Ch.30Coming of Age and Wedding Ceremonies (2)

“Until 20 years old… Hmph.”

I’m not sure why 20 specifically, but it’s clear that the Duke is afraid of women younger than that.

Is he too embarrassed? Or is it simply a moral standard?

Well, either way, it doesn’t matter. His adorableness remains unchanged.

Besides, he refuses sexual relations, but… heh, literally just sleeping together is fine?

“As if I’d behave myself.”

To allow me to share the same bed.

Does he really think I’ll just sleep?

If he’s deliberately provoking this reaction from me, he’s quite experienced… but if he’s sincere, you’re too naive, Duke.

According to what my mother taught me… men physiologically cannot leave a woman alone when their skin touches.

Even if the Duke endures with superhuman patience, I can always make the first move.

Obediently on the first night—

[Hehe…]

‘…’

Of all times, to be reminded of Chloe’s laughter now.

…Right, seeing that smile, I know she noticed what happened between us.

If she knows, she should be embarrassed, but what’s with that reaction?

It’s as if she’s looking down on me, thinking she’s one step ahead.

In aristocratic society, having a mistress is very common, so I was willing to overlook someone like Chloe since her background is vulgar and she’s easy to manage being close by…

“I should put her in her place soon—”

Knock knock—

Just then, there’s a knock at the door.

“—Come in. What is it?”

“My lady, Chloe checked that you were in your room and then entered the Duke’s chamber.”

“…Is that so?”

Is she testing the limits of my patience by continuing like this?

I need to have more people watch Chloe.

I was planning to go to the basement today to relieve some stress… sigh…

……….

“…Your Grace, there’s some disagreement among the officials about how to conduct the ceremony, as holding a coming-of-age ceremony and wedding simultaneously is unprecedented in Bourgogne.”

As always, Ines is sitting on the sofa, and Chloe is standing beside me, assisting.

On the surface, everything seems normal, but the aura emanating from their bodies is quite chilling, and their expressions are noticeably forced compared to before.

Leclerc seems momentarily stunned seeing the two of them, but quickly regains his composure and states his business to me.

“Is that so? Referencing Laurel Duchy’s customs… would be face-losing. Hmm…”

Though my counterpart is Ines, this is Bourgogne. Hastily referencing Laurel’s customs would make me lose face before my vassals.

Honestly, I’d like to say, “What does it matter?” but what can I do when others don’t think that way?

“How about using the same venue, but instead of holding both ceremonies simultaneously, we have the coming-of-age ceremony followed immediately by the wedding? For the smaller details, have the officials provide many opinions, and I’ll select the ones that seem appropriate.”

“Yes, I’ll convey that.”

Rather than agonizing over it alone, it’s better to choose from better-looking opinions.

It might seem irresponsible, but this approach is remarkably effective. The more opinions there are, the higher the probability of good ideas emerging, and I might miss certain issues from my perspective alone.

“Now then… Ines.”

“Yes? Yes, Your Grace?”

Ines apparently didn’t expect me to address her.

She stammered awkwardly, then seemed to recall what she had done, and her face turned bright red.

Looking at her like this, she seems like such a pure and kind child, so why with Chloe… sigh.

“How is the dress coming along?”

“Ah… I brought one prepared from Laurel.”

“Really? Is it the white dress you wore at the coronation?”

“Of course not. While it might be acceptable for a private occasion, wearing the same dress for multiple public events is inappropriate.”

She seems to have prepared thoroughly from the beginning.

It appears that Laurel Duchy had anticipated holding both ceremonies simultaneously from the moment they departed.

“That’s a shame. I was planning to have a dress made for you.”

“Hehe, I appreciate the thought. But it would spoil the surprise—please look forward to seeing my beautiful appearance on the day.”

“Ugh…”

Ines covers her mouth with her hand while smiling with her eyes. She’s precisely targeting the points that make men weak.

Really… my heart is fluttering so much—

Crack—

“…?”

Just then, there’s a sound of something grinding harshly. It sounds like a wooden cabin about to collapse.

I quickly turn my head toward the sound, but I only see Chloe standing calmly with a composed expression, with nothing else unusual.

‘That sound just now… was it the wall? Or the ceiling?’

It looks fine on the surface… but I should have someone check if it might collapse, just in case.

“Um… Master.”

“Yes?”

Chloe speaks to me as I’m examining the walls and ceiling with a slightly furrowed brow.

Her voice and expression suggest hesitation. What is it?

“May I… also attend?”

“Attend? Oh, the coming-of-age ceremony and wedding? Of course.”

Chloe, who had been fidgeting until just now, immediately brightens up at my answer, smiling radiantly as if nothing had happened.

