Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Tessa immediately picked a moderately expensive-looking blue fabric that was her favorite color. Then, Janet finally looked like she was satisfied.

“Well, good. Let’s take that one.”

“Then it’s over—”

“What do you mean? Come on, do it properly. This and this. And with that, that, and that over there…”

“No, wait…”

“Take everything I choose.”

“Janet!”

Tessa was astonished when Janet quickly picked out nearly ten pieces of fabric. Te, ten? Even the ones she chose were expensive at first glance. That’s ten pieces. She didn’t know the exact price, but it must be worth something. Maybe it will be more than Tessa thought.

‘No, if you waste Hert’s money…’

Janet said firmly to Tessa, who was crying inside.

“I was going to choose 20, but I cut them in half. Don’t say it’s too much. I might be really mad.”

“Still, ten is too many.”

“Not many. Even His Excellency thought it’ll be disrespectful to tell a Lady to match her clothes and just get one. No way, are you planning to paint His Excellency as a miserly man?”

“…What?”

Again, when Hert was mentioned, Tessa paused. Janet nodded her head and continued her words in a low voice that only Tessa could hear.

“It is said that calling in someone like this and buying only one suit is a disgrace to the reputation. Will you give the lord that ugly reputation? So just do as I say without hesitation. It’s all for you, too, Tessa.”

“…….”

“Come on, next.”

After the fabric, Janet began choosing the other materials to fit the clothes. She swung the unknown in front of Tessa. Gold, silver, or crystals? Janet and the merchants talked for a long time about what to do with the jewelry and what material to use for the inner fabric.

Everything was new and unfamiliar. Tessa just watched Janet silently.

“This and this. And add that red color. Oh, and Sehetra silver is so pretty. Let’s put this in too.”

Under Janet’s command, the merchants arranged the list by the side. Tessa grew dizzy though she was just watching. Was she going to pick each one of these?

All the threads were taken back, this time a ribbon stretched out in front of them.

“Ribbon… Do I have to choose?”

“How many kinds and types of ribbons are there? They all are different depending on the material or their use. Don’t worry. I will choose well this time.”

Tessa was now stunned and stared at Janet. Janet tirelessly and skillfully skimmed through the ribbons before beginning to pick out her shoes and jewelry. Janet’s eyes checking things were fierce and serious.

“Well, it’s over.”

After a few hours, the list of purchases compiled was quite long. The merchants took the lists with satisfied faces. Everyone equally filled their pockets thickly.

When Tessa saw this, she was terrified and secretly pulled Janet’s hem.

“Janet… I think it’s too much. Even now…”

“What are you talking about? Everyone buys this much. Rather, you have much fewer, Tessa. You don’t own anything, so we’re trying to get everything for you right from the start. Even this is a very small amount.”

“…I can wear anything.”

“You can’t wear just anything anymore.”

Tessa bit her mouth at Janet’s sharp scolding.

“But…”

Tessa was anxious. She feared that Hert might scold or hate her later for the long list of purchases and the hefty prices. She didn’t want to be branded as a languorous person who just spends.

It didn’t make sense for her to spend such money on a traitor who had nothing. This was downright wasteful. Why was he spending so much money on her?

People’s gaze was also of concern. Everyone might laugh at Hert as well as her. It was not enough to sleep with the wife of the former lord, so now he’s wasting money on her needlessly. Tessa, as the Young Marquis had said, would also be criticized for being the prostitute that seduced the new lord.

But Janet did not pretend to listen to Tessa, and the merchants withdrew, satisfied with the sheer volume of orders. Only Tessa, who was to be the owner of all those things, was restless.

As always, Tessa was half-exhausted and sat blankly in the chair. It was then that Janet’s maid dragged a tray into the room. Janet smiled and opened her mouth.

“It was very difficult, wasn’t it? I’m tired. Let’s take a break while eating some tart. There are things I want to talk to Tessa about.”

The maid opened the glass cover atop the tray, revealing a yellow lemon tart. It was the same as the lemon tart that Janet made last time.

