Chapter 62 - Count Cesare's Gift
Sister, I'm The Queen In This Life
Alfonso de Carlo was a man who only made promises he could keep. That was his natural tendency. However, today he unintentionally found himself in a situation where he had to break his promise to meet Ariadne at the masquerade ball.
"Yes? The Grand Duchess of Valoa is coming to the masquerade ball inbSan Carlo?"
By herself? From the Gallico Kingdom to the Etruscans? It was an unprecedented and unprecedented event for a royal from another country to visit.
Alfonso was having lunch with King Leo III and Queen Margarete in the King's drawing room. According to court etiquette, the royal couple had to have lunch together every Saturday, but Leo III did not observe this, so it had been quite a while since Alfonso had lunch with both of his parents. Queen Margarete nodded her head in response to Prince Alfonso's question
"Aren't all Etruscan holy days and their events famous? Among them, it was said that the Grand Duchess of Valoa really wanted to come to the masquerade ball on St. Michael's Day. Isn't she a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"
It was an effort to comfort her distant relative in some way so that she would not be criticized. But despite his wife's efforts, Leo III chuckled and responded.
"The Grand Duchess is so passionate that she wants to marry the Etruscan Kingdom. Your reputation, Alfonso, has crossed the border!"
The truth was that it was a plan by the Kingdom of Gallico to win the favor of the Etruscans by sending the bride herself as negotiations over the dowry and bride price with the Etruscans did not go as well as expected. The Etruscans suspected that this was a lazy continuation of the plan made when the beautiful Susanne, the older sister of the Grand Duchess Lariesa, was a candidate for bride. It was questionable whether Lariessa would have the same effect.
Alfonso felt uncomfortable with Leo Ill's choice of words when he described the foreign Princess as 'sweet in her body.' She was also the monarch's collateral relative and, in any case, the daughter of a noble family. But even Queen Margarete who hated Leo III to a hair's content, did not say a word about her now remark. Because she was honoring her son generously.
While Alfonso was feeling some doubts about his parents' attitude, Queen Margarete gave her son a warning.
"You may have had other plans for the masquerade ball, but the Grand Duchess of Valoa is a guest coming to see you. During the masquerade ball, you must escort her from start to finish."
"That's how it should be!"
"Grand Duchess Valoa is not good at speaking our language, and of course, people won't know her well. So you will have to stay by her side and take care of her during the masquerade ball."
Of course, Alfonso had a prior engagement during the masquerade ball. However, he couldn't make an immature remark like, 'I can't escort Grand Duchess Larissa since I was supposed to meet Ariadne' in the presence of Leo III, as I had already been scolded by Queen Marguerite for criticizing Ariadne before.
Moreover, to point out a more essential point, in fact, this was a state event. Visit the country as a royal, it was also a natural duty to escort state guests. Being scolded was only secondary, and more than anything else, he was an heir to the throne of the Kingdom who would become the father of his people before he was a boy in love. Alfonso reluctantly answered with a heavy heart.
"Yes, Father, Mother. I will escort the Grand Duchess of Valoa to the masquerade ball."
***
[Dear Ariadne...
There is going to be a state visit from the Kingdom of Gallico. At this masquerade ball, I was in charge of guiding them. I'm sorry it's been a while since I missed you.
I will write you a separate letter later.
With regret, Alfonso.]
Ariadne showed a surprisingly resolute attitude after receiving Alfonso's letter of apology. Alfonso only said that a state guest was coming from Gallico', but Ariadne immediately realized that the state guest of Gallico who was coming to San Carlo was the Grand Duchess Lariesa of Valoa.
'It's okay, it just happened.'
The arranged marriage between Prince Alfonso and the Grand Duchess Lariesa was confidential. In present-day San Carlo, very few people knew that marriage talks were taking place. The reason Ariadne knew that Valoa's guest of honor was the Grand Duchess of Lariesa was not because she had ties to her diplomatic line, but because this had happened in her previous life as well.
