"No matter how smart a person is, he sometimes makes mistakes."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, that's not appropriate for this situation..."
When I looked at Betty with my zombie-like eyes, she quickly shut her mouth. I've been doing well lately, so there's nothing I can't say to me. Of course, that's not to say it's wrong.
After reading only one of the latest editions of the aristocratic handbook for two days, I felt like my soul was about to be taken away.
'Oh, how could I have started doing such a reckless thing!'
It was too much time to forget. The fact that whenever I crammed. I would fall asleep thinking, 'I have to wake up early tomorrow morning,' and wake up just before I could avoid being late.
However, the story that the lady was trying to memorize the aristocratic manual had already spread among the employees in the mansion. In addition, because I had called out the names of Grid, Parcell, and Rael a few days ago, the rumors snowballed, and the praise for 'Madam's superhuman memorization skills' filled the mansion.
'How can I disappoint those innocent people?'
If I did, I would be so ashamed that I wouldn't be able to carry my face. From the very beginning, I couldn't show the Duchess's weakness. I gritted my teeth and opened the book again. Then I slammed my forehead over it.
"Betty. You should never tell anyone else what I'm doing."
"Why would I do that?"
Betty, who was looking at me sadly, quietly asked.
"Ma'am, are you having a hard time?"
"I feel like I'm going to die..."
"Why don't you go buy dresses and jewelry to wear to prom to cool your head?"
"Dresses and jewelry?"
The words dress and jewelry sparkled in my eyes.
Yes. When I was cramming, I suddenly wanted to clean up. After cleaning, I want to get up early tomorrow morning and study. Even though I knew the end, I was already fascinated and nodded vigorously towards Betty.
Without any delay, I immediately received a recommendation from the chief maid, Kreisel, for the location of Ludens' famous costume shop and jewelry store, and set off in a carriage with Betty and two maids to the downtown area.
However, shortly after setting foot in the downtown area, my excited heart was shattered.
"Our dress is already booked."
"Yes? Here?"
"Hoho. As you know, a ball is held at the Imperial Palace for the first time in a long time. Many ladies and young ladies have already visited, and as you can see, almost all the dresses that can be used have been sold."
We had already been kicked out for the dozenth time, and as soon as we got into the carriage, we sighed without anyone saying anything first.
"Is this what it is?"
"It wasn't like this. This ball is special, so I guess everyone is constantly preparing."
The situation was no different for Jewelers, so we didn't buy it, and there was no jewelry to use except for horse stones. Even then, I tried to cover it up, but I only felt the urgency of the world's heart.
"No matter how much the Imperial Palace ball is, it is held by the government, but so many nobles make this fuss?"
As I got into the carriage and headed to the last remaining destination, I was indescribably depressed. In any case, since the Emperor is watching over the government, the nobles with high noses must be eager to attend.
In front of me, even though he expressed his Innocence for my mother like that, he still established his authority for the government. Is that the case with all men? Could it be Brandt...
I was shocked by the thought that came to me without realizing it. Am I jealous now because something didn't even happen? Is that to that man, too?
"Ma'am, are you suffering from motion sickness? You have a bad complexion."
"Oh, no."
While I was cooling my head with the maid, the carriage reached its final destination. It was Sir Lawrence's dressing room.
"Sir Lawrence handles everything from clothing to jewelry to makeup in all weathers. Because it can give unity to the decoration, many noblewomen look for it."
"Then there is nothing left?"
"It's very likely."
Betty nodded sadly
Now that I had come this far, I got out of the carriage with the Intention of taking a look.
***
Unlike the stores he had been to so far, which showed off his splendor, Sir Lawrence's clothing room was just a brush written on the family's home. For some reason, it smelled like a craftsman.
The maid who had gone out ahead and opened the door to the dressing room shook her head. She pulled the doorknob again, but the door didn't budge. The moment I took a step with an ominous premonition, a sign hung on my body. The sign had only one sentence written in roughly scribbled handwriting.
< Not open for the time being >
It seemed that cold steam was leaking out of my head. The maids who approached also lamented each other.
"Seeing that it is not open for the time being, it seems that the quick-witted lady has taken over a dressing room altogether."
Betty clicked her tongue and said.
"Is that possible?"
"There are people who want to monopolize a famous and colorful craftsman to themself."
"It's really bad. If we share a little together, where will we add more?"
In the end, I returned to the mansion as a loser's corpse without getting any proper dress or jewelry. Kreisel's face was also full of worry when she heard our story.
"Maybe it's like this. Isn't this your first ball?"
"If I had known this would happen, I would have rushed a little more. It's my fault."
If I hadn't gone out of my way to memorize the aristocratic manual, this wouldn't have happened, so I was so frightened that I died. Kreisel shook her head.
"Don't say that. I'll ask a local designer."
"You don't have to."
Malcolm walked into the drawing room, where only women were gathered. The woman looked at him in bewilderment. Malcolm's face was filled with confidence that I didn't know where it came from. His fingers fiercely swaying his mustache showed his confidence.
