Chapter 15

In fact, the Duke had asked for a private meeting with the emperor over Rieta’s meals.

“I never thought you’d ask me to meet you first. It’s about personal matters, no less.”

It seemed like a slight teasing, but in fact, the emperor’s face was full of a pleasant smile.

He loved it when his brother, who seemed perfect, asked for advice.

“Yes, I had something to take care of.”

“Anything will be fine. This brother will lend you his wisdom.”

The Duke responded triumphantly to the Emperor, who raised his chin vainly.

“It’s already been resolved.”

“What?!”

The emperor’s brows crumpled in his disappointment, but the duke only gave a heartwarming smile.

This was all thanks to his sons paying attention to the princess.

“There is nothing more to worry about, Your Majesty.”

“……What a shame.”

He wanted to show his best as an older brother.

“What was the problem anyway? Can I ask you that?”

“It’s about the princess’s meals.”

“Ah, I understand.”

The emperor chatted with the Duke about Liz royal etiquette at once.

“You knew it.”

“I used to read the Liz travel book in the library. It was a very good book. Oh, that’s right. Has Madame Emily been booked for a lot of reservations?”

“Pardon?”

“I said Madame Emily.”

“You mean Madame Emily, the famous modiste?”

“Yes, Madame Emily, the one who makes fitting clothes that match the wearer.”

“Why do you ask?”

“That’s right. You must have placed a lot of orders, oh, my God.”

The emperor glanced at the Duke’s face, then slightly ruffled his hair in frustration.

“If my brother didn’t call Madame Emily, I’m sure he didn’t hire Daren, the skilled leathersmith, or high society’s jeweler, Marion! What the hell! Why!”

“……If you speak of calling someone, I recently hired a new teacher.”

He’s an honest brother.

The emperor, frustrated for a while, soon changed his posture with a happy smile.

Finally, as an older brother, there was something he could impart.

As a fine father and a fool for his daughter, he had so many stories he wished to tell.

The Duke’s expression was somewhat sour when he heard the story.

When would this blunt younger brother become a fool for his daughter as well? The emperor sighed loudly.

*****

The Duke went out to town with the butler.

“Did you have to bring me in?”

The old butler rarely complained about accompanying his master.

The Duke thought about it for a while and decided to tell him the truth about the matter.

“I consider this a place for when you hit a wall and come alone.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

The butler looked up and looked at the store the two were visiting.

Madame Emily.

It was the firm of the best seamstress in the Empire, guaranteed by the emperor.

She excelled at creating women’s wear, especially for young ladies.

Thus, the store decorations here reflected the taste of the main customers.

Glamorous! Sparkling! Beautiful!

The incongruity between the space drenched in lace and ribbons and the Duke was amazing, to the extent that other nobles passing by rubbed their eyes to check again, thinking, ‘I must have seen it wrong.’

The Duke rubbed his forehead for a moment.

He thought he experienced this shame for the last time when he prepared for a wedding years ago.

When the Duke tried to cough, the butler quickly knocked on the door.

Soon the door opened, and Madame Emily, famous for the most colorful attire in the capital, greeted the two.

“My God, Duke. How surprised I was to hear it from you! If you had called me to the mansion, I would have gone myself!”

The two were soon escorted to the drawing room, where the Duke immediately got to the point.

“I’d like to place an order.”

” Of course, I thought you’d do that. So, is it concerning the rumored princess?”

“……Did I have to come with her?”

“If you’d like her clothes to fit.”

The Duke sighed, saying, ‘Is that so?’

Buying Rieta clothes was actually a little complicated.

Clothing did more than just cover the skin of the imperial family.

It was a symbol of his country and the culture, a sort of pride in and of itself.

When welcoming foreign royals, it was in the same mind that they first changed to their fashion, down to underwear, so the Duke was reluctant to offer Rieta an imperial robe.