"No... No, help me again... Tie it tighter."
Even though Evelie was already strangled to the point of gasping for air by the corset, she still felt that certain parts stood out too much.
"Miss, don't push yourself."
It was in a small estate outside of Constantine, which was the domain of the Evely family.
Today she made a rare trip back to her home, so she found her prettiest clothes and asked the maid to help her change into them.
"I'm but... Going to the .... Lord's ball yet..."
"Pop!"
The straps of the corset were ripped off, and the only two lumps of fat left on Evelyn's body broke free and bounced with joy.
"How could this happen!"
The huntress collapsed to the ground in disembowelment.
"Why is this dress so demure on you and I look like a slut in it!"
Hearing the young lady's complaint, the maid lowered her head in shame and looked at her toes.
In the evening, the belated Evely finally appeared in the banquet hall in Constantine's castle, and attracted a lot of people's attention.
The clever maid added a wheeled crease collar to her dress to hide the "bulge" and make the Huntress stand out from the crowd.
This exaggerated look drew many noble men to exchange pleasantries, while the noblewomen cast jealous glances.
The stark look made Evely a little shy, and she lifted her skirt to take small steps as she searched the ballroom for Kayne.
And the latter was chatting with Baldwin, the old knight and the others, this circle of people were the military officials in Constantine's nobility, everyone was a big, sturdy man. Luckily Edward was taller, so he didn't look out of place in this group.
Seeing that Evelie was looking around the crowd, Edward greeted her. The huntress then walked over with a beaming smile.
When she approached, Edward half-jokingly gave her an exaggerated gentleman's salute, something he'd just learned tonight.
Evelie blushed a little as she held out her hand to Edward.
Your son then realized the significance of her move, so he half-kneeled down and lightly kissed the back of her slippery hand.
"Allow me to introduce you to the ace huntress of my humble guild, Ms. Evely Scarlet." Baldwin said.
"This is Associate Lord Scarlet's daughter, isn't it?"
Immediately someone recognized Evely, the Scarlet family was also a noble back in the day, it was only passed down to Evely's father's branch that had already fallen to a quasi-prince.
Evelie fell to bowing to the knights, and a few of the burly men returned the bow with a rare show of gentility, and then returned to the subject of the military in question.
"... Lord Lord is still too tolerant of Marquis Attica, their army is simply unbearable..."
"But you can't just focus on the enemy to the southwest; if troops are mobilized against Attica, the pressure to the east and north will be overwhelming."
"If only we could eat Attica while the north and east are fighting ...."
Edward tried to listen and understand even though he knew very little about the military, but Ivory was a little hard of hearing.
"I'll go over there and see what there is to eat." She said.
"There's a fig preserves that's delicious, you can try it." Edward said.
That kind of preserves is too sweet for him, but it should be good for Evelyn.
The Huntress, transformed into Missy, gingerly made her way to the table where the food was set out, while Edward continued to bone up on otherworldly military theory.
"Ms. Scarlet."
Just as Evelie was torn between swallowing the two pieces of candied fruit stuck together in one bite, a noblewoman came to say hello.
"Ah, the Duchess." Evelie had to put the preserves back on her plate and carefully curtsied to the noblewoman.
The one who came to greet was Duke Edmund's wife, who was nearly fifty years old, and her heavy makeup could no longer hide the wrinkles on her face.
"Is the one standing with Sherbrooke the honored guest from Romneya?" The Duchess opened the door and inquired to Evely.
"Ah, yes. He's Kayne."
"Ohhhh, I'll have to go up and get acquainted then, it's a pity that Countess Margaret is ill and not here today, otherwise I could have asked her to introduce me." The Duchess casually mentioned another distinguished guest from Romanya.
"Then I will accompany you on your journey." Evelie had to put down the preserves she hadn't eaten more than a few bites of.
"Squire, fetch me a brandy." The Duchess twirled her corset's already corseted waist in a graceful manner as she made her way toward Edward and the others.
"Master Kayne."
"Ah, the Duchess."
Edward was told the identity of the visitor as the Duchess headed this way, so the nobleman gave a charming smile and then made the curtsy kissing hands again.
"The castle is not well-informed, and I have just learned that Constantine has your honored guest, so please forgive me for my poor hospitality."
"Where, I should have been the one to visit first, so please forgive me for my lack of courtesy."
"You are very kind, here, please let me toast you with a glass of wine as a token of apology." Said the Duchess as she had her attendant hand over a glass of wine.
After clinking glasses with Edward, Her Ladyship took a small sip of her wine, then turned with her glass to the military men around Edward and said, "To the gentlemen as well, I hope you all had a good time at the ball."
The gentlemen returned the salute, and those with glasses in their hands drank in honor.
Edward also drained the wine in his hand and the Duchess looked at him with satisfaction and said, "It is a pity that Collins is nowhere to be found, the canine son would have been about your age."
She said, a hint of sadness on her face.
When Baldwin heard this, he said reassuringly, "Collins has had enough adventures out there and should be back."
"I hope so."
The Duchess struck up an awkward conversation with the men and left to entertain other guests.
After a while, the castle's butler announced loudly from the stairs, "Ladies and gentlemen, the ball has officially begun! Let us raise our glasses to Duke and Lady Constantine!"
The Laird and Laird's wife were already standing by the railing on the second floor, whereupon the guests raised their glasses in honor of the two of them.
Then the band began to play dance music and young men and women began to step onto the dance floor.
"Won't you ask me to dance?" Evely had returned next to Edward.
"Of course I'd be happy to, as long as you're not afraid of me stepping on your shoes." Edward gently took the huntress' hand.
"You're the one who has to worry about your boots." Evelie laughed softly and pulled the nobleman onto the dance floor.
At first, the two were careful to test the waters for fear of stepping on each other's feet, but those who practiced swordsmanship were always more agile than the average person, and several overlaps in their steps were mitigated by the two's reflexes.
After one or two dances, the two of them adjusted to each other's rhythms, and as the tempo of the dance music picked up, Evelyn was no longer restrained, stepping and spinning quickly.
After the dance, the huntress had expended quite a bit of energy, her face flushed a bit, and her breathing sped up a bit.
At that moment the band played a soothing dance tune and she slipped her arms around Edward's waist.
It was as if a dense atmosphere had arisen between the two, and Edward wondered for a moment if he should put his hand on his female companion's slender waist as well.
"There are a lot of unoccupied rooms in the castle, will you take me there later?" There was a hint of disorientation in Evely's eyes, "I feel a little dizzy."