Chapter 38
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Belia’s face distorted for a moment as she burst into laughter. She quickly took out the clothes as I stood in front of the mirror in nervousness.
‘What to do? It’s too pretty… I’m just an extra but this is too pretty. Right?’
The light yellow dress spread lightly at the hem. There were a bit of carefully designed wrinkles on the hem and it was designed with a wide band of ribbon on the wrists and the hem. The geometric patterns on the dress looked luxurious, lively and cheerful. The golden tassel that was added on the string that closed around the neck was not that extravagant but it was colorful and pretty enough.
My heart felt overwhelmed as I imagined myself dancing the dance that Duke Kyron taught me while wearing this dress.
When I remained silent, Belia asked me.
“Why? Is it uncomfortable? I said that I did not need any basting since I know your body type well but are there any problems?”
I shook my head and hugged her tightly.
“Thank you Aunty Belia! It’s so pretty!”
She patted me on the back as she spoke affectionately.
“I’m sure Sir Chaers will like it, Arielsa.”
“Keok… Yes?”
She spoke excitedly as if I did not need to worry since she knew everything.
“It’s only natural to fall in love with a man who saved your life. In addition, Sir Chaers is the second best young man in the North next to the Duke. Of course, Sir George is the best among middle-aged men… Ahem, ahem.”
She evaded her gaze and mumbled her words at the end.
I stayed still for a moment because I was not sure which part I should point out in my excitement. But in that short time frame she believed that I had developed a crush on Chaers because he saved me from Gaurin. So she must have thought that I wanted to wear these pretty clothes to look good in front of him.
“Not at all!”
“…Huh?”
Belia felt too embarrassed when I shouted firmly. So, I smiled awkwardly as I quickly corrected my words.
“I did not think about anyone when I bought this outfit, Aunty Belia.”
“You. Your way of speaking…”
“Haha. No, no…”
As I took off the dress, Belia spread out the other clothes in the corner. There were casual clothes in the North’s unique dark green and orange. However, despite being casual, the clothes still remained spectacular compared to Arielsa’s usual gray, black or dirty navy blue dress.
“Aunty?”
“This is my present. It’s spring. Not in the North, but in you.”
This aunty seemed to like saying words that made people’s hearts race. I couldn’t help but blush as I answered her.
“But I don’t want to burden you…”
“It’s not that burdensome. If you think that it burdens your heart then just think that the Duke bought it for you.”
Belia’s eyes turned into crescents as she laughed. I felt a bit moved as a thought flashed in my head.
Does this mean that I have to be infinitely grateful to Duke Kyron?
“They’re so pretty! Thank you!”
I spoke my sincere thoughts as I gave a smile to Belia.
“Then, I’ll give you a present too.”
“A present?”
“I’m not going to the festival with my dad this year.”
Belia quickly avoided my eyes in embarrassment.
“…Huh? I thought there would be a duel at this festival? Did you two not get along well? But if I go on a date with him…”
Belia said a lot of terrible things with her innocent expression. I endured the veins that popped out of my forehead as I recalled the daughter-con of a fool. This was the only way.
“So this year, aunty should go and take responsibility for my dad. My dad is surprisingly shy so he can’t go to the festival alone.”
“Huh… uhmm… Is that so? Well, I’m a bit shy too. It’s a bit, a bit too much for someone to go to the festival alone, right?”
She held my hand tightly with a tearful face.
“Then, Arielsa. I will take care of Sir George!”
“Thank you, aunty. Then, I need to get going, I’ll be in trouble if I don’t get back now… Can I look at them one more time?”
“Of course! Of course!”
I quickly took out the yellow dress and placed it on top of my body in front of the mirror. Colorful and bright clothes had a disadvantage. People tend to get tired of them easily. However, this dress did not seem to be like that at all.
Belia also spoke in admiration again.
“Pretty. So pretty.”
“You… Are you going to walk around in those clothes?!”
Belia and I froze at the same time. The thump, thump of George’s feet as he entered the store rang loudly in my ears.
“Dad?”
“S, Sir George!”
Belia had a strange expression on her face as she awkwardly laughed. It seems like she was feeling both fear and anxiety right now. Of course, the same was true for me too.
He stood in front of us as he crossed his arms with a scary look on his face.
“You. A, are you going to the festival wearing this dress?”
“It’s a festival, you know. I also want to be a little…”
Scared by George’s momentum, my voice became little before scattering in the wind.
