The request for a dance after marriage signified, ‘We recognize you as the wife of soandso.’

The etiquette of asking for a dance after marriage originated recently, as love and marriage between nobles and commoners became freer. It’s rare for the grace of a noble house to marry a common man, but the opposite happens quite often, and that’s why this etiquette came about.

But if a common woman married into a noble family, she rarely received dance requests at the feast. There were still many people who were reluctant to accept commoners into noble society.

“Rishi, how are you at dancing?”

At Nella’s question, Rishi grinned.

“It seems a bit odd to say I’m good from my own mouth.”

“Haha. Yes, that’s right. So, we don’t need to worry about the dance part?”

“Yes, you don’t have to worry.”

Alford Hutchis did not want his wife, Rishi, to look foolish at the party.

He wanted his accessory, which he brought around, to shine the best. After marrying Alford, Rishi, who had never learned to dance, had to learn to dance under the guidance of Alford and his sister Julianne.

While discussing how to hold the party, the designers and seamstresses arrived.

They first measured Rishi’s size and then spread out the catalog.

A catalog full of brilliant and beautiful dress designs.

To Rishi’s eyes, they were all similarly beautiful, but to Zen and Nella, they all looked different.

“This one seems a bit dull. It might make Rishi’s face look lifeless.”

“This would make Rishi look too buried.”

“Oh, this one is pretty.”

Rishi couldn’t understand how the dresses they pointed at were different in any way.

“Do you have a few samples? I want to see her try them on first.”

At Zen’s question, the designer’s assistant quickly got up and brought several large bags.

It seemed these were bags containing sample dresses.

When the bags were opened, they were full of already perfect dresses.

Zen looked around and took out a dazzling dress, the bottom of the skirt tinged with a light pink hue.

“Rishi, try this one.”

It was when Christina and Erwell, who were standing quietly, came to help.

“Rishi.”

Kay called out to Rishi and opened the door.

At that moment, Rishi was startled by Zen’s actions.

Zen, who was near the sofa, flew like a bullet and slammed the door shut.

“Ah!”

It seemed as if Kay’s face hit the door, and he let out a small scream.

“What are you doing, Zen?”

“This crazy person. Didn’t I tell you I was going to choose a dress today?”

“That’s why I came. I want to pick the dress my wife will wear, too.”

Zen and Nella exchanged glances as if to say, ‘What kind of crazy thing is this?’

“Kay, please, there are other people here, stop spouting such foolish things. It’s very embarrassing for me.”

“No, what’s the problem?”

“Don’t you know the rule that the groom shouldn’t see the bride’s wedding dress until the wedding ceremony?”

“What kind of rule is that? Is it set by law or something?”

“Yes! If you break it, you’ll be executed!”

“That’s terrifying. So, a wrong wedding ceremony could lead to execution. Is that why we only do it once?”

“Exactly… so please… go away, brother.”

Zen spoke elegantly, seemingly conscious of the designers in the room.

“Pfft…”

Erwell let out a small laugh.

Zen turned his head sharply and glared at Erwell, then shook his head from side to side.

The designers, taken aback by the fact that the magnificent Green Earl was treated like this by his younger sister, stood frozen.

Zen turned to them with a gentle smile.

“Well, shall we continue with our work?”

+++

“Tiorat? Tiorat has come to fit Iris’s dress?”

Brittany sprang up, glaring at the maid who brought the news.

“Yes, I saw him go in just as I told you.”

“Ha! Tiorat, really? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. He has blue short hair and red hornrimmed glasses.”

Tiorat was the most popular designer, not only in the Gavijar Empire, but all across the continent.

He was so popular that he often declined requests for dressmaking from the royal families of other countries, due to being too busy. Tiorat’s dresses were incredibly expensive, almost unbelievably so, but their worth was undeniable.

A dress that made the wearer perfect.

Plus, the added value of the Tiorat brand.

In high society, a lady who appeared at a party wearing a Tiorat dress was treated like the heroine of the day.

Brittany had never even dared to request a dress from Tiorat.

“It’s ridiculous. Where would the Green Earldom get the money… Iris, isn’t this too wasteful already?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“I can’t let it be. I need to go and give them a piece of my mind.”

More than that, she wanted to see if Tiorat really had come, how impressive Tiorat’s dresses were.

And if the people from the Green family were there, she wanted to show them how vain Rishi’s current actions were, how much disgrace it would bring to the honorfocused Green family name.

On top of that, she had to show them that she was such a thoughtful sister, worried about her younger sibling.