Editing Daybreak:Volume 2 Chapter 7
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"I fail to see how 'meditation' has anything to do with strangling my lungs." Kaede gasped out as the leather corset around her waist tightened another notch. She could feel how it forcely shaped her waist into an hourglass-like arc. "Why do I have to wear this again?" |
"I fail to see how 'meditation' has anything to do with strangling my lungs." Kaede gasped out as the leather corset around her waist tightened another notch. She could feel how it forcely shaped her waist into an hourglass-like arc. "Why do I have to wear this again?" |
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− | "Because Her Highness |
+ | "Because Her Highness ordered it," Rachel reminded the familiar girl. Though her words ran with approval as she continued: "besides, every girl wears one. It helps you maintain better posture and provides support for your back through a day's work. Even the Princess' dress has a leather corset sewn in." |
− | Kaede did notice that all of the palace maids |
+ | Kaede did notice that all of the palace maids had a leather cincher around their waist, which hugged their midsections from below the chest to above the hips. The Princess' dress had it was well. Though in her outfit, the leather simply blended in with the other patches that were meant to anchor armor straps. |
''I don't remember seeing anything like this on Ariadne's uniform,'' Kaede thought. It was yet further proof that Rhin-Lotharingie was 'backwards' compared to the more progressive Weichsel. |
''I don't remember seeing anything like this on Ariadne's uniform,'' Kaede thought. It was yet further proof that Rhin-Lotharingie was 'backwards' compared to the more progressive Weichsel. |
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− | The Samaran girl then immediately snapped off that train of thought. She closed her eyes and shook her head in self-disgust. ''I sound like an egocentric |
+ | The Samaran girl then immediately snapped off that train of thought. She closed her eyes and shook her head in self-disgust. ''I sound like an egocentric American.'' |
"Done." Rachel announced at last as she knotted the laces' extra length. "That's the first tightening. We'll let your body adjust for a few minutes before we finish with a second round." |
"Done." Rachel announced at last as she knotted the laces' extra length. "That's the first tightening. We'll let your body adjust for a few minutes before we finish with a second round." |
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She really did not want to have first-hand user experience with the infamous 'fainting couch'. |
She really did not want to have first-hand user experience with the infamous 'fainting couch'. |
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− | "If you do, you'd enter palace history as the first girl to do so from something so mild." Rachel's reply came flat. She then |
+ | "If you do, you'd enter palace history as the first girl to do so from something so mild." Rachel's reply came flat. She then patted the leather waist cincher attached to her own dress. "I've worn one of these every day for the past century." |
− | " |
+ | "I'm pretty sure leather expands more than this one does." Kaede's wispy answer came with an exhale. |
− | She reached down with her fingers and traced across a stiff, vertical bump on |
+ | She reached down with her fingers and traced across a stiff, vertical bump on the corset's exterior. It was hidden beneath a column of pink, floral laces. |
"Is this... steel boning?" |
"Is this... steel boning?" |
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"<All men have tempers, Sylv. Even your beloved Pascal.>" Cecylia's reply was mostly-consoling yet still partly-teasing. "<Besides, Pascal takes his responsibilities seriously. And this is a critical time for him to spend away from his fiefdom. Perhaps he simply wanted to see his familiar for some... familiarity, no implications intended.>" |
"<All men have tempers, Sylv. Even your beloved Pascal.>" Cecylia's reply was mostly-consoling yet still partly-teasing. "<Besides, Pascal takes his responsibilities seriously. And this is a critical time for him to spend away from his fiefdom. Perhaps he simply wanted to see his familiar for some... familiarity, no implications intended.>" |
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− | Sylviane sighed as her heart softened with sympathy. Cecylia was right: Pascal hadn't even seen his father's body or arranged a funeral yet. Nor |
+ | Sylviane sighed as her heart softened with sympathy. Cecylia was right: Pascal hadn't even seen his father's body or arranged a funeral yet. Nor has he returned to Nordkreuz to officially take up the seat of his inheritance. There were a great many things that undoubtedly awaited his attention back at home. Yet he came to the royal palace upon her beckon without any conditions. |
"<You're right,>" the Princess admitted. "<nowiki><I</nowiki> am demanding too much from him.>" |
"<You're right,>" the Princess admitted. "<nowiki><I</nowiki> am demanding too much from him.>" |
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She knew she was being irrational. She knew that trying to keep Kaede from Pascal wouldn't work, certainly not in the long term. Yet she didn't want these past two days to end, when it was just the Pascal and her once again... |
She knew she was being irrational. She knew that trying to keep Kaede from Pascal wouldn't work, certainly not in the long term. Yet she didn't want these past two days to end, when it was just the Pascal and her once again... |
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− | "<You've already made it clear to the girl that you can keep them apart.>" Cecylia pointed out. "<Now you can show her that they can be together too. Just make sure she knows that it is ''at your discretion''. It reinforces the idea that she'll want to stay on your good side.>" The dhampir advised before she explained in a playful voice. "<Kaede has a plucky exterior, but she also has a rather submissive nature. I could tell almost immediately when I teased her that night. Her cultural background seems to give her a preference for following rules and authority. Plus she herself desires stability and predictability in life. Therefore if you offer her a compromise, even if it's on your terms, she will likely accept the ground rules you lay down as long as ''you'' |
+ | "<You've already made it clear to the girl that you can keep them apart.>" Cecylia pointed out. "<Now you can show her that they can be together too. Just make sure she knows that it is ''at your discretion''. It reinforces the idea that she'll want to stay on your good side.>" The dhampir advised before she explained in a playful voice. "<Kaede has a plucky exterior, but she also has a rather submissive nature. I could tell almost immediately when I teased her that night. Her cultural background seems to give her a preference for following rules and authority. Plus she herself desires stability and predictability in life. Therefore if you offer her a compromise, even if it's on your terms, she will likely accept the ground rules you lay down as long as ''you'' uphold your end of the bargain.>" |
Sylviane grinned a little as she nodded along to Cecylia's suggestions. None of this surprised her as she knew exactly how Cecylia operated. Beneath the adorable tease was a shrewd, calculating girl with a domineering personality and an excellent judge of character. Yet despite this, the dhampir had never tried to manipulate the Princess. It was one of the reasons they'd been best friends since childhood. |
Sylviane grinned a little as she nodded along to Cecylia's suggestions. None of this surprised her as she knew exactly how Cecylia operated. Beneath the adorable tease was a shrewd, calculating girl with a domineering personality and an excellent judge of character. Yet despite this, the dhampir had never tried to manipulate the Princess. It was one of the reasons they'd been best friends since childhood. |