Julietta's Dressing Up

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

Christine and the First Queen confronted each other silently. It was a fight that could not be lost, but when she thought of her son, she had to lose. The First Queen opened her mouth first. "All right. I"ll let you live, I promise you, but Francis" name should never cross your mouth."

"Just saving my life is not enough. You must declare that I am not guilty of any crime, so that I can be the Queen of His Highness Francis."

"How could this child have changed so much? I can"t think of the cute niece who fell in love and was blushing."

Christine sat down on the sofa as the First Queen stared at her with no other answer and left the waiting room. "My mother"s dead…"

"Now that the First Queen is here, everything will be fine." Penny came back in and made some noise in relief.

"But do you know who just walked into the next waiting room? She"s the illegitimate child of the Duke of Kiellini."

Christine lifted her head, absent-minded. "The Duke of Kiellini"s b.a.s.t.a.r.d?"

"Yes, I think she"s older than Princess Kiellini. She was born before the Duke of Kiellini married the d.u.c.h.ess. The Duke hid her in the annex of Tilia Territory."

While she was out in the hall and happened to hear that, Penny excitedly talked about it without a pause. "Oh, my G.o.d, she has been living as a maid of Princess Kiellini, but no one knew."

Christine asked again at Penny"s words. "Was she in the Kiellini mansion as a maid?"

"Yes. She"s been there for a while as a companion to talk with the princess. But I feel sorry for the lady. She has a limp."

Christine"s forehead furrowed. She was the illegitimate child of the Duke of Kiellini and had a physical defect. It was worth drawing Francis"s attention to. Christine, whose only line of life was now Francis, had to be sensitive, because she would be in trouble if his attention left her before she even got married.

She frowned at the thought that flashed across her mind. It reminded her of the woman she had sent to Francis as a present. The only thing in common was the limp, but somehow she felt uncomfortable.

While Christine tried to remember hearing anything about the illegitimate child of the Kiellini family from Jane, a servant came to her. "Lady Anais, please come out. His Majesty calls you."

She gave up her thoughts and jumped to her feet. As she left the waiting room, opening and closing her fist, she seemed indifferent to the illegitimate child of the Kiellini family.

------

Dian arrived at the castle on the outskirts of Baden with Regina, who had barely recovered. If they pa.s.sed a bascule bridge and entered the castle, the Magic Square would be in sight, so they were almost there. Fortunately, there were not many people waiting for the Magic Square, so they didn"t seem to have to wait long.

She glanced worriedly at Regina. She still had a high fever and unstable breathing. Without realizing it, she read the countenances of people around her. To the attendants and knights who knew they were going to Bertino, she had not yet informed them that their destination was the Imperial Castle in Austern.

"If you"re going to Austern or Vicern, please step back, because it"s not available right now."

The group, who thought they were going to Bertino, did not move. Dian hesitated, but got off the wagon.

Magicians in dress engraved with the Austern"s imperial emblem were approaching each carriage in line to guide them.

"Why is it hard to use now?" Dian approached a magician a distance from their carriage and asked.

"His Highness Killian, many n.o.bles and their knights, and the attendants are going to Vicern in large numbers, so it may take a long time."

Regina was not in good shape, and Dian was nervous because she had to arrive at the capital before Phoebe was identified as an illegitimate child. She raised her head when she heard the Prince was among them.

"What happened? Is there a war?"

The magician hesitated for a moment. He lowered his voice as his heart sank at the appearance of the pale lady. "It"s not like that, so don"t worry. There"s suspicion that Princess Kiellini is a fake, and they are actually going to the Vicern Temple to prove it." the kindly magician answered and moved along in a hurry.

Dian stared blankly at the magician"s back and quickly came to her senses.

"Has suspicion arisen that Princess Kiellini is a fake? Did everything come to light? So what will happen to Sir Caden and me?"

Diane hurried back to her carriage, and told Regina the embarra.s.sing news she had heard. Regina soothed Dian, who looked afraid, and wanted to run away right away.

"Dian, we have to go to Vicern, not Austern. We"re going to go there and reveal your existence."

Regina muttered inwardly, "Of course, I will reveal my existence too."

"Vicern?"

When Dian showed her surprise and instinctive fear at the same time, Regina tried to make her voice as sweet as possible.

"Dian, do you know why they"re going to Vicern?"

Dian shook her head, because she had no idea.

"They"re trying to be recognized as Princess Kiellini in the Vicern Temple. I think Phoebe will go with them, too. So come on. Let"s go and reveal your existence."

"How did they get recognized by the Vicern Temple, if it"s not real?"

Regina closed her eyes as if she was running out of energy. "There"s nothing they can"t do with money and power. They did it once, they can do it twice."

Dian nodded naively. She didn"t know much about the world of n.o.bles, but Regina seemed right when it came to trying to make Julietta a princess, and make Phoebe and her a n.o.blewoman.

Regina added with her eyes closed. "You just have to do what I tell you to do."

Regina faintly smiled, "And you"ll sacrifice your life to help me get my revenge."

------

Julietta gazed deeply outside the wagon window. She remembered that not long ago, she had said that she would come to see the site of the Raefany shop here with Count Adam.

"How good would it have been to come to Vicern for such a pleasant thing..."

But now she was on the verge of deciding the destiny of her lifetime. She had a headache from fear, was trembling, and the pressure she had to bear.

It was only when Julietta felt a gentle finger on her lips that she bit her lips. As she looked up, she could see Killian"s smile.

"The reddish lips seemed to be asking for something. Are you biting so hard to tempt me?"

She laughed at his easy manner, leaning on the back of the wagon as if there was not a bit of anxiety or worry. He was the one who would stand like a mountain and support her no matter what would happen. If she was with him, it seemed like everything was trivial and nothing special.

"But why did you have to bring Manny all the way here?"

Killian frowned disapprovingly, because Manny growled at him, like it was Julietta"s father or brother.

"Strangely, I feel safe when Manny is around me. I feel like everything"s going to be okay, so I have courage. I think Manny will play a big role if something is bad. It"s so clever that it seems to understand what I"m saying. I see Your Highness brought Lilly with you, too."

"That"s because Lilly wants to go to where Manny goes."

Lilly did not want to be too far from Manny. If she could not see Manny for a moment, she would meow all day, so Albert would take her on the wagon or she would jump out of his arms and run off.

"I need to find a cat friend for Lilly. Lilly tires Manny out," said Julietta, comforting Manny, who was flying into her arms to escape Lilly"s love bombs.

"I think so. Why does she like Manny so much? Oh, dear!"

Killian grumbled and gently stroked the head of Lilly, who jumped up on his lap.

"We"ve finally arrived."

A moment later, Killian looked out the window, building up his spirits, as if he had never been unctuous and greasy in his life. Julietta, who was looking down at Manny, also looked out of the window. When she saw the iron gate surrounding the huge white Vicern Temple opening up, her relief evaporated into pressure once more…

When the carriage stopped in front of the Vicern Temple"s main gate after a straight stone road, priests in white clerical robes greeted them.