“…Did you make another tart?”

“Ah yes. I like lemon tart. Here you go.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Janet grinned and cut the tart and placed it on Tessa’s plate. Tessa lifted her fork and took a bite of the tart. The sweet and sour was really good.

“Oh, have you met the Marchioness?”

“…Yes.”

“How was it?”

At Janet’s question, Tessa looked at the tea that the maid had poured next to her. How was it… Tessa recollected her memories and recalled the Marchioness. She seemed a little scary, but she didn’t feel like a bad person. She was also nicer than expected.

“I think… She’s a really good person.”

“Hmm, really?”

“Yes.”

“Well… If so, I’m glad.”

“Uh… But Janet. How did Janet know… I met the Marchioness?”

At Tessa’s question, Janet smiled as she scooped out the cream on the tart and ate it. There is something like that. But it’s a secret. Tessa let out a brief sigh. Seeing this, Janet burst into laughter once more at her.

“Haha, that’s a joke. I just found out by chance. That you met the Marchioness.”

“Ah, is that so…”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Janet turned her head for a moment and looked at the window. In the distance, she saw several carriages leaving the Marquisate. If her memory is correct, it would be the carriage in which the third wife was riding.

“Madam Anasha is leaving.”

Not long ago, among the wives of the former Marquis Jutert, those who could return to their own homes were returning to their homes. Because Hert allowed it, and the wives wanted it too.

Thanks to that, only the wives who had nowhere to go were left in the castle like Tessa.

“Janet… Aren’t you going back?”

Janet came from an illustrious family. It would be normal for her to leave here too and return to her family. But Janet shook her head as if she didn’t care.

“If I go back, there’s no one who would welcome me. And above all, because of this body… something could be wrong.”

Janet looked at her bloated tummy. Clearly, she was a pregnant woman nearing full term, and she had to be careful right now. Janet’s words made sense.

Tessa stared blankly at Janet’s belly. Suddenly, she remembered what Kennis had told her.

‘Fortunately, the Madam isn’t feeling very well right now and it’s been a while since you stopped having your period, so there’s no chance you’ll have a baby right away. But there are always exceptions, so please let me know in advance if you don’t want to. I will prepare some medicine.’

Child.

A child.

It was a topic she had never considered. It’s been a year since her menstrual cycle became irregular then eventually stopped due to the harsh abuse. Of course, Tessa didn’t think about it deeply. Because she never thought that she should have children.

And it was still the same today. Ah, no. Of course, Hert wouldn’t want it. A child of the traitor. Who will want it?

Above all, they said something in the past.

‘I wish I won’t have children. I don’t have the confidence to be a good parent.’

Tessa and Hert in the orphanage did not want children. Taking responsibility for one life seemed like a daunting task to them. They didn’t have the courage to begin with, and they were scared. They were subconsciously afraid that the child would become like them.

‘Me too. Above all else, I don’t know what parental love is.’

Tessa didn’t know what kind of love a parent would give. It was said to be such a warm and nostalgic feeling, but it was something that she, an orphan, never felt before.

Would she be able to have children and raise them well? She was starting to think it’s absurd. How could she? If she wouldn’t ruin the child’s life, maybe that was fortunate enough.

Tessa swallowed a gulp and nodded her head. It seemed that sooner or later she would have to ask Kennis to get the medicine. As she said, there may be exceptions.

“Janet… Do you like children?”

“Um, I don’t know. I never had children before. Well, though… wouldn’t I like it? That’s why I want a daughter who’ll look like me. If it was a daughter who looked like me, wouldn’t she be pretty and cute?”

“Yes, I think so.”

To Janet’s question, Tessa meekly agreed. If it was a child like Janet, she would be pretty and cute. And Janet was more likely to put her heart and devotion into her child more than she thought. Because most of the wives did.

But she herself…

“What about you, Tessa?”

“What?”

“Don’t you want to have at least one child?”

At Janet’s question, Tessa stared blankly at her.

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