I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 46

“This can’t be happening,” I muttered in shock, covering my mouth with both hands. My eyes trembled as I took in the unbelievable sight. As I stumbled, seemingly overwhelmed, Luna quickly rushed to my side.

Oh, how could this be! Who on earth was that in the mirror?

With emotions welling up, I reached out to Luna.

“Luna! There’s someone else in the mirror!”

“Stop messing around and stand up straight!”

“Y-yes.”

I got scolded.

Seeing Luna’s sharp glare, I quickly realized that if I continued joking, there would be no mercy. As I obediently straightened my posture, the maids, each holding various items, swiftly surrounded me. My reflection in the mirror looked just like a mannequin in the dress shop.

“Should we add a corsage?”

“No, it will cover the jewels His Majesty bestowed. It’s better to make the hairpiece more elaborate instead.”

“Which looks better—braiding one side elegantly or tying it all up high?”

“I vote for the braid.”

“Alright. Then let’s begin.”

Amidst their solemn determination, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, eyes unfocused. It felt like I might die of boredom, especially since even a small joke had been instantly quashed.

Noticing my restless expression, one of the maids gave me a small smile and spoke gently, “You’re bored, aren’t you? But you must endure it. Today is a very important day.”

Today was the day of the ball for the founding festival, and I was being swept around in preparations. Having gone to bed late the previous night without much thought, I woke up with a puffy face to Luna shaking me awake at dawn. Her horrified scream upon seeing my swollen face marked the start of the day.

“What in the world did you eat before sleeping?!”

“I didn’t eat anything! I think it’s just because I went to bed late.”

“I told you to sleep early! Why, why didn’t you listen? Now your face looks like a steamed bun!”

“…Can’t you just tell me you dislike me if that’s how you feel?”

As harsh as it was to call someone’s face a steamed bun, there was no way I could win against Luna, who had been fiercely determined since morning.

It was honestly exhausting to be pampered and polished all day long, but I didn’t have the courage to stop the maids in their enthusiasm. The lack of sleep caused yawns to escape again and again.

“Isn’t this enough already?”

“Please bear with it a bit longer.”

“We’re almost done.”

When I cautiously offered my opinion, the response was mechanical.

The repetitive assurances that it would soon be over were beginning to wear me down; it was already the fifth time I’d heard that.

I tried to slump my shoulders in dejection, but the maid braiding my hair gently asked me to lift my head, making even that impossible. It was my first time in life realizing how difficult the job of a noble lady could be.

“Still, compared to the young ladies who have to choose a dress, your situation is much better.”

The maid who had noticed my boredom kindly spoke up, but what followed shocked me even more.

“They can’t even sit down all day, trying not to crease their dresses while wearing high heels.”

“If it’s a tight-fitting design, they don’t drink a drop of water from the day before.”

The life of a noble lady was more of an extreme occupation than I had imagined. Not even being able to drink water? I grimaced, and the maids let out soft laughter.

“I guess sturdy boots are better after all?”

“…Yes.”

I couldn’t imagine myself wearing heels.

In a previous fitting, I had worn tall, pointed shoes and tripped embarrassingly after only a few steps, so everyone nodded in agreement. Besides, given my current uniform, a pair of polished boots suited the formal look better, even if they seemed a bit stiff.

“All done!”

With the last pearl tucked into my loosely braided hair, my transformation was finally complete. Everyone around me looked pleased, but when I looked in the mirror, I only felt awkward. Honestly, I looked nothing like myself.

‘If I fight dressed like this, I’ll be done for in seconds.’

While it was technically a uniform, I’d never worn one quite so flamboyant. Julia had insisted on a few small modifications, but what I received in return was quite something.

The golden embroidery and tassels on the white background were similar to the previous design, but the overall look was far more intricate. The dragon embroidered along the hem of the jacket was meticulously detailed, and a red cloak flowed from under the tassels on my left shoulder. Yes, the biggest issue was the cloak.

“Wow, you look like a prince from a fairytale,” Utilia, who had come to be my escort for the day, whistled quietly. She was in her ceremonial armor, which was far more ornate than her usual wear, but compared to me, it was nothing.

“Do I look alright?”

“Sure, but swing a sword in that outfit and you’ll probably trip on your own cape before you even attack.”

“Or maybe step on it and fall flat on your face.”

We both giggled, clearly thinking along the same lines as fellow knights—practicality over appearance. Luna and a young maid, standing nearby, cried out with exasperation.

“But you look like the embodiment of every young girl’s dream!”

