Julietta's Dressing Up

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

Maribel was near there, so it was very lucky she saw Marquis Marius. Maribel was finally moving to a mansion near Chartreu after taking over, since she received an order from Killian to clean up the theater.

The epidemic which began in Bertino had put the whole continent on alert, and for the time being she was supposed to stay in the mansion and watch. She had taken a last look around the theater and got into the carriage. Her new mansion was on the outskirts of Eldira Street. In a rush to find a place to live right, she purchased a temporary residence just inside a busy street where various commercial shops were gathered.

The location of the mansion where she stayed was not important, because she would follow Julietta to the Imperial Castle anyway. If she became the head maid of the Crown Prince, she might be able to get a mansion on Eldira Street, which she dared not do right now. Even if someone had money, if they were not a high-ranking aristocrat with a territory, they would not be able to enter the street of Eldira, the best area in Austern. However, she would set foot there in the future.

A commoner girl from the north had made a long journey and been able to build a nest near the highest point. As Maribel looked out the window of her carriage on Eloz Street, that had been like her home ground for so long, with fresh eyes, a man came into her eyes.

"That"s Marquis Marius, isn"t it?"

It was strange that a great n.o.bleman like Marquis Marius came in and out of a warehouse next to the shop. Feeling suspicious, Maribel quickly lowered the curtains and blocked the inside from the outside. Opening the curtains only a little so as not to be seen, she began to take a close look at the men in front of the Baden Shop.

Marius climbed into a carriage with no pattern, much like the one in which Maribel was now riding, and was wearing a plain gray uniform worn by ordinary butlers and attendants. If it were not for her sharp eyes, she would never have thought it was Marquis Marius.

She had never met him in person because Prince Francis and Marquis Marius weren"t interested in the theater, but she had seen him once from far away a long time ago. Her eye for people was never wrong.

"Our enemy has appeared in an unlikely place. I can sense something bad."

Marius was a man she could not rashly attach a person or investigate. If she was caught trying, she would vanish without a trace. However, the problem was that she could not report to Prince Killian just because he was suspicious. Maribel lowered the curtains, thinking that she should put a man on the Baden Shop.

------

Jane stealthily put Christine"s poison into Julietta"s tea cup and poured water, as she drank tea with Mrs. Raban at a set time each day.

The action was very secret and cautious. She had no choice but to be more cautious because she had been scolded for asking about the leg of the woman named Phoebe, Princess Kiellini"s companion, after the visit by an outside doctor.

Though she said that she wanted to take better care of her after checking whether there was any inconvenience, and she had asked for forgiveness, she had already fallen into disfavor with the princess. Marquise Raban dearly loved her niece and wanted to cut Jane according to her niece"s opinion, but since she had been introduced by an acquaintance, she let her work as her own maid and given her another chance.

She had yet to report to Lady Anais about being pushed out as the princess"s private maid by a simple mistake. Jane thought it wouldn"t matter if she just had her drink poison as directed, and the opportunity came right away.

These days, the routine of the princess was fixed.

She went out in the morning, returned to the mansion before lunch, ate, and stopped by her aunt, Mrs. Raban, for a tea time. After the engagement ceremony, it seemed that she had set a certain time to spend with Mrs. Raban until she entered the Imperial Castle.

The main conversation topic between the princess and madame these days was about preparing for the wedding.

The Empire was in turmoil after it was revealed that Prince Killian was born of the Emperor and the deceased Empress. Congress was convened to restore the Prince"s status and, based on the witnesses and evidence present, was pa.s.sed unanimously.

Marquise Raban and the princess used to talk about the upcoming ceremony of the coronation for the Crown Prince, wondering why Duke Dudley did not show much opposition.

In the Imperial Castle, they were still discussing whether to hold the coronation and the wedding ceremony at the same time, or to hold the coronation first and then the wedding ceremony. Either way, Prince Killian was in a hurry, so they didn"t think it would make much difference. Madame and the princess discussed a number of things to prepare for the wedding.

"Iris, I made a new will yesterday."

Jane stopped brewing the tea at the words of a new will. Perhaps, it would be important information. She listened carefully to their conversation, and she the Princess" green eyes go wide in surprise.

"A new will?"

"Yes, I have no children. So, I changed it to leave my estate to you after death. You, who will be the Empress, can"t inherit the t.i.tle of the Duke, so your son will be given the t.i.tle. You can"t take over the property of the family of the Duke, no matter when. You don"t have much of your own personal wealth. So, I wanted to hand over my widow"s estate to you."

It seemed better to give up the t.i.tle of the Duke and rise to the glorious position of the Empress of Austern, but that was not exactly the case.. All she would have was the widow land that was to be handed over to her from Regina"s mother, Katarina, after being married.

If Simone were to follow the bloodline, she would have to hand over her little widow"s estate to Regina, who would be the adoptive daughter of the Duke, but she wanted to do as she pleased.

These days, Simone was enjoying things as if she had a daughter. Julietta had been relying on Simone to discuss everything. Of course, since she learned everything in a hurry in the role of a subst.i.tute, she didn"t know much, but she had been seeking her opinions on even frivolous matters. "How about this, Auntie? Do you think the color of the dress will be okay? Which necklace is better?"

She hadn"t promised anything else, but Julietta came to visit her at this time since every day. Sometimes she brought Manny, and it would sleep in Julietta"s arms, or it would explore her entire parlor.

Simone wanted to clear away a little of the sinful mind and anxiety Julietta felt in her heart, by pa.s.sing on her the widow estate that was small, but still her own, to her.

To her, Julietta was now a real niece, and she wanted to let Julietta know that she was ent.i.tled to the widow"s estate that had been handed down to the daughters of the Kiellini family from generation to generation.

"Auntie."

"Those who didn"t know the inside of you would be envious and say that it would be a greater glory that you will be the Empress, but you are the wife of a man... If you inherited the Duchy of Kiellini, a lot of land, property, and power would all be yours. I don"t like that position where you"ll be anxious that you"ll be shaken by a man"s whims and kicked out immediately when your husband dies first, in the absence of a child."

When Simone clicked her tongue as if it was truly a pity, Julietta shed tears. She was grateful for this kind thought. It was an honest thing that only a mother who truly cared about her daughter"s happiness could make. She was moved by the thought of someone recognizing her worries and fears.

"No, dear. Why all of a sudden..."

"I"m so sorry to hear your words. I thought it would be great if I could live with my aunt and do whatever I wanted to do."