Chapter 48: Grooming (Part 2)
I obediently walked over, and the tall maid pulled out a chair for me to sit down.
“Miss Silvya, your hair needs to be styled—”
Before she could finish, Victoria cut in, “Step aside, I’ll do it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty…”
The maid looked flustered, pressing her hands to her stomach and lowering her head as she retreated. A subtle, fragrant aroma wafted into my nose.
I blinked and gazed into the mirror.
The candlelight flickered in the reflection. Standing behind me, Victoria looked like a goddess, as if she’d stepped out of a painting.
With a calm demeanor, she lifted her delicate hand and began to gently mess with my long black hair, taking up a wooden comb from the vanity to sort through it.
A slight tug on my scalp sent a tingly sensation through me, but it felt good.
Occasionally, I could feel her fingertips gliding softly through my hair.
“Your hair is beautiful.”
Hearing her praise, I couldn’t help but smile, tilting my chin just a bit higher.
“Well, of course~”
Hmph.
Who needs you to tell me my hair is pretty!
When I was at Shanter Castle, Mother would compliment it every morning without fail!
“Don’t move around.”
Victoria raised her palm and lightly tapped my head, while her other hand reached for a few loose strands, tugging at them playfully.
“Hehe, don’t…”
I chuckled softly as my ears were getting a tad ticklish.
“It’s getting a bit long. I’ll give you a trim.”
…Huh?
I paused slightly.
Then I saw Victoria turn to the maid and request scissors and a cloth. She wrapped the cloth around my neck, tied it securely, and grabbed the scissors, waving them ominously above my head.
“Victoria…”
I furrowed my brows, casting a dubious glance her way through the mirror.
“You know how to cut hair?”
Why does that sound so unbelievable?
Her Majesty has probably always been pampered, having people do her hair for her… Has she ever actually done this herself before?
What if she messes it up? I could be looking ugly for ages!
“I do.”
Snip.
Ah!
Without hesitation, Victoria grabbed a lock of my hair and started snipping away…
She looked extremely focused, snipping away behind my back with a steady rhythm, and she seemed quite skilled—this wasn’t her first haircut, that’s for sure.
I relaxed a bit.
“In the past, I used to prune the roses in the palace garden all the time.”
“Ahem—”
I choked on my own spit.
No way…
Are you joking with me? Are you really going to just cut without knowing? What if I end up a total mess!
“Stop! I don’t want you to—”
“I said, don’t move.”
Victoria held my restless head in place. Of course, she ignored my protests as her hands moved faster and faster.
Snip, snip…
Black strands floated down to the floor.
I felt gloomy but lacked the courage to just get up and run away.
What if she accidentally made a huge gash in my hair… where would I go to cry?
My mood was a mess, and my frown was almost breaking through.
Victoria, however, remained unfazed.
“When I was little, there was a whole wall of flowers in the palace garden that I took care of. The roses bloomed beautifully every year, creating a stunning sea of color. After the bloom, I’d prune back the overgrown branches, removing the old and withered ones, leaving only the strongest buds. I’d even shape them up for winter, so they’d blossom beautifully again the next year… Cutting hair is basically the same principle.”
Same principle, my foot!
What kind of nonsense is that…
“The roses that grow at the number 3 estate were also my doing. They grow quickly, and when they bloom, the branches are covered with flowers, it’s quite a sight.”
That’s true…
Victoria held onto a lock of my bangs, focused intently as she trimmed.
“I actually enjoy doing those things. When I was young and naive, I even fantasized about becoming a distinguished florist… Every time I said this, my father would just silently smile at me. I thought it was his unspoken encouragement. But as I grew up, I realized I would never be able to become that silly florist.”
Her calm words sent chills down the spines of the maids around us, each of them looking down at the floor and holding their breath.
I watched her side profile in the mirror, recalling the songs she softly sang at night.
Victoria probably doesn’t want to be a queen at all…
Behind the title, she’s just a girl longing for freedom. But the things she truly desires might forever be out of reach…
“Victoria.”
“Hm?”
“Do you know that Longdoll Street and the markets nearby have tons of delicious food?”
Victoria shook her head.
“I haven’t really been to the markets.”
Never been to the markets…
“Oh.”
I nodded, silently making a decision in my heart.
“Don’t move.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“And when others talk to you nicely, don’t just think about food.”
“Hehe.”
Once the haircut was done, I gazed at myself in the mirror for a bit and surprisingly thought it looked quite nice.
Victoria had trimmed the ends and my sideburns, making my hair not so long anymore. Only my bangs were cut shorter, revealing half of my smooth forehead—quite a cute look.
New hairstyles are just like that, right…?
I comforted myself in my mind.
“It’s way easier than pruning flower branches.”
“Are you comparing my head to flower branches?”
Victoria set down the scissors, wiped her hands with a cloth, and took out the jewelry she had selected for me, saying, “Does your head bloom like flowers?”
I shot her an annoyed look. “Your head probably blooms!”
“Then why are you comparing it to flower branches?”
“……”
I shot her another glare and immediately considered standing up.
“Not so hasty.”
Victoria firmly pressed me back down.
“It’s not over yet.”
