The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 31: The Ball (1)

“Can’t I just wear my uniform instead?”

“What kind of blasphemy are you spouting now?”

“How is that blasphemy? That’s ridiculous.”

Astrid frowned, staring intently at Eranya.

Eranya, in turn, locked eyes with Astrid, her gaze filled with determination.

Although Eranya wasn’t particularly short, Astrid was taller. Perhaps it was because she was from the north, but even with that taken into consideration, Astrid’s height was exceptional.

Compared to other women her age, Astrid’s height was significantly greater. 

Whenever she looked down at Eranya, it was natural for a sense of pressure to be felt. But this time, Eranya stood firm, refusing to back down even an inch from Astrid.

“Astrid, listen to me carefully.”

“What now…”

At this point, she had no idea how to convince her.

The problem had started with the ball that would take place tomorrow night. 

The five-day outdoor camping training had just concluded, marking the end of their training in its entirety.

Now, at the threshold of officially becoming first-year cadets, a ball was being held to commemorate the completion of their training. 

It was only a day away, and this sparked a standoff between Eranya, who was determined to get Astrid into a dress, and Astrid, who had no interest in wearing one.

It’s not like she’d never worn a dress before.

At the Miterien estate in the north, she’d worn dresses on occasion.

But since she’d never attended a ball like this before, the dresses she’d worn were closer to casual attire than actual gowns. 

The dress Eranya was holding up now was, quite literally, the epitome of a “young lady’s dress” — designed to captivate and enchant the opposite sex.

“Is this girl really that clueless, or is she just pretending? Astrid, there’s no way you don’t know what a ball means, right? You’re a duke’s daughter! It’s impossible for you to not understand the significance of a ball!”

‘Of course I don’t know. Why would I? I’m not the real Astrid.’

On the outside, Astrid looked like a mature young lady who had just turned 20. She had already debuted in society 10 years ago and had attended numerous balls since then.

Although her blunt personality and sharp tongue had given her a poor reputation, she’d still participated in plenty of balls.

The real issue, however, was that the person currently inhabiting Astrid’s body was a man. A man who’d only seen balls in novels and had never experienced one in real life.

“…What do you think the significance of a ball is, then?”

Rather than give an answer, she posed a question in return.

Astrid figured it’d be better to hear Eranya’s opinion instead of saying something wrong and causing a bigger misunderstanding.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“That’s why I’m asking. What is it?”

“It’s the battlefield for young maidens!”

Puffing out her chest with pride, Eranya’s answer was so grand that it left Astrid speechless.

“I’m not a young maiden, so I’ll just wear my uniform. The uniform’s pretty too, so why not?”

“Hey, are you really going to be this stubborn?”

“You’re the one being stubborn. Besides, what even is this? How is this a dress?”

“Wow… You’re so clueless it’s painful. This dress is the latest fashion from the capital, okay? I only didn’t wear it because I didn’t have the chance. But this is the trend right now!”

The dress Eranya held out was, at a glance, incredibly short. Not only that, but it also had an excessively high side slit.

“So, because it’s trendy, you’re telling me I have to wear it?”

Eranya nodded vigorously at Astrid’s words.

This dress was the main culprit of the entire conflict.

“It’s just the academy ball. Do I really need to dress up so much for it?” Astrid thought.

But Eranya insisted, arguing that she had to wear a dress. Not just any dress, but this dress — the one Eranya had bought but never had the chance to wear.

“Hey, the rumors are already spreading. They’re saying that Akemilla, that commoner girl, is after Leopold.”

“…That’s already a rumor?”

“Of course it is! She’s been blatantly chasing him around. How could it not become a rumor?”

‘Ah, I knew it.’

Since Akemilla had declared herself a candidate for the position of Crown Princess and had even shamelessly flirted with Leopold right in front of Astrid, it was inevitable that such rumors would spread among the cadets.

“That’s why you’ve got to win with your body.”

“…What?”

For a moment, she thought she’d misheard.

“What did you just say?” Astrid’s mind froze as she tried to comprehend Eranya’s meaning. Seizing the opportunity, Eranya moved in for the kill.

“Think about it! You’re his fiancée. How would you feel if Leopold got stolen away by that ugly girl, even if she’s from a family of founders?”

If Akemilla had heard that, she would’ve foamed at the mouth and collapsed on the spot. But Eranya showed no restraint, pushing her face right up to Astrid’s.

“Look at this! Look at your chest! Are you just going to waste this?! And this waist — look how small it is! What’s the point of having such a perfect body if you’re not going to use it?”

“Wait, wait! Hold on, sister!”

“No ‘wait’ about it! If you just show a bit of skin, you can lock Leopold in for good. Are you stupid? Huh? Are you?”

“No, that’s not what I—!”

“Then what is it? Huh? What is it if not that?! No more arguing! Just put it on. I’ll wait outside, so change quickly, got it?”

