That Marriage, I’ll Do It in this Life - Chapter 28
High-quality lace gloves for ladies. Not just in one color or design, but seemingly every possible color and design to match any dress.
She couldn’t make sense of his intentions. The dress, fine, but why so many gloves? Was it because he had been displeased when she touched something with her bare hands before? Was this his way of warning her not to even think about touching anything with bare hands while accompanying him today?
“My goodness, they’re so beautiful.”
Unaware of her thoughts, the nanny exclaimed in delight as she admired the dress and gloves. Saena glanced at her bare hands and then at the gloves.
The other boxes contained shoes and accessories that seemed to match the dress. How he managed to have all of these prepared in such a short time was beyond her.
“Let’s finish up and try these on, Miss!”
The nanny seemed genuinely thrilled.
After finishing up in the bathroom and drying off, Saena tried on the dress sent by the Duke. It was made of dark purple fabric with black lace accents. It wasn’t a color one would typically gift to a lady, but it suited Saena perfectly.
“You look stunning, Miss.”
The dress fit her as though it had been tailored for her.
“How did he know your size so precisely?”
Good question. That’s what I’d like to know.
But the mystery was soon resolved.
“Ah, it’s a Madame Charlize piece. He must have known you’re a customer of that boutique.”
Madame Charlize would certainly know what colors and designs suited Saena. That cleared up a lot of questions.
‘Though how he knew to commission Charlize’s Boutique is still a mystery.’
Then again, if one were determined to find out, it wasn’t exactly difficult information to obtain. The boutiques one could patronize were often dictated by one’s family’s wealth and title.
Dressed in the outfit the Duke had sent, complete with matching undergarments and accessories, Saena had her hair styled and makeup applied. Now, only the jewelry remained. Since the dress had changed, she needed to select new accessories to match.
“The Duke of Kramer is in the drawing room.”
He seemed like the type to arrive precisely on time, but he had arrived earlier than expected.
“Ah, please let him know I’ll be down shortly.”
After passing the message to the attendant, Saena scanned her jewelry box.
She shouldn’t keep him waiting too long. She needed to decide quickly.
“Miss, since the dress is quite somber in tone, wouldn’t brighter jewelry be better?”
The nanny pushed aside ruby and emerald sets and presented her with diamond and sapphire sets instead.
Saena looked them over and pointed to one box.
It wasn’t a necklace adorned with a large carat diamond, but one with small diamonds lined up in a row.
The design lacked a prominent centerpiece, which might lead other nobles to dismiss it as cheap. However, it was a triple-strand necklace, and considering that the Debov family, which operated the Lapis mines, wasn’t lacking in wealth, it was a design she could confidently wear.
Most importantly, it suited Saena perfectly.
Amid her midnight-black hair and the dark-toned dress, the necklace sparkled brightly against her pale, almost translucent skin.
“Oh my, it’s beautiful. Miss, you seem to have taken an interest in dressing up lately?”
The nanny, Marda, seemed genuinely delighted.
Although she had been skeptical of Saena’s taste, she now thought that the choices Saena had made suggested she had been putting a lot of thought into her appearance.
‘There was a time for that, after all.’
She had experienced long years of making do with limited means while still trying to look presentable. Naturally, she had picked up certain skills over time.
After a brief moment of self-mockery, Saena finished putting on the jewelry.
“This goes perfectly with the dress. Since His Grace gifted you those gloves, it might be nice to wear a pair.”
The nanny pulled out a pair of gloves that matched Saena’s outfit, held them up to her hands, and nodded in approval, her smile overly pleased.
“Well then, I’ll be off.”
Though she didn’t understand the intent behind the Duke’s gift, Saena put on the gloves he had sent and gave herself one last look before heading out. She couldn’t keep Duke Kramer waiting any longer.
“Yes. Have a wonderful time. I’m sure our Miss will be the most beautiful one there.”
The nanny always said such things, so Saena didn’t pay it much mind.
