Chapter 88

Chapter 88

As I climbed onto the stack of hay beside the stable and sat down, Elaine hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down beside me and sipped the wine.

“You don’t have to force yourself to drink. It’s just the two of us here, and I don’t really care about formalities.”

Upon hearing that, Elaine held the glass tightly with both hands and pretended to be flustered.

“No! I, uh, I want to give it a try, too.”

I tempted her with such words.

“It’s a shame. If the Princess liked alcohol, we could have opened a few more bottles of expensive wine. Dimitri really enjoys wine, so I got a few bottles as a gift myself.”

“….!”

Elaine’s eyes flickered. It seemed like she was debating whether or not to keep pretending.

I whispered seductively to her.

“Does the Princess also know the noble etiquette that it isn’t a lady’s virtue to get her partner drunk by drinking better than him?”

It was mentioned in the extra edition of the Life of a Lady.

“That kind of standard-setting seems despicable and cowardly to me. Aren’t they either reluctant to waste good alcohol on women or too afraid to lose to a woman based on their weak pride?”

“Duchess!”

As if I was being too mischievous, Elaine lightly tapped me and burst into laughter.

I continued to cynically argue.

“If that’s not the case, then why would they restrict ladies from drinking as much as they want? If noble young ladies are supposed to abide by such etiquette, there would surely be a long line of hired guards protecting their virtue!”

“That’s the first time anyone’s ever said that to me. Ah, don’t take this the wrong way.”

“Am I wrong?”

Elaine teasingly pressed her lips together and flashed a seductive smile, skillfully grabbing my bottle and generously pouring its contents into my glass.

“Please keep it a secret, Duchess. I believe you understand that the position of a princess is a suffocatingly adorned, melancholic place that requires adhering to archaic etiquette.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t carry what happens in the haystack out of the haystack.”

…It was a rule I just made up to appear cool.

We laughed heartily as we finished off a whole bottle of wine. With each sip, our connection grew stronger, and by the time I savored the last drop, we had comfortably transitioned to using each other’s names.

“I never imagined Rowaine would be this kind of person.”

“Oh, are you going to keep bringing up my embarrassing past?”

“I’m not talking about the past! Just yesterday, when I first met you, you seemed so defiant and defensive.”

“Do I appear that way? It must be because I showed you to your room as soon as we met with my arms crossed.”

“But still, there was that atmosphere about you, Rowaine. If I told you that you looked too much like Duke Blois, would you believe me?”

“You’re saying I resemble Dimitri? He’s completely… like a cat!”

“What does that mean?”

“It means being domineering, cautious, and defensive of strangers.”

“That’s the impression of Rowaine that I had.”

“It can’t be.”

“But it’s true!”

We exchanged typical conversations that women our age had when they first became friends. Of course, my actual age was nine years older than Elaine’s, but that really didn’t matter.

At that moment, Agwen came looking for me at the stable.

“Madam, the Duke is looking for you.”

“Dimitri? What’s the matter?”

“He wanted to borrow the Madam’s office, but he said the door is locked.”

It seemed like he needed a place to escape and hide in my office again.

“Agwen, here’s the key to the office, and will you take it and tell the butler to bring me another bottle of good wine?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Once Agwen departed, Elaine shed her reserved demeanor and adopted a smirking expression, raising her chin proudly.

It seemed like that expression was not a facade but her genuine one. I found myself taken aback by the transformation. The lovely and shy girl had vanished, replaced by a commanding presence that exuded an irresistible charisma, nearly causing the word ‘Ennoi‘ to slip out of my mouth involuntarily.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s empty words, but you have a very good relationship with Duke Blois, Rowaine.”

“I told you. He changed me with his devoted love.”

She silently stared at me with an indifferent gaze before opening her mouth.

“Didn’t Rowaine want to be my father’s mistress?”

It seemed like she still couldn’t completely believe me. Elaine quickly reversed her facade and chuckled innocently as if nothing happened.

“I think adult love is too complicated for me.”

I wanted to somehow get her on my side. Knowing what she was working towards, her remarkable intelligence and abilities, I had no intention of making her an adversary.

She would become the emperor.

wholeheartedly believed, which is why I made the choice to reveal my true self to her. After all, establishing a solid foundation required a strategic investment in securing a good person by your side.

“Follow me, Elaine.”

I rode in a carriage with Elaine, leaving the mansion behind. In my arms, I held the wine that Agwen had brought for me.

“Where are we going? If we don’t bring the imperial knights, they will come looking for me.”

