CH 15.3

“Duchess!”

Lila warmly welcomed Kate as she got off the carriage. For the first time in a while, she was happy to see a familiar face and quickly walked over to greet her, forgetting all about formalities.

Kate, who was rushing and had hastily prepared attire, approached Lila.

“Welcome! You must have had a hard time coming here.”

Lila took her hand.

“No, you’re the one who had a hard time. I was shocked to hear that a dressmaker almost made a dress for the Countess instead of me!”

Lila’s eyes widened at the sight of her personal carriage and the fabric that filled it to the roof.

“You’re not moving the costume room, are you?”

The carriage’s luggage compartment had already been moved and the door was halfway open.

Kate laughed shyly at Lila’s question.

“I thought you might need a costume for the young master Michael.”

Lila smiled even more brightly at her comment.

“So, can you make clothes for Michael and the Duke?”

“Of course! That’s what I’d like to do, Madame.”

Her sparkling red eyes burned like the sun. Lila’s eyes shone with her eagerness to make Michael’s outfit.

The two women’s eyes shone together like the sun and the sea.

At that moment, a chill ran down Michael’s spine from his lessons at the academy, and Lucas frowned as his ears itched.

Before showing them their rooms, Lila had a quick chat with Kate about the design of the dresses and suits.

“First of all, I’m wondering what color we should go with.”

“It’s an Autumn Ball, shouldn’t it be colorful? It’s a banquet to celebrate the harvest, and it’s the biggest event of the year.”

“I suppose so…”

Lila leaned back on the couch, running through different styles in her head. The modern dresses and makeup she’d seen at work worked together.

Oddly enough, while she had forgotten most of the other memories, she hadn’t forgotten the work.

As she pondered, Kate shyly held out the catalog. Lila was surprised to see the exercise book, which was more of a sketch than a catalog.

As she’d suspected since they’d first met, Kate had a very refined eye. Unlike other costume makers who were only concerned with aesthetics, she was also concerned with convenience.

For example, she would make dresses and bonnets in blues and greens, colors that seemed cool for summer, or she would make dresses out of light, breathable fabrics rather than heavy or thick ones.

Other nobles might say, ‘what’s the big deal?’ Nobles preferred designs that enhanced their status and dignity, not convenience.

But Lila thought differently. She lived in the modern world, and functionality was as important as aesthetics.

That’s why she entrusted Michael’s everyday clothes to Kate. Of course, her children’s line of clothes was just as aesthetically pleasing.

“Um, ultramarine blue?”

Kate replied to Lila when she saw the words written next to the sketch.

“Yes, I think you’d look so beautiful in ultramarine blue, embroidered and laced with jewels and silver thread. This is a fabric I stumbled upon, and the moment I saw it, I couldn’t resist buying it because it reminded me of your beautiful eyes.”

“Hmm…”

Lila liked it, but she couldn’t really answer the question about jewelry.

She wasn’t an official duchess yet. She’d have to ask Lucas first, so Kate spoke up.

“Well, of course, when you think of the Autumn Ball, you’d think of passionate reds, or golds and yellows for a bountiful harvest, so I would suggest a dress that is more like ultramarine blue.”

“Of course, I like that, but… think I should ask the Duke first.”

“If it’s because of the jewelry, that’s fine.”

“Huh?”

Bare-toothed and smiling at a bewildered Lila, Kate pulled something out of her bag.

Kate flipped the small pouch over on the table. The gemstone, a tiny kernel of corn that rolled out, was a yellowish topaz.

“That’s not all. There are diamonds and sapphires and emeralds and rubies and amber!”

Kate continued, her eyes sparkling like the jewels scattered across the table.

“I’ve never seen so many different gems in my life, Duchess!”

“What the hell is this…”

Lila could only stare in disbelief.

“These are samples the Duke sent me ahead of time to use on the Duchess’s dress.”

“…”

Once again, Lila was amazed at his attention to detail.

It was impressive that he’d arranged for Kate in advance, but he’d also thought of something she hadn’t thought of first.

Thinking of Lucas, Lila’s face turned a shy color.

Meanwhile, Lucas was studying the documents Owen had brought in. As he pored over the papers with a serious expression, Owen spoke.

“The first thing I need to report to you is about the person who paid the Baron and Baroness Este.”

“Yes, who?”

Lucas asked, not taking his eyes off the papers. Owen pushed his glasses up out of habit and answered.

“Lady Monaca Ro Arias.”

“Ah, I thought so.”

“Did you know that?”

“When everyone else was sending out invitations and gifts as if they were exploring, there were only three people who showed up: the Baron and Baroness, and Lady Arias.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“But is this true?”

Lucas asked, setting the papers down on his desk.

“Yes. They were making and selling contraceptives on a large scale at the Pinatelli Company, and the ingredients were completely different from the usual ones. As you know, the effect is completely different depending on the alchemist who makes the contraceptive, so there’s always a margin of error, and if a mistake is made with it, the person who buys it can’t complain to the company.”

