***
“I thought it was like that because you wore white clothes all the time over fine things. It’s okay. If I had that stupidly large sleeves made popular by that stupid Third Princess, I’d refund them all.”
The Third Princess who could speak up to four languages couldn’t be stupid. However, the over-trend sleeves these days did look a little stupid. Abigail agreed with that. Still, Rakiel, who dared to demean both, was somehow funny, so Abigail laughed briefly.
“I have to pay the Baroness more.”
“The Baroness said it was a gift.”
“That woman? Why?”
She was a kind and friendly woman. Abigail paused for a moment because Rakiel seemed didn’t understand and kept wondering about the word ‘gift’. She soon uttered a word.
“…pity. It must be that. ”
A pity for the poor Princess who had never been able to wear such a dress in her lifetime.
Looking sideways toward the mirror again, she saw the woman’s profile earlier. Abigail, who looked at the mirror with a little expressionlessness for a while, soon turned away from the mirror.
As the sun had already set, the white room filled with the glow of the sunset. A meaningless gaze floated over the objects in the room with the sunset.
Abigail looked around the room one after another, just like the day she first came to this room. She moved slowly, wandering around, and smiled a little bitterly.
Time is flowing faster and faster.
“From tomorrow, I don’t think Mrs. Gilde will let me go for half a day.”
“Of course, she will do that.”
“Studying, ah! What about the books? I’ve only read about 20 books until now.”
Let’s say that Abigail was regretful in a not regrettable tone. Rakiel smiled and responded kindly as if not to worry. “It’s okay. You’ll read 20 more books for the rest of the day.”
“…”
“And after that, you’ll keep reading.”
Of course, she was. As for that, Abigail, who had already been liberated before, asked with a grin.
“Then anything else…?”
“I’ve already heard the genius’s voice. Not only history but also official language still hasn’t yet.”
It’s funny how he’s so serious and sad. Abigail laughed out loud for a moment, then picked a word from her memory.
What book did I read, and what did it say? How do I say it in official language?
Abigail twitched her lips and said aloud. “As the first motive of the war, political objectives should be the basis for determining the purpose of military power and the amount of military effort to be put into it.”
Rakiel’s eyes widened a little as if he was surprised by one of the verses of ‘The Theory of War’, which was recited in official language.
Abigail was also surprised by the words that came out smoother than she thought. Soon, she burst into laughter and said proudly, “Now, isn’t my official language pretty good?”
Looking at that proud face with a strange gaze, Rakiel’s expression returned within the amount of time. And he laughed as if it were ridiculous. “You couldn’t even read the fairy tale book yesterday.”
Fairy tale book? Did he just call the ‘Zennet Ancient Mythology (official version)’, which was thick like a dictionary and contained all kinds of old words, a fairy tale book?
At the moment, Abigail, who was confused, clenched her teeth and added with a smile. “It’s been a long time since I learned it. Although I forgot how to read it, I have been working and writing words since then. You have Sir Thornton to check my background, right? So you should have known that I’ve gotten out of the errand guild. Would I have done well in the errand guild?”
Rakiel asked back without hearing Abigail’s assertions, as always. “Is it war theory?”
That guy ignores me. But it was comfortable for me to move on.
Abigail pouted her mouth for a moment and responded innocently. “Yes. After reading this verse many times, I barely understood it. No matter how much I look at it, the soldier wrote the book too difficult.”
“It’s true.”
She thought he was going to be sarcastic about the difficult things. Abigail smiled at the unexpectedly easy agreement.
“Is there anything difficult for the Duke?”
“No one can be perfect in everything.” Rakiel, who responded straightforwardly, slowly approached Abigail.
Abigail said, scoffing. “The Duke has enough momentum to remain after that.”
Six steps.
Rakiel replied, moving his feet a little slower. “I just want to do as much direct control as I can.”
Four steps.
“You really don’t trust anyone…”
Two steps.
“By the way, how long are you going to call me Duke?”
“…yes?”
It’s here.
“Rakiel.”
Abigail stopped breathing, surprised by Rakiel, who was already right in front of her as if he had suddenly appeared.
As the hand that reached her waist pulled her into him, Abigail froze.
“Call me Rakiel.”