The Duke, who was said to be in the drawing room, was already outside.
As she descended the stairs, she saw his figure from the landing below.
He was dressed in a white formal uniform, not much different from before. The white uniform, adorned with shoulder decorations, made his already broad shoulders appear even wider.
He was standing below with her father and Sage, engaged in conversation. When Sage glanced up and saw her, the Duke turned to look as well.
His eyes seemed to widen slightly. His deep-set eyes, accentuated by his prominent brow bones, made it hard to tell for sure.
Swish.
As she stepped onto the final stair, he naturally extended his arm. Following proper etiquette, Saena gently placed her hand on his arm.
Even with just a light touch over his sleeve, she could tell how solid his forearm was beneath her palm.
“It suits you well.”
He remarked as he took in her appearance.
“…Thank you for the dress. And Your Grace also looks quite….”
Exchanging polite compliments, Saena’s words trailed off as her gaze stopped at his chest. She initially thought his attire was the same as usual—a white formal uniform. But something seemed different.
‘…Did he always wear a handkerchief?’
Most men did adorn their formal attire with a pocket square, but the Duke had always struck her as someone who would carry one in his back or front pocket purely for practical purposes, rather than as a decorative accessory.
Perhaps her judgment had been wrong, but the issue was that the handkerchief appeared to be the same shade of purple as her dress.
While it wasn’t unusual for a handkerchief to serve as a color accent, the edges of his lapel and the cuffs of his sleeves were trimmed with a different fabric—black.
Dark purple and black accents.
‘…It looks like we’re matching outfits!’
Noticing her gaze, the Duke spoke.
“…Is it strange?”
“…Pardon?”
“Should I have had something new made? I’m wearing something I already had… Is it noticeable?”
“Ah… No, not at all. You look wonderful.”
Something he already had? Well, white and black were classic designs. It must be the purple handkerchief that’s making it feel this way.
Saena suddenly had the urge to snatch away that handkerchief.
“Shall we depart, then?”
The Duke led her outside. That’s when Sage spoke up.
“What about a maid?”
“Hm?”
Sage’s face was filled with discontent, his expression clearly one of dissatisfaction.
“The maid who will accompany you to the banquet. Surely you’re not planning to ride alone in the carriage with His Grace?”
“Oh, of course. The nanny said she would send one along.”
Looking around, she spotted a maid waiting nearby.
“Smila.”
One of Saena’s personal maids, Smila, bowed her head upon hearing her name. Next to her stood Rupert.
A banquet with an escort, a maid, and a knight—it was quite a change from before.
Saena glanced at the waiting carriage. While the Debov family’s carriage was expensive, the Kramer family’s carriage had a distinct aura about it. It wasn’t just that it looked luxurious—it exuded grandeur.
No, it just looked incredibly, incredibly expensive.
The entire carriage was black.
‘…Ebony wood?’
If it was made of ebony wood, it must have cost a fortune.
Ebony was a rare tree that grew in small quantities in high-altitude regions, known for its durability and exceptional protective qualities against demonic beasts.
The Duke of Kramer, who always wore immaculate white uniforms, had a carriage that was starkly black. The contrast was oddly striking.
Saena allowed herself to be escorted into the Kramer family’s carriage. The Duke soon sat across from her, and Smila quietly took a seat beside her.
Count Debov and Sage boarded a separate carriage.
As she admired the remarkably smooth ride of the Kramer carriage, even considering the well-paved roads of the capital, Saena looked up and found herself locking eyes with the Duke.
Every time their eyes met, she felt strange.
It was as if he could see straight into the deepest, most hidden parts of her. And there was this peculiar sensation, like an unknown energy tickling her skin.
It was both awkward and oddly intriguing.
‘Why does he always stare so intently at people?’
Feeling suddenly stifled, she found the gloves on her hands uncomfortable. Her palms felt sweaty from nervousness. She quietly removed the gloves, placed them on her lap, and pretended to look out the window.
