Chapter 4
Translator: nevermoorian
Over-inflated sleeves, cheap glossy fabrics, imitation jewelry ornaments that looks like toys, and lace of designs far from fashionable .
I couldn’t go out wearing this .
“I’m guessing she sent me a dress like this—”
It’s the first time I’ve been invited to the Princess’s social party, but it’s not like I’ve never been to a party .
Before I completely closed my mind, I had several chances to go to the party where even young ladies could attend .
I, the daughter of the Duke, was of course has more prominent position than Sharon . Marianne, who hated it, bribed my maids to make me look like a total mess .
Loose hair has become disheveled and made my complexion look even worse because of the lack of food I ate during that time . Of course, I didn’t even wear a simple make up that gives color to my face .
The dress was also a mix of red, yellow, and blue with primitive and baby-like design . The size didn’t fit my body, so I felt a sense of humor because some parts were so tight and the other parts were so uptight .
Marianne, who had sent me to the party first and arrived a little later, made a fuss and acted as if she had not known .
“Oh my God, Riana! Who made you look like this? I get it, those witches! I heard that you’re not good at speaking these days and there are women who are disrespecting you, but I can’t believe this is how they’re gonna bullied you! Don’t worry, they’ll be kicked out as soon as we get back to the mansion . ”
She advertised my condition in a very loud voice .
There was, of course, nothing Marianne would do to drive out the maids . Far from kicking, they’re still close to each other .
I have since been absent from the party because of the mocking chatter .
With this happening, it was easy to guess that it’s a trick to provoke my trauma and force myself to give up on attending .
If I just wear it and attend, Marianne’s position as a caring mother who takes care of her stepdaughter in delicate manner would be a bit difficult, but I’ll be the laughing-stock .
It’s not a real damage . It won’t be much of controversy if she just make a proper excuse, whether blaming the maids like the last time or something else .
With no official debut yet, the Princess’s social party was my best opportunity to announce my presence . I couldn’t miss this .
I double-checked the date on the invitation . Two days later … oh, it’s short .
I looked at Leah who was restless, and spoke to her, “Bring the sewing kit . ”
“Yes? Don’t tell me … are you going to mend this dress?”
“Of course . Does it look like it’s worth wearing?”
“That’s true, but— my lady, I’m not confident . ” Leah spoke in a low voice .
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Leah’s poor workmanship may be enough to sew a stiff hem, but I guess it’s hard to repair a dress .
“I won’t ask you to do it, so don’t worry and just bring it . ”
“Yes, I understand . I’ll get it, my lady . ”
Leah, who had just left the room, brought me a sewing kit shortly after .
Among the items Leah brought were the high-end items the nobility were used to make embroidery, as well as items used by maids .
The high-end section are made up of things that only really fit for a number purposes, so the types of items used by maids were more diverse .
“All right, this is enough . So, shall we start?”
“Yes—what?”
“Dress repair . I don’t know what would happen if Mother and Sharon knew, so I want to keep it a secret . Please cooperate . ”
“If you order me to keep it secret, I’ll obey . But I don’t know how to repair… . ”
Leah’s question was reasonable . There was only me and her in the room, and there was no one to help with the repairs .
There’s not even a second-hand man skilled in sewing at Crescente’s mansion!
There are many employees but I never even wanted to call them .
I don’t know where my words would flow from, and even if I let them join the team well, Marianne might find it suspicious if the employees who didn’t usually enter my room started to come and go .
So I have to repair it myself .
I’ve learned embroidery before, but I quit before I even had enough skill . So the experience is not very helpful .
Instead, I had a previous life experience . The experience of getting tired of wearing worn-out old clothes .
“I’ll do it . ”
“Oh, my lady?”
I quietly pulled the necessary tools out of the ring . As I skillfully threaded the needle, Leah opened her mouth without even realizing it .
The first step was to remove the jewelry and lace . It look better than it had been for the first time when all the cheap jewelry gone .
When I opened the closet, I found some of my childhood dressed were still there . It’s small and can’t be worn, but all of it is high-end products made by top designers . I thought it would be a good material if I took it apart .
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The cloth began to be carefully dissembled to prevent it from being damaged . The finish was meticulous so it wasn’t easy to tear off .
There is a part that can not be cut and used incorrectly, but a lot of fabrics included in the dress of the nobility . A lot of cloth came out except for the one that was ruined .
“This should be enough . ”
While breathing for a moment, I heard a knock and quickly hid my dress and cloth in the closet . Leah pushed the ring under the bed .
“Come in . ”
The maid who opened the door bowed politely, “My lady, I’m here because you didn’t come down for dinner . ”
“Ah… . ”
Is it dinner time already? I was so busy fixing my dress that I had no idea . Come to think of it, I felt the hunger . I must have been so focused that I didn’t even know I was hungry .