“Th, this…”
“As you said, we’re only cousins…”
“What…”
“It’s not natural if you behave this way. Don’t you think so?”
Abigail raised her head stiffly.
Under the drowsy lashes, her eyes met with black pupils of unknown depth.
Surprised as if burned, Abigail hurriedly lowered her head and barely looked at his chest.
Her pulse went wild. Abigail never had social experience from a young age due to her home collapsing. It was the first time in her life except for her father.
This man stands close to me like this without any gap, and that too, this man…
“I’ve sent the Emperor more than 20 letters to ask him to keep you here longer. We’ll be in trouble if we don’t show a bond like this.”
“I know what you mean, but… Duke, your hand, a little…”
“Rakiel.”
“…Rakiel.”
His hand gently fell from the side of her waist. She wanted to move away, but the tight hand that wrapped around her back made Abigail’s body tremble as if she had a convulsion.
Rakiel’s lips went up arrogantly in a line as he looked down at Abigail, who was trapped in his arms with a lot of rigidity.
“I’ve called your name, (yo)…!”
“Earlier, Mrs. Gilde asked me to dance.”
“Then you should have said yes! Why are you suddenly surprising someone in a strange way, oh, oh oh…?”
Unlike her mouth, her body was dragged without her knowledge according to Rakiel’s movements.
A dark twilight sat upon Abigail’s face as she looked up slightly. Somehow, it felt a little strange.
As he said, “I’ll teach you the dance you were asked to do while you’re developing”, might have been his pure intention, or… she didn’t know what it was, but Abigail could be sure of one thing.
To me, my feet that were trampled countless times are now quite painful.
As the eldest daughter of a small noble family on the periphery, she was educated quite well. Of course, it wasn’t her first time dancing, it’s just a long time ago. Still, strangely, her feet kept coming to his feet.
She was being careful, but she stepped on his foot again.
As soon as he felt his foot had been stepped on, he spat out straight away. “This is the seventeenth time.”
She was pleased with his distorted expression for no reason, but Abigail smiled awkwardly as if she knew nothing.
“You, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
“No way.”
You’re shameless too. She looked at him with a glance. With her eyes, she said, ‘It’s unfair.’
It seemed like her body was attacking instinctively. Great job, my body.
“You can’t do this without intention. All your movements are fine. If so, are your feet broken?”
Rakiel frowned at Abigail and immediately threw her away as if he were fed up.
After being thrown, Abigail said in tears, “No, how painful it is if you get stepped on by a woman! You said you were ordained to be a knight!”
“Look at your shoes.”
“…”
“If this is the case, it would be nice if you stepped on your foot once.”
When she looked down at her feet, she saw the gorgeous shoes that the Baroness gave to her with the dress earlier. She felt like she knew how it felt without having to step on it.
“I’m sorry…”
“Forget it.”
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Forget it.”
That said, there’s no need for me to refuse. Abigail moved her feet again.
*****
Time goes by without a break. Abigail felt it became easier to be called Violetta little by little.
In the meantime, spending half a day with Agnes every day, Abigail learned a lot more than she had learned previously. Smiling face, shoulder angle from the neck, hand gesture, up to stride.
Agnes delicately trimmed her body without rushing, even though the time was just around the corner.
Every gesture of a woman must be dignified. Agnes said so. Abigail elegantly picked the right fork, took a piece of meat silently, and put it into her small mouth.
Agnes, who was sitting across from her, smiled and praised her. “Well done.”
There was a grand dinner on the huge table, but Agnes barely touched the food, saying that she was full just watching Abigail eating.
Thus, three people were sitting, but only Rakiel and Abigail’s hands were moving.
“You eat too, Agnes.”
“I’m eating.” Only then Agnes answered kindly and took a fork.
Haste makes waste.
Agnes said that the day after the edict came. Since that day, she became gentler and her strictness gradually softened with that calm attitude.
Of course, it was also thanks to Abigail’s rapid development with a different concentration than before.
Abigail was finally able to treat her comfortably. However, apart from the proud acknowledgment or the gaze that contained affection, Abigail felt bitter as all of these situations seemed to prove that there was really little left.
As she learned, the back of her hand, which stirred the soup gracefully, was white and smooth as a result of the maids’ intensive care for several weeks. The fine hands of an ordinary noble lady, who seemed to have grown up without knowing the hardships of her life.
