Ciello and Estribal’s eyes met.
“I chose the safest way to survive as an imperial agent in the empire. I endured the day at the cost of gaining the night.”
Outside, a man who does the work of a servant and creates such a beautiful garden. A man who hides poison in that garden and manipulates the world from the darkness. That was Duke Estribal von Trepe.
“That magician, he’s the friend who betrayed and ignored you, right?”
Ciello nodded his head.
“But this situation is not favorable for you and me. As much as you are ignored by her, you are safe now.”
Estribal’s golden eyes were coldly settled. A thief’s foot must be light, and an assassin’s name must be absent. The bigger the secret, the less it can be exposed under the bright light. Ciello could understand him.
“You would want to break that magician’s nose. It might be fun for a while. But if you do, you will soon be suspected of your background, and if you’re not careful, things could go wrong and you could be in trouble.”
Estribal’s voice was cool, but his words were gentle. At least Ciello felt that way.
“So you can’t bow your head now. It’s not bad to wait until the flower hidden in the darkness blooms. Like me.”
“I am…”
Ciello, who had been pondering while looking down at the floor, opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”
Ciello muttered, scratching the ground with her toes.
“That’s something only the Duke can do. How on earth do you endure it? I have a short experience, I’m just a person who can only see what’s in front of me right now…”
Ciello’s voice, full of resentment, gradually faded. After a brief silence, Estribal spoke.
“…Yes. You’re the one who needs to move right now, if I try to teach you my way, it might rather be a poison.”
Ciello cautiously raised his head. Estribal’s eyes, filled with too many thoughts and thus settled into a blank expression, were looking at her.
“Good. This time, do as you wish.”
****
“Really, Duke Trepe is fitting a dress? There’s no one in the ducal house who would wear a dress.”
“It didn’t seem like he had a sister. Maybe a lover…”
“Hey, no way! Make some sense! It would be quicker to say he’s going to wear it himself.”
A carriage full of Gabon dresses headed towards the duke’s residence.
(TL: Gabon-If you are fitted for a particular piece of clothing, you try it on so that the person who is making it can see where it needs to be altered.)
When it was known that the Foolish Duke Trepe had commissioned a dress from the most famous boutique in the capital, many nobles asked the dress boutique staff about the details. But even the designer himself didn’t know anything about the situation yet.
“What on earth is happening…”
The designer, stroking his mustache, went up to the reception room. Duke Trepe, wearing glasses, greeted him with a gentle expression.
“Ah. Welcome.”
In the reception room, there was only a red-haired maid and the duke. The designer’s pupils shook violently.
‘Is he really going to wear it…!’
“The dress will be worn by Ciello here.”
“Ah! Yes, that’s right…Ah…?”
The designer nodded his head, then opened his mouth again in surprise. The maid called Ciello was smiling awkwardly.
The designer scanned Ciello with his eyes.
‘With dark red hair and tall stature, she might be from Peregrine.’
It seemed like he was thinking of satisfying his lust by giving her a handful of money. The designer asked with a tongue in his cheek.
“So, the lady’s surname is…”
The duke answered with a smile.
“She doesn’t have a surname yet, but she will soon have the same surname as me.”
“Really? Are you serious? You’re not going to…a maid…!”
The designer covered his mouth with his hand to swallow his words. But he wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Ciello also widened her eyes and whispered to him.
“Was our relationship…set to that extent?”
Despite the surprised gazes of the two, the duke was calm.
“Ciello. Does this seem like just a game to you? My heart hurts quite a bit.”
“No, I…”
The designer swallowed his saliva. This was an issue that would cover the front page of the gossip paper if it was revealed. Normally, he wouldn’t like the idea of his dress being worn by a maid, but if the protagonist of such an issue wore the dress he made, it would be more than welcome. The duke smiled and said.
“Well…I want to see it soon.”
“Yes, yes!”
The designer took Ciello into a small room attached to the reception room. Ciello looked at the duke with a flustered expression, but the door closed before she could say anything.
“Since your hair is red, this color would be better. No, this one might suit short hair better…Ciello, do you have a favorite design or color?”
“No, I…I just like anything…”
While the designer and his assistant were showing various dress samples to Ciello in the next room, Ciello recalled her conversation with the duke.
[From now on, you are my favored maid. Of course, given my status, it won’t be a great halo, but it should make things easier for you. Your name will rise and fall in the world, and there will be things to gain.]
[What is that?]
[You’ll find out in time.]
“Let’s see, surprisingly, anything suits you well. Your skin is white and you’re tall. The Duke would be smitten.”
“That, I don’t think so, but thank you…”
Ciello mumbled. They would probably take it as her being shy. And she really was shy!
