# 41
41. The Moment a Star Fell Upon the County (2)
"I'm sorry for surprising you. I was so happy that Pola was becoming prettier that I failed to notice your feelings."
"No, it's fine. You don't need to apologize."
"Then Pola won't say such things again either, okay?"
She laughed cheerfully again and reached out her hand. I looked at her pretty fingertips. She motioned with her hand. I hesitantly reached out mine. She grabbed my hand tightly and stood up. I also stood up following her. Her beautiful, joyfully smiling face filled my vision.
I bowed my head. I suppressed the surge rising in my throat. My eyes stung. It seemed to be because our clasped hands were so warm.
"Hmm, then how about we just style the back of your hair? I won't touch the front, and I won't put on any makeup; I'll just do the back. It'd be a shame when you're dressed so prettily. Right?"
"T-Then just the back..."
"Yes, just the back! I absolutely won't touch the front. I promise."
Only after making me promise several times did Violet cautiously move behind me. Then she carefully touched the back of my hair. My body instinctively stiffened. I was on high alert, fearing she might touch my front hair. I was fully prepared to run away at the slightest suspicious sign.
Fortunately, she only touched the back of my hair as promised.
"Pola's hair is curly too. Mine is like that too."
"Look." Saying that, she showed me her hair. Just as she said, the ends were curved. Overall, it was on the wavy side.
"It's so severe that sometimes I envy people with straight hair. But then again, people with that kind of hair say they envy mine because it lacks volume even when styled. I guess moderation is best for everything. Still, Pola's is less curly than mine."
"I'm sorry."
"Come on. I told you there's nothing to apologize for."
I heard her cheerful laughter from behind. My ears tickled. I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason.
Violet braided the back of my hair and coiled it upward into a round shape. Then, as she looked for an accessory to fix it, I held out a white ribbon. It was the hair ribbon I had been using ever since she gifted it to me.
"I brought new ones."
"I like this one."
"I brought a lot of pretty ones, you know? I'll decorate it with those."
I shook my head.
"I'd like you to decorate it with this hair ribbon. It doesn't clash too much with my current outfit, and I really like it. It's my most precious possession. I think I'd be really happy if you decorated me with this precious thing."
At my words, she laughed even more joyfully, took the ribbon, and fixed the back of my hair.
When she finished styling my hair, she stood far away and examined me. Her gaze made me unconsciously tense up. After watching me standing stiffly for a while, she complained that it was still too plain. Then, seeming to ponder for a moment, she clapped her hands and took several square boxes out of her bag.
When she opened the lids, inside was a pearl necklace with a round jewel in the center. No, not just a necklace. There was a ring too. And from another box came a bracelet. Unknowingly, my eyes were glued to them before I snapped out of it and immediately waved both hands. It was because I realized she was going to put those accessories on me.
However, Violet declared that she would absolutely not yield on this.
When the necklace was placed around my neck, I swallowed dry saliva. What if I lose this? My neck felt heavy with the burden. A bracelet on my arm, a ring on my hand. I gulped. I pleaded several times that this was too much for me, but it didn't reach Violet, who was completely absorbed in dressing me up.
Violet, examining me again, smiled with satisfaction. Was it finally over? I secretly let out a sigh. I wanted to take them off quickly, but she led me to the mirror.
"How is it?"
"..."
A strange woman stood in the mirror. If not for the front hair covering my face, I would have been unrecognizable. I looked at my reflection and opened my mouth.
The woman in the mirror wasn't me.
After skillfully fixing the braided and roundly coiled back hair with the ribbon, the remaining length of the ribbon tied in a knot naturally hung down.
The pink dress fit my body well. Thanks to the corset effect, my waist looked slender. The pink ribbon wrapped around my waist played a part too. The voluminous bottom made me look even more slender.
The gloves on my hands, the slightly visible white stockings, and the pink shoes with a small ribbon in the center matching the dress were all harmonious. On top of that, the necklace, bracelet, and ring filled in the parts that could have been too plain.
I stared blankly into the mirror and then raised my hand. The woman in the mirror raised her hand too. With my other hand, I lifted the hem of the skirt and then traced the lace on the shoulder line. The lace attached to the cuffs spread out voluminously downward. Watching that, I brushed the necklace and touched the coiled back hair. The woman in the mirror was doing the exact same thing.
It really was 'me'.
"It's pretty, right?"
"...Yes. N-No. The dress, I mean."
At my answer, Violet smiled mischievously. I told her I was sincere. She said she understood but didn't stop laughing.
This situation was awkward yet amazing. It was my first time wearing such clothes. I thought the pink color would make me look young, but it rather gave a mature impression. Is this really me? I could see why Violet said the front hair was a pity. The front hair definitely stood out. I fiddled with my front hair for nothing, then shook off the thought.
It was so fascinating that my mind kept wandering to my reflection. Just then, someone knocked on the door. When Violet permitted them to enter, the door opened and Lucas came in.
