CTETL Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Belle and Ian froze for a moment and turned to look at Cedric.

“Brother.”

“Looks like you’re going out somewhere.”

“Yes. We’re going on a date.”

“Hah.”

For some reason, Cedric looked at them with an expression of deep betrayal. He scoffed repeatedly, then, with a thoroughly petulant expression, started picking a fight.

“What’s with that look? Doesn’t Belle seem way too shabby?”

“Oh, we were just about to get her a dress tailored, but why are you here, brother?”

“What, this is my house. Are you saying I shouldn’t be here?”

“I’m saying this because Father has been looking for you for a while.”

Flinch.

At the mention of the Duke, Cedric’s body stiffened.

It seemed he had been slacking off instead of working. Even if his younger brother’s return threatened his position, his playboy habits were hard to break.

“Whatever, I’m coming with you.”

“…What?”

“I’m coming to wherever you two are going!”

“…I believe I just told you we’re going on a date?”

“Hmph. I was planning to go to the salon to get a tailcoat made anyway. What’s the problem with going together?”

He seemed thoroughly irritated about something and was ready to argue with anything Ian said.

“Yes, it is a problem.”

But Ian wasn’t one to back down either.

Honestly, Belle couldn’t understand why Cedric was so determined to insert himself between a married couple going on a date.

There was no reason to accommodate him.

Ian seemed to think the same and remained firm. Belle had planned to intervene, but Ian outright rejected Cedric to his face, leaving Cedric momentarily speechless.

“…Hah. You’ve really lost it.”

“I think it’s you who’s lost it, brother. I don’t understand why you’d insist on tagging along on a married couple’s date.”

“Grr…!”

“Anyway, go buy your clothes by yourself.”

With that, Ian grabbed Belle’s hand and quickly boarded the carriage before Cedric could stop them. Then he urged the coachman to leave.

The coachman hesitated briefly, but when Ian shot him a sharp glare and repeated his order firmly, he squeezed his eyes shut and cracked the whip.

“Just go already.”

“Y-yes!”

As the horses sped off, Cedric shouted in frustration, but it was too late—the carriage had already left.

* * *

Inside the carriage, now just the two of them.

“Actually, the reason I asked you out on this date… was because Cedric came to see me earlier.”

“What? Why did he?”

“He kept asking me to go out with him, saying I was Belle.”

Since the coachman could hear them, Belle spoke vaguely, pretending not to remember. Ian furrowed his brows.

“What is wrong with them? So what if Annie is Belle?”

“Exactly. He wanted to take me to the artisan district, saying I was into painting.”

Hearing that, Ian seemed to grasp Cedric’s true intentions and let out a dry chuckle.

“You handled it well.”

“Right?”

Belle smirked, and that was the end of the topic.

There was no need to discuss Cedric any further, so their conversation quickly moved on to other things.

Before they knew it, the carriage came to a stop.

After thanking the coachman, they stepped out, and immediately, the heads of the women gathered outside the salon turned toward them in unison.

Even if it had been a long time, there wasn’t a noblewoman in Rothiers who wouldn’t recognize Ian, the second son of the Duke.

More than that, the woman standing beside him bore an uncanny resemblance to Belle Agrita.

“Wait… Isn’t that Belle Agrita?”

“I heard she was dead… What’s going on?”

The noblewomen hurriedly covered their mouths with fans and whispered among themselves, looking thoroughly confused.

Belle had never been well-established in high society. Even when she attended events, she was always an outcast, with no close acquaintances.

She had rarely ever come to a salon to buy dresses.

So the fact that she was here now naturally piqued everyone’s curiosity.

Not to mention, her presence alongside Ian made for an irresistibly intriguing combination.

“Ah, w-welcome! Are you here for a dress fitting?”

Even the salon owner seemed flustered at first but quickly composed herself and approached with a friendly smile.

“Yes. Annie doesn’t have a proper dress yet.”

“Annie…? Ah, I see. Pleased to meet you. I’m Madame Rodina, the owner of this salon.”

“Nice to meet you, Madame Rodina.”

The nobility only knew that Ian had married a commoner; they had no idea what she looked like.

So Rodina wisely chose to tread carefully.

“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking… what is the relationship between you two?”

“She is my wife.”

“…What?!”

Even the experienced salon owner was utterly shocked.

“Is it that surprising?”

“I-I apologize. That was quite unprofessional of me.”

The rumored commoner.

And she bore an astonishing resemblance to Belle Agrita, as if the woman herself had come back to life.

