TGLWM 12

Chapter 12 

You Look Like You’ve Fallen

“Princess Consort, it’s Miranda. May I come in?”

“Yes.”

Florence figured it would be better to have someone around so she wouldn’t dwell too much on her embarrassing memories, so she promptly let Miranda in. But Miranda wasn’t alone. Following behind her was a woman with brown hair and a face covered in freckles. It was Danya, the personal maid who had faithfully attended to Florence for five years.

“My goodness, Danya! You were here.”

“My lady!”

Meeting someone from the Sinclair family in this unfamiliar place made Florence so happy that she could have cried. She had been so overwhelmed that she had completely forgotten about Danya. Could this have been the Grand Duke’s arrangement?

Perhaps she had been worried sick, because Danya’s eyes were brimming with tears. She rubbed at the corners of her eyes and pleaded earnestly.

“Um…… Could I continue serving you here, my la— I mean, Your Grace? It’s a long way to go back to the Sinclair County by myself, and even if I went back, there wouldn’t be a position for me anymore.”

“Of course. I’d actually like to ask you to stay.”

“Gyaaah! I’ll serve you properly! I’ll become the perfectly prepared personal maid, Danya!”

Florence burst out laughing at Danya’s over-the-top reaction, but even as she did, she glanced at Miranda to gauge her reaction.

Since a personal maid was supposed to remain constantly by her mistress’s side, it was customary for the head maid to carefully screen candidates and select one after discussion. Was it really all right to hire a personal maid like this on the very first day?

But Miranda merely smiled with a perfectly obedient and pleased expression.

I can just take her with me when I leave this place later, so it should be fine.

Seeing Danya grinning happily somehow reassured Florence immensely. It gave her renewed strength to see this marriage to the Grand Duke through to the end.

After watching the two reunite for a moment, Miranda spoke brightly, reminding them that the day had begun.

“Then, Your Grace, you’ll need to change clothes, so shall we start with the dressing room? I’m so excited to show you the special collection I personally selected.”

“Hmm, shall we?”

In truth, Florence desperately wanted to ask Danya about Mariann and her uncle right away, but those weren’t matters she could discuss in front of the Grand Duke’s servants. There would be plenty of opportunities later.

As soon as she passed through the door leading to the dressing room, a space nearly twice the size of the bedroom in her family home appeared before her. Impeccably maintained dresses filled one wall, arranged by color, while shoes, hats, and jewelry were displayed on shelves opposite them, each aligned with almost military precision.

Miranda pointed toward a door at the very back with a full-length mirror attached to it.

“There is another room beyond that door. It stores dresses and jewelry for special occasions. Your wedding gifts are there as well. Would you like to see them now?”

“Eek! My lady! Let’s go see them! I’m so excited!”

Danya was a kind-hearted and loyal maid, but she was somewhat lacking in tact. Apparently failing to notice that Florence was looking at everything inside as if they belonged to someone else, she excitedly urged her to go take a look.

Danya’s constant remarks made Florence feel increasingly anxious.

What is wrong with her?! She knows perfectly well that I went to the wedding in Mariann’s place…….

Of course, from Danya’s perspective, serving the Grand Duchess in this magnificent castle was probably much better than serving as a personal maid at the count’s estate. She could even accompany Florence to the Imperial Palace. It was practically a promotion to the highest rank.

And Danya had always been extremely enthusiastic about dressing Florence up in pretty clothes and jewelry, so her excitement wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.

Still, Florence had absolutely no intention of rummaging through the Grand Duchess’s precious belongings just to make Danya happy.

“No. I’d rather have something comfortable for everyday wear inside the castle.”

Just try getting me to go in there.

Florence glared at the magnificent door covered in a mosaic of jewels as she said it inwardly. Then, pretending not to notice the disappointed expressions on Miranda and Danya’s faces, she headed toward the section containing everyday clothes.

Florence was tall and slender with pronounced curves, and she had very clear preferences when it came to dresses. The fluttering ribbons and adorable frills currently in fashion were an absolute no-go for her because they looked like children’s toys had been stuck onto clothing.

