Lily hesitates, biting her lower lip nervously. "Well... you do have other clothes, my Lady, but..." She trails off, looking a bit anxious.
"What's wrong?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"It's not that.." Lily murmurs, looking thoroughly apologetic. "It's just that you never wear them, my Lady. You explicitly told me a while back to clear them out of your main wardrobe because they were 'too plain' for your tastes. I didn't throw them away, of course, they're still brand new, but I tucked them away in storage. Please believe me!"
A soft chuckle escapes my lips, and I shake my head warmly. "Oh, Lily, what are you thinking? Of course I believe you! Relax, I'm not going to blame you. Can you go dig those out for me?"
"Of course! Please give me just a moment," Lily says, looking immensely relieved as she goes outside .
I wander over to the enormous, polished wooden dressing table. Gleaming gold-trimmed mirrors reflect the bright room, and the surface is practically crowded with exquisite silver-plated perfume bottles, pearl-encrusted hairpins, and velvet jewelry boxes filled with sparkling gems and ornaments. It's a dazzling display of aristocratic wealth.
A few minutes later, Lily returns carrying a small stack of five folded dresses. Compared to the heavily embroidered silk gown from earlier, these certainly look a bit more subdued and plain, but they are undeniably neat, well-crafted, and infinitely more practical.
Lily sets them down gently, looking up with a hint of hesitation. "Are... are you referring to these, my Lady? Forgive me, but these are the only casual ones left."
I inspect the stack with a satisfied nod. "Yes, these are perfect. Exactly what I was looking for."
My gaze lands on a particular soft, butter-yellow dress resting near the top. It features a gentle, flowing cotton skirt, simple short sleeves with delicate lace trim, and a comfortable, un-corseted bodice that looks like a dream to move around in.
"Alright, I'll take this yellow one," I say, tapping the fabric with a bright smile. "It's cute, it's bright, and most importantly, I can actually breathe in it."
Lily stares at the simple garment in her hands, her face turning completely pale, as if she might actually faint right then and there on the spot. She looks at me with wide, terrified eyes. "M-my Lady... are you truly sure about this? Are you certain you want to go out dressed like this?"
"Obviously," I reply with a reassuring grin, taking the dress from her hands. "I'm not breaking any laws or committing a crime. I'm just choosing to be comfortable."
Lily swallows hard, her voice trembling slightly. "O-okay, my Lady... if you say so."
With Lily's reluctant help, I dress up. It feels incredible, light, breezy, and completely free of any torturous boning. When I turn to face the massive vanity mirror to check my appearance, I pause for a moment. I decide to skip the heavy, chalky powders and elaborate cosmetics that high-society ladies usually piled on. Looking at my reflection, I realize I don't even need them. Eleanor's natural face is already striking with flawless porcelain skin, big expressive eyes, and delicate features. Instead of a full face of makeup, I just dab a tiny bit of natural lip tint onto my lips to give them a healthy, rosy glow.
Seeing me skip the cosmetics entirely, Lily panics all over again. "M-my Lady, I understand you want to be comfortable, but at the very least, you should apply something to your face! You can't just go out completely bare!"
"Relax, Lily," I laugh lightly, shaking my head. "I'm still technically recovering from being sick, remember? A pale, natural look suits a patient just fine. I think I look plenty presentable like this."
Realizing she is fighting a losing battle, Lily lets out a stressed sigh of defeat, though her eyes still dart frantically toward my hair. "O-okay, if you insist, my Lady... but please, at least let me help you arrange your hair. If you walk out with it completely messy, it will be an absolute disaster."
Seeing how panicked and anxious she is over my appearance, I relent with an amused smile. "Alright, alright. You win. Have your way with my hair."
I sit down on a small, cushioned stool in front of the vanity. Lily immediately springs into action, quickly brushing through my long locks with practiced, expert hands. As I sit back and watch her work in the mirror, I can't help the quiet wave of awe that washes over me.
Goodness... Eleanor really is breathtakingly gorgeous, I think to myself, watching the reflection. She literally looks like a living porcelain doll or a fantasy movie actress. Even without any heavy styling, her features are just on another level.
Within just a few minutes, Lily steps back, wiping a mock bead of sweat from her forehead. "There, my Lady! It is finished."
I lean in to inspect the result. Lily has arranged my hair into a soft, elegant half-up style which is neat and beautifully composed, letting the rest of my natural waves cascade gracefully down my back without looking overly stiff or formal.
"You're a miracle worker, Lily. This looks wonderful," I praise her with a grin, standing up and smoothing down the simple yellow skirt. "Right then, let's go. My dear brother has waited long enough."
Hearing those words, Lily instantly freezes, panic flashing across her face once more. "M-my Lady! Are you truly certain you're going to wear only this outfit out there? Master Orlando is going to be furious when he sees you!"
I just offer an unbothered wave of my hand, already turning toward the heavy double doors. "Let him be. If he complains, I'll handle him. Come on!"
"Just what kind of explosive reaction will Orlando have when he sees her stepping out in a casual, uncorseted outfit instead of proper aristocratic wear? Will a full-blown sibling argument erupt right in the middle of the hallway?
Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter".