Episode 50
“Lord Regios, Mr. Rusty wishes to see you.”
Rusty was the owner of Rustia, the most popular boutique in the empire. He was also the designer who had created the dress Ephelia was supposed to wear to the next banquet. Regios immediately realized that this matter was connected to Ephelia.
“Send him in.”
Regios set aside the documents he had been reviewing. Tail, who was standing behind him on guard, cast a quick glance at Regios’s hand. As expected, he had clenched his right fist and then relaxed it.
*Not again. This isn’t a good sign.*
Tail thought to himself but didn’t dare speak aloud. It was understandable for him to worry—Regios’s right hand was still bandaged. Not long ago, it had been bruised to the point of bleeding, causing an uproar in the palace.
It was clear that something had happened with Ephelia, but the reason was completely unknown, which was frustrating. Soon, the butler opened the office door, and Rusty stepped inside.
“Your Highness.”
“What is it? Weren’t you supposed to deliver a dress to the princess today?”
“Yes… I was on my way back.”
It was still quite early for him to have tried the dress on and discussed details with her.
“Did the princess like the dress?”
“Well… there’s been a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
Rusty hesitated, unable to answer immediately. A light tap on the table made him flinch—he realized it was a prompt from Regios. Nervously, he spoke through clenched teeth.
“The princess returned the dress.”
Regios frowned in confusion. He had sent dresses and jewelry to Ephelia many times, but she had never refused anything. The last dress he sent was accepted without a word, so it was unlikely that she rejected it simply because it came from him.
“Why did she return it?”
Rusty lowered his head and bit his lip, unwilling to voice the reason directly.
“Did she reject it without giving a reason?”
The princess had indeed given a reason, but as the designer, Rusty’s pride prevented him from saying it himself.
Earlier, he had gone to meet Ephelia, waiting with the dress he and his staff had prepared, fitted on a mannequin. After a short while, the princess entered the room.
“Good day, Princess. I’m Rusty. It’s an honor to meet you.”
The princess extended her hand, and he knelt, pressing his forehead lightly against the gloved hand. A simple bow would have sufficed, but since she had disappeared in her youth and recently returned, this formal greeting seemed appropriate.
“So, you’ve brought the dress?”
“Yes. The dress for the banquet.”
“Is it behind the partition?”
For dramatic effect, the dress had been fitted on the mannequin and hidden behind a partition.
“Yes, it is.”
“Remove the partition, Gina.”
Rusty hadn’t been treated like this for a long time. After his designs became highly successful, he was well-received in any noble house he visited. It was slightly unpleasant but he couldn’t show it—the princess would soon become crown princess and eventually empress.
The princess seemed tired and weak, with a faint, ephemeral air about her.
“Prepare to be impressed.”
Rusty said confidently. From behind the partition, only the outline of the dress could be seen, which might not seem impressive. Yet the dress’s true brilliance lay not in its shape, but in its lavishness. He was certain that even her tired expression would be replaced by awe.
When the staff removed the partition, the dress was revealed. The upper chest area was cut in Rusty’s signature style, popular in the palace. The dark silk fabric boldly exposed the chest line, accentuated and adorned with tiny diamonds threaded with silver, glittering like stardust under the lights. He had deliberately placed the dress under the brightest lighting.
*Is this the dress?*
Compared to his beautiful creation, the princess looked somewhat faded. She had an elegant but melancholic air, but her pale hair and eyes didn’t harmonize with the dress’s deep tones. A cream or light pink dress might have suited her better. Still, the wearer mattered most.
The design was originally intended for Princess Seluna, who would soon become crown princess. She had ordered it to be the most elegant and beautiful, a dress that would draw admiration. She had loved the initial design—but now, the owner had changed.
Rusty needed a mannequin that would make the dress shine, not a design suited for the wearer. The person who would attract the most attention at the palace banquet, who would make the dress famous.
“Do you like it? Is it to your taste?”
Seeing the dress on the mannequin, Ephelia frowned. Rusty, oblivious to her reaction, began enthusiastically explaining his design.
“This is my signature style. The elegant chest line, with each diamond hand-stitched with silver thread, is—”
To a rustic princess like her, it was a wasteful dress, but it couldn’t be helped. She remained silent, overwhelmed by the gown.
“I can’t wear this.”
“Every noblewoman—uh?”
Had he misheard? She just told him to take it, but now she was refusing?
“Excuse me, I didn’t hear correctly. Could you repeat that?”
“I said I can’t wear it. Take it back.”
“Why? Do you dislike the design?”
Even Queen of Society Seluna had been satisfied with it. And now this rustic princess rejected his masterpiece?
“No, it’s not that.”
“What’s the matter, then? This is my masterpiece…”
Ephelia sighed softly, her tired amber eyes suddenly flashing like fire. Rusty felt his chest drop in that instant, completely overwhelmed.
“Your name is Rusty, right?”
“Yes… yes.”
“She clearly says she doesn’t like it, yet as your masterpiece, you want her to wear it anyway, right?”
“That… no, that’s not it…”
He hadn’t meant to imply that, but he couldn’t dare say yes.
“If not that, then what does it mean?”
“I… I don’t have time to make a new dress.”
“So you mean I must wear your dress?”
Ephelia might have other options, but Rusty needed her to wear this one.
“Th-That’s not it…”
Rusty could only mutter that it wasn’t the case, unable to offer any other excuse.
“I’ll wear an existing dress, so just take this back.”
“Princess, please reconsider, just once more.”
“I’ll pay for it.”
She had generously paid for the diamonds, but more important than the cost was that the dress might be rejected by its intended owner.
It would severely damage Rusty’s reputation. The princess would soon dominate palace fashion, and a rejected design could ruin a designer’s standing.
“This dress was made only for you. Are you suggesting I sell it to someone else?”
Her amber tone was icy, colder than the crown prince’s violet gaze.
“This dress is for you alone.”
“Does it really suit me in color and design?”
Rusty was at a loss, unable to reply—he hadn’t expected her to notice that.
“It wasn’t really designed for me, so you can return it to the original owner if you like.”
“Please, just one more chance. Next time, I’ll create something the princess will like—”
“I won’t say it twice.”
With that, Ephelia left Rusty behind. He stood frozen for a long moment before reporting to the crown prince.
“She said she doesn’t like the design. She told me to leave, so there was nothing I could do.”
“You were so confident she would like it, weren’t you?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Do you have time to make a new one?”
“…Impossible.”
The banquet was tomorrow. Creating a new dress in time was impossible. If only he had a single day, he might have mobilized all of Rustia’s staff, but it was too late.
“What did Ephelia decide to do?”
“She said she would wear an existing dress.”
“Leave, then.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
“She didn’t even get the chance to choose a design. You weren’t granted permission, and now you weren’t even chosen.”
Regios muttered coldly. It was entirely his fault. He had only shown the design to the crown prince and not to Ephelia. Confident it would impress her, he had failed to get her input.
*Foolish. I should have prepared another dress. Or at least consulted Ephelia from the start.*
“Please, just one more chance.”
Regios shook his head lightly. A sturdy guard approached and escorted Rusty out. That was the end. After that, no one came looking for Rusty again.
—