She suddenly felt uncomfortable. Just a few months ago, she had dusty hands sitting in a printing shop and picking out copies. Abigail looked at her hand a little blankly.
“Focus on eating, don’t think about anything else.”
“Duke also, please always keep a gentle and polite tone to Her Highness. People will look down on her.”
When Rakiel said a word with a disapproving look at Abigail, Agnes admonished Rakiel with a stern face.
“I don’t do that in front of others.”
“Duke is like this in front of your employees, right?”
“No way. It’s because you’re in front of me now, so I’m comfortable.” Rakiel smiled casually and denied what he had done.
So when did you feel uncomfortable with your employees? Abigail sarcastically took a piece of meat with a fork.
“I’ve heard everything from Sir Thornton. How could you treat the Princess recklessly in front of your subordinates?”
“Thornton…” Rakiel’s small, dismal murmur flinched Luderick, who was standing behind him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, little Sir Thornton. I mean your brother.”
“Pft, little Thornton.” He’s such a big but little Thornton.
Abigail burst into laughter in the wrong place, taking her steak with a fork, and laughed. Rakiel looked at Agnes with gentle eyes as he contemplated how to punish Kyle, who was talking without a backbone. He then slowly opened his mouth. It was like a sigh.
“…there are two days left.”
Strangely, the calm atmosphere cooled down in an instant.
Abigail straightened her disorganized posture and looked at the food in front of her with her sunken eyes.
Now only two days. My chest felt tight.
*****
The new indigo dress brought by Baroness Seymour was made of silk from the East Continent. When the light hit the elegantly grasped folds, it fluttered like waves of the night sea.
Did they say the Emperor liked this color? Abigail liked it, but Mrs. Seymour, who made the dress and put it on her, complained that such a dark color was deep.
The sleeves came down tight from shoulders to elbows, and the chest line didn’t dig too deep, giving a neat impression with the color of the dark dress.
As she wore all the dresses, all Mrs. Seymour’s assistants stood near Abigail, putting on makeup and arranging her hair. It wasn’t until two hours later that Abigail could look in the mirror.
Her face that was blank because she could hardly sleep was changed to life. Her long reddish-brown hair that used to be straight was wavy like a wave and came down to her chest. Both the makeup and the dress were neat and tidy, but her curly reddish-brown hair was gorgeous.
In the mirror of the antique dressing table, there was Abigail who didn’t know that Abigail was sitting there.
Amid the praise of the women around her, Abigail looked at the mirror with a slightly blank face. Agnes approached her and hung a necklace around her white neck.
“This is Pasacallia’s necklace.”
The diamonds, which were cut in large proportions, were elegantly stretched in front of the chain, which was tightly connected with the diamonds. The chain was also a diamond, a luxury she had never imagined.
“…what, mama’s…?”
“Yes. Before marriage, His Majesty, the Emperor directly ordered this from the Dwarves of the Far West for his lover, Pasacallia.”
It was shocking that the two were lovers, but the problem was that the history of the necklace on her neck was too great that it was more burdensome.
“Something so important like this?”
“It doesn’t matter at all to Pasacallia. It just means something if Your Highness wears the necklace before the Emperor.”
Just as she’s about to ask what exactly that meant, she heard a rushing voice outside the door.
Time was up.
Abigail closed her eyes for a while and opened it, then she got up and left the room.
A little over a month when I came to the Duke’s estate, I stepped down the stairs for the first time.
Unlike the time when I was dragged while crying through the small emergency staircase, I went down to the huge central staircase, followed by the Empress’s right hands, the Countess and the Baroness.
And in the middle of the great hall on the first floor, the only Duke of Grantonia, the landlord of Edelgard, awaited me.
I really have become a completely different person from that time.
Abigail, no, Violetta, had finally realized.
The ground that stood over with colorful shoes was as dangerous as ice. She walked carefully on the ice and got closer to him.
Like the prince in medieval comedy, he gently lifted his lips and reached out with exaggerated elegance as he said, “My Lady?”
It was the official language of short and luxurious pronunciation and was the most famous theatrical line in the world.
Violetta smiled and held his hand with learned elegance without a single error.
“My Lord.”