On his desk, which had been frozen like a stone statue since dawn, booked with newspapers and gossip clippings, Elacon textbooks, and a file of a background investigation on one person spread out messily. The scrapbook was almost worn down because he had read it so often.
Haa...
Lord Rhodnes, who was sitting crookedly with his hands on his temples, sighed even deeper as Vincenzo placed the last document. Vincenzo was about to complain about the smell of alcohol that did not go away even with all three windows open but sighed deeply.
Lord Rhodness slowly picked up the paper that had just been placed and read it.
[ Name: Blie Acacia Nationality: Unknown. Age: 22 (estimated) Married. Guardian: Count Franklin Acacia (age 72) ]
“The documents are too clean. This time, the information was exactly the same as what you received before.”
“...”
“Neil was saying something strange.”
Rhodnes' eyes slowly moved up to the papers. Vincenzo cautiously opened his mouth.
“At the victory celebration, the lady said that she was the mistress of the Grand Duke of Trovica.”
“...Cut that kid off. He’s too talkative.”
“Your Highness, if that’s true, how about not getting involved?”
“Do I look like I’m trying to get involved?”
Vincenzo looked at his lord, who was still looking through the papers without answering. It would be safe to say that these days, Rhodnes was not interested in anything other than smoking cigars, drinking, and looking through information about the Grand Duchess of Trovica and Blie Acacia.
“Honestly, I don’t understand, Your Highness.”
“..."
“Although Grand Duke Trovika is not close to us, he is the Crown Prince’s closest confidant and not someone to be trifled with. Rather, he can be seen as an ally of His Highness, who supports His Highness. We do not know whether he had a mistress before his wife died or whether he became lonely after her death and took a mistress, but isn’t that the Grand Duke’s private life? Even if he committed adultery, Countess Acacia is a married woman, so it wouldn’t be something that would be greatly criticized in a noble society. Don’t you know?”
“I don’t understand...”
Rhodnes leaned back in his chair, repeating Vincenzo’s advice. His well-defined chin and arrogant nose were pointed toward the ceiling. The cherubs carved in the luxurious lighting were faintly twinkling. Rhodnes, looking at the ceiling and talking to himself, seemed to be rather sad at first glance.
“...I don’t understand myself either.”
“...?”
The most incomprehensible thing was Rhodnes himself. From Adrienne's death to the appearance of Blie, who looked exactly like her, to the fact that Blie was Noevian Trovica's mistress, everything was as horrible as a nightmare. No matter how much he drank, saw blood, and fell asleep exhausted, a new nightmare would begin the next morning.
'Adrienne Piretta does not exist in this world.'
That fact alone made him feel hopeless as if only her shell remained in this world. Would it be okay to check the body?
He felt the urge to tear the guy apart after witnessing Noevian Trovica’s secret meeting, but he was also gripped by the fear that he would never be able to check Adrienne’s body if he did so. He didn’t know what purpose the guy who was sitting in his current position had in hiding the body, and there might not be a body in the mansion. He needed someone to help him check the body.
He couldn’t understand why he was making such ridiculous excuses and binding Blie Acacia into a kind of contractual relationship, and why he was doing things that would not help his life, but that’s how Rhodnes rationalized it. He needed help too. But every time he saw Blie Acacia, especially when he saw her eyes that were exactly like Adrienne’s, his heart felt like it was rolling on the floor.
“...I might really be crazy.”
You guys keep calling me a mad dog and all that, so maybe God really punished me like that.
“Why am I like this?”
But Rhodnes still wants to help her. When he sees her cry, he gets angry, and whenever she acts like Adrienne, he thinks of their good old days and feels like going back. Is it because she's just so much like Adrienne? Or is it because his tastes are so damn consistent, like Noevian Trovica?
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want to believe that she’s dead, so that’s why she...”
In fact, he might be waiting like a madman for her to tell him that she's Adrienne.
'Adrienne, she left me, but still I...'
I can't abandon her. She can't be abandoned.
“...I might really be crazy.”
You guys keep calling me a mad dog and all that, so maybe God really punished me like that.
“Why am I like this?”
But Rhodnes still wants to help her. When he sees her cry, he gets angry, and whenever she acts like Adrienne, he thinks of their good old days and feels like going back. Is it because she's just so much like Adrienne? Or is it because his tastes are so damn consistent, like Noevian Trovica?
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want to believe that she’s dead, so that’s why she...”
In fact, he might be waiting like a madman for her to tell him that she's Adrienne.
'Adrienne, she left me, but still I...'
I can't abandon her. She can't be abandoned.
As soon as he finished talking to himself, Rhodnes laughed.
“The dog's baby is not one of the Noevian Trovica.”
"Yes...?"
“The dog's baby is not one of the Noevian Trovica.”
"Yes...?"
“It is not certain whether the Grand Duchess knew of this woman’s existence or not.”
If Adrienne had died knowing this, this woman would also be subject to condemnation. Rhodnes straightened his posture from when he had been hunched over and staring at the ceiling and crumpled the documents.
“...Vincenzo.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“If I continue like this even after the funeral of the Grand Duchess is over and the body is confirmed...”