At first, I said in a somber voice, pretending that I have no appetite to send the maid back .
“I don’t want to eat much because I’m sad . If I’m hungry, I’ll send Leah to bring me some food, so you don’t have to worry about my meal . The same goes for tomorrow . ”
“I understand, my lady . ” The maid bowed down again before closed the door .
As soon as the door closed, I said to Leah, “Go to the kitchen and get some simple food to eat . ”
“Yes? You just don’t want to eat—”
“We don’t have time . I can’t afford to enjoy a leisurely dinner . ”
“Oh, I see! I’ll get it!”
Leah nodded and went out of the room . And after a while, she came back with a tray of bread and milk .
As I just tore the bread with my hand and mumbled it, Leah looked a little shocked . Leah’s meticulousness with her fork and knife was useless .
While chewing on the bread, I nudged my fingers hard and put the needle down for a while . This body, which has a low level of strength and stamina, has already become sore here and there, but it’s especially painful… .
“… . my fingers are a little sore . ”
In my previous life, sewing was easy because of the calluses of my fingers, but now it’s not because what I am today .
I couldn’t take a break because I need to finish my work before the party .
I searched the box and found the thimble .
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“I don’t like it because it’s too big, but I have no choice . ”
The pace has slowed down a little, but it’s better in the long run because I have to sew for another full day .
The skirt area required a large piece of cloth, but the cloth from the small dress was relatively small . Therefore, I had to keep the stream a little by little .
After carefully following the balance between the right and left, the grafted part creased so as not to be so noticeable .
It took a long time for me to wrinkle because I’ve only tried it for fun a few times in my past life so it wasn’t very familiar .
My hands have become damp with sweat .
Even if the shape is a little messy, it becomes awkward . It is said that it will stretch and loosen the wrinkles several times . It’s not a splendid and luxuriant wrinkle that the expert has worked on, but still … it’s not bad .
The repairs continued until late at night .
Even in the early morning, when everyone was sleeping, I still managed to cling to the line of my dress .
Simple part did not take very long, but it took quite a while to require complexity and delicacy, so I had to save a little time .
Leah didn’t seem to know what to do because she couldn’t help, but if she was a capable girl, she wouldn’t have been my maid in the first place .
Although I felt a little tired, the work went along smoothly for the day .
On the day of the party, Marianne and Sharon were busy dressing up since the morning .
Leah, who had gone out to get some water for a while, told me because I was busy repairing the dress without a single step out of the room .
Just as I thought it would be time to start, there was a knock at the door .
I made sure I was hiding the dress, and Leah opened the door .
A middle-aged maid came in and bowed down, “The madam and the young miss are ready and they call for you, my lady . ”
“Really … how can I do this … I’m not ready—”
“Then, shall I tell them so?”
“Um … no, I’ll tell them in person and see them off . ”
Since I didn’t come out of the room and didn’t eat properly, it was highly likely that my stepmother and sister have already haphazardly speculating that I had given up on going to the party because I was deeply hurt .
But since there was only one, it certainly seemed better to show up in person to erase their guard .
When I looked in the mirror before I left the room, I found that I had spent the night with dark circles under my eyes . This was enough to keep Marianne and Sharon off guard .
As I went down to the first floor, I saw Marianne and Sharon who were very stylish with colorful dresses, jewelry, rich hairstyles, and feather hats .
“Mother, you’re so beautiful . Sharon, you’re pretty, too . ”
“That’s enough of the obvious . But you… . ” Sharon whirled me up and down .
“Why are you still wearing your pajamas? Aren’t you going to the party?”
I didn’t answer and made a sad face .
Marianne and Sharon laughed cheerfully as if they liked my sad expression .
“That’s great . If you were to go there, you would be humiliated . ”
“I’m so glad you realized it yourself, Riana . Then, we’ll go . ”
The two walked out of the mansion with light steps . There was no time to see them climb the carriage . I quickly returned to my room and grabbed the needle again . The overall repair was finished, leaving only the finishing phase .
The jewelry was placed with a point in the chest, and the skirt is decorated with lace and ribbons .
“It’s done… . ”
I put down the needle and took the thimble from my finger . Leah murmured in admiration while seeing a dress that was completely different from the first .
“I really didn’t expect you to have this skill . ”
“It’s not the right thing to do, but— can you call in some maids to dress me up?”
“Yes!”
Leah called in some maids . The maids at first seemed a little perplexed . They must have guessed that I wasn’t going to the party, either .
Not having been instructed by Marianne, they were puzzled and began to help with the make up .
They powdered my face white, painted my eyebrows darkly, and painted my lips red, then breathed life into my cheeks with pink .
After finishing the make up, they combed my hair finely and applied perfume to make it glossy, then decorated it with ribbons and jewelry pins .
Meanwhile, Leah rubbed my shoulders and arms that had been overworking in sewing .
“It’s done, my lady . ”