Vol. 3 - Ch. 149 - Katariona Is Looking Forward to her Social Debut Rehearsal
The Falsely Executed Marquis’ Daughter Wants to Live Peacefully with Fluffy GodThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Notes
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When an aristocratic lady makes her debut into the social world, the formal attire is traditionally white.
A white dress with a long train.
The train drapes over the shoulders or from the waist but must be long and wide.
The train, which is elaborately designed, is more luxurious than the dress and rather cumbersome.
They are heavy and difficult to walk with, so the ladies struggle under a feigned smile.
Of course, you learn how to handle the train before your debut, but even so, quite a few daughters still fail every year like Charlotte before the time change.
Charlotte is a baroness, so she had to wait until much later to be granted an audience with His Majesty the King.
Although she managed to get an audience, the moment she was about to step down from the audience chamber, her train got tangled and she fell down spectacularly.
I did not actually see it, but the queen told me about it later.
However, it was before the time return, so she may not fail this time. ......
The dress and train for the audience with Their Majesties and the ball held afterward have arrived, so today I will be wearing them and learning from Mother.
It has been ten years since I experienced this before.
I might have forgotten some things.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I do not want to make any mistakes.
So I asked my mother to teach me how to do it, and she gladly accepted my request.
I wanted to simulate the actual day, so I had asked Marie to wake me up early in the morning to get ready for the event.
Marie had to do a lot of work on her own, so Laura offered to help.
She asked me, "How do you want your hair done? Do you want to tie it up and put a feather ornament on it? Or fresh flowers? Rio looks elegant, so white roses might look nice."
Although it is not rose season, roses are growing in the greenhouse of the townhouse all year round, and they are still blooming beautifully.
"Then I will ask the gardener to do that."
"Yes. Please do, Marie."
Marie and Laura have been working together since this morning.
"Your social debut is in three days, I believe. Rio has reached the age of adulthood, hasn't she? The years go by so fast."
Laura muttered, looking deeply moved as she brushed my hair.
I giggled, amused by such a comment from the divine Laura.
"What's wrong? Rio."
"No. Just, Laura is a god and yet you just said so ......."
"Hm? Is it strange for God to talk about time? I live among humans, so I am sensitive to the flow of years."
"I know, I know. ....... I am sorry for laughing at you."
The other gods may like humans, but they do not live among them.
But Laura and Kikuno-sama are different.
They watch closely how human beings grow old.
It is the same for other gods, but the difference is whether they are living as human beings or not.
"It's okay. Now, let's get your hair done before Marie brings you roses."
She doesn't seem to particularly care, but I feel like I've wronged Laura somehow.
Laura and Marie took their time finishing my hair, and I was on my way to the hall where Mother was waiting, struggling with my train.
It was a lovely train that Mother had carefully embroidered, but the satin fabric was just too heavy.
"Miss. Are you all right? Shall I help you with the hem?"
Marie, who was following behind me, called out to me with concern.
"No. I'm struggling a little, but don't hold the hem for me. This is good training for handling the train."
However, going down the stairs is a difficult task.
I regret that I didn't go downstairs to my room and have the dresser dress me there.
But there was someone waiting for me in front of the stairs, holding out his hand.
"Rio, let me escort you to the great hall."
"Leon."
I hadn't seen Leon since I had been dressing in the morning, but apparently, he was going to escort me.
"Uh, how do you like my dress for my ...... debut?"
"Yes,...... it looks good. It suits you very much. You look very beautiful, Rio."
Leon smiled. His odd-eyed eyes gently reflected mine.
I was embarrassed when he complimented me with a smile, even though I had asked him myself.
To hide my embarrassment, I took Leon's hand and slowly walked down the stairs.
Leon carefully escorted me step by step to make it easier for me to walk.
"Leon. Will you dance with me at the Royal Ball?"
"That's my line. Leaving that aside, of course. It is my role to escort Rio at her social debut. The person with whom Rio will have her first dance will be me."
"Fufu. I'm happy."
Leon leads well and makes it easy to dance.
"But the train looks heavy. Can you dance with such a thing on?"
"I don't think I would wear such heavy equipment to a ball. Only when I have an audience with His Majesty the King. I have a dress made separately for the ball."
"This is the first time I have heard of this."
I made the dress for the ball without telling Leon.
It was because Marie had remembered that in the past I had asked to have a dress made in Leon's color.
So she had suggested that I surprise Leon at the ball, when I would be making my debut. And so Laura, Marie, and I had worked out the details in secret.
"I'm going to show it off at the ball, so look forward to it."
"......Okay."
Leon did not seem convinced, but he reluctantly nodded.
In the hall, mother was waiting with May.
"My goodness! Rio, you look so beautiful."
"Sister. You look amazing!"
Leon escorted me, as both Mother and May complimented me.
"Thank you, Mother. May."
Mother clapped her hands.
"Well then, let's get started. Rio, first of all, walk from one end of the hall to the other."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll do as you say."
I did as I was told and walked from one end of the hall to the other.
However, I could not walk as I wanted because of my train, which was an obstacle even if it was only my dress.
My train was a shoulder-length train, so it was pulling me backward.
"You have a limp gait," she said, "You mustn't let the train pull you back."
After an hour of being taught by mother, she said, "Let's take a break."
"Let's take a break. Marie, would you please prepare some tea?"
"Certainly. Madam."
Finally, a break!
"Good work, Rio. Sit in the chair over there."
I sat down in the wide salon chair by the window at mother's urging.
She must have prepared it for me.
"I am tired! It's not easy being a debutante in the social world, is it, Mother?"
"Yes, indeed, it is. But once you make your social debut, you will become an active member of the adult world."
Once you make your social debut, you will be treated as an adult woman. The laxity of childhood will not apply.
But this formal attire is a hardship.
"Oh? Look. May is imitating you."
May is walking in the hall, wearing a curtain as a veil.
Leon tried to take the curtains away from her, but she stuck out her tongue in defiance.
"Indeed. She's so cute."
"Fufu. I suppose you are sisters after all. When Rio was a little girl, she used to play with the curtains as a dress, copying me. I couldn't imagine that I'd be seeing my little Rio make her social debut already."
Mother stared at me and smiles.
"I don't remember ...... the curtains. But still, it's a social occasion, isn't it? I guess I'll have to attend many social gatherings, tea ceremonies, and many other things."
"I know it's a lot, but I'll support you as much as I can."
"I would be grateful for Mother's support, who is the flower of society."
For the time being, I shall follow my mother's lead.
"I guess your first event as an adult will be your engagement ceremony with ...... Leon? When would be a good time?"
"Oh! Mother!"
"You're going to announce your engagement to Leon when you come of age, right? You're coming of age in three days."
"Yes, but ......"
I glanced sideways at Leon, who was struggling to take the curtains away from May who was not budging.
"First, you need to set the date, make a list of guests and ...... you'll write the invitations. Rio."
It seems that Leon and I's engagement ceremony has already been arranged in Mother's mind.
If things continue like this, it will be smooth sailing.
But that would be great for me.
Once I announce my engagement to Leon, I can stand by his side proudly.
After the break, after being wrung out plenty by my mother again, I think ...... I've gotten a handle on my train.
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TL: Hope you enjoyed this lovely chapter and happy reading guys~! ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ <3 😽💕