# 33
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The place she led us to was the Emerald Princess Palace, specifically the huge dressing room on the first floor.
The walls were completely painted in gold, dozens of mirrors decorated the room, and a huge amount of dresses and accessories hung everywhere.
The number of models alone seemed to outnumber the servants in the Duke's residence.
‘This isn’t a dressing room, it’s practically an exhibition hall…’
I thought, trying hard to close my open mouth in surprise, and looked at Mrs. Zed.
“Ah… Well, what do you think? This is my treasure!”
“It is truly wonderful, Your Highness.”
“It's like heaven...ah.”
Mrs. Zed, who was unconsciously startled, suddenly covered her mouth.
The princess laughed as if she had been expecting this.
“I know, everyone is surprised when they see it for the first time!”
The princess turned around and pointed to Mrs. Zedd with a sly smile.
“Then you will make me clothes to wear from now on!”
"… What?"
This time, Ms. Zed's jaw dropped for a different reason.
Her mind seemed to freeze as she stared expressionlessly, blinking before swallowing a scream.
Then she looked at me with wide, trembling eyes. It was as if they were saying, 'Your Highness, the Duchess, you didn't mention this.'
I gave her a gentle smile, saying: 'If I had told you, you would have jumped off the wagon...'
"Hmm? Why are you reacting like that? Don't tell me you don't want to?"
"Oh, no! It's not like that at all!"
Lady Zed waved her hands in the air vigorously, jumping in place at the princess's questioning look.
“I-I just wasn't quite ready...”
“Life is full of unexpected things! Don’t you know that at your age?”
It was quite a sight to see the fourteen-year-old princess giving life advice to a middle-aged woman over forty.
“I...I'm sorry!”
Mrs. Zedd seemed too busy to care about these details, anyway. She bowed her head again and again, then raised it shyly and asked in a trembling voice,
“So, Your Highness. Can you tell me what kind of dress design you have in mind...?”
“Hmph!”
The princess put her hand on her chin, then rolled her eyes, and smiled mischievously.
“I'm going to ask you to make me several dresses, but one of them will be for my upcoming birthday party, so I'd like it to be extra special.”
“Birthday party...”
“Yes! Now, listen carefully.”
Mrs. Zedd hurriedly took out a notebook from her chest, ready to write down the princess's words.
“I want something simple yet charming, quiet yet intense, plain yet eye-catching, innocent yet sexy!”
...What on earth are you talking about?
What did you just hear? Is this like ordering a warm Frappuccino? Is that all? Like ordering an iced Americano without ice?
I stared at the princess in astonishment, then turned my head to Mrs. Zed with concern. At this moment, I felt guilty for introducing Lady Zed to the princess.
But when I looked at Mrs. Zed...
“Oh my God! What a genius description! My soul is overflowing with inspiration!”
…I saw her writing something in her notebook angrily, her eyes shining.
The image of her trembling like a rabbit before a lion was long gone.
'Well, it wasn't normal either.'
I gave up trying to understand the situation. I forgot for a moment that madness was a quality not only of the Princess, but of Lady Zedd as well.
“This is great, perfect!”
Mrs. Zed exclaimed, closing her notebook, her eyes shining.
“Can I get to work right away, Your Highness? Great ideas are pouring out of me!”
“…Mrs. Zed…”
❖ ❖ ❖
The chaotic dress design frenzy involving Princess and Lady Zed ended after about three hours.
I've seen with my own eyes the kind of synergy that happens when one crazy person meets another crazy person.
“Your Highness! What if we installed these decorations here?”
“Mrs. Zaki! You are a genius!”
“You're flattering me!”
Each time, the name the princess gave to Lady Zed was different, but it didn't seem to even register in the ear of Lady Zed, who was now blind to everything else.
They were so excited… no, they were more than that, to the point where it seemed like the vast dressing room was burning with their madness.
Being a sane person stuck like a pork steak between two madmen….
Having poured her heart and soul into the task, Ms. Zed said she should get to work right away before she forgets all these amazing ideas and rushes to the studio.
And so, later in the afternoon, I found myf having tea with the princess in the backyard of the Emerald Palace.
“Ah, this has been the most satisfying time I've had in a while.”
The princess looked satisfied, brushing her wavy platinum hair back.
“As I thought, my instincts were not wrong! Where on earth did you find such a jewel, Duchess?”
Well, I took it from you.
Instead of answering, she looked at the princess with a calm smile.
“I'm glad you're pleased. Lady Zed was very worried all the way to the Imperial Palace.”
“Was there anything to worry about?”
“She was so nervous she didn’t know what to do.”
“Hmph, what is so special about the Imperial Palace?”
“No amount of concern can be enough to express the attitude of meeting Her Highness.”
“So many things to worry about!”
The princess laughed, completely lacking in f-awareness.
She drank the honey-sweetened milk tea in one go, then shrugged.
“Hmph, I'm so tempted. Duchess, are you sure you don't want to hand over this seamstress to me?”
“I'm sorry, Your Highness.”
As I began to voice my disapproval, looking annoyed, the princess burst out laughing and waved her hands.
“Okay, okay, I know! She’s a seamstress already claimed by the Duchess, so I can’t take her. I was just kidding.”
“Thank you for your interest.”
“Interesting? Huh… However, since she is already working on my clothes, I would like to request another favor. Would that be ok?”
“Another service?”
“Yes, I'm thinking of preparing a gift for my family!”
The princess laughed softly as she said this.
“Hmm~ In other words, I'm tempted by this tailoring. But we'll talk about that later.”
The princess smiled and took a pie from the three-layer tray and put it in her mouth.
'These two really get along.'
They were both full of enthusiasm, but I, sitting next to them drinking tea, felt exhausted.
At this point, it seemed as if the Princess didn't discover Lady Zedd in the original story simply because of her skills.
“Hmm, more importantly.”
“Yes, what's going on?”
The princess rested her chin on her hand, her elbows on the table, and tilted her head, as if she were doing a great favor.
"Do you want anything from me, Duchess? Since you did me a favor, I thought I would return the favor and grant you a wish."
'I got you.'
This is exactly what I was waiting for.