Oblivion Of The Heart

Chapter 4 - Imperial Banquet (1)

Chapter 4 - Imperial Banquet (1)

If loving you was possible, I would have done it long ago.

These were his last words to her desperate question.

After her yesterday's hasty retreat, she was summoned the very next day by the duke. She knocked on the door and entered it boldly, not minding the basic manners. His aide, whose name she didn't know, greeted her and left the room, giving them private space. She allowed herself to sit on the sofa, watching the duke work on his documents, and then he arranged them. Finally, he focused on her.

"What have you called me for, father?" She asked.

"Nothing important. There is an upcoming banquet hosted by the emperor. I wanted to inform you of that." He said as he set down his glasses. His vermilion eyes stared at her, waiting for her answer.

"So, that means I have to come to, right?" She said, finally perceiving his intention for calling her.

"Yes, but perhaps you find it offensive to make your appearance before your debutante then you can--

"No, I'm fine." Esperanza cut him off.

You don't need to show me your fake pity. I won't accept it.

"Alright then" Her father the duke nodded his head and said, "I believe you can handle your further business."

"Yes, I certainly can." She said and bowed her head. "Now, excuse me then." 

At Vintage Boutique

"My Lady, what do you think about this dress?" Stellina asked while pointing to a blue and white dress on the pamphlet, the one the shopkeeper just suggested.

"It suits your appearance as well! White hair and blue eyes- I can already imagine your perfect goddess-like image!" The attendant of the shopkeeper flattered and blabbered off in an attempt to make a fortune from the wealthy young miss. Stellina shoot the shopkeeper a look of contempt, and the attendant suddenly faltered. Meanwhile, Esperanza who was not paying any attention to what was happening didn't notice the strange behavior.

"Whatever you want," Esperanza muttered. She didn't want to come here, but she had no choice. She didn't have a proper gown for the banquet, what's more, it was an imperial banquet. She cannot embarrass the Ilamas Duchy by wearing simple old clothes.

"My Lady!" Stellina shook Esperanza hard. "Please, pay some attention here!"

"Uh.." Esperanza finally looked at the gown and said, "Alright." The attendant scurried off to bring the gown. 

"My Lady, did you even have a proper look and deliberate over it?" Stellina asked in a pouty tone. Before Esperanza could reply, the attendant came up nervously to them and passed the gown for the trail. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the attendant walking away and tilted her head. Disregarding what she saw earlier, she went inside the room for changing. After wearing the gown she placed her foot in the blue shoes. Suddenly, she felt a piercing pain in her feet and she fell to her knees.

Right away, she knew something was wrong with the shoes. With a deep breath, she slowly removed the sandals, careful not to scream. Her feet from the bottom were bleeding, and in the middle of the interior of the shoes lay a small, sharp needle barely visible. The image of the attendant walking away suddenly came back to her mind and she realized the culprit.

She walked out of the room after changing her clothes back. The pain hadn't subsided yet. When she asked Stellina about the attendant, she said that the attendant had disappeared. Esperanza didn't bring up the matter of the shoes and stated that they were simply not up to her taste. She didn't want them to know she was injured. Because then again she would receive those sympathetic looks, and she had already begun to abhor them.

But she knew the truth herself, that they were mere excuses. She was still the pushover back then, who didn't dare to speak herself out. But what could she do? Changing herself was impossible. She climbed up the carriage and the carriage towards the duchy.

Meanwhile, she was unaware of a certain someone who was amused by her actions.

The next day.

Escaping it was inevitable. Her routine started with the heavy, rose petal bath, her hair being washed, and listening to the maid's little gossip as they dressed her up. While combing her hair, one of the maids praised her for how beautiful she was.

Esperanza didn't like the maids acting all friendly. Truth is the workers who stayed in the duchy before her birth hated her. Indeed, they were loyal to the duchy. This was why they hated her. Because she was the one who would bring the duchy to ruins in the future, according to the prophecy. 

Still, they didn't need to act so pretentiously. It's irksome and disgusting.

When she was finally dressed up, Stellina gasped in awe. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but appreciate the original owner's beauty.

Silvery-white hair was tied up with a blue ribbon that was decorated with a sapphire and a few strands of her hair were let down. A petite face was adorned with blush and light makeup. A lovely blue gown with its outer gown as blue, and inner gown as white. Sparkly earrings and a necklace of pearls. Beautiful blue eyes that stared at its reflection in the mirror.

But there is no point in appreciating a beauty that would fade away.