"May I come in?"
Melissa snapped out of her thoughts almost immediately when she heard this.
"Yes."
Kandis Laura Lendora entered the room with a bright blue dress that complemented her appearance and personality perfectly. Melissa was sure that Kandis could've pretended to be an Imperial Princess, and no one would stop her. She would have played that role perfectly, and no one would ever suspect her due to how gracious and how pretty she had looked.
"I am Duchess Kandis Laura Lendora of the Lendora estate, and I am pleased to meet your acquaintance Lady Melissa Mendy Shayla."
Melissa was ready to play her part.
"I am pleased to meet you too, Duchess Kandis Laura Lendora. I have never thought I would have gotten a chance to meet you! Thank you for coming all the way here to help me. I greatly appreciate you taking time out of your busy everyday life just to come here."
"It's truly not a problem, Lady Melissa. Besides, the main reason I came here was to see what you would look like. After all, nobody knows what you've looked like, and I wanted to be the first."
Melissa observed Kandis' reactions, slowly trying to understand how Kandis was feeling and how she had felt about meeting Melissa. She was also trying to read Kandis' facial expressions and figuring out what they had meant.
After Kandis' and Melissa's little introduction with each other, Kandis' wasted no time at all; she immediately took dozens of dresses out from her suitcase. Melissa was quite shocked, seeing that many dresses were able to fit such a small suitcase.
Melissa was forced to try every single dress, whether she liked it or not. After all, this was practically her first debut to society. Nobody had seen what she looked like or even knew how old she was, so she had to give the best first impression she possibly could.
"This would fit you perfectly, my Lady."
"Your beautiful appearance would match this dress perfectly too."
"Wait-"
"Can we please take a break, Duchess Kandis? My legs are sore from trying out all those dresses."
"Do as you please, Lady Melissa, but remember, after your break, we're going to try out more clothes."
Melissa sighed a breath of relief, finally a break! Her legs were all sore from standing up too long; she was sure that it wasn't like this in the past. She had even stood for 5 hours to choose a dress just for the Crown Prince's 21st birthday!
"Please get some Earl Gray tea and some snacks that would suit the tea for Duchess Kandis and I."
Deciding to try and have a conversation with Duchess Kandis, she had ordered the maid to bring some food for both Duchess Kandis and her.
"Lady Melissa, why did you order for me?"
"I just thought that you deserve a break too. After all, you must be tired too from all that standing."
"Lady Melissa, I never knew you were this compassionate. It looks like I had misjudged you. I sincerely apologize for that. Please forgive my impudent actions."
"What are you talking about, Duchess Kandis? I have never thought of you as impudent, and you have been nothing but kind to me from the start."
This time it was Duchess Kandis who had breathed a sigh of relief.
"I will make sure that I will not offend you ever again, Lady Melissa."
The maid had walked in at this exact moment.
"My Lady, I have brought the refreshments you asked for."
"Thank you, put them on the table and leave."
The maid hurried out immediately after putting the refreshments on the table.
"Now, Duchess Kandis, why don't we have a conversation."
Melissa had an "innocent" smile, but to Duchess Kandis, she looked frightening, almost as if she was mad. Well, she probably was even if she said that she wasn't.
"Feel free to sit down, Duchess Kandis."
The Duchess immediately sat down. It was the first time she was this afraid of someone. Still, something about Melissa was just...off to her, she couldn't put her finger on what it was, but something about Melissa made her uncomfortable. Was it how she looked? Her attitude? No, it was something else.
"You should drink tea and eat some snacks. After all, I ordered these for the both of us."
"Now, Duchess Kandis, what did you think of me when you first arrived?"
Duchess Kandis's voice was shaky," Well, I thought you were like the other noblewomen, spoiled and wealthy, treating maids like garbage. But with the little time I've spent with you, I've learned that you are the complete opposite of that. You are a kind, caring young woman. I was utterly wrong to have misjudged your character before."
Melissa laughed. Duchess Kandis looked like a bunny right now shivering!
"Well, now that we've sorted things out, would you like to become friends? I was hoping you could help me have my first debut into society. Duchess Kandis, you are one of the most influential women in the empire, and I need you at my side, so what do you say, Duchess Kandis?"
"Let's be friends then, but now that we're friends...um, shouldn't we call each other by our names?"
Melissa smiled this time. Was this the same Duchess Kandis she had met in her previous life?
She seemed so innocent and cute right now, but Melissa knew better than to judge a book by its cover. It was one of the reasons why she had underestimated many nobles and one of the reasons why they had managed to humiliate her every time even though her status was higher than all of them.
"Well, then I'll Call you Kandis from now on."
"And I'll call you Melissa."
Kandis glanced at the clock in the room.
"Melissa, it's been an hour! Let's end the break here, or else we won't have enough time to prepare for your dress!"
Melissa sighed.
"Fine, fine, I'll do as you say."