I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 12
Cassion promised to deal with my family within a week, but they fled somewhere in just four days.
When he asked if there was anything I wanted to bring from home, I went to take a look and saw it was thoroughly ransacked. It made me think that gambling and debt collectors are indeed frightening. Of course, there was some manipulation involved.
Our dance improved day by day, and it seemed we could confidently perform one song in front of people. And so, the morning of the invitation meeting dawned.
People would start arriving in the evening, but as the temporary hostess, I had a lot to do.
“It’s better to keep this passageway clear.”
I examined the house structure one last time, putting myself in the guests’ shoes, with an unknown grain pack on my face that my only maid, Pia, insisted I must wear.
“Are there enough hangers in the cloakroom? Good. Once the invitation meeting starts, Pia, you stay here and help ladies whose dresses get damaged or dirty.”
“But what about you, Madam! I need to look after your dress!”
Pia, who had been following me anxiously saying I should go back and wash before the pack dried, cried out with a desperate face.
“I’ll manage on my own. If there’s a problem I can’t handle, I’ll come this way.”
“You need to touch up your makeup too… Why are you neglecting this beautiful face! Oh my.”
“…Is it that distressing for you?”
Overwhelmed by Pia’s fervor, I headed to my room, postponing the inspection of the room where paintings and sculptures were displayed.
Pia, who had moved like lightning to fetch a basin of warm water, gently wiped my face.
“When I first saw you, Madam, I thought it was a dream. This face, this body. To meet a nymph-like mistress and be able to dress her myself…”
“…Hmm.”
“But to think you’d be so indifferent! It was strange from the start that there was only one dressing maid like me!”
Her intensity as she applied something sticky over the removed pack was frightening. Yet her touch was so gentle.
“…Isn’t it fine since the base is pretty?”
“I acknowledge that! But because you’re pretty, it’s more fun to dress you up! You’re beyond my mistress, you’re my muse! I thought I could finally show my skills at the invitation meeting!”
“I, I left time in the evening.”
“Which lady of the house or young miss prepares right before a banquet or invitation meeting? They wake up at dawn and go through a frenzy of bathing and massaging to prepare!”
I still haven’t finished inspecting the mansion… I couldn’t find a chance to say I needed to go back as I kept getting scolded by Pia. As I just rolled my eyes, she soon ordered me to close my eyes as she applied cotton soaked in something.
Knock knock-
“…Ahem. May I come in?”
“…Is that Cassion? It’s okay to come in, right?”
I looked at Pia for permission, unbecoming of my position as a Duchess. Pia, who was vigorously massaging my neck and collarbone area with fragrant oil after lowering my clothes a bit, gave permission, and I heard Cassion entering as if he had heard from outside.
“Should I… go out again?”
“No, we’re all busy, so just say what you need to… Ouch. Pia.”
“…”
“Ugh… It’s too painful. Can’t you be a little gentler?”
“Endure it for a smooth neckline. Your shoulders are too tense.”
“…”
I could clearly sense Cassion’s presence, but I couldn’t hear his voice. When I tried to lift the cotton covering my eyes slightly, a stern hand blocked me.
“Ahem. AHEM.”
“Are you catching a cold? You can’t be sick today.”
“No, my condition is good.”
“That’s good… ouch.”
“…I heard that usually, the Prince arrives late to such events, but according to the letter, he’ll arrive on time. I wanted to tell you that. Well then, I should go take care of the rest of the business.”
Cassion, who had spat out his words almost like a rap, left the room with a bang. What’s wrong with him?
“It’s newlywed life~”
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Pia spoke in a somewhat lewd voice. For some reason, the enthusiasm in her voice seemed to have risen even more.
“I’m going to surprise His Grace tonight. He might have gotten used to you since you’re always by his side, even though you’re originally pretty.”
“Who would dare to get used to my face?”
“I like that attitude of yours, Madam. I’ll really do my best. So please give me more time.”
“…Then can I just go check things until 3 o’clock? The invitation meeting starts at 8, right?”
“…”
“Come on, Pia.”
I’m feeling a bit of a reality check. Is this right? Me, using aegyo on my own subordinate?
“…Noon.”
“That’s too harsh. 1 o’clock!”
“Okay. Until 1 o’clock. After that, Madam is all mine.”
“…You’re a bit scary, you know?”
Indeed, she’s the one who endured Cassion’s sharp gaze during the interview. With a somewhat twisted intensity no less than the Duke’s physician, she finally stopped the massage and wiped my face.
“Then I’ll be going!”
“Please drink lots of water in between!”
Her obsessive words followed me as I quickly escaped. I don’t dislike being dressed up, but I’m starting to fear the afternoon hours a bit.
