~Tpmma 06~

Chapter 6

Dress Alterations?

“Excuse me, what are you talking about? Did you have my dress, sister?”

“…Do you remember what I said at the last banquet?”

“You said my dress sense was terrible.”

“I didn’t put it quite that harshly. Didn’t I say it would be better to wrap yourself in a candy wrapper?”

That’s even worse!

I felt my irritation rising again, but my sister added:

“I was having some of my dresses altered to fit your height.”

“W-what? Why… go that far…?”

“It seems you do have an eye for beauty, but your sense doesn’t quite match it. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for you. Next banquet, try wearing a proper dress.”

Wow.

I couldn’t believe my ears for a moment. Natalie, speaking kindly while insulting me?

Of course, sugarcoating doesn’t erase the insult—but she’s doing it for me, isn’t she? Is she serious?

I glanced sideways. Even the maid couldn’t hide her astonishment; her mouth was slightly open.

Natalie spun around.

“Wait a moment. I’ll quickly dress and come out too.”

“Are you… going to come to the greenhouse with me?”

“Yes. These days, if I leave you alone, you keep clinging to desserts. It would be a shame if the dress I had altered doesn’t fit properly.”

“You don’t need to come! I’ll restrain myself!”

But Natalie ignored my protest and strode ahead without a backward glance.

Really, what’s her deal?

She’s offering to alter her own dresses for me? Is she planning to staple something to the collar too?

“What do you think?”

I asked the maid, who also had a puzzled expression. She finally spoke:

“Whatever happens, stay strong, Miss Dorrie.”

“…Yeah. I have to, after all.”

Eventually, I headed to the outdoor event with Natalie.

She wore a large bonnet pulled low, determined not to let her face tan even a little. I ignored her interfering with the angle of my hat as we entered the greenhouse.

A servant loudly welcomed the guests.

“Welcome to the greenhouse opening ceremony! Tables and refreshments are prepared inside the garden! The formal ceremony begins at 1 PM…”

I hadn’t expected much, but the surroundings were surprisingly beautiful.

The entrance was flanked by lush deciduous trees like curtains, and beyond that, the garden was filled with orange gladioluses and tulips.

“Wow, it’s really beautiful!”

The maid marveled. Natalie’s voice was slightly higher than usual as she spoke:

“Even dozens of flowers gathered can be aesthetically pleasing. From now on, I’ll only accept bouquets of more than fifty flowers.”

Ah, yes.

Then the maid let out another, different gasp.

“Oh my…”

Curious, I turned—and my jaw dropped.

“Wow…”

Maria Meyer, the original story’s heroine, was walking among the daffodils. That alone felt like gazing at a masterpiece.

Seeing a truly beautiful person leaves you speechless.

Maria seemed embarrassed by the attention and ran toward a nearby greenhouse. A few guests took this moment to whisper about her.

“She actually came! I heard she refuses over half the banquet invitations because of her shyness.”

“Her uncle probably forced her to attend something for appearances. If she hates banquets so much, she should just marry whoever proposes quickly.”

“Would someone accept a proposal from just anyone with that beauty?”

“If all she has is her face, she should decide quickly—before the suitor loses patience.”

Ugh, such nasty words. Is this a social event or the jungle?

…Then I realized something terrifying.

‘Natalie could be even worse than that.’

In the original story, Natalie doesn’t attend this outdoor banquet. But if she follows me and confronts Maria, what if the story changes?

How could I stop Natalie? The maid and I could intervene…

Wait. Why hasn’t Natalie said anything about the heroine?

Just as I turned in unease, our eyes met. I nearly screamed. Why is she looking at me? Did I do something wrong?

Frozen, Natalie finally spoke.

“Good thing, Dorrie. There’s someone else to hear the nonsense.”

“Eh?”

“If it weren’t for Maria Meyer, you’d be the one being picked apart for gossip.”

“Ah…”

“…Maybe I shouldn’t have come along.”

Muttering slightly, Natalie pulled her bonnet lower against the sun’s glare.

You mean to say, Natalie… you followed me just to prevent me from being backstabbed?

While pondering this, Natalie asked:

“Dorrie. Did you really come here to see the flowers?”

I repeated the lie I told the maid earlier.

“Yes. Once I’m married, I won’t have many chances to come to events like this.”

“Hmm. You really believe you’ll be getting married soon. With whom?”

“Of course, His Highness Tristan.”

Natalie’s eyes narrowed like a fox. Her sharp voice pierced my chest.

