Chapter 41
“Krua.”
Dielo’s slightly troubled voice reached my ears.
I deliberately turned a cold gaze toward the tailoring assistants.
“Ah…”
As they began to glance nervously at me, Dielo spoke up.
“It’s a bit… improper for you to do this yourself.”
He sounded as though he were trying to dissuade me.
Exactly the kind of temperament the world believed Dielo to have.
And exactly the role we had agreed upon before they arrived.
I knew he had a good memory, but to repeat my words back without a single slip?
Dielo, nice!
“Then are you planning to let another woman touch you?”
I asked sharply, and Dielo immediately raised both hands, as if to say that was unthinkable.
“Of course not. Not in front of my bride.”
Then he took the measuring tape from the assistant’s hand and placed it in mine.
He smiled faintly.
“All right, Krua.”
The way he blushed made it impossible to tell whether it was an act or genuine.
“Krua, do as you please.”
Then he placed my hand on the buttons of his shirt.
The sudden heat made me flinch.
That line wasn’t in the script.
…Still, things were proceeding according to the plan we had laid out.
No tailoring assistant would dare interrupt here.
And if one had a heart bold enough to try, they’d hardly be wasting their talent as a mere assistant, hmm.
Sure enough, the assistants and even the tailor all averted their eyes.
“Good.”
I straightened up.
Dielo began removing his outer coat.
The assistants who received Dielo’s coat exchanged uneasy glances.
Three had come, but only two exchanged looks, while the third simply stood there with a troubled face.
…So the three weren’t from the same house, it seemed?
Considering this gathering was supposed to symbolize harmony among the three houses, that was rather encouraging.
Even at this hour before dawn, the three houses were huddled together, trading glances.
Unity of the three houses—achieved!
…Or not. Whoever invented this gathering would leap out of their grave if they saw this mess.
“Over here, if you please…”
The assistant seemed eager to see more of Dielo’s body up close, but I shot him a look full of displeasure.
After all, we were the picture of a honeymoon couple, and Krua was supposed to be a possessive villainess. Faced with such a gaze, the assistant had no choice but to shrink.
“Uh, please measure the shoulder line first.”
At least he managed to speak.
I followed his instruction, moving behind Dielo and placing my hands on his shoulders.
As I stretched the tape across, I realized anew how broad his back was.
The masculine lines stood out clearly.
When I rose on tiptoe to read the numbers—because of our height difference—Dielo stiffened slightly.
“Hold still.”
I pressed his shoulder gently and whispered. I could feel his faint, uneven breath.
“Next, the arm length…”
This time the tape ran from his shoulder down to where a warm hand brushed against mine.
We measured several places at the assistant’s direction, until at last he revealed his true intention.
“Finally, we must measure the chest. But your shirt is rather thick, so, ah…”
In short, he wanted Dielo to take it off.
It wasn’t even that thick, but if we resisted, he’d surely find another excuse. Better to get it over with now.
“Would you kindly unbutton, sir?” the assistant asked Dielo.
Dielo looked at him—then at me.
As if seeking permission.
Ah.
I played my role as the possessive villainess faithfully, shooting the assistant a displeased glare before replying:
“If we must.”
My grumbling tone came out just right. Dielo touched his buttons but then leaned closer to me.
“?”
I blinked, and in that instant a shadow fell.
Smack.
His lips brushed my forehead.
The sudden kiss left me frozen.
“Bear with it, just a little, Krua.”
Click, click.
He whispered as his fingers undid the buttons.
“No matter what I show, or what I do in front of others…”
Click.
“I’m yours, Krua.”
…That line wasn’t in the script either.
But it more than sufficed to create the sweet atmosphere of newlyweds.
“Ahem.”
Even the tailor with 47 years of experience coughed awkwardly, as if he’d never seen such a couple.
The assistant even took a step back.
Me, nice!
Click.
In the meantime, Dielo finished unbuttoning his shirt.
And beneath it… lilies.
“……!”
The assistants’ eyes widened.
Naturally, what they saw were two lilies.
One of them carefully concealed with makeup, of course.
“Then please measure the chest circumference.”
The assistant spoke.
I stepped in close with the tape.
“……”
Had we ever embraced this closely even at night?
I couldn’t tell if my cheeks were burning from my own blush or from his heat enveloping me.
Wrapping the tape around him from behind as if hugging him, I measured his chest.
Then Dielo spoke in a low voice.
“Loosen it a little.”
“Ah.”
Was I pulling too tight?
I eased the pressure slightly.
After all, chest measurements were usually taken over clothes. Too tight would be no good.
And we weren’t making a skin-tight outfit.
“Like this much?”
As I relaxed the tape slightly in his arms, Dielo let out a short breath.
“No, a little more.”
His breathing sounded slightly heated.
The man who could ad-lib lines so easily now seemed nervous.
“Relax,” I whispered softly.
Dielo gazed down at me quietly.
“……”
For a moment, his eyes seemed almost accusing.
…Was I squeezing too hard?
“?”
When I loosened a bit more, Dielo gave a sheepish smile—then leaned in again.
Smack.
Another sweet sound.
“Ahem! Hem!”
The 47-year veteran tailor overreacted once more.
And this time, my own head spun.
These natural kisses—I like them!
I really do, but…! With spies from the other houses watching, was this really the time—?!
Then Dielo dropped a bomb into my muddled head.
“You’re too close, Krua.”
His whisper was soft, but the room was so silent that everyone must have heard.
“It’s hard to restrain myself.”
My face burned.
“L-let us begin the tailoring now,” blurted the veteran tailor, apparently more Confucian-minded than me.
He quickly averted his gaze, of course.
Almost at the same time, noise rose outside.
I turned my head toward the door, still inadvertently holding Dielo.
“From the estate—”
An urgent messenger from the 4th floor burst in without knocking, then froze at the sight of us.
He quickly composed himself and reported:
“……Another tailor has arrived.”
Another tailor? Not the 47-year master?
I looked back at the old tailor, who also wore a troubled face.
Was I about to be discarded?
His expression seemed to say exactly that.
Well then?
As I turned back, Dielo explained:
“Just in case, I ordered the estate to bring in the house’s resident tailor as quickly as possible.”
If the veteran hadn’t been available, the house tailor would have taken over.
Preparing a backup plan was a very commendable attitude. Good job.
“Th-then I shall…”
The poor veteran tailor looked ready to flee after witnessing nothing but our romance.
Then, unexpectedly, Dielo spoke.
“As for the bride…”
When I looked back, he tilted his head slightly and laid his hand on top of mine.
It felt not like warmth, but heat—perhaps because he was so close.
He continued.
“Do you have a new ceremonial gown prepared?”
“…Excuse me?”
Normally only the head of the house would wear new attire, no?
“Fortunately, the house’s tailor works quickly.”
Dielo smiled gently.
“I’d like us to be fitted together.”
What? Now?
With only a few hours until the final banquet?
This definitely wasn’t part of the plan.
