Chapter 20

Julian lifted me up. I felt guilty for always relying on him like this, but I didn’t want to distance myself either.

Was it really okay to do this? Even though guilt blocked me, I still wanted to lean on him.

“You’ve already cut off that bastard’s finger, so cutting off his arm should be nothing.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Julian set me down on the bed. As he tried to get up, I grabbed his hand.

It happened to be the hand he disliked. He tried to twist his hand free, but I held on tighter with both hands.

After hesitating, Julian eventually let his hand rest in mine.

“Julian, stay with me until I fall asleep.”

“…Alright.“

“If you leave, I’ll break the mirror again.”

“That would be troublesome. We don’t have many servants at our manor.“

“Right?”

I smiled faintly and closed my eyes. Julian interlocked his fingers with mine. His large hand was almost too big to hold, but I didn’t want to let go.

Time with him was always comforting. He was so calm that it felt like he carried the night wherever he went.

I let my body relax and tried to sleep. Despite the anger boiling, I felt myself drifting off in his presence.

After a while, as I was on the verge of losing consciousness, Julian looked at me quietly and gave me a brief kiss on my forehead. If I hadn’t been so drowsy, it would have been a sweet kiss that reddened my face.

“…Did you love Kazak so much that you’re this angry?”

But his following words were enough to rekindle my anger.

I needed to clear up the misunderstanding, but I didn’t wake up from my deep sleep, and Julian sank deeper into his own misinterpretations.

* * *

“Aagh, Your Grace, it hurts! Your Grace, Your Grace…!“

“Bear with it. Anna, step aside. I’ll do it.“

“No! It will break…!”

Marian cried out desperately, but I pushed Anna aside and took hold of the corset strings. I braced my foot against Marian’s back and pulled the strings as tightly as possible. Marian let out a cry of pain.

After struggling for a while, Marian’s waist was cinched so tight that she could hardly eat a single piece of bread. Wearing a dress tailored to that ridiculous waist size made her look almost surreal.

“Look in the mirror.”

I led Marian to the mirror by her shoulders, and she grumbled. Marian seemed to be getting quite comfortable with me. She shuddered as she looked down at her own waist.

“My waist is too thin; it’s creepy.“

“Men are fools. They like anything thin.”

I spoke confidently, and Marian and Anna both fell silent in agreement. Men just liked it when things were curvy. We also added padding to Marian’s chest and hips to make them look natural.

“Perfect. You look like a real seductress now.“

“Thanks for the compliment, phew.”

Marian let out a long breath as if she were suffocating.

Finally, I placed a somewhat plain mask that covered her entire face. Marian was beautiful, but hiding her face made her unrealistic figure seem even more fantastic.

It would have been better if the mask had been more ornate and beautiful, but Marian was playing the role of a mistreated maid under my thumb. How could I give her a mask that outshone mine?

Today, Marian would be a stunningly beautiful woman despite not being treated well.

Since I planned to take Marian as my maid and leave Anna behind, Anna saw us off for a change. Duke, the mascot of our manor, looked sullen by Anna’s side.

Duke was the dog’s name that had recently become part of our family. The name came to mind when I saw Princess Abigail’s fury at the sight of the dog. Since he was a dog living in the Duke’s mansion, Duke seemed like a fitting name. I liked it.

I stroked Duke’s chin and comforted him with a babyish voice.

“I’ll be back soon, Duke. Okay? Poor baby.”

After giving Duke a tight hug, I walked to the carriage. Before getting in, I looked back at the mansion. I could see a window half-open where my gaze landed.

I smiled and waved. Something moved inside the window in response. Though I couldn’t see clearly, I knew it was Julian. If it were a servant, they would have bowed instead of waving.

“You two seem so close. It looks like you had a love marriage.”

Marian said as she followed me into the carriage.

Her comment wasn’t unpleasant, so I just smiled.

* * *

The Marchioness of Eriant welcomed me even more warmly than before. She lightly kissed my cheek and beamed.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation. I was so disappointed when you left the last party early. Please stay until the end and grace us with your presence this time.“

I had no choice but to leave early at the last party. Kazak’s blood on my shoe prevented me from moving freely around the party.

