Chapter 4 - Weight and Dessert

"Young master, I've told you countless times to stop these pranks. I know neither of you listens to my advice anymore. You should realize by now that Lady Ella can't tolerate your rough treatment anymore. I've said before that what you're doing is just bullying her."

Maylin's lectures were a frequent occurrence for Evan, so much so that he had a response ready for each one. "That's why I objected to Ella's weight loss! Look at her. She's so thin even without her corset! At this point, a corset would only harm her. It wouldn't even make her appear thinner. Besides, I dislike the idea of my sister starving herself just to impress other men."

A month ago, before he left, Evan had argued with Maylin about Ella's weight loss. To him, his sister was delicate but more beautiful than anyone else in the world. She was also so athletic that no other lady seemed more perfect than her. But now, Ella was wasting away due to her drastic weight loss. She couldn't even break free from his headlock, something she had effortlessly done before.

Evan never imagined his sister would be in such a state. He especially hated the idea that she was doing all of this for the crown prince. If she were marrying into an ordinary noble family, he would have done his best to help her. But because Ella was the crown prince's fiancée, she received extra care and attention.

From now on, she would have to deal with her problems on her own. It was clear to him that visiting his sister in the future would be difficult.

The current empress served as a cautionary tale for women who married into the royal family and saw their lives ruined.

Evan dreaded the thought of Ella facing a similar fate, prompting him to delve into the empress's history. His discoveries only deepened his concern for Ella, leaving him unable to shake off his worries. Though Evan despised the idea of his sister's marriage, he knew he couldn't prevent it, especially since it was the emperor's decree. This made him resent the situation even more.

Sending her away against his will was unfair enough, but forcing her to diet to look good seemed unjustifiable.

The burden should have fallen on the crown prince to put in more effort, not his beloved sister, Ella.

Ella ceased her glare at Evan once she realized the reason behind his behavior. Despite his rough actions, she sensed his genuine concern. Normally, Luciella would have rebuffed Evan and told him to mind his own business. But she wasn't the same Luciella anymore.

Approaching her brother with a smile, Ella noticed Evan's flinch as he looked down at her. His reaction puzzled him.

"W... what's wrong?" he stammered.

Suppressing the urge to burst into laughter at Evan's reaction, Ella maintained her radiant smile. Memories of Luciella's past flashed in her mind, including one where she kicked Evan's shin after approaching him with the same smile. Her smile widened as Evan grew more apprehensive. Despite knowing what awaited him, Evan didn't deter his sister from drawing closer.

In that moment, she felt truly loved.

"I appreciate your concern for me. I think I'll ease up on the weight loss, as you suggested," Ella said with a gentle tone.

"My lady!" Maylin exclaimed in response to Ella's decision.

Knowing that her bond with her brother outweighed her connection to the crown prince, whom she hadn't met yet, Ella saw no reason to continue her diet. She was certain that at her debutante in three months, she would meet the crown prince and they would instantly fall in love, just as described in the original novel. Regardless of her appearance, the crown prince was destined to love her. After all, they were the main characters of the story.

Even in her current state, Ella believed she was beautiful enough. There was no need to try any harder, and she had no desire to do so. Maintaining her current weight sufficed for her. She refrained from telling Evan this because of the headlock he had given her moments ago, which had been too much, despite his concern for her.

Unaware of this, Evan's face instantly brightened at her response.

"Is that true?" Evan asked eagerly.

"Of course. Have I ever spoken nonsense? I think you're right. I see no reason to continue dieting anymore. Perhaps it's time I start training my body. I should learn the 'fighting Evan' technique that Eric always wanted to teach me. Isn't it better for me to learn to defend myself for the crown prince rather than focus on my appearance?" Ella suggested.

Like his father, Evan was highly intellectual, but lacking in athleticism. The only battles he had ever won were those against Ella. Unlike him, his two younger brothers were natural warriors like their mother's family. Had Evan not been the family heir, he might have been defeated by his brothers long ago, as had been proven many times in the past.

Evan and his second son, Eric, frequently sparred, with Eric emerging victorious each time.

Ella, however, inherited talents from both her parents. Though she was not permitted to formally learn sword fighting techniques, she quickly picked up some through playful bouts with Eric.

The mere thought of Ella learning martial arts from Eric made Evan turn pale. If that were to happen, everyone would surely suspect the reason behind her decision.

