As you hug Justine, you let yourself enjoy the happy, warm feeling radiating through you. The whole dance with Prince Alteisen was worth it for the fierce pride she now showed.
For the first time, you feel like her daughter.
Eventually someone calls out for the Duchess's attention and you reluctantly pull away as she turns to respond to them. While part of you is annoyed by the interruption, you knw how important it was for the Claudius family to maintain good relations with their vassals.
Glancing around the crowd of nobles and hangers-on, you could see a fair amount of attention and interest directed your way. You stood up with home-grown confidence and all the poise your decorum classes taught you as you reflected on how your encounter with your not-yet fiance had gone.
With a gentle curtsey and more blushing than you expected, you greet some of the well-wishers remarking what an excellent couple you and Prince Alteisen made. You don't see it yourself, but now you can see yourself seeing it later. You know it's funny to say while living in a dating sim, but all that mushy romance stuff wasn't your aim. You just wanted to live the princess ball life.
Back home, you always enjoyed dressing up in fancy gowns and uniform for cosplay; not just because flashy outfits rule, but for the roleplaying, too. It allowed you to act out the larger-than-life noble personas so far removed from your modern life as a blue-collar sporty schoolgirl. Alas, since it was mostly girls in the scene (and you were the most princely looking in it), you never actually got to be across from someone playing your prince charming.
But enough about the past. By not giving into your first impressions about Prince Alteisen, you discovered some interesting things about him. That he was willing to be honest with you and that he desired to channel some of the beauty and strength you had.
The dance with him not only let you learn that, but reminded you just how fun playing the pretty princess could be. And with your uber-fancy gown you certainly looked the part! You'd dressed to impress, by evoking the frilly gowns and poofy skirts with train Duchess Justine usually wore but turning it up to 11 as was your style.
<Fancy> "See what you can obtain with your fashion instead of your fists, dahling?"
Several ladies gush over your dress, asking where you got it. You tell them it was done in-house by your family's tailor, their excited faces fall through the floor appear as they realize they won't be able to order some themselves. You preen a bit, feeling justified in your personal style. The combo of overwhelming floof and boyish charm was unorthodox, but from the oohs and aahs of the crowd, it'd gone down great. Besides, it also produced fun moments. From your fiancee lifting you up and giving you a twirl to spinning your petticoats and flipping off Lord Alteisen while concealing the gesture.
Really his remark about you being unfeminine was the only downside, and after you'd spent so much effort to up your femininity too!
<Sensible> "In my humble opinion, he can sit and spin! *burp*"
It made you want to spite him a bit by doubling down to prove just how feminine a noblewoman you were. You'd be so feminine he couldn't deny it even when you were kicking butt! For starters, you preferred wearing your hair long rather than up in a bun! Styling your hair to form your own braid was a spot of genius on the spot, but wearing it long from the get-go would let you work in pretty bows too. With you able to control your hair, letting it grow out even more would give it even longer reach.
And since really lacy gowns with full skirts were your thing, maybe you'd turn it up a notch to work in another petticoat and a bit more underwiring. Yeah! That'd show him! You'll make him choke on your femininity!
Fuming a bit, you decided it would be better to seek out a distraction so you don't kill your vibe further. Should you go find Chiaki or Bridgette? Justine almost seemed done talking to her noble ally, you could go tail her some more. You also saw Lily writing something down and you kinda wanna know what it is.