“Hey, don’t move.”
Upon hearing Tesvelan’s gentle admonition, Livyat had no choice but to restrain her own restless fidgeting, caused by having sat still for too long.
Tesvelan was braiding Livyat’s hair in preparation for tonight’s gathering.
She lightly gathered up the messy strands of silver, pinching them between her left ring and middle fingers.
Then, with a deft turn of her index finger and a twist of her entire hand, she wove another lock of hair between her middle and index fingers together with the first.
Swiftly, her right hand inserted a temporary hairpin to secure it, then she drew the next section from the outside to repeat the entire process.
“Mmm, Tes, this Crown Braid you mentioned looks so complicated.”
Livi couldn’t help but feel like she was turning into a tree just sitting there.
Tesvelan didn’t reply, patiently continuing to gather each strand of silver, twining them in her hands, repeating the motions.
Not until she’d finished braiding this side did she pause.
It actually looked rather cute, but am I really going to attend a party with twin braided pigtails like this?
Livyat wondered inwardly.
Then, Tesvelan threaded the left-side three-strand braid through the gap in the right-side braid like a needle through cloth, lifting both braids upwards in opposite directions—she carefully avoided Livyat’s now more slender ears, which seemed to twitch slightly.
She used more hairpins to secure everything in just the right spot, folding the excess braid inward.
After repeating the same process on the other side, a low chignon crown now sat atop the nearly drowsy Livyat’s head.
“All done, Livi, your hair is finished.”
Tesvelan finally smiled.
Livyat squinted her sleepy eyes and turned her head to observe her hairstyle.
The drooping hair, like a floral wreath crown, held up all the girlish radiance, while her lively, sidelong gaze gave the holy elevation a touch of playfulness.
Oh no, I actually look kind of good.
“Admire yourself for a bit—I need to go tidy up the gown. There’s always that rumor that Clarice Tiohben can stay up all night sewing dresses. Now I finally get to see her true skills.”
Tesvelan turned to the wardrobe.
“Tes, how are you so good at this? Do you have a younger sister? You never seem to fuss with your own hair. But today, your style looks beautiful.”
Livyat gazed at Tesvelan’s reflection and her hair in the mirror.
Her hair cascaded down like a waterfall, with a silver three-strand braid crossing the middle like a sash—elegant and dignified, yet not ostentatious.
“No biological sister, but I do have a certain silly sworn sister.”
Tesvelan started sorting through the moonlit white formal gown.
“Hmph.”
Livyat moved the mirror aside, deciding not to look at the elf behind her who’d just called her silly.
A few mocking laughs followed from behind.
“Alright, my lady, come, let me help you into the gown and platform boots, and we can be on our way.”
Help me—dress?
Livyat’s eyes shot open.
She finally understood why this sly elf had insisted on personally delivering the dress, styling her hair, and saying she’d prepare everything before departure.
Clearly, Clarice had said the shop would send a maid.
“I… can dress myself, right?”
Livyat asked weakly.
“Of course, go ahead and try. Just a reminder, we have to leave in two hours.”
Tesvelan immediately set down the gown, folding her arms with an amused smile as she watched Livyat.
Livyat glanced at Tesvelan’s mischievous grin, then at the dress she obviously had no idea how to put on.
She stayed silent for a long moment, and before her face turned as red as a martini fruit, she said decisively, “Fine, soldier, do your queen’s bidding!”
“Before that, please take off your clothes. Or would you prefer your soldier to help you undress?”
Tesvelan continued sorting the lining of the gown, replying breezily.
Livyat could no longer hide her embarrassment.
She glanced at Tesvelan to confirm she wasn’t looking, then, hands stiff, slowly reached behind herself and unfastened the brass buttons one by one.
Before undoing the last button, she belatedly hugged her left arm tightly across her soft lower side.
That was close!
Nearly let the whole top slip right off.
Mortified and awkward, she risked a sideways glance at Tesvelan, who was still busy buttoning silver clasps onto the gown’s lining, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Continuing, she quickly slipped off her blouse, shielding her upper body with her hands as she started on her trousers.
Just as she was loosening the drawstring with one hand, ready to pull her pants down, Tesvelan’s voice sounded beside her: “Aren’t you wearing underwear? Why are you so afraid your top will fall?”
You saw everything!
Giving up on all pretense, Livyat stopped covering anything, swiftly stripped off her pants, and, looking at her own girlish figure and a hint of softness on her belly, walked over to Tesvelan.
