CH 11

The wedding date with the Duke of Cassiar had been set.

Because of the letter from the Duke of Cassiar on the first night of my stay, the schedule was set earlier than planned.

Since they read the letter that day, they’d both become more favorable toward the Duke.

The contents of that letter must have been sweet.

I was on the verge of getting a cavity in my tooth.

As I’d previously stated, the Duke of Cassiar was as sly as a fox.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to write a sweet letter to a woman without any feelings, which would give me cavities just by reading it.

[However, there is something I’d like to ask you. Don’t be too harsh with Riel. I’ll go to the Marquis next time and take charge of Riel’s problems.]

I imagined Duke Cassiar saying those words.

It really didn’t fit. The friendly version Duke of Cassiar.

I felt my hair standing up all over my body as I touched my arms with both hands.

“Lady, it’s time for you to get ready to go out.”

Lili, who entered the room, was a little more excited than usual.

“Ready to go out?”

I didn’t have a schedule that came to mind, so I asked Lili back.

Do I have to go anywhere if I don’t have to go to the Duke’s house for the time being?

Duke Cassiar told me that I didn’t need to visit the Duke before I got married because I’d have to enter the Duke’s House afterward anyway.

Maybe it was just annoying to deal with me.

For the past few days, I had taken all the things that were good for sleep to the Duke’s house.

Though it appears to have unintentionally made the Duke of Cassiar upset.

One day, I tried to light a scented candle in the Duke’s room because I heard that aroma scented candles were good for a good night’s sleep.

‘Fire!’

‘I need water right now!’

There was no problem lighting the incense candle, but the Duke’s mansion nearly caught fire because I accidentally hit it.

‘Looks like you want to put me to sleep forever.’

If the Duke of Cassiar had not extinguished the fire with magic, everything might have turned to ashes as he said.

For a long time, I’d been shot by the Duke of Cassiar’s stinging eyes.

I almost had a big accident, so I decided to take him to a relaxing foot bath next time.

There was no problem until Duke Cassar’s feet were soaked in warm water.

‘Duke, it is said that a foot massage is more effective. Well, take a look. This is how I rub it between your toes like this.’

I rolled up my dress and gave a foot massage demonstration.

‘What are you doing now?’

Even Duke Cassiar, who was so cold-hearted that I’d believe that he wouldn’t bleed if I cut him, avoided eye contact and blushed when he slightly saw my ankle.

It was rather me who was embarrassed by his reaction.

‘No, I’m just trying to teach you how to massage, so who cares? I’ll explain it quickly, so look here.’

‘If you’re trying to seduce me, no thank you.’

It was the first time I’d ever heard of someone who would get seduced with just showing an ankle. However, Duke Cassiar was stubborn.

This was not the Joseon Dynasty. With a little of the ankle showing.

‘Great. If you think so, Duke, I’ll massage your feet. ‘

‘Wait.’

I tried to massage Duke Cassiar’s feet by my hand with bestowed tolerance, but his body flinched just when my hand brushed against his feet.

His reaction was interesting to see, so I touched it a few more times.

‘I’ll finish the foot bath by myself, so get out.’

In the end, the Duke of Cassiar drove me out.

I think I’ve tried almost every method for getting him to sleep, but how come none of them work?

“Today is the day you go see your wedding gown, Lady. The Duke said he made a reservation for Madame Tou, who is called a dressmaker.”

“Duke Cassiar?”

“Yes. I’m envious of you. Lady, isn’t it true that every girl’s dream is to wear Madame Tou’s gown on her wedding day?”

It was just as Lily said.

I once dreamed of wearing Madame Tou’s dress and swearing an oath to the man I loved.

Somehow I ended up getting married. And that marriage was just for show.

“Right! You are free to try on Madame Tou’s dress as many times as you want.”

“Great!”

I was dispirited for a while, but I rose from my seat and began getting ready to go out.

As a result, I dressed up from head to toe and went out, attracting the attention of the Marquis and Marchioness.

“Oh, Riel, are you going to some sort of banquet hall?”

My mother was genuinely curious and asking questions when she looked at me.

Did I put too much jewelry?

I hesitated for a moment, but soon I changed my mind.

Why don’t you try standing out? When you have the opportunity, you should dress up a lot. Because youth doesn’t last forever.

I decided to enjoy this moment without any regrets and walked to where the carriage was parked.

It was a very windy today.

I thought the wind was howling, and my wide-brimmed hat flew away.

“No! My hat!”

I extended my hand to catch the flying hat, but it had already flown away, and landed on top of a large tree in front of the mansion.

That was one of the few limited-edition artisan items I owned! I mean, it was a pity that I didn’t use it more than a few times.

