Chapter 2: The Debut – Part 1 (1)
I’ve often imagined how things would be different if I hadn’t attended the debut, looking back.
If I hadn’t gone, well, I probably would’ve been engaged to an influential commoner in the Caliente territory as planned, and married him when I turned eighteen. Farmer, merchant, huntsman, or maybe a wood-cutter. I probably would’ve married someone in those professions, and then while I continued to run around in the wilderness, I would’ve given birth, raised our children, and continued to live in the territory without ever leaving until my death. No doubt, I would’ve lived a life completely unrelated to the nobility and the imperial family.
However, due to the meeting I had during the debut, the course of my life would take a 180-degree turn.
On the day of the debut, I was forced to wear a hand-me-down but still a very high-quality midnight blue dress. After they forced me to wear a dress every single day, I had gotten used to wearing them. More so after I had learned to discreetly loosen the corset so that I could move around a bit more freely. Now I could climb a tree wearing a dress if you want me to show you. The maids who had no idea I was thinking such things let out gasps of admiration when they finished dolling me up.
“You look so beautiful, My Lady!”
“Truly. All the gentlemen may gather around you today, Young Miss.”
Interesting. They haven’t the slightest clue that I was thinking about how I would make everyone who came near me go flying. I headed to the residence’s entrance lobby after getting ushered out by the maids. I also got used to hearing heels. What you have to do is, how do I describe it… I just need to walk on the tips of my toes, like how I would stalk my prey.
This past month, out of pure boredom, I had explored every nook and cranny of the residence. From the spaces above the ceiling to the spaces under the flooring. If I wear the clothes I brought from home, the servants would have no idea that I was the Young Miss and interacted with me normally, letting me assist with chores and pay me some tips in return. I would bring my pocket money with me and sneak out into the Capital, where I would buy and eat food, as well as buy some trinkets. Sneaking back in nonchalantly was a piece of cake.
Exploring the residence and the Capital was pretty fun, but I was getting bored of it. There were no forests nor prey for me to hunt in the Capital. There were, however, some unimaginably large rats and cockroaches. I was itching to go on a hunt now. I want to go home. Once I get this debut thing over with, I should be able to go home. “I’ll do my best until the end!” With this pep talk, I entered the carriage.
In my world, the largest building I knew was the Marquis residence in the territory, and the second largest was the Marquis residence in the Capital, but the imperial palace was an incomparably big building. Back when I was exploring the Capital, I did think that there was a really grand place, but I guess that was the imperial palace. The palace was located on a hill in the secluded area of the Capital and was a pure white castle surrounded by castle walls and spires made of polished stone that appeared difficult to scale. On the blue roofs of the spires were many statues, each made of gold and silver. Once the carriage passed through the gigantic gate, we passed by an elegant garden blooming with flowers, passed through another set of gates, rumbled up the stone-paved road up the hill, passed through a small but gorgeously-decorated set of gates, passed by yet another garden, and finally reached the main building of the imperial palace.
I later learned that the building I saw from afar when I was exploring the Capital was not the main palace, but a government office in the imperial palace. The main palace was a five-story high, enormous, chalky white residence; its vivid blue roof was memorable. Once I got off the carriage after it was parked at a lot that could hold at least thirty of these horse carriages, my mouth wouldn’t close in shock at the palace’s extravagance and size. On the other hand, Mother and Father were used to visiting the imperial palace, so they simply ushered me to the entrance. There were already a couple nobles in the lobby that was decorated with a blindingly blue carpet, and they came to greet Mother and Father. Since Father is a Marquis. This day, among the twenty-five young aristocrats who were expected to attend, I, Ralphene Caliente, was the top-ranking noble.
In the meantime, a young man who appeared to be a knight slowly approached us. Rather than a man, he looked more like a young lad, or a child. When my father noticed him, the young man crossed his hand over his chest, doing a knight’s greeting, and smiled.
“Marquis Caliente. It is my utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Cermiane Emilian, a knight. Today, the Emperor has entrusted me with the honor of escorting your daughter.”
His hair was silky, and was like the color of black tea. He had a chiseled face, and when he smiled, his cerulean blue eyes emitted a gentle radiance. He was slightly taller than me. Wearing the formal, navy blue knight uniform, he carried himself with grace and poise, yet was never off-guard. …Not bad. He seems strong.
“Ah, I see. Then, I entrust Ralphene to you.”
“Your wish is my command.”
Cermiane then turned to me, and kneeled.
“I am Cermiane, and I have the privilege of escorting you during the debut today. May I have your right hand, my lady?”
He looked up at me and smiled sweetly. It was a smile that still had the innocence of a young boy. Since I had already been briefed on the debut’s protocol today, I silently held out my right hand to Cermiane.
“Thank you very much.”
After lightly kissing my fingertips, Cermiane got up and started escorting me to the venue.
Although the gentlemen were to make their entrance alone, the ladies were to be escorted to the debut by one of the sixteen-year-old knights who had just been granted knighthood. Cermiane just happened to be picked by the lottery to be my escort.
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