“Have you been to Grand Duke Trovika’s residence again?”
The sharp voice of the Crown Princess Doris rang through the dimly lit bedroom. When Crown Prince Bardenaldo, who had returned from his outing and was taking off his outer garments with the help of his servant, saw her in the bedroom, he was slightly surprised but then smiled happily.
"Ma'am."
“Please answer.”
“I was already preparing myself and heading to the Crown Princess’s palace. I told you to be careful not to come in like this without any notice, as people are watching.”
“How long do you plan to stay in this bedroom? And is this your only bedroom?”
“Legally, that’s what I’m saying.”
Bardenaldo closed his eyes as if he were embarrassed and smiled as he answered. He sent the servant away as soon as he brought water to wash his hands, and then he put his hands in the warm water. Doris's expression was not very good. The word 'legally' was one of Bardenaldo's favorite phrases that Doris hated the most.
“I hear you and the Grand duke are on very good terms these days.”
My uncle's a piece of shit. How mixed is the blood?
“She was healthier before she had me.”
Bardenaldo looked for a long time with a pained look in his eyes, perhaps thinking of his long-dead mother, and then he climbed onto the bed with his shoulders hunched over. Then, with a gloomy face, he pointed to the bed next to where he was half-lying.
“I wish my frail wife could stay by my side for a long time.”
'Are you telling me to come or not?'
It's always like that. The idea that Crown Prince Bardenaldo is infertile or a sodomite is not something that comes from other people's mouths but from Doris's own head. Who would want to be held in the arms of a man with such a dying face?
'Weak and falling... Even if we create a successor and solidify our position, it won't be enough!'
“I’m tired, so I must go back. Please keep in mind what I said earlier, Your Highness. My father hates losing money in business. At this Your Highness’s birthday party, I want you to show them who is the true leader of the Crown Prince’s faction.”
Doris, whose pride was hurt, tightened the strings of her nightgown and shouted. Bardenaldo, who was staring at Doris who was leaving, only had an embarrassed look on his face.
The corners of the lady's mouth became thinner as she glanced in the direction where Mathias had disappeared, at the puzzled expression on Leblaix's face, who had been smiling kindly like a mask.
“I have been dealing with Madame’s costume shop consistently for the past year...”
“Yes, I am always grateful.”
In fact, Blie was just one of many customers, but since she was a noblewoman personally ordered by the butler of the Grand Duke, Leblaix politely bowed her head and answered. However, what was heard was a low laughter.
The young Countess walked steadily towards the frozen Leblaix, without a single waver in her steps.
“I would like to create new relationships in the future.”
“Of course, Ma’am!”
If the Grand Duke is directly concerned about the family, then the Countess of Acacia is also a family that cannot be ignored, even if it has a faint presence. If the Blie Acacia in front of her leaks anything to the Grand Duke or the woman who will become the new Grand Duchess in the future...
'My reputation that I've built up over 20 years is being tarnished!'
Damn, Mathias!
The sharp voice of the Crown Princess Doris rang through the dimly lit bedroom. When Crown Prince Bardenaldo, who had returned from his outing and was taking off his outer garments with the help of his servant, saw her in the bedroom, he was slightly surprised but then smiled happily.
"Ma'am."
“Please answer.”
“I was already preparing myself and heading to the Crown Princess’s palace. I told you to be careful not to come in like this without any notice, as people are watching.”
“How long do you plan to stay in this bedroom? And is this your only bedroom?”
“Legally, that’s what I’m saying.”
Bardenaldo closed his eyes as if he were embarrassed and smiled as he answered. He sent the servant away as soon as he brought water to wash his hands, and then he put his hands in the warm water. Doris's expression was not very good. The word 'legally' was one of Bardenaldo's favorite phrases that Doris hated the most.
“I hear you and the Grand duke are on very good terms these days.”
“There is no matter of great or small importance in this country that the Grand Duke is not involved in... I cannot ask my uncle, who is in mourning, to enter the palace every time, so I must go. As a nephew, it is right for me to visit my uncle often, who is going through a difficult time.”
My uncle's a piece of shit. How mixed is the blood?
Doris twisted her lips.
