Translator: Nox

Chapter 40

# 40

40. The Moment a Star Fell on the Baron family (1)

It was a peaceful day, and I was gradually adapting to life with Lucas. Violet, carrying several bulky suitcases, visited the Baron family after a long time.

“Paula! I missed you.”

She hugged me as soon as she saw me, whispering that exchanging stories only through letters was not enough. Then, she rubbed her face against mine in a friendly manner, which made me very flustered. This was a first for me, and I didn’t know how to react. Do people usually greet each other so affectionately? My body stiffened, and my lost hands only flailed in the air.

Lucas, who was watching us, approached.

“Sister.”

“Oh my. Lucas?”

She blinked and scanned Lucas. Judging by her reaction, she didn’t seem to know he was staying here.

“Goodness. I was wondering where you were.”

“I’ve been freeloading a bit.”

“That’s too much. You told me I couldn’t.”

Violet tilted her head and looked at Vincent standing behind Lucas. Feeling her gaze, Vincent turned his head away, pretending not to notice. Violet’s cheeks puffed up, but she didn’t grumble any further. Instead, she glared at Lucas. Lucas shrugged and returned to Vincent.

“Ethan has been busy lately, so it’s hard to see his face. Everyone’s so cold. I only have Paula.”

“I’m honored.”

She hugged me tightly again. As she buried her nose in my shoulder, I smelled a sweet fragrance. It was a woman’s scent. My cheeks flushed at the scent, which was so different from mine.

“Hmph. I’m going to stay here too!”

She shouted towards the two men over my shoulder.

“Why?”

“Sister, what happened?”

The two men reacted simultaneously. Both were questioning. I turned to look at them, flustered. I gestured, asking why, but Vincent obviously didn’t notice, and Lucas only blinked. Meanwhile, Violet’s cheeks puffed up even more.

“Who said I came to see you guys? I came to see Paula!”

“Me? You mean me?”

“Yes! Let’s go, Paula!”

Then, she suddenly pulled me up the stairs. She was quite strong for someone so slender. I turned back in embarrassment, but the two men didn’t seem to have any intention of saving me. Rather, they pretended not to be involved. This time, my cheeks puffed up.

\ \ *

The mansion quickly became noisy with the addition of one more person.

After greeting Isabella, who came after hearing the news, Violet unpacked her luggage in the room next to mine. The reason was that she wanted to be with me. She even made a promise that we would sleep together at night. Unlike Violet, who was happy at the thought of chatting, I only watched Isabella’s reaction. Fortunately, she ordered me to check if there were any problems with the room with a calm face.

Violet’s luggage was quite large, as if she planned to stay for a long time. Last time, she sent someone to bring her clothes to change into, but this time, it seemed she had come prepared.

“Ta-da! Paula, how about this?”

Violet took out a pink dress and showed it to me as I was tidying up the surroundings. The shoulder line and the bottom of the sleeves had multiple layers of lace, and the skirt was also decorated with frills and lace, giving it a richer feel as it went down. And there was a pink ribbon on the waist, so you could tighten it to make your waist look slimmer. Looking closely, there were rows of roses embroidered on it, and it was obviously a high-quality, expensive dress.

It would suit her well.

“It’s pretty.”

“Right? I think it would suit Paula very well.”

What? The hand that was touching the dress lost its strength. I met her gaze, and she smiled sweetly. Her smiling face was somehow threatening. A sense of foreboding surged. Instinctively, I took a step back and waved my hand.

“I brought it for Paula.”

“Then it’s meaningless.”

Still, it was too expensive. I could understand the hair tie, since she was concerned about the one I was using, but this was different. I refused, saying I couldn’t accept something so expensive, but Violet didn’t say anything. She just held the dress tightly and approached me.

“V, Violet.”

“Come on, Paula. What are you doing?”

“Yes?”

“Take it off.”

This time, I asked ‘Yes?’ a beat late. Violet was still smiling sweetly. Then, taking advantage of the moment I was distracted trying to figure out what she meant, she pounced on me.

After that, my screams continued. Her unrestrained hands tried to take off my apron and black dress. I struggled and resisted in fear, but she easily took off my clothes without paying any attention. In the blink of an eye, I was only in my underwear.

I crouched down on the floor and covered my body with both arms. It was my first time experiencing something like this, and tears welled up. I felt like I had been robbed of my clothes by a robber.

I looked up at Violet in embarrassment, and she was still wearing a pretty smile. She threw the apron and dress she had taken off far away. It was a distance I couldn’t reach. My gaze followed the dress that had been thrown far away. Violet suddenly held something out to me. It was a corset.

“Why this…?”

“It’ll be prettier if we go all the way and make it perfect.”

“Please save me.”