Her resolve was unyielding.

Eranya’s determination to see Astrid wear that dress was like that of a knight chasing victory on the battlefield.

‘…I’m not going to wear it to the actual ball anyway. So maybe, just once…’

“Alright, fine. Just this once. I’ll try it on. Happy?”

“Yes! Just try it on! You’ll love it, I’m telling you!”

“Alright, I’ll get changed, so step outside.”

“Call me if you need help!”

Why would she need help just to put on clothes? Astrid thought as she shoved Eranya out of the room.

Just to be safe, she locked the door behind her. She then took off her casual clothes, folded them neatly, and placed them on the bed.

Reaching for the dress hanging nearby, she grabbed it and immediately questioned if this could even be called a “dress.”

It was short.

It might be the right length for Eranya, but because of their height difference, it was far too short for Astrid.

The size of the chest area was another issue. The cups were too small, and they couldn’t properly contain her.

Her upper chest spilled out of the cups, and even a slight movement of her arms made her feel the unsettling bounce and instability of her chest.

The shoulder straps barely existed—stitched with black lace to sit just under her shoulders, connecting directly to the cups, as if the whole design was solely for exposure.

“Is this… is this as far as it goes?”

After struggling to tug it down, she found it wouldn’t go any further.

“Wow… seriously, what is this?”

Her gaze shifted to the side, where she noticed a neatly folded pair of panties meant to be worn as a set with the dress. 

If she wanted to wear the “complete” look, she’d have to wear these as well, but she hesitated.

She picked up the panties and examined them. No matter how she looked at them, they were undeniably a thong.

Astrid wore underwear, of course, but it was always plain, simple cotton underwear with no frills or unnecessary designs. She had never worn, much less seen, anything like this.

Wearing something like this? It was daunting.

‘…If I’m going to do it, I might as well do it properly, right?’

“Leopold, are you in?”

Without bothering to knock, Eranya flung the door open and entered. Inside, Leopold was sitting on his bed, leaning against the headboard, reading a book.

The sunlight streaming in from the window hit his hair, casting a golden glow that scattered like a soft halo. His blue eyes glanced up at her, calm but attentive.

“Ah, you’re here. Come over, quickly.”

“What’s going on?”

Eranya’s lips curled into a sly grin, reminiscent of a cat up to mischief. Leopold had a bad feeling about it but didn’t show it. Setting his book aside, he got up from the bed.

“What’s this about?”

“Come on, I’ll show you something good.”

“What about me?”

“Astein, you stay out of it.”

“Huh?! Why not?!”

“Because this is for Leopold only.”

She shoved Astein back into the room with a quick kick and slammed the door shut. If it was something that only Leopold could see, it was clear what—or rather, who—it involved.

‘Is it Astrid?’

His heart began to beat faster.

His heart thumped against his chest, and he felt a hint of nervous excitement as he followed Eranya’s beckoning gestures.

—Knock, knock.

“Hey, Astrid. Are you done changing?”

—Hold on! This thing… why won’t it tie properly… Ah, got it. Wait a second!

Astrid’s voice came from inside.

It sounded like she was struggling to get something right, but after a short while, they heard her call out, giving them permission to enter. Eranya gave Leopold a sly smile, like a cat ready to pounce.

“Don’t be too surprised, alright?”

“What?”

“Astrid, we’re coming in!”

—Clunk.

But the door didn’t budge. Astrid had locked it after pushing Eranya out, and no matter how much Eranya jiggled the handle, it wouldn’t open.

“Did you lock the door?”

—Ah, I’ll unlock it now.

They heard the sound of the lock clicking, and then the door handle turned.

Slowly, the door opened, the creaking of its hinges dragging out the moment.

“Eranya, this dress is too shor—”

“…Astrid?”

A deep purple dress clung tightly to Astrid’s pure white skin, highlighting every curve.

The cups of the dress were too small, causing her upper chest to spill out, and the lace shoulder straps delicately framed her shoulders, leading down to the fitted bodice that hugged her waist.

Her slender waist was accentuated by the smooth fabric, which tightly embraced her body. 

The short hemline, already scandalously high, was made even more daring by the slit that ran all the way up to her hip.

And in the gap between the slit, they could faintly see the black strings of the thong she’d reluctantly put on.

“So, Leopold, what do you think? Didn’t I say I’d show you something good?”

Astrid’s face was bright red.

She crossed her arms over her chest, but it wasn’t enough to fully cover herself. 

Her other hand tugged down the hemline, but no matter how much she pulled, it barely managed to cover the front. 

The effort only emphasized the slight curve of her lower abdomen, making it even more noticeable.

Her entire body was filled with the warmth of embarrassment, and her face was completely flushed.

“A-Astrid.”

Leopold’s voice wavered, his tone unsteady.

“…I’m closing the door now.”

Those were his final words before the door slowly closed, blocking out the image of Astrid from view.

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