“You also know that the relationship between my father and the Grand Duke has not been very good recently.”
“I feel sorry for the Duke of Castanya, but as long as His Majesty is here, don’t you know that it is important for me to cooperate with the Grand Duke, the strategist?”
Bardenaldo took off the tunic shirt he was wearing, wiped his wet hands, and then handed it over to the attendant. In contrast to his gentle face, his well-maintained, firm body was revealed.
“Why do you keep coming and going so blatantly in a mansion without a mistress, receiving such great treatment? Even though you are in mourning, Your Highness is the Crown Prince of Ronta. Even if the Grand Duke is the Emperor’s advisor, is there any guarantee that he will become Your Highness’s advisor in the future? You know very well that my father is called the ruler of the West, right? Since the Second Prince always takes care of the troubles in the West, His Highness the Second Prince’s reputation is sky-high there. Do you know what that means?”
"Wife."
“I am telling you that the adviser Your Highness should meet often is not the Grand Duke, but my father. Please leave the Grand Duke, who is Your Highness’s man and has already sworn allegiance to the Emperor, alone, and do not disappoint my father, who must be trusted.”
“...I will keep that in mind.”
As Bardenaldo, who was suddenly caught between his uncle and father-in-law, muttered helplessly, Doris changed the conversation to a different story.
“Just as rumors are going around that His Highness the Second Prince is a prodigal son, there are also rumors going around that His Highness the Crown Prince is a ‘sexual man.’ Are you aware of that?”
Bardenaldo's pale face turned to his wife. Doris approached him, secretly touching the string of the silk nightgown she was wearing. Bardenaldo, who had been standing there watching her from afar, looked embarrassed and passed Doris, who was approaching and headed toward the bed. Doris shuddered at the rising sense of humiliation.
“Is the reason you are so impatient, my wife, because of such ridiculous rumors?”
“What did you say?”
“If you want, I can prove it to you...”
Doris was shocked. The couple had been married for nearly five years. Ironically, they had never had sex since that night, which she had no recollection of. How could he prove anything?
“You also know that the relationship between my father and the Grand Duke has not been very good recently.”
“I feel sorry for the Duke of Castanya, but as long as His Majesty is here, don’t you know that it is important for me to cooperate with the Grand Duke, the strategist?”
Bardenaldo took off the tunic shirt he was wearing, wiped his wet hands, and then handed it over to the attendant. In contrast to his gentle face, his well-maintained, firm body was revealed.
“Why do you keep coming and going so blatantly in a mansion without a mistress, receiving such great treatment? Even though you are in mourning, Your Highness is the Crown Prince of Ronta. Even if the Grand Duke is the Emperor’s advisor, is there any guarantee that he will become Your Highness’s advisor in the future? You know very well that my father is called the ruler of the West, right? Since the Second Prince always takes care of the troubles in the West, His Highness the Second Prince’s reputation is sky-high there. Do you know what that means?”
"Wife."
“I am telling you that the adviser Your Highness should meet often is not the Grand Duke, but my father. Please leave the Grand Duke, who is Your Highness’s man and has already sworn allegiance to the Emperor, alone, and do not disappoint my father, who must be trusted.”
“...I will keep that in mind.”
As Bardenaldo, who was suddenly caught between his uncle and father-in-law, muttered helplessly, Doris changed the conversation to a different story.
“Just as rumors are going around that His Highness the Second Prince is a prodigal son, there are also rumors going around that His Highness the Crown Prince is a ‘sexual man.’ Are you aware of that?”
Bardenaldo's pale face turned to his wife. Doris approached him, secretly touching the string of the silk nightgown she was wearing. Bardenaldo, who had been standing there watching her from afar, looked embarrassed and passed Doris, who was approaching and headed toward the bed. Doris shuddered at the rising sense of humiliation.
“Is the reason you are so impatient, my wife, because of such ridiculous rumors?”
“What did you say?”
“If you want, I can prove it to you...”
Doris was shocked. The couple had been married for nearly five years. Ironically, they had never had sex since that night, which she had no recollection of. How could he prove anything?
She stared at Bardenaldo, who was blushing and hesitating without saying a word.
“My wife gave birth to a successor by force...”
