“My lady, are you alright?”
Lariella, who had been mentally placing Mrs. Tara’s wooden pestle between the duke’s nobly standing legs, was startled by Marie’s voice and quickly came to her senses.
By now, Marie had removed all the elaborate decorations that had been densely pinned in Lariella’s hair and was carefully unraveling her intricately braided locks.
Wondering why Marie asked with such concern, Lariella realized her face was noticeably flushed in the mirror.
“Huh? Oh, no. I mean…… I’m fine.”
Fearing she might be caught having inappropriate thoughts about the duke, Lariella quickly shook her head. But Marie seemed to interpret the innocent-faced duchess’s blushing quite differently.
“No matter what, you can’t have lamb, my lady. Eating something so greasy suddenly could upset your stomach. If you really can’t bear it, I’ll have some warm soup brought to you.”
“Thank you, Marie.”
Lariella pressed her reddened face with her palms and smiled with her eyes at Marie in the mirror.
Marie had been the greatest help to Lariella, who had been living freely in the countryside until she unexpectedly received the duke’s marriage proposal and was summoned to Elmano Castle without any preparation, learning the complex norms and rules of high society in a daze while preparing for the wedding.
Marie, who had served many young ladies in the capital, knew the trends of society and the tastes of noble ladies inside out. Additionally, she was quick-witted and discreet. In Elmano Castle, where Lariella knew no one, she trusted and relied on Marie the most.
“Mmm, this is really delicious, Marie.”
Everything Marie had recommended had always been right. This soup was no exception. With a bowl of soup that warmed her insides without being heavy, Lariella quickly regained her strength.
Now it was time to prepare in earnest for the wedding night.
Maids brought in a large bathtub, and it was filled with warm water. Marie came with a round jar and sprinkled a handful of its contents into the bath.
“What’s that?”
To the curious duchess’s question, Marie kindly answered.
“Alistro flower petals, my lady. It’s a flower that blooms only on cliffs by the southern sea. It has a pleasant fragrance that lasts a long time. If you bathe in water with these petals, even your sweat will have a subtle floral scent, and the next day, your body will still smell as if you just applied perfume.”
Lariella removed her chemise and immersed herself in the bath sprinkled with purple flower petals she had never heard of before. While she soaked deeply in the tub, allowing the flower scent to permeate her entire body, the maids meticulously groomed her fingernails and toenails.
“Whatever enters your mouth later, never bite down hard, my lady.”
She had already heard from Murina about the surprising fact that tongues enter each other’s mouths during kissing.
The phrase “whatever enters” made her wonder what else might enter her mouth besides a tongue.
Though puzzled, Lariella obediently nodded. She couldn’t answer aloud as Marie was rubbing her mouth with an herb that created a warming sensation.
After the long bath, expensive perfume was applied to every part of Lariella’s body—even her armpits, the insides of her thighs, her slender waist, and her full b*ttocks. Applying perfume to such intimate places meant that the duke’s touch would reach those places as well.
“My lady, I’ve brought your nightgown.”
Lariella’s face became troubled when she saw the nightgown the maid brought, holding it with both hands.
“Am I supposed to…… wear this?”
The nightgown was cut so low that it was doubtful whether it would properly cover her n*pples, and it was so thin that the curves of her body would be completely visible through it. This flimsy piece of cloth clearly had a different purpose than ordinary nightgowns worn to cover nakedness.
Lariella gently pushed aside the bundle of cloth that was embarrassing just to look at.
“This is too much, Marie. Can’t you bring me something more modest instead?”
“My lady, we’re talking about Duke Elmano, the most noble and wealthy man in the Bayaroman Empire. How could you wear a modest nightgown for your wedding night with such a person? Do you know how many noble young ladies have desperately tried to catch the duke’s eye? Yet he never budged, not even giving them a glance. If you want to instantly captivate such a duke’s heart, you should at least wear something like this.”
Though Marie was generally kind and affectionate, she tended to become quite strict when Lariella tried to reject the excessively elaborate and luxurious trends of high society.
At such times, Marie would widen her eyes, tighten her jaw, and speak firmly in a stiff tone.
Just like now.
“My lady, if you want to survive in this harsh Bayaroman society, you must trust me, Marie Herona, the most excellent and capable maid in the capital.”
In Marie’s eyes, as she spoke with an extremely solemn expression, sparkled the determination to make the duchess wear this nightgown no matter what.
Marie had her reasons.
Ever since receiving Duke Elmano’s marriage proposal, all eyes in high society had been on Lariella, whether she wanted it or not. If she continued to dress plainly and spend all day reading books as before, she would become a laughingstock among the noble ladies of society, each hiding a knife under their tongues.
To prevent that from happening, Marie, with her years of experience, had been hired at Elmano Castle with a high salary.
“Fine, I’ll wear it. Happy now?”
Pouting her lips at Marie, who showed absolutely no sign of backing down, Lariella draped the thin bundle of cloth over her n*ked body.
The nightgown looked even more provocative when worn than it did just being viewed. Looking down with troubled eyes at her n*pples protruding prominently through the thin fabric that fell along the curves of her body, Lariella sighed softly and sat down in the chair.
Finally, Marie carefully brushed Lariella’s hair with a comb soaked in perfume.
After brushing, her dark golden hair shone brilliantly as if it had absorbed the autumn afternoon sunlight.
“Ah, you’re truly beautiful, my lady.”
Marie expressed sincere admiration for Lariella’s appearance, which was filled with her dedication.
Flushed cheeks and smooth, shiny, red and plump lips, warm blue eyes, luscious golden hair flowing down to her curved b*ttocks. Add to that the soft and seductive n*ked body glimpsed through the thin nightgown.
Though Lariella had looked very beautiful in her wedding dress, it couldn’t compare to her current alluring appearance.
“Will the duke think so too?”
The owner of all this beauty merely drooped her eyes worriedly.
This was because she recalled the duke’s indifferent gaze, which had always been polite but never passionate whenever they met.
“Of course. No man in the world could resist you. The duke will surely be pleased.”
Marie answered emphatically.
This young and intelligent duchess was more vibrant and lovable than any lady Marie had served before. Even Duke Elmano, notorious for being cold and blunt, would eventually fall for his wife’s charms. Marie believed this without a doubt.
At Marie’s confident answer, Lariella finally relaxed her tense face and smiled brightly.
“Thank you so much, Marie.”
“Then I’ll go inform the head butler that preparations are complete. May your night be filled with the moon’s blessing.”
People of Bayaroman believed that babies were conceived through the moon’s blessing. Understanding the meaning behind Marie’s greeting, Lariella’s blush deepened.
Soon, Marie and the maids who had finished cleaning up all left with excited expressions.
As the room that had been bustling all day suddenly became quiet, the solitude felt even more pronounced. Lariella looked around the luxurious duchess’s chamber with unfamiliar eyes, still not feeling like it was her own.
She had heard that after the previous duchess passed away, this room had been empty without an owner for nearly ten years. Lariella still felt dazed that it was she—not one of the many noble young ladies in society who had spared no effort to become the mistress of this room—but she, who had been living quietly in the distant countryside, who had somehow become its owner.
What should I do now?
