Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 74

Since I stayed silent without saying anything, Reus continued speaking.

“The King of Leveren has invited us.”

“His Majesty the King?”

“Yes. We might have to stay longer than expected once we go, so please pack anything essential in that bag.”

“Oh, okay…”

The sudden news surprised me a little, but the confusion quickly faded and excitement filled the empty space.

‘Isn’t Leveren across the sea? Don’t we have to take a ship?’

I looked at Reus with hopeful eyes.

“As long as we arrive at the Pillaren port by the afternoon, we should have enough time.”

“Are we taking a ship?”

It was an obvious question since the country was across the ocean, but I still wanted confirmation. Soon, Reus nodded.

It was my first time going to another country outside of the Ashelit Empire. Since it was an official invitation, it was more of a formal visit than a vacation.

But still, I felt really happy.

“You may stay as long as you’d like.”

“Really?”

“Even staying for two weeks would be just right, I think.”

Hmm…? Wouldn’t that mean I’d be away from the Grand Duke’s estate for too long?

But Reus looked  quite serious. No way, I must be imagining things. That man always jokes like it’s nothing.

I was worried, but I tried to ignore that feeling.

Most of the luggage was packed and moved by the servants, so all I really had to put in the gifted bag were books or casual clothes that could get wrinkled.

So, I gave up packing myself and decided to choose outfits to wear in Leveren — and on the cruise right away.

But as mentioned, servants couldn’t freely come to the floor with the bedroom, so only Millie could enter the dressing room.

“Your Highness, what should I pack?”

Millie seemed even more excited than I was.

“Just pack the usual things I wear.”

“But Your Highness, we have so many beautiful dresses…”

“This isn’t just a trip. We’re going because His Majesty invited us.”

“But isn’t this a bit of a vacation too? His Highness said to prepare as much as you’d need for a whole month!”

“What?”

I was already surprised to learn there would be a week-long cruise starting today.

‘If he said to pack for a month… is he really planning to stay two full weeks in Leveren?’

So that wasn’t a joke…? No wonder Reus looked so shamelessly serious.

“Besides, His Majesty won’t be on the cruise, right? You can wear all the pretty dresses just for that week!”

After Millie’s repeated insistence, I ended up choosing clothes again.

“How about this one? What do you think?”

“Hmm…”

I knew the Kingdom of Leveren was more open and lively than the Ashelit Empire.

But all the clothes Millie picked were way too flashy.

If the colors were calm, they were covered in gems. If I liked the design, the hidden parts were too bold, making it hard for me to even try them on.

Then, Millie smiled with confidence and held up a dress.

“This one? It’s a calm color like you like, and the design isn’t too flashy either! What do you think?”

Just like Millie said, it was a white dress with soft blue floral patterns. It didn’t look overwhelming at all.

Actually, it was so much my style that I wondered how I had never seen it before.

‘It’s beautiful…’

The problem was, I’d never worn this kind of design before, so I hesitated.

It was a sleeveless dress with only thin shoulder straps, showing my chest, shoulders, and arms.

And the shape was tight from below the chest to the hips, showing the body line.

The skirt flared out slightly and ended below the knees, but overall, it was very different from what I usually wore.

Still, it didn’t show cleavage or cling completely to the body…

‘It’s pretty, but I’m not sure it suits me.’

Actually, once when I went to a boutique with Roshan and Emily, I fell in love with a similar design and bought a dress like this.

It wasn’t much for nobles, but the price was a burden for me. I bought it with a lot of courage. But when I wore it, people’s reactions weren’t good.

Even my father, who usually didn’t care much about my clothes, was openly negative.

“That dress… doesn’t suit your image at all. It’s better to stick to the calm dresses you usually wear, Loelle. You know, the white one you often wear.”

“Yes, Father. I’ll do that.”

“Since you’re not married yet, it’s better to protect your modest image. Whether it’s now or later, men will prefer to marry someone quiet and gentle like you. They’re drawn to your pure image…”

“And as I always say, there’s nothing more important in your life than marriage. So, if you want to be noticed and chosen by a man, you should wear what men like, not what you want to wear.”

That’s what he told me, but he never said anything when Briella wore revealing clothes.

So I wondered if it really looked that bad on me for him to say that.

Cassien also reacted similarly.

He didn’t look pleased when he saw me, and eventually scolded me for wearing something like that. He then took me to a boutique and told me to only wear clothes he picked from now on.

Briella mocked me, saying only cheap clothes suited me, and Peria also sneered when she saw me.

I was so hurt then that I never tried new styles again.

‘Yeah, I don’t think this is right.’

“The dress is pretty, but I don’t think it suits me.”

“What are you talking about? No one would look better in this than you, Your Highness! It’s like this dress was made just for you. I’m sure His Highness would think you look just like an angel!”

“What? Millie, wait…”

“I’m serious! Not just His Highness everyone would think so.”

Millie babbled endlessly as she gently pulled me deeper into the dressing room.

“You can try it on and decide after! Come on, I’ll help you change!”

Then she quickly took off the dress I was wearing. Before I knew it, I was already in the new dress she brought.

‘Hmm… it really is a beautiful dress.’

But like Father said, it didn’t feel like it suited me.

I stared stiffly at the mirror, feeling awkward. Then I heard Millie mumbling softly behind me.

“Like a real angel.”

“Huh? Millie, did you say something…?”

“Look at you, Your Highness! If you hadn’t tried this on, it would’ve been such a shame.”

“Millie, didn’t you just say something?”

“Yes! I said it suits you so well!”

“Really…? But isn’t it a little awkward?”

“Not at all. It suits you unbelievably well. I’m telling you — this dress was made just for you!”

Once again, Millie’s shower of praise overwhelmed me, and I ended up leaving the dressing room without changing back.

Loelle was a little excited at the thought of riding a cruise for the first time in her life. But when she saw the crowd waiting for her, regret hit her like a wave.

‘I should’ve changed before coming out…’

She was especially afraid of how Reus would react.

But if they didn’t leave now, they wouldn’t arrive at the port in time.

So, she forced herself to start walking again. But as soon as Reus came into view, Loelle’s heart began to pound nervously.

It had been a while since she felt this anxious. Her mouth went dry from the tension.

Because of that, her face looked so gloomy that anyone could think she was forced to wear the dress.

At that moment, Reus, who had turned his head without much thought, froze completely.

He had spotted Roel wearing a white wide-brimmed hat with a blue ribbon and a flowing dress.

For a moment, Reus felt like he was trapped in a space where time moved painfully slow.

Just a moment ago, he could clearly hear the sounds of summer. But now, all he could hear was the loud, heavy beating of his own heart.

Totally dazed, Reus could only follow Loelle’s movements with his eyes.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

Reus usually reached out to her even when they were just a little close. But today, he stood still and just stared at her, which made Loelle nervous.

But everyone else watching them had the same thought.

‘His Highness is totally smitten.’

Even the servants loading luggage in the distance.

‘He’s completely in love.’

Even the knights waiting near the carriage.

‘His Highness has always been like that, so it’s not even surprising anymore…’

Even Dwyn, who no longer reacted to such things.

But Loelle, anxious from Reus’s silence, started rambling things she didn’t even need to say.

“The dress looks a bit strange, doesn’t it? I feel like it looks really awkward. I didn’t want to be late, so I just wore it… but if it’s really that bad, I can quickly go change.”

Unfortunately Reus was still half out of it and didn’t hear a single word Loelle said.

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