Chapter 431 |
‘This, was the dress like this?’
Rene was greatly surprised by the transformed appearance of her dress.
She hadn’t received any prior notice from Violetta about such a function in the dress.
If she had known, she wouldn’t have been so surprised.
Rene suddenly remembered that when Violetta first drew the design of the dress, she drew three versions.
She thought they were just three different designs, but who would have thought all three would be incorporated into one dress.
Now she understood why Violetta had smiled saying it was a secret.
‘Still, how should I say it?’
It wasn’t a bad feeling.
The embers flickering over the dress created an enchanting effect as they spread around Rene.
Everyone gathered their eyes to watch the spectacle, especially the women’s gazes were surprisingly intense.
A transforming dress?
This was a massive innovation that would mark a milestone in the fashion industry.
The idea of imbuing clothes with magic was something everyone had thought of before.
In fact, the robes worn by magicians not only showed their affiliations but also had magical resistance properties.
However, the reason it hadn’t become a major trend was due to practicality.
Yes, practicality.
Rather than imbuing magic into robes or clothes, it was sufficient to engrave protective barriers against bullets into artifacts like rings or necklaces.
Who would choose the harder path when the effort required was significantly different while the results were the same?
Magic-enhanced clothing ultimately had to remain at the planning stage.
Particularly, the dress Rene wore had visual beauty as its only practical magical effect.
In a way, this meant it had no practical use at all for something enhanced with magic.
If anything, it was an excessive investment.
Rudger secretly smiled as he watched the dress burning like flames along with the sunset.
‘But the world doesn’t run on practicality alone.’
There’s also human desire.
If only the function of clothing was needed, wearing cheap fabric and ordinary clothes would suffice.
But wealthy people, especially noble ladies, spend enormous amounts of money on adorning themselves gorgeously.
It’s common for a single dress to cost more than a car.
They don’t even care about how much it costs, that was human desire.
The dress that Rudger created in collaboration with Violetta raised such desires to their peak.
In fact, the women’s gazes toward Rene were full of burning desire.
Those gazes were so intense that they made the flames rising from Rene’s dress look modest in comparison.
“Rene. That dress…”
Erendir swallowed and asked.
As a princess, Erendir had seen countless dresses.
Among them were dresses decorated with all sorts of magnificent jewels, and masterpieces said to be made by the finest designers of the time but none of them had struck a chord in her heart.
While it was partly because Erendir herself pursued a life far removed from extravagance, it was also because her standards had become high from constant exposure since childhood.
Even Erendir was captivated by the dress Rene wore, so one can imagine how others reacted.
“House of Verdi. I thought they had become quite famous recently, but to think they would incorporate magic into social dresses.”
Rationally, it was something that shouldn’t be done but not everything in the world flows that way.
Looking at how they targeted a niche that others hadn’t chosen, in some sense, it might have been the most rational judgment of all.
Of course, that wasn’t what was important right now.
Everyone was watching Rene’s appearance and her dress.
No matter how magnificent a dress might be, its value would be diminished if the person wearing it looked unsightly but this dress suited Rene perfectly.
It was as if they were made for each other from the start.
While the initial pure white was beautiful, the appearance of burning flames was beautiful too.
Perhaps it was even more so because her hair color was ash grey.
Burning flames are beautiful.
That’s why only ashes remain after everything burns.
Just like her hair color.
Rene, who was initially surprised, instinctively felt what she should do.
Perhaps Rudger had known this and entrusted her with such an important role, she thought.
Rene lightly twirled once in place.
Even the uncomfortable shoes had become manageable with practice, so turning wasn’t difficult.
The embers that had been rising like heat haze over the dress scattered in all directions.
The embers spreading like dandelion seeds decorated the surroundings like Flora’s magic.
Since they weren’t real flames, they weren’t hot but people could feel an inexplicable warmth brush against their faces.
Is this what it feels like to be overwhelmed?
