet to come. I'll help you, so let's get started.”
“Yes, thank you, Mother.”
“Don't be so formal, it's creepy.”
What should I do... I don't understand anything.
I was completely left behind, the situation completely unclear. I couldn't even ask for an explanation, so I stood there, dazed. Then, I was tugged on the sleeve. I turned to see Mio.
“Congratulations, Lady Mary.”
“Huh? Thank you. Um? Congratulations? For what?”
“Your engagement to Lord Cyrus has been recognized by the Duchess. Now, you are the official fiancée of Cyrus Granado, the Earl.”
“...Huh?”
...What? ...Huh... What?
What? --What!?
A loud cheer rose from the line of servants.
“Congratulations!”
“Congratulations on your engagement, Lord Cyrus, Lady Mary!”
“Congratulations!”
Loud applause and cheers.
I didn't understand, and I couldn't speak. I just looked down at Lady Ryu-Ryu. The petite woman smiled and opened her arms, hugging me tightly.
“Welcome, Mary! To Granado Castle!”
“...Eh... Uh...”
“I'm so happy. The Duke is in poor health, and he wants to pass on the title as soon as possible, but this foolish son of mine kept being picky. I was about to match him with some princess, but it's a relief that it's settled, a relief.”
“Eh... Eh...”
“Ryu-Ryu, you're too hasty. It's still an engagement. We can't say it's official until the engagement ceremony is complete.”
Lord Cyrus said sternly, but his eyes were smiling.
“Mio, send a messenger to the Chaderan family. We need to set a date for the engagement ceremony.”
“I understand. However, if we send a fast horse now, we might overtake their carriage.”
“Yes, that's true. No, let's take our time. We need to prepare for various things.”
“Eh...”
“The Chaderan family is an old one, so they might have special beliefs or customs. The engagement ceremony is a ritual for both families, so we need to be considerate.”
“We will carefully inquire about these matters. First, I'll send a messenger.”
“Um...”
“Wow, my son is finally getting married! I'm quite moved. Maybe I'll be a grandmother next year!?”
“Ah—uh, I...”
“Stop it, Ryu-Ryu. These days, many brides dislike such remarks.”
“Um! I—I can't do it!!”
I screamed.
My scream echoed through the main hall of the earl's castle. The words of the three people and the applause of dozens of people stopped, and everyone turned to look at me.
Then, everyone's eyes blinked rapidly, a casual gesture.