RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

69. I Can't Stop Him

The wedding date had loomed over Lalisa for weeks, and now it felt strange to think that it would finally happen on the morrow. She woke up in the morning, and then began to prepare herself for a day of last-minute inspections. There was the platform the officiation would take place, the aisle, the tables and chairs for the guests, the lavender flowers, the decorations—with more coming in the next morning.

'The reception at the imperial palace is almost complete...'

After the ceremony, the guests and nobles from foreign countries would gather at the imperial palace for the reception, and great care was given to its preparation.

'Then I'll have to review the menu.'

The crown prince's wedding was so magnificent that there were separate courses prepared for the wedding venue and the reception. Several chefs in the capital renowned for their craftsmanship were hired to prepare the food, and although the dishes had already been decided, Lalisa found she couldn't relax. Fortunately, due to Jungkook's help, the imperial chefs were mobilized as well, allowing the preparations to continue smoothly.

'And again...'

A great deal of attention had to be paid to the seating arrangements as well. The arrangements were similar to the tea party in the south, where those of higher status sat in the front rows. Lalisa had a great deal of anxiety about it. She looked over the invitation list again, noting the layout of the nobles and foreign envoys and scanning for any potential mishaps. She was in a restless mood, but the preparations were quite complete.

The wedding dressing that Roseanne and Madame Mitchell had been working on was the final item. Lalisa approved the design, but it was Roseanne that recommended the gold and white dress among the five that Jungkook purchased. This wasn't the wedding of the century, but Roseanne was determined to create the most beautiful dress that anyone had ever seen far and wide.

'With all this work still happening the day before, I don't know how the dress will turn out.'

Despite the incompleteness of the dress, strangely enough, Lalisa was not worried. Was it because of her faith in Roseanne? In truth, Lalisa liked all five dresses she had seen in Anco's Tailors without having to modify them, but Roseanne had vowed to work on a new design to make it even more beautiful. She was more worried about the strain on Mirabelle's health.

"...Huuu."

She watched the sunrise peek from out her window, then got up from her seat to do her ritual morning exercises. It was better to busy the body to clear her swirling thoughts. It was a wisdom she had gained from experience. She started face down on the floor, holding herself up with one hand and pushing up and down.

"One, two—"

When the floor came up to her, she repeated the motion. This may be the last time she exercised in this mansion.

*

*

*

Lalisa came down for breakfast, and sat at the dining table with only Namjoon for company. Roseanne had sent a note saying that she was too busy working on the dress to eat, and their father was presently not at home.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

At Lalisa's usual greeting, Namjoon gave a slight nod of his head and a curt reply. The morning was no different from any other morning. However, the stern-faced Namjoon stole a glance at his sister and opened his mouth to speak again.

"Did—did you sleep well? I heard that women are nervous the day before their wedding."

"Ah, I'm fine."