Chapter 83

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After successfully completing the embroidery of 200 handkerchiefs (in top form), Emma was then worried about her health by Prince Edward and Arthur, whom she met in the Monster Studies class. Especially the prince, who always worried seriously for her, made her feel uneasy.

Moreover, during lunch break, the young nobles who were concerned about Emma visited her one after another with sweets, which made her feel even more apologetic.

As the sweets piled up in front of her, Emma felt apologetic but couldn't hide her delighted smile.

"Well, I'm really sorry to cause you worry. I'm truly grateful for your concern. This handkerchief, which I made in today's embroidery class, is a small token of my appreciation. Please use it if you like."

She took one of the handkerchiefs from her bag, which she had made in large quantities, and handed it to the young noble who had given her cookies.

"!!! I've never seen such beautiful embroidery! Thank you! I'll treasure it!! I'll make it a family heirloom!"

The young noble received the handkerchief with trembling hands, his face turning red as he moved away from Emma. Even though she had told him to use it...

"Emma, you're feeling... better, right?"

As usual, after having a proper meal in the cafeteria, Arthur approached Emma, who was eating the sweets she had received in the courtyard.

"Yes, I'm really feeling much better! Arthur, would you like some of this chocolate? It's not too sweet and has a refreshing taste, really delicious!"

After swallowing the cookie in her mouth, Emma offered the chocolate to Arthur.

"...No, I'll pass. Just looking at you makes my mouth feel sweet enough."

Arthur felt reassured seeing Emma's hearty appetite, but he was already full just from watching. Her enthusiasm for sweets was adorable, but he had never seen a young lady eat so much. Arthur wasn't a light eater himself, but it was tough to see her eat so many sweets continuously.

He recalled the handkerchief he had received from Emma before the Monster Studies class. While the handkerchiefs that young ladies usually embroider in ordinary schools have initials and a bit of decoration in one corner, the one Emma gave him was covered with intricate embroidery.

Recently, in addition to cats and insects, flowers, fruits, and leaves had become popular motifs for her. The handkerchief he received this time had lemons and ivy arranged in a perfect balance, a unique design he had never seen before, yet it didn't feel out of place or tacky.

The ivy was embroidered with several shades of green, giving it a three-dimensional look that was different from ordinary paintings or embroidery. The lemons were so vividly detailed, including the water droplets, that he almost wanted to smell them.

It was already at the level of a master's work.

Something to be framed and displayed.

When he received it, he almost teared up thinking about how she had made it with her thin, injured hands. That was a secret.

The prince and Joshua were also overjoyed when they received their handkerchiefs, but George and William were scolded by the prince for immediately using them to wipe their sweat.

The brothers, who didn't understand why they were scolded, looked puzzled, saying, "Aren't handkerchiefs for wiping sweat?"

Just as the class bell rang, the prince began to explain, causing George and William to be late for the cafeteria. Joshua was caught in the middle.

Worried that Emma might be sad about her handkerchiefs being treated carelessly, she gave George and William each another high-quality embroidered handkerchief, saying, "Hunting practice is really tiring, isn't it?"

How many did she make...?

While hunting practice does involve a lot of physical activity and sweating, Emma's kindness in offering her carefully made embroidery without hesitation seemed to have a healing effect on the other students who were present.

An angel is so kind!

Is Emma an angel, or is the angel Emma...?

After hunting practice, the angel who quietly hands over a handkerchief... Oh, God. If I were to be reborn, I would ask to be one of those brothers!

Arthur could hear the silent whispers.

The brothers themselves, however, were looking at Emma with warm eyes, muttering about her being a devil or Satan, showing no particular emotion or healing effect. In fact, their eyes were almost lifeless.

While it was understandable that Monster Studies was a mandatory subject, it was unbelievable that they could ignore their sister's kindness and start studying.

Perhaps they were used to her kindness and cuteness because they were brothers, but they should show more gratitude. It was no wonder the prince was angry.

My sister... she used to be cute, but she has grown into a cool and handsome young lady.

She is more popular and attractive than any other young noble.

The Stewart brothers are being too picky.

...Really...

A small, kind, and cute sister... I'm honestly envious. A sigh escaped his lips.

"Brother? Are you thinking something impolite?"

Marion glared at him, and he laughed to cover it up.

In front of his martial arts-skilled sister, he couldn't even let his guard down in his thoughts.

"What are you talking about, Marion? By the way, go straight home today, okay?"

