Even If You Tear Me Apart - Chapter 35
The chapters are split like this so that the TL can update more consistently over time (✿ ＞◡❛)
“…It seems Lady Arbois has an excellent eye.”
“Oh my! Such a compliment! But of course, it’s only natural.”
Felicia closed her fan with a proud snap, then lightly lifted Iris’s chin with it.
“Look at this. Lady Iris has such a delicate, graceful jawline. Even though she insists on wrapping that shabby cloth around her neck every day! But my discerning eye didn’t miss it. And though she might look like a country girl at a glance, her blue eyes are truly something to behold.”
Ezekiel usually found Felicia’s way of speaking grating. But today, he couldn’t help but agree with her words.
Felicia’s eye for beauty truly was remarkable. Among her belongings, she had managed to pick out the things that suited Iris perfectly.
“Of course, she’s a bit lacking in curves, but that gives her a fragile look—like a lone flower blooming on a cliff. And though her hands are rough now from all the hard work, her fingers are very pretty. Her wrists too—let’s see. Try on my bracelet. Look at that! It suits you beautifully, doesn’t it?”
In high spirits, Felicia ordered her maids to fasten various accessories on Iris. If her arm weren’t broken, she likely would’ve dressed Iris herself.
Iris looked helpless.
“Lady Arbois… I don’t even have anywhere to wear something like this…”
“If there’s nowhere to go, then we’ll make a place! Shall we throw a ball?”
Iris looked distressed, but Felicia paid it no mind. As she played with Iris’s hair, she added,
“All this long, flowing hair—if you twist it up nicely like this, it’d be lovely! What do you think? Of my eye for style?”
The person she posed the question to, full of confidence, was Ezekiel. Likely because she’d been pleased with his earlier compliment.
Ezekiel spoke before he realized it.
“…Yes, beautiful.”
Then, unable to handle how warm his face had become, he quickly left the room.
So, he didn’t see it—how Iris’s face also turned as red as a beet after hearing his words.
***
The people left behind after Ezekiel’s departure all exchanged glances—then burst into laughter.
“Ahaha! My brother, really—he’s so stingy with women.”
Étienne laughed heartily. Felicia also let out a tinkling laugh.
“It’s hard to believe His Highness Ezekiel and Your Highness Étienne are brothers. Just saying a single word like that embarrasses him so much!”
The only one visibly flustered was Iris. Her face flushed red as she turned to scold Missus Babbin.
“Missus Babbin, how could you ask His Highness something like that? He was clearly uncomfortable.”
Missus Babbin merely shrugged, replying shamelessly,
“But to me, he seems like someone who can’t tell a lie. If he looked troubled, that just means he really did think you were pretty!”
“Missus Babbin, you’re truly wise!”
Étienne theatrically slapped his knee in admiration, and Iris pressed her hand to her forehead.
“Missus Babbin! Anyway, Lady Arbois, I really can’t accept something this expensive. I was just doing what I was supposed to…”
But once again, Étienne cut in.
“Still, you look absolutely lovely, Lady Iris.”
“Your Highness…”
Étienne saw that Iris was clearly uncomfortable, but pretended not to notice as he gently draped his arm around her shoulders and added in a teasing tone,
“A young lady of age needs fine clothes. From where I stand, refusing too much of Felicia’s kindness doesn’t seem very wise.”
“But…”
“Lady Iris.”
Étienne smiled as he leaned his forehead close to hers.
“Please understand Felicia’s feelings too. If you refuse to accept her sincerity…”
At the sudden closeness, Iris involuntarily gasped. Étienne’s eyes narrowed playfully.
“I’ll… invite you to a palace ball.”
Iris stared at him in disbelief. Étienne casually stepped back and widened his eyes as if to say, What? You think I wouldn’t?
Only then did Iris relax, letting out a quiet sigh.
By now, Iris had come to understand this prince fairly well.
He really was the kind of person who might actually invite her to a palace ball.
So Iris had no choice but to lower her gaze and say, “Alright, I’ll accept it… please don’t say such scary things…”