Rhodnes, whose eyes quickly became cold as usual, looked up at Vincenzo standing in front of him and continued speaking.
“Then you cut off my neck.”
"Your Highness!"
Vincenzo took a step forward at the order that seemed to have no regrets about life. However, Rhodnes’ face was too serious. Vincenzo stood there for a moment, speechless, when suddenly there was a knock on the office door.
"Your Highness."
Neil, with his face sticking out, looked for Rhodnes.
“It’s time for your lesson with Countess Acacia.”
***
Today, instead of the usual private dining room, the class was held in Madame Leblaix’s dressing room. Madame Leblaix lent me the entire store when I told her that I would be accompanying the rumored second Prince, whose face I could not easily see, and even placed partitions around the three sides of the seat where Rhodnes was sitting for security.
I diligently completed Rhodnes’s assignment today, and even submitted my own composition to him. The class with Rhodnes was informative, but it was actually a suffocating time since we hardly talked about anything other than class. That was why I brought Rhodnes to the dressing room this time to avoid awkwardness while he was grading, and to blurt out my influence with Madame Leblaix.
***
“Bravo! Bravo!!”
“It’s the best, Ma’am!”
“Oh, my goodness. I thought Her Majesty Empress Letina, known as the most beautiful woman in the empire, had returned to life!”
The atmosphere was a bit noisy. Rhodnes frowned for a moment at the sudden outburst of cheers, then climbed onto the stage and stared at the spinning Blie Acacia.
“Is it really that bad?”
“Oh, yes, Ma’am!”
The noblewoman, who had been making a strange expression as if she was a little awkward, soon took the fan offered by one of the maids and turned around to look in the mirror as if nothing had happened.
“Here, even His Highness the Prince was so surprised that he jumped up!”
"Ah."
Only then did Rhodnes realize that he had jumped to his feet. He felt his blood rush to his head as soon as he saw Blie put on her clothes and take hold of the fan.
“I’ll do a fitting today and another fitting later, Ma’am.”
“Is this not enough?”
“The completion of a dress is a meticulous fitting.”
Madame Leblaix smiled as she adjusted the draping of her dress with more passion than ever before. And Rhodnes could not take his eyes off the Countess looking at herself in the mirror. Her upright posture. Her habit of resting her chin on her fan. Contrary to the rumor that Countess Acacia had a commoner’s sash that she could not take off, Blie had the most aristocratic dignity of anyone here.
Contrary to her habit of saying, “I like new things,” as if she had memorized the words, she was not the type to splurge even at the best dress shop in the capital.
“Since I’m here, I’d like to try them all on at once. Is that okay, Your Highness?”
“..."
Rhodnes nodded silently to Blie's question and briefly lifted the paper he was grading. Blie made a look of apology for a moment and went back behind the curtain.
“Since I’m here, I’d like to try them all on at once. Is that okay, Your Highness?”
“..."
Rhodnes nodded silently to Blie's question and briefly lifted the paper he was grading. Blie made a look of apology for a moment and went back behind the curtain.
Meanwhile, Madame Leblaix, the owner of this shop, could not hide her expression as she approached Prince Rhodnes, personally changing the tea he had not even tasted into something warm. As if it was his first time in a shop like this, the Prince looked around slowly as soon as he entered, and when he remembered Countess Acacia's face changing every time she changed her clothes, his artistic spirit was once again welling up.
'I want to dress you in your most sparkly uniform and stand you up like a mannequin.'
Contrary to the rumors of being the 'Demon of the Battlefield', his appearance was so beautiful that it was natural for his artistic spirit to well up. Look at that moment prince who shines like gold powder alone even in the dark. The ruby-like bright red eyes visible under the roughly swept platinum hair were truly a jewel in themselves. Madame Leblaix thought while sketching the designs that came to mind randomly, from the arrogant nose to the enchanting lip line.
'I should get closer to Countess Acacia.'
The Countess's ability to digest clothes was top-notch. As the saying goes, she knows what suits her best, and as expected from her face surprisingly resembles the late Grand Duchess, she perfectly digested classic designs that not everyone could pull off.
'I want to dress you in your most sparkly uniform and stand you up like a mannequin.'
Contrary to the rumors of being the 'Demon of the Battlefield', his appearance was so beautiful that it was natural for his artistic spirit to well up. Look at that moment prince who shines like gold powder alone even in the dark. The ruby-like bright red eyes visible under the roughly swept platinum hair were truly a jewel in themselves. Madame Leblaix thought while sketching the designs that came to mind randomly, from the arrogant nose to the enchanting lip line.
'I should get closer to Countess Acacia.'
The Countess's ability to digest clothes was top-notch. As the saying goes, she knows what suits her best, and as expected from her face surprisingly resembles the late Grand Duchess, she perfectly digested classic designs that not everyone could pull off.
To avoid feeling too stuffy, she exposed her neck and shoulders and decorated the surrounding area with chiffon and jewels, completing the 'elegant and gorgeous' style she spoke of.
'This is definitely a hit, a hit!'
