The morning sun crept over the horizon, signaling the arrival of a new day.
Within her room, Renzille diligently prepared herself for the upcoming day, choosing an elegant red dress that perfectly coordinated with the striking hue of her eyes.
She took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror, meticulously ensuring that every detail was perfect.
However, Renzille's thoughts dwelled on the words Bluria had spoken, the vague phrase echoing in her mind.
"I failed the first time.." She repeated quietly under her breath, the meaning of those words haunting her, even into her sleep, making a perplexed expression cross her face as she replayed the conversation in her mind, trying to decipher the hidden implication behind Bluria's words.
Unfortunately, the more she pondered about it, the more puzzled she became, the puzzle pieces refusing to fit together in a clear picture.
Renzille let out an exasperated sigh as Sophia pulled on the strings of her corset, causing it to cinch tightly around her slender waist which made Renzille flinch.
The constricting feeling of the corset was difficult to ignore, even as the garment did its job of emphasizing her ample breasts.
"Ugh, I almost forgot how uncomfortable it is to wear this cursed thing.." She muttered, a tinge of frustration lacing her voice. "I already miss my barracks.. And my armor."
The discomfort of the corset's tight embrace served as a constant reminder of the sacrifices she made for the sake of appearances which only fueled her desire to be enlisted in the battlefield more compared to a second ago.
Sophia's eyes met Renzille's gaze through the mirror, an apologetic look in her eyes. "I do apologize, my lady, but Lady Leira insisted that you dress up for this event."
Renzille sighed once more, the thought of the upcoming event causing a slight frown to cloud her features.
Leira had come over in the early hour of the morning to check on her cheeks and when she saw that the swelling had come down, she decided to drop the bomb of Renzille, along with her chosen beastman, will be attending an event in the city's red district.
"She asked me to make you as beautiful as I could, my lady." Sophia uttered, frowning. "Of course, my lady is already beautiful!"
The mention of Leira's insistence only add to her growing discomfort, but she understood the importance of upholding appearances in such occasions.
Sighing, Renzille replied. "No need to apologize, Sophia. I understand the expectations."
Renzille let out another heavy sigh and fell into silence as Sophia continued preparing her for the event.
The process of dressing continued without further conversation, the only sound being the occasional rustling of fabric and the soft hum of the maid's hums.
Renzille allowed herself to look at herself in the mirror, watching as Sophia continued to work silently, guiding the corset and dressing her carefully, making the noblewoman appreciate her effort even more.
The annoyance and discomfort lingered, but she told herself to endure the process without further protest.
When the dressing process came to an end, Renzille stood before the mirror, taking in her appearance with a critical gaze— the red dress hugged her figure in all the right places, showing all her curves and drawing attention to her slender waist, thanks to the carefully tailored corset beneath.
The color complemented her eyes perfectly, while her red heels added an elegant touch to her overall look, but it was her hair that truly caught her attention more.
Sophia had done a good job of styling it, leaving it cascading around her shoulders in soft waves.
Renzille found herself impressed despite herself.
Sophia couldn't contain her excitement and clapped her hands in glee, admiring Renzille's appearance.
"My lady, you are absolutely stunning! Just look at you!" She gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can already picture it— all those beastmen and beastwomen trailing behind you, desperately hoping to have you claim them as yours!"
Sophia's expression quickly shifted from excitement to a slight frown as Renzille's less-than-enthusiastic expression.
"Oh, come on, my lady! Don't give me that look!" s
She protested, disappointment evident in her voice. "You truly look gorgeous, you know! You should be excited, not so.. Well, not so... Unenthusiastic!"
Renzille tried to suppress an eye roll, but a small smile played around her lips at her chambermaid's insistence.
Renzille let out a soft chuckle at Sophia's persistence. "Fine, I admit, you outdid yourself this time, but tell me, how's my soon-to-be husband now? Is he ready?"
Sophia nodded in response, her earlier pout replaced by a proud smile. "Oh, yes! He's completely ready now, and I must say, he looks quite dapper himself, my lady!"
"He is? Lead me to him then." Renzille mused, chuckling once more.
"As you wish my lady!" Sophia chirpled and rushed to the door, holding it open, Renzille stepped gracefully through the doorway.
Renzille doesn't trust anyone so she made sure that Kreios was dressed in her dressing room instead while she let Sophia dress her in her bedroom.
It's not befitting a noble lady, but what can she do? She doesn't want anyone to lay a hand on her beastman.
Renzille emerged from her bedroom and almost immediately, Kreios' attention was drawn to her appearance.
He paused momentarily, taking in the sight of Renzille in the red dress that hugged her curves and accentuated her figure, his gaze lingering on her form, surprise and a look of awe evident in his face.
Renzille couldn't help, but raise an eyebrow as she observed Kreios standing there in his suit, the expensive fabric fitting him perfectly and looking every bit the elegant gentleman in his attire, his lean frame brought out by the tailored garment.
Her gaze roamed over his form, taking in the way the suit hugged his physique and highlighted his masculine attributes.
The sight was undeniably captivating, causing a glint of admiration to flicker in Renzille's eyes as she assessed him silently from top to bottom, nodding her head in approval.
Renzille allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she regarded Kreios in his suit. "You look absolutely amazing. The suit fits you perfectly, showcasing your physique in the best way."
Kreios couldn't help, but look away from her, his cheeks getting warm at the compliment she had just thrown his way.
Renzille added, her gaze traveling up and down his form appreciatively. "You'll definitely make heads turn at the event, my beloved. You will be the topic of the noble brats' talks for a while."
The maids, including Sophia, let out a chorus of excited squeals, completely enthralled by the sight of Renzille and Kreios.
"Oh my word! The two of you look absolutely amazing together! You're positively perfect for each other, my lady!" All of them gushed in sync, their enthusiasm contagious.
Sophia, in particular, was especially thrilled, her eyes sparkling with delight as she agreed with the maids' assessment. "They're absolutely correct, my lady! The two of you complimented each other so well that it looked like the two of you walked out of a children's fairytale book!"
The ladies were clearly smitten by the couple's appearance, filling the room with excitement and admiration which only urged Renzille to simply shake her head in amusement.
Ignoring the maids' gushing praises, Renzille made her way toward the door and turned to them, but she was mostly directing her words to her trusted maid.
"We'll be back later, so ensure a bath and a comfortable nightgown are prepared for me by then. Understood?" She instructed firmly.
The maids snapped to attention, their focus swiftly shifting back to their duties.
"Yes, my lady!" The maids chorused in response, their excitement put on hold as they diligently noted her instruction.