“Get on with it. No more words needed.”
Tesvelan sized her up from head to toe, making Livyat shiver under her gaze.
For some reason, Tes suddenly mused, “Livi. As delicate as a silver lotus, are you truly fit to wear a crown?”
She gave Livyat no chance to answer, picking up the silk-lined underskirt and slipping it over Livyat’s head, gently pulling it down.
She tugged the front down first so Livyat could breathe, then continued adjusting as she pulled, making sure the lining fit snugly to Livyat’s body.
Tesvelan’s hands occasionally brushed Livyat’s skin, the strange sensation of that silky fabric, as warm as a breeze, wrapping around her making Livyat’s breathing unconsciously deepen.
Though the clothes Tesvelan had gifted her before were already comfortable by cotton standards, compared to this smooth-as-skin silk, they now felt scratchy.
Livyat gradually closed her eyes until the lining clung perfectly to her form.
“Very good, a perfect fit. Next is the corset. With your figure, it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable, but you’d best be prepared.”
Tesvelan’s voice was soft.
A silk-satin jacket-like garment wrapped around Livyat’s waist from above.
Not bad—until Tesvelan pulled the ribbon tight from behind.
Livyat soon felt her waist constrained, forced to breathe in short, shallow gasps rather than the deep breaths she was used to.
“Excellent. Seems you can still talk and walk.”
Tesvelan gauged Livyat’s breathing and, seeing she wasn’t too distressed, moved on to the next garment.
“Since the moonlight-white gown is free of excessive decoration, the crinoline is a bit more restrained—um, just step in from the bottom.”
Tesvelan placed the crinoline on the floor, letting Livyat step into the open ring, then pulled it up to the right position.
To Livyat, it felt like donning a half-open umbrella.
At last, it was time for the formal gown.
This dignified, understated dress opened from the side all the way to the base of the bodice, with hidden flat silver buttons inside.
The color looked as though moonlight and stardust had been poured over a canvas; the only embellishment was a ring of openwork flower embroidery around the hem.
The entire elegant gown exuded a natural aura of nobility and distance.
Tesvelan raised the gown high, letting Livyat step in diagonally from the left-side opening—right foot first, then left after she was steady.
Once fully inside, Tes had Livyat hold the skirt while she buttoned it at the side.
After an hour of all this, Livyat was finally dressed.
Sitting on the bed, Tesvelan knelt to help her put on stockings and platform boots.
Watching her own feet being deftly handled by Tes’s nimble hands, Livyat’s ears burned even redder.
Once the shoes were on, Livyat held Tesvelan’s hand and stood up.
Seeing her own reflection, icy and elegant like a snow queen, Livyat marveled at the wisdom of the old saying: “Fine feathers make fine birds.”
The ancestors really knew what they were talking about.
She glanced at her wardrobe.
Tsk, if those five sets of uniforms arrived, there’d be no room for them.
Time to get a bigger wardrobe.
She preened for a while, then suddenly noticed Tesvelan hadn’t changed clothes—she was still in her moss-green robe dress, though the patterns were a bit different, hinting at several similar outfits.
“Tess, aren’t you going to change?”
“No need. It’s unnecessary. When an elf shows up at a party, just lifting a finger is enough to make all the noble ladies jealous.”
Tesvelan shook her head.
Is that so?
Livyat suddenly remembered her own pointed ears, and had a bad feeling.
“Then what about me? I have a feeling they’d mistake me for an elf now, and it wouldn’t be wrong. I’m doomed, I’m really doomed.”
Tesvelan poked Livyat’s forehead and laughed.
“Heh, silly, slow-on-the-uptake elf. Don’t you know Julia’s already figured it out? Your ears. Take a look at the introduction letter Julia wrote you.”
She pulled a letter from the bottom of the clothes pile and handed it to Livyat.
“Julia Laguangsi, daughter of Domenico Laguangsi, Deputy Director of Civil Affairs, will invite her secretary and dear friend, a person of elven blood—Livyat Green. Her dear friend, Her Highness Tesvelan Windheiz, daughter of the Elf Queen Larorvia Windheiz, will attend the gathering together. All personnel are to receive and permit passage without hindrance.”
“Julia-sis is truly reliable.”
Livyat sighed after reading it, but it didn’t ease her anxiety about attending the gathering as a “person of elven blood.”
“The carriage is ready, Miss Livi. Let’s go.”
Hearing the sound of hooves and wheels stopping outside the door, Tesvelan took Livyat’s hand and led her out of the room.