“I’m not that weak.”
“My mother, Empress Letina, was also healthy before giving birth to Rhodnes.”
"That...!"
“My wife gave birth to a successor by force...”
“I’m not that weak.”
“My mother, Empress Letina, was also healthy before giving birth to Rhodnes.”
"That...!"
“She was healthier before she had me.”
Bardenaldo looked for a long time with a pained look in his eyes, perhaps thinking of his long-dead mother, and then he climbed onto the bed with his shoulders hunched over. Then, with a gloomy face, he pointed to the bed next to where he was half-lying.
“I wish my frail wife could stay by my side for a long time.”
'Are you telling me to come or not?'
It's always like that. The idea that Crown Prince Bardenaldo is infertile or a sodomite is not something that comes from other people's mouths but from Doris's own head. Who would want to be held in the arms of a man with such a dying face?
'Weak and falling... Even if we create a successor and solidify our position, it won't be enough!'
“I’m tired, so I must go back. Please keep in mind what I said earlier, Your Highness. My father hates losing money in business. At this Your Highness’s birthday party, I want you to show them who is the true leader of the Crown Prince’s faction.”
Doris, whose pride was hurt, tightened the strings of her nightgown and shouted. Bardenaldo, who was staring at Doris who was leaving, only had an embarrassed look on his face.
***
The day after I visited the Grand Duke's residence, a jaw-dropping array of gorgeous items arrived at the Count's residence. The maid Marge and the old butler stood silently in front of the door as if they were shocked, watching the people carrying the expensive-looking fabrics at a glance. I stood on the stairs and looked down coldly at the endless line of people coming in through the entrance.
“Madame Leblaix...!”
Jonah, who was standing next to me, widened his eyes. Madame Leblaix, the center of fashion in the capital, had visited the mansion in person. Those who had only seen her employee, Mathias, blinked like Jonah as if they could not believe that the famous Madame Leblaix had visited this cramped Count's residence in person.
“Hello, Countess Blie Acacia.”
Madame Leblaix looked up at me standing on the stairs, slightly bowing at the entrance. Leblaix smiled at me, who was wearing a hat with a net over the front that she wore when going out, and clapped her hands and instructed the staff who came in with her to set up the table for the guests.
“Madame Leblaix...!”
Jonah, who was standing next to me, widened his eyes. Madame Leblaix, the center of fashion in the capital, had visited the mansion in person. Those who had only seen her employee, Mathias, blinked like Jonah as if they could not believe that the famous Madame Leblaix had visited this cramped Count's residence in person.
“Hello, Countess Blie Acacia.”
Madame Leblaix looked up at me standing on the stairs, slightly bowing at the entrance. Leblaix smiled at me, who was wearing a hat with a net over the front that she wore when going out, and clapped her hands and instructed the staff who came in with her to set up the table for the guests.
I stared at the busy Leblaix and slowly walked down towards them. Since my face was half-hidden, Jonah was right next to me, escorting me.
***
Madame Leblaix looked at the hat worn by the noblewoman in front of her and thought, 'Is she a very shy person?' and thought of the person who had sent her.
Grand Duke Noevian Trovica. The current Emperor's half-brother. The young leader of the Crown Prince's faction and a man known as the Emperor's strategist. He had a cynical and cold charm, but according to gossip and rumors, he was a romantic of this era who took care of and loved his sick wife with utmost sincerity.
Madame Leblaix had never dreamed that Blie Acacia was his mistress, and was simply smiling as if she thought it was some kind of welfare bestowed upon her vassal.
Not tall or short. Her face was half-hidden, but her nose, lips, and jawline were clearly visible, showing that she was quite beautiful. Her figure was good, her shoulders were well-shaped, and her waist was slim. The most impressive thing was her upright posture. Her graceful gait.
Madame’s smile grew deeper at her inspiring appearance.
“Everyone, back off.”
"Yes?"
Mathias, who was sweating profusely as if he had been stabbed, was the first to ask back. Countess Acacia smiled with her lips twisted and waved her hand as if she was annoyed. After placing her hand on the stair railing, Jonah led the other servants to the dining room with Marge, leaving only Leblaix and her alone.