“They won’t even notice we’re gone since we’ll come back really quickly. Don’t worry, Cardis will protect Elaine in the meantime.”

Feeling more confident after enjoying a few sips of wine, I offered Elaine reassurance. The destination I had in mind was Avila’s temporary laboratory. She had been staying there, conducting research in the temporary shelter for dog shapeshifters until the dormitory opened.

Stepping out of the carriage, I was greeted by Avila, accompanied by a group of dog shapeshifters of various breeds, sizes, and forms, all eagerly welcoming our arrival.

“Duchess!”

“Avila, I’m sorry for not contacting you.”

I mumbled, feeling a bit dizzy as I stepped out of the carriage. Perhaps due to the effects of the alcohol, my legs felt weak and wobbly.

Thankfully, Cardis quickly grabbed hold of me.

“Thank you.”

As I said those words, I realized that my tone sounded awkward.

‘I don’t think that’s the way to talk to Cadis. Thank you, thanks…?’

Meeting different people every day and using different ways of speaking depending on their status, sometimes I would get confused, and the alcohol made it even more confusing.

‘…But why does Cardis, who hasn’t even been drinking, seem to be blushing?’

When I looked at him questioningly, Cadis blushed and chuckled.

“You’re welcome.”

Seeing him like that, I adjusted my posture, stood up straight, and introduced Avila to Elaine.

“Elaine, this is Avila. She was a former prodigious royal mage with remarkable skills. Now she conducts independent research with my sponsorship, focusing on the abilities of dog shapeshifters. Avila, this is the Princess.”

Taken aback, Avila courteously bowed to Elaine in a hurry.

“It’s an honor to meet Your Highness the Princess.”

“I couldn’t see you at the imperial castle, so I came to see you in Blois, Avila.”

I proceeded to introduce each of the dog shapeshifters we had rescued from the clutches of slave traders to Elaine. Among them, she developed a special fondness for the adorable puppies who were still learning to fully transform into human form. They joyfully scampered around, emitting cute sounds with their little tongues.

‘It seems even the Princess makes cute sounds in front of these adorable creatures.’

With that in mind, I opened the wine I had been carrying in my arms.

Upon hearing that Rowaine had taken the princess and left the mansion, Dimitri secretly followed them. It was because of the butler’s words, saying that she seemed to be intoxicated.

‘Why would she go somewhere after drinking when she rarely even drinks?’

Rowaine’s destination was no secret. Apart from the mansion, she had been frequenting Avila’s research laboratory lately.

As expected, the carriage she rode came to a halt in front of the laboratory, conveniently situated close to the Blois mansion.

Dimitri’s eyes sparked as Rowaine stumbled and the hound caught her, but he suppressed his emotions.

He didn’t want to spoil the cheerful atmosphere and invite resentment. So, he lay on the roof, gazing at the night sky, while the voices of the three women conversing and indulging in strong wine reached his ears.

He listened attentively, half-expecting Rowaine to utter something nonsensical in her drunken state. However, all she spoke of was her unwavering determination to establish a sanctuary for the pitiful dog shapeshifters, providing them with care and support to help them flourish.

Avila, who agreed reverently, stated, “I will assist the Duchess in continuing her research to the benefit of the dogs,” while Elaine applauded continuously in support.

Afterwards, more private conversations took place.

As Rowaine exclaimed, “I hate old men!” it was a statement that anyone who heard it would have thought was an insult to the Emperor from a woman who had almost become his mistress.

Dimitri watched Alain’s reaction, and surprisingly, she retorted, “I’d rather die than marry an ugly man!” When Avila politely stated, “Just stay single like me, everyone,” the remaining two burst into laughter, exclaiming, “We have a winner!”

‘…What kind of conversation is this?’

Lost in his thoughts, Dimitri sighed and gently massaged his forehead before swiftly descending from the roof. It was clear that accompanying Rowaine and the Princess back gradually would be the wisest course of action.

As he turned into human form, the dogs erupted into a chorus of barks, startling the maid who had been stationed by the door, prompting her to hurriedly emerge.

“Tell the Duchess that I have come to pick her up.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

The maid hurriedly went inside. However, the only one who came out unscathed was Elaine.

“What should we do? The Duchess seems quite drunk.”

Elaine brazenly added, unaware that Dimitri had been listening to the entire conversation from the roof.

“I didn’t drink any alcohol.”

If he hadn’t seen it, he would have believed her words. It was because she truly appeared perfectly fine.

‘Even though the smell of alcohol is strong.’

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