TPOVF 14

Chapter 14

“Marchioness, forgive the intrusion.”

Just then, a knock was heard and the door carefully opened. Mave slowly opened her eyes as her secretary entered.

“I told you not to come in, Nadia. You could be in danger too.”

“Well, Duke Chester sent a letter.”

“Chester?”

Hearing the reason, she looked at her secretary. And she received the letter from Nadia, who was now standing before her.

Mave’s eyes quickly scanned the paper as she unfolded Chester’s letter.

Her delicate lips gradually twisted as she read the letter busily in silence.

As soon as she finished reading, Mave crumpled the letter roughly. Then without a word, she rose from her seat and strode out of the room.

Nadia hastily followed her superior.

Having served Mave for a long time, she could tell that she was extremely furious.

When Mave was angry, she became noticeably less talkative. Instead, she turned frighteningly rational.

As soon as she left Lilian’s room, Mave firmly closed the door. Standing in the corridor, her entire body seemed to radiate coldness.

“Malenda had been abusing Kailus. She’d been siphoning off all the money meant for the child too.”

“The nanny?”

Nadia clamped her hand over her mouth in shock.

To dare betray both House Valerio and House Dalton.

Did the nanny have ten lives?

Or perhaps she had the nonsensical delusion that Mave, the mother, had abandoned her own son.

The latter was most likely.

Unfortunately for the nanny, Mave had not abandoned her son. Far from it—she cherished him like her own life.

“Chester said he’s turned Malenda over to the courts. I want her to receive the heaviest possible sentence.”

Mave crossed her arms. And with a haughty gaze, she spoke to her secretary.

“The crime of tormenting my precious child must be paid for heavily, very heavily. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

“I’ll handle it properly.”

Nadia answered resolutely to her superior’s chilling instruction.

Malenda would receive a punishment far greater than the crime she had committed. Moreover, she would never be able to set foot in the capital—no, in the Empire—again.

“But, Marchioness.”

“What?”

Nadia hesitated for a moment, then asked while gauging Mave’s reaction.

“How much longer will you leave young master Kail in the duke’s care? There could be another incident like this, so perhaps you should bring him here—”

“Absolutely not.”

Mave said firmly and looked at the closed door. Fixing her gaze on the door, she squeezed her voice out painfully.

“Lilian and Kail must never, ever be together.”

“I apologize. I overstepped.”

Nadia bowed her head and apologized.

But Mave, as if not hearing her secretary’s voice, only stared at Lilian’s closed door with a bitter expression.

“Wow…….”

Yurenia’s eyes widened at the sight before her.

The mansion’s vast reception room had been transformed as if a dress shop had been moved in entirely.

Behind the sofa, a clothing rack with children’s play clothes and stacks of fabric samples were gathered, and piles of catalogs were heaped on the table.

Yurenia looked at Kailus, now surrounded by dress shop employees, and asked Enzo.

“The dress shop His Grace said he’d booked—surely it wasn’t ‘Prudence’?”

“The most popular dress shop in the Empire is ‘Prudence,’ after all.”

At Enzo’s nonchalant answer, Yurenia’s mouth fell slightly open.

Prudence.

Wasn’t that the most sought-after dress shop not just in the Empire, but on the entire continent?

Operating solely by appointment, it was famous for being fully booked three years in advance. Despite the impossibly low success rate for bookings, everyone in high society clamored for it.

Prudence’s clothes are custom-made for each and every customer. And they bring out the maximum beauty of the person wearing them.

What’s more, Prudence’s clothes are renowned for their comfortable fit.

According to the countess of House Cayles, where Yurenia had previously worked, even dresses layered with multiple laces weren’t heavy and were as comfortable as sleepwear.

It was every noble’s wish to wear a Prudence dress, which had both design and practicality.

‘No wonder. So that’s why it took a week for them to come.’

Something that would normally take three years had been shortened to a week.

The wealth and power of House Valerio felt truly remarkable once again.

‘As expected, money and power are the best.’

Yurenia clasped her hands together, feeling inexplicably thrilled.

Just as when the nursery had been set up in a single day, she was amazed by the power of the ducal house that made the impossible possible.

“Why are you just standing there?”

The duke, who had been having a serious conversation with the dress shop employee, spotted her and asked. Yurenia flinched and stepped back.

“I’ve brought young master Kail. I’ll take my leave now.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

The duke waved his hand slightly.

“I asked why you’re just standing there. Come here and choose clothes.”

“Oh! Yes, understood.”

Yurenia blinked and approached the duke. Then she looked at the catalog handed to her by the dress shop employee.

‘Hm?’

But something was strange.

She’d thought she was supposed to choose play clothes for Kailus, but the design book was filled with adult women’s dresses.

Yurenia tilted her head.

“Your Grace, I think the catalog is wrong. These aren’t boys’ clothes—they’re adult women’s dresses.”

“It’s correct. I’m asking you to choose clothes for yourself.”

“Pardon?”

Yurenia’s startled voice echoed through the reception room. At that, everyone in the room turned their attention to her.

Suddenly the center of attention, Yurenia cleared her throat awkwardly.

“Ahem, I, I don’t need clothes for myself.”

“What are you talking about. Did you think I’d just work you to the bone without even buying you a few dresses?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Calling me a miser.”

The duke let out a disbelieving laugh.

“Clothes alone won’t be enough. Madam, prepare a full set of everything the tutor needs. Gloves, hats, shoes—the works.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Leave it to me.”

The woman Yurenia had assumed was just a dress shop employee smiled elegantly.

She appeared to be Madame Prudence herself, the owner of the Prudence dress shop.

“What style do you prefer, Miss? Just say the word.”

“I’m fine, really. Even if I received dresses, I’d have nowhere to wear them.”

“Oh dear, then shall I make them for everyday wear?”

“No—”

“Don’t worry about that—make them all. Everyday wear, party wear, outerwear—everything.”

“Pardon?”

The duke, who had been listening to the exchange between Madame and Yurenia, said clearly.

“Why are you so surprised. It’s a reward for taking good care of Kail. Think of it as a bonus.”

“But—”

Suddenly hit with a gift bomb, Yurenia couldn’t collect her thoughts. She tried her best to decline.

“Your Grace, this is too much—”

“Look at the time already. I must be going. Well then, I’ll leave it to you, Madame.”

The duke casually cut off Yurenia’s words and disappeared with Enzo.

A departure as swift as the wind.

‘What just happened?’

A bonus.

What noble household gives a mere tutor several high-end dresses as a bonus?

And separately categorized by purpose at that.

Yurenia was dumbfounded and furrowed her brows.

‘Does he have money to burn?’

Of course, he probably did. House Valerio was the Empire’s premier noble family.

But still, was it really okay to throw money around like this?

“Teacher!”

Kailus scurried over to the bewildered Yurenia.

The boy, with colorful sample ribbons draped around his neck, clung to her legs and beamed brightly.