“It’s late, Madam.”
"Yes...?"
“Everyone, back off.”
"Yes?"
Mathias, who was sweating profusely as if he had been stabbed, was the first to ask back. Countess Acacia smiled with her lips twisted and waved her hand as if she was annoyed. After placing her hand on the stair railing, Jonah led the other servants to the dining room with Marge, leaving only Leblaix and her alone.
“It’s late, Madam.”
"Yes...?"
The corners of the lady's mouth became thinner as she glanced in the direction where Mathias had disappeared, at the puzzled expression on Leblaix's face, who had been smiling kindly like a mask.
“I have been dealing with Madame’s costume shop consistently for the past year...”
“Yes, I am always grateful.”
In fact, Blie was just one of many customers, but since she was a noblewoman personally ordered by the butler of the Grand Duke, Leblaix politely bowed her head and answered. However, what was heard was a low laughter.
Laughter?
When Leblaix raised her head, she saw the Countess laughing so hard that the net covering her face fluttered.
“I know Madam is quite good at business, but, unfortunately, you are lax in managing your employees.”
“Madam, excuse me, but did one of our employees make a mistake...?”
It was a polite answer, but her voice contained a little bit of confidence that her employee would not do that. Blie Acacia unfolded the invoice she was holding in one hand. Then she pointed with her hand to Madame Leblaix’s dress that was still on display at one side of the main hall. Leblaix accepted the invoice from the bottom of the stairs with a puzzled expression and walked toward the dress she was pointing at.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my, what is this!”
“Madame’s precious reputation is being sold for a pittance.”
“If only you had told me sooner...!”
Leblaix was trembling, clutching the bill tightly as if she was going to crush it as if she had finished assessing the situation.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am.”
Madame Leblaix bowed halfway without saying a word. Rather than feeling humiliated, she felt a sincere apology to the customer who had received a dress with poor jewels due to her own carelessness.
“It’s been quite some time since Madam’s employee said he would take responsibility for it himself...”
“I will compensate you in full.”
“More than that...”
“I know Madam is quite good at business, but, unfortunately, you are lax in managing your employees.”
“Madam, excuse me, but did one of our employees make a mistake...?”
It was a polite answer, but her voice contained a little bit of confidence that her employee would not do that. Blie Acacia unfolded the invoice she was holding in one hand. Then she pointed with her hand to Madame Leblaix’s dress that was still on display at one side of the main hall. Leblaix accepted the invoice from the bottom of the stairs with a puzzled expression and walked toward the dress she was pointing at.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my, what is this!”
“Madame’s precious reputation is being sold for a pittance.”
“If only you had told me sooner...!”
Leblaix was trembling, clutching the bill tightly as if she was going to crush it as if she had finished assessing the situation.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am.”
Madame Leblaix bowed halfway without saying a word. Rather than feeling humiliated, she felt a sincere apology to the customer who had received a dress with poor jewels due to her own carelessness.
“It’s been quite some time since Madam’s employee said he would take responsibility for it himself...”
“I will compensate you in full.”
“More than that...”
The young Countess walked steadily towards the frozen Leblaix, without a single waver in her steps.
“I would like to create new relationships in the future.”
“Of course, Ma’am!”
If the Grand Duke is directly concerned about the family, then the Countess of Acacia is also a family that cannot be ignored, even if it has a faint presence. If the Blie Acacia in front of her leaks anything to the Grand Duke or the woman who will become the new Grand Duchess in the future...
'My reputation that I've built up over 20 years is being tarnished!'
Damn, Mathias!
Leblaix bit the tender flesh in his mouth and followed Countess Acacia to the sofa in the main hall, where she sat down. The Countess’s hand, which had been absentmindedly flipping through the catalogs that her staff had already placed, passed several books and headed toward the catalog at the bottom. Then, considering her taste, she pushed the catalogs far away.
Countess Acacia pushed away all the ‘excessively’ flashy outfits she had previously worn and tapped a few items with her hand in the catalogs that had many designs close to the taste of a proper lady.
“I, Ma’am....”
Leblaix, who had been diligently taking notes, opened her mouth in embarrassment. The catalog she had brought to make up for it was not in the style of today. If it were to suit her, it would be something like a dead Grand Duchess.