Designs that moderately exposed the neck and shoulders while fitting closely around the upper body suited her well. Mermaid-line dresses that emphasized the curve from the waist down to the hips also brought out her strengths. She preferred everything as simple as possible.

Perhaps because of that, Florence looked considerably more mature than her age despite being only twenty.

“Wow…… These are all perfect for Your Grace! Every single one of them looks like something that would suit you wonderfully!”

Just as Danya said, every dress hanging there was so perfectly suited to Florence’s taste that she almost felt dizzy. She had intended to choose the simplest-looking one because she had no idea what might be waiting for her, but this was becoming a problem.

……Isn’t this a little strange?

A strange sense of incongruity sent a prickling sensation through her mind. Her time here had been short, but everything she had experienced since arriving had somehow suited her tastes to an almost uncanny degree.

The wedding venue, the wedding dress, the bouquet, the drink he had given her, the food that had been prepared, and now a dressing room filled with dresses and jewelry in exactly the styles she preferred……

Just as the thought Could I have fallen into a trap? crossed her mind, Florence quickly regained her composure.

I’m not some character in a novel where schemes are lurking around every corner.

Thinking about it again, her tastes weren’t particularly unusual anyway. The Hesed Great Temple and that breathtakingly beautiful wedding dress had been extraordinary enough to appeal to practically anyone, not just her. Everything tasted good when one was thirsty and hungry, and the dresses had probably been prepared with Mariann’s figure in mind, so perhaps it was simply a coincidence that they happened to fit her so well.

After Miranda and Danya helped her choose a dress and finish a simple set of preparations, another maid arrived to inform her that breakfast was ready. She also said that the Grand Duke was waiting for her.

Today, I have to put an end to this strange marriage once and for all.

He had said an annulment was impossible, but one never knew. There were always loopholes in the law.

Organizing her complicated thoughts, Florence followed Miranda through the glass doors into the greenhouse where breakfast had been prepared. She stopped for a moment when she saw Edelston sitting with his legs crossed, reading a newspaper.

Surrounded by an indoor garden filled with all sorts of exotic plants, he sat in the morning sunlight and seemed to shine like obsidian.

Unlike his appearance in the bedroom, where he had smiled lazily with his black hair hanging loose, he was dressed neatly. Wearing silver-rimmed glasses and his hair combed back meticulously, he had on a white shirt buttoned all the way to his neck and dark navy trousers.

He should have looked meek and ascetic, but……

How should I put it? He looks like a priest pretending to be holy when he’s actually fallen.

He was such a mature and sensual-looking man that it was impossible to conceal his true nature with a few accessories.

Their eyes met, and a smile blossomed across his face. His eyes, softened by the sunlight, were filled with unmistakable affection as they focused entirely on her, as though he were welcoming a lover.

Feeling strangely uncomfortable, Florence avoided his gaze and quickly bowed her head.

“You’re here.”

Meanwhile, Edelston rose from his seat, hoping to appear decent and respectable, and pulled out a chair for her. This was the moment when he needed to behave naturally, as though nothing had happened in the bedroom earlier.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

She could have said that they suited him out of courtesy, but Florence held her tongue. If she gave him even the slightest opening, she had a feeling he would push twice, or even three times, as hard.

“Ah, they’re specially made glasses to protect my eyesight. My vision is actually excellent, so you don’t need to worry.”

Not merely excellent. Edelston’s eyesight was so extraordinary that even the mounted nomads who raced across the plains would have been forced to kneel before it.

He was a man who had risen from being an assassin to becoming the king of the underworld. Exceptional eyesight was essential for driving a blade into a target without the slightest error.

Moreover, he enjoyed reading, so he had taken his subordinates’ advice and started taking care of his eyes early on.

Your assets are precious, after all.

“I don’t think that’s something I need to worry about.”

Florence, sensing her opportunity, subtly reminded him that she still intended to divorce him. She hadn’t come here to flirt with him over a meal.

But he removed his glasses and smiled brightly.

“That’s right. You’re quite wise, my wife. As your husband, I should take care of my own health. I’ll handle all the worrying myself.”