C7
Due to her beautiful features, the dress with a wide flare suited her very well.
"She's so beautiful, Princess."
"It feels like I'm looking at a rose in full bloom. It's dazzling."
The maids showered compliments, choosing their words carefully not to make mistakes.
"How is her skin so beautiful?"
"Her lips are like cherries."
"Hmph."
I know better than anyone that this face is interesting and exciting.
However, I tried to suppress my urge to be annoying and just let out a slight snort. To protect my dignity as the Empire's most wicked woman, I was always practicing my cold expressions.
"I don't like character changes."
"Princess, the Duke will be here soon."
Before long, the Duke's general manager appeared.
As an accessory, he held a dark purple fan that matched my lavender dress. Deborah was tall, but when she wore high heels, her field of vision easily increased.
After a while, the Duke, dressed in a navy blue suit, entered the vestibule. Exuding the deep charm that only middle-aged people have.
I stood next to the Duke, receiving a standing ovation in the eyes of the Azutean Empire's elite.
It's a good thing I practiced facial expressions every day.
Otherwise, I would have stood there without understanding, with my mouth open, like a fan seeing a celebrity in front of them.
"It's an expensive dress."
The Duke said coldly, looking at me with a serene gaze. You don't get used to his cold way of speaking like you do to his beautiful appearance.
It's the same for the men in this house, the price of a pretty face.
Swallowing words I couldn't say, I replied, barely moving my lips.
"My parents gave birth to me wonderfully, so I think this beautiful dress suits me well."
I got even more nervous when it fell silent, so I somehow kept up with the Duke's frank words, and the compliments kept increasing.
"Then, appreciate your body. If you do that again, it won't end with just confinement."
Pointing out the self-injury incident in which I slapped myself relentlessly, the Duke extended his hand in front of the carriage with the double-headed seal.
"It's my first time."
After receiving his hostile escort and getting into the carriage, I lost all strength as I watched the rapidly passing landscape out the window.
Because the main doors of the Duke's house were still not visible.
Does it take this long to reach the door?
It was the difference between what I had seen in fragments of his memory and actually experiencing the rich world.
It wasn't just the magnificent size of the mansion that surprised me.
Why are there no customers during this prime time?
I looked around the restaurant in amazement. The two-story wooden interior of the restaurant was empty, except for the seats where the Duke and I were sitting.
"Why are you acting like this?"
"I was wondering if this place was out of service."
"Is it because you resemble me? You're not funny making jokes. Still, your intention to lighten the mood is admirable. It seems you've grown lately."
"What?"
I felt like the conversation was over, but the waiter brought appetizers and bread at just the right time.
"This is delicious."
Just by looking at the salty butter and fluffy bread, it's definitely a good restaurant. It doesn't make sense that there are no customers.
Ah, now I understand. He rented the entire restaurant.
As a humble citizen, I enjoyed the difficult-to-digest taste of money, but on the other hand, I continued my meal in silence, feeling like I had indigestion.
The dinner enjoyed by the upper class of the Empire was very similar to a French course meal.
There was a lot of tableware due to the variety of ingredients, and it was quite tricky to handle them perfectly without making mistakes, so I couldn't help but feel nervous every time a dish was served.
Every time I made a basic mistake, I could see how pathetic I looked in the Duke's eyes.
Fortunately, it wasn't difficult to use the tableware thanks to the aristocratic habits ingrained in my body.
"Deborah, did you bring a letter today too?"
The Duke suddenly asked me as he carefully attacked the shellfish.
"I'm not in a hurry. I felt quite excited and kept waiting because you handed me the letters one by one. Was this intentional too?"
"I'm not in a hurry. I felt quite excited and kept waiting because you handed me the letters one by one. Was this intentional?"
It was because of my painful experience that I thought I should divide the letters instead of giving them all at once.
Because humans are ungrateful and cunning, feelings of bitterness last a long time, but feelings of gratitude are quickly forgotten.
"I felt it desperately during the 24 years of my life..."
Being condescending for a long time, it is necessary to constantly remind oneself of gratitude. I realized that fact in someone else's body after my death.
Of course, for those who want to appear good, there was a difficulty in showing off in a sophisticated way.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
In response to the indirect answer, the Duke burst into laughter.
Looking at the Duke's eyes, softer than ever, I suggested carefully.
"Father. Today, I would like to deliver the letter in a different way than usual..."
