Chapter 41: Fake Alice [2]

Alice glanced down at her dress.

It shimmered with a deep wine-red hue—dyed with pigments extracted from rare Eastern flora, combined with delicate silver threadwork only found in the artisanal looms of the Western valleys. It was beautiful, regal, and undeniably expensive.

And utterly miserable to wear.

’Uncomfortable.’

While the dress surely turned heads, it was stiff around the waist and shoulders, and the way the fabric clung to her legs made even walking feel like a chore.

She only wore it because today demanded it—a social gathering where every noble heir would be putting on their best mask.

Her heels weren’t much better. High and narrow, they added just enough height to compensate for what many in court whispered was her “unfortunate” lack of stature.

In a room full of vultures pretending to be peacocks, even the smallest flaw could become fresh meat.

Her gaze flicked to Julies, walking a few paces ahead. His posture wasn’t exactly proper—hands tucked behind his head, gait casual, too relaxed for courtly etiquette—but there was something liberating about it.

No stiff collar. No heels. No title to drag behind him like a chain.

She frowned.

“I’m envious,” she muttered under her breath.

“Huh?” Julies turned his head, one eyebrow raised. “Did you say something?”

She looked away. “Nothing.”

It had been the same back during the Successor Trials. Now again, here at this gaudy event full of forced smiles and hidden daggers.

Yes, being the daughter of a Duke had its privileges—resources, protection, authority. But the cost was a constant, suffocating pressure. Every step calculated. Every word dissected. She couldn’t even choose what to wear without politics weighing in.

She sighed. “I thought you were free.”

Julies tilted his head at her. “Free? I have to wake up before sunrise just to polish armor that doesn’t belong to me. I mop floors that are already clean. And let me tell you, being a newcomer from the West? The other staff treat me like I’m made of mud.”

He chuckled dryly. “Lately I’ve been assigned to pup duty. I’ve cleaned up more snow lion accidents than I can count.”

A short, surprised breath escaped Alice. Was that a laugh? Maybe.

She looked down at the red fabric of her dress again.

“I still think you’re lucky,” she said.

Julies gave her a crooked smile. “You want to trade spots for a day?”

“…Maybe.”

They walked in silence for a bit, her heels clicking softly against the stone path, his steps light and uneven beside her.

Just ahead, the Winter Garden came into view—frosted hedges and carefully arranged evergreens sparkling beneath the midday sun. Already, she could see the other heirs gathered in little clusters, sipping tea and flashing polite, insincere smiles.

Alice slowed her pace.

“Were you serious about trading places earlier?” Julies asked, his tone half-teasing, half-curious.

She didn’t look back, but her silence said enough.

Julies trailed behind her, watching the way her back straightened with each step, her elegant dress shifting like flowing wine under the winter sun. His blue eyes drifted upward, meeting hers for the brief moment she glanced over her shoulder.

“If it were actually possible…” she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear, “then yeah, sure. But we both know it’s not.”

He exhaled through his nose, slow and heavy.

It’s come to this, he thought.

Alice couldn’t afford to skip this gathering—no matter how much she loathed it. It wasn’t just another tea party arranged by flighty noble girls. It had come straight from her father. Which meant expectation, with consequences that were very real—for both of them.

If she tried to disappear or pull another stunt like she had during the Successor Trial, it wouldn’t just reflect poorly on her—it’d drag Julies into the crossfire. Again.

Hans, the head butler, already had it out for him. One more mishap, and Julies would be lucky to keep his servant badge, let alone his position.

So… what could he do?

One idea floated to the top of his mind. Stupid. Reckless. Slightly brilliant.

Risky.

But maybe—maybe—just worth it.

If only there was a reason, he thought bitterly. Something to make this mess worth the fallout.

As if the world had been listening to his inner grumble, a soft ding echoed through his mind. It wasn’t real sound—more like a memory chiming with clarity. And then it appeared.

A thin shimmer of text unfolded before his eyes, translucent and glowing faintly in the air:

[New Quest Available]

→ Help Alice Act on Her Rebellion Without Consequence

Reward: Gain Access to Her Hidden Sentiments

Julies squinted at the message.

Her sentiments?

That could only mean one thing—her favorability. The elusive number the system tracked but never explained. It hadn’t changed since that one brief spike after the Successor Trial… and even then, it had flatlined again, frozen like everything else between them.

But now? He had a chance to check.

Julies didn’t even bother pretending he wasn’t curious.

He let out a soft breath, almost a chuckle, and tucked his hands into his coat pockets as he kept pace with her, just a few quiet steps behind.

All right, he thought. Let’s see how far she’ll let me go.

“My Lady, please wait,” Julies called out, quickening his steps to catch up to her. “I think I have a great idea. We are changing places—just like you said.”

Alice paused, one heel half-raised as she turned her head slightly, giving him a narrowed look.

“I was joking.”

“But I’m not,” he said, grinning now. “Come on, hear me out.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You want to wear this dress and attend the Winter Garden as me?”

Julies made a face. “Okay, no. Not exactly like that. But think about it—what’s the real point of today?”

She folded her arms. “To show our faces, make alliances, pretend we’re all on friendly terms before stabbing each other in the back during the next trial. Politics, reputation. The usual.”

“Exactly,” he said. “So what if you’re there—but not really there?”

“…What?”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You just need to be seen. Heard. A few polite nods. A word here and there. Nothing more. I’ve seen enough of these things from the edge of the room to know how they go.”

“And what? You’ll walk around pretending to be me?” she scoffed.

Julies smirked. “Yes I will.”

“What?!”

She almost screamed and looked at me like I was crazy.

Well anyone would think the same thing.

But I have my way.

“You will believe me after seeing this but please don’t be angry.”

I put my hand on pocket and access dimantional storage space of my ring that I was wearing and pulled somthing out.

She immediately understand what it was and nodded her head.

She was ready, So was I.

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