Regret With All Your Might

Chapter 7

My debutante ball was supposed to be perfect.

Until the debutante ball, Olivia thought so too. She starved herself on a diet, and everything really fit well, from the dress to the makeup and hair.

But when the first waltz started and her heart seemed about to burst with anticipation, everything shattered when the dazzlingly handsome Leopold asked the young Duchess of Nordan for the first dance.

She knew it. Leopold had been reluctant to engage with me, and that the crown prince could request the first dance with the young Duchess of Nordan to appease the anxious nobility after his engagement with the Empress's daughter Madelleine.

But knowing and experiencing were different. No amount of dazzling jewels or sparkling dresses could hide the feeling as if they were covered in filth.

Despite being an imperial princess, the crown prince's fiancée, she became a wallflower at her first debutante ball, not having been asked to dance by anyone.

She wished someone would speak to her. She wished, just once, someone would ask her to dance.

The desperation of that moment when everyone seemed to be murmuring about her came back to her. She looked around frantically, but neither the Duke, Conrad, nor Jade looked at her.

She gripped the hem of her dress so hard her face seemed about to crack. The silver lining was that she hadn't embarrassed herself at the debutante ball.

Whenever Leopold looked at her, Olivia smiled. Doing so, Leopold would graciously smile back. It was rewarding to strive to be calm, befitting a Madelleine princess, someday to be the crown prince's consort.

Her hand that held the dress became numb through the twelve waltzes, and when she came home and buried her face in the pillow, she cried hard.

"Olivia."

It was only after hearing Conrad's warning that Olivia snapped out of her long- lost memories and blinked her eyes.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was thinking about the debutante ball."

It had been 2 years already. I have grown so well. Occasionally, I had dinner with my siblings and even gained some influence in the house. Olivia said, glancing at Essella, full of anticipation.

"Essella, you will do far better than me."

She was sincere. Essella's cheeks turned rosy.

"Really? But when I have my debutante ball, you'll come with me, right?"

When young ladies have their debutante balls, a lady or a lady who has debuted often goes with them. Olivia instinctively looked at Conrad.

Conrad, who had been kindly looking at Essella, faced Olivia with a face cold as a winter's north wind. His tightly closed lips told her no without speaking.

"......What to do? I think I might be too busy with palace work."

"There's nothing to be done if you're busy, Essella. I'll find a nice lady to accompany you."

"Yes......"

Despite Conrad's soothing, Essella chewed her food with a deflated face. Whether she couldn't hide her disappointment, eventually, Essella got up from her seat.

"I ate well. I'll go up first."

Her listless steps receded, and the dining room fell quiet. Conrad lightly swirled his wine glass.

"Olivia."

"Yes, dear brother?"

"Who is your dear brother?"