Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - Chapter 116

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 116
“I’m fine, really.”
If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up with a dress more expensive than the one worn by the star of this debutante season—the Saint herself.
As I hastily declined, Ibeta’s face fell.
“You don’t want a gift from me?”
Her voice wavered slightly.
“You’re not planning to skip my debutante, are you?”
Bes, looking equally dejected, ventured the question carefully.
“That’s not what I meant…….”
Of course I intended to attend Ibeta’s debutante.
I’d simply planned to wear something plain and unremarkable so as not to draw attention.
‘Just not one of those dresses that screams “masterwork” to anyone with eyes.’
But I couldn’t hold out against the combined force of Ibeta and Bes’s stares.
“I absolutely must attend your debutante! And I’d be delighted to accept any gift from you, but this one…….”
“Then you’ll accept the dress too!”
Bes cut in at precisely the right moment.
‘No, you’re supposed to listen to the whole sentence in the Empire’s language.’
I felt a little cheated, but Ibeta’s eyes were already shining as though this was non-negotiable.
The attendant ladies subtly encouraged me as well.
“You’ll need at least one proper dress.”
“That’s right—there’s been talk of the Saint’s debutante, and the nobility have flooded every boutique in the Capital with orders. Reservations are nearly impossible to get.”
“Just try it on. It’s so beautiful.”
“Just try it. That’s all.”
In the end, I pretended to give in.
With the attendant ladies’ support, Ibeta secured my consent and triumphantly summoned the owner of the boutique that had created the dress.
The Dressmaker Owner was a middle-aged woman with a somewhat brusque air—the type who seemed better suited to running a bookshop than a boutique.
“Can you alter this dress so this young lady can wear it?”
“Of course! I think we just need to let down the hem a bit. My assistant is remarkably quick with hand-stitching. Give me an hour and I’ll have it altered perfectly.”
At her ready agreement, Ibeta broke into a broad smile.
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
It was already settled—I would be wearing this dress.
The attendant ladies and the Dressmaker Owner were discussing how to alter the dress without diminishing its inherent beauty.
“Shouldn’t Lina try it on first?”
As the discussion dragged on, the quiet Bes finally interjected.
She seemed eager to see me in the dress.
“That’s true.”
“We might think of better ideas while she’s actually wearing it.”
“Come along, miss. This way, please.”
Six pairs of eyes were fixed on me—a barrage of expectation.
It was overwhelming.
None of them seemed willing to back down.
So I chose to surrender.
‘It’ll be the Emperor’s money anyway.’
The Emperor’s personal wealth likely exceeded the Empire’s entire treasury.
I’d stake my Ministry of Finance experience that it was quite probable.
‘At minimum, they’re probably comparable.’
In that case, this dress would be no more significant to him than the cost of a single handkerchief to me.
‘Fine.’
I resolved to accept this unexpected gift humbly.
“All right.”
Behind the Screen, the attendants who had been waiting helped me change clothes with practiced efficiency.
After I’d changed into the dress and one of the younger attendants was adjusting my appearance, she let out a small gasp of admiration.
“Oh my.”
An older attendant gave her a stern look of reproof.
The younger attendant seemed to realize she’d spoken without thinking and offered an explanation.
“It’s just so beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled gently in response.
“Are you ready?”
Bes called from the other side of the Screen, apparently having heard the exchange.
“Yes.”
“Come out then.”
As I stepped out from behind the Screen, the waiting crowd reacted with sudden fervor.
The response was nearly as intense as when Ibeta had first emerged in her dress.
“Ibeta has such good taste. It suits you perfectly.”
“You look like a fairy out of mythology.”
Among them, the Dressmaker Owner’s reaction was the most passionate.
The way she stared at me with gleaming eyes was almost frightening.
“Perhaps we could add some lace and embroider the neckline a bit more…….”
The Dressmaker Owner seemed to have been struck by inspiration, her eyes closing as she murmured to herself.
Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she barked instructions at her assistant.
“Run to the shop at once and fetch the lace from the bottom shelf of the safe.”
In this world, all lace was handcrafted.
Boutiques competed fiercely over who possessed the most beautiful, intricate, and unique patterns.
Lace stored separately in a safe was nothing short of a boutique’s secret weapon.
The project seemed to be growing in scope, yet everyone appeared delighted.
“It’ll take longer than the hour I promised, but in exchange, the dress will be that much more beautiful.”
The Dressmaker Owner declared confidently, and Ibeta clapped her hands in joy.
“Time doesn’t matter! Just make it beautiful. It’s not my money, but it’s my very first gift, after all.”
“Of course.”
The Dressmaker Owner’s gaze, which had briefly turned to Ibeta, soon fixed back on me.
“It fits quite well overall, but with just a little more work, it’ll look as though it was made specifically for you from the start.”
The Dressmaker Owner began marking alterations with Sewing Pins placed throughout the dress.
By the time she finished, I could have been mistaken for a porcupine considering how many Sewing Pins bristled from every direction.
It looked as though she intended to remake the entire garment.
“I should change back now.”
Feeling slightly exhausted, I hurried back behind the Screen.
As the attendants helped me out of the dress, the Dressmaker Owner hovered anxiously, repeatedly begging them to be careful not to disturb the Sewing Pins she’d placed.
She seemed ready to dress me herself if necessary.
Fortunately, I managed to change back without incident.
Once dressed in my original clothes, I returned to my chair as a mere spectator.
Hoping to redirect attention away from myself, I smoothly suggested moving forward.
“I’m sorry for taking up so much time. If we want to try on all the dresses from every boutique today, we should hurry.”
Ibeta seemed eager to linger on her admiration of me in the dress rather than discuss her own.
“Otherwise we’ll have to ask them to come back tomorrow.”
At my gentle prodding, Ibeta finally rose from her seat.
Repeatedly changing in and out of clothes was no light matter.
Complex dresses in particular left one exhausted far more quickly.
‘I’m already tired from trying on just one.’
Ibeta, who had changed in and out of far more dresses than I had, would certainly not want to drag this shopping expedition into tomorrow.
“There are still seven left! Saint.”
Regia announced the remaining boutiques with something like cheerleading encouragement.
That meant fourteen more dresses to try on.
It was no small number, but Ibeta remained spirited.
The Dressmaker Owner departed to complete the alterations, and the next group of assistants entered.
After repeating this six more times, with lengthy deliberations in between, Ibeta’s debutante dress selection finally concluded.
The dress that was supposed to take just over an hour still hadn’t been completed by then.
* * *
Back in my room, waiting for Everett to arrive, I heard a knock at the door.
“You may come in.”
The visitor was the Dressmaker Owner, accompanied by an attendant to show her the way.
“The alterations are just finished. I wanted—no, needed to show you as quickly as possible.”
The dress the Dressmaker Owner had brought, displayed on a Torso Mannequin, had been transformed remarkably in that short time.
She had let down the hem with platinum-threaded lace, and added an ornament studded densely with small Amethyst Stones that matched my eye color.
The Dressmaker Owner’s eyes were bloodshot—she must have been engrossed in the alterations ever since leaving the afternoon gathering.
The passion of those who had reached mastery in their craft could sometimes burn with fierce intensity.
The thought briefly crossed my mind that I could try it on tomorrow morning, but I didn’t voice it.
‘I’ll just try it on now.’
I glanced toward the Reception Room connected to the Terrace.
With the attendant’s help, I dressed and emerged—and the Dressmaker Owner’s eyes grew moist.
“It’s exactly as I envisioned it.”
Her voice trembled toward the end.
Then a sound came from the Reception Room.
It was the noise of a small stone striking the wall and falling away.
‘Everett.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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