Downstairs, Rommel entered the dining room where her parents were chatting. They looked happy for some reason. Rommel frowned immediately. What are they planning now? Was her question.
"come dear Eris." The Duchess said in a soft voice. Making Rommel frown. Even the Duke was smiling at her. Rommel was in the state of a heightened alert. Her sixth sense honed in the fronts.
"Tomorrow His Highness the Crown Prince Bruno Heinemann is coming to see you." The duchess added with a smile. "He will choose you as his fiance." The duke also smiled.
"Congratulations my dear daughter. You can be become the next queen of this country." He said proudly. But Rommel inside was already vomiting.
"What the hell?! Me? A German Field Marshal? I am already married and have children and you want to marry me to a prince?!" She thought but somehow maintained a perfect smile on her face. He was smart enough to not show what was in her mind.
His other thought was that why does his name sounds like that one Kriegsmarine destroyer Z8? What is the meaning of this? But most importantly he right now has a job. To get his uniform approved from the duke.
"Jawohl, ahem, I mean yes father, I will meet His Highness. But currently I lack in uni... dresses. I asked Elsa to make me a dress but she said I needed your permission."
The duke didn't think much nor did the duchess. Both of them approved happily that their daughter was taking the prince seriously and presenting herself in front of him.
"Yeah, sure you can have the dress you want." The duke said nonchalantly. Rommel's face showed a faint grin. She sat down on the table and ate her breakfast like she was taught in the Wurttemberg Army.
After breakfast Rommel directly went to Elsa with a grin. "The Duke approves of my dress. Now take me to the tailor and get me measured. I want the dress done before tomorrow."
Defeated and deeply bewildered, Elsa led the determined little girl to the estate's tailor shop, a sunlit room filled with bolts of fine silk, velvet, and lace. She couldn't even ask them since both the duke and the duchess have left the mansion after breakfast and won't be back anytime soon.
Schneider, the head tailor, a man with a measuring tape perpetually around his neck and pins held between his lips, looked up in surprise.
"Lady Eris! To what do I owe the pleasure?" he said, bowing slightly. His eyes then fell on the drawing Elsa reluctantly handed him. "Whatever, abomination of a dress is this? And for a young lady!" He screamed internally.
He looked at the maid Elsa. Who nodded, "The duke approves." Seeing this Schneider led Rommel into the fitting room with Elsa following behind.
"We are in a tight schedule sir. We will need the dress by tomorrow." Elsa told him.
The head tailor scratched his head. The dress was not that hard to make. So, with the help of his staff he could probably have it delivered by tomorrow. No problem there.
The measurement was done and Schneider kept the drawing with him. But Rommel had no time to waste. She moved with Elsa immediately for the long boots. These were long horse riding boots and could be brought even in child sizes.
Followed by a hatter. Her cap with the eagle insignia was done within an hour so she could return home with the boots and the cap. Immediately afterwards, she got down with learning magic.
Rommel practiced from simple to mid tier magics and was fascinated with the amount of things she could do with this magic. Elsa sat beside her observing her lady immersed in magical study.
Not to mention, this girl could understand complex magics that no child could understand. She was a bit suspicious after all, she was the one who spent the most time with Eris.
Elsa was suspicious. Did the duke really saw the dress before allowing the young lady to have it. She would ask them personally.
"Milady, did the duke and duchess saw the dress you made?" She asked attracting the attention of Rommel.
She replied nonchalantly, "Those are minor details frau. Lower officers don't need to know that." She went back to the magic book. "Do you have any book that tells me how to make things?"
Elsa's blood ran cold. The evasion was as clear as a battle standard. The Duke and Duchess had not seen the design. They had approved a "dress" in the abstract, trusting their daughter's sudden interest in presentation.