He was carrying a square box and approaching Violet when he came to an abrupt halt. His widely opened eyes fixed on me. His dazed face quickly swept up and down over me.
"...Pola?"
"Yes."
Lucas froze just like that.
As I looked at Violet in bewilderment, she was watching Lucas with a strange expression. I approached Lucas instead and took the box from his hand. When I handed it to Violet, she suddenly beamed, looking back and forth between him and me.
Then she turned me back toward Lucas and grabbed my shoulders.
"How is it? Pretty, right?"
"..."
No answer came back, but his gaze was entirely fixed on me. Out of embarrassment, I only fiddled with the hem of my dress. As the silence dragged on, it became even more awkward. Just as I was thinking it wasn't that great and tried to turn around to change, a low voice rang out that moment.
"You're pretty."
His dazed face gradually took on a bright glow. His brown eyes were dyed with affection. It was a gaze that looked as if honey would drip from it.
"Very much so."
"..."
For some reason, it felt even more embarrassing.
I scratched my exposed nape for no reason and averted my gaze to the side. There, Violet was smiling so widely that the corners of her mouth reached her ears. Feeling burdened by the warm gaze, I dropped my head to the floor.
"Can I take it off now?"
"Already? Wear it a little longer."
"I have to go clean."
"Come on, what a waste. It would be nice if we could go to a party."
Honestly, not to that extent. I laughed off Violet's words. But she seriously asked how it would be to attend some party. I immediately shook my head. Nonsense. Then Violet asked how about holding a party here. At the horrifying remark, I shook my head wildly again. Leaving aside the various problems of throwing a sudden party, there was no one to invite.
At my repeated refusals, her shoulders slumped. She seemed genuinely disappointed. I somehow felt sorry. But this was a problem I couldn't do anything about.
I turned around to find the dress she had taken from me. She kept muttering that it was a waste. Lucas, who hadn't spoken until then, suddenly offered a suggestion.
"How about we do it just among ourselves? A party."
And so, a sudden party was decided.
On a very small scale, the attendees were just me, Violet, Lucas, and Vincent. Honestly, it was hard to even call it a party. Nevertheless, Violet and Lucas got excited and immediately requested Isabella to prepare for the party. They were quick to act. Isabella reacted calmly to the sudden demand. Only Vincent, who heard the news late, was dumbfounded.
'If anyone saw, they'd think this was your mansion.'
'Why— it's fun.'
'What's good is good.'
'...'
No one could stop the two who had already made up their minds.
The central hall of the annex was chosen as the party venue. Isabella brought in the maids to decorate the hall and had the chef prepare the food. She made it clear in advance that once the party started, no one else would be allowed to enter the hall. Food prepared afterward would be brought by Isabella or the annex chef, and all other attendance would be handled entirely by Isabella.
My offer to help with the party preparations was dismissed. Violet forced me to stay in the room, saying the dress would get ruined. She told me not to worry about it. Instead, she went down to the hall to direct the party, and Lucas joined her. The reason was that Vincent couldn't go, so they needed someone to take his place.
So in the end, only Vincent and I were left in the room. I fidgeted with my fingers. The dress I was wearing felt uncomfortable. I kept shifting my hips for no reason. Outside was noisy, and sitting here doing nothing made me feel like I was sitting on a cushion of thorns.
Glancing at Vincent, who was sitting at the opposite end, he had his elbow on the sofa armrest and his chin resting on his hand. His glossy, shining black shoe tips were bobbing up and down in the air. Wearing the tailcoat that Lucas had forced him to change into and with his golden hair pushed back, he looked neater than usual.
I had thought this before, but Vincent dressed like that looked exactly like a different person. His decent appearance made him look like an elegant young noble, while his slouched posture made him look like a rogue noble forced to come to a party he didn't want to attend. Seeing that lack of harmony loosened my tension. A laugh even came out for no reason.
It was definitely an appearance that attracted attention. If only he wasn't narrowing his brows like that.
"You do this every time you come."
"...I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"It feels like I egged them on."
"It seems you cheered them on this time too."
"That's not it."
At my words, Vincent sighed and sank deeper into the sofa. He even tilted his head back and ran a hand through his styled hair.
"It can't be helped."
The words, coming out like a sigh, contained resignation. However, he didn't look that displeased. I prayed and prayed again in my heart that nothing would happen.
"Why do you keep fidgeting?"
It seemed my constant shifting was grating on his ears.
"The dress is uncomfortable. I'm sorry."
"Dress?"
"Lady Violet insisted I wear it, saying I needed an outfit suited for a party."
To be precise, this whole situation started because I put this on, but.
Saying so, I smoothed the hem so it wouldn't wrinkle as much as possible. Wearing something expensive made me unnecessarily tense.
Vincent looked back at me. He was staring at me intently with a crooked expression, so I wondered why he was acting like that and met his gaze.