~Chapter 13~
It was Ethan’s older brother, Marick.
“So kind, Duke. Maybe try being this kind to your future wife too?” Marick joked, patting Ethan’s shoulder.
“Not going?” Marick asked.
“Where?” Ethan replied.
“To the Eduard Villa, of course.”
It was a long time ago.
Back when Ethan and Marick were young boys and their father, William Kenwulf, was still alive and the head of the family.
The Duchy of Reuben was located close to the capital and was seen as a possible threat to the Empire. So the Emperor, with Duke William, attacked the duchy while their king was away.
The invasion was a success.
The duchy was defeated, became part of the Empire, and their rulers were sent far away into exile.
To reward Duke William, the Emperor gave him part of the duchy’s land, including the Eduard Villa.
Ethan’s family used to visit the villa in summer, but after their father died, they stopped going.
So it was surprising that their mother wanted to visit now.
“It’s been a while since she went,” Ethan said.
“She wants to avoid being seen in the capital,” Marick replied. “She said she’ll act as the chaperone.”
“That’s just an excuse,” Ethan said. “She wants to keep the girl close so she doesn’t get any funny ideas.”
“Funny ideas?”
Ethan leaned back and clicked his tongue. “That woman’s probably thinking about how to make the marriage more successful.”
That’s why she secretly came to his room that night, worried something would ruin it.
She was clever and calculated. Not a bad thing — they both needed each other.
Still, Ethan felt upset. He had believed that night was special, full of coincidence and kindness. But now it felt fake and strategic.
The way she smiled reminded him of delicate leaves in the breeze, but underneath, she had planned everything.
Ethan stayed silent, frowning, so Marick pushed again. “So, you’re not going?”
“No.”
“Mother went ahead to check the villa, but the Empress suddenly called her back.”
“Haven’t heard from her in a while. Why?”
“No idea. I guess I have to guide the lady now,” Marick said.
Since their mother couldn’t go, someone had to make sure the McCurry girl wasn’t left alone in an unfamiliar place.
Ethan, being the fiancé, would be perfect — but judging from his attitude, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Oh, one more thing,” Marick said, as if he had just remembered something. “I want to give her flowers. You’ve seen her — any idea what would suit her?”
“Flowers?” Ethan scowled, but then a memory came to him.
Her pale blue eyes reminded him of a flower — the blue poppy his father had once gotten for their mother.
“Blue poppy, maybe. Though it died quickly.”
The flower was rare and came from the mountains. But they had planted it in a hot, humid greenhouse and it withered.
Ethan smiled slightly, remembering how his mother had wandered the manor looking guilty afterward. Then he became serious again.
“She’ll be fine. She came prepared.”
“You’re so cold,” Marick muttered, standing up and clicking his tongue.
Usually, Ethan either ignored people or took care of them if they were “his people.” But he was weirdly cold to his future wife.
“Fine, I’ll get my favorite flower then.”
“Do whatever.”
Marick poked at his own cheek with his finger, hinting at Ethan’s dark eye circles.
“They’re back again. After your trip to the villa, your eyebags might reach your chin.”
Ethan frowned, and Marick left the training grounds laughing.
Left alone, Ethan leaned back on the bench and looked at the peaceful sky.
Now that he thought of it, her eyes weren’t exactly blue poppy-colored. They were lighter, like the pale sky.
“…”
He had been sleeping well recently, but now sleep was getting hard again.
As he sat there, eyes closed, he suddenly opened them and looked around.
It was cold.
The spring wind, still carrying winter’s chill, blew through his thin linen shirt.
In the distance, his servant Stanley was running toward him, holding a jacket.
“Why didn’t you wear this in the first place? It’s freezing.”
“I didn’t think I’d be out this long.”
Ethan tried to put on the jacket — but couldn’t. It was way too tight in the chest, shoulders, and arms.
It was from before the war. His body had grown stronger after three years of battle.
Looking down at his thicker frame, Ethan muttered, “Did I grow?”
“You’re not a teenager! How are you still getting bigger?” Stanley said.
“Only normal people stop growing.”
Ethan forced the tiny jacket onto his shoulders and smiled.
“We need a tailor.”
“A tailor?”
Normally, the Kenwulf family had a personal tailor for their house, but Stanley shook his head.
“She’s already at the villa with Madam. She’s there to make lots of clothes for Lady McCurry.”
Ethan’s mouth fell open. His mother had taken their one and only tailor?
A strong wind blew again.
He wrapped the jacket tightly around himself, but the wind slipped right through.
He was cold.
“Bring me a nightgown.”
“A nightgown?! You usually only wear that when sleeping outside!”
“You talk too much.”
“Well, you never had shame anyway.”
As Stanley grumbled and walked off, Ethan muttered, “I need clothes.”
Meanwhile…
Serawang, the personal tailor, had arrived at the Eduard Villa.
And she wasn’t alone.
The Kenwulf family had six fashion specialists, and four of them were now at the villa:
Serawang (the tailor),
Her assistant,
Twiffany (a jeweler),
and Minolo (a shoemaker).
The other two — a skin specialist and a hair stylist — would arrive soon with the Duchess.
It was a full team makeover mission.
While the servants unpacked, the four of them sat in the drawing room sipping tea.
Tiffany, the jeweler, spoke first.
“I didn’t know the family had a villa this close to the capital. Why haven’t we been here before?”
Minolo, the shoemaker and oldest of the group, rubbed his white beard and said,
“My gut says we shouldn’t ask. If the staff has kept quiet about this place, there must be a reason.”
“If Minolo says so, I’ll trust him,” Tiffany replied.
Serawang changed the subject.
“Who is this girl anyway? Why did the Duchess bring us all here to dress her up from head to toe?”
Before they left, the team had asked who they were styling, but the Duchess had only said mysteriously:
“Who else? My darling… ahem… I’ll tell you when we get there.”
At the time, the assistant tailor had raised her hand and said,
“But we need to know her colors and image to bring the right materials and jewels!”
The Duchess had only smiled and replied cheerfully:
“Chick.”