A mysterious girl with many secrets, a beautiful dress and the timing of the spotlight as if prepared made it seem like the world revolved around this girl named Rene.
Eventually, the sun completely set beyond the window.
The sunset faded, and a slightly cold blue light filled the surroundings.
As if trying to cool down the heated atmosphere just a little the heat subsiding was the same for Rene’s dress.
As if the intense burning from earlier had been just a dream, no more flames rose from her dress.
It had only turned black, like remains left after everything had burned.
“Ah.”
Someone let out a sigh full of regret.
The most beautiful dress in the world had vanished in the blink of an eye.
What could be sadder than this at a ball?
Meanwhile, the sky gradually darkened, and the light flowing from the ballroom grew stronger.
Under it, Rene’s appearance in the burned dress felt somewhat out of place.
There was only one person moving in the solemn atmosphere.
It was Rudger.
Rudger secretly scattered magical power around without people noticing.
Slowly.
Thinly and widely.
It wasn’t flashy magic. Rather, what he wanted was the opposite.
It was to put a period on this solemn atmosphere in a fitting way.
Dark attribute magic.
[Holy Night]
Darkness descended upon the surroundings.
Not pitch-black darkness, but the gentle darkness of early evening.
If one were to discuss its effect, it merely darkened an overly bright atmosphere slightly but this was enough for Rudger.
No, precisely speaking, it was enough for Rene.
-Hup.
Someone’s small gasp echoed as a new change occurred in Rene’s dress.
Faint lights began appearing one by one in the dress that had seemed pitch black.
Eventually, it spread throughout the entire dress, shining distinctly even in the darkness.
They thought it was a dress that had burned completely black but once darkness settled around, that thought quickly changed.
Those weren’t burned ashes, rather, it was something incomparably more beautiful.
“The night sky.”
Flora unconsciously muttered.
The final form of Rene’s dress was the night sky with a beautiful Milky Way flowing through it.
Simultaneously, the ribbon tied at the back of Rene’s dress naturally came undone.
The semi-transparent fabric floating in the air was filled with bluish moonlight.
The star-filled night sky that could no longer be seen in Leathervelk due to pollution was perfectly recreated in Rene’s dress.
Rene in the dress was truly like a goddess of the night.
The final magic given to Cinderella was the most sacred finale decorating all of this.
Rene raised her head to look up at Rudger on the terrace.
She instinctively sensed who was the master of this sudden darkness.
Rudger slightly nodded toward Rene as their eyes met as if saying this is now your stage, you are the protagonist here.
After taking a moment to compose herself, Rene took a step forward.
Unlike when she first entered the ballroom, her movements were more elegant and controlled.
People naturally parted to the sides along her path.
Their bodies reacted before their minds could think.
Standing at the center of the ballroom, Rene spoke to the contest judges.
“You said you were accepting contestants? I’ll participate.”
The judges couldn’t give any response to those words but there was no sign of rejection in their bewilderment.
Jesse Luna, who finally came to her senses, spoke up.
[We-well then! I’ll give scores!]
Speaking unusually hesitantly, Jesse Luna urged the other judges with sharp glances.
The judges, who had been entranced by the miraculous scene, began giving scores one by one.
The result was perfect marks.
Unfortunately, Flora had to settle for second place.
[While Flora Lumos’ magic was truly outstanding, this place is ultimately meant to showcase women’s beauty, so we had to give more points to this side.]
Carter Roar stepped forward as representative to continue the explanation.
[If this were a place to compete in qualities as a magician, the rankings might have been reversed, but when choosing someone who suits this occasion, it had to be unanimous. Congratulations.]
Applause rained down on Rene from all directions at those words.
Rene, looking slightly breathless, bowed her head slightly to the judges in gratitude.
“Thank you.”
Silence fell again after the applause ended and everyone stared at Rene.
The winner of the Miss Contest had been decided, but what was important was what came next.
Who would be the fortunate man to receive a dance request from today’s protagonist?
