Chapter 42

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 42

Chapter Title: The Moment a Star Fell on the Count's House (3)

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"What color?"

"Pardon? Oh, pink. The skirt is so full it keeps bothering me. My feet tangle every time I walk. There's lace on the shoulder seams, sleeves, and hem, so it keeps fluttering around. Oh, and there's a sash at the waist. That's pink too."

Vincent mulled over my words for a moment before furrowing his brow.

"I don't know much about dress designs."

"It's a really pretty dress. The fabric is top-notch too."

So soft that I worried it might tear if I gripped it too hard. It was beautiful, but honestly, I wasn't sure if it suited me. Violet said it did, but I just looked awkward in the mirror.

Vincent fell silent for a bit, then patted the spot beside him.

"Come here."

"Pardon?"

"Sit closer."

I had no idea why, but it was an order, so I scooted my hips over next to him. He reached out, and his fingertips brushed my nape. My body stiffened instantly.

He toyed with the hair ribbon touching his fingertips.

"What's this?"

"A h-hair ribbon. Violet gave it to me a while back."

"I see."

He fiddled with it, feeling its texture. Then he let go and lightly touched my shoulder. His fingers traced the lace there before slowly following the shoulder seam.

His touch was cautious as it explored what his fingertips encountered. His face tilted toward me. Along with his warm breath came a low whisper asking me to tell him if he touched anywhere inappropriate. I had no room to respond. His hand trailed down the shoulder seam to the lace at the sleeve cuff, then lower still to my wrist. When he drew a circle on the inside, I flinched from the tickle.

"Can I touch the bottom too?"

"P-Pardon?"

"The hem."

He pointed downward. With a short sigh, I lifted the hem and placed it in his hand. He began fiddling with it. His gaze, fixed on empty air, tilted slightly downward as his touch grew more eager.

He was just trying to imagine the dress design by feeling it. I knew that. Still, everywhere his hand touched burned hot. He was only touching the hem, but it felt like he was touching me. It was weird. Heat rose all over my body, making me strangely embarrassed.

"I still can't picture it just from touching."

"……."

Even hearing that, I clamped my mouth shut. My body kept twitching, so I was too busy holding it down to keep him from noticing. It felt like my whole body was twisting in knots, and the unfamiliar sensations surging through me were unpleasant. Just as I couldn't take it anymore and was about to stop him, the door opened and Violet walked in.

Violet froze at the sight of us. Her violet eyes blinked as she tried to figure out what was going on. Flustered, I snatched the hem from Vincent's hand and shot to my feet.

"Are you ready?"

"……Yeah. But what were you doing?"

"The Master was curious when I told him I was wearing a dress, so I was describing it to him."

"Ah."

Violet nodded with a light laugh and approached us.

"The party's all set up. We can head down now."

She addressed me and Vincent in turn. I nodded and turned to help Vincent up. Then Violet came right up behind me and gripped my shoulders.

"How's Paula looking? Pretty, right?"

"How should I know? I can't see."

"You heard what she's wearing, though. It's gorgeous! Vincent would've been shocked if he could see. Lucas was totally smitten with her charms."

I was flustered by Violet's laughing words.

Who? No way. I shook my head, but he couldn't see anyway.

"Too bad you can't see, Vincent. It's a shame your eyes don't work right now."

"That good?"

"Yeah. That good."

Violet pushed me toward Vincent while holding my shoulders. I ended up taking a step closer to him. His gaze locked onto me following the sound. Then, as if appraising my appearance, he tilted his head up and down. Even knowing he couldn't see, I ducked my head in embarrassment. At least his eyes weren't working for once. I wasn't as pretty as Violet claimed.

But after scanning me up and down for a long while, Vincent burst out laughing. He covered his mouth with his hand, but it was unmistakably a mocking laugh.

"Eh, I doubt it'd be anything special even if I could see it."

Heat rushed to my face for a different reason this time. How could he mock me so openly!

"That's too much."

"Why?"

"Sure, you might not say it suits me perfectly, but did you have to laugh right in my face? And call it nothing special too. Can't you just say it's pretty in times like this?"

"I can't lie."

He hardened his expression and shook his head firmly. I let out a hollow laugh. He was always like this. So stingy.

I glared at him and turned away, only to see Violet's frozen face. She'd been smiling just moments ago, but now it was gone.

