Chapter 2

Irina headed into the mansion and entered the bedroom. She stripped off her sweaty uniform.

Her body was neither full-breasted nor her waist constricted. Her stomach was flat with abs that even noblemen would not have. The muscles in her forearms and thighs were firm, and visible with each movement of her body. Her body was scratched and marked from her lifetime of sword scars and bruises.

The maids wept at Irina’s treatment of her own body. She was truly beautiful, as long as you ignored all those marks and bruises, they thought. They also wished to take care of and cover the scar on her face.

“With just a bit of makeup…”

“…” Irina stared at the maid.

“Yes, yes? Oh! My apologies, I was out of my mind for a moment.”

The maids hesitated and picked up Irina’s clothes and wrapped a robe around her. They had enough brain power to know not to speak out about their masters.

Irina looked at her maids and faintly smiled.

“I’m sorry this ugly master worried you today. You must have a lot of hardships.”

The corners of her blue eyes softly bent.

The maids blushed. Regardless of her serious appearance, their master was a nice person.

“Let’s wash you up and get you ready for your date. My lady, we will take care of everything!”

“A date?”

“We will crack down on the other servants to keep the training today a secret! Our master hates it so much.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Irina responded, pretending not to be embarrassed. She walked quickly to the bathroom.

Today was the day she and her husband decided to go see the opera after a long absence.

They had once been estranged for a time after their daughter was born seven years ago.

Her husband had long been dissatisfied with Irina.

This is because even after she got married, she wielded a sword like she did when she was a virgin and did not even come into social circles.

Then, his discontented attitude changed two years ago.

After Irina was burned, he changed noticeably.

Her husband began to be romantic enough to remind her of the days when they were dating. Irina began to open her heart to his consistent whispers of love. Now, a couple who has been married for 10 years was able to sleep with satisfaction.

It was safe to say they were a good couple now.

After washing her body, she looked at the dress her maids were holding and doubted her eyes.

“… is this the dress you chose?”

The neat, pure white dress was elegant and beautiful. It was a trendy design that gracefully exposed the shoulders and chest. The lace, which seemed to have been touched by a craftsman, was delicately decorated without being excessive. The dress itself shimmered subtly whenever it received the light. It was because fine jewels were adorning the skirt from the waist. It was a dress anyone could covet.

But the problem was,

“I don’t think it’s going to fit.”

Irina murmured seriously.

The waist size was too small. Besides, it was an innocent dress that would be appropriate only for young girls who had just become adults. It was rather embarrassing for her, a married woman with her own child, who is more strong than other women, to wear.

“But it’s the dress that the master specified…”

“Paris? Directly?”

“Yes. He asked me to tell you that he picked it especially for today.”

“He even sent a corset for his wife.”

Irina, staring at her dress with a frown on her face, nodded her head reluctantly.

The maids’ faces turned red.

As Irina grabbed the rod installed in her room, the two maids tugged at the corset laces.

“Ugh…”

As her ribs and stomach tightened, a painful gasp erupted involuntarily. Irina’s hand holding the rod trembled.

Why are all the things called ‘pretty clothes’ shaped like this?

Irina groaned inwardly.

Wearing the corset made it difficult for her to even breathe. Irina put on her dress with the help of her maids. After finishing her hair and makeup, the maids exclaimed.

“You are beautiful, my lady!”

Irina nodded her head slightly and looked at her reflection in her full-length mirror.

“… so?”

In Irina’s eyes, she looked ridiculous.

The artificially tightened tiny waist was awkward against her sharp, square shoulders.

Basically, thanks to her stately posture, the pure white dress seemed very unsuited to her.

“Our master won’t be able to keep his mouth shut. You are so elegant and feminine that it brings tears to my eyes.”

It was the reaction Irina received every time she dressed up, but it was unusually passionate today.

The maid reacted so intensely, Irina thought it was strange.

The maid looking at Irina in the mirror suddenly clapped.

“Necklace! I knew something was missing, you need a necklace.”

“You mean we need more jewels than this?”

At Irina’s trembling voice, her maids vigorously nodded her head.

“Absolutely! Lady Young, who is making her debut today, is a great beauty. Everyone will come dressed up.”

Today was also her husband’s sponsored singer’s debut at the Royal Opera House.

Irina nodded.

“Bring my jewelry box.”

Irina’s jewelry box. It was a box containing only the precious things she had received during her relationship with her husband. The maids brought a jewelry box adorned with platinum like lightning.

Irina’s expression, who had been rummaging around with the lid open, suddenly darkened.

The necklace she had received as an engagement gift. She didn’t see the blue diamond necklace, the same color as her eyes.

