CHAPTER 174: HAIRPINS, HEART ATTACKS, AND A HINT OF GODDESS

[Lavinia’s POV—Imperial Palace—Dawnspire Wing—Lavinia’s Chamber]

And the day has finally arrived—my coming-of-age ceremony.

The day I officially turn sixteen and get introduced to society not as some ordinary noble lady... but as the Crown Princess.

It’s not a normal day for a person like me, who is the future empress of the entire empire. So... of course, it’s not just the imperial palace that’s buzzing—the whole empire is practically blinding itself with decorations. Golden banners, flowers everywhere, and so many shining lanterns that if anyone trips over a wire, the whole place might just look like the Festival of Explosions instead of my big day.

It’s huge. It’s grand. It’s—

"PRINCESS!"

I gasped, jerking my eyes open. Even Marshi, usually calm as a rock, let out a startled "guh!" beside me.

"What—were we attacked?" I blurted, ready to leap out of bed swinging with a sword.

The door slammed open, and in came a whirlwind disguised as a girl—my new lady-in-waiting. Carefully (and somewhat regretfully) selected by me and Papa: Lady Seraphina of Marquess Aldercrest, from the city of Rionne.

But let me tell you—Seraphina is a walking hurricane.

Clumsy. Messy. Panics over the smallest things. Drops teacups like she’s trying to start her own porcelain graveyard.

And today? She looked like she had just run here chased by fifty angry ducks.

"Your Highness! The horror! The absolute disaster!" She cried, clutching her skirts so tightly I thought the seams might scream. "It’s a catastrophe! The end of civilization! The—"

I calmly reached for a glass of water, handed it to her, and patted her back. "There, there, Sera. Breathe. Calm down, everything is good."

She blinked, froze, and then panicked harder

. "B-but... but this is your glass! Your royal glass! I can’t—I can’t commit such treason!"

I stared at her. "...Treason? For drinking water?"

She nodded gravely, eyes wide as if I’d just offered her the imperial crown instead. "Yes! They’ll hang me in the palace courtyard!"

. . .

. . .

"Pfft—hahaha... Sera, you are ridiculous." I couldn’t control my laugh. "Treason for drinking water... Hahaha...I can’t."

That’s the thing about Seraphina. For all her clumsiness and her hurricane energy, she’s... adorable. Brown hair always escaping her pins, big round black eyes that look like she’s constantly surprised by life itself. She may look like an ordinary noble’s daughter, but somehow she’s both beautiful and the kind of cute that makes you want to squish her cheeks.

Even Marshi tilted his head, watching her with that "is she for real?" expression only divine beasts can pull off.

She had that rare, glowing kind of energy—the kind every human in the world deserved to feel at least once in their life.

I sighed, sinking into the couch. "Alright... Now tell me what happened."

Her entire face transformed, eyes widening like she’d just remembered the world was ending. "Your Highness... I—I’ve committed a grievous sin!" She clutched her chest as if she could physically hold her soul in place. "I... I... I LOST YOUR GOLD-LEAF HAIRPIN—"

I choked on my own breath. "You what—?"

"Oh my stars!" she wailed, pacing like a prisoner waiting for execution. "What if this is treason?! What if His Majesty finds out? What if—oh heavens—he swings his sword, and—" she dragged a finger across her neck, "—one swift strike and I’m headless!"

I couldn’t help but laugh. "Sera, it’s a hairpin, not a war."

She gasped like I’d just insulted the royal bloodline. "You don’t understand! Without the gold-leaf hairpin, your ceremonial bun will be—" she lowered her voice as if sharing a state secret, "—unbalanced. And without a balanced bun... your crown, Your Highness, your precious ceremonial crown, will tilt. And if that crown tilts in front of the nobles—" she clutched her head— "His Majesty will have my head separated from my body before the orchestra finishes its first note!"

I blinked at her. "...Seriously?"

The nanny walked in at that very moment, took one look at Sera’s wild eyes and trembling hands, and sighed. "Oh, don’t tell me she’s wailing about a hairpin again."

I nodded gravely. "Unfortunately... yes."

The nanny shook her head, arms crossed. "Sera, how many times have I told you? We can just change the hairstyle. Let the princess leave her hair open. We do not need that hairpin."

