"Now, raise your arms and hold still."
I awkwardly raised my arms in front of the mirror. A seamstress, wielding a long tape measure, moved back and forth between my shoulders, chest, and waist in a dressmaker's shop that looked fit for a nobleman.
"I should get a few."
"One suit is enough."
"But wouldn't it be a problem if my clothes got hit by pouring water like last time?"
"…Small."
"You always make me sound childish."
I couldn't say another word, anyway. I glared at Kyle, then lowered my arms when the seamstress declared she was finished. Kyle, standing beside me, arm-in-arm, ordered two tailcoats from the seamstress. One was neat and tidy, and the other was grand and luxurious.
"Oh, now that I see this, I almost didn't have to measure again."
"What?"
"It's similar to the size of the clothes His Highness Kyle ordered earlier. I have a sample I made in advance just in case, and there's almost no part that needs mending."
"No…"
I hadn't expected it, but did he really size me up so perfectly with just his eyes? I looked at Kyle with a curious gaze. He shrugged as if it didn't matter, then pretended to wrap his arms around the air.
"This is roughly my waist size. I wonder if my shoulders were like this."
"…"
I puffed out my cheeks and simply shut up. My ears were burning, so my face must have been beet red. In short, all the clothes prepared for me had been sized by Kyle himself… I mean, he measured me like that?
"Who makes clothes so badly!"
"But it was accurate, wasn't it?"
"…Let's stop talking, let's just stop."
I wrapped my arm around his and pulled down Kyle's hand as he continued to mime measuring my waist. Then, I spoke with a firmer voice, urging him sternly, "In the future! Without fail! Come and get them made with me."
"Dare…"
"By all means!"
"…Yes."
This wasn't just about the size. The problem was that every time he went to a new dressmaker, he'd be measuring my back or chest in that way. If only they had been made so accurately in the first place… How long had he been watching me? I stared at Kyle's face and then turned my head away. He was still pretending to grab the air with both hands.
…Hmm. Was my waist roughly like this?
[(¬‿¬)]
Don't look at me like that. I can see you.
I coughed and looked out at the dressmaker's shop. The festive streets were filled with bright liveliness and the sound of people's laughter. However, standing in the middle of all that joy and blessing, there was a tense energy that seemed ready to snap. Like a ticking time bomb with a lit wick.
I looked around, feeling Kyle approach me. The seamstress had gone to finish the clothes and wasn't seen nearby. It was the perfect time to bring up the words I had held back. I'd been so busy I hadn't had the chance, but now seemed appropriate. However, there might be eavesdroppers, so my voice naturally became smaller.
"That's when the chandelier fell from Blake's estate."
"Yes."
Even though I only mentioned the chandelier, he seemed uncomfortable. His eyebrows narrowed slightly, as if he was thinking about those days. It was a wound that had already healed, so why was it so disgusting? I smiled faintly and continued.
"Duke Klein is behind it. I did some research and found out that the only engineer in the Meinhardt Empire who could make that chandelier was working for Duke Klein. He sent an old chandelier on purpose to create bad blood between Prince Belial and His Highness Kyle."
No, he would have hoped that Belial would die from the chandelier.
"I see. Was that Lorentz's doing?"
"That too… What do you mean?"
"It was Lorenz who moved the mysterious soldiers who attacked Belial and the Seine. When I interrogated the Templars, they were surprisingly obedient. Aside from the fact that you've done a lot of work, you don't seem to have a lot of reputation."
Kyle's voice was cynical. Even if he and Belial weren't on good terms, he was reluctant to hit him in the back like this.
"Rather, it's surprising that Belial is quiet."
"Yes?"
"Every time I came to Hwangseong, they would harass me in all kinds of ways. This time, I just sent out an invitation to the Tea Party, so I guess I put up with it a lot."
"Oh…"
How much had he bullied people so far? I glanced at the imperial castle where Belial resided. Then I coughed and said casually, "You probably don't have time to pay attention to it. Now, Prince Belial has to pay attention to not only Prince Lorenz, but also his maternal family. As long as you have Duke Klein on your back, Prince Lorenz can't be ignored either."
"Does Belial know that Lorenz was behind the attack?"
"Yes, it looks like he's looked into it."
Kyle nodded thoughtfully. He seemed to have a vague premonition that there would be a fourth month before the engagement ceremony. A countermeasure was needed. Of course, not everything could be decided here.
I tilted my head as if I wanted to go outside. "It'll be soon, right? First, let's go out and walk. The smell of perfume here makes my head hurt."
"Yes. You can go out and walk straight to the right."
"Yes."
I nodded and left the dressmaker's. The strong perfume, which had been almost overwhelming, disappeared, and I felt my mind clear.
