***
Since Lilian acted pretty, she should get an award.
“Madame Annege is here.”
“Already?”
She thought it’d only been about 30 minutes. Damian pretended to want to run away from her.
“No, Your Highness.”
Lily with her stern face took the lead in holding Damian’s hand.
The scheming Damian grinned as he was taken by hand and led away.
“I greet His Highness the Grand Duke and Her Highness!”
“Thank you for coming so quickly even though I called you suddenly.”
“No. Rather, I’m honored to be in charge of the clothing of His Highness.”
In Madame Annege’s eyes as she said that, her desire to become the tailor of the best model shone.
“I will do my best so that His Highness will not regret choosing me. So that His Highness the Grand Duke can become the best beauty not only in this Rupenwein, but also in the entire continent…!”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
The maids stood Damian on a small platform with a three-sided mirror. Lilian sat down in a chair set in front to admire her husband’s figure.
“Your Highness actually looks good in anything he wears, so I think it’d be good to try a bold color.”
While saying that, Madame Annege brought out an apricot colored silk.
It was a yellow and pale pink fabric like the down of chicks.
Normally, it was the kind of fabric that would make a fluffy dress for a debuting girl, but…
“…oh my goodness?”
Lilian was amazed. She put the silk under Damian’s chin, and a peachy blush cast over his fair white face.
His complexion brightened as if the light was turned on. He had been beautiful before, but now he seemed even more beautiful.
“You have a good eye, Madame Annege.”
As Lilian admired, Damian became very happy. However, if he was being praised, he had to stand out for his beauty rather than Madame Annege’s discerning eye.
Damian smiled and asked as if confirming the obvious fact.
“…is it that suitable?”
“Yes, very much.”
Madame Annege put another piece of cloth on top of Damian while he was daydreaming.
“Now, if you make a shirt with this color and add this cream color…”
It made the milky creamy fabric look like rich ice cream.
It was a color scheme that only 20 year old young ladies would wear. It’s a lively color that makes people look immature if used incorrectly, but Damian was naturally digesting it as if he was born with that color applied to his body.
“It would go well with a boutonniere decorated with fresh flowers.”
Lilian nodded in genuine admiration.
“Your Highness, I’ve known you until now, but you’re really beautiful.”
Hearing her praise, Damian became excited as well. Madame Annege was thrilled when Damian showed full cooperation in order to impress Lilian.
His wife, with the help of her assistant, suggested trying new things, and Damian tried everything they brought. Lilian accepted without hesitation whatsoever Madame Annege offered her, in a manner different from her own when it came to fitting her own clothes.
“Your Highness, is it really okay to make a shirt with this cloth?”
“Yes, please add that as well.”
“Actually, pearl cuffs would look good on a dress like this. Can I make a separate request to a jeweler I know…?”
“Yes. Please do so. Oh, could you send today’s bill to me instead of the Grand Duke’s?”
It meant that the payment would be made with the Grand Duchess’ budget, not the Grand Duke.
“But, Your Highness, my bill is a little…”
Madame Annege was perplexed. Today, she was too excited, so she excitedly suggested this and that, but before she knew it, just the cost of the fabric and jewelry required became the size of a Count’s quarterly budget.
Adding the expenses that Madame Annege will receive as a craftsman, it would have been difficult to pay it all at once with their personal funds, even for members of the royal family.
“Your Highness, I would like to recommend that you pay only the advance payment and then divide it into two payments. Since we have that level of trust, you can do so.”
“Thank you for your consideration, but it’s okay.”
However, the opponent wasn’t the common imperial family, but Lilian.
It was rumored that she didn’t enjoy a consummate life, but Lilian was a party to an unprecedented prenuptial agreement in which an enormous fortune rolled in just by maintaining her marriage. In addition, thanks to her brother’s bias, she even owned the tax right of an island.
In short, she was not just rich, but very rich.
In the end, Madame Annege, with trembling hands, made an invoice for all her expenses, hoping that the Grand Duchess would not be alarmed.
After receiving the invoice that would have surprised most people, Lilian finished her signature like flowing water without changing expressions. And then…
“Mrs. Maureen, would you please bring me my checkbook?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Mrs. Maureen brought the checkbook. Madame Annege stood there blankly, holding a bill signed by the Grand Duchess stating that all expenses would be paid in one lump sum.