“Which is why, please refrain from laughing so boisterously at the ball later.”

“…Luna, calling it boisterous is a bit much.”

“Anyway, if you’re all ready, we should go. Everyone’s waiting.”

“Everyone?”

I gave Utilia a puzzled look, and she responded with a mysterious smile.

A sense of unease flickered through me. Whenever Utilia smiled like that, something was bound to happen.

“Today marks Lady Lindel’s grand debut into society—how could we not do something special?”

“…I’d prefer if you all just did nothing.”

Though I’d never had a formal debutante as the daughter of a noble family, I’d attended many social gatherings as Sionel’s escort, so there was nothing novel about this for me. I didn’t know exactly who “everyone” Utilia referred to, but I just wished they’d all leave things alone.

“Don’t worry, my friend. Just trust us.”

“No, really, doing nothing would be the best help.”

“But today is your day!”

“……”

Something about this felt off, but these were all reasonable adults, so surely they hadn’t planned anything strange. Though unease crawled up from my feet, I forced it down. Even if someone tried something funny, surely someone else would stop them. I consoled myself with that thought as I began to walk.

What could possibly go wrong?

***

As the court musicians played, nobles gathered in small groups, exchanging refined smiles. They commented on the latest dress designs or passionately discussed investments in burgeoning ventures. As was typical wherever people gathered, sweet rumors of romance also made for excellent gossip.

Among the mingling nobles, one young lady covered her mouth with a fan and whispered, “Did you hear that Lady Bodebachne is attending today?”

“Yes, I heard that too, from my father.”

“I heard she hasn’t been well. Is she alright now?”

“My brother serves in the Imperial Guard, and he says she’s much better lately. Apparently, she’s even been visiting the training grounds again.”

Among the murmurs of relief, one young lady spoke spitefully, “Maybe she was never that ill in the first place.”

“Mizar!”

“I can’t help but wonder how conveniently her health recovered. I’m just curious, that’s all.”

Her words caused the others to gasp. One lady quickly looked around, wary of who might overhear, before chiding her friend.

“You should at least wish her well, even if you can’t genuinely mean it.”

“There are already plenty of people fawning over her without me joining in. Why should I bother?”

“Mizar!”

“Ha! Besides, didn’t she always say she was fine? Why was everyone else so frantic, then?”

Mizar Genoart was one of the many ladies who secretly pined for the emperor. Her unrequited love had brought her comfort only in knowing that no one else had managed to capture his heart. But recently, a surprising rumor had spread throughout the empire.

“The emperor loves Lindel Bodebachne!”

What she had thought was baseless gossip continued to grow, gaining more and more substance. Tales of the emperor’s changed demeanor towards his knight spread from the palace, and Mizar had cried her eyes out when she heard them. She knew it was foolish, but her jealousy toward Lindel was uncontrollable.

“Don’t you understand that Lady Lindel’s reassurances were just her way of sparing others worry?”

“I couldn’t care less.”

“How could you say that!”

The young lady whose brother was a knight turned beet red. She, too, had always respected Lindel, and seeing her distress, the others hurried to calm her down.

Though startled by the sharp rebuke, Mizar stubbornly averted her gaze. She had nothing kind to say about the woman who had stolen the heart of the man she loved.

“Lady Lindel Bodebachne is now entering.”

Just then, the protagonist of their conversation was announced. As everyone turned toward the entrance of the ballroom, Mizar bit her lip.

Then, the attendant announced yet another set of names.

“Captain Cryan Fruchtante of the Azure Order. Captain Millior Rutain of the Crimson Order. Captain Alita Uwenn of the White Order. Captain Zimokan Seirbel of the Black Order.”

Faces lit with astonishment.

“What? They’re all here?”

“The Marquis of Seirbel too? Him?”

“I’ve never even seen Captain Millior from a distance. What’s going on?”

The nobles began murmuring among themselves, but no one moved to silence them—everyone was equally taken aback. Never before had there been an event where the captains of all four knightly orders gathered in one place.

Each of them held distinct roles, and their personalities often clashed, making such a gathering all the more unlikely. All hailed from prestigious noble families, and none could be compelled to attend. The only one capable of reining them in, Sionel, had never shown any interest in doing so.

Yet, here they were, entering the ballroom together for the first time. It was only natural for the whispers to grow.

“Ah!”

At that moment, the door opened, and the ones whose names had been called stepped inside. All eyes turned toward them as the person at the very front took a step forward, leaving everyone stunned.