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~Chapter 24~
It was around 4:30 a.m. when Cien barged into the bedroom and dragged Aisha out like a dog on a hot summer day, all under the excuse of “pardon the intrusion.”
To Aisha, there were only three possible reasons for Cien’s behavior:
One—he genuinely wanted to wake her up.
Two—he was venting his stress.
Three—he just hated her.
Or maybe… all three.
“Why are we up this early…?!”
Aisha wasn’t a morning person at all. Waking her at 4:30 a.m. was pure torture.
“I’m really sorry, my lady. But I’ve already waited quite a while. We have a lot to prepare. So please, try to wake up.”
If words were enough, Aisha would’ve been awake already. Realizing this wasn’t going anywhere, Cien sighed and called a few maids for backup.
Eventually, he dragged her toward the bathroom like a sack of potatoes.
Splash.
Still half-asleep, Aisha gasped as she was dropped into a bathtub.
The tub was already filled with warm water and bubbles that smelled sweet and luxurious.
She had just been complaining moments ago, but the moment her body relaxed into the bath, she felt the fatigue melt away. Her expression softened with relief.
The maids moved swiftly and efficiently. One washed her hair, another massaged her calves.
‘Not… bad, actually…’
She was just starting to think that when—
Cien suddenly approached the tub and dumped a box of something into the water.
“W-What was that?!”
Aisha blinked in confusion as a soft, lilac-colored powder began to spread through the water.
“Lilac powder,” Cien replied.
Then, before she could react, he poured another powder over her.
“This is jasmine.”
“Wait, what—”
“Rose.”
“C-Cough!”
“Violet.”
“They’re all pretty, but… what is this? Are you seasoning me or something?”
Like she was getting prepped for cooking?
“Think of it as an effort to help your body smell pleasant. Of course, we’ll also apply perfume and scented oil afterward.”
So basically…
Wasn’t that just seasoning?
Was she about to be sold?
Aisha imagined that scenario about thirty times before the maids finally helped her out of the bath. Then came the layer of slippery, fragrant oil rubbed all over her body—so vigorous, it felt more like a full-body scrub.
“We’ll move now.”
Where now?
To her surprise, they returned to her bedroom.
But a bigger challenge awaited—choosing a dress and getting ready.
“Ugh, those frilly princess dresses are so not my style.”
“That doesn’t matter, my lady. What’s important is dressing appropriately.”
“Is Draxion’s definition of ‘etiquette’ based on how bad your princess syndrome is?”
Ugh. I hate those fluttery things.
No matter how she looked, Aisha was still a modern woman on the inside. There was no way she liked those poofy, extravagant dresses.
Even when she lived at the Count’s estate, she wore simple, comfortable dresses. And during her time in the slums, she wore pants and a shirt, tying her hair up when she met Til. He once said, “You really are a strange one,” but she didn’t care.
“I’ll go with this dress.”
She picked the one with the least lace, least frills, and the most mature, neutral tone.
“But that one won’t stand out! You’re making your debut as Duke Killian’s fiancée…”
“You’re not the one going, Cien.”
“……”
“I’m going. I’m the one wearing it.”
Technically, she wasn’t wrong.
“And I want minimal makeup.”
“M-Minimal…?”
“Just something light—like tinted lips. And comb my hair neatly. I’m not some butcher’s meat on display. I don’t want to be a public spectacle.”
This was the first time Aisha had firmly voiced her opinion since arriving at the Winters mansion. She’d followed the rules and never disobeyed Killian, even if she grumbled.
Cien stared at her in surprise.
Was she joking?
“Cien, I’m not a peacock.”
“……”
“Just the basics. Enough to avoid insults.”
“Do as she says.”
Suddenly, a deep voice interrupted. Everyone turned to look.
Killian stood at the doorway.
“Doesn’t sound unreasonable to me.”
“H-Huh? But still—!”
“Then it’ll save us a lot of time. Cien, bring her out when she’s ready. I’ll wait in the carriage.”
Before Cien could argue, Killian left.
“See? We’re good now.”
Aisha smiled at Cien, feeling victorious.
“Duke’s orders—so follow my lead.”
Killian and Aisha left for the palace in the same carriage around 11 a.m.
‘The appointment’s at noon… should be just right.’
But why hadn’t he said a single word since they left?
The silence made her even more nervous.
Killian sat across from her, legs crossed, deep in thought.
Even Aisha wasn’t dumb enough to speak recklessly in this situation. So she quietly turned to look out the window.
‘What an annoyingly sunny day. I wanna go home.’
“Aisha Ashton.”
“Y-Yes?”
Startled, she turned quickly toward Killian.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
He looked unusually serious.
“As much as it pains me to admit…”
“……”
“Today, we’re on the same team.”
The way he said it—like it physically hurt—made her want to throw everything out the window.
“As you know, this is the first official appearance since the news of our engagement broke. So everyone’s attention will be on us. Even the Empress Dowager might try something.”
Hmm.
“Please, I beg you—just don’t make me say something insane like ‘my fiancée hit her head recently and isn’t thinking straight.’ Okay?”
“……”
“You understand what I’m saying, right, Aisha?”
