Killing the Possessor - Chapter 28
Even Glinda, who had been shouting relentlessly, looked like a respectable noblewoman once she had finished dressing.
As those two worked tirelessly, putting in as much effort as if they were hiring the best tailors, I, having quickly settled for a dress that wasn’t too out of fashion and a few pins in my hair, stood up with a satisfied expression.
Finally, it seemed like I could leave.
Just then, Dante, who had been watching the chaos from afar, approached and immediately spoke.
“Camilli, you look really beautiful.”
“…”
Considering the two main perpetrators of the chaos were not even acknowledged, his comment felt a bit out of place.
I scoffed and responded coldly.
“Really? It’s last season’s dress, though.”
“Is that so? Why didn’t you get a new one then?”
What is he doing? Is he pretending, or does he actually not know?
I frowned, irritated, and replied with a scowl.
“Mother barely gives me any pocket money, how could I get a new one?”
“…What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He really didn’t know. It was clear from his expression. Honestly, so clueless.
Of course, I didn’t really care about the new dress, and the money I’d gotten from Bali was more than enough. It wasn’t really a big deal.
But I couldn’t just let this slide, could I?
For some reason, Dante was being kind to me, whereas Glinda wasn’t, so if I could use this to cause even a little tension between the two of them, it would be worth it.
“What else do you hear from Mother?”
Dante suddenly grabbed my shoulder and, with a much more serious expression, made a request.
“Camilli, next time something like this happens, don’t just keep it to yourself, please tell me. Alright?”
“…”
The more I listened, the more irritated I felt. It was as if I suddenly understood Camilli’s position.
The money was all originally from Count Mute’s. Is he really trying to act like he’s being generous with my father’s money?
“Don’t try to settle things with a dress. How about you actually do something about the inheritance distribution later?”
“…Camilli, I…”
“Dante! What are you doing! You need to escort Dahlia!”
Dante, looking like he was about to argue, was pulled away by Glinda’s sharp shout and dragged off.
I clicked my tongue, watching his retreating back.
I couldn’t decide if he was nice or just irritating.
“Miss, this way, please.”
At the butler’s guidance, I climbed into the carriage. The space that had been spacious when I was alone now felt extremely cramped with both Dahlia and Glinda inside.
What is it with all these frills on the dress? Every time it fluttered, it sent dust flying into the air, and I felt like I was going to go crazy from the itching in my nose.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one irritated by the lack of space in the carriage. Glinda, fussing as she adjusted her appearance, suddenly started an argument with me, who was staring out the window in silence.
“Why are you going to the palace? Don’t even think about dishonoring the Mute family. If you show disrespect to the Prince again like last time, you’ll regret it!”
“It’s funny to hear that from someone who’s an outsider, considering I was born and raised in the Mute family.”
“What? Outsider? You really…”
Glinda’s heightened irritation was disrupted unexpectedly by Dahlia.
“Mother, I’m tired.”
“Oh, then we can’t have that. Today is such an important day.”
With Dahlia’s simple statement, Glinda immediately quieted down. As a mother whose mission was to marry off her daughter well, it seemed Dahlia’s condition was important to her.
Dahlia, still upset from the previous event, didn’t even bother picking another fight. Thanks to that, I was able to sink into thought during the quiet ride to the palace.
Although the main focus of the ball was supposed to be the female lead, I was also curious about the Prince, one of the male leads.
No matter how dramatically the residence permit renewal happens, if I don’t eventually receive the permanent residency, the death ending would still be inevitable.
Though I was anxious about seeing someone I slapped in front of so many people, the Prince would likely still have lingering feelings, as per the original story. As of now, the most likely male lead I can marry seems to be the Prince, with whom I had once been romantically involved.
If I can’t find the female lead, should I just propose to the Prince for marriage directly? Would that grant me permanent residency?
I continued pondering this and that until we finally arrived at the palace. The sight of various carriages gathered at the entrance was nothing short of chaotic.
The long line, reminiscent of a morning rush hour, made the grandeur of the palace’s exterior fade away. Even during a trip to Europe, the excitement usually fades after a few photos. Even with the rich decorations and craftsmanship of the Baroque style, it’s hard to appreciate it fully under the scorching sun.
In the hot, stuffy carriage with no air conditioning, I was fanning myself when I noticed something.
“…Is he here too?”
My body froze at the sight of the man getting out of the carriage ahead of us.
