Mikhail stopped wiping his face with a towel that was dripping.
<I saw it for sure. She was with some neat guy.>
‘Oh, fuck, she wouldn’t do that.’
Then, he heard a knock on the door.
“Sir, today’s schedule is to attend the Terence’s family tea party.”
“I know. I’ll make sure I’m not late, so go out.” Mikhail harshly replied to the servant who came to inform him of his schedule.
‘A new lover? Nonsense. Radian*, he’s talking bullshit like last time.’ (tn: Radian is his cousin, the one from who started the rumor about Juvel and the cufflinks…)
Mikhail, recalling the time when the rumors were made with the cufflinks, stared in the mirror. It was a slightly emaciated face, but it was still worth looking at.
‘Today, that woman also sees me, and it’s clear….’
Thinking so, Mikhail clenched his fist tightly.
***
On the day of the tea party, I went round and round wearing a dress tailored in the dressing room. With the cumbersome frill sleeves removed and replaced with short puff sleeves, it was certainly easier to move the arms. And reduced the breast exposure at the top of the stomach, which has always been a concern.
‘Well, it’s gonna be all right, right?’
There’s a time when the fad changes greatly once. It was before and after the coming-of-age ceremony of Princess Beatrice, and the dress she wore at the ceremony was a dress that replaced the pannier used at the bottom of the skirt with a wider crinoline. And the clothes I wear now have a very different direction from the splendor that the princess pursued. The pannier made of whale beard was replaced with a petticoat made of several layers of fabric, and the sleeve length was reduced to a puff sleeve. It’s just a slight improvement in the discomfort of the Rococo style.
‘I’d like to wear more comfortable clothes if I wanted to, but now I’m going to be be an out-cast if I’m too out of the standard, so I’ll wear what I want to wear after independence.’
I was thinking like that. Marilyn’s voice broke my mind.
“My lady, someone is waiting.” I nodded at the words pointing to Max.
“Okay. I’ll be down soon.” When I finished speaking, I quietly looked at the watch.
‘You’re coming an hour earlier than expected…’
It was a moment to admired his diligence.
“And this is the allowance that the master gave.” I sighed at my father’s surprise, which I had never thought of.
‘I was wondering what to do if my allowance was cut off. That’s good. But…’
If you threaten to give up your allowance and kick me out immediately, it will not be easy. To be honest, I couldn’t understand Father.
‘Ha, I have work to do today, so let’s think about it later.’
I left the room with complicated ideas.
‘He didn’t come out looking weird, did he?’
It was when I went down the stairs thinking that. I admired the sight before my eyes.
‘Wow.’
As if dressed up, the black hair, which had usually been disheveled, looked more refined today. And the clothes that I bought for you and the accessories that match well.
‘He’s a self-illuminated man, but it’s not a joke.’
A handsome man who is literally going to turn his eyes to anyone can tell. As I stared blankly at the figure, I suddenly noticed something strange.
‘Why are you staring at me like that?’
I had an idea in the way you looked at me.
‘Is it strange?’
When Max responded to the thought, he turned his head and said.
“Let’s go,” I thought, in the coldest response.
‘Well, I wasn’t expecting a compliment in the first place.’
***
The dress was simpler than usual, but it was bringing up the innocence of the princess to the fullest. The servants of the duke who saw the princess could hardly take their eyes off her. And that was also the case for Max.
‘You’re unusual today.’
Every time he saw her, his face was burning hot, his heart was pounding like crazy. In fear of being caught, Max boarded the carriage and only looked out the window. But not long after, when the breath of Juvellian changed evenly, Max turned his head, frowning at the sight.
‘Did you fall asleep?’
He felt it before, but she was quite defenseless.
‘You’re not going to do this in front of anyone else, are you?’ Max narrowed his eyes at Juvellian but after a while, the corners of his mouth soared.
‘It’s a sight.’
The nod of the head and the nod of the head seemed precarious and funny.
‘It’ll be worth seeing if it falls forward.’
Then, as he thought, the head in Juvellian was greatly shaken. His eyes opened wide with astonishment, his body moved first before he even realised it. It was as if he supported her head with his hands.
‘Why am I doing this?’
It was also for a while that he frowned at the fact that he did something that he couldn’t even know.
‘Yes, it was quite annoying to see her nod.’
So rationally, Max put the head of Juvellian on his shoulder. Unlike just now, when it was shaking dangerously, it looked quite stable, with its eyes closed and leaning. Max floated the report of Fresia, feeling the small warmth of his shoulder.
<Lord Mikhail was invited to the meeting, but Lady Terence didn’t notify the others.>
‘Mikhail.’
When he thought about the name, Max felt unpleasant for some reason.
‘Until the misunderstanding is solved, we can’t let such a bug stick to her.’
It was when Max was grimacing his face.
