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Chapter 21
At the absurd order, the maid could only blink in confusion for a moment.
“How am I supposed to…?”
“There are plenty of ways—go in as an assistant, eavesdrop, whatever! Just get it done. I’ll give you this, so go.”
Ramel took off the bracelet she was wearing and held it out to the maid. At the sight of the gems set into it one by one, the maid swallowed dryly.
“Who… are you?”
I asked awkwardly, looking at the woman standing there with confidence.
“Oh my, I’m late with my introduction. I’m Anne, the head designer of Dana Atelier. I’ll be making the young lady’s ball gown.”
The name Anne rang a bell. She was one of the most skilled designers in the Empire.
Does that make any sense? In the original story, everyone was supposed to prepare their own outfits. I still remember the scene where Blanche went to an atelier alone and was treated coldly!
It seemed Eckart had bought Anne off for a huge sum.
Is he really so obsessed with my white magic that it surpasses the original romance?
I shivered at the thought, and our shadowy villain took off his jacket and draped it over me.
“Are you cold?”
“No, I’m just… too happy.”
“I’ve had the changing room prepared warmly. Shall we go?”
After that, I tried on every single ball gown in the catalogue in the duchy’s tailoring room, all while being showered with a storm of praise from Anne and Eckart.
“Looking at your hair, it’s as if a fire spirit has descended.”
“Hair as vivid and luscious as Cielina’s is found nowhere else.”
Anne bustled around me with a measuring tape, fussing from every angle. Eckart agreed to everything in a relaxed voice that somehow made it even more overwhelming to hear.
“My goodness, young lady. It fits perfectly! The silhouette is so beautiful.”
“And to think you roamed the battlefield with such a delicate body.”
“Your skin is so fair and flawless—any color, any outfit suits you.”
“That goes without saying.”
Even without all that flattery, I would have healed him properly with my white magic.
With my ears burning red, I tried on the fifth dress in the catalogue.
Overall it was a neat navy blue, but the side panels were a bright, milky white embroidered with floral patterns. A ribbon of just the right size added an elegant accent—it was lovely.
Eckart offered his satisfied appraisal.
“Truly beautiful. Though no garment can quite live up to your dignity.”
I had only wanted to check whether it suited me, but he kept piling on praise of every kind. When I showed him the last dress, his conclusion was simple.
“Cielina, you look beautiful in anything. Which one do you like best?”
“Hmm, this one.”
There were no corsets in this world, but some of the dresses I’d tried earlier had scratchy lace or heavy skirts that were uncomfortable. The most comfortable one was the best.
“Then let’s choose that as your ball gown. Since everything else suits you as well, I’ll buy them all for now.”
Buying the head designer’s expensive dresses as if they were pairs of socks!
“What are you going to wear, Eckart?”
“Something that matches what you chose.”
In another catalogue, partner outfits were illustrated together. Eckart went into the changing room to change.
Thinking of him as my partner feels strange.
My heart started beating faster. Worried that people might misunderstand us as a couple, I slapped my fist into my palm.
Don’t overthink it. If Eckart brings a different partner to the next banquet, talk about me will die down quickly.
Yet, just like when I first received the ball partner request, a strange irritation welled up inside me. I flipped through the catalogue pages for no reason.
What’s wrong with me? Maybe I’ve gotten weird from not letting myself get properly angry.
Soon, Eckart emerged from the changing room. His navy suit matched my dress, with a cream-colored corsage just like mine.
“Oh my, Duke…”
Anne was left speechless, staring at Eckart with flushed cheeks.
“This is the happiest moment of my career as a designer. Ngh, I could die happy right now!”
My own heart was racing too, but I pretended to be indifferent and rested my chin on my hand. When would I ever see a man this handsome again if I went to another kingdom?
Right. A good sight should be savored.
While I stole glances at him under that justification, he finished his conversation with Anne.
“I’ll purchase all the men’s outfits in the catalogue as well.”
“Thank you very much. How would you like to pay?”
“Lump sum.”
A line I’d always wanted to say someday. To think I’d get this kind of vicarious satisfaction. Then Eckart turned to me.
“Cielina. Don’t we look like we’d make a good pair?”
“Huh? Y-yes!”
Startled by the sudden question, my heart thumped again.
This keeps happening lately.
I resolved that I should soon brew and take some medicinal herbs said to be good for the heart.
Ramel gathered with the former tea party members in the duchy garden. These days, every noble’s main topic of interest was the imperial ball. They chatted idly over refreshments.
“Do you think Duke Eckart will attend the ball?”
“He’s never attended a banquet before.”
“But it’s an imperial ball! And I heard he’s on leave and staying at the duchy these days—unless something comes up, he’ll probably attend, right?”