"Violet? Are you unwell?"

"Ah…… No. I need to get ready too. Lucas will be coming up. You two go ahead. Paula, can you help me?"

"Sure."

Violet smiled and headed for the door first. I told Vincent that even someone as unfashionable as me would head out first, then stamped the floor twice with my heels. He waved me off like he wanted me gone quick.

I went back to Violet's room with her. A row of dresses lay on the bed, each one stunning and perfect for her.

As I turned to ask which one she'd wear, she stood motionless by the door. She stared blankly into space, oblivious to my gaze. Something was off.

"Violet?"

Only then did focus return to her eyes.

"……I've never seen him like that."

"Pardon?"

"Acting so curt."

"Who? The Master?"

"Yeah. I've never seen that side of him."

I couldn't help but be surprised. Wasn't he always like that? He'd been curt and snappish with me from the start, so I'd assumed it was just him. Did he not act that way with others?

"He only does that with you, huh."

"……Pardon?"

Flustered, I couldn't respond with her violet eyes losing focus again. Was she shocked? Come to think of it, Ethan had been appalled seeing him throw things. Maybe he wasn't like that before, or he'd been hiding it.

Did that mean he only acted that way with me?

That jerk.

Violet chose a white dress. It hugged her figure tightly from the shoulders to the knees, then flared out lavishly below. Her long hair was braided and pinned up with flower ornaments, just like mine.

All dressed up, Violet was breathtaking. She called me pretty, but she was the one truly radiant. Grasping the railing as she descended the stairs, she embodied elegance itself. If I were a man, I'd have fallen for her for sure.

A lively classical piece echoed through the central hall, stirring the quiet atmosphere into excitement.

But besides Vincent and Lucas, there was one more person in the hall. I'd told everyone else to stay out once the party started. Who was it?

Then the man waved at us. It was Ethan.

"Ethan!"

Violet called out happily. Ethan grinned and welcomed her.

"What brings you here? I thought you were busy."

"You send an invitation to a busy guy like me and play dumb?"

Ethan waved the letter. Violet teased that even one more person would make the party more fun. Aside from her and Lucas, Ethan was the only outsider who knew Vincent's condition. The empty hall, hardly party-worthy, livened up with Ethan's arrival.

Violet naturally hooked her arm through Vincent's. He seemed used to it. They looked like the perfect couple, no matter who saw them.

I stared blankly at the two when Lucas approached my right side and offered his arm.

"I'll escort Paula."

"I'm fine."

"How about me then?"

Ethan stood on my left. I shook my head even more firmly. No thanks to this side either.

"It's a party. We should dance."

"I can't do that. I'll just eat some snacks over there."

I turned toward the food table. Ethan and Lucas followed. In the end, the three unpaired souls settled for a sad feast. Isabella, in charge of party service tonight, waited off to the side.

Violet and Vincent faced each other in the center of the hall.

"Think he can dance?"

"My lady will lead him."

"……."

Clink. Ethan and Lucas's glasses met, their gazes on the pair. Forced to clink mine too, I gulped down my wine while watching them.

"You drink well."

"I can hold my liquor."

The fine wine went down smooth.

Moments later, Isabella changed the music. A soft classical melody filled the hall. Violet and Vincent took position and began swaying gently to the rhythm.

Under the dazzling chandelier, Violet and Vincent looked utterly beautiful. Nothing but "beautiful" could describe it. She moved with grace to the music, her white skirt blooming like a fresh flower bud and drawing every eye. Her bright face wore a smile. She sparkled. Vincent stepped in sync without a hint of awkwardness.

"He's not tripping."

"They've practiced."

"Beautiful."

Truly beautiful. They suited each other too well. I smiled bitterly and downed my wine. Lucas urged me to sip slower.

The music ended quickly. They bowed to each other. Their smiling faces were too sweet. I heard voices full of delight. Munching cookies, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

Then a hand extended toward me.

"What."

"May I have this dance?"

"Pardon?"

I'd clearly said I couldn't dance earlier, so I stared blankly up at him. Lucas extended his hand further, even shaking it to urge me to take it. As I flailed mine in refusal, Ethan chimed in that it wouldn't hurt to dance once since he'd asked so nicely.

And when Lucas drooped his shoulders and asked if I really hated it that much, I had no choice but to take his hand.