CH 18

Kellerhan left the dagger crafting at the workshop and went around to do the final inspection of the engagement ceremony with Marquis Binkler.

And Yuta and I were educated by Magda.

“I will tell you about the engagement ceremony. You have to memorize it and do it on the same day.”

The engagement ceremony was more complicated than expected.

Considering that Yuta and I are still nine years old, they reduced and shortened it, but it was still this much.

“…So if a foreign envoy has presented you with a gift, you can reply in the language of that country. Here is a list of countries that are allied with Berkel. And next to it is a thank you note.”

Fortunately, it was very rare for me to step out and lead or proceed with the ceremony.

It was me and Yuta’s job to sit at the top and receive congratulations from the crowd during the engagement ceremony.

As I was diligently memorizing greetings, I heard a knock on the door.

“Butler? What is it?” Magda asked as she greeted Harold.

He looked at Yuta and me, who were studying hard, with admiration, and opened his mouth.

“The formal clothes have arrived.”

“Oh my.” Magda rejoiced as her eyes lit up.

“You have to try it on for the last fitting. I also sent a seamstress.”

With that said, Magda took Yuta and me to the room where the seamstress was waiting. When I saw the formal clothes sent by Binkler, I was so amazed that I opened my mouth.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it? Then we’ll change it right away… ”

“No!” I shook my head hastily.

“Really… I really like it.”

Magda and Harold both smiled at those words.

As I got closer and looked at the robe, Magda whispered next to me…

“Good job.”

I was getting into the habit of informally speaking to Magda and other servants.

I didn’t want to treat them like that as much as possible, but Harold said that if an outsider saw me being respectful to the servants, Barmuth’s daughter-in-law could be undermined.

I was worried if the servants didn’t like it, but Magda, Harold, and everyone else was delighted when they heard me and rejoiced, saying, “You really have become a member of Barmut!”

The robe was beautiful, but it wasn’t as flashy or uncomfortable as usual ladies wear.

It seemed comfortable to wear as it was made with the highest priority on what a child would wear. Most of all, the fabric was soft and felt good. The design was overly lively and cute because they were too conscious that it was a child’s clothes… I should be grateful for them making this kind of clothes in such a short time.

With Magda’s help, I changed into formal clothes from the small room next to me and saw Yuta wearing formal clothes just like me.

Yuta was somehow restless.

He peered into his sleeve, patted his neck for nothing, and patted the floor with his new pair of shoes.

“Young Lord?”

When I called him, Yuta raised his head like a puppy that had met its owner.

“Isabella.” He came closer. He smiled as soon as he saw me.

Perhaps, is that a cute smile?

My face flushed as I remembered the overly youthful design of my robe.

It was okay when Magda said I’m cute, but why is my heart so complicated because Yuta thinks I am?

“It matches you well.” Yuta said with a smile still on his lips.

“T-Thank you.” I could barely answer this.

“The Young Lord also looks good in formal attire.”

“Really?” Yuta asked in disbelief.

“Am I not… a little weird?”

Weird? Not at all!

I tilted my head and looked at Yuta.

Like me, Yuta was wearing cute clothes that were perfect for children, and it was very nice to see it because it had a synergistic effect with Yuta’s doll-like appearance.

However, Yuta seemed not confident.

That’s amazing. If you look that beautiful, you could get caught up in your own looks.

“Really.” I spoke confidently for Yuta. “You’re really beautiful.”

But the moment I put the word ‘beautiful’ into my mouth, Yuta’s expression became strange.

“Hey.”

Yuta spoke to me cautiously.

“In Isabella’s eyes… Do I look ‘beautiful’?”

I tilted my head at his question. Not only is he not confident in his looks, it seems that Yuta doesn’t know that he is good looking.

“Of course. Young Lord is so beautiful.”

“Rather than me being beautiful…”

“Young Lord! Miss!”

At that moment Magda called us.

“The seamstress will check the appearance of the Young Lord and Miss. If a pin needs to be used, it may sting a bit, but you have to be patient.”

A middle-aged woman with a benevolent impression who looked like a seamstress approached us with several assistants.

“It is truly an honor to be able to make the wedding robes for the Young Lord of Barmuth and the Lady of Schwires. My name is Bonita.”

The seamstress, Bonita, with her skillful craftsmanship, commanded her assistants, keeping an eye on our clothes.

