I’ve always wanted to dress up other girls. I had friends, but I usually never went out to sleepovers with them. My life perpetually lacked the pleasant feeling of playing innocent dress-up or doing one another’s makeup. As I brushed light blue pigment onto Teresa’s eyelids, I couldn’t help but smile and feel my heart flutter with excitement. I squeezed the handle of the brush.

I’ve always wanted to do this.

I’ve always wanted to do simple things like this. I’ve always wanted to dress up for parties with my friends. I’ve always wanted to spend the night without a single care in the entire world.

And yet, things are never as simple as that. I wouldn’t have voluntarily chosen to go to any ball if it weren’t significant to the Whitensen distinguished circle. In the end, I never would have had any of this if I hadn’t been burned alive and thrown here. That lingering feeling of my body disintegrating in agonizing torture makes shivers run up and down my body. I forced the images of the earlier event out of my mind.

With a few swipes of vivid lip tint, I finished Teresa’s look with satisfaction. My audience of two maids, one by the name of Emma, and the other, Karolina, nodded in approval to my completed work of art. Emma had a braided updo of autumn hair and wore an unmoved expression. Her golden eyes were cold like her partner, Karolina. However, Karolina had her short and wavy burgundy bob with airy bangs, and her eyes were nearly pitch black. Karolina’s skin was a glowing bronze. To others in Whitensen, she would be a foreigner. Her stature reminded me of women from the military. Upon requesting their input, they refused to comment on my makeup application, so I just accepted their silence as validation.

“You may look towards the mirror now,” I told Teresa with an exuberant smile.

The transformed maid nervously gyrated herself. The moment her back was fully facing the opposite direction of the large mirror with carved golden framing, I saw her beam with a sweet and joyous laugh. When she saw herself, she reached toward her reflection. She’s been stretching her hands out to anything now. I wasn’t particularly shocked that she wanted to touch her own image.

“Wow, my lady, I didn’t know you were exceptionally talented in makeup.”

I didn’t either, Teresa. Maybe the years I spent gawking at videos online about makeup has finally paid off in a way. I’m glad someone appreciates my work. I wish that happened more often.

My cheeks warmed at the compliment. “Thank you. Now, we don’t have much time left. We should start dressing in our gowns.”

The mention of "we" and "our" arose the question: Is Elisabeth truly bringing her maid to the debutante?

They didn’t ask me about my choices, but I could tell they were perturbed by my decisions.

I know I don’t precisely behave like the original Elisabeth Madeline Carabell. Sometimes, I wish people would stop thinking every single thing I do is strange and out of character. At this point, I’m just curious as to how the original Elisabeth actually acts. Rumors will be rumors, and there’s only a little truth in what people say about you.

Regardless of the negative thoughts that clouded my mind, Emma and Karolina prepped the gowns for fitting.

I had hand-picked out a heavily beaded golden gown that glimmered and shined with scarcely any lighting. It was more of a nude color than a vivid yellow-golden, and the layers were made of embroidered lace with an innumerable amount of embellishments. The upper section of the dress had an illusion neckline that held up the lacey breasted area of the gown. The overall ensemble was a majestic and eye-catching, glittering nude-golden gown.

However, when they brought it out, the gown not only glittered but glowed!

“What? How?” I gasped in astonishment.

Teresa grinned mischievously. “Madam also tweaked your dress a bit.”

I was about to run over and start touching the dress, but something in my mind nagged at me.

She couldn’t possibly have done this out of goodwill.

Refraining from exerting any excitement, I swiveled back to look at my maid. She was smiling as if she wasn’t a slave to the renowned spoilt brat of the Carabell family.

“Teresa, are you sure she didn’t do anything else to it? It’s not like she’ll suddenly do favors for me out of the blue.” Her expression turned sour quickly. I was being cautious like I always was. I’ve been hurt like anyone else would have been in life. People say one thing but mean another and do one thing for something in return. Humans learn from trial and error, and I’ve possessed more trials and errors to not be trusting of what anyone gives me. “I just don’t think the duchess would be that generous.”

I’m not stupid. The words rang in my ears and stung at my heart.

“My Lady...madam did it as a gift,” Teresa told me with hurt in her eyes. “I thought you would be pleased.”

“Pleased? This is something from a woman who didn’t apologize after telling me she regretted giving birth to me! How could I trust something from a woman who doesn’t even love me?” I questioned her passionately. Without noticing, I was referring to Elisabeth’s mother as my own.

I could feel my eyes welling up with tears, and my chest aching as my heart raced. Emma and Karolina excused themselves, leaving Teresa and me together.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I didn’t consider your feelings,” she apologized despondently.

The makeup made her look like a mourning angel, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty that I told her that someone she admired was untrustworthy and scheming. Suddenly, I felt hot streams run down my face. Droplets of rouge-colored tears landed on my silk nightgown. When she caught sight of my miserable state, her expression shifted to distress.

“My Lady, I’m sorry!” she pleaded, rushing to go onto her knees. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

As I looked down at her, eyes swollen from crying, the sight of her kowtowing exasperated me so much I completely forgot about why I was breaking down. “Why are you doing that?!” I yelled, making her body jump from the startling volume of my voice. “Why do you make it seem like I’m your superior? If anything, I’m below you! You’re a beautiful and smart person, stop putting yourself below others! I could be sobbing for whatever reason, but it makes me angrier that you keep kneeling and apologizing!”