“You’re going to send me to the festival with Belia while you walk around in a pretty dress alone ready to be eaten as you walk around those punks that are darker than a black wolf?”
When he ground his teeth, Belia staggered as she covered me.
“Sir George. Arielsa is now at the age where she is the prettiest. Please let her enjoy it a bit.”
“Belia, this is not that kind of problem.”
“S, Sir George is also like a black wolf in front of me…!”
“Heup.”
At that moment, I felt like I saw George’s face actually split and break down. His eyes trembled wildly as Belia’s face turned red. The two immediately turned away from each other. While they were like this, I took the gap and slowly retreated from the store aisle with my clothes. It was important that I get the timing right if I was going to run away.
But George was a skilled warrior. He did not miss my movements even when he was looking to the sides.
“Put that down.”
“Sob, sob.”
I placed my yellow dress down and ran away from the store. Fortunately it hasn’t been an hour yet. So I ran away like Cinderella who heard the first chime of the bell as I went back to the office.
Duke Kyron was reading a book while sitting on a long chair by the window. He was also free until the festival was held.
“I’m back, Duke.”
“Tea.”
He spoke without looking back at me. So I quickly went and made some yendel tea.
Come to think of it, this has only been decreasing recently.
“Duke, please have some tea.”
I placed the teacup on the table next to his chair as I spoke with a sad voice. It seemed like my voice was so down that he even took a glance at me.
“Arielsa?”
“I came back in time, Duke.”
He sighed silently, closed his book and lowered his leg from his chair.
“What’s the matter with you?”
I followed the tea before glancing at him and speaking out.
“I met my dad at the store. He got mad at my new clothes… I don’t think I will be able to wear new clothes.”
“Pfft.”
He laughed. I thought I heard it wrong but he really did laugh. Pfft my foot!
My goodness. Even if he did not have any empathy, was this a situation where he could laugh? However, regardless of my dismay, Duke Kyron still spoke.
“I heard rumors that you have been cheating on me lately.”
I sighed as I murmured to myself.
“The situation will continue to become complicated in the future. Sigh. I wanted to have a good time even if it was for a short time but…”
“You drink this. I’ll have the cinnamon one.”
“Thank you.”
Usually, he would have just asked for cinnamon directly since he did not like asking for people to work twice. But looking at the Duke’s face, it seemed like he was giving up on the tea to calm me down. I was very grateful to him for silently dragging the teacup towards me but even after drinking it, I still couldn’t calm down at the thought of the clothes that I had left behind.
Duke Kryon continued to read his book the entire day before saying ‘Sir George is not in a good mood today so we should skip the training patrol today’. I felt like my sore wound had been scratched again after hearing his words.
I couldn’t help but hate him when he let me go early this afternoon. Even when I came back to my room, all I could think of was that yellow dress. The idea that I should just endure and give up to avoid conflict with the daughter-con George kept turning in my head to the point that my head was in a tangled mess.
Then, a note came under my door.
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When I came out, Belia quickly pulled my wrist and dragged me somewhere. The place where I was unexpectedly dragged into was a bar.
Since I couldn’t go to the bar thanks to Arielsa’s timid personality, I felt like I was a minor who was doing something bad.
“A, Aunty?”
“You were upset because of your dad earlier, right? Me too.”
“But…”
“It’s okay. I will be your guardian.”
I nodded with determination as I followed her inside.
Beyond the wooden door that Belia opened for me was a world in Harpel that I never knew of.
“My dad said it was because I was cute? No, aunty! One plus one is a gwiyomi (cutie). I’m not a cutie!”
“Huh? Why aren’t you cute? You’re really cute! No one knew that because you are so calm. No. That was in the past.”
“Then, does that mean that I can be cute too since one plus one is gwiyomi? Even if you put it backwards, it’s still cute! Haha!”
Having lost the youth gymnastics, I found a new shot. It was fortunate that I was not that drunk since I still stopped myself from singing and dancing the gwiyomi song.
We had started the conversation while bad mouthing George but after getting a bit drunk we were now talking loudly about a lot of things. The customers who were surprised to see Arielsa in the bar glanced at our table as they gave us a warning.
I felt uncomfortable at first since they were afraid of George but the thought soon disappeared in my head.
“Arielsa.”
I noticed the shadow that was cast over the glass that I reached out to toast to Belia. So, I quickly turned around and glared at him.
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