Chapter 32

"I used to think I had no sense of design. In fact, when I decided to welcome you as my fiancée, I had no idea what to give you, and even Verneli was exasperated with me. But... when I called the tailor, it was completely different."

Julius took the strands of hair hanging on either side of Laila's face in his hands, gently playing with them as if savoring the texture that Helka had carefully maintained.

"I was shown color samples and dress catalogs... but suddenly, an image formed in my head. This color would suit Laila. This design would make her look very lovely. And... I thought it would make me happier if the dress didn’t show too much skin."

"Oh..."

"Because, the only man who should see your beautiful skin is me. When I imagined you smiling in the dress, the design came together in no time. I placed the order without even taking Verneli's advice... and I never expected you to wear it so beautifully."

For a moment, Julius's fingertips grazed Laila's cheek, and it felt as if it had been touched by a hot baking sheet from the oven, suddenly becoming warm.

Julius said that the dress design had been decided as soon as he thought about Laila.

"...Me too."

"Laila."

"I also thought about what kind of clothes would suit you... and decided on it. So, seeing you look even more beautiful than I imagined... I'm very happy."

As she said this, blushing, a soft laugh echoed. Julius's fingertips slid down her throat, touching the pendant.

"...What color does this look like?"

"Um, yellow...?"

"About that. Then, what about the color of my ribbon and this clasp?"

"Purple...?"

Come to think of it, Verneli had suggested adding purple.

Laila had thought a darker color would be better, but Verneli had looked at her eyes intently and suggested a lighter color—

(Ah, could it be?)

"Is this the color of your eyes, Lord Julius?"

"Yes. And the color on my throat and neck is the color of your eyes. Verneli taught me that incorporating each other's eye and hair colors into accessories can strengthen our bond."

I'll give Verneli a mental round of applause for doing such a good job, even though he's probably standing behind the door right now.

Laila's chest bore the color of Julius.

Julius's throat and neck bore the color of Laila.

(...I'm so happy.)

"...Thank you, Lord Julius."

"I should be the one to thank you. Let's enjoy the evening together."

"...Yes!"

---

General List's residence was located not far from the Baltzsek family's main house.

Leaving Helka in the carriage, Laila got out, holding Julius's hand. Around them were other nobles and mages invited by the general, and Laila tightened her grip on Julius's arm.

(It's okay.)

Looking up at Julius, Laila saw him notice her gaze, lower his eyes, and smile gently. It's okay, his eyes seemed to whisper, and Laila nodded, facing forward.

The grand hall, which could accommodate five hundred people, was so vast that the opposite side was barely visible after passing through the entrance hall.

According to Julius, General List occasionally used this grand hall for magic demonstrations and mock battles, which explained its size.

"Lord Julius Baltzsek and Lady Laila Kilka have arrived."

Unlike the previous family-only party, this one had many guests, so they showed their invitations at the entrance.

Each time a servant announced the names of the guests, the crowd would murmur, and Laila could feel hundreds of eyes on them.

Not all of these eyes were as gentle as those of the Baltzsek family.

Some were amazed by Julius's appearance, some were entranced, and some were suspicious—while others glared at Laila, who stood beside him.

(It's okay, I won't look down.)

Laila stood tall, proud, and close to Julius. She might not have beauty or wealth, but not showing any weakness and being strong was one of the ways to survive in high society.

After greeting the tall and imposing General List, the rounds of greetings began.

Julius took care of all the formalities, so Laila only needed to introduce herself and answer any questions. However—

(Oh... I had expected it, but the daughters of the nobility are really tough!)

A few months ago, Julius was called a "ghost mage" and was the adopted son of a prestigious family, yet he was the subject of gossip.

The moment he transformed into a strikingly beautiful young nobleman, daughters in colorful dresses flocked to him.

The looks they gave Julius were clearly filled with affection. How many of them had not mocked him behind his back in the past?

"Hey, Lord Julius. If you don't mind, would you like to talk with us later?"

"Of course, your fiancée is welcome too. We would love to hear your love story."

The young ladies whispered sweetly, each of them possessing impressive busts, and a few of them were clearly giggling at Laila's much less impressive figure.

The young ladies were very beautiful and well-educated. Their skin was whiter than Laila's, who had been active outdoors, and they probably had the potential to be excellent mages.

As a lady, their skills were far beyond Laila's, who could sew and play instruments but was terrible at dancing.

(But, I won't give up. I won't cause trouble for Lord Julius.)

If Laila showed her displeasure, Julius would likely reject the women coldly. While this might get them through the situation, it could hinder his future actions.

She didn't want to be a burden to others.

Even if she was powerless and weak, she wanted to stand tall and proud.

"Lord Julius, what do you think of this lovely proposal?"

When Laila asked in a low voice, Julius pretended to think for a moment before smiling at her.

"Thank you, but I have no intention of being with any other women. ...I'm sorry, ladies, but I only want my lovely fiancée by my side, so I must decline."

"Oh... I see."

"Although it's a shame, it's wonderful that you two are so close."

"Perhaps we can speak another time."

Since it was Julius's decision and not Laila's whim, the young ladies left relatively easily.

(They gave up more easily than I thought...)

As she watched them, they were already enthusiastically talking to another young man.

(Ah, I see. The daughters of the nobility are really tough.)

It seemed they were unmarried, and their ability to move on so quickly made Laila feel relieved, even about the giggling she had endured earlier.

Julius seemed to feel the same way. Looking down at Laila and glancing at the young ladies, he chuckled.

"Shall we continue with the greetings?"

When Julius said this,

"Yes, I'll be by your side."

Laila leaned into his arm and smiled.