I wiped my eyes, smearing the ruined makeup of eyeliner, glittery eyeshadow pigment, and blush on my forearm.

Taking a breath, I asked her, “Why do you find me scary?”

Her lips parted for a moment, but then she closed them as if trying to sow away the fear in her mind. “I...am not trying to be afraid, my lady.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Then, I am not going to answer you.”

- At the time of the debutante -

We arrived precisely on time, a bit later than we wanted to since Teresa and I had our hair and makeup ruined. Not to mention having to fit the dresses last minute. I was still shaken up by all the adrenaline of rushing around in a crazed panic.

“Ahh, it’s hard not to do things at the last minute.” I sighed with a chuckle to make myself feel less worried about entering the ball.

Teresa nodded. “However, the later, the better. You would have a bigger audience to see your grand entrance.”

I straightened my lips. “I’d rather not, Teresa.” Again, she tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows.

As soon as I exited the carriage, I heard an entourage of nobles having a conversation. I recognized a few of the students. One of them has a family running the Whitensen coal mines, and the other had a family dealing with enormous cattle farms.

“Lady Lancaster is attending the ball with the crown prince as her escort! Can you believe that? The prince has already started making his moves for Viktoria,” one of the ladies spoke.

“I can imagine his highness is going to break off the engagement with Elisabeth to marry Viktoria instead,” another added.

“Yeah, it’s so obvious.”

Ignoring the ladies, I held my hand out for Teresa to hold to stabilize her as she stepped down. The once maid had transformed into an ethereal princess within hours. Her skin was flawless with a tint of pink, and her lips were a soft rosy shade. Most of all, the floral blue tulle gown perfectly suited her. The nobles turned their heads towards us, and I sent them a sly grin.

“Look at their dresses!” one of the nobles within the group exclaimed.

“Do you know who they are? They’re from the Carabell household. Look at the carriage, the Carabell feather crest is on it. The lady with the green eyes must be Lady Elisabeth Carabell!”

“What?! Elisabeth never wears such dresses, let alone bring another lady with her!”

Their faces were briefly caught on our beauty before they turned to scorn.

“I thought Whitensen’s longtime noble families were supposed to have splendor and dignity. They talk as if they are nouveau riche,” I remarked boldly without showing my irritability. “Such a dirty style of talking is only reserved for them.”

They gasped at my statement, although it was directed to them derogatively, they turned their faces and walked away. The nobles of the older families of Whitensen have a reputation to uphold. The newer nobles are taking up their places. If they had thrown back some snarky retort, they would be looked down on. Despite their impressive history, their families are struggling to keep up with the nouveau riche. The only stable positions in Whitensen are the duchies. However, thanks to Elisabeth, the Carabell duchy might be declining.

“My Lady, are you sure it is acceptable for me to wear such attire to the debutante?” Teresa asked me worriedly, twiddling with her silky light blue gloves.

“What do you mean? This is a formal ball, of course, your attire is fine!” I told her.

“If you say so, my lady,” she said, trailing behind me as I walked across the academy campus to the grand ballroom.

The moment I stepped through the ginormous doorway, I caught sight of the most glittering chandeliers and shining marble. Grand arrangements of assortments of fruit and desserts on delicate plates with floral and golden designs lined excessively long tables. The cloth on the tables had matching golden patterns. The sculptures were extremely detailed with their carvings. Ladies and gentlemen wore their utmost best attire. A strong feeling of deja vu welled up within me. It was a repeat of the first day at the academy. Except, everyone was overly glammed up, more so than on the first day.

With all the gorgeous noble ladies, I felt considerably insecure. If I hadn’t stolen Elisabeth’s body, I would never have been able to be as beautiful as they are. This beauty doesn’t even belong to me. I closed my fingers into fists, wrinkling the nude-colored silk gloves I wore.

I don’t deserve such luxury.

As I observed the ballroom from the lofty steps of stairs leading down to the floor, I started to notice how everyone was staring back at me. I could hear my heart pulsing in my head.

“My Lady, we should go down,” Teresa suggested, and I gently nodded.

As I walked step by step down the lengthy stairway, their eyes followed me, small murmurs passing through the crowd. Some gawked at the lady behind me, wondering who she could possibly be, and others were just confused. My right hand brushed the white railing until the end, where it closed off at a loop. As I looked around towards everyone else who was watching me, I suddenly decided to smile to make myself feel less awkward. Teresa followed my lead and beamed.

The ladies hid their faces with fans, and the men whispered to each other. One of the gentlemen approached me without hesitation. He was a handsome young man with hazel eyes and a light crop of hair loosely swiped to the side.

“My fair lady, what is your name?” he asked with the most charming voice. However, it reminded me of Prince Caydel and Prince Patrick. The two of them have unmatchable irresistible voices.

I laughed softly. “I am Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, the sole daughter of the Carabell family.”

The crowd suddenly rumbled with commotion, and the gentleman’s expression shifted to one of detest.

“That’s Lady Carabell?!”