Chapter 60

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Aubrey clenched and opened her fists in front of the corridor leading to the room of the Grand Duchess.

“Who’s going to admit a woman like that as the Grand Duchess?”

She muttered to herself.

Before sending Aubrey, Margaret said sternly.

[Don’t say false things in your mouth, don’t think in vain, don’t even dream about it. She is the Grand Duke’s choice, the Marchioness of Rosan. Originally, our house, which is just a county in the region, is not worthy of serving her.]

[Mom.]

[Nevertheless, to make you her first lady-in-waiting and to keep you close is to show her blessing in consideration of the fact that our family has been loyal to the Grand Duchy.]

Margaret seemed to be worried about her. She felt like she did not want to let Aubrey go.

However if she did not send Aubrey, it would have been more suspicious.

She just hopes that Artizea has as much compassion and understanding as she has wisdom.

She wanted her to know that Aubrey was just a stupid kid, and that Jordyn was not disloyal.

[The Grand Duchess is someone who you can tell is intelligent with just a few minutes of conversation. Aubrey, please don’t mess with her with your immature behavior. Not only you will be in jeopardy, but it’s also your family’s honor.]

Her eldest sister threatened to shave her head and send her to a convent if she did anything stupid.

‘It’s ridiculous to become the Grand Duchess. She’s a prostitute’s daughter.’

Aubrey thought.

She doesn’t know what made Cedric marry that woman. She heard rumors of a love marriage, but Aubrey didn’t believe it.

‘She’s not even pretty.’

She was wondering how beautiful she was because she was the daughter of the mistress that the Emperor loved.

However, by Aubrey’s standard, Artizea fell short of her expectations.

Her body was so thin that she couldn’t find a healthy curve. Even considering that she had been on a ship for a long time, she looked shabby.

Her skin was fair but it was as pale as if she were diseased.

Cedric once said that he would marry someone worthy of Grand Duke Evron.

And, in Aubrey’s opinion, a sickly foreigner who couldn’t get out of the room properly wasn’t qualified to be the Grand Duchess.

Either the Emperor’s influence entered, or perhaps there is such a situation. She may have had some other insidious means. Her mother is the Emperor’s mistress, so her daughter can do such a trick.

But Cedric is a smart man. He may be obsessed by the fox-like trick now, but sooner or later he will wake up and escape.

‘I’m much better.’

Aubrey thought so.

She can often see Cedric when she is the lady in waiting of the Grand Duchess. That was one good thing.

She may have a chance to come to him someday. She thought so, and from the morning she got dressed up and came out.

Aubrey exhaled a big sigh, straightened her posture, and stretched her chest. She was thinking she was pretty today.

With a confident walk, Aubrey headed to Artizea’s Tuvalet room.

No one responded when she knocked on the door. Aubrey opened the door slightly with her hand.

“Jordyn’s Aubrey..”

“Try it on!”

Aubrey’s words were buried in the cheers bursting from the inside.

“It’s the coat that the master sent you in the morning. It’s a little long, but I think you can wear it if you just fold the cuffs!”

Sophie said happily.

Artizea was buried in the fur of pure white.

Sophie shortened the sleeve by basting it briefly.

“Isn’t this originally men’s clothing?”

“What do you think? You look good. The sleeves are long, so I don’t think you’ll have to wear gloves. Even if you wear gloves, this might be better because your hands won’t get cold.”

“I don’t think even the Marquisate has such precious marten fur?”

Aubrey was astonished.

The sable coat was Cedric’s.

When three white martens with no fur of different color mixed together were found at once, the adults were making a fuss, saying it was auspicious.

Cedric shot and caught them without a scratch. A simple celebration was also given.

It was such a valuable item.

After seeing Aubrey, Rize asked with a cold attitude.

“What are you doing, Miss Jordyn?”

Aubrey was furious by the rude maid. But before she shouted, Artizea turned over.

“Stop it, Rize. Come in, Aubrey.”

The voice was calm and dignified.

The white face looked smaller because the coat she was wearing was large.

Aubrey felt defeated and bit her lower lip.

“Greetings Your Grace Grand Duchess...”

Recalling Margaret’s stern warning, Aubrey effortlessly bowed her head to greet Artizea.historical

“Yes, I think you must have heard from Margaret.”

“Yes.”

Artizea turned her head back from the mirror to Aubrey.

Originally she wanted to properly check Aubrey and give lessons. But now she didn’t feel like it. She didn’t even have that spirit.

Last night she couldn’t sleep until dawn. Yesterday’s kiss didn’t leave her mind.

At best, he only touched her slightly. Rather, holding his hand to dance was a much deeper contact.