“Lady, what should we do? I don’t think the tree is too high for me to climb up and get it.”

Lili, who knows how much I love that hat, stamped her feet and looked up at the tree.

No wonder I didn’t feel good in the morning, so I became dispirited.

“It can’t be helped. Let’s just go.”

“But it’s a hat that you like.”

Lili felt more pity than me, and glanced at the hat.

“It can’t be helped if you’re upset. It’s already gone.”

“Oh? Lady, look over there!”

Lili reached out her hand somewhere just as she was about to throw away her lingering feelings and take a step away.

Lili gestured to the tree where the hat was hung on the tree.

“Is that…?”

Someone was hurriedly leaping from the tree.

It was Suu who climbed to the top of a tree with agile movements and his white hair fluttered reminiscent of clouds, snatched my hat, and came to me.

Because he had been out of sight for a while, I completely forgot about his existence.

Although the Duke of Cassiar said he would be escorting out of sight.

I saw him appear somewhere and bring the hat as soon as the hat flew away, so I had no idea he was watching me all along.

I had no idea a person’s movement could be so quiet.

I was glad I got my hat back thanks to him.

Suu had given me my beautiful hat, which I loved.

“Thank you, Suu. This is the hat I really love. I’d be sad if I lost it.”

Suu’s gaze, which had been fixed on me with a bright smile, had now moved to my hand.

Is it just my feeling that he keeps looking at my hands, as he did the last time?

“Suu, your wounds.”

Suu’s cheek had been cut, possibly scratched by a branch.

His cheek was cut deep enough for me to see the flesh and which was painful to see, but he didn’t seem to mind it.

“Lili, bring the medicine box.”

“You don’t have to worry about this.”

When I asked Lili to bring medicine, Suu carelessly wiped the blood with the back of his hand.

“Lili, hurry up”

“Yes.”

Lili, who had been watching me, dashed into the mansion and returned with a medicine box.

While Suu sat in the shade of a tree, I applied medicine to his cheeks.

“Take care of yourself a little more. Suu. You can be hurt but you can’t be sick.”

Suu remained silent as I applied the medicine.

He was like a gentle puppy. He was a Duke Cassiar’s escort, but it was a completely different atmosphere from what an escort looked like.

It would have been easier to deal with the Duke if he only had half of Suu’s personality.

“Finished! You’ll get better soon because I’ve applied a medicine that works well.”

It didn’t feel like it was a bit greasy, but wouldn’t it be better to apply it quickly rather than dry it?

After organizing the medicine box and handing it over to Lili, I turned to Suu and saw a leaf on his head.

Did this just fall on him?

I swept Sue’s hair to take the leaves off.

Oh, wait.

No wonder you look happy when I brush your hair.

Suu’s face was normally expressionless, but when my hand touched his head, his expression changed slightly.

He looked like a puppy wagging his tail at his owner.

I mistakenly thought I saw a tail that wasn’t there.

“Lady, we have to leave now. You’re going to be late for your appointment.”

Lili, who had returned the medicine box, urged me.

Oh man, I was just going to get a wedding dress today.

It had almost slipped my mind.

I didn’t feel like going to match the wedding dress because it was a contractual marriage.

“All right, let’s go.”

Suu escorted me onto the carriage, and I pondered as I looked out the window.

The Duke of Cassiar would not come because this was only a fitting for a wedding dress.

***

My predictions were not too far off.

“Duke Cassiar appears to be running late.”

I arrived at Madame Tou’s salon a little later than expected, but Duke Cassiar was nowhere to be found.

After all, it was a fake wedding, and I didn’t need the Duke to match the dress.

“He must be extremely busy at work. It was not the time to be concerned about the Duke. Madame Tou’s wedding dresses filled the room!”

Madame Tou’s Atelier had more beautiful dresses than I had expected.

“I think I should put this on first.”

I hummed as I chose a dress.

Madame Tou skillfully assisted me in changing my dress.

I quickly became a bride in a pure white dress thanks to her.

“You are even more beautiful than I had expected! Face is, as expected, the fashion’s final piece.”

A pure white gown with exposed shoulders and a slim waist that spread downwards.

Silver wavy hair that reached to my chest

I looked like a beautiful bride with nowhere to go, but my bright purple eyes were wet as if they were about to burst into tears.

There was a lot to gain, and I figured it would be fine because the marriage would be over if the Duke was able to fall asleep.

Getting a letter that was full of lies.

Even selecting a wedding dress without the assistance of others was possible.

This marriage was devoid of love.

But I was not okay.

A feeling of loneliness that I had never felt before washed over me like a wave.

I was crying and wiping away my tears when it happened.

“Riel, can I go inside for a moment?”

Through the dressing room curtains, a man’s voice could be heard.