All the men gathered in the ballroom couldn’t let go of a sliver of hope, even while knowing it wouldn’t be them.
The most likely candidate was Freuden Ulburg, who usually spent time with Rene, a person flawless in both appearance and family background.
Even the women who had hoped to dance with Freuden at this occasion had to give up at this moment but Freuden’s expression wasn’t very good.
He knew who she had been looking at when her dress transformed to perfectly capture the night sky.
‘No.’
It was fine that she wore such a flashy dress unlike her usual self.
It was fine that she rejected his proposal.
It was fine that everyone at this gathering now knew the beauty he thought only he knew.
That was all fine.
But
“No.”
Freuden muttered quietly as he saw Rene’s gaze slowly turning in one direction.
It was an action he would never take, given how much he usually valued proper conduct, that’s how desperate Freuden was.
It’s fine if you don’t choose me.
I won’t mind if you dance with someone else.
Everything else is fine but just not that man.
Please don’t choose that man of all people.
Unfortunately, Freuden’s desperate wish didn’t reach Rene.
“Professor Rudger Chelici.”
Rene called his name while looking up at the second-floor terrace.
People’s gazes naturally turned to Rudger, and some of the prepared spotlights in the darkness illuminated him.
Rudger looked down at Rene with his usual calm gaze.
Rene smiled gently toward Rudger and extended her hand.
“Would you dance to one song with me?”
Everyone at this gathering was surprised.
To think she would request a dance from a teacher, of all people. And Rudger Chelici at that.
Flora and Selina watched Rudger with nervous gazes.
His expression under the pure white light was no different from usual, making it difficult to discern what he was thinking.
It was then that emotion appeared on Rudger’s expressionless face.
It was a small laugh, a chuckle that seemed to say this was interesting and admirable.
Rudger opened his mouth.
“Gladly.”
Simultaneously, Rudger jumped over the railing down to the ballroom below.
Everyone was startled by this sudden action, but only briefly.
Rudger’s body, which they thought would fall quickly, descended slowly as if gliding through the air.
The hem of his black clothes fluttered like a cape.
Like a feather of revelation descending from heaven, Rudger slowly landed in front of Rene.
The spotlight beams that had been illuminating them separately merged into one.
Rudger’s hand gently rested on top of Rene’s extended hand.
-Ah.
Rene unconsciously let out a sound at the warm sensation felt in her hand.
Some women clasped their hands together as they watched the scene in enchantment.
The commoner girl whom no one had paid attention to becoming the protagonist of this gathering was enough to evoke awe and envy beyond jealousy.
The gentle music that had momentarily stopped began flowing again and to that music, Rene and Rudger began to waltz at the center of the ballroom.
Everyone maintained their distance while being captivated by the scene.
The gentle dance of two people accompanied by a single spotlight beam in the quiet ballroom and Rene belatedly realized she had never danced at such a social gathering before.
‘Oh, wh-what should I do? I rode the momentum and asked for a dance, but…’
That’s when Rudger whispered quietly to Rene.
“Don’t be nervous and go with the flow. I’ll guide you.”
As he said, when she relaxed her body, Rudger supported her movements.
“Slowly. Don’t rush.”
Unlike his usual stiff speech and behavior, she felt his gentle touch and consideration.
As if riding something, Rene unconsciously followed the flow and took her steps.
As her body made one rotation, starlight sparkled around her.
A distance close enough to hear breathing, the warmth felt from slightly touching bodies and even the blue eyes gazing this way, every moment felt like a dream to Rene.
A dream that would scatter like sand slipping through fingers the moment she lost focus even slightly.
But the sensation pulling her body, as if dispelling such worries, was clearly reality.
Eventually, as the waltz ended, the two stood still in place, gazing at each other.
Toward Rene, who couldn’t speak any words, intoxicated by the elevated atmosphere, Rudger quietly offered words of congratulation.
“Congratulations on becoming the protagonist of this gathering.”