Please Fall in Love with Me! – A Villainess on Her Second Loop, using 'Seduction' to Avoid Ruin! - Chapter 4.2

That remark only made me even more anxious.

“Which one should we start with? How about something in a shade of blue to match Lady Adelaide’s eyes?”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Or perhaps something in the purple range to complement Lord Argento’s eyes?”

“Rather than yellow or green, pink tones would be a better choice, wouldn’t they?”

“I believe so, but I wouldn’t say those colors wouldn’t suit her either. It would also depend on her partner. For instance, if Lady Adelaide were to attend a tea party with Lady Fiona, yellow or green would work well. It would be clear that the colors were chosen to complement Lady Fiona’s hair and eyes.”

“Ah, I see your point.”

Fiona and Claude had completely excluded me from the conversation and were already deep into selecting dresses.

W-Wait, is this really okay? They’re discussing colors to match my partner’s hair and eye color as if it’s a given that these dresses will suit me! But what if they don’t? There’s a real possibility I could look absolutely ridiculous—I mean, I am a villainess, after all!

“Then, let’s start with this one.”

“Agreed.”

The dress they handed me was a soft pastel blue with a princess-line silhouette. It was adorned with ribbons and lace, with navy accents that matched my eyes, making for a beautifully balanced contrast.

“……”

It was cute. Extremely cute.

And that was precisely why I was terrified.

As I stood frozen, staring at the dress, Lady Fiona took my arm.

“Alright, let’s get you changed!”

Without giving me a chance to protest, she practically dragged me into the next room.

“Sheska, we’ll start with this one!”

“Understood! How would you like her hair styled? Shall we do her makeup as well?”

“Just the fitting for now. We have a lot to get through today.”

After quickly instructing Sheska, Lady Fiona turned to me with a bright smile.

“I’ll go pick out the next dress while I wait! I’m so excited to see how you look!”

“…Please don’t get your hopes up too much.”

I let out a weak laugh and allowed Sheska to help me into the dress.

When I cautiously looked in the mirror—ugh. It felt so unnatural. Claude was definitely going to tear me apart over this…

With a deep sigh, I returned to the room where Fiona and Claude were waiting.

“…!”

Lady Fiona gasped, covering her mouth with both hands before dramatically collapsing to the floor.

“A-a goddess…! Lady Adelaide, you look too adorable!”

“L-Lies! This feels so wrong! Right, Claude?!”

But Claude simply shook his head, his expression unreadable.

“No, it suits you. Far more than that garish dress you wore to Lord Argento’s tea party.”

…Wait. He was the one who recommended that dress, wasn’t he?

“I thought I kept you around because you were willing to say no when necessary?”

“Yes. Which is why I’m being honest. This isn’t flattery or an empty compliment. It genuinely looks good on you. The only reason it feels strange is because you’re not used to it yet.”

“Eh…?”

Was that true?

“But still, Lady Fiona would look so much better in something like this…!”

“Lady Adelaide, you really don’t understand yourself at all, do you?”

Huh? No, no, no. There’s no way a villainess like me could outshine a heroine. Lady Fiona is ten times cuter than I could ever be—that’s just a fact.

“The discomfort you feel is just unfamiliarity. Once you get used to it, that feeling will disappear. So, let’s keep going—one after another! All of them!”

“All of them?!”

Do they even realize how many dresses are here?!

“L-Lady Fiona, that’s a bit excessive…!”

“We need to find the one that suits you best, so all of them! You’re okay with that, right?”

She leaned forward, staring straight into my eyes.

“What if the perfect dress—the one that will completely steal Lord Siegvard’s heart—is among the ones we don’t try on?”

“…Ugh…”

That’s… a dirty trick.

“But I still have a meeting later about magical tools and product development…”

“Yes, I heard from Claude. The heated seat, the dryer, was it? Then there’s the fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and those condiments—mayonnaise and curry powder? Also, the self-defense magical tool development, I believe? I fully support you!”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. So—”

“Exactly. Which is why we won’t waste any time. No complaints. You have exactly five minutes and thirty-seven seconds per dress.”

Claude snapped his pocket watch shut, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Eh—?! B-But—”

“I said no complaints. Now, hurry up!”

Ugh! This is tyranny!

With no room for protest, I was once again shoved into the dressing room with the next gown in hand.

I let out a deep sigh and began to change.

◇＊◇

“Then, as it stands, only four individuals have been chosen by the heavens as Knights of the Rounds?”