Erica sighed as if giving up and continued speaking.
“There are 5 days left. The party where Daniel-nim is the protagonist.”
“So?”
“What do you mean ‘so’? Do you think there are only one or two things to do from now on? We need to fit ceremonial clothes, choose shoes and accessories to match the ceremonial clothes, and do skin care to look good under the lights that day. Don’t we need to trim your hair in advance too? There are only 5 days left, when are we going to finish all this work? I’m dying from anxiety, but are you going to keep saying strange things?”
Erica poured out all the words she had been holding back. I felt like my ears would bleed, and thinking about being tormented for 5 days already gave me a headache. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have told William about my birthday.
***
5 days later, I woke up without getting a wink of sleep and was tormented by Erica. I couldn’t understand why we had to make such a fuss over just a birthday party.
I put on the prepared ceremonial clothes and wore gorgeous accessories. Erica exclaimed in admiration and dragged me by the arm to the mirror.
“Ah… you’re so beautiful. It matches your eye color perfectly.”
When Erica shouted “Ta-da!” and removed her hands that had been covering my eyes, a beautiful young man was standing in the mirror. I scratched my head while looking at the unfamiliar appearance in the mirror.
As Erica said, the ceremonial outfit suited me well. But since I hoped to be as inconspicuous as possible, this outfit only felt burdensome.
This was because the progressive nobles who had been on the same side began to be wary of me at some point. From what I investigated, there were two reasons they were wary of me. One was that they were concerned I might be blinded by power and manipulate the Crown Prince at will, and the other was that they were anxious I might block opportunities their daughters could have.
I hadn’t said anything until now because I was worried William might go on a rampage, but the things I had suffered unknowingly were more than I could count on ten fingers.
In such a situation, holding my birthday party and wearing conspicuous clothing would only further provoke the nobles’ wariness.
“Why is your expression like that? You don’t look like the protagonist about to have a party.”
I looked around. The attendants who had helped me put on the ceremonial clothes surrounded me. They had originally been careful with their words, but after I became an official concubine, they became even more cautious.
I leaned close to Erica’s ear and whispered in a small voice.
“Erica, please follow my words unconditionally.”
When I spoke seriously, Erica nodded without saying much.
“Since we’re done dressing, let’s send all the attendants away. After that, I’ll wear the most modest and cheapest clothes among those His Highness gave me and attend the party.”
Erica, who had been holding back well, got angry.
“What? Do you think that makes sense?”
“Erica, please do as I say. You know well since you’ve been with me after I became a concubine. There have been people trying to harm me, right? Each time, we joined forces and overcame it.”
Erica’s eyes began to change. Since she had also suffered because she was my attendant, she had an expression that immediately understood what I wanted to say.
“I understand.”
Erica sent the attendants away. Since they said there were two hours left before the party started, if we hurried, I could change clothes and attend. Only after Erica confirmed there were no people around and even locked the door could we comfortably have a conversation.
Erica asked as if she had been waiting.
“So… I don’t quite understand, but you’re saying holding the party is a trap?”
“No… His Highness is holding the party, so the party itself can’t be a trap.”
“What? You said it was a trap. That’s why I did as you told me!”
“Hmm… How should I put it. It’s not a trap, but it might give ammunition to nobles who are desperate to find only my weaknesses.”
“…Ah. You’re saying you don’t want to give them any weaknesses to exploit.”
“Our Erica is smart!”
After thinking for a moment, Erica said,
“But wait, what’s wrong with wearing clothes His Highness gave you and attending your own birthday party that makes it a weakness?”
It was an impertinent question for an attendant. But since I had been living with her like a friend, I didn’t want to break that relationship. After all, attendants serving their master are easy to betray, but friends are hard to betray.
To survive in the imperial palace where schemes and plots run rampant, I definitely need friends who won’t betray me. I took a breath and slowly explained.
“It’s not wrong, but the nobles are desperate to find fault with me at every turn. From the moment His Highness said he would hold a birthday party, the nobles must have been scheming.”
Erica nodded.
“I understand one thing. Since it’s a party held by His Highness the Crown Prince, who hasn’t chosen a companion Omega yet, they’ll plan to somehow send their children to catch the Crown Prince’s eye.”
“Right, exactly! What else might there be? Just because they’re sending their children doesn’t mean I’ll be in trouble, right?”
“Hmm… Ah, I see! So that’s why you want to change clothes. So you won’t be called an extravagant concubine Omega.”
