Elena could not hide her surprise as Mirabelle ran towards Carlisle. He was seated on the couch with his long legs crossed and his usual air of pride about him. It was a unique charisma only given off by the Crown Prince.
“You finally arrived.”
“Yes, I came with my sister, but it seems you were here first.”
Mirabelle showed no signs of surprise of seeing him here. Elena was the only one in the room who felt like she had been struck by a bolt from blue.
“What are you doing here?”
Mirabelle answered before Carlisle could.
“I sent him a message today saying we were going to see your wedding dress. I said that if he had the time, the two of you could look together and choose, but I didn’t expect him to be here.”
Elena looked to Carlisle for confirmation, and he nodded.
“I had a free schedule today. I was curious about my bride’s dress.”
He could have given word to Elena at least. She looked at him, put out.
“Next time, please tell me in advance.”
“I was planning to tell you when you contacted me. But for some reason you never did.”
At his strange remark, Elena still harbored a feeling of doubt.
“Do you mean it?”
“Of I do.”
He denied it, but somehow she didn’t believe it. Mirabelle was gazing at them starry-eyed from the side.
“First, you should share your words slowly while looking at the wedding dresses.”
At her words, Carlisle relaxed and smoothly patted the seat by his side.
“Come here.”
There was a seduction in every small gesture that he made. Elena wasn’t the only one who felt the same way, and even Madame Mitchell was standing red-faced behind her. Carlisle’s presence was enough to thrill even a middle-aged woman. Elena hesitated for a moment, but soon seated herself next to Carlisle. This was her place from now on.
“Ah.”
Madame Mitchell fought to cool her red face and spoke again in a polite voice.
“I’ll show you the five wedding dresses that we have prepared.”
That was more dresses than Elena expected.
“You already have five of them?”
“Oh, yes. Thanks to this young lady’s quick and precise orders, we’ve been working as fast as we can. If you don’t like the five that we have, we can create a new design.”
Mirabelle, who seated herself opposite of Elena, nodded.
“We don’t have much time until the wedding, so I asked her to do five designs that would suit you. If you don’t like them, then you don’t have to sign the contract.”
Elena hadn’t expected this much progress, and she felt grateful to Mirabelle for going beyond her expectations. There must be some reason why her sister chose this place, even though they had received estimates from several different shops. Anco would take a loss from the four other dresses that weren’t sold, but they were determined to be the ones to make the dress for the Crown Princess. After quickly understanding the situation, Elena wondered what dresses she had prepared.
“Let’s take a look.”
Madame Mitchell stepped up to a small stage and pulled the curtain aside.
Chwaleuleuleugeu–
Five beautiful wedding dresses on mannequins were revealed to them. Elena’s red eyes widened, and even Mirabelle let out a gasp of admiration.
“Wow.”
The white dresses glittered luxuriously, each bearing a different design. One revealed the collarbone to emphasize feminine beauty, while another boasted splendor with a generous skirt. And there was even one so unlike the others with its mix of white and gold embroidery.
Elena hadn’t attended many weddings, but she had never seen more beautiful wedding dresses than the five in front of her. It was impossible to choose which was the best among the five. Madame Mitchell felt proud after seeing Elena’s and Mirabelle’s reaction. It was the best work of her life. The dresses produced for the imperial ball drew from popular designs, but these were unlike anything she created. She felt proud of herself because she had made these dresses with all of her heart, but when she saw their reactions with her own eyes, she felt more confident.
“They’re all so beautiful, though I can’t decide which is the best. What do you like best, Elena?”
Elena could not readily respond to the question.
“I love them all.”
She tried to imagine herself wearing each dress at Bellouet Square. Carlisle, who had been silent until now, chimed in.
“I think we already have the answer.”
Everyone’s attention turned towards him. Elena couldn’t help but wonder which dress Carlisle preferred.
“Which one do you like best, Caril?”
“Do I have to decide that?”
Elena wasn’t the only one confused by his answer. Mirabelle and Madame Mitchell turned to stare in curiously as well. Carlisle carried on in a languid voice.
“I’ll buy everything.”
Elena’s and Mirabelle’s eyes widened at the same time. Madame Mitchell was also stunned, but in a different way. Inside, she was joyous enough that she could dance. She opened her lips in a trembling voice.
“Well, Your Highness, that means…?”
“Thank you for making my bride’s wedding dress. Please wrap everything that you’ve shown us and send it to Blaise mansion.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Madame Mitchell looked happy enough to cry. Elena quickly recovered and turned to Carlisle in a whispering voice.
“A single wedding dress will do. I don’t need five of them.”
“You like everything. Everything looks like it will suit you, and you can wear it even when it’s not your wedding day.”
“But–”
Before Elena could protest any further, Carlisle turned towards Mirabelle.
“What do you think, sister-in-law?”
“…Brother-in-law is the best.”
Mirabelle gave him a small thumbs up, and Carlisle couldn’t help but smile faintly.
Presently accounting for everyone’s reactions—Mirabelle was impressed, Elena was embarrassed, and Madame Mitchell was ecstatic. Among them, only Carlisle continued on with an unperturbed expression.
“Is there anything else you have prepared?”
Madame Mitchell thought it would end with the five dresses, and she quickly pulled herself together.
“Yes, yes! The other one is only a drawing, but I’ll show you the design now.”
Elena had already experienced it several times, but the scale of Carlisle’s wealth was truly beyond imagination.