TFR 58

chapter 58

Rosellina, having undone all the buttons on Dantes’s vest, removed it together with the steward, Milan. With each layer of clothing that came off, her touch felt more vivid. Saliva swallowed thickly as it traveled past Dantes’s thick neck. Why did removing clothes feel so unbearably slow today? It was maddening.

“Your Majesty, how is it possible for you to become even more imposing? Your shoulders have broadened, and your chest has grown sturdier. You truly have the body of a statue,” Alfredo said, genuinely impressed. Normally, Dantes would have brushed off such flattery as annoying, but today, he couldn’t even utter a word. There was only the shirt left, and Rosellina had started undoing the buttons at his wrists.

Rosellina’s fingers brushed against his wrists. Her rough, thin fingers felt like they were gently scraping his skin. It was understandable; the cuffs had more than eight buttons each, and it was clearly her first time removing cufflinks. As she hesitated, their contact became more frequent and subtle. Every slight touch made Dantes struggle to stay still, trying not to flinch.

He felt more excited than the first time he had glimpsed a woman’s bare body, or even when he had received flirtations from multiple women.

‘I must be crazy. There’s no other explanation.’

Even simply having his clothes removed stirred an overwhelming excitement he had to suppress. No matter how much he tried to divert his attention, he couldn’t bear the moments Rosellina’s hands touched him.

Snap.

He’d reached his limit. Dantes grabbed Rosellina’s fumbling hands at his wrists.

“This maid is too clumsy at removing clothes. Let someone else help.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” she quickly said, stepping back. She had likely pushed away instinctively because she couldn’t handle it anymore, yet Dantes felt a pang of disappointment as she distanced herself. He clenched and released his fingers, frustrated at his own restlessness.

“It’s those cufflinks I brought across the sea, isn’t it? They’re a bit tricky to remove. Let me help directly, Your Majesty.”

Alfredo moved quickly so as not to stiffen the atmosphere and approached. He deftly undid the cufflinks and assisted in removing the rest of Dantes’s clothes more efficiently. Dantes’s gaze drifted to Rosellina, who had moved away and was tidying the clothing neatly.

What did she think of him? What was going through her mind right now? Did she resent him for tormenting her and making her a maid? Would she ever understand the feelings he still held for her? Endless questions spiraled in his mind. He wanted to know whether she remained unaffected when her hands touched his skin, or if only he felt this agonizing excitement.

Dantes longed to grab Rosellina’s shoulder and turn her toward him to see her expression. She was usually so composed that her face revealed little, but he could always recognize that particular expression she made when embarrassed.

Rosellina kept her head down, seemingly determined not to reveal her face, and diligently continued gathering the clothes.

Dantes was now completely naked. His muscular, well-defined body seemed divine, as if the godly essence of human form had been perfectly embodied. It was a body that displayed its natural beauty effortlessly.

“Your Majesty… even from a man’s perspective, you are flawless. A body that makes clothing worth creating. Please, visit me often, Your Majesty,” Alfredo said.

“I already have plenty of clothes. How long do you intend to leave me standing here, bare?”

“Good heavens, I was about to dress you immediately. Here, everyone, hold this,” Alfredo said.

“Yes, Alfredo,” the servants replied.

Alfredo placed the largest of the pre-brought garments over Dantes’s body. As Rosellina approached to assist, Dantes tensed slightly, feeling the warmth of her small palms against the fabric she held behind his back.

Although other maids helped secure the cloth, Dantes’s awareness was only attuned to Rosellina’s touch. Only her palms felt this intensely warm.

Dantes swallowed. He had long grown accustomed to fitting clothes, but today was different. His muscles even tensed slightly from the nervousness.

“These strong muscles… some don’t show much when dressed, while others enhance the clothing. Your Majesty, you truly make a tailor’s work a delight,” Alfredo continued, barely pausing.

“Alfredo,” Dantes interjected.

“Your height seems to have increased as well! The length of your legs… I thought it was perfect already, but they can be even longer!”

“Stop.”

“Pardon?”

“Close your mouth. Even the ministers’ flattery can be deafening.”

“It’s not flattery, Your Majesty. Only pure admiration!”

Dantes knew Alfredo was sincere. However, standing in front of Rosellina, his embarrassment grew uncontrollably.

Sensing Dantes’s discomfort, Alfredo quickly stopped. Milan then brought a heavy velvet gown, and Dantes finally felt comfortable surveying the wardrobe.

Rows of lavishly designed suits were laid out. They varied not only in color but also in material. Some were embroidered with jewels lavishly; others, more restrained, had only gold-threaded embroidery.

“Last time, Your Majesty wore a deep navy. Perhaps this time, a red tone would suit, or even white silk or ivory. What do you think?”

“Avoid red.”

“Oh!” Alfredo hastily withdrew the red suit. The Emperor was rumored to have bloodied past dealings, so he bowed quickly.

“I was thoughtless, Your Majesty,” Alfredo said.

“No, it’s fine. A strong color could reinforce authority. That’s something I’ll consider. You focus on recommending what suits me best, as you’ve been doing,” Dantes instructed.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Marco designed this party to boost the knights’ morale. Any color other than red should be fine. Bright colors might be preferable to dark ones.”

“Certainly. I’ll show you only bright options, excluding dark ones,” Alfredo replied.

Although Dantes had initially expressed indifference, he wanted the task done thoroughly. Alfredo gestured for the maids, including Rosellina, to remove the dark-colored garments. Black, navy, red, and purple were excluded.

Alfredo hesitated, then handed Rosellina a deep green double-breasted jacket. Its notch lapel and collar conveyed a mature charm, and gold embroidery adorned the sleeves and collar. Rosellina lingered on the jacket, instinctively imagining how it would look on Dantes.

Though her gaze was brief, it was enough for Dantes, who had been watching her closely. As she attempted to move to the back room, Dantes called her back.

“Stop. Try this on. The color isn’t bad.”

“Excellent, Your Majesty. This jacket is something I’ve long envisioned for you, though it isn’t overly extravagant…”

“What about the shirt underneath?”

Ignoring Alfredo’s advice, Dantes continued. He wanted to try it on regardless. Alfredo quickly began selecting shirts.

“A slightly darker shirt suits this jacket, but since you don’t prefer very dark ones, these slightly old-fashioned shirts work. They soften the jacket’s conservative or masculine impression,” Alfredo said excitedly, holding a black shirt and a silk-blended white shirt.

“What do you think?” Dantes asked the maids. Lexi and Max, caught off guard, hesitated and blurted out at the same time.

“I prefer white!”
“I prefer black!”

Seeing their disagreement, they lowered their heads awkwardly.

“A tie,” Dantes said, looking to Rosellina.

Rosellina considered the shirts carefully. Both black and white would suit, but considering the ornate gold embroidery, the white shirt seemed better.

“I think white is better,” she finally said softly.

Dantes felt a quiet satisfaction. Having her choose his clothes—something so simple—was unexpectedly moving.

Dantes gently took the shirt from Alfredo and handed it to Rosellina, locking eyes with her.

“You put it on yourself.”

Rosellina’s face flushed with surprise.