"What do you mean by that, Malcolm?"
"Let's go to the dressing room. Someone is waiting for you."
Malcolm said in a voice that evoked anticipation. Without asking any more questions, I headed to the dressing room. In the dressing room, a man was waiting for me, just as he said. In addition, there were 'things' that were waiting for me.
"Lawrence meets the Duchess."
"Sir... Lawrence?"
Lawrence, who had gray hair that was not suitable for middle age, nodded to me, who was stunned as if I had seen a ghost.
"During this prom, I was hired as an exclusive designer for the madam."
Malcolm added to me, who was surprised, to relax.
"This is something that the lord secretly told me a few days ago. I didn't expect that Madam would go out to visit the clothing room and the jeweler in the meantime."
"He... His Excellency hired Sir Lawrence for me?"
Contrary to Malcolm's intention to be moved, I was on the verge of fainting.
'Was the real bad guy Brandt?'
There was no way he wouldn't know that I was attending the ball, but I didn't expect him to care so much. Fearing that I would run away, he even took Madam Marie away, so I thought that even if I made my debut in the social world for the sake of face, I would be told to go quietly under strict surveillance.
In fact, he said he was busy in the past few days and rarely even had a meal together. But he was preparing for an event like this.
I took a look around the dressing room. Lawrence carefully selected various colorful costumes, and Ludenbach's minerals were all beautifully displayed.
'Wow!'
"You have a body that designers covet. It's small, but it's not too small or too big. The appearance is also fresh, and you will look good with mature and bold outfits as well as pure and elegant outfits. Also, thanks to the skin that is as fresh as snow..."
Lawrence clasped his hands tightly and walked back and forth around me, repeatedly praising me. Every time I go to a clothing store, they say, 'Oh, sister. This would look really good,' so I thought I would be immune, but before I knew it, my cheeks were burning.
"I promise to make you stand out from anyone else at the ball."
Lawrence spoke in a motivated tone that showed no doubt about his abilities.
***
When I entered the restaurant in the evening, Brandt came first and was waiting. It was a place where we had a meal together for the first time in a long time. However, we could only hear the sound of tableware clinking occasionally, and our evening was quiet.
"I have to speak first."
Since I received something materially, it was polite to repay it. But I wanted to leave that and do it for some reason.
"Ah..."
"Brandt..."
He and I opened and closed at the same time. We looked at each other in amazement. At this time, Brandt seemed surprisingly gentle.
It was Brandt who got lucky first.
"Apodilla said she got rid of everything."
My god. That's the story. The gentle-looking face was a step back for me to move forward.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"I'm surprised you don't."
I didn't know if it was a joke or a mockery of his words, and I pouted. An awkward silence hung over us. I didn't know when I was not saying anything, but once I stopped talking, it was even more difficult.
"I heard that you are pretending to be the Duchess quite well these days."
This time, Brandt spoke first. It wasn't a pretty word, but I didn't feel bad because my efforts had gone that far.
"I'm going to get along."
"...With whom?"
Brandt was looking at me expectantly. I was ashamed and bowed my head and replied.
"Who is it?"
"...Aren't I pushing it?"
Brandt asked, frowning. He looked like he couldn't really understand.
If I were to say here, 'If you tried to win my favor with something like that, you were wrong!' Did you know how to overturn the table?
I was a person who never did such an ungodly thing in front of a sacred table.
Of course, he wasn't very uncomfortable.
"It's a push."
I spat it out and looked at his face. There was no change in his expression, but his face was dark. He quickly opened his mouth again.
"But what does fighting with you more here change? I've already seen a real fight..."
It's not just fighting.
"If I give you faith, you will believe in me. Return Madam Marie to m."
"..."
What is that look? You don't even think about such a thing, right?
"Won't you?"
"...I want to open your head once."
Brandt looked at me with his chin clenched.
"I wonder what you're thinking."
'I want to open your head.'
I held back the desire to return those words. Before that, there was something I had to say.
"Thank you for taking care of the ball. I never thought you would have prepared someone as brilliant as Sir Lawrence."
"How can you not care that people are all eager for Duchess Albenovic's social debut?"
Brandt said without hesitation, as if it was not a big deal. But for some reason, he lowered his head and hid his expression from me.
"I didn't know you had prepared it, so I went out to get dresses and jewelry, but I couldn't get any of them because the competition was fierce. It would have been difficult to call Sir Lawrence at a time like this, but I can't help but be grateful."
"Did you go to forgive me?"
Brandt asked with a flash of his head.
"Yes."
"I'll forgive everything, but what are you going to do?"
It was a voice with a deep sense of defeat. Nevertheless, my heart was pounding.
"Then I didn't say anything in advance."
"That's because I thought you wouldn't want to see me."
I was a little surprised by the way he spoke, as if asking, 'How was your day?'
"No matter how much something happened between the two of us, how can you not see your husband? I don't like that."
Brandt's face was stained with embarrassment. I thought. 'What did I say wrong?' and when I opened my eyes, Brandt avoided my gaze.
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