“That’s serious.”

“Yeah, we’re not even sure if it was made by an alchemist in the first place. There’s no crap like this, and it must be doing quite a bit of business because the commoners are willing to buy even the cheapest contraceptives.”

“Hmm…”

“Aside from that, they also make and sell fake paraphernalia… It’s a wonder anyone buys them, and…”

Owen trailed off. He’d learned that while examining the Pinatelli Company, that wasn’t the most dangerous thing.

Lucas spoke up instead.

“They’re selling a deceptive perfume…”

He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the words ‘deceptive perfume’ on the paperwork.

“They were selling something that was banned 30 years ago… Is the effect of this also minimal? Isn’t it just called a perfume that only confuses words?”

“I’m sorry, but we haven’t quite gotten it right yet. Apparently, it’s forbidden and only comes up in occasional auctions. Somehow they kept it under wraps, and it took me a while to find out where.”

Lucas remembered Count Pinatelli. He’d said hello to him once, but only once.

When he was a student at the Academy.

“Hmm, that could be a bit of a headache.”

It’s not hard to deal with Count Pinatelli, but if he’s right, toppling him may be harder than one would think.

“Is Marquis Benière the president of the Academy now?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Since it’s only sold at auction, I assume the buyers are aristocrats.”

“… I suppose so.”

Hearing Owen’s answer, Lucas rose from his seat. With a deep sigh that spoke to his frustration, he ran a hand through his hair before turning to Owen.

“First, continue to gather information.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Do you have any regional leaders out of the country right now?”

“Most have returned to the Empire, and I’m told a few are on their way.”

“Very well. We’ll gather our thoughts until then.”

Lucas was annoyed that it wasn’t as simple and easy as he thought it would be to take down the Pinatelli Company.

But that was beside the point, he wondered about Lila, who would have met up with Kate by now. He strode out of his office with impatient steps and stomped up the stairs.

Ignoring the greetings of his employees as he passed, he rushed to the parlor, where cheerful voices echoed from the moonlight.

A sweet scent greeted him first. Lucas gestured to Jessie, who stood in the doorway.

Mauve hair was the first thing he saw through the soundlessly opened doorway. He stepped inside and listened to the crisp, cheerful voice of conversation.

“Then, shall the Duke have ultramarine blue with a silver shirt?”

“Of course, as a set. I’ve been sketching it out since I got here. If you’ll have a look.”

Kate was pulling a practice book out of her bag when she spotted Lucas.

“Du, Duke?”

Bewildered, Kate jumped to her feet, never having seen him in real life before. Lila, equally surprised, jerked her head around.

The mint-colored eyes that met hers curved into half moons.

“When did you get here?”

“I just came in. I was waiting for you to spot me, in case I interrupted the conversation.”

Lucas replied cheerfully and stepped forward, seeing Kate glowing with nervousness and curiosity.

People usually had to be polite to him because of his status, but they couldn’t hide their contempt or disregard for him.

But it was strange to see her eyes sparkle with curiosity instead of contempt.

No, a little too much curiosity.

“We have never met, Duke. I’m Kate B. Michelle, owner of Kate’s Wardrobe, and I thank you most sincerely for calling on me.”

She inclined her head in a polite bow, her eyes searching Lucas’s face with another twinkle.

Lila had a vaguely familiar feeling about her, and then she remembered.

Yes, she looked at Michael with those exact eyes…

Kate must be thrilled to have found another muse.

“… You’re the owner of Kate’s wardrobe.”

He has heard of her from Lila, who had always gotten her clothes fitted there. And he had already punished Doreen for the trouble she caused.

When Lucas realized that Doreen had tampered with Lila’s coming-of-age dress, he’d filed a complaint after she and Michael had left Doreen’s dress shop.

He’d been busy since then, so he’d left it to Owen to handle it, but she was probably too busy spitting out the money she’d been paid.

“… How come you look just like young master…”

Kate’s eyes widened in ecstasy, and she picked up the practice book she’d left on the table and looked at the sketch of Lucas’ costume she’d been working on.

Lila watched her move quickly and skillfully, intrigued. Lucas was just as curious about Kate, who was different from the other designers he had met.

“The Duke has long limbs, so I think a simpler design would be more flattering. The Duchess will be wearing a dress as bright and sparkling as the Milky Way in the night sky, so I think it would be more appropriate for her, and the young master’s outfit is not unlike yours, but I think we should go for something a little cuter…”

Lila chuckled at her words, which flowed out of her like a blocked channel that had been opened. Inspired, she turned her head towards Lucas after seeing the flying hands.

For a moment, her expression hardened, looking embarrassed, and then she felt the heat of his gaze and slowly looked away.

He raised an eyebrow at Lila, who set her jaw and stared as if she had something to say to him.

Lila laughed in time with his twitching eyebrows.

Then she grabbed his arm and leaned in to kiss his face.

“Thank you, Lucas.”

Lucas’s expression softened at her sincerity.

“You’re welcome.”