# 86
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"…yes?"
“I intend to make people say that this old man, out of greed, took all this treasure for himself and gave nothing to his granddaughter-in-law.”
“Madam, you know that is not the case.”
“What do you mean it’s not? Do you think the pillars of the Duke of Richmond’s castle will collapse if I give you something like this? Or that Richmond’s Blue Room will disappear? Just how on earth do you see me that you act like a spoiled brat, nitpicking every time I give you something, asking if it’s okay or not?”
Eliza glared fiercely and pressed sharply.
“How did I tell you to receive it when I give it to you?”
“…….”
Grace bit the soft flesh inside her mouth. At that, Eliza, who had deliberately opened her eyes fiercely, relaxed her expression, approached, and took Grace's hand.
“Just take it. I am giving it to you because I want to. I just hope you accept it happily.”
The warm touch and warm voice made a part of my heart feel ticklish again.
Grace lowered her eyes and parted her lips. However, the words did not come easily, and she stopped herself several times before finally speaking. Surprisingly, Eliza waited for her. Perhaps she was urging her to answer. After all, she had ultimately succumbed to the gentle silence.
Grace looked up and met the old woman's wrinkled eyes.
"thank you."
At that moment, the old tiger laughed. Then, as if he had been waiting only for this moment, he took out the treasure and began to personally place it on Grace.
Try this this time.
“Oh, it’s dazzling! Here, this time! Right, since this necklace is a set, this one too!”
“Hahaha! Let’s try on this ring this time! Yeah, this is a design that looks good on someone young.”
Madam, you are still young.
“Ahahahaha!”
The treasure presentation ceremony lasted for nearly two hours, and half of the treasure was inherited by Grace.
But it seems that wasn't the end of it. Just as Grace was leaving the room, Eliza shouted as if she had suddenly remembered.
“Come back later when I call you, got it?”
As Grace smiled awkwardly, Mrs. Isaac, who had followed her out, whispered as she closed the door.
“You did well. For the past few days, you have been choosing and choosing the jewelry to give to the young lady.”
“…Anyway, I think I caught a glimpse of a men’s suit. It looks like Your Excellency will be trying it on today?”
Then, this time, Mrs. Isaac smiled awkwardly.
“Yes……, that is the plan…….”
Grace vaguely guessed why she was trailing off and nodded, indicating that she could stop talking.
It would be really nice if you could come later at an appropriate time, Miss.
“Would it make any difference if I were here?”
It's different.
Mrs. Isaac glared and affirmed.
It is different.
* * *
Over the past few days, Ares has come to seriously reflect on what 'blood' really is.
Just as cookie-cutter—and badly similar—the personalities of the thirty emperors throughout history must have been for historians to describe them in the very first paragraph of the section on emperors. I have always wondered why they went out of their way to describe their personalities, but unfortunately, I have come to understand it in the worst possible way.
So, the character description must be a kind of warning.
[The emperors of past generations generally carried out the plans they made the night before by the next day.]
It is extremely urgent,
“You mean it’s still not finished?! When is the silk I ordered arriving? Are you raising the silkworms from scratch?!”
[Applying high and strict standards to everything,]
It is incredibly difficult to please,
“I don’t like it. I don’t like it. It should have a bright feel while still having some gravitas! How can the chapel curtains look like this!”
He did not hesitate to speak his mind to anyone.
He gets angry easily.
"peacock!!!"
As Eliza rolled her eyes and lashed out at Ares, Lady Isaac and the ladies-in-waiting gazed at the Duke with pleading eyes. "I wish he would just say, 'I understand'..."
What else do you want me to try on?
Of course.
Eliza pointed to the clothes placed next to Ares with a look of utter frustration.
“That, that thing next to the Duke!”
I think I've tried it on.
The Queen's anger seemed to have reached its limit at the nonchalant tone, which would have been perfectly suited if she were picking her ear. Eliza gritted her teeth and forced a smile.
“You haven’t tried it on, have you? Please try it on and come out. This old lady is curious.” Huh?
