Chapter 11
“Wow.”
Marina kept exclaiming in awe(It seems like you’re impressed or intrigued).
She was so busy looking around the interior of the carriage, moving her head this way and that, that it made me laugh.
“Hey, miss. Why are you laughing? You’ve been craning your neck just as much as I have!”
I coughed awkwardly and straightened my posture since, truthfully, I was also busy admiring the carriage.
“Well, how could I not? When have we ever ridden in something like this?”
Even back when my family’s finances were better during my childhood, I’d never experienced a carriage like this.
The grand ducal carriage was unique—painted black and drawn by jet-black horses. The combination matched perfectly with Shanur’s dark hair, making it famous among the people.
Seeing this renowned carriage was one thing, but riding in it? That was another level entirely. The ride was so smooth it felt like being inside a mansion rather than a moving carriage, if not for the changing scenery outside.
It was enormous, too, complete with a small table inside.
One of the reasons for its fame was its massive size. When another carriage came from the opposite direction, one would often have to yield. Most didn’t hesitate to turn their horses away at the sight of the grand ducal carriage.
Because of this, the carriage earned the nickname “The Tyrant of the Road.” It was, in essence, a symbol of Shanur’s power.
And now, Marina and I were riding in it.
“Exactly. Who would’ve thought we’d get to ride the infamous Road Tyrant?”
“I never expected this either.”
When Shanur heard my plan, he happily prepared for my outing. At that time, I didn’t think much of it. I certainly didn’t expect to ride a black carriage pulled by four black horses.
“Marina, you remember what I told you earlier, right?”
As we quickly arrived at the square, I reminded Marina again.
“Of course! Leave it to me, miss. I’ve always dreamed of playing this kind of role!”
Seeing her determined face, I adjusted my clothes.
Soon, Nosel, the coachman, opened the door, and Marina stepped out with her chin held high. Suppressing my laughter, I took Nosel’s hand and stepped out slowly.
By now, the appearance of the black carriage had already drawn all eyes to us. I waved a fan to cover half my face as I looked at the salon in front of me.
The Andria Salon. The designer who ran it was so proud of her work that she put her name on the business. Her skills matched her pride, and she was famously selective about her clientele.
She even turned down high-ranking nobles, which only made her salon more desirable. After all, people always chase what’s rare.
This was the perfect stage for someone like me—rumored to be “the beloved fiancée of Grand Duke Reinhardt.”
With Nosel escorting me and Marina still holding her chin high, we entered the salon.
At Andria’s salon, only a select few were personally attended to by her. Most clients dealt with the designers under her, provided they could pay.
Thus, the first and second floors were always bustling with nobles waiting to commission designs.
The three of us, stepping in after disembarking from the grand ducal carriage, instantly became the center of attention.
I snapped my fan closed with a sharp sound, and Marina raised her voice.
“Where is Madame Andria?”
Pleased with her bold tone, I couldn’t help but smile.
So that’s why her voice sounded hoarse earlier—she must’ve been practicing this tone all night.
“Oh my, welcome, my lady. Are you looking for Madame Andria?”
One of the designers, seemingly used to such dramatic scenes, approached us with a gentle smile.
“I’m afraid Madame Andria is away on business. If it’s alright with you, I can personally assist you.”
“No, it’s not alright.”
Marina cut her off immediately.
“My lady only works with Madame Andria herself.”
“We’d love to assign Madame Andria to you, but she is away right now.”
“Madame, you must not know who my lady is. In two months, my lady will become the most beautiful and noble bride of the year!”
With her hands on her hips and her chin raised even higher, Marina seemed ready to show her nostrils. I debated whether to mention it but decided to stay quiet since she seemed so in character.
“Two months?”
As expected, the murmurs around us grew louder.
“Isn’t the wedding in two months Grand Duke Reinhardt’s wedding?”
“Then that means… that black carriage is from the grand duchy?”
“Oh my, so the rumors were true?”
By now, everyone must have realized.
The black carriage belonged to Grand Duke Reinhardt, and I was the soon-to-be duchess.
“Do I have to explain who I am over and over again?”
Marina, practically flaring her nostrils now, declared.
The designer glanced past Marina to scrutinize me. Her gaze eventually landed on Nosel, and she quickly bowed deeply.
“This way to the third floor, my lady.”
Nosel’s sword, engraved with the grand duchy’s crest, had given it away.
I waved my fan lightly as I climbed the stairs to the third floor.
Feeling the sharp gazes on my back, I almost broke into a cold sweat. But Marina’s triumphant expression helped me relax.
“Please make yourself comfortable, my lady. I’ll fetch Madame Andria shortly.”
The designer, now excessively polite, led us to a private room.
As soon as we entered and the door closed behind us, Marina collapsed into a chair with a dramatic sigh.
“Miss, how did I do?”
Without hesitation, I gave her a thumbs-up.
“Marina, you were perfect.”
In truth, I had done nothing but wave my fan, and Nosel had only acted as an escort.
Marina had executed the most critical role in this plan flawlessly.
“Really? My knees were shaking, but my mouth just kept going. I think I was born for this kind of maid role!”
Seeing her brightened face, I helped her up with a smile.
We sat down and sipped tea, but soon there was a knock at the door.
“Lady Beloni, it’s Madame Andria.”
“Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Andria herself. Her thick glasses were slightly askew, her clothes a bit wrinkled, and she was catching her breath as if she had rushed here.
Adjusting her glasses awkwardly, she approached me.
I glanced at her, reviewing my plan in my head.
Recently, Shanur sent out wedding invitations to a select few. Predictably, rumors about his marriage had started to spread.
However, no noble family dared approach or send gifts to confirm the truth. It was too risky to act without clear evidence.
Originally, I planned to use a marquis and an earl’s family to confirm the engagement and spread the word of Shanur’s affection for me. But they were too timid, forcing me to come up with a new plan.
I called it the “Here, There, Everywhere” strategy.
“Is that supposed to be some kind of strange name?” Shanur had asked.
“Well, where else can rumors spread better than places where nobles gather? All I have to do is show up at a salon, make my presence known, and spend lavishly.”
“And that’s it? Will that work?”
“Just wait and see. But you’ll need to invest a bit.”
When he asked how much, I threw out a number on a whim. To my surprise, Shanur readily agreed, which worked out perfectly for me.
This plan wasn’t just for practical purposes—it was also personal.
Because, in my past life, I never got to experience something like this.
When I married, I was forced to wear plain clothes made from cheap fabric, barely fit for a maid. If I tried wearing something decent from my marquis family’s wardrobe, my mother-in-law would scold me for “wasting money while her hardworking son suffered.”
Ironically, she and her daughter frequented salons using the money I earned.
Until the day I died, I wore nothing but shabby clothes.
This was my first time in a salon, and my heart was racing.
“First, let me apologize for the sudden visit.”
I offered a light smile as I began.
Andria’s expression briefly flickered with surprise before returning to a neutral one.
“For today, I’d like to buy something ready-made.”
“That’s not a problem.”
She moved to call for her staff, but I interrupted.
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“I want your real designs.”
“What do you mean…?”
Her face grew tense.
“I assure you, every piece we bring out is designed and made by me. You won’t find any from other designers mixed in.”
“Andria—or should I say, And drea.”
I smiled knowingly at her.
“I’m here for your work, not what was stolen and exploited from you.”
Ah, being reborn is amazing. Other people’s knowledge becomes mine, and my knowledge stays mine.
