What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 568

I Want to Go to the Ball (4)

About twenty minutes later.

In the reception room on the first floor of the ‘La Débutante’ fashion house.

-Creak, creak, creak······

“Hmm?”

Isabelle, who was waiting on the sofa, blinked at the strange noise.

The sound of the stairs and hallway creaking outside was unusual.

She put down her glass of cool ‘Café Chris’ and turned towards the door.

Then, two or three employees who were attending to her exchanged uneasy glances.

The elegant Duchess Sarnese and her only daughter, whom she cherished like life itself.

It was rare for members of the imperial family to visit, so the two were virtually the most esteemed clients they could receive.

Besides, one of them was about to enter the imperial family, wasn’t she?

-Creak, creak, creak······

“What is that sound?”

“Heuk.”

But the wait was getting too long.

And now, even bizarre sounds were coming from outside.

The duchess’s light green hair and emerald earrings swayed gracefully.

Isabelle had her usual calm and gentle look, but the employees’ hearts were growing more anxious by the minute.

One of the senior staff, unable to watch any longer, quickly stepped forward.

“Madam, it’s probably nothing. We’ll check it out ourselves.”

“Yes! That’s right. Please wait a moment.”

While one employee refilled the glass with cold coffee, leaving only ice, another hurriedly opened the door and stepped out of the reception room.

Meanwhile, another employee subtly revealed the fashion house’s catalog for the first half of next year to Isabelle.

Originally, it was information that had to be kept strictly hidden until the social season returned, but showing it to VIPs like this was said to have a positive impact on sales.

It was important to make them feel special, wasn’t it?

“Oh my, this jade color is so pretty. Is next spring/summer’s theme ‘The Sea’?”

That was the advice of the new employee, Bam.

The owner and all the senior staff thought there was some truth to what she said.

“Yes, Madam. The owner said she was inspired by Sarnese Harbor and other famous ports of the empire······.”

That’s when it happened.

-Knock, knock, squeak······

“Madam Sarnese······. I’m so sorry······.”

“Oh dear!”

The reception room door reopened, and the fashion house owner appeared, wrapped in a thick shawl.

No one knew what change of heart she had had in the middle of summer.

She looked noticeably haggard in just thirty minutes and seemed very cold.

The employees gasped simultaneously. Isabelle was so surprised that she almost dropped her glass.

“You······.”

“Oh my, Owner!”

“Owner, what’s wrong? What happened to Bam? Why did you come alone?”

“That child, she······. She’s not feeling well······?”

The owner’s lips were blue as she said that.

Isabelle felt very sorry for her as she bowed deeply, saying, ‘I’m very sorry, Madam.’

The duchess shook her head and drooped her eyebrows.

“No, it was wrong of me to come without an appointment and ask for the child to be called during the staff’s mealtime. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not······.”

“Is that child, Bam, very sick? I hope she didn’t get sick because of me······.”

“Ah, she did vomit······. And she had a high fever······. She was jumping around like a boiling brass kettle [extremely agitated and unwell]······.”

“Oh my!”

Isabelle covered her mouth with her fan. The owner smiled with a haggard face.

She had a look that seemed to have many stories to tell.

“Did you give her medicine? A doctor? If you need, I can send the duchy’s healing priest.”

“Bam is fine. Don’t worry, Madam. Rather······. Ahem.”

She quickly cleared her throat and organized her thoughts.

From now on, she was going to say exactly what Bam, her smart youngest employee, had told her to say.

The kind and wealthy duchess was also the best customer for the owner.

Since she had made her wait for almost half an hour, it was only right to offer her that much help.

She had to approach it with the mindset that ‘this is sales’.

“Have you received any other contact from Baron Zan Tillier?”

“Hmm, I did send him a letter and fruit······. I received a reply saying that he would like to meet me once he has recovered.”

-Thump!

Then, the shadow next to her, who had been quiet until now, suddenly shot up.

‘The more I think about it, the more it feels like X,’ she seemed to grumble (it must have been a misunderstanding).

Isabelle quickly grabbed her hand to calm her down.

The owner calmly looked at the two and said.

“Ahem. Our employee Bam says she is from his territory.”

“Really? That’s a special connection.”

“But the rumors about him are not good in the central region, so I hope you will be careful, Madam······.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I also have birds that bring me tree nuts [a metaphor for having reliable sources of information].”

“It’s not that, but······.”

The owner quickly spread out her palm and scanned what she had written down.

It was a little smudged with sweat, but there was no problem memorizing the contents.

“Excuse me, but rumors have spread widely that the baron’s financial situation is not good. Bam seemed worried that······. He might approach you with impure intentions.”

“The Tillier barony’s financial situation?”

‘That can’t be······?’ While Isabelle tilted her head, the owner was proud of herself for handling the lines so well.

