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Chapter 11
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Michaela, who appeared to be in her late teens, stepped inside. With darkish skin and adorable freckles sprinkled across her cheeks, Michaela folded her hands respectfully and spoke.
“Hello, My Lady. I shall help you change into indoor wear.”
“Thank you. My luggage is over there.”
Ludiana pointed to the small bag placed near the doorway.
Catching sight of the bag, Michaela’s eyes widened in surprise, though she hurriedly composed her expression.
“My Lady, if it is alright with you, may I help you change into another dress instead?”
Lifting her bowed head, Michaela’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Another dress?”
At Ludiana’s question, Michaela strode toward the inner part of the room and threw open the wardrobe.
Hanging inside were dresses perfectly suited for teenage girls.
“His Grace ordered us to prepare them in advance, so the head maid and I selected a few outfits beforehand!”
“Ah…”
In truth, Michaela’s heart was fluttering with excitement at this very moment.
The welfare in the House of Pianus is wonderful, and His Grace is kind, but…
Because everyone they served was male, whenever she saw maids from other houses dressing up young ladies, she had always envied them.
Furthermore, since Allen and Carlos rarely came to the Capital, the work for the servants in the Duke’s mansion was terribly monotonous.
While someone else might have envied such ease…
I have been waiting for this exact moment!!
Michaela had become a maid with the dream of styling a young lady. Unluckily, however, she had entered the House of Pianus where not a single young lady was to be found, and had never once gotten to fulfill that dream.
At long last, today—her dream was coming true!
“Alright, let’s do that.”
Seeing Michaela’s face puffed up with excitement, Ludiana could not bring herself to refuse and nodded.
“Thank you so very much!”
Bowing so deeply her head almost touched the floor, Michaela hummed a cheerful tune as she picked out one of the indoor dresses and brought it to Ludiana.
It was a light violet dress that matched the color of her eyes.
“Hmm…”
After changing into the dress, Ludiana stood before the mirror, rendered speechless. Michaela’s taste was undeniably excellent, and the light violet hue complemented Ludiana’s pale skin beautifully.
The problem was that Ludiana was far too diminutive for her age.
The hem of the skirt dragged uselessly along the floor, and the shoulders slipped down, leaving the dress hanging precariously on one side.
“I suppose this won’t do, right?”
Ludiana offered an awkward smile toward the mirror, where Michaela stood plunged into despair.
“Yes… I suppose not…”
“It’s alright. But I should probably change back into my own dress.”
“…Yes, My Lady.”
Her face heavy with disappointment, Michaela trudged back toward Ludiana’s bag.
Opening the small bag, she steeled her resolve once more.
Of course! I must tell them to bring a designer from a proper dress shop right away!
With flashing eyes, Michaela pulled out the least shabby dress from the bag.
“My Lady, dinner is served.”
Not long after she changed back into her own dress with Michaela’s help, mealtime arrived.
Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten a single thing all day.
At Nurnbern, they had to prepare their own meals. However, having been bustling since early morning, none of the three had been able to eat even breakfast.
“Alright, let’s head down.”
Ludiana stepped out of her room and waited for Roselyne and Irene in the adjoining rooms.
A moment later, both doors opened simultaneously.
Irene came out first, wearing a plain dress no different from what she wore at Nurnbern, her face heavy with a somber mood. Having spent her childhood locked away in the annex, Irene was likewise small for her age.
In stark contrast, Roselyne’s appearance was like a fresh flower that had just burst its bud.
The soft pink indoor dress she wore could have easily looked plain, but the hand-embroidered details lent it a dignified and elegant aura.
Aside from being a bit large, it suited her impeccably.
“Woah.”
Irene, who had been sulking, gaped open-mouthed the moment she saw Roselyne, her face brightening instantly.
“Rudy? What in the world is…”
Looking at Ludiana and Irene, Roselyne’s face stiffened into a rigid mask.
Could it be… am I the only one dressed up like this?
Though she had neglected herself for a long time while raising Ludiana and Irene, Roselyne, like any other woman, loved beautiful things.
When she saw the new dress, her heart had swelled, and unable to resist the gentle coaxing of the maids, she had happily changed into it.
Yet seeing her daughters still wearing shabby clothes, a rush of flustered embarrassment washed over her.