“These days, the style preferred by the ladies of the capital is this...”
The lady snickers without even glancing at the catalog he is quietly pulling out.
“I know what suits me best.”
Leblaix's eyes trembled violently. She had seen a young lady say something like that before. Now that she thought about it, the way she was sitting, holding a fan...
“I, Ma’am....”
Leblaix, who had been diligently taking notes, opened her mouth in embarrassment. The catalog she had brought to make up for it was not in the style of today. If it were to suit her, it would be something like a dead Grand Duchess.
“These days, the style preferred by the ladies of the capital is this...”
The lady snickers without even glancing at the catalog he is quietly pulling out.
“I know what suits me best.”
Leblaix's eyes trembled violently. She had seen a young lady say something like that before. Now that she thought about it, the way she was sitting, holding a fan...
Leblaix, as if struck by inspiration, drew a dress here and there on the paper she was writing on. Not the modern style that exposes more than half of the chest, but a dress that was cut just enough to reveal a little cleavage, revealing the shoulders but with the arms wrapped, with a clean line that didn't flutter. A skirt that wasn't arbitrarily puffed out from the front and back, but one that was just the right amount of puffed out. It was a style that the late Grand Duchess, Adrienne, had favored, but a modified version of Blie's original style.
“How about this style?”
"Hmm..."
“This is the style favored by Her Highness the Late Grand Duchess Trovica.”
Leblaix stroked the drawing she had just drawn as if it were her own child and then continued speaking.
“I originally wanted to make her my muse because she had a straight posture and an elegant charm, but as her illness worsened, I rarely had the chance to get her new clothes, which was a shame.”
“Is that so?”
The elegant lady stared at Leblaix’s face, which seemed genuinely pitiful, for a long time, then slowly lifted the net that had been covering her face. Leblaix’s eyes, which had been caught up in her own emotions for a while and even had tears in them, widened. Then, Madame Leblaix’s face, which had been facing the lady with a stern expression, cracked open.
“Well, what should I say? The atmosphere is strangely different, but if my eyes are not deceiving, the appearance of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Trovica is very, very...”
“Do we look alike?”
A leisurely smile. The strangely sensual feeling of the woman was a little different from the Grand Duchess Trovica that Leblaix remembered, but the facial features and even the look in her eyes...
'It's not just that they look alike!'
“Yes, yes... yes, yes!”
The two hands held tightly as if in prayer were warmly embraced by the noblewoman who sat right up to the edge of the chair.
“Is it enough to start a new relationship?”
The young and beautiful lady's sensual smile was enough to melt her heart.
“Yes, yes!”
A perfect and healthy muse has come back to Madame Leblaix's work, which had been stuck in mannerism.
“How about this style?”
"Hmm..."
“This is the style favored by Her Highness the Late Grand Duchess Trovica.”
Leblaix stroked the drawing she had just drawn as if it were her own child and then continued speaking.
“I originally wanted to make her my muse because she had a straight posture and an elegant charm, but as her illness worsened, I rarely had the chance to get her new clothes, which was a shame.”
“Is that so?”
The elegant lady stared at Leblaix’s face, which seemed genuinely pitiful, for a long time, then slowly lifted the net that had been covering her face. Leblaix’s eyes, which had been caught up in her own emotions for a while and even had tears in them, widened. Then, Madame Leblaix’s face, which had been facing the lady with a stern expression, cracked open.
“Well, what should I say? The atmosphere is strangely different, but if my eyes are not deceiving, the appearance of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Trovica is very, very...”
“Do we look alike?”
A leisurely smile. The strangely sensual feeling of the woman was a little different from the Grand Duchess Trovica that Leblaix remembered, but the facial features and even the look in her eyes...
'It's not just that they look alike!'
“Yes, yes... yes, yes!”
The two hands held tightly as if in prayer were warmly embraced by the noblewoman who sat right up to the edge of the chair.
“Is it enough to start a new relationship?”
The young and beautiful lady's sensual smile was enough to melt her heart.
“Yes, yes!”
A perfect and healthy muse has come back to Madame Leblaix's work, which had been stuck in mannerism.
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