Why is she so happy about something so trivial? I invited her to the reception too, and there’s no way I would refuse to let Chloe come.

“And… I’d like to have a dress made… would that be alright…?”

Lately, Chloe has been acting spoiled with me more frequently.

Until the day before the coronation, Chloe always behaved maturely, but she’s showing more humanity with each passing day. I like it very much.

But… why specifically a dress? Is it related to what Ines just mentioned? Yes, that must be it.

“Alright, do as you wish. But nothing too eye-catching like last time, okay?”

“Yes…!”

Of course, a dress that’s too flashy or revealing like last time is out of the question.

At the coronation, it was fine for Chloe to dress as elaborately as she wanted because I, a man, was the protagonist. But this time, not only am I the protagonist, but Ines is too.

If Chloe wears a dress more elaborate and eye-catching than Ines, the protagonist, Ines would dislike it, and the Laurel family members in attendance wouldn’t view it favorably either.

I want to let Chloe wear pretty clothes to her heart’s content, but I can’t due to political considerations. How sad.

……….

“What kind of dress should I make…”

I want to make everything myself from start to finish, but I’m a bit dissatisfied that I can’t make the fabric myself… Still, thanks to the children who know the city well, I’m fortunate to be able to choose a good fabric store.

Master, who hasn’t seen my handiwork, thinks I’m having the dress made by a tailor and just offering advice. That’s why he gave me so much money to have a dress made, and it was so difficult to refuse.

Hehe, I can’t possibly entrust such an important dress to show Master to someone else.

“We’ve arrived. Thank you for guiding me.”

“Y-you’re welcome…”

A child dressed as an ordinary village boy guides Chloe, who is wearing servant’s attire.

On the surface, he appears to be an innocent, untainted child, but inside, he’s anything but.

This child, who has received continuous education bordering on brainwashing from the orphanage, values Claude and Chloe more than his own life.

This is intentionally created by Chloe, the fruit of her efforts to interfere with the orphanage and make it her own since nine years ago.

“Welcome. Ah, it’s you, miss.”

“Hello, do you have black fabric that doesn’t reflect light and yellow fabric and thread with a slight sheen?”

“Yellow fabric and thread with a slight sheen, of course. But there are so many types of black fabric that I can’t pinpoint exactly what you want. Would you like to see for yourself?”

“Yes!”

Chloe carefully examines each fabric shown by the merchant, and then smiles with satisfaction when she finds a black fabric with fibers so fine that the vertical and horizontal lines are invisible, and it has no sheen.

“I’ll take this.”

“Thank you, come again.”

“See you next time.”

The fabric Chloe has set her eyes on is very expensive, but she lightly hands the merchant several gold coins and leaves the store with her chosen fabrics.

The merchant is delighted with Chloe’s straightforward transaction and sees her off, while Chloe smiles back and waves.

“Ah, there you are… ugh!?”

As Chloe exits, a boy waiting near the store rushes to her. He’s shocked to see Chloe doing manual labor herself.

“Um… I could…”

“It’s fine, I’ll carry it myself.”

“But it might be too heavy for you—”

“…I said I’ll carry it myself.”

“Y-yes…”

Seeing Chloe carrying the package, the village boy fidgets anxiously, offering to carry it for her. Chloe initially refuses with a smile, but then pushes the boy away with a cold expression.

This is a dress I’ll wear myself, a dress to show Master—I can’t let someone else’s touch soil it.

“Hm-hm-hm… He said nothing too eye-catching, so I’ll make it subtle yet elegant—”

“Miss, you’re being followed.”

“…Followed?”

Suddenly, a man approaches and warns Chloe that she’s being followed.

Chloe, who was lost in happy thoughts, is initially annoyed at the interruption, but changes her expression upon hearing about the tail.

“Yes, someone I’ve never seen in the city before… wearing Bourgogne clothes but awkwardly, and judging by their movements, they’ve received professional servant training.”

“Hmm…”

Then it must be a servant that woman sent to monitor me. They would naturally be awkward in Bourgogne clothes since they were originally from Laurel.

“Kill them, discreetly.”

“Yes.”

This works out well. I couldn’t touch them easily inside the castle because it would be too obvious, but they’ve conveniently followed me outside.

There were too many eyes watching, which was annoying, but now I can eliminate some.

“I wonder what style of dress Master would like…”

After ordering an ordinary-looking village man to kill Ines’s servant, Chloe returns to her original bubbly demeanor as if nothing happened.

Of course she would. For Chloe, making a dress that Claude would like is far more important than whether Ines’s servant lives or dies.