But now, instead of being married to Cedric, she was wed to Ian Rothiers. That was truly shocking.

“…A-anyway, please come inside.”

Although Annie was a commoner, by marrying Ian, she had technically become a noblewoman.

The marriage had only been registered without a formal wedding, so she was not officially acknowledged by high society. However, that didn’t mean the salon’s madam could treat her disrespectfully.

Most importantly, Ian—one of the most powerful men around—was standing right beside her.

The rumors surrounding Ian were so sinister that even the most influential figures in society tended to tread carefully around him.

There was even talk that notorious Cedric didn’t hold a candle to Ian.

As a result, the madam, now thoroughly cautious, respectfully led the two of them inside.

Inside, noblewomen were already gathered, chatting and laughing.

But as soon as Ian and Belle entered, the atmosphere turned ice cold.

It was rare for husbands to accompany their wives to a salon. Though not strictly off-limits to men, salons were primarily a space for women, and most men had no interest in coming.

“…What kind of dress are you looking for?”

“Something that matches what I’m wearing now. That’s all I need for the time being.”

“I see. Please have a seat for a moment.”

As Madame Rodina stepped away, the noblewomen, who had been sneakily glancing over, whispered among themselves.

Then, as if taking charge, a noblewoman of similar standing to Ian approached.

However, she didn’t seem to recognize Belle.

And Belle didn’t recognize her either.

‘Who is she?’ Judging by her attire and demeanor, she seemed quite full of herself.

Everything she wore and carried was clearly expensive.

The noblewoman dramatically unfolded her fan and looked down at Annie.

In the past, when she was Cedric’s wife, Annie had been constantly mistreated, unable to assert herself.

If someone like this had approached her back then, she would have fidgeted anxiously, too intimidated to speak—a reaction that only made her an easier target for ridicule.

But she was no longer that same Belle.

Now, she simply stared back, unfazed, as if wondering why the woman was blocking her view.

The noblewoman clicked her tongue quietly.

Then, completely ignoring Belle, she turned to Ian and greeted him first.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am April Cassier.”

Cassier?

That meant she was the Duchess of Cassier.

But two years ago, back when Belle was still in the capital, the Duchess of Cassier had been an elderly woman.

In fact, that very woman had made Belle’s life difficult.

She had never acknowledged Belle as a part of high society.

And now, there was a new Duchess of Cassier?

It seemed something had happened to the Cassier family in the past two years.

“And?” Ian asked flatly.

“Oh, well, the second son of the Duke of Rothiers is always so busy that it’s rare to see you at gatherings like this.”

“Yes, and?”

“…I simply wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself.”

“Fine. Introduction acknowledged.”

Pfft.

Laughter erupted around them, and Duchess Cassier stiffened, trembling slightly in embarrassment.

But she was too afraid of Ian to argue back. Instead, she subtly knocked against the table, sending a teacup tumbling toward Belle as if by accident.

“Ahhh!”

Belle yelped as the hot liquid spilled onto her, making her jump to her feet.

The corners of Duchess Cassier’s lips twitched upward slightly.

“Oh my! That was an accident. Are you alright?”

It was a classic bullying tactic.

This kind of trick was often used against nobles who had recently moved to the capital, those in difficult circumstances, or commoners who had suddenly risen in status.

If Belle brushed it off as nothing, she would be treated as a fool.

After all, this was something for which she was owed an apology.

But most newly arrived or struggling nobles preferred to let things go quietly to avoid trouble.

And the more malicious noblewomen took advantage of that, turning them into objects of mockery.

“Annie!”

Ian, alarmed, reached for Belle’s dress, looking unsure of what to do. He couldn’t even bring himself to lift the fabric to check.

“You—!”

His eyes flashed dangerously as he glared at Duchess Cassier.

But before he could act, Belle stopped him.

“Let me handle this.”

Seeing this, Duchess Cassier smirked slightly, as if thinking ‘So she’s giving in after all.’

The other noblewomen also held their breath, waiting to see how Belle would respond.

Her reaction here would determine how they treated her from now on.

“You called this an accident, Duchess?”

“Yes, I did.”

Duchess Cassier lifted her chin defiantly.

“I just got burned, yet all you have to say is that it was an accident? No matter how high your nose is stuck in the air, I find that rather arrogant. After all, am I not also a duchess like you?”

“…”

Duchess Cassier had expected Belle to fumble and act meek.

Instead, Belle’s sharp response left her utterly speechless.