However, the sense of that moment has revived. It is unlikely that any one of it will be forgotten in memory, including a friendly look, a rough hand, and a light trembling breath.

It seemed that her body was floating in the air.

Aubrey, who thought she had been ignored by Artizea, trembled.

The mistress lost her mind to give a lesson to Aubrey, but the maids were different. Alice held a jewelry box in Aubrey’s hand.

“What?”

Thinking that the maid dared to pass her goods, Aubrey was angry. Alice smiled lightly.

“This is the original role of a lady-in-waiting, Miss Aubrey. Until now, I was holding it because the Madam didn’t have lady-in-waiting, but now Miss Aubrey has to do it.”

There was nothing she could forgive, from the rudeness of calling her name to the cheeky expression.

However, Aubrey could not overturn the Grand Duchess’ jewelry box.

Paula, the new maid, gathered Artizea’s hair to one side and braided it.

Artizea looked in the mirror.

She wondered if the under eyes were too dim. It was the first time that she wondered if her cheeks were too slim and her cheekbones came out.

She wanted to look pretty.

Artizea recalled the early summer days.

She returned from a long, dire future, and that’s the day she went to see Cedric.

For the first time then she looked straight in the mirror. Sophie would make her pretty, so she told her so.

Thinking if he liked her hair.... she felt some kind of anxiety and guilt.

Perhaps at that time, she was already predicting the feelings of today.

Knock, knock.

They heard a knock on the door.

“Oh, he must have come!”

Rize shouted with a voice twice as bright as usual and ran to open the door.

Cedric made eye contact with Rize and smiled.

“What about Tia?”

“She is almost ready.”

Rize blushed her face as if she was shy and cleared the way.

Artizea glanced through the mirror and she saw him. She took a deep breath and turned.

She thought she wished she wasn’t too shivering. She thought her cheeks shouldn’t be red.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. I slept in a bed that does not shake after a long time.”

The voice came out as calmly as she thought.

“Is the weather outside a lot colder? I have a winter coat, too.. They sent me Cedric’s clothes. It must be very precious fur..”

“It’s precious, that’s why you wear it. It’s a waste to wear when I’m active, so I can’t wear it anyway. Even though I told Ansgar to save it, Ansgar made it as clothes, so it hasn’t ever left the closet.”

“But it looks like I’m covered in a blanket..”

Sophie and Alice both opened their mouths in surprise. Because there needs to be someone else who would say no.

Cedric shook his head.

“It suits you very well as I thought.”

“....”

Artizea bowed her head without saying a word.

Paula consciously made a cheerful voice.

“It was time to choose a headdress.”

Paula turned to Aubrey. Aubrey was startled.

Cedric seemed to notice that Aubrey was there only then.

“Aha, you are Tia’s first lady-in-waiting.”

“Your, Your Grace.”

Aubrey couldn’t speak like before.

Cedric’s face was still sweet, but he felt like a completely different person.

Aubrey didn’t know this face. Even with the same soft face, the face of a man who treats a woman and the face of an adult who treats a child were completely different in the color of the emotions in them.

He never had a face like that when he took her young hand and took her to her mother.

“Tia’s body is weak and she gets sensitive to cold, so please take good care of her. It’s probably different from being around someone who’s familiar with this place.”

“Your Grace...”

Aubrey called him in a trembling voice. Tears welled up.

Cedric tilted his head strangely. It was because he hadn’t noticed why she did that.

“Paula. Anything is fine.”

Paula took a blue velvet ribbon and tied a knot at the end of her hair.

Her shiny white blonde and the color of the ribbon dangling over her pure white coat were accentuated.

Cedric stroked the corner of his mouth once. He took a small sigh.

Artizea looked up at Cedric gently.

A smile soon returned to Cedric’s face, after a brief resignation.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

Artizea replied. And she told Aubrey.

“Aubrey, I’ll leave my jewel to you in the future. Alice, please tell Aubrey the original place.”

Aubrey hesitated and left.

Cedric tapped her shoulder with his palm, as she seemed somewhat stiff. It was a consolation.

Aubrey became more angry and bowed her head. She felt like tears were coming.

Cedric reached out to Artizea. Artizea hesitated, then she put her hand on his palm.

The two slowly stepped outside. The maids who would not come as they went out then greeted them from inside the Tuvalet room.

When the listeners disappeared, Artizea asked.

“What’s bothering you so much?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you have a look on your face.”

There was nothing to say. Was it Aubrey’s fault? She thought for a moment, but she didn’t think Cedric was giving Aubrey an eye.

Cedric sighed a little.

“No big deal. I think you and Aubrey..”

“Yes?”

“I remember you two being of similar age. I just realized it because it didn’t feel that way at all.”

Cedric turned his head to the other side. It was a shameless face.