14. Is it love or not?

The crown prince, Lucien Vaelhart, strode down the grand hallways of the palace, his thoughts focused on his destination—the library. It was a quiet morning, the kind he often cherished, where he could retreat into the world of books and forget the burdens of his royal duties, even if only for a short while.

But today was different. As he walked, a peculiar sensation washed over him—a feeling he couldn't quite place. From a distance, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye. It was as if an ethereal glow was emanating from the corridor ahead, almost angelic in its radiance. He slowed his pace, curiosity piqued. The source of this strange aura became clearer as he drew nearer, and soon enough, he saw her.

A young woman, standing with a maid beside her, her figure bathed in the soft light filtering through the palace windows. Her presence alone seemed to illuminate the dim hallway, and Lucien felt his breath catch in his throat. Could this be the girl from the rumors? The mysterious beauty whose name had been whispered among the court?

He had heard of her, of course—the talented young woman with a knack for creating wonders with makeup, the one who had even caught the queen's attention. But seeing her in person was an entirely different experience. There was a confidence in her stance, a grace in the way she held herself that Lucien found captivating.

The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning: this must be her. The beauty in the rumors. His heart began to race, beating faster with every step he took toward her. He didn't know why, but an excitement—one he hadn't felt before—started to build within him. He was a teenager, after all, full of emotions he barely understood. And now, standing before this vision of beauty, he felt an overwhelming urge to make an impression, to ensure that she would remember him.

As he approached, Lucien straightened his posture, trying to exude the confidence and poise expected of a crown prince. Yet, as he drew closer, he could feel his hands grow clammy, his pulse quickening to an almost uncomfortable speed. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to maintain his composure.

When they finally stood mere feet apart, the maid beside the young woman immediately bowed her head in respect, and the girl followed suit, lowering her gaze. Lucien hesitated for the briefest of moments, his nerves threatening to betray him. But he steeled himself, turning his body to face her fully.

"Lift your face," he commanded, his voice steady, though he could feel the butterflies in his stomach fluttering madly. He had to see her up close, to take in the full measure of her beauty.

Slowly, almost as if time itself had slowed to a crawl, the young woman—Seraphina, he recalled—began to raise her head. To Lucien, the world around them seemed to fade into darkness, leaving only the sight of her face, inching its way into his heart.

He swallowed hard, feeling his heart thump against his chest, faster and faster, each beat louder than the last.

His palms were slightly damp, betraying the calm, confident demeanor he usually maintained with such ease.

What was this? A rush of unfamiliar excitement coursed through him!

Closer now, he could see her. She was standing there, delicate yet poised, her presence so radiant it made the hallway seem dull in comparison.

 His heart stuttered, then skipped a beat as his breath hitched. He had never felt this way before, never felt so—

In love? No, no, it wasn't that. It couldn't be that. He didn't even know her! And yet, something in her eyes, the way she held herself, the way her face seemed to glow with a light that made everything else—

Scent? Was it her perfume, or was it just... her? He didn't know. He didn't care.

The prince's mind was a whirl of emotions and thoughts he couldn't quite grasp. He had spoken to her, yes, but what had he said? The words had tumbled out of his mouth, a blur of sound that he couldn't even recall.

 Had he made sense? Had he been charming? Or had he just made a complete fool of himself?

He didn't know. He couldn't remember. It was as if his brain had short-circuited the moment he saw her face, that radiant glow that made everything else fade away.

The moment she had lifted her face, it was like the world had stopped turning, and he—

When he finally snapped back to reality, he was already at the entrance of the library, his feet having carried him there on autopilot.

 He blinked, looking around in a daze. They were gone. She was gone. Had it even been real? It felt like a dream, a beautiful, surreal dream that was slipping away from him with every second.

Desperate to make sense of it all, he pinched himself hard on the arm. The sharp sting confirmed it—he wasn't dreaming. It had been real. But then why couldn't he remember what he'd said to her? Why did the whole encounter feel so... distant, like something that had happened to someone else?

The prince leaned against the wall, his breath coming in uneven gasps as he tried to calm his racing heart.

What had just happened? Was this... love? Could it be? Or was it just a crush, a silly teenage infatuation with a beautiful girl he'd never seen before?

But no, it wasn't just that. It couldn't be. There was something about her, something that had drawn him in, something that made him feel like—

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He was the Crown Prince, after all. He couldn't afford to get swept up in childish fantasies. And yet... he couldn't stop thinking about her. That face, that glow, that moment when everything else had faded away, leaving only—

His first love? Or just a teenage crush? He didn't know. He wasn't sure. All he knew was that he couldn't wait to see her again, to prove to himself that it had all been real, that she had been real, and not just a figment of his overactive imagination.

With a final shake of his head, the prince pushed open the door to the library, trying to focus on the task at hand. But even as he stepped inside, he couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder, hoping, just for a moment, that she might appear again, that the dream might return.

But she didn't. And so, with a heavy heart, he turned back to the library, trying to convince himself that it was all just—

A crush. Just a crush.

Or maybe... something more?

The Queen Chambers

The Queen called the Chamberlain, who promptly arrived and bowed respectfully. "Chamberlain," the Queen began, her voice steady and commanding, "I would like you to prepare a formal invitation for Seraphina to attend the grand banquet tomorrow night at the palace."

The Chamberlain nodded, listening intently as the Queen continued, "Make it known that their presence is highly anticipated."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Chamberlain replied, understanding the importance of the task. With a final bow, he exited the chamber to fulfill the Queen's request, knowing that this invitation would be of great significance to both Seraphina.