After she looked around a few more times and couldn’t find it, her maids became nervous as well.

Irina sighed and closed the lid of her jewelry box as if resigning. She took great care of her things, and her maids were honest. Among the servants, the irritable ones were those who served Paris.

So, it was obvious who the culprit was.

“Sebastian.”

To her slightly lowered voice, the butler Sebastian, who was waiting behind the dressing curtain, stepped forward quietly.

“Go and see if our family jewels have been deposited at the pawn shop of Young’s mansion.”

“Yes, my lady. I will follow your orders.”

Irina looked around at her maids, frozen in the icy atmosphere.

“I know it’s not your fault. It’s been more than a few times that Paris has preoccupied himself with gambling.”

Paris was a good man. He was just sometimes not very savvy and enjoyed parties and people a little too much. This was a problem that all married aristocratic women suffered. So, it was something she had to deal with.

The maids admired her wise choice to cover up her husband’s faults. She is the perfect noblewoman, except for her modest behavior and unadorned looks.

Irina felt sorry for the maids today.

“Prepare the carriage.”

At Irina’s command, the maids got busy.

High heels and the tight dress made it difficult to move. Irina went down the stairs of her mansion with the help of her maid.

Her husband, Paris, was supposed to escort her from now until the end of the night, but he only left a message that he would go to the opera house first.

Everyone assumed it was because of his free-spirited nature.

Irina rode in the carriage to the opera house. After moving for a while, her carriage stopped. Soft orchestral music could be heard outside the carriage walls. It seemed that she had arrived at the entrance to the opera house.

The Royal Opera Theatre, accessible only to upper-class aristocrats. Befitting the upper-class, an orchestra was prepared to welcome the audience from the entrance. After waiting for a while, the door opened. The bright afternoon sunlight poured into the carriage.

“Are you here? Lady Arcensis.”

As she closed her eyes for a moment in the sunlight, she heard a familiar voice.

It belonged to her husband, Paris. Even though it was a male voice, it was soft and beautiful like the song of a minstrel.

As her eyes got used to the sunlight, his figure slowly came into view. Aristocratic blonde that shined like sunlight. Beautiful purple eyes like jewels. Still, like a young man in his 20s, he has clear skin without a single wrinkle and beautiful features. His waist was as slender as a dancers, and even his fingers were soft. A man with such a beautiful appearance that even the opera actors on stage would be mesmerized.

He was her husband, who was apt to be called a nobleman with picturesque beauty. He was also the romantic of the century who turned down an offer to become the queen’s mistress and married a woman with hawk-like features.

Her husband, Paris, smiled at her.

“Look. You are so dazzlingly beautiful in the dress I sent you, Lady Arcensis.”

Playing in a witty tone, he stretched out his gloved hand towards the carriage. He had an overwhelming beauty. Besides that, he had had tea with a little extra strength in it today. Even Irina thought he looked more dazzling than any other man.

“Will you give me the honor of escorting the lady?”

Paris squinted his eyes up at her. It was a silly yet unfamiliar request that should make her tingle with joy. However, there was no excitement or joy in Irina’s expression.

At her silent reaction, Paris tilted his head. Irina’s gaze was not directed as her husband. Her eyes were taken from her as if possessed by something very small in the distance.

Eyes full of doubt and confusion.

The roar of nobles and the soft orchestra filled the lobby. All of them were aristocrats who were said to be the highest in the kingdom. They were all looking at one place with interest.

A carriage adorned with golden rose vines. The carriage of Count Arcensis.

Their gaze focused on the tall man with a well-shaped back. It was said that even male aristocrats had doubted their sexuality at least once when looking at him, Paris Arcensis had an ethereal beauty. He was the only one who made everyone stare just by appearing. However, there was something else interesting today.

A woman who rarely appeared in the carriage. She was a woman hardly ever seen in social circles, the ugly Irina Arcensis.

“Irina?”

Paris carefully observed Irina’s reaction. Irina finally came to her senses and took her husband’s outstretched hand. As she exited the carriage into view, the roar of the nobles grew louder.

She was dazzling with her elegantly pinned hair and shimmering white dress. She had a dignified and beautiful appearance as if to show the influence of Paris.

If there was any error, it was Irina herself.

“She must be hiding the burn marks. How unfortunate to have such scars.”

“Even if you coat the rice cake like that, it is still a terrifying thing to see.”

“To see a bare face like that at home, Sir Paris is a great man.”

“Look at how tanned her skin is, like a man. She can’t put on makeup all over her body, so she has to go out looking that dark. Ho Ho.”

Irina didn’t pay any attention to the ridiculing voices.

Because she was distracted by something else.