“It fits very well. If we shorten the sleeves a little here…”

And without us noticing, she freely inserted and removed the pins.

While Bonita was checking my sleeves, one of her assistants came to grab the laces on it.

Then the assistant saw my hand and screamed in surprise.

“What’s going on?” Bonita asked her assistant.

“It’s nothing. I apologize.”

The assistant bowed hastily, but I could tell what surprised her.

Five days of hard training had made my hands a little rough. There were no calluses or wounds yet, but it was hard to believe that they were the hands of a young lady.

After the fitting was over and Bonita left, I started to worry about my rough hands.

“Miss? I heated the bath water. I’ll bring you a sweet snack too.”

Magda suggested that I take a bath, thinking that my bad expression was because I was tired from the fitting.

Without hesitation, I followed Magda to the bathroom.

As soon as Yuta finished the fitting, he went to take a delayed class.

“Is the water temperature fine?”

As I took off my clothes and immersed myself in the bathtub, I felt the warm, soft feel of the water stroking my whole body.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

I nodded and moved the duck toy that Magda had put around. It was fun to watch the duck wobbling and swaying every time I hit the water with my hands.

But soon I couldn’t concentrate on the toy. It was because when I got into the water, the roughness of my hands was more clearly visible.

“Magda.”

I called Magda quietly.

Noticing that I wanted to be alone, Magda sent the other maids out.

“Are you still very tired, miss?”

“That’s not it…”

I murmured and put my shoulders in the water. The water shimmered just below my chin.

“I’m talking about my hands.”

I slowly raised my hands.

“Bonita’s assistant looked surprised earlier.”

“Yes?” Magda’s face turned cold in an instant. “Did she dare look at your hand and look surprised? Shall we go and get rid of her right now?”

What? Get rid of her?

What did I just hear?

Magda smiled kindly as I looked up at her with my eyes wide open.

“I am, after all, a servant of Barmuth. It’s nothing to bury a seamstress’ assistant.”

“No! No! You don’t have to!”

I shook my head hard enough that the water splashed out of the bathtub.

I don’t want Magda to harm anyone!

Magda, who was rolling up her sleeves as if she would chase Bonita’s assistant right away, saw my expression and smiled.

“Hoho, that was a joke.”

Jo… Joke?

“There’s no way that I, as a mere maid, can bury someone without anyone knowing it.”

It didn’t sound like a joke at all.

I swallowed my saliva and looked closely at Magda. She was the same kind maid as I remember.

Is that so? Was it a joke?

Haha… No matter even if it’s Barmuth, there’s no way its servants are invincible too.

“Are you feeling any better?”

At Magda’s question, I realized that I had completely forgotten my thoughts about my rough hands.

“I love Miss’ hands because Miss’ hands are proof of your hard work in training.” Magda said, carefully wiping my hands with a towel.

She looked down at my hand, showing her sincerity. Magda’s sincerity was conveyed, so I had the courage to be more honest.

“Actually, I thought Magda wouldn’t like me training.”

“Oh my, why?”

“It doesn’t look good when your hands are rough.”

At Lodgemund, they abused me, but they followed one rule.

It didn’t hurt where it was immediately visible.

No matter how nominal a fiance is, there were times when I had to make public appearances with Heiner, because then I had to look flawless and beautiful.

Magda placed the towel I had been wiping my hands in on the chair next to the bathtub. And she came closer and looked at me with her deep eyes.

“Of course, I hate it when Miss’ hands get hurt. Even calluses… Honestly, I dislike it.” Magda said

“But that’s because I’m afraid Miss will get hurt, not because it’s ugly.”

She said, emphasized word by word.

“Besides, if it’s because of training, I’ll have to understand more. It’s much more important for a lady to be able to take care of her body herself than she looks pretty at her engagement, right?”

And Magda looked at me silently for a few seconds.

Her gaze was so kind, and I lowered my head, unable to control my emotions, as I was grateful to the people of Barmuth who care about the real ‘me’ rather than face.

“…Thank you, Magda.”

As I mumbled with my head down, Magda’s laughter was heard.

“I’m the one who’s supposed to say that.” Magda said, gently stroking my hair. “Thank you for coming to the Duke and Young Lord, Miss. You don’t know what your existence means to this family. What a precious blessing you are.”

Blessing? Me?

Then, I was bewildered as it was the first time I heard that.

But I didn’t feel bad at all.