“Uh, uhm… Oh?” He saw Juvellian looking at him with a puzzled look. Seeing the defenseless face, the heat from the back of his neck soared.
“Sleep more.” After a short remark, Max looked down at the window. At that time, he heard a nice voice.
“Yes, thank you,” A faint smile settled on Max’s face staring at the window.
***
In Count Terence’s drawing room, where the tea party was scheduled to be held. There was a chill in the air.
“We have an uninvited guest, and I want to know what’s going on, Veronica.”
“I just did it by our rules. Anyone who offers a place for the party is free to invite anyone they want.” At Veronica’s sarcastic reply, Rose raised her voice.
“But the other day I mentioned clearly that we should get an agreement from our members. I’d like to ask you why you did this without our permission.” Veronica wasn’t answering that question.
“I think Lady Rose broke the rules first. Being strict to others and merciful to yourself isn’t fair.” Rose glared at Mikhail’s gentle voice.
‘I don’t know what the hell you’re up to here, but I know you’re not up to anything good.’
When Rose tried to protest what Mikhail said.
“Surely, Lord Mikhail’s words make sense.”
“Two exceptional guests don’t make any difference, do they?”
While talking, their eyes were on Mikhail’s beautiful face. Noticing what they were thinking, Rose twisted her face.
‘What, they ended up falling for that man’s face! You traitors!’
When Rose was shaking with rage. The drawing-room door opened and someone stepped in. Soon, the members of the tasting party stopped arguing and were in shock.
“Oh, I’m here on time, but you’re all early.” Rose couldn’t say hello. A white dress that boldly removes long sleeves and simplifies the decoration of a puff sleeve. Juvellian in the dress looked thin like a small, fragile white bird.
But it was the man next to her who made her shine even more. Black-haired, chilling-feeling red-eye contrasted with white skin. Overall, he had a beautiful appearance, but he had a sharp and fierce atmosphere that made him unable to easily access. But can we call it a complement? With him with a contrasting feeling, Juvellian’s white and fragile feeling became more prominent.
‘It’s like a princess of a certain kingdom and a handsome demon king who kidnapped her?’ (tn; I love all the girls in this novel… Rose is adorable but wait until my favorite character, Liche enter the game.)
Rose, who thought of the romance she had read someday with a blank expression, soon woke up.
“Princess, excuse me, but the one next to you is…?” At Rose’s hesitant question, Juvellian smiled and opened his mouth.
“Oh, this is my lover, Max.” The girls who attended the tasting event whispered in amazement.
“No, a lover?”
“I thought it was only a rumor…”
But everyone’s eyes turned to Mikhail. His beautiful face, which seemed relaxed until just now, was distorted.
‘Wasn’t Radian telling bullshit?’
But he clenched his fist and held onto a laughter.
‘Yes, maybe it’s a trick to lead my jealousy.’
Mikhail’s eyes turned to the man next to Juvellian.
‘You’re pretty good-looking, but you’re a commoner, right?’ (tn; at the end)
I was so annoyed that I wanted to drag her out of here and trample her on right now. However, as a nobleman, there was no need to directly care for those inferiors. Mikhail glared at Juvellian with impatience.
‘I think he tried to provoke me with a little guy who didn’t know where he rolled off.’
He twisted one corner of his mouth and made a vow.
‘You tested my patience enough, Juvellian.’
***
I’m sure Max is handsome, when I see people staring at me blankly like that.
On the other hand, I wore simple clothes, so if I didn’t look like a lunge or squid, everything was a row.
‘Well, I can’t help it. I chose convenience, and I offered him a contract.’
It was when I was giving up like that.
“Excuse me, Princess. The clothes…” I guessed from the member of the drinking party.
‘Well, are you trying to point out that my clothes are too humble?’
You might have thought that it was not a trend or fancy, so it was a drop in the taste-tasting. Then, she blushed and opened her mouth.
“You look so pure and pretty!” The Lady said and the girl next to her also nodded. “If you don’t mind, can you tell me which dressing place you got it in?”
‘Huh?’
I noticed their true meaning for a moment when I was embarrassed by unexpected words.
‘Oh, I’m afraid you’ll be embarrassed by my humble clothes.’
I replied gladly, feeling a little gratitude to them.
”It’s Lilymue’s wardrobe.”
”Wow, thank you.” At the time of their hospitality, a half-baked face came into sight.
‘Oh, how’s she doing here?’
Honestly, I was embarrassed. I never thought I’d see someone here who I never thought I’d see again.
<Because the princess is very delicate, so I don’t think she’ll look good. It’s really unfortunate what the fashion is and how to wear uncomfortable and unsuitable clothes…>
‘It’s amazing to see her again, last time we met at the dressing room.’
___________________
tn: Gosh, I just finished reading the part where Mikhail discover Max’s identity. My satisfaction was worth the wait.