“Alright. Let’s go out now.”
“Wait a minute, is this all I’m wearing?”
Ciello, who was flustered, looked at the designer. What Ciello was wearing was an off-shoulder turquoise mermaid dress.
“I think the shoulder is too low…”
When Ciello pulled the sleeve, which had beautifully flowed down her arm, up to her shoulder, the designer made a gesture of knocking off Ciello’s hand in surprise.
“Hey, what are you doing, so old-fashioned! This is how this dress is supposed to be worn.”
“No, but this is a bit…”
Ciello shook her head, but the designer snorted.
“If you feel empty, ask for a necklace or a shawl. Let’s go out now!”
“Wait a minute…!”
The designer pushed Ciello’s back. Ciello, who was pushed out of the door, awkwardly raised her head.
“So, how is it?”
Of course, they would naturally say it’s pretty. That’s the setting.
Estribal’s reaction was exactly as Ciello had expected, but it was a little different.
“…Ah.”
His eyes opened wide enough that they couldn’t be hidden by his foolish glasses. His eyes were the window to his soul, and his expression, as if his heart was also open, made Ciello even more flustered and she thought to herself.
‘He’s acting…right?’
“You’re really beautiful, Ciello.”
But he seemed to have no intention of hiding his affectionate smile and overflowing voice. He should restrain himself a bit, considering the purpose of pretending to be lovers. But if that’s acting, he should really become an actor…
‘What, am I really a bit pretty?’
Ciello’s lips subtly rose. Estribal murmured as if recalling a distant memory.
“It’s like…the color of a deep forest or sea.”
Ciello tried hard to compose herself and asked nonchalantly.
“Is… is that so? I think this part is too low…”
Ciello swept her neck and shoulders as if to cover them with her hand. But wherever her hand touched, his gaze followed persistently, making Ciello even more embarrassed, and she gave up and neatly gathered her hands.
“If you want, I can give you matching jewelry. But I like you as you are now.”
“Look. I was right, wasn’t I? You, you should go and…”
The proud designer ordered his assistant to bring a box of jewelry. Ciello, who was flustered, looked at them alternately and asked.
“Je, jewelry too? That’s too much…”
“What’s the big deal? If you don’t wear it, nothing shines for me, you know?”
He spoke softly with a voice mixed with laughter. At his sweet words, Ciello’s head spun.
‘Is there a need to act this much? Could he really…like me? A bit?’
Just as Ciello’s imagination was stretching far away, the designer dragged Ciello back into the room.
“Then I’ve prepared something you can wear on a regular basis, so I’ll show you right away. You, help the Duke choose the jewelry.”
Ciello was dragged by the designer’s hand and tried on a few more dresses, and each time, the Duke lavishly praised her, comparing her to a flower blooming in spring or a cloudless sky.
Moreover, every time Ciello went in and out of the room, the pile of accessories that the Duke had casually stacked on one side kept growing.
‘He wouldn’t deduct this from the 600 million… No, he said he would provide a separate dignity maintenance fee… But is this the level of dignity maintenance…No, maybe he really…me…!’
Ciello, who had changed into her fifth dress, was almost dizzy. The dress she wore this time was a dress made of brown fabric with a full gold pattern. The Duke laughed brightly.
“This color is like the sunlight falling on an autumn field.”
‘Ah!’
Ciello, who had been swimming in a flood of one-sided compliments, finally caught an opportunity. The Duke’s golden eyes shone beyond the thick glass.
“Yes. It’s my favorite color, Duke.”
Ciello deliberately brought her face closer, looked into his eyes, and answered in the most affectionate voice possible.
‘At this rate, he would think my acting isn’t bad, right?’
A proud smile hung on the corner of Ciello’s mouth. But the Duke’s reaction was different from what Ciello thought.
“Is that so? I didn’t know. It would have been nice if you had told me earlier.”
Estribal casually brushed off Ciello’s acting as if he hadn’t noticed.
“You know, I have a gold color that shines more than this dress, right?”
Ciello winked lightly and flattered him again. But Estribal’s playful answer was still off the mark.
“Oh, what could that be? Ciello. If you just say it, I’ll give you anything…Hmm?”
Estribal noticed the awkward atmosphere and stopped talking.
Everyone in the room was looking at Estribal with a puzzled expression. The designer, noticing the atmosphere, opened his mouth.
“That, dare I say, are you uncomfortable comparing my dress to the precious color of your eyes…”
“Precious eyes, what do you mean…Ah.”
Estribal’s golden eyes, which held the sparkle of autumn sunlight, wavered. A rare flustered expression passed over his face.
LOLOLOLOL
Cute cute 😁