#753 A Confrontation at the Ball

It is I, Nehra, the young demoness.

Ultimately, I couldn’t get my hands on a Noujou dress.

I thought about using my power to expedite my turn, but His Majesty himself issued an order saying, “Don’t abuse your power,” so it was impossible.

Nothing can be done when the one with the highest power, the Demon King, steps in.

As a result, I couldn’t wear a Noujou dress to the ball tonight, where Lord Olba will be in attendance.

But that’s okay!

Although it doesn’t compare to a Noujou dress, I procured a top-grade dress from Mixpider, the largest brand in the Demon Capital!

This dress was custom-made according to my preferences and is guaranteed to bring out the best of my charms!

With this outfit, Lord Olba should be captivated in an instant.

He’s from a good noble family, so he must attend social functions! I’ll be present where he appears, feigning coincidence, and weave a romantic adventure!

Now then...

Hup.

Tah.

I’ve arrived.

It seems to be a private party hosted by some nobles, but the organizer has a vast network and various distinguished nobles have gathered.

I have confirmed information that Lord Olba is among them.

Now, where could he be...?

“My lady, would you care to dance with me?”

How annoying. Can’t you see I’m busy right now?

Looking around... Ah, there he is.

That’s Lord Olba.

Even while being trained as a military officer, his tuxedo fits him perfectly.

Wait for me. I’m the one who shines the most next to you!

With that thought, I boldly approach him.

“Good evening, Lord Olba. You look gallant as ever tonight.”

“Ah, thank you, uh...!”

Could it be he doesn’t remember me?!

A beautiful noblewoman like me should be unforgettable once seen, shouldn’t she?!

“...Na, Ni, Nu, Ne... Nehra, right? You’re Nehra, right?! We met at the court dinner the other day!”

He does remember, after all!

That’s right; you shouldn’t forget your future wife! By the way, I don’t remember meeting you at the court dinner!

“I have someone I’d like to introduce to you.”

“Really?”

“This is Batemy, the woman who is to be my wife. I hope you two can get along.”

With that, he indicates a woman standing next to him.

She dons an overly sophisticated dress.

“My name is Batemy. Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve been going around to various events to introduce her. From now on, we will support our household together.”

You and h-her...?!

Give me a break; she’s just an ordinary woman you’d find anywhere!

A woman as common as she can’t possibly be the wife of Lord Olba!

...Well, I must admit, her dress is quite nice.

I have a discerning eye, so I can tell which dress is from where just by looking at it. This sophisticated high-sense design... yet the make is sturdy.

This dress that combines aesthetic beauty and practicality has got to be...!

“A Noujou dress?!”

“Oh, you recognized it just at a glance...?!”

Why?! 

The top-notch Noujou dress that even a noble daughter like me couldn’t get for years! How could an ordinary woman like her be wearing it?!

I can’t comprehend this at all!

...Ah! Now that I recall, there was talk that the trend for Noujou clothing started with Demon Queen Astres...

And I have information that this woman is the Queen’s protégé... 

So she managed to get the dress made before other customers because of that connection?!

Ohhh, that’s sneaky! Using connections, huh?!

What a cowardly woman! If it comes to this, I’ll expose her lowly nature and humiliate her in front of Lord Olba!

And maybe even cause their engagement to be called off!

“Oh-hohohoho! A Noujou dress, huh? That’s quite an extravagant expenditure. I wonder if Lord Olba bought it for you?”

Noujou, due to its rarity, naturally drives up the price, especially for dresses sought by ladies of the upper class.

It’s not something cheap that a commoner could afford.

So, it’s certain that this woman made Lord Olba, a nobleman, pay for the dress even if she used the connection of her former superior to get it!

“Spending like that before marriage...! That’s a fatal flaw for a noble’s wife, isn’t it? Lord Olba must have a hard time with such a bad fiancée.”

I intentionally voice my thoughts loudly enough for others to hear.

There are numerous other guests at the ball, so raising my voice here will disseminate the information, and rumors will quickly spread when picked up by gossiping tongues.

They’ll all hear that “Lord Olba’s new bride is a reckless spendthrift.”

Hopefully, the commoner will take her leave, unable to withstand the disdainful glances from those around her!

“I would appreciate it if you ceased these baseless accusations.”

What?!

Why is Lord Olba defending her?! Is it because she’s his fiancee?!

“The dress she’s wearing tonight was prepared by herself. I haven’t contributed a single cent... though it doesn’t sound very generous of me to admit so...!” 

“But you did provide the accessories. They’re heirlooms passed down in your family, right? I’m truly grateful,” the commoner woman standing beside him smoothly interjects.

She’s acting like the perfect wife, skillfully maintaining her husband’s dignity!

What’s happening here? This exchange is only elevating the commoner woman’s reputation!

“Don’t worry; I do have a job to support myself. I can certainly manage my own affairs.”

“What?!”

This woman has a job?!

How could this be?! Noblewomen are supposed to uphold noble traditions and dedicate all their energy to maintaining their households. And she’s working?!

Physical labor, just to survive, is such a lowly act!

Is a woman who’s done such things really going to become a nobleman’s wife?!

It’s hard to believe, but given that she’s wearing a Noujou dress, an item that every lady dreams of, it’s undeniable that she’s earning a significant income.

Money might be vulgar, but a large sum equates to undeniable power.

...I can’t afford to underestimate her.

I need to probe further...!

“Oh-hohoho...! You must be quite wealthy if you can afford such an expensive dress effortlessly.”

“It wasn’t easy, you know. It was really challenging to make it.”

“Is-Is that so? Well, it is Noujou, with a waitlist spanning years.”

Negotiating with the artisan to expedite the order must have been incredibly tough.

How much extra did she have to pay for it?

“I set all the other orders aside and focused on it. After all, it was my first time making something for myself, and it took much longer than I anticipated.”

“Huh?”

What did this woman just say?

Set all orders aside? Can she even do that?

And what about the customers who made reservations with Noujou, many high-ranking demons close to the Demon King’s family?

Isn’t it incredibly disrespectful to push those people aside...?

Look, the party’s atmosphere has noticeably chilled!

Their unified sentiment is, “How dare this newcomer be so audacious!”

“P-P-Please wait! Allow me to clarify everyone’s misunderstanding!”

Sensing the markedly icy atmosphere in the venue, Lord Olba hurriedly steps in to intervene.

But it’s too late! The crowd’s favorability has dramatically plummeted due to that woman’s reckless remarks!

At this rate, their marriage won’t be accepted in high society, and the engagement could even be unceremoniously dissolved!

Without me lifting a finger, my rival has self-destructed. What luck!

“Indeed, her statement may seem arrogant, disregarding the queue and the rules! But that’s not the case!”

“What do you mean it’s not?! It’s completely outrageous for her to acquire the Noujou dress we all desperately desire but are patiently waiting for by skipping the line, isn’t it?!”

I’ll seize this opportunity here and further tarnish her image!

“That’s not the case! Because this dress is something she made herself!”

“...What?”

“Didn’t I mention earlier, she has a profession! The job of crafting Noujou attire that’s popular all over the Demon Capital, that’s her job!!!”

The ballroom falls silent at Lord Olba’s proclamation. 

Noujou’s dressmaker, a person no one had ever met and was enshrouded in mystery...

...Is this woman standing before us?

And it’s natural for the creator of those wonderful dresses to put a rush of orders on hold to work for her own clothes?

The ball, where I was supposed to reclaim Lord Olba, has taken an unexpected turn.