In her previous life, the Grand Duchess Lariesa had attended a masquerade ball on the Feast of St. Michael in San Carlo and returned home completely smitten with Prince Alfonso and completely in love with him. And then 'the incident' happens. Their marriage talks come to nothing, and Prince Alfonso ends up marrying Isabella.
"I am okay. "It's okay if it's Grand Duchess Lariesa."
Ariadne kept repeating that it was okay, but she couldn't help feeling sad. In her head, she knew that the Grand Duchess was visiting her countrymen, so of course Alfonso had to go to escort her. She knew it in her head. As per her past life, the Grand Duchess of Lariesa would not be with Prince Alfonso for political reasons, so there was no need to keep her in check.
But she wanted him to drop everything and run to her. She doesn't need to be a Grand Duchess or a Princess, so it would be nice if he told her that he wants to be with her.
Ariadne, who had thought this far, laughed. How selfish it is that even she, right now, is not throwing everything away and choosing Alfonso, but she is rolling her eyes like a possum looking for a safe zone and only wants his assurance. Even her Alfonso had much more to lose than her.
Ariadne decided to shake off her sorrow. It was actually what she did best. Forgetting her resentment for her uncertain fate.
Sancha, who was with Ariadne as she was organizing things in her study, approached and asked.
"Miss, what's going on? You don't look very good."
Instead of explaining, Ariadne handed the letter she was holding to Sancha. After reading Prince Alfonso's letter, Sancha looked at Ariadne with a sad expression.
"What should we do, My Lady...?"
"You expected a lot."
Although Ariadne never said that she was looking forward to it or that she really wanted to go, she could tell that Sancha was always by her side and taking care of everything for Ariadne. Since the arrival of Prince Alfonso's letter asking her to meet at the masquerade ball, Ariadne called Madame Marigny over to find out what to wear to the masquerade ball and discussed much longer than usual, pondering all day about which mask to wear, and daily skincare routine.
She increased the time she spent on her hair and combed her hair twice a day.
"No. It's no big deal. I should have taken into account the fact that Grand Duchess Lariesa was coming."
Sancha tilted her head at the girl who was laughing in embarrassment.
"Grand Duchess Lariesa? Who is that person again? How do you know whether she will come or not?"
Sancha looked at Prince Alfonso's letter, but there was not a single word about Grand Duchess Lariesa in it. Ariadne was filled with the desire to tell Sancha everything.
'Actually, I regressed. I know the future.'
It was lovely to have a secret that she had to keep to herself. This is even more so when a person has to change her behavior due to a secret that only he knows and has to convince those around her of that fact.
However, the reason why regression occurred was still unknown. Ariadne decided to be careful until she knew for sure. In the end, it was a secret even for Sancha.
Ariadne chewed her lip. contemplating the loneliness that threatened to explode at any moment.
"Well, there are people like that."
Ariadne stopped speaking, hesitated for a moment, and then continued with her next words.
"It's just my feeling, that person is not the Prince's companion. So, Sancha, it will be okay. I don't care."
Sancha thought that there was a strange heat in the Lady's eyes. It was the kind of look in the eyes of a person with a conviction that others could not understand, a fanatic of a heretical religion, or a person involved in a political movement. A normal person would have been reluctant, but Sancha had already risked everything for her Young Lady.
Even if Ariadne went for murder, Sancha could side with her lady. For Sancha, Ariadne was the highest good and the purpose of life itself.
'Even if you don't understand, I can take care of you until the end!'
Sancha clenched her fists. Ariadne continued to think about Grand Duchess Lariesa and Prince Alfonso, without knowing Sancha's unique thoughts.
It was okay. If 'that incident' occurred, the marriage talks with the Kingdom of Gallico would be automatically broken and one of Cardinal de Mare's daughters would become Princess. Isabella's performance in this life was not as outstanding as it was in her last life.
Considering Isabella's various follies and damaged reputation, Cardinal de Mare's suspicions about his eldest daughter, Ariadne's reputation, her somewhat favorable relationship with Queen Marguerite, and, above all, her goodwill with Prince Alfonso himself, she was chosen as Prince Alfonso's wife.