Then Ares, not to be outdone, also laughed artificially.
“Grandma—I honestly don’t know what the difference is between this outfit I’m wearing and that outfit. Please?”
“My eyes…!! Ah…!”
What is the scariest thing in the world? It is shamelessness.
As Eliza, moved by Ares's audacity, closed her eyes in sorrow, Mrs. Isaac hurriedly stepped forward to put out the fire.
“Madam. Your Excellency has already changed into his third set of clothes, so he must be very weary. Please rest for a while and come back...”
“Why come back? I’ll decide on this.”
“…….”
Mrs. Isaac glared at him resentfully, but regardless, Ares had no intention of changing back into the same clothes, even if he rolled forward and backward.
For several days now, I had been doing so much work that was a waste of time no matter how I thought about it, and my patience had long since hit rock bottom.
Eliza slowly opened her eyes and glared at Ares. However, Ares could no longer hold back and met her gaze without backing down.
“…….”
“…….”
As the maids and servants sighed in unison, sensing what was about to happen, the cunning tiger finally exploded.
“Fine, go ahead and do as you please!!”
What have I done as I pleased so far?
My marriage?!
I know, right?
“…Ha! What, I mean?!”
It was when the two tigers bared their claws and teeth at each other in earnest.
“Um… Madam.”
Mrs. Rexton called for Eliza on behalf of the frightened maid. As Eliza glanced at her, Mrs. Rexton spoke with a troubled expression.
The jeweler has arrived.
Thus, the poor and unfortunate jeweler and craftsman were tossed between two angry tigers like prey.
Just entering the room with the magnificent chandelier was enough to make me dizzy, but the peacock with his imposing physique overwhelmed me with his mere presence, and the old lady sitting opposite him possessed an equally formidable aura. To make matters worse, both of them seemed interested in the jewels laid out, staring at me so intently that it was uncomfortably painful, making me feel as though I were about to faint.
Just as the merchant was wiping the sweat from his palms with a towel for the fifth time, fortunately, someone appeared to save him.
“Madam, Your Excellency.”
The moment a call like a spring breeze was heard, a look of delight spread across everyone's faces in the room. When they suddenly turned their heads toward the direction of the sound, they felt as if they were seeing light for the first time.
I'm sorry for being late.
The ladies-in-waiting and maids, who had been anxious about the tigers' battle, sensed a scent from Grace's gentle voice that could not possibly have been felt.
"thank god."
A maid mouthed something, and her colleague standing beside her also let out a sigh of relief.
The young lady who would soon become the young mistress of Richmond was the only one who could gently navigate between her two extremely fierce masters.
“Grace, come in.”
When Eliza, who had been exuding a chilling aura, called out to Grace affectionately as if nothing had happened, even the ladies-in-waiting felt like digging into their ears. However, on the other hand, they understood her delight. It was because even they could not take their eyes off Grace as she walked in with light steps.
Perhaps she was in the process of deciding on makeup and a hairstyle to match the dress, as unlike before, she had her hair styled up and was wearing light makeup. Her slightly more defined features and healthy complexion made her look like a freshly bloomed flower.
As Eliza gestured, Grace came and sat beside Eliza. Eliza looked at Grace, her dark eyes sparkling.
I knew this kind of updo would suit you!
The maids were very skilled.
“When I got married, I styled my hair just like you are now, too.”
“I imagine you must have been truly beautiful. Of course, you still are.”
“What? Hahahahaha!”
Eliza burst into hearty laughter as if she had never exuded a cold aura, and in the meantime, Grace glanced at Ares and gave a light nod. He simply stared at her with a stiff expression, as if he were in a bad mood or something.
Then, Eliza pointed to the jewelry laid out by the merchant with a flushed face.
Let's pick one.
At the same time, Eliza conveyed her strong determination to Grace with a smiling eye.
I received a lot, banned.
Madam, forbidden.
That is enough, prohibited.
Then, he picked up a large diamond ring that he had been eyeing.