Chapter 11
At dinnertime, Victor looked strangely frowning.
Grand Duke? Frowning? "
I shuddered at the terrible dissonance between the two words.
Of course, he was very elegant and did not throw a tantrum.
But he stared at her a lot, and she suffered from an unknown guilt every time.
The servants also moved back and forth more quietly than usual, perhaps because they sensed that something was wrong with their silent master.
She couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere and opened her mouth.
"Oh...Victor."
"What's wrong, Marion?"
He asked in a soft, aristocratic tone. She suppressed the urge to bow her head and struggled to make eye contact with him.
“I'm not good at dancing yet.”
Victor raised an eyebrow.
She spoke quickly, afraid of losing her temper.
“Well, I'm fine with that, but I keep getting back on my feet… Sir Kaltz has been through a lot. So... when I get better at dancing, please dance with me.”
Her words ended in pure embarrassment and fear. Suddenly, she became so shy that she hurriedly stuffed some buttered bread into her mouth.
I heard a little laugh. When she raised her head, Victor was smiling at her as if he was very happy.
The Grand Duke leaned back in his chair, his eyes downcast with pleasure.
“That's strange, Marion.”
“What?”
“It's someone you care about... I don't feel good.”
I realized he was talking about Sir Carltz.
She didn't know what to say, so she sat there silently and folded her hands together. Victor spoke again with a sigh.
“I don't know why you keep feeling so nervous.”
She was even more speechless than before, so she quickly took a bite of the roasted turkey.
Victor's gaze did not leave her face the entire time.
“You're doing a great job, so please don't overdo it. I don't want you to feel pressured."
... “Victor, I want to look like a lady at a party.”
“This way, I'll make you look good.”
The meaning of her words was clear, even if she didn't pronounce them.
Victor's smile deepened.
“Do whatever you want. But there is no need to worry about the honor of the Grand Duchy. Even if you fell 20 times while dancing, no one would be able to say anything. "
I looked at him in shock.
“How can you say that?”
The faults in the estate became the faults of the master, and the faults in the wife became the faults of the husband.
She knew that this was how aristocratic society worked.
He smiled softly at her, who was silent.
“That's power, Marion. So don't worry and just enjoy it. Good ?
There was conviction in his words that was hard to deny.
She had no choice but to nod.
***
The deep blue spring passed, and they entered early summer.
As the days grew warmer, the curtains were changed to a light blue fabric, which Omarion had chosen after much deliberation. The servants' clothes also became thinner and brighter.
New dresses for the social season began to arrive one by one, along with the delicate lingerie required for summer. The dresses were made of thin fabrics and were decorated with brightly colored beads.
She was so shocked by the bright colors that she never had the chance to wear them again in Al Amari. Sumona insisted that the clothes she had bought before were not enough and ignored Omarion's protests.
Of course, the only Grand Duchess of the Empire would need 10 summer clothes and 10 fashionable dresses every social season.
“It is beautiful, ma'am. I think it will look very nice on you.”
Sir Karltz was impressed by her wardrobe, which was beautifully displayed on the models.
Carls, who had suddenly become a part of her daily life, was now a friend.
He often told stories from the capital, explaining complex political affairs among nobles whose names were difficult to remember.
The strange thing is that he never told his own story.
"Don't knights usually like to tell endless stories about what they killed?"
He said with an exaggerated sigh,
“What would she do if I talked about martial arts in front of her?” سيكون الأمر مثل طفل صغير يتفاخر باصطياد فأر."
"What do you mean?"
It was difficult to understand, but she still nodded.
He was a famous knight, so there was likely no limit to his glory and victory on the battlefield. In contrast to his light-hearted attitude, he seemed to have a humble personality in this regard.
Time passed quickly, and the first week of the social season arrived.
***
Sumona has been tormented for days over the banquet where she should make her debut.
She wanted a gathering where Omarion could meet as many ladies as possible, without it being stressful.
I finally decided, after taking advice from Diederik and Karls. The Duchess of Moles' salon party was on the first Monday of the social season.