When Seraphina returned to the store around 1 PM, her stomach rumbled with hunger. The day's events had left her famished. At the palace, she had only nibbled on a single macaron, and with no other food in sight, she was eager to eat.

As she entered the store, she asked the staff if her lunch had been delivered. They informed her that, indeed, her lunch had arrived, but since she was out, they had placed it on her desk. The staff had already eaten their own lunch, so they cheerfully pointed out her desk.

Seraphina's eyes lit up as she went to retrieve her lunch. She was delighted to find it still warm and quickly devoured it. As she ate, the staff gathered around her, curious about her day and eager to hear about her experience at the palace.

They engaged in a lively chat, and Seraphina shared her story with enthusiasm. The staff listened attentively, intrigued by her recounting of the palace and her meeting with the Queen.

After their conversation, Seraphina remembered that she needed to prepare small sample gifts for all the people she knew. With the store's grand opening just a week away and it already being Thursday, she decided to get to work.

She set about packing the samples into beautifully crafted wooden boxes, complete with paper cushioning—just like she used to do in her world.

As she worked, Marina, the alchemist, noticed the amount of paper waste and asked why she was using so much. Seraphina explained that the paper was to cushion the products, which were in glass containers, to prevent breakage. Marina, surprised, explained that such cushioning was unusual in their world. They typically used foam for packaging instead of paper.

Curious about the foam's cost, Seraphina inquired, and Marina revealed that it was relatively inexpensive—just two bronze coins per piece, but one piece is the size of a wardrobe. Seraphina immediately asked Marina and Aldric, the herbalist, to purchase the foam and to hurry.

The two hurried out to buy the foam. Meanwhile, Seraphina wrote detailed instructions for the sample gifts, including how to use the face wash twice a day, followed by moisturizer, and the importance of not confusing the lotion for face use.

She also included a full bottle of her vanilla-scented lotion, cautioning that, although it smelled delicious, it was not edible.

With everything packed and instructions written, Seraphina awaited the return of Marina and Aldric, ready to continue preparing for the grand opening.

Seraphina went up to her room to put away the gold coins the queen had given her. She understood that it was an investment for her future, and she wanted to ensure it was safely stored. After securing the coins, she headed back downstairs, where Derrick was waiting.

"Derrick," Seraphina said, "I need you to go to the clothing store and pick up the clothes. I've already made the down payment, so all you need to do is collect them."

Derrick nodded eagerly. "Understood, I'll take care of it right away."

Seraphina also turned to Liana and Elora. "I need you two to pick up the mixer from the workshop. It's going to be heavy, so don't try to carry it by yourselves. Use a carriage, and here's some bronze coins for the fare."

Elora, always eager to help, was already attempting to lift the weighty mixer. Seraphina intervened gently. "Elora, it's too heavy for you. Just take the carriage; it's farther than it looks."

Liana and Elora took the coins and left for the workshop while she returned to her store. She decided to check the drawers and ensure everything was perfect. After a brief inspection, she was satisfied and decided to relax for a moment.

Just then, the doorbell chimed, and a man's voice called out, "Is anyone there?"

Startled, Seraphina stood up from her seat. She was surprised to hear a visitor but remained composed. As she opened the door, she saw Ronan standing there. Her eyes widened with both happiness and shock.

"Ronan!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Ronan, slightly breathless, explained, "I'm heading out earlier than planned. We've had reports of goblins attacking a village nearby. We're going to assist with the situation."

Seraphina's concern showed on her face. "Goblins? I've only heard of them in stories and games. They sound quite frightening."

Ronan smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Goblins are not too dangerous on their own. It's their numbers that make them challenging. We'll be fine."

Seraphina hugged him tightly. "Please, be careful and come back safely."

Ronan returned the hug. "I'll do my best, Stay safe."

After Ronan left, Derrick arrived with the clothes from the tailor. Seraphina eagerly checked the garments, remembering she had also asked for the name embroidery to be completed.

"Derrick, did you also check if the embroidery was done?" Seraphina asked.

Derrick nodded. "I haven't had a chance to go to the craftsman's yet. I'll head over there now."

"Great," Seraphina said. "Please hurry. I want to make sure everything is in order."

While Derrick went out again, Seraphina decided to try on her new clothes. She was thrilled to wear trousers for the first time since arriving in this world. The pants fit perfectly, and she strutted around the store, feeling confident and stylish.

As she was walking around in her new outfit, Marina and Aldric arrived. They stopped in their tracks, stunned by Seraphina's appearance.

Seraphina, slightly embarrassed but maintaining her composure, replied, "You guys arrived already?"

Marina nodded. "Yes, we got the foam, but it was too large to bring in without making a mess, so we cut it outside."

Seraphina sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. I'll help clean up."

She grabbed a broom and dustpan, heading outside to sweep up the foam remnants. As she worked, she realized she was drawing a lot of attention from passersby. In this world, trousers were not commonly worn by women, and her attire was certainly unusual. People stared, whispered, and some even judged her openly.

Despite the attention, Seraphina remained unbothered. She was used to standing out and welcomed the curiosity.

As she finished sweeping, a small boy approached her. "Why are you wearing pants? Only men wear pants."

Seraphina looked down at him, a bit amused. "Why shouldn't I wear pants? Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't wear them. Is there a law against it?"

The boy looked confused and ran to his mother, asking if there was any law about women wearing trousers. The mother, intrigued, watched Seraphina with curiosity as she confidently walked back inside the store.

With the foam now neatly cut and the store clean, Seraphina was ready to continue her preparations for the gift to send.