60 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
Though Lufkin was a rising district, it couldn't compare to Baden's Main Street.
The two young ladies had expected to sweep through the luxury boutiques when they came to the Imperial City from the North.
But the Imperial Society was not an easy place to navigate.
The boutiques on Main Street operated on a membership basis and were stingy with unfamiliar customers.
Even the boutiques that were open to the public didn't pay much attention to them, and they were only humiliated in the few places they managed to enter.
The rumor that Alisha had coldly ignored them when they tried to act familiar at the Princess's birthday celebration had already spread, and the noble young ladies who recognized them quickly fanned themselves or covered their mouths, whispering among themselves.
Cynthia and Angela, pushed out by the chilly atmosphere, moved to Lufkin, which was more welcoming to young ladies.
But even in Lufkin, some people recognized them and soon they were receiving disapproving glances.
They hovered outside the boutiques, which were as well-decorated as those on Main Street, unable to bring themselves to enter.
"Why should I have to be so careful because of that baggage? Let's go in!"
Cynthia bit her lip, recalling the insults she had suffered between yesterday and today.
Her face was full of resentment as she spoke.
"Why should we be careful? But..."
Angela glanced repeatedly at the boutique's window display, her eyes drawn to it.
She tried to hide it, but Angela's face betrayed her reluctance.
For a while, they argued about whether to go in or not.
It was then that the sound of horses' hooves, the kind usually heard on Main Street, rang out.
A luxurious carriage, unable to enter the alley, stopped, and a woman wearing a cloak stepped out.
Even at a glance, she was a noble young lady lavishly adorned from head to toe.
The two were briefly distracted by the lady who had stepped out of the carriage before resuming their fruitless argument.
"I said let's go in."
"Just a moment."
"What's with all the 'just a moment's'!"
Cynthia wanted to go in, but Angela hesitated.
"Ladies."
Just as they were about to restart their endless argument, the lavishly dressed noble young lady spoke to them.
It was the lady who had stepped out of the luxurious carriage earlier.
Cynthia and Angela gave a slight curtsy to the approaching lady.
The lady returned the curtsy and lowered her cloak, revealing her face.
"Are you going inside?"
"We... yes, we're about to go in."
Cynthia hesitated before answering.
Angela nudged Cynthia lightly as she spoke.
Their eyes met, conveying a look that said, "Look at that."
The lady's cloak in front of them seemed plain at first glance.
But upon closer inspection, it was densely patterned with silver and gold threads.
The subtle sheen that had been visible from afar was not just from the sunlight.
"This place is nice, but I have a boutique I frequent. Would you like to come with me?"
Beneath the luxurious cloak, a dress even simpler yet more dazzling was visible.
"Yes...!"
"Why are you offering us such a thing?"
Just as the quick-tempered Cynthia was about to agree, Angela quickly intervened.
"I haven't been going out much lately, so I've become a little estranged from the friends I used to hang out with. You two seem to be around my age, so I think we could be good friends. Would you like to come with me? Oh, I'm late with introductions. I'm Viviana Manners. And you are?"
At the name Viviana Manners, Cynthia and Angela's eyes widened simultaneously.
"It's an honor to meet you, Lady Viviana. I'm Cynthia Brenell."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Viviana. I'm Angela Miller."
Viviana waved her hand at Cynthia and Angela's greetings.
"Oh, don't be so formal. I came to you first to ask to be friends, so it'll be hard to become friends if you keep your distance. But do you know me? How do you know..."
Viviana chattered as if she found it strange that someone knew her.
A strange excitement flickered in Cynthia and Angela's eyes as they met each other's gaze.
No lady debuting into the Imperial Society could be unaware of the daughter of Marquis Manners, the Prime Minister.
The owner of the magnificent cloak was far more impressive than the two had anticipated.
"Friends, you say."
"Yes, that's too much."
Viviana shook her head and smiled shyly at their humble words.
"Don't say that. Anyway, knowing me means you know I'm not a bad person, right? Will you come with me?"
"Yes!"
"We'd be delighted to accompany you."
Viviana introduced them to her luxurious carriage and walked ahead.
A deep smile was etched on her face as she told them to relax, not to be so formal, and to become good friends.
Reikart had been lying in bed for two days.
He lay lazily in bed, listlessly staring at the fresco on the bedroom ceiling.
He had been looking at it all day yesterday and for two days now, but his sense of wonder and amazement had not diminished in the slightest.
"..."
His face, which had been blankly staring at the ceiling, turned towards the window.
His body, turned to the side, curled up slightly.
He propped his right arm under his face, which was turned away.
Reikart heard the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs from the first floor.
The footsteps were not dragging, and the sound was fast but not clumsy; it was Henrik's.
Whether someone was watching or not, he climbed the stairs one step at a time, pausing briefly before turning the corner—a movement typical of Henrik.
Having climbed all the stairs on the first floor, Henrik stood in front of the Grand Duke's bedroom with a polite gesture.
Soon, there was a knock on the door.
"Your Highness, it's Henrik."
Henrik's voice was cautious.
"Come in."
Reikart said lazily, looking out the window.
He had not entered the Imperial Palace yesterday.
"Shall I prepare for you to enter the Imperial Palace?"