Somona explained that the Duchess of Moles was one of the most famous women in the capital's social circle, and her salon was known as the favorite room of the capital's ladies.
Omarion signed a reply announcing her presence, suppressing her pounding heart. Excitement and anxiety swirled in her chest at the same time.
She didn't know why she was so nervous, although she knew it wasn't something she should be so nervous about.
And just like that, the morning of the party came.
She was dragged around by her maids all morning, and tried on dresses for nearly two hours.
A light yellow dress with delicate gold embroidery was chosen.
Her hair was combed with essential oil and left hanging down her back, and a delicate crown was placed on her head.
After her makeup was done, she felt like a porcelain doll.
Even when she complained that she was uncomfortable, her old maid was determined.
“The Grand Duchess will be the noblest lady there, so she must be generous.”
That's what Sumona said, but she seemed to enjoy dressing her up like a maid. In the end, Omarion accepted her fate with a whimper.
After dressing, she walked through the palace lobby awkwardly.
It had already been a month since she had come to the Imperial Capital, but she had only snooped around the garden at that time.
The capital was still unfamiliar, as Victor was so busy that he didn't have time to accompany her.
In addition, there were no visitors to the palace, so no aristocrats knew her face.
The stress of her first outing and social debut took a toll on her.
I carefully walked out the front door.
Victor was waiting for her.
She was amazed. He was wearing the robes of an imperial noble, with a black satin jacket embroidered with gold thread, and a black silk shirt.
He was always handsome, but even more so in a suit. As she approached, Victor's face hardened.
"Is something wrong?"
I felt nervous and stared at him. He quickly managed to express himself and smiled.
"You're prettier than usual, Marion."
"This nonsense again."
She quickly turned away, avoiding his gaze.
“When are you coming back today?”
“Well… I have to attend dinner at the Imperial Palace. I’m sorry I can’t go with you.”
"It's okay, I'll enjoy it to the fullest."
As she spoke, I heard a small laugh.
"But don't enjoy it too much. I don't want anyone else to see you but me. Not for long, anyway."
"What?"
She didn't understand what he said and raised her head. But Victor was already calling Sir Carls to ask for something. After they finished their quiet conversation, he spoke to her again.
“If you are tired, come back early and rest.”
He held her hand and kissed it gently. Her hand felt like it was burning. She nodded and quickly headed to the carriage in a daze.
Sir Carls, who had spoken to Victor earlier, was holding the horse's reins with a disappointed face.
I suddenly became curious.
“What did His Highness say?”
He said, “If anything happens to my wife, cut off the culprit’s head and hang it on the front door of the palace.”
I laughed out loud.
Carls was a really good chaperone, joking to comfort her even at a time like this.
There was no way for an elegant man like Victor to say such a vulgar thing.
كان وجه كارلز مشوها بشكل غريب عندما رأى ابتسامتها.
She smiled again and got into the carriage.
***
Imperial social gatherings were completely divided into women's and men's gatherings, with the exception of balls.
This was because the empire considered it impolite for men and women to mix.
Women's gatherings were particularly exclusive, so it was customary for accompanying knights to remain a certain distance from their mistress at all times.
She couldn't help but be nervous. She couldn't believe that Victor, her husband, and Sir Carls, her escort, wouldn't be able to support her during her debut.
As soon as she suppressed her trembling hands, Sir Carls opened the door.
"We're here, ma'am."
Accompany her with perfect etiquette.
She got out of the car and looked around.
The Mülze Palace was very large and beautiful, but of course it could not be compared to the palace of Grand Duke Morte. Well-groomed rose bushes flowered at steady intervals, and the bushes decorated the theme of the garden.
She headed towards the sparkling glass greenhouse under the courteous guidance of Moles' servants. The greenhouse, which Duchess Molze cherished so much, was one of the largest salons in society.
The host, who was standing in front of the door, shouted loudly.
“The Lady of the Black Lion Palace has arrived, the Grand Duchess of Mort has arrived!”
She closed her eyes and entered the greenhouse as confidently as she could.
• End of chapter •
To be continued •••
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