The Countess is not only an inspiring muse but also has connections with big names. Not only did she receive a request from Grand Duke Noevian Trovica, who is praised as the romantic of the century, but she also showed up with the second Prince, Rhodnes, whom she rarely sees anymore. Even if nobles have their own partners, they sometimes have mistresses or enjoy casual dates. Even if the Grand Duke is not known, Prince Rhodnes is a famous prodigal son. It is possible to succumb to the temptation of an attractive lady and meet for a while.
'Whether they are villains or heroes, they are weak to beauties.'
Unfortunately, Madame Leblaix had mistaken Countess Acacia for Rhodnes’s casual date. Rhodnes had been trying to ignore the strange sense of discomfort that had been creeping up on him since earlier and finished grading Blie’s Elacon assignment. He had been collecting all the rumors about Blie’s Acacia, but how could there be anything wrong with them?
'This is definitely a hit, a hit!'
The Countess is not only an inspiring muse but also has connections with big names. Not only did she receive a request from Grand Duke Noevian Trovica, who is praised as the romantic of the century, but she also showed up with the second Prince, Rhodnes, whom she rarely sees anymore. Even if nobles have their own partners, they sometimes have mistresses or enjoy casual dates. Even if the Grand Duke is not known, Prince Rhodnes is a famous prodigal son. It is possible to succumb to the temptation of an attractive lady and meet for a while.
'Whether they are villains or heroes, they are weak to beauties.'
Unfortunately, Madame Leblaix had mistaken Countess Acacia for Rhodnes’s casual date. Rhodnes had been trying to ignore the strange sense of discomfort that had been creeping up on him since earlier and finished grading Blie’s Elacon assignment. He had been collecting all the rumors about Blie’s Acacia, but how could there be anything wrong with them?
The comment that she was vulgar was the first piece of information he had already erased from his mind, and the comments that she was ignorant and brash were also incomprehensible as the class progressed.
On the contrary, looking at the writing assignment she had done for the first time, there were many parts where she hesitated and revised them many times. It was evidence that she had already written perfect and good sentences and then worried about how to translate them into a foreign language. It was remarkable that she had attempted sentences that an uneducated commoner would never have thought of implementing.
“!”
As she was thinking like that, Rhodnes suddenly felt his breath hitch, and his ears became blocked as if he was sinking underwater.
“Wow, Madam, if you ever have to go to the palace, you must choose this!”
“Oh my God, it’s so beautiful.”
Blie Acacia emerged from the curtains again. The lady's eyes, which had been blushing for a moment amidst the enthusiastic cheers, turned to Rhodnes.
“What is the matter, Your Highness?”
“No, it suits you well.”
Rhodnes stood up and barely managed to answer the lady who was worried at the sight of him frozen like a statue. The Countess blinked her large eyes blankly for a moment, then blushed slightly when she felt the red gaze staring at her.
“...She’s exactly like Grand Duchess Trovika.”
The Countess's maids' faces hardened at the mention of the Grand Duchess, and the staff of the dressing room smiled brightly. The Countess's green eyes wavered for a moment then disappeared behind the curtain again.
“!”
As she was thinking like that, Rhodnes suddenly felt his breath hitch, and his ears became blocked as if he was sinking underwater.
“Wow, Madam, if you ever have to go to the palace, you must choose this!”
“Oh my God, it’s so beautiful.”
Blie Acacia emerged from the curtains again. The lady's eyes, which had been blushing for a moment amidst the enthusiastic cheers, turned to Rhodnes.
“What is the matter, Your Highness?”
“No, it suits you well.”
Rhodnes stood up and barely managed to answer the lady who was worried at the sight of him frozen like a statue. The Countess blinked her large eyes blankly for a moment, then blushed slightly when she felt the red gaze staring at her.
“...She’s exactly like Grand Duchess Trovika.”
The Countess's maids' faces hardened at the mention of the Grand Duchess, and the staff of the dressing room smiled brightly. The Countess's green eyes wavered for a moment then disappeared behind the curtain again.
Rhodnes looked at what she was holding in her hands again. Her hands were shaking as if she was looking at the scariest thing in the world. A few simple sentences from a short diary. However, what he noticed was not the content of Blie Acacia's trivial daily life.
'It's Adrienne's handwriting.'
It was Adrienne's neat and elegant handwriting, in the notes and letters he and Adrienne had exchanged over the years. It was undeniable, it was something he could not help but recognize. It was the handwriting that filled the letters he had read and reread over the years, even hugging them to his chest and sleeping with them. It was unmistakable, Adrienne Swann Piretta's handwriting.
'It's Adrienne's handwriting.'
It was Adrienne's neat and elegant handwriting, in the notes and letters he and Adrienne had exchanged over the years. It was undeniable, it was something he could not help but recognize. It was the handwriting that filled the letters he had read and reread over the years, even hugging them to his chest and sleeping with them. It was unmistakable, Adrienne Swann Piretta's handwriting.
Rhodnes's legs gave out, and he slumped down in his chair, burying his face in his large hands.
‘Am I... really crazy?’
‘Am I... really crazy?’
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