There Is No Place For Fakes

Margaret said in excitement.

“I’ll try to make the dress to match your Highness’ will as much as possible. Please leave it to me.”

“Thank you!”

Margaret’s brain was already planning on how and where to start, she had to do the dress in a hurry and she had to enlist the manpower needed. Just as the young designer was about to take her leave, the Princess hesitantly asked her one more thing.

“Um… Would it be rude if I asked for just one more Debutante dress?”

“Are you planning to entrust me with the dresses you will wear on other days of the Debutante Ball too?”

This debutante banquet would be held for five days longer than usual. It was to commemorate the appearance of a new Princess. Among them, the debut in the true sense was, of course, the first day of the banquet. Usually, the debut dress meant the dress to be worn on the first day. Since the duration was five days, a five-star dress was required to attend every day. No matter how much it was a great honor to be in charge of the Princess’s debutante dress, it was unreasonable for Margaret to make five dresses. There was only a week left until the Debutante Ball. And in the meantime, she had to make two dresses.

‘I heard they leave the rest to another tailor,’ she remembered.

Princess Elencia wiggled her fingers.

“Actually, a friend of mine is also attending this debut event, and I thought, ‘Can I make a dress for that kid?’ Oh! Of course, I have no intention of forcing Margaret. If it’s too much trouble, you can deny it.” 

The Princess fiddled with her hair.

“I’m worried because my friend is in a lot of trouble right now. I want to give her joy with something like this. But it would be difficult to make another dress on such short notice, right?”

Attending the debutante meant that her friend was also an aristocrat. The princess, who had just entered the imperial palace and has not officially debuted, has already made friends with other aristocrats? 

Margaret’s suspicions were soon cleared, the only person that the Princess could be referring to could only be that person. Since she’s still at the Imperial Place as a state guest, it’s highly likely that she ran into Princess Ellencia. The former Imperial Princess Philomel. It’s a relationship that’s likely to be uncomfortable, but the Princess still managed to become friends with her. 

A warm feeling spread in Margaret’s chest. The Princess’s heart was admirable, so she replied with a smile.

“Could that friend be the former Imperial Princess Philomel?”

“That’s right.”

“Then you don’t have to worry. I’m already supposed to make a dress for Miss Philomel’s debutante!”

“…yes?”

Margaret did not notice that the way Ellencia’s face hardened slightly.

“Thanks to your Highness’s recommendation of me, it seems that His Majesty has taken good care of me as well. He also entrusted Miss Philomel’s debutante dress to me.”

“…Dad?”

Margaret couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong with the Princess’ expression, which had clearly changed from before.

“…That, that’s right. Is something the matter…?”

“Hah.”

It sounded like a cold sigh. However, the Princess quickly returned to her original kind face.

“That’s a relief! I hope you make Philomel’s dress pretty too!”

Margaret left the Princess’ quarters, bewildered.

* * *

Nassar visited the palace two days before the Debutante Ball. He scratched his cheek and explained why he couldn’t come earlier.

“Maybe it was because I came in blindly the other day, so I couldn’t get permission to enter the palace for a while.”

Philomel, who was walking along with Nassar, thought.

‘No wonder, last time you barged in without permission after all.’

The Emperor had not given the young Duke permission to enter because it was a chaotic situation shortly after Philomel’s return.

“The Duke has a more reckless side than I thought.”

Nassar was visibly embarrassed.

“Why are you using honorifics? Please feel free to address me comfortably.”

“I can’t do that. I’m not even a Princess anymore, so how could I call the Duke of Avrydon comfortably…”

“No, Your Highness.”

“No Duke, you should start addressing me correctly. I’m not a Princess anymore.”

“…sorry. I will correct it.”

“You don’t have to use honorifics, Duke.”

“No. Unless it’s an order.”

“No, it’s not an order…”

Philomel decided to just let Nassar do whatever he wanted.

“Then how will the Duke treat me? How should I treat the Duke?”

After seriously pondering over an insignificant question, Nassar opened his mouth.

“Then why not call me by my first name like before?”

“Your name?”

“Yes. You always used to call me by my name when we were children.”

‘Did I?’

Come to think of it, it seems that that is the case. She was not conscious of it herself, but Nassar must have been paying attention to her. It wasn’t even a difficult request for her, so Philomel readily accepted it.

“Is it so? I’ll do that, Nassar.”

Nassar smiled brightly. It was a beautiful smile that seemed to brighten up the world.

“Thank you!”

“Then Nassar should call me by name too.”

“…?”

“You can call me Philomel from now on.”

“I, how dare I, call your name…”

Nassar rattled like a broken tin doll.

‘What? Or are you going to tell me that you’ll continue to treat me like a Princess?’