“As expected, if you teach Erica one thing, she understands ten.”
Erica and I looked at each other’s faces and laughed. It was fortunate that we knew about another crisis in advance and prepared well.
Erica, who had been laughing for a while, suddenly hardened her expression and looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“But Daniel-nim, there’s something strange.”
“What now?”
“I’ve felt this since I first came here and started serving Daniel-nim. Daniel-nim and I are the same age, right? But you really don’t seem that way. No, you look young, but sometimes the words or actions you show seem much more mature than me. It feels like meeting my deceased father again?”
My heart seemed to sink. Even though I had hidden the secret well for a long time, I couldn’t help but be surprised when someone seemed to recognize my true self. It seems it’s difficult to completely fool the eyes of people who spend a lot of time together.
I had no choice but to use the excuse I always made.
“Erica, I, I am…”
I couldn’t stop my voice from trembling, but Erica interrupted before I could finish.
“Why are you getting so serious? It was a joke, a joke! Who in the imperial palace doesn’t know that Daniel-nim is an old soul!”
Erica looked closely at my face and concluded.
“How could this face be like a father! You look younger than me.”
I scratched the back of my head and answered.
“Haha, right?”
“Anyway! We don’t have time. Even if we make the clothes and accessories modest, everything else must be at its most beautiful. That way, other nobles won’t covet this position.”
Erica, I actually have no greed for this position. I just need to stay by William’s side until he safely ascends to the Emperor’s throne.
After swallowing the words I could never say out loud, I entrusted my body to Erica’s skilled hands.
At first, it was awkward and difficult to show my body to Erica, but after living together for a long time, this too became a habit and was fine.
After changing my clothes, Erica began applying something all over my face. Then she stepped back about two steps, crossed her arms, and smiled contentedly.
“Mmm… perfect! Since you’re a good clothes hanger, you digest anything well. Even wearing everyday clothes, you look like you’re wearing party clothes!”
“Thank you for the compliment, Erica.”
“Don’t mention it. Now it’s time to go out.”
As I left the room with Erica, I made a resolution.
I absolutely won’t give the nobles any excuse to find fault with me!
***
Before the main party began, I was in the backstage waiting room. I didn’t understand why I had to be here when I wasn’t going to perform music, so I looked around when William appeared at the entrance wearing gorgeous clothes.
Why is William coming here too?
Although preparing for the party is the attendants’ job, he should still be busy greeting the nobles who arrived early…
“Why are your clothes like that?”
William, who looked me up and down, frowned deeply. Then he glared at Erica beside me as if he wanted to kill her.
“Th-that is, Your Highness…”
Erica trailed off, not knowing what to do. Before Erica fainted from shock because of William, I intervened.
“I said I would wear these clothes. So please don’t scold Erica too much.”
Even after I explained, William didn’t seem to calm down and didn’t relax the intensity in his eyes.
“Your Highness, don’t you know? I thought you would immediately understand why I wore these clothes without me having to tell you.”
“I know. You’re acting this way because you’re conscious of the nobles’ opinions, right? You’re worried it might harm me again? Like when you chose a small room instead of a large one before?”
I became fully alert at William’s question. If I answered wrongly now, he would obviously tell me to go and change into gorgeous clothes. How should I answer to calm William’s anger and do what I want?
Something suddenly occurred to me while thinking, so I decided to go with it. It wasn’t a method I liked, but this wasn’t the time to be picky about hot or cold rice.
I took a deep breath and smiled brightly at William. Then I linked arms with William and spoke softly.
“Your Highness, I am also a concubine.”
“I know. Who doesn’t? But that concubine doesn’t think about looking pretty, only emphasizes frugality and thrift, and thinks more about the empire and its people than me, the Crown Prince. That’s why you dressed like that too. But no matter what, isn’t wearing everyday clothes to a party too much? It’s not like you don’t have clothes!”
William poured out words as if he had been harboring resentment toward me, as if he had been waiting for this. It seemed like his words would continue endlessly if I left him alone, so I had no choice but to jump in.
“No. This time, Your Highness is wrong.”
William looked at me suspiciously. His expression seemed to think, ‘What words are you trying to charm me with now? Go ahead and try.’
I was a bit worried, but having come this far, I couldn’t back down.
“This time I had a strategy too. Since you held a party for my birthday, my frugal image is already gone, isn’t it?”
William raised one eyebrow. It was the expression he made when he didn’t want to agree but had to agree. Even after watching him for five years, he was still cute.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