Just then, Michaela, standing behind Ludiana, hurriedly bowed her head and spoke.
“Forgive me, My Lady. The dresses were far too large for the young ladies…”
“Oh dear, then I should change back as well.”
With my children dressed like this, I cannot be the only one dressed so lavishly.
Roselyne turned back and placed her hand on the doorknob.
“We’re alright, Mother.”
“That’s right! We’re really fine! They said they’ll tailor proper dresses for us later anyway.”
To the eyes of Ludiana and Irene, however, their mother was utterly breathtaking just as she was. What child would not love seeing their own mother shine so radiantly?
“Even so…”
“I’m hungry, Mom. Let’s go quickly!!”
Irene grabbed Roselyne’s hand and tugged, while Ludiana gently pushed her mother from behind.
Watching the scene, warm smiles rose upon the lips of the maids.
Although Allen and Carlos were close as well—
As I thought, the true highlight of a maid’s life is young ladies!
At that very hour, Allen and Carlos had already arrived at the dining hall.
“So you’re saying the young ladies could not change into new dresses yet?”
Having received the report from the maids, the head maid hurriedly informed Allen of the situation.
“Neil, bring the most famous designer in the Capital right now.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“I expected them to be small for their age, but still…”
Allen’s expression darkened rapidly.
Watching him, Carlos felt a heaviness settle in his own chest as well.
He had resolved that even if Allen lost his composure, he himself would maintain vigilance and make rational judgments.
But really—how poorly nourished had they been growing up for not even a single off-the-rack dress to fit?
“The Countess of Mjombeck and the young ladies have arrived.”
While Allen and Carlos were lost in thought, the announcement rang out.
“Bring them in at once.”
At those words, the somber expressions on the two men’s faces vanished in an instant.
…
Yet beyond the open dining hall door, no one stepped inside.
“Mom?”
Irene’s voice carried clearly from outside.
“Roselyne?”
Finally, Allen rose from his seat. Just at that moment, Roselyne took a step into the dining hall.
“…!”
Allen felt as though every hair on his body stood on end.
Forgetting all decorum, he could not tear his eyes away from her. Conscious of his gaze, Roselyne’s cheeks flushed deeper and deeper red.
“Ahem, ahem. Children, let us take our seats.”
Roselyne deliberately avoided Allen’s gaze as she guided Irene and Ludiana to the table.
Yet even when Carlos secretly tugged on his sleeve, Allen’s eyes and body remained fixed on her.
“Your Grace… please, take a seat.”
Only then snapping back to his senses, Allen hurriedly sat down and gulped down cold water.
At that sight, a small chuckle leaked from the corner of Ludiana’s lips.
She thought no one had heard, but Carlos, seated across from her, did not miss the sound.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
Startled, Ludiana hurriedly averted her gaze.
Ah…!
She wanted to act nonchalant, but every time she looked at Carlos, the look he had sent her right before her death in her past life flashed through her mind. It was hard to endure looking him straight in the eyes.
And simply because they were the same age, she had been seated directly opposite him, forcing her to spend the entire meal frantically dodging his gaze.
Thanks to that, she barely even registered how the food tasted.
And with Carlos tenaciously tracking her movements, the situation only grew worse.
Phew…
Before she knew it, the meal ended, and everyone was rising from their seats.
“Then, Lady Irene, shall we go see the garden I mentioned earlier?”
“Yes!”
Allen and Irene set out for a stroll in the garden, and Roselyne, worried about Irene, accompanied them.
“Then Rudy, you look unwell, so please return to your room and rest.”
“Carlos, escort Lady Mjombeck back to her room.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Allen was attempting to send Ludiana back to her room after seeing her so restless throughout the meal. Roselyne merely thought her daughter was overly exhausted and encouraged her to rest.
“Mother! I’m really alright.”
Please, don’t leave me alone with Carlos.
“Rudy, there is no need to worry anymore.”
Misunderstanding her daughter’s reluctance, Roselyne affectionately caressed her cheek with a mournful heart.
“It’s not that…!”
“I leave Ludiana in your good hands.”
Roselyne smiled and gently pushed her daughter toward Carlos.
“Of course.”
Yet behind his smile, Carlos’s eyes were as cold as ice.
