* * *
“Alright.”
“Let’s keep the number of guests to a minimum. It would be best not to invite anyone who isn’t closely connected to the territory.”
“We’ll do as you wish.”
The two whispered together in harmony, discussing how they would host their first banquet.
Lowell was the one mostly giving opinions, and Felix responded accordingly.
“In that case, how about we use the banquet as an opportunity to gift wheat to the people of the territory? The weather’s gotten quite cold, so they’ll probably need it soon.”
“We do it every year anyway, so increasing the amount a little wouldn’t hurt.”
For the first time in a long while, the Grand Duke’s castle was preparing for a banquet.
Most who heard the news assumed it was a banquet to officially declare Lowell as the Grand Duchess, but Lowell himself remained completely unaware of such speculation.
When Felix announced that he would be hosting a banquet, the Grand Duke’s castle was thrown into a commotion once more.
“They say His Highness was the one who suggested it first? He always said he hated banquets. At this point, I don’t even have the energy to be surprised anymore.”
“If even His Highness has changed like this, love must really be something special.”
Unlike before, there were no words laced with malice. People had grown accustomed to the situation, and seeing Felix and Lowell up close made it clear—these two truly cared for each other.
“They’re so affectionate, it’s almost unbelievable. Are they still in that fiery stage because they haven’t been together long?”
“Oh, please. They’ll probably be like this forever.”
Felix’s attachment went beyond just affection—it was bordering on obsession.
He never wanted to be apart from Lowell, and his gaze was always fixed on him.
“The young master’s clothes have arrived! Stop lazing around and get to work!”
The head maid’s sharp voice rang out, breaking up the idle chatter among the servants. Since the number of clothes being delivered was enormous, they all had to move quickly.
“He’s going to need new clothes constantly from now on. I wonder if he’ll even get to wear them all.”
A maid, who had once gone through childbirth, sighed as she watched the influx of clothes, but soon decided she was worrying over nothing.
Lowell was just as shocked at the sheer number of outfits arriving.
He had expected only a few, but when the clothes kept pouring into the tower’s wardrobe, his mouth fell open.
“T-This is all…?”
“These are everyday clothes that His Highness has prepared for you, young master.”
“That’s not what I meant… Wait, you’re saying there’s still more coming?”
He was already overwhelmed by the number of clothes here, and now they were telling him there were even more on the way?
His head ached.
“The remaining ones are special attire for ceremonies and banquets. It won’t be as large a quantity as what you’ve received so far, so there’s no need to worry.”
Hearing that, Lowell let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Anyone else would be delighted, but you’re surprisingly frugal, young master.”
Hamilton, the butler, subtly criticized Lowell for being too modest—practically a Grand Duchess already—yet Lowell was too overwhelmed to register it.
“It would be a waste if I didn’t get to wear all of them.”
For Lowell, who had always believed in only eating as much as necessary, wearing only what was needed, and owning only essential items, this level of extravagance was difficult to grasp.
“You’ll have the chance to wear them all. Ah, the banquet outfits are arriving now. Would you like to pick one?”
Hamilton usually kept his emotions hidden, but today, he couldn’t suppress his excitement.
As he busied himself inspecting the new arrivals, Lowell, sitting on the sofa, watched him move around energetically.
His expression was reminiscent of the greenhouse gardener he had met recently.
‘Energy like this is essential anywhere.’
Though the situation felt overwhelming, Lowell figured it wasn’t so bad as long as at least one person was happy.
“All of these… are clothes?”
Robin, who had just returned from training, widened his eyes at the mountain of garments.
Hamilton, seizing the opportunity, grabbed him.
“Would you help choose what suits the young master best?”
“That’s easy! Though honestly, Lowell looks good in anything.”
Robin, ever sociable, quickly got along with Hamilton as they sifted through the freshly delivered banquet clothes.
“How about this one?”
Looking at the outfit laid before him, Lowell immediately understood why it was meant for a banquet.
He had thought his previous formal-wear for visiting the imperial palace was quite grand, but it was nothing compared to what lay before him now.
Glittering blue gemstones were embroidered across the fabric, making it seem overwhelming at first glance.
But when viewed as a whole, the design maintained a harmonious balance.
In short, it was an absurdly expensive outfit.
“I also thought this one would suit you best. You have a good eye.”
“Ah, you flatter me.”
As Robin and Hamilton exchanged lighthearted banter, Lowell quietly took the outfit in his hands.
“Try it on!”
“You never really know how something looks until you wear it.”
“But the banquet is still a week away. Do I really need to try it on now?”
Lowell instinctively searched for an escape route, sensing that this wasn’t going to end with just one outfit. But it was no use.
“Young master, there’s an overwhelming amount of work to be done. We need to decide on decorations, the menu, and everything else. At the very least, it would be wise to settle on your outfit in advance.”
While it was true that Hamilton would prepare multiple options and Lowell would simply choose between them, dealing with unfamiliar tasks was still exhausting.
“…Then I’ll try this one first.”
Accepting his fate, Lowell put on the outfit Robin had chosen.
He had intended to do it alone, but the intricate design made it impossible without help.
Even so, the waist area had been tailored with comfort in mind, ensuring it didn’t feel restrictive.
“Just finish tying this, and you’re done!”
After fastening the long sash, Lowell stepped out.
Hamilton, looking him over from head to toe, assessed him like a jeweler inspecting a rare gem.
“You look splendid.”
“Right? Even though it’s a deep navy color, it looks bright on Lowell.”
“Then shall we decide on this outfit?”
Lowell, feeling things had gone smoothly, responded with a nod, but Hamilton took on an even more serious expression, as if dealing with a matter of great importance.
“…That red one would also suit you.”
The outfit he pointed to was even more extravagant, adorned with golden embellishments so bright that one’s eyes might focus on the clothes rather than the person wearing them.
‘Do I really have to try that one on?’
As Lowell debated how to dodge this, the door to the tower suddenly opened, revealing Felix with damp hair, fresh from a bath.
“Lowell, I heard your clothes arrived—”
Turning his head, Felix froze in place as if he had been petrified by Medusa’s gaze.
Lowell, feeling shy, ran his fingers through his hair, but to Felix, even that small gesture was like a graceful dance.
“I was picking an outfit for the banquet. Does it look alright?”
Felix’s dazed expression practically screamed that it was more than just “alright.”
But Lowell, unable to meet his gaze out of embarrassment, completely missed the unspoken answer.
“…Hmph. Not bad.”
Hamilton internally scoffed.
‘Not bad? Please. Your eyes are screaming that he looks breathtaking. You’re so dishonest.’
“The replies to the invitations have all come in. Now we just need to finalize the details for the banquet.”
“I hope everyone who attends has a good time.”
“Yeah.”
Felix, deep down, thought that as long as Lowell enjoyed himself, nothing else mattered.
“The effort we put in will make it a wonderful night.”
And so, after a few more small incidents, the night of their very first banquet finally arrived.
* * *