People kept gasping and stepping back as I approached, making it difficult to converse.

However, after I left, the party thrived. Without a single dull moment, everyone was busy gossiping about me, making the party an event to remember for a party enthusiast like the Marchioness of Eriant.

“Thank you for inviting me. It’s an honor,“ I said.

“Oh my, the Grand Duchess of Zan speaks so elegantly. But who is this?“ The Marchioness’s attention turned to Marian, who was standing behind me yet clearly trying to make herself noticed.

Despite knowing she was my maid, the Marchioness asked out of politeness. I pretended to give Marian a disapproving glance, then smiled brightly at the Marchioness.

“She is my maid. There is much she can learn, and where better than at one of your elegant parties?”

The Marchioness of Eriant understood my intention immediately, laughed behind her fan, and led me inside.

People’s reactions were just as I had anticipated.

“Look at the Grand Duchess Zan’s maid. Covering her face like that, the rumors must be true.“

“Oh my, look at that fragile waist. Do they even feed her properly?“

“The Grand Duchess Zan is too cruel to be a daughter of the honorable frontier margrave.“

“Cruel? If it were me, I’d boil that mistress alive.“

“It’s because she’s a daughter of the frontier margrave. Think of the disgrace.“

“Look at that seductive figure. Even with a mask, her beauty can’t be hidden.”

Criticisms of me and Marian mingled together.

After listening to all this, I let Marian serve me. Marian, with difficulty moving in her tight corset, handed me a champagne glass and snacks. Leaning on the table, I enjoyed them.

I deliberately positioned myself in the party’s center, ensuring Marian was in a conspicuous spot. She stood firm, holding her posture despite the discomfort.

Soon, the guest I had been eagerly waiting for entered the party.

His silver, violet-tinged hair and striking features stood out like Princess Abigail’s. He could rival the princess in terms of beauty, but his arrogant expression made him seem even more vicious.

While Princess Abigail maintained a minimum of grace, this man looked more like a noble wastrel than a royal.

Prince Cain, who loved parties and seducing women from different classes, entered the hall, instantly scanning the room. Given his reputation, he must have heard about Marian. Hearing about a woman possibly more beautiful than Ari Eriant would have piqued his interest.

As expected, Prince Cain’s gaze eventually landed on us after he entered. His eyes skimmed over me before slowly moving to Marian. A crooked smile formed on his lips, and he walked directly toward us.

“Grand Duchess Zan.”

Feeling surprised, I greeted him, pretending not to know anything. But seeing his shameless face stirred uncontrollable anger within me, slightly hardening my expression.

“Your Highness, the Second Prince.“

“You know who I am?“

“How could I not know one of the Empire’s shining suns? It’s an honor to meet you.“

“The Grand Duchess Zan is clever, unlike her husband.”

This remark about Julian not being one to flatter such a man made me smile slightly, thinking how foolish the prince was.

The foolish man couldn’t take his eyes off Marian’s body. Though I wanted to block his view immediately, I had to stick to the plan.

I had already instructed Marian not to interfere with the plan.

Following his gaze, I introduced her.

“This is my maid, Marian.“

Everyone’s ears perked up. No one had seen Marian in person, and their curiosity grew even more when she was wearing a mask.

As I confirmed her identity, the eyes of those present filled with curiosity. Prince Cain’s eyes sparkled with dirty greed upon hearing the name “Marian,“ knowing she was said to be more beautiful than Ari Eriant.

“Why does your maid wear a mask?“

“Because her face looks… exceedingly stupid,“ I said, frowning slightly as if displeased with her appearance. This was an easy image for men to imagine—a wife jealous of her husband’s mistress. Prince Cain nodded as if he completely understood.

“I see. Very well.”

My act seemed to have worked. Prince Cain stepped back, and we slowly moved to another spot without drawing attention. From the center, move to a table slightly to the left, then to another table higher up.

Eventually, we made our way toward the hallway’s outer edge, and I left Marian alone, moving elsewhere.

Before long, I saw Prince Cain’s servant approach Marian courteously. I smiled quietly to myself.