What do I do now?
After straightening my shoulders, I followed Kyle's instructions, walking down the path to the right, lost in thought. The flow of the game had changed quite a bit from the original, so the information that could be obtained from the system would be limited now. Of course, they would find a way to save Kyle, but they weren't sure which side to take in the fight between Belial and Klein.
Of course, neither of them is very desirable.
As I was walking around, thinking about this and that, Kyle joined me. He walked with an extraordinary stride, holding a tall box in one hand.
"You look happy."
"No problem."
Yes, if you like it, that's fine. Even if I don't look at it, my heart seems to soar. I looked around and quickened my steps. It was quite different from the alley I passed through yesterday. Apparently, it was a place where nobles mainly came and went, so it seemed to be more neat and splendid.
While I was distracted by the luxurious paving stones and the pillars with exquisite and beautiful carvings, I heard a whispering voice from somewhere.
"Isn't that Kyle Blake?"
It was small, but not something I couldn't hear. I reflexively turned my head to find the source of the sound. Noble ladies, fanning themselves, were looking at me and whispering.
"…Huh."
It didn't seem like they were talking about anything good. I knew that just by looking at their eyes.
[(￣へ￣)!]
I slipped over to the alley where the noble ladies were hiding. They didn't seem to notice me, even though I had narrowed the distance enough to hear their conversations clearly.
"Oh, that maid, the revived prince?"
"The maid was kicked out because she was caught offering Serena a poisonous flower."
"How dare a maid try to assassinate the Duke's family? Is she going to be the Empress?"
"Is that why he believed he would become Serena? Ugh…"
"The son of such a vulgar maid, it's as obvious as fire."
"Yes, it's the mother and the child. I'm sure I'm holding on to my heart. On the subject of menial resuscitation!"
Let's listen to it, so really. What about the maid?
"Hey."
There was no insult like this. I couldn't just let it go. Even if Kyle put up with it, I couldn't. I hated myself for it. He was not someone who should be evaluated in this way. At least, I didn't want to allow him to be judged for something he didn't do.
I pulled up the corners of my mouth as I tried to calm my bubbling stomach. Then I put one hand on my hip and sneered, "It seems that the distributions are very different, right? You dared to curse the Grand Duke near the imperial city. Oh, is there anyone here who has a higher rank than the Grand Duke? Is that why you're not afraid? It seems that your status is very important, so can I ask you what kind of high-ranking people you are?"
At first, the ladies were trying to scream at each other, but then they flinched and stepped back. It looked very cowardly as they covered their faces with embarrassment. I rushed at them with more enthusiasm.
"His Majesty the Emperor isn't a fool, and he didn't recognize one of his sons, so he made him the Crown Prince? Aren't you ashamed to be happy while talking about other people's scandals? Besides, if you're a maid, what's lacking from birth?"
Is there a separate lineage for the Crown Prince? Perhaps because I was from a country where I had grown up in the early evening, it was even more absurd to hear such remarks. If you're going to back down with a few words, why are you gossiping in the first place?
I whimpered and moved my foot further forward. "Okay. Let's hear how good your family is. If you have a greater status than the prince, come out and see. Yes?"
"Do you want me to tell you a good name? Why are you talking…"
"Shhh."
At that moment, it became dark in front of me. Soon, I felt a warm hand covering the corner of my eye. Kyle stood behind me and whispered, covering my forehead and eyes, "It's okay. Calm down."
"…"
When did you come?
I didn't know because I was so consumed by my anger. Maybe he came normally, but I didn't know anything because I was practically fuming. My back tilted slightly backward, touching his chest. His unnecessarily wide body felt a little friendly.
"Pull it off."
This was probably what he was saying to those who were gossiping. The noble ladies walked around without looking back. When I couldn't hear their footsteps at all, Kyle gently grabbed me by the shoulder and made me look back at him.
"Aren't you angry? They talk about other people's business." I stuck out my lips and said softly, "His Highness's mother is a maid, so did you hurt others? So which family was ruined? Cowardly authors."
I was furious. Maybe it was because I was so similar.
Hey, you said your mom is a housekeeper?I help others with housework and clean up with the money I earn.
It's too easy to point fingers at people who don't earn money by doing bad things. When people start to enjoy finding fault, there's no limit.
"Criticizing something you didn't do is something that only small people do."
Kyle replied with a smile, "I'm used to it. Fair enough. So, don't waste your emotions."
"I hope this doesn't become taken for granted."
I couldn't even fathom how bitter it was to take such hostility for granted. But just as I was about to add something, his big hand came back and touched the top of my head. Kyle replied, patting my head affectionately, "It's okay because you're there."
Kyle's words were so low and warm. So, I felt like I was going to cry a little.