***
“Hah… Although my career isn’t long, I think I can call this my masterpiece. It’s a shame we can’t capture the current Madam in a painting.”
“Don’t be disappointed, Pia. I’ll always be beautiful from now on. When the day comes to paint a portrait, I’ll entrust that day’s dressing to you too.”
“I’ll serve only you for life, Madam!”
She looked at me with ecstatic eyes and was about to throw herself at me, almost prostrating on the floor, but quickly pulled back, worried about wrinkling the dress.
The confident me in the mirror with squared shoulders is indeed beautiful.
“I don’t think I look too young either. I’m completely satisfied.”
I’m not actually that old, but I was a bit concerned about looking even younger and more fragile due to my soft features and cotton candy-like pink hair.
For this invitation meeting, I needed to play the role of the hostess raising the Duke’s household, so I had requested to compensate for that aspect a bit, though I wondered if it was possible. But Pia’s skills were amazing.
“I’ll have to be careful not to mess up my hair.”
“I’ve used many thread pins, so it won’t get messed up even if you dance or make normal movements. Just don’t touch it directly, Madam.”
The silver dress with a blue tinge, matching my gray-blue eyes and revealing both shoulders, flows calmly rather than being voluminous, showing off my figure without being vulgar. She said she had debated between this and a white dress, but this subtle color seemed to give a more elegant atmosphere.
My pink hair, the same color as the accent color, was tied up with only baby hairs left, fully exposing my forehead and nape. Thanks to this, the ‘not looking too young’ image I wanted was completed.
“For accessories, amethyst would be good, not too flashy.”
As I examined myself in the mirror from various angles, Pia approached with a necklace and earrings, snorting.
“Anyone who looks deeply into Madam’s eyes will recognize the noble color within. Isn’t it romantic?”
“…Pia, your breath is hitting my neck.”
“Ah, what should we do with our Madam? You’re already married, yet so beautiful.”
Pia seemed to have already departed somewhere in ecstasy. Even I thought I looked beautiful, but not to that extent… Is it because of her superior aesthetic sense?
“Now go to the cloakroom. There should be all the sewing tools for emergencies.”
“…I wanted to see Madam dance…”
“I’m sorry. But I promised you a portrait, didn’t I?”
I felt like a philandering man consoling his lover. After comforting the dejected Pia and barely managing to send her to the cloakroom where guests would pass through, I headed to the stairs in front of the first floor, which had been decorated to become a dance hall, after a final check of my appearance.
For the sake of authority, I planned to stand at the top of the stairs to greet guests until the Second Prince arrived.
“Ah, Cassion.”
The heels of the shoes were annoyingly higher than I thought, but I could endure for one night. I found Cassion while walking down the corridor, careful not to make too much-clicking noise. He too had his hair styled and was wearing a splendid outfit.
“Good timing. Where do you want to be? Together at the top of the stairs? Or greeting guests inside the ballroom?”
“…”
“I think it would be better if we’re together on the stairs. You’re not particularly good with words, so rather than being separated, it might be better to leave guiding guests to the ballroom to the butler, and we can just emphasize our newlywed couple image.”
Well, we didn’t invite anyone rude enough to cause trouble, so if we greet them at the entrance, they should go in and talk on their own.
My plan was to follow and enter the hall alone when the Prince arrived.
“…You…”
“Yes?”
“…You’re pretty.”
An unexpected response came while I was waiting for Cassion’s answer. But it wasn’t a bad thing to say, so I chuckled and patted his shoulder.
“You didn’t just realize that, did you? You look handsome too.”
It’s not just flattery. Cassion is handsome, but he doesn’t really have a noble image, yet when he’s all dressed up like this, he looks like a Duke to anyone. He gave off a different image.
“We both have pretty foreheads.”
Looking at his perfect side profile with his bangs swept back, I almost said that if we were a real couple and had a baby, we could count on it having a round forehead, but I swallowed the words. He gazed at my forehead as if entranced and then extended his arm to escort me.
“I think it would be better if we’re together on the stairs too. …And if possible, it would be even better if we stay together throughout the invitation meeting.”
“After all, to show off as a newlywed couple rather than a contract marriage, would be better, right? Okay. Let’s stay together even after dancing. I’ll lead the conversation until His Highness arrives.”
I smiled as I placed my hand on his sturdy arm.
Although the invitation meeting would continue until dawn, thinking that I wouldn’t be bearing the burden alone made it not so daunting. Rather, I felt overflowing with confidence.
“Shall we go then? Darling?”
As his gaze was still on my forehead, I poked his nose with my finger, making him flinch and step back. Since guests hadn’t arrived yet, I laughed without suppressing my voice.”