"Well, Ella," Evan began, trying to mask his unease, "you're a lady of the Constance family. Perhaps you should focus on honing your intellectual prowess instead? Oh, I almost forgot! I have a gift for you. Will you wait for me in the drawing room?" With that, Evan hurriedly left. Watching him scurry away, Ella couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"You mustn't be serious, my lady," Maylin remarked.

"About what?" Ella replied innocently.

"That you're going to end your diet and start martial arts training?"

Ella was known for following through with her decisions, which left Maylin shocked. Feeling apologetic for causing Maylin worry, Ella hugged her with a warm smile and said, "Oh, silly. Muscles don't suit my beautiful arms, don't you agree? Besides, Eric is away from the estate, so I can't get any training from him anyway. I was just teasing Evan."

Her bluff seemed to work with Evan, whose intelligence often seemed to vanish when his siblings were present. Maylin appeared relieved as she listened to Ella's explanation, until she realized what Ella didn't mention. "So, you're not going to diet then?"

Maylin was a skilled maid indeed. Ella ignored her question, instead taking Maylin's arm as they walked to Evan's drawing room.

With a confident tone, Ella remarked, "Come to think of it, I believe Evan is right. There's no point in trying to lose weight. I'm going to marry the crown prince anyway. It's an order from His Majesty, so there's no turning back. Besides, I am the only one in this entire empire fit to be his wife. Don't you agree?"

Though it may have sounded arrogant, Ella's claim was indeed the truth. Among the four duke families, only Constance and Drolin boasted daughters. The Drolin family had been granted their title of duke merely two generations ago, with Duke Drolin's reputation tainted by terrible rumors. In contrast, the Constance family traced its lineage back to the founding of the empire. Compared to Constance, Drolin was no match.

Moreover, Aileena Drolin was notorious for her unpleasant personality. It was only natural for the emperor to choose Luciella, as many considered her the future empress.

The only circumstance that could overturn that decision would be something dire occurring in the future.

"But don't you still want to look good for His Highness, the prince?" Maylin's words gave Ella pause.

Luciella had fallen in love with Cladis the moment she laid eyes on him. Love was what transformed a tomboy like her into a gentle soul. At eight years old, she had encountered the eleven-year-old Cladis, whose gentle and kind demeanor stood in stark contrast to her mischievous brothers.

From that moment, she was smitten, and she made monthly visits to the palace to see him until he departed for the National Academy.

During his absence, Luciella wept and vowed to become a lady worthy of him. At just thirteen years old, she made a solemn commitment to herself, diligently working to improve herself. Eventually, she deemed herself worthy and beautiful enough for the prince.

In recognition of her efforts, Cladis chose to celebrate his return at her debutante.

Naturally, Luciella embarked on a strict diet in preparation for the upcoming party, aspiring to look flawless. Thus began her two-month-long regimen.

Memories of Luciella's tireless efforts over the past three years weighed heavily on Ella's mind, prompting her to reconsider her decision.

I can't disregard Luciella's hard work, she thought, exhaling a long sigh.

Reluctantly, she acknowledged that she couldn't completely abandon her quest for perfection. "Right... I have to look perfect. I guess I can't quit entirely."

With a heavy heart, Ella resumed her diet, her steps slow with disappointment.

Maylin gently held Ella's hand and offered words of encouragement. "His Highness will be captivated when he sees you. He'll proclaim, 'I've never seen a girl as beautiful as you.' He'll treat you like a woman when he lays eyes on you, my lady."

Though Maylin's words might have comforted Luciella, Ella found no solace in them. She knew that the scenario would unfold regardless of her efforts, feeling unimpressed by Maylin's reassurances.

"I was going to keep this a secret until the right moment, but I suppose I can tell you now," whispered Maylin, drawing closer to Ella. "Chef Kooke promised to prepare the best late-night snack for you after the party. Until then, just hang in there, my lady!"

A snack? Desserts made by Chef Kooke, which I couldn't enjoy for the past month?

Ella's excitement surged as she recalled reading about those delectable treats when she was still Ranhee. She had to remind herself to stay composed. As she calmed her racing heart, Ella made an additional request for Chef Kooke.

"Tell him I want an extra-large lemon tart with a huge jar of his homemade marmalade. It won't be the best without that," Ella instructed.

"Of course, my lady. But you shouldn't indulge in all that marmalade at once," Maylin cautioned.

"I know," Ella replied with a grin.

As she walked, Ella couldn't contain her excitement, flapping her arms in delight. Although it was hardly lady-like, Maylin decided to overlook it this time. Ella looked too radiant to be restrained by etiquette.