I begged, but it didn’t work. In the end, I put on the corset. Violet gasped as she tightened the strings from behind. After securing it tightly, she praised me for being pretty, but I had never worn anything like this before, so it was just stuffy. Still, unlike the pressure I felt when I first tightened it, it wasn’t too stuffy. As time passed, I was able to breathe a little.

When I actually put it on, my waist was slim and I had breasts that I didn’t have before. Wow. Amazing. As I admired it and fiddled with the ribbon in the middle of my chest, Violet handed me white stockings this time. When I obediently changed into them, she gave me new shorts as well. Seeing her handing me the next outfits as if she had been waiting for it, it seemed like she had really come prepared.

After putting on the dress in question and even putting on shoes, Violet circled around me, checking my condition. Her gaze was quite sharp. After circling around me a few more times, she clapped her hands with satisfaction.

“These days, it’s old-fashioned if the bottom is too full. This much is just right. Paula is thin, so I thought it would suit her better to show it off a little like this rather than revealing her figure as it is. And as expected, it suits you well!”

“Thank you.”

I smiled awkwardly and fiddled with the skirt. The feeling of wearing gloves for the first time was unfamiliar. Violet scanned me again as if she was admiring me, then reached out to my hair. I panicked and raised my hand to block her.

“Why? We need to fix your hair too. And do your makeup.”

“My hair is fine. M, makeup is fine too.”

“Oh, come on, how can you leave your hair like this when you’re dressed so prettily?”

As Violet approached me, I shook my head wildly. I stepped back, expressing my absolute refusal. I didn’t like my hair, no matter what. She emphasized that it couldn’t be done, but I said I’d rather not wear it at all and struggled to take off the dress.

Surprised by my attitude, she stopped me. I said I would take it off. And so, a battle of strength ensued between me, who was trying to take it off, and her, who was trying to stop me. Then, in an instant, we both lost our balance and fell to the side.

As I fell to the floor, my bangs parted. She, who was getting up, widened her eyes when she saw my face. I quickly covered my face and stepped back. I raised my remaining hand, fearing that she might approach.

“Paula.”

“D-don’t come, don’t come. I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“Because I’m ugly.”

She blinked.

“You’re not that ugly.”

“You don’t have to say nice things. It’s okay.”

“Paula. I’m serious.”

“I’m sorry.”

I shook my head and moved my butt backwards. Violet tilted her head.

“I think you’re plain, but not to the point where you have to apologize.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Paula.”

As she leaned forward to approach me, I flinched in surprise and hurriedly stepped back further. I couldn’t even care that the dress was getting dirty. Violet stopped trying to approach. The hand she had been reaching out also stopped in mid-air.

“I’m sorry.”

“Paula.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

Violet didn’t say anything anymore. I only repeated the word sorry. I couldn’t lift my head. I was afraid to see her face, which was a mixture of disappointment and contempt. I could hear people’s criticisms in my ears. The criticisms that I was ugly, useless, hideous, and how could I carry such a face were tightening my breath again.

Don’t do this. Don’t do this. I didn’t want to be born like this either. I shook my head, trying to shake off the criticism. But it clung to me even more stubbornly.

‘You’re too terrible.’

A boy my age once told me. Unlike the other kids, he was kind to me, gentle, and played with me. He didn’t care even though he was teased. I was grateful to him. In one corner of my heart, I think I secretly liked him too.

But it turned out that he had a crush on Alicia. That’s why he was hanging out with me. He poured out criticism on me, even though he had used me. My worth as a person was judged solely by my appearance because my face was ugly. Someone told me to be thankful that I was born like this. That Father didn’t sell me because I was ugly.

But is that really the case? Is this a fortunate thing? Should I be grateful for my life just because I haven’t suffered as much as someone else? I don’t know.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry……”

“Paula. Look at me.”

A calm voice was heard. I shook my head. She called me again. Paula. Her gentle voice was warm. I stopped apologizing and took a breath. Then, I hesitated and lifted my head, and I saw Violet sitting upright and looking at me.

“Paula, listen. I don’t care what you look like. What does it matter if you’re pretty or ugly? Paula is Paula. I like Paula as she is now. I like the kind Paula who is kind to me, gives me sincere advice, supports me, and understands me even when I’m stubborn. I think those are the real Paula that you’ve shown me. Appearance doesn’t matter there.”

She smiled kindly. Her unwavering purple eyes were full of warmth. I could feel the sincerity in her firm voice and gentle tone.

“I like Paula no matter what she looks like.”

“…….”

“Don’t apologize. What is there to apologize for? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But…….”

“Oh, come on. Do you like me because I’m pretty? Would you have hated me if I was ugly?”

I immediately shook my head. She laughed, saying, “See?” Her clear laughter echoed in the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off her brightly smiling face.