In that case, if someone listened, Philomel would be in trouble the most. There would be misunderstandings that she still has lingering attachments to the position of the imperial Princess. In order to prevent such an unfortunate incident from happening, Philomel firmly pressed Nassar.

“Nassar, be sure to call me by my first name. I want you to call me by my first name.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Nassar, who blushed, added in a small voice after a while.

“…Miss Philomel.”

“You don’t have to add the ‘Miss’.”

“I cannot do that.”

Nassar answered firmly.

“Wow, Nassar, when you’re determined, you’re very assertive.”

Philomel chuckled. Nassar’s gaze, which had been laughing at Philomel, suddenly turned to her back.

“I haven’t seen you around before, are you Miss Philomel’s new escort?”

Jeremiah, who had taken a completely different appearance, looked at them with his stubby face. When Jeremiah had to escort Philomel to the outside of Southern Palace or when Philomel had guests over, he’d disguise himself with the power of the necklace he once lent her. Originally, he could only use allowed magic items on the Palace grounds due to the effect of the Imperial Palace barrier, but when Le Guin touched it, the necklace quickly found its function. 

Jeremiah responded with his characteristic impoliteness.

“Can’t you tell just by looking at me, I’m an escort.”

Philomel approached Jeremiah and lowered her voice.

“Jeremiah, you should be respectful.”

“…Shit, I apologize to the great little duke. I’m the new escort.”

Nassar did not change the color of his face and accepted it flexibly.

“I see. It must be our first meeting, but it feels strangely familiar. Perhaps we met somewhere…?”

Come to think of it, it was said that when Nassar came back from Angelium, he accompanied Philomel’s three brothers. It seemed that he couldn’t recognize him now because of the effect of the necklace, but there was nothing good about being caught by him.

Philomel hurriedly grabbed both of them by the arms.

“Haha, Jeremiah has a rather common face. In the future, the two of you will see each other often. How about shaking hands?”

Then Jeremiah tilted his face awkwardly.

“Well, maybe not often.”

Nassar said firmly and reached out his hand first.

“It will be often.”

The two joined hands. Strangely, it was a handshake that seemed to have taken too much force. She thought only Jeremiah was harsh, but Nassar’s eyes weren’t quite as nice.

‘Aren’t the two of them very incompatible?’

Philomel thought she should avoid having the two of them encounter as much as possible. 

After giving Jeremiah a harsh look to prevent friction between the two men, Philomel and Nassar continued their walk. However, a disturbing scream came from far away. A maid was hanging out under a large tree. She was Emily, whom Philomel used as a spy.

Emily exclaimed, looking up at her tree.

“Your Highness the Princess! Stop and come down! You’ll get seriously hurt!”

It was only then that the figure of a young woman, hidden between the leaves, was revealed. Ellencia was hanging from a tree and climbing up. Philomel’s eyes widened at the appearance of the unexpected person.

‘What are you doing here?’

This palace was far from the West Palace where Ellencia lived.

Standing on the lowermost stem, Ellensia reached her hand higher.

“Butterfly, I’ll save you!” 

‘Butterfly?’

She couldn’t see her closely because she’s far away from here, but Ellencia seemed to be trying to save a cat on the tree. Why Ellencia had moved all the way here and why she’s putting all her heart into rescuing a cat, was beyond Philomel. 

Nassar’s words helped to understand Philomel’s embarrassing situation.

“That’s Princess Elencia. It’s the first time I’ve seen her.”

Yes. This is the first meeting between Ellencia and Nassar. 

‘It’s when the two people fall for each other!’

The first meeting of the two of them in <Princess Ellencia> unfolded in Philomel’s head. The situation was pretty much the same as now. Ellencia was also climbing a tree. She was in the middle of returning the fallen baby birds back to their nest, but she ended up falling from the tree. At that time the person who happened to pass under the tree was Nassar. He caught the falling Princess wonderfully and the moment their eyes met, they fell in love at first sight. Nassar thought Ellencia was an angel falling from the sky or something like that.

Why is a similar situation like the novel still happening, even though a lot changed and Ellencia came to the Palace a year earlier?Is this fate?

 Goosebumps rose on Philomel’s back from the exquisite arrangement of fate.

Philomel squinted at Nassar next to her. She wondered if he would really fall for Ellencia at this moment. At that time, Nassar, who had been watching Ellencia, opened his mouth.

Philomel was nervous. What is going to be his reaction when he sees the woman he would passionately love in the future?

“She looks like a monkey. It’s amazing. She makes a good nuthatch too.”

“…Is that all?”

“What more is there?”

“No. It’s alright.”

‘No, that’s a compliment in its own way, but… But could he see a monkey in the princess?’

Did he fall in love only after accepting that too? Philomel tilted her head.