“He will maintain the engagement, but he won’t take you to see flowers after marriage. What a mentally stressful kind of trust.”

“Ah…”

“What do you think, His Highness Tristan?”

What?

I looked where Natalie’s voice had been directed. Tristan was there, standing.

He looked like he’d rushed, his dress uniform neat but his hair disheveled.

You also wouldn’t normally attend this event in the original story…

The original villain and villainess stand across me, staring at each other. Their gaze is far from friendly.

Tristan’s lips curled, more annoyance than pleasure.

“Long time no see, Miss Redfield. I heard you only attend banquets with orchestras and carpets prepared. Are you getting impatient for marriage?”

In the original story, Tristan and Natalie didn’t get along.

Natalie thought, ‘Tristan only has a face and a terrible personality, yet he believes he’s a good husband.’

Tristan thought, ‘Natalie only has a face and a terrible personality, yet she acts like she’s the ultimate bride.’

…They’re ironically well-matched.

Of course, saying that aloud would get me buried in the backyard.

Natalie smiled without losing composure.

“As an older sister, there are times I want to be with my younger sister. Perhaps, Your Highness, instead of chasing beautiful ladies, you could assist the elder sisters? Your youthful nature is like a ten-year-old boy, so they would enjoy spending time with you.”

In short: ‘You immature fool, you can’t even chase women, so go play with your elder sisters.’

Tristan’s pupils flickered at her sharp words. But he remained composed.

“Apparently, underestimating one’s younger sibling isn’t limited to men. Don’t worry. I’m a self-aware adult, here to meet my fiancée.”

“Huh?”

While these two villains exchange elegant insults, I am the one who blurts out an awkward reply.

Still, it’s shocking!

Natalie came to pick a fight. Tristan came to see me? To fight me?

Both Natalie and Tristan seemed unwilling to back down, sparks of war igniting between them.

Shall I step aside?

But before I could, they both turned to me.

Natalie spoke first.

“I still don’t understand your thoughts. You’ve always said that a single dandelion pushing through rocks is more beautiful than artificial garden flowers.”

Then Tristan spoke.

“You said you’d stay quiet, but was this bait to secretly attend the banquet?”

You’re not the one to comment, you rotten conscience!

I was overwhelmed. Should I deal with Tristan first?

“Oh my, Miss Maria has come out of the greenhouse!”

“…”

Tristan’s brow immediately furrowed. ‘Are you kidding me?’

Why are you upset? At the last banquet, you were trailing Maria every time I looked back!

Natalie smiled.

“Dorrie, stop talking and answer. Why did a bookish child like you come here?”

Tristan bent to meet my eye level and asked:

“Dorrie Redfield. What are you thinking, coming here?”

Original Dorrie! How much did you avoid going out that seeing flowers once gets you treated like this?

While feeling sterilized by the piercing gazes of these glamorous villains, a servant’s voice rang clearly in my ears:

“Lord Arthur Albion is arriving! Everyone, please make way!”

People murmured.

“Arthur?”

“Albion is a royal family surname. Who’s Arthur?”

The original male lead!

I instinctively turned my head at the awaited name.

At the greenhouse entrance, a huge man slowly walked in. Black hair and eyes glinting like obsidian in the sun—a trait of strong protagonist-class characters in K-fantasy.

Everyone’s gaze fixed on him.

“Who is that young man?”

“Arthur Albion, Viscount! The legitimate son of the Duke of Frost Hill.”

“I heard he came to the capital seeking a bride, but I didn’t expect to see him at this event!”

The party host quickly led Arthur aside to shield him from attention. After a while, when interest waned, they’d reintroduce him formally.

That would be when the male lead reunites with the heroine.

Until then, I could take a breath…

…but the villains are still staring at me.

Natalie asked:

“Dorrie. Do you know who Arthur Albion is?”

Of course I know him…

“I have no idea!”

“Hmm?”

Natalie tilted her head. Oh, this is ominous.

“But when you heard ‘Arthur Albion has arrived,’ your eyes lit up as if you were waiting. That’s why you reacted, isn’t it?”

Ah.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

Tristan nodded.

“Yes. As if hearing about a guest I’d been waiting for.”

“No! I’m not interested! Really!”

“Understood.”

Tristan raised both hands.

“I believe you. My virtuous fiancée wouldn’t lie.”

Natalie said:

“My cute little sister wouldn’t lie, would she? I trust you.”

Neither of them believed me at all.