Henrik said, facing Reikart's back, which was turned away.
"No."
Reikart was a man who thoroughly restrained himself.
Born into a wealthy imperial family, he seemed to have a life without difficulties, but the imperial family of this country was required to be worthy of their status.
He had been taught that since he was born into an imperial family and lived a wealthy life, there were duties and laws to be observed accordingly.
Not all members of the imperial family kept all the duties and laws.
In Reikart's case, he was particularly compliant with duties and laws among the imperial family.
As such, he unhesitatingly took the rights and privileges that the imperial family was entitled to.
"Then, shall I prepare to go to Tessen?"
"No."
The day before yesterday, Reikart had collapsed.
Yesterday, Reikart had woken up early in the morning but had spent the day resting.
In fact, it seemed more like he was just playing around.
But since he had collapsed the night before, Henrik understood his master's need to clear his surroundings.
Today, Reikart was clearly slacking off.
Reikart prioritized the rights and duties of the imperial family.
He had always been that way.
Even in impossible situations, he would rush to the Imperial City to fulfill his duties as a member of the imperial family when the Emperor called.
The Grand Duke was a man who, when it was appropriate to consider compassion or brotherly affection, would acknowledge his brothers' greetings with a mere nod, according to the hierarchy and rights of the imperial family.
It was strange that Reikart, who had always been like that, was neglecting his duties and lazing around in bed.
Henrik had been worried yesterday.
Henrik was worried today as well, but he also had questions.
What was going on?
But he couldn't rashly ask.
"Hmm."
Henrik pressed his lips tightly, wanting to ask, and scanned the Grand Duke's bedroom.
Unless he was given specific instructions, he had to say he would withdraw and leave the room.
"Henrik."
Just as Henrik was agonizing over whether to leave or not, Reikart called him.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Henrik answered without being able to hide his eagerness.
Normally, Reikart would have been critical of his servant's attitude.
Reikart, who was curled up facing the window, seemed somehow like a sulky child.
Like a simple child who couldn't read other people's gestures, he didn't give Henrik any warning.
"When someone embraces someone else, and the person being embraced feels their heart pounding as if it's about to burst, what's the psychology behind that?"
Reikart said without taking his eyes off the window.
Oh!
Henrik wanted to shout like an immature and reckless young man.
It seemed that Alisha had finally embraced the Grand Duke.
She was indeed an excellent and proactive young lady.
He forcibly suppressed the sound that was about to burst out of his mouth and only shouted with conviction in his mind.
Well done, Lady!
Henrik was curious about the specific details, but he wasn't so clueless as to ask about such trivial matters.
"Isn't it because they like each other?"
Henrik said, deliberately using an indifferent tone.
It was difficult to suppress the twitching of his lips.
His cheekbones kept trying to rise.
"She doesn't like me."
Reikart said without moving.
His turned back seemed somehow even more sulky than before.
"Yes? No, it's not that the Lady embraced Your Highness, but that Your Highness embraced the Lady..."
Henrik blurted out his thoughts in response to the unexpected words.
Reikart turned his face and stared silently at his face, which was speaking so vehemently.
"I said, 'When someone embraces someone else.'"
Reikart's face was unwavering as he spoke calmly.
"..."
Henrik was dumbfounded.
If you're going to lie, you should lie about something believable.
If the Grand Duke, who had no interest in other people's affairs, mentioned a specific person, it was about his own affairs.
Moreover, if it was about the romance between two people, it was about the Grand Duke himself and Alisha.
He couldn't understand why he was trying so hard to hide something so obvious, but he soon understood.
Judging by the situation, it seemed that the Grand Duke had realized his feelings for Alisha and approached her, but had been rejected.
Henrik wanted to express his pity and incomprehension.
Then he understood a little.
The Grand Duke must have been quite stiff until now.
He remembered the moments when Alisha, who was unusually sociable and proactive for a lady of high nobility, had been treated coldly.
If he were repeatedly pushed away while trying to get along with a cold and much older fiancé, he would be annoyed too.
Henrik wanted to blurt out, "I told you so!"
But he, being an excellent aide, let the awkward moment pass with a smile.
"Why are you smiling?"
Reikart had rolled over from looking at the window and was now looking towards Henrik.
The sun was at its zenith, but he was lying crookedly in bed, covered in blankets, looking like a lazy bum.
But thanks to his handsome face, he didn't look ugly.
Even though he was speaking as if he was picking a fight with a considerate servant, his sulky face was only radiant.
"I'm smiling, you say."
I'm smiling because what Your Highness is saying is ridiculous.
Henrik was a man who knew how to swallow the truth that shouldn't be spoken.
"Leave."
Reikart said, lazing around in bed.
He didn't know what it was like for other people, but that was what made Reikart so special to Henrik.
It wasn't bad to see someone who had only shown a side of enduring and restraining everything lazing around and slacking off.
For some reason, it even looked a little heartwarming.
"Maybe she's just playing hard to get because of her pride...?"
Henrik said, ignoring the order to leave.
"..."
Reikart didn't respond to Henrik's words.
But it was obvious that he seemed tempted.
Reikart, who had been looking at Henrik with one eyebrow raised crookedly, buried his face in the pillow.