Then a brown-haired young lady spoke up knowingly.
“I heard Lady Jerron sent a letter to the duchy.”
“Oh my. To become the duke’s partner?”
“Seems like it. But she hasn’t gotten a reply, and they say she’s been starving herself for days!”
At that, the young ladies and gentlemen burst into laughter at once.
“To even think of asking the ice-cold duke to be her partner. I can’t even imagine him escorting anyone.”
“Well, maybe he’s unexpectedly kind to his partner…”
Ramel merely listened without joining in, smirking inwardly.
They have no idea. He’s not just kind—he practically drips honey toward Cielina. He even invited the head designer to the mansion recently.
The information the maid brought back from the atelier wasn’t even funny.
“The duke purchased every outfit in the catalogue. I heard he chose a separate one specifically for the ball.”
Most people could barely afford a single dress made by Anne if they saved up, but Eckart bought more than ten for Cielina.
Knowing that, Ramel—unlike the other young ladies—did not contact Eckart. Charging at him blindly would only earn her his displeasure and become a laughingstock.
When Ramel remained quiet, the nobles naturally asked her,
“By the way, Lady Ramel, aren’t you interested in Lord Eckart?”
“Right. What’s your ideal type, Lady Ramel?”
Ramel knew the most exemplary answer to such questions.
“Me? I just… like kind men!”
At that, the young men’s hearts fluttered all at once. Since she hadn’t mentioned looks, they all thought they might have a chance.
Glancing at them, Ramel vowed that someday she would make Eckart look the same way.
After the tea party ended and she was left alone, Ramel sat and thought.
She still hadn’t found a way to approach Eckart. She needed to come up with an excuse to get close to him soon.
I can’t keep relying only on Rita. I need to think for myself too.
Besides, ever since Rita started intervening, things seemed to be getting more tangled.
It had been Rita’s idea to frame Cielina for stealing the necklace. Yet in the end, Cielina left the duchy and ended up living even better.
And just as Rita suggested, she’d written a letter and barely managed to meet Eckart—only to lower his favorability instead.
Hmm… Since we’re from the same ducal family, isn’t there some record of past interactions?
Just then, the duchy’s butler spotted Ramel. It was Fabil, the young male butler who had been newly appointed not long ago.
“My lady, you’re still here. It will be dinner soon, and the weather is chilly. Please go inside.”
“Butler~ I have a favor to ask.”
Ramel deliberately took Fabil’s hand and drew out her words. While she was cruel only to certain maids, she carefully looked after those of higher status, like butlers or the head maid, so they would always take her side.
Fabil’s face turned red, and he stammered.
“Y-yes, of course. Please ask for anything!”
“I’ve read the recent meeting minutes, but I’d like to see the older ones too. The imperial ball is an important occasion for building connections, so it would be good to review records of prior interactions beforehand.”
Of course, the only one she was interested in was Duke Croden, but Ramel spoke vaguely so it wouldn’t show.
“As expected of you, my lady. The meeting minutes from before last year are stored in the underground archive. However, I’m currently running an errand for the duke…”
“Oh my, it’s fine if I go alone!”
“In that case, I’ll give you the key and come retrieve it later.”
“Thank you.”
Ramel took the key and stood up, feeling disgusted inwardly at Fabil’s lingering gaze.
With the expectation that she might discover something, she headed alone to the underground archive.
But upon reaching the basement, there were several doors. Ramel opened the one that caught her attention first.
This doesn’t seem like an archive.
It was closer to a living space, with a bed and a desk. All the duchy’s furnishings were antique and elegant, yet this shabby interior didn’t seem like a place that should exist within the ducal mansion.
Instead of leaving, Ramel looked around the room more closely.
A faded portrait hung on the wall. It depicted a beautiful woman with brown hair and golden eyes, smiling as she held a red-haired baby.
…Cielina? The former duchess?
Intrigued, Ramel searched the room further. There wasn’t much furniture, so she went straight to the desk drawer.
Clatter. There was a sound as if something caught.
It’s empty.
She pushed the drawer back in, but it didn’t close smoothly, as if something was in the way.
That was strange. At first she thought it was just old, but the upper drawer opened smoothly. She decided to pull the drawer out completely to check.
“Cough, cough.”
She coughed a few times as a cloud of dust rose, then peered inside.
Something glinted. Ramel reached out to see what it was. It was a thin gold bracelet about 20 centimeters long, with a circular pendant in the center crafted from a red diamond.
Ramel’s eyes widened as she examined the inside of the bracelet. Soon, a smile spread across her face.
“No need to look at any meeting minutes after all.”
It was an item that Eckart would certainly take an interest in.