"In a different way?"
"Yes, could you spare some time after we finish eating?"
The Duke nodded, sipping the white wine.
"Of course. These days, my appointment with you is my top priority. Everything around me is just work, and I'm tired of it. As for my children, they're all so disagreeable..."
He paused while complaining lightly.
"I can't believe I'm saying these nonsense in front of you."
"Please, feel free to speak comfortably."
My response made the Duke squint his eyes.
"That pink diamond, I heard it will be auctioned at the end of this month. Should I get it?"
As if testing me, he persistently asked what I wanted until the meal was over. He even kindly admitted that he wanted to reward me for the letters and that I should ask for anything comfortably.
"I never thought of getting anything using the letters..."
It's a bit strange to keep rejecting his suggestions like this. I briefly shook my head. The Duke might have wanted to say:
"Deborah. You're like this."
The effort I've put in so far could go to waste, so I've been cautious all along.
It was snowing when we left the restaurant after a two-hour meal. Judging by the gradual increase in snow, it was unlikely to stop soon.
As the ground was slippery, I slightly twisted my feet as I walked towards the carriage on the opposite side.
"Tch."
The Duke clicked his tongue and reached out towards the ground.
At this gesture, all the snow that had accumulated on the street melted in an instant.
Having lived for 24 years in a scientific civilization, I couldn't help but be amazed by the supernatural scene that unfolded before my eyes.
Seeing the CGI created in movies and real magic with your own eyes was incomparable.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you're amazing."
The Duke scratched his chin and muttered sincerely.
"God, you're talking nonsense today. Get in."
The Duke's hands, escorting her, were warmer than before, perhaps because he had just used fire magic.
The Duke's hands, escorting her, were warmer than before, perhaps because he had just used fire magic.
The platinum carriage of Seymour, resembling a limousine, arrived at the mansion through the snow and darkness, while the interior remained silent thanks to noise-blocking magic.
"Yesterday, I brought a new tea, and it smells delightful."
Recalling my request some time after the meal, the Duke led me directly to his private office.
"Bring us two cups of tea, with fresh tea leaves and refreshments."
"Yes, Duke."
The assistant approached with a tray of aromatic tea and refreshments.
A weekend night out with the Duke.
The servants were very busy because I would be going on an outing after a long time.
After gently combing my long, curly hair, they sprayed perfume, and Helen helped me put on an elegant evening dress, which she had designed with her soul.
"I can't believe I'm doing this..."
I couldn't take my eyes off the mirror.
The assistant no longer looked at me with a somber expression as she went in and out of the Duke's office.
As soon as they placed the refreshments on the table, I took out the Duchess's letter from my purse.
"When we were eating, didn't you say you would give me the letter in a different way?"
The Duke said with a blank expression, as if curious and anticipatory.
I opened the Duchess's letter.
"Today, I am going to recite the letter myself."
"Recite? Don't tell me you're going to act it out too?"
Suddenly, he raised his lips and laughed.
"Oh my."
It was the first time I had seen him laugh so heartily, coldly and straightforwardly, so the letter almost slipped from my hand.
"It's definitely an unimaginable way. I didn't know you had such a fun side."
"For now, close your eyes. You must concentrate."
"Yes."
The Duke, smiling, crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
There was nothing more serious than an adult being pushed to participate in a child's game.
In front of the Duke, who was slowly leaning back in his chair, I began to recite the poem titled "My Heart Is a White Flower."
This poem is a nature poem, written by a famous poet of the Empire, which expresses ambivalent feelings of love using the morphological similarity between white flowers and snowflakes.
"... If the cold without you pains my heart, I sing in the fragrance."
After reciting the poem, my throat was dry, so I took a sip of tea.
Even after the recitation ended, the Duke nodded with closed eyes as if he were reminiscing about something.
"It's definitely a poem Marien would like. It also goes well with today's weather."
He stood up and silently looked at the heavy falling snow with deeper eyes.
The moment he learned of love, the indifferent man, who didn't even know loneliness, felt joy as if the world were filled with white flowers.
When the woman disappeared, the white flower cooled down as if it had been a snowflake from the beginning, but he realized that the scent the woman left always lingered by his side.
The poem was about that.
------------
The Duke of Seymour, slowly chewing the poem's content, picked up his wife's folded letter from the table after Deborah had left.
"!!!"
As soon as he opened the letter, he doubted what his eyes were seeing.