"But—" Sera’s voice cracked as she sniffled— "I lost it..."

I stood and patted her back, my tone softening. "Sera, I promise, I’m not going to hang you to death over this."

Her eyes went wide, shimmering with hope. "R—Really?"

"Yes, really," I said with a smile. "Now, go prepare my bath before you start mourning your own funeral."

She nodded quickly and scampered off, still muttering about balanced buns and fatal crowns.

"So cute," I mumbled, about to plop back onto my bed and hug Marshi—until Nanny caught my wrist.

"Princess..."

I froze. That tone. That glint in her eyes. Not the sweet, grandmotherly glint. Oh no. This was the dangerous battle-strategy glint.

"Yes... Nanny?" I asked, very carefully, as if I were talking to a wild beast that might bite.

She smiled—a slow, terrifying smile. "We have to get ready... It’s a very big day."

And before I could protest, she was already dragging me towards the bath like a criminal being hauled to the gallows.

"Nanny! I can walk!" I squeaked.

"Not fast enough," she replied, tightening her grip.

***

[Lavinia’s Chamber—Later]

The mirror almost seemed too small to contain me.

Or maybe it wasn’t me—it was the vision staring back.

Now, I’ve said it before—many, many times—that I’m beautiful. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. The kind of woman who could make statues weep and make men trip over their own feet. But today...

Today, I didn’t just believe it. I almost didn’t believe it was me.

The long red gown clung in all the right places—not the stiff, ancient kind that made you feel like a walking curtain, but sleek, with a fitted bodice that hugged my frame and layers of roses cascading down the skirt like I’d stolen an entire enchanted garden. Thin golden chains draped over my shoulders like delicate rays of sunlight, catching the light with every slight movement, like I had personally bribed the sun to follow me around.

And the cloak—oh, the cloak. Golden, trailing behind me like the dramatic gasp of an audience at a scandal. It was embroidered with phoenix feathers so detailed they seemed almost alive, shimmering as if they’d burst into flames at any moment.

Then there was the crown. Oh, the crown. Rubies as red as sin itself, set in gold so fine I was sure it whispered compliments to me when no one was listening.

My hair was tied neatly into a bun, each strand behaving as if afraid to mess with perfection. The golden leaf pin I was meant to wear wasn’t there, and yet—

"Wow... prinnncessss, you look... you look... really—REALLY majestic."

I blinked back at myself in the mirror and said, "I... actually... do."

Nanny dabbed the corner of her eyes with her apron, sniffling dramatically. "Three hours... three hours, child. Two near-death experiences with those cursed hairpins—one of which almost took my eye—and it was all worth it."

I smiled, but before I could speak, Sera flung her arms into the air like she was introducing me on a catwalk.

"That’s right, Your Highness, you look like the goddess of war and the goddess of seduction got together, had a scandalous love child... and that child grew up, stormed the palace, and is now here to steal the hearts—and possibly the wallets—of everyone in the room."

. . .

. . .

I blinked. "That’s... oddly specific."

Sera paused, then leaned toward Nanny. "Did I... say too much?"

Nanny didn’t even hesitate. "Yes. You’ve said too much, too loud, and probably to the wrong person... but you’re not wrong."

I couldn’t help but smile—just a little—when suddenly—KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Oh... seems like Lord Osric is here."

Sera’s face lit up like she’d just been told she’d won the Imperial Lottery. "Ooooh... I’m sure he’s going to freeze the second he sees you. Like—completely paralyzed. Turned to stone. Maybe even forget how to breathe."

I squinted at her. "Why do you talk like we’ve got some scandal together?"

Without batting an eyelid, she said, perfectly deadpan, "But you do, Princess."

"...What?"

She tilted her head innocently. "Well, there’s a rumor that you and Lord Osric will be getting engaged right after today’s ceremony."

I blinked. Slowly. Twice. "...There’s a rumor like that?"

Sera nodded with all the confidence of someone revealing the imperial state budget. "Oh yes. And I also heard a whisper—" she leaned forward like she was sharing state secrets— "that Lord Osric and you confessed your love to each other when you were still little children."

I blinked. Blinked again. Blinked a third time just for good measure.

Then, very slowly, I said, "What... exactly is going on outside the imperial palace? Because I feel like I missed three seasons of drama about myself while living in the actual palace."