He remembered that Marion needed to make a new dress for the impromptu ball next week, as she couldn't wear a dress she had already worn at a royal ball.

"Is the Bell family also invited? The Delacour family is also invited to a ball this weekend, so we need to have a new dress made."

Francesca, who had finally finished eating one of the cookies Emma had shared, looked tired, saying that their housekeeper had been busy securing seamstresses since morning.

Since the baptism of the first prince failed, Francesca had been trying to stay away from social events, so she needed a new dress.

"Me too, we need to make a new dress, Kate."

"Me too, we need to make a new dress, Catherine."

The twins were also invited to the ball, and since they had been invited to a dinner party as well, they needed to have new dresses made.

Even if they finished the measurements today, making a dress would take time. It might be a close call whether it would be ready in time. Usually, royal events have more leeway, so it was likely that all the dressmakers were swamped with orders.

"The last dinner party was large, so many young ladies might be wearing new dresses. The dressmakers must be busy."

If the dressmakers were overwhelmed with orders, it was possible that the dresses wouldn't be ready in time. The housekeepers of all the families must be worried.

"Doesn't the Bell family have a dedicated dressmaker?"

A duke's family should have a dedicated dressmaker.

The Delacour family had a long-term dedicated dressmaker, but when the time was short, they needed to find additional seamstresses.

"We don't make dresses often..."

Arthur shrugged, glancing at Marion.

The Bell family, being a lineage of knights, usually wore knight's uniforms for formal occasions, and the women, like Marion, tried to avoid wearing dresses. They only needed dresses for sudden invitations like this.

"That must be difficult, Lady Marion. I hope you find a good dressmaker."

Arthur's concern about the dress made Marion nod indifferently, causing Francesca to smile wryly.

"Thank you, Lady Francesca. If worse comes to worst, I'll just wear a knight's uniform, so don't worry."

"Absolutely not!"

The twins and Francesca immediately objected to Marion's casual remark. Arthur held his head, hoping someone would stop her.

Indeed, while she would look perfect in a knight's uniform, it would be too risky to attend a royal ball in such attire, especially for a duke's daughter.

"Hmm, I'm confident I can pull it off better than most young nobles... By the way, Lady Emma? Didn't you receive an invitation?"

Marion turned to Emma, who had been quiet during the conversation.

"!!!"

"Wh-What?!!!"

"Wh-What!?"

When Francesca, Marion, and the twins turned to look, the mountain of sweets that had been there a moment ago was completely gone. The only explanation was that Emma had been busy eating.

A servant silently collected the empty wrappers and poured another cup of tea.

"Did the Stewart family receive an invitation? My mother was out this morning, so I'm not sure..."

Surprised by the sudden attention, Emma answered, still munching on sweets. Her grandmother's strict etiquette lessons had paid off.

"Lady Emma... did you eat all of that?"

All those sweets... Francesca would surely gain weight if she ate that much, but Emma had finished them all.

"Dessert is a separate stomach."

Emma smiled happily, noticing George, William, and Joshua, who had just arrived in the courtyard (finally freed from the prince).

"Lady Emma! I brought some financiers. Would you like one?"

Joshua handed Emma a box of financiers.

The sweet aroma alone made Arthur look away. He had seen enough sweets today.

"Thank you, Joshua! I love financiers!"

Opening the box, the strong, sweet aroma enveloped her.

Joshua always brought high-quality sweets, often from popular or rare stores that even nobles found hard to get.

They looked delicious... but after all those sweets, a financier might be too much.

Before Arthur, Marion, Francesca, and the twins could stop her, Emma took a bite.

"Mmm! It goes perfectly with the tea!! Another one, please..."

George and William stopped Emma's hand reaching for a second financier.

"Emma, that's enough."

"Big sister, I saw the servant disposing of a lot of candy wrappers just now. You didn't eat all of them, did you?"

Emma looked at them innocently, but the brothers offered the remaining financiers to Arthur, Marion, Francesca, and the twins. After seeing Emma's appetite, they all politely declined.

Seeing no one willing to eat, Emma reached for another financier, but George and William stopped her.

"Can't I have just one more...?"

Emma looked up with teary eyes, pleading.

"No!!"

Despite her intensely cute plea, George and William firmly refused. Joshua, who was already struggling, was in even more pain.

Having a small, kind, and cute sister... might be challenging.

Dessert is a separate stomach.