“Madame, take this.”
“Yes, yes?”
The trembling Madame received the check. And there…
[Requested payment of one platinum to Madame Annege, who was in possession of the check. Grand Duchess of Rupenwein, Imperatrix Leyengrad Lilian Mariestad Islar Rupenwein.]
A hundred gold coins! Lily smiled brightly as she willingly paid an extra amount enough for a family of four to live for two years.
“Thank you for stepping out of your way every time it was our business. Please think of it as a sign of sincerity even if it’s small.
“Y-Your Highness, this is…”
Her hands trembled. Madame Annege, who wished to refuse, accepted the check only after hearing Lilian’s insistence.
Damian whistled.
“For my thrifty wife to overspend so much, it seems that the role of a mistress suits my aptitude quite well.”
“I wanted to give His Highness a present, but it seemed like a good opportunity.”
Lilian had a refreshed expression.
“I didn’t want to give up because everything suited you.”
At Lilian’s words, Damian smirked and went one more step.
“I’m going to dress prettily, so you have to make me look prettier in the future, okay?”
The retainers of the Grand Duke’s family didn’t hesitate to lament the sight of such Damian.
“…oh my God, so His Highness the Grand Duke could be so cooperative.”
“It’s a good thing, but I don’t know why I’m angry.”
All the hardships they had put up with all this time seemed to pass before their eyes. Everyone sighed in unison.
***
Some time passed after that, and it was the morning of Rachel’s party.
“…Your Highness, Your Highness?”
There was no answer, he just tightened his arms hugging Lilian from behind.
“Stop this and get up. I told you I had a lot of work to do today.”
“But…”
Damian whined and hugged Lily, who sat up on the bed. His purple eyes, pretending to be sleepy, looked up at Lilian.
“You’re perfect as you are right now, even without doing those things. Do you really have to leave my side this early in the morning?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not waking up early today to work on my grooming.”
“…yes?”
Lilian kissed her husband’s cheek as he blinked incredulously. Damian obediently got up with her but she didn’t expect…
“Oof.”
Again, Lilian’s back pressed against the pillow. Damian was grinning above Lilian.
“…you didn’t think you could touch me and get out of bed safely this morning, did you?”
Lilian said that if she had such naive expectations, she would have told him the truth, so she looked up at her smirking husband and pinched his nose unexpectedly.
“Ouch.”
Damian, who had been hurt knowingly, pretended to be surprised. Lilian remonstrated.
“I don’t know if it’s like other times, but I have a lot on my schedule today, Your Highness. I don’t have time for such pranks, and it seems like there’ll be a lot of problems regarding my stamina.”
“Still so calm…”
“Didn’t you say that you like me being calm?”
Lilian gestured for him to stop and get out of the way, then got up. Damian grumbled as he meekly withdrew.
“I’m sure you don’t know, but it’s good that my wife is plain and cold to everyone else but not to me.”
Damian had a consistent and upright taste. He was a man Lily loved but still a bit difficult to understand.
“…you don’t understand me, do you?”
Damian, who’s like a ghost, pointed out. Lilian obediently nodded her head.
“To be honest, yes. But it’s fine.”
She made up her mind to love this man, even to the point she didn’t quite understand. Even if she couldn’t understand him, she could be infinitely generous.
“Lily…”
Damian, who had been moved since this morning, got up to hug Lilian, who was standing beside the bed.
Lilian eagerly headed for her bathroom, even with him holding her back.
In the bathroom where the two arrived with less efficient penguin steps…
“I’ve been waiting for you, Your Highness.”
“I’m sorry I’m late. Shall we start now?”
The ladies in waiting who served Lilian were waiting quietly.
‘Are they here to help with dressing up…?’
Even so, the atmosphere was strange. Quick-witted Damian could tell right away.
‘What is this feeling, like I’m not an uninvited guest, but the main character…?’
The premonition of avoiding the arrows of the enemy by paper thin distance on the battlefield didn’t go wrong this time either. Lilian pointed to the tub on the side.
It was filled with pure white milk with a sweet scent.
Lilian smiled and instructed.
“Then, Your Highness, since we don’t have much time, shall we go in now?”
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