She started twisting my hair, section by section, into a hairstyle.
“What do I look like, with my hair down?”
She quickly turned my hair into little braids and pinned it atop my head. Victoria was quite meticulous, her golden eyes intently focusing on the back of my head, her warm breath brushing against my neck like a soft breeze.
“Peilo.”
“Mm?”
“Is Shanter Castle beautiful?”
“You’ve never been?”
“No, I’ve never had the chance.”
“Oh, what a shame.”
“I’ve heard people say the snow is lovely there, and the full moon looks like a plate. At night, the stars seem like you could just reach out and grab them.”
“Right, and there’s the Snow Mountain. There are silver foxes in the snow! You’ve definitely never seen a silver fox.”
“I’ve never seen one…”
Snip!
A beautiful blue enamel and silver hairpin fixed my braided hairstyle securely in place.
“Once things settle down, I want to visit Winter City.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I abruptly turned to look at her, eyes wide with surprise.
“What? Isn’t Winter City welcoming to allies?”
“It’s not that…”
I shook my head.
If Victoria could go to Shanter Castle, I’d be over the moon, but somehow that sounded like she was jinxing it… No way, no way!
Things can’t be that cliché…
“You’re always welcome at my home.”
“Deal!”
“…Mm.”
Once my hair was done, Victoria picked up a pair of dazzling feather earrings… Wait, earrings?!
I suddenly realized where those were supposed to go and quickly covered both my ears.
“I don’t want to wear those!”
Victoria frowned, “You’re already in a formal dress. What’s the point of not wearing earrings… Lower your hands.”
“No way!”
I shook my head vigorously.
“Be a good girl.”
“No!”
Victoria kept forcing the earrings toward my ears, while pulling down on my arms. I twisted and turned, resisting, and arched my head back against her soft belly, making it harder for her to reach.
What a joke…
Dressing up in a gown and doing my hair is one thing, but a real man like me could never wear something like that! This was the last shred of dignity I had as a man, and I must defend it!
Not because I’m scared!
“If you mess up my nice hair, you can forget about eating tonight.”
“I won’t eat if I don’t want to!”
I shouted defiantly, but my struggles noticeably weakened.
“Let go of your hands.”
“No.”
I shook my head resolutely.
Seeing Victoria staring at me, I widened my eyes, glaring back at her without yielding.
Moments later, Victoria held the earrings up in front of my face.
The sparkling blue gemstone shimmered in the candlelight, and I blinked rapidly.
“Pretty, right?”
“Pretty.”
Oh no—
I accidentally spilled my thoughts.
“You’d look even prettier wearing them.”
“Umm.”
I tilted my head thoughtfully. By the time I realized it, my hands had slipped from my ears.
Victoria first touched my earlobe, then leaned in closer to examine it.
“The holes have probably grown closed.”
I know…
I know that’s why I was resisting, it would definitely hurt…
Perhaps I wore them often back in the day? But ever since waking up in Woodward Forest, I hadn’t worn earrings, and it had been ages—there’s no way the holes have remained open.
“So, Victoria, let’s just skip it…”
I wrapped my arms around her slender waist, trying to sound feeble while looking up at her with a pitiful expression.
But Victoria wasn’t buying it; she shook her head lightly.
“No way.”
She pried my hands away and even called for the maid to fetch some alcohol…
I stared in shock as she held the earring pin over the candle flame, then dipped it in alcohol, preparing to stick it through my ear.
Oh no…
I’ve hated needles since I was a kid…
I was a bundle of nerves, my body tensed, eyes closed in desperation, making one last plea to Victoria.
“Please don’t…”
“Stay still.”
“It hurts…”
“Just one quick poke, it won’t hurt you.”
“Don’t…”
“Be good.”
“Not wearing it, is that okay…?”
Why are you forcing me to wear this?!
“The banquet is a formal occasion, you’re the Little Princess of Shanter Castle. If you don’t look the part, people will laugh at you.”
Come on…
“I’ll have the kitchen make you some roasted goose.”
The moment I heard this, I fell silent.
Roasted goose…
Fine.
It’s just a quick poke; I can endure this!
“Bring it on.”
In a flash, I felt a coolness on my ear.
“Ah!”
I involuntarily straightened up and gasped.
“It hurts…”
My earlobe felt heavy. Before I could react, the same prick hit the other ear.
“Hiss—”
“All done.”
I snapped my eyes open, and there was Victoria’s face, so close it was almost touching mine, her look slightly dazed.
“Go look in the mirror.”
She patted my head and said that.
So I turned to face the mirror.
With a slight sparkle in my dark eyes, clear as the night sky, they shimmered like stars. My long lashes fluttered lightly; my once-satin-like black hair was pinned atop my head, hinting at the edges of the hairpins. The smooth, flawless skin of my ears had a touch of pink.
Oh my heavens…
How can I look this good?!
At that moment, I was utterly transformed. My once-innocent body was accentuated by the fish-tail dress, showcasing… no, flaunting, my curves. And those earrings added just the right touch; I could see a hint of mature allure reflecting back at me.
It was like a once-innocent fruit tree blooming, bursting with beauty in all its glory.