The daughter of Cardinal de Mare who would be chosen was likely to be Ariadne. She was able to tolerate Grand Duchess Lariesa for a little while. Time was on her side. She just had to wait. That would be it.
Ariadne thought about that and let out a small sigh. It was a relieved face. She was relieved to consider the possibility of marrying Prince Alfonso, but it is difficult to determine exactly whether she was relieved because she would be safe from the de Mares or because she thought she could have Alfonso. It was impossible. The Golden Rule, who was watching Ariadne and the mountain carriage from afar...
'Giggled'.
'Is that really possible?'
***
Gifts from Count Cesare arrived at Cardinal de Mare's residence every day. To a point where Isabella would get irritated and go to her room whenever the mail servant showed up. Because it was obvious to her what the servant had brought. Ever since Ariadne received the horse saddle the other day, Count Cesare has been full of energy and has been showering her with endless gifts.
Now Cardinal de Mare's residence was so full of red roses that it resembled a homemade greenhouse.
After receiving the horse saddle, Ariadne was flooded with too many gifts, so she refused, saying,
"It's burdensome now, so please stop sending them,"
But Cesare was stubborn. Despite continued rejection, the items sent today were a set of masks, necklaces, and bracelets. To be precise, the necklace and mask were one piece.
The mask was a Volto mask that covered the entire face. It was made of white enamel and decorated with a gold Fleur-de-Lis pattern. When viewed from a distance, the face made of white enamel appears to be a real face, only the eyes. It looked like she was wearing a golden mask. The golden decoration ran along the edge of the mask and was fastened to the back of the head with a golden string. Additionally, a thin gold string hanging where the earrings would have been was connected to the chin and neck, forming an elaborate gold-work necklace. The dark green topaz, like a forest with a bead in the middle, was exactly the same color as her eyes as if it had been deliberately chosen.
The mask used only gold and green, but the necklace added a bold red hue. In the exact center of the necklace, a deep blood-red ruby the size of a man's thumbnail is carved. Topaz pieces the size of rice grains were sprinkled around in a fleur de lis shape. The set bracelet also had a large red ruby placed in the center, and green topaz each half a carat in size were set around it in a golden orchid and woven with golden string to create a fleur-de-lys shape.
"Lady, this is so pretty!"
The mountain car held a funeral.
"Are you really going to send it back?"
Ariadne had already ordered masks for the masquerade ball. However, Ariadne did not like the items she ordered, and arrived in many ways. She didn't want to stand out, so she ordered the Moretta mask, which is said to be worn most often by women.
Another name for the Moretta mask was 'Moretta Muto', 'Moretta the dumb maid'. 'Moretta Muto' was a design that fell smoothly without any separate fasteners. Instead, the mask had a small fastener on the inside, and the wearer had to hold the fastener between their teeth. While she was wearing the mask, the wearer could not utter a single word. It wasn't called 'Mute Maid Moretta' for nothing.
By the time Ariadne in her previous life was able to attend the masked ball, the fashion had already changed to the Colombina mask, which covered only the eyes but left the mouth open, so she could not speak while wearing the moretta muto.
This was a fact she didn't know at the time of ordering. Ariadne didn't like that she had to keep her mouth shut throughout the party.
This was because she thought that 70% of Ariadne's worth after her return was created by her mouth and tongue. Since she had a tight date for the masquerade ball, she was wondering whether or not she could order a new mask when the perfect replacement appeared. And her Volto mask that Cesare sent was really very pretty.
Sancha suggested one more time.
"Miss, you were already worried about the Moretta mask. Just use this without the hassle of ordering a new one."
Moreover, Alfonso will spend the entire masquerade ball alone with the Grand Duchess Lariesa. In her head, she thought it was okay, but she would be lying if she said there wasn't some nameless feeling stirring deep inside her heart.
When she thought about that, she suddenly felt bad. In the end, Ariadne agreed."
Yeah, I got a horse saddle once too.
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