Then, she added one last word in a solemn voice.

“The Tillier barony is said to collect 50% of the territory residents’ income as taxes.”

“······What?”

“So, in that child’s eyes, the barony’s finances can’t help but look bad. I thought there must be some reason for it.”

Isabelle’s face turned pale. The long hair next to her rippled again.

The employees also had stunned expressions.

Fifty percent by the lord? Is that even a possible number? The empire’s national tax was 10%!

“Is that, is that true? Isn’t that clearly illegal? Perhaps you misheard······.”

“That child is very timid, so it is difficult for her to testify in court. But if you are from the central region, everyone knows it. They just don’t have the courage to report it.”

“Good heavens······. The very thing His Majesty hates the most······!”

While Isabelle was greatly embarrassed and gaping―

-Knock knock

“Excuse me, Madam. I apologize, but the door was open, so I overheard the conversation.”

Someone knocked on the reception room door and walked in.

Isabelle’s companion rose with lightning speed.

-Flutter!

“Lady Elisabeth!”

Finally, pink hair rippled like waves, and the blue ribbon that held the half-updo fluttered softly.

The bright blue eyes were filled with affection for her dear friend.

The frill dress, which looked like a drop of blue paint in white foam, maximized the princess’s beauty and harmonized exquisitely with her delicate face.

She had been downcast ever since she heard that her mother had been treated like a commoner, but she smiled brightly for the first time and grabbed the hem of her skirt to stand up.

Elisabeth smiled slightly and waved her hand.

“Please sit down, Princess Christel. I’m worried you’ll tear another precious dress.”

“Ah, tell me about it!”

“Welcome, Sir Mute.”

Elisabeth, the commander of the Imperial Guard, bowed lightly to the two and then turned to the fashion house owner with her hands behind her back.

The soldier’s gray eyes gave a very sharp impression.

The owner bowed politely.

“Sir Mute.”

“Nice to meet you. I’ve come to pick up Lady Maria Dhiem’s dress. It’s a 3:30 appointment.”

“Ah, that’s right! Did you come with the princess?”

“Yes. She said today is the final pickup date. But······.”

She tilted her head and looked out the door.

The eyes of the fashion house employees and VIPs followed her.

Three sisters of varying heights were standing side by side, looking into the reception room.

“Greetings, Duchess Sarnese. Princess.”

“Oh, Princess Antoinette. Princess Maria and Therese have also come.”

‘Nice to meet you.’ Isabelle rose and greeted them gracefully.

Antoinette took steps with a very worried face.

Maria and Therese, who had come to pick up their dresses, also had dark expressions.

“But what is all this about? Is it true that Baron Tillier is collecting 50% of the taxes in his territory?”

“That’s what they say. How could this happen······.”

“If that’s true, it won’t be difficult to find someone to testify. I’m returning to the palace, so I’ll tell the guards to look into it carefully.”

“Yes, it would be very reassuring if the Imperial Guard would step in. I’ll also ask my husband once······.”

“I’ll ask my two older brothers if they’ve heard anything.”

While the three nobles continued their discussion with serious faces, Christel de Sarnese anxiously fiddled with her hangnails, waiting for a conclusion.

Normally, it would have been a topic she would have jumped into, but today was different.

She wanted to ask her dear Lady Elisabeth how that ‘Crazy Highness’ was doing.

It’s not like she’s particularly worried, but she was a little curious.

His birthday is just around the corner, so surely he won’t stubbornly hold out and end up like last time······.

“Huh?”

Christel suddenly stopped thinking and looked out the door.

It was because she felt a gaze.

“······.”

Huh?

A man with white hair, whom she had never seen before, was looking at her with strange eyes.

He was clearly handsome, but he had a cold impression because he didn’t smile.

He was as tall as the prince and had broad shoulders.

His neat white shirt and pants were ordinary, but there was something about the man that caught the eye.

His long hair was neatly tied back with a light pink hair tie, and his hands, which she caught a glimpse of, were covered in scars up to the back of his hands.

Christel was momentarily mesmerized by the man.

“······Who······?”

At that moment, his mint-colored eyes flashed. A cold wind blew through the room. ‘Whoosh!’

“Wow, hahaha!”

The moment Maria grabbed the hem of Therese’s dress and laughed brightly, Christel’s mind was distracted.

And······.

“Huh?”

-Whoosh······

When she turned her gaze again, the man had disappeared upstairs, leaving only a thin breeze.

It felt like she had been possessed by something.

The next night.

Near the northwestern part of the Liester Imperial Palace.

“Thank you, have a safe trip!”

“Yes! Magician, be careful of the late heat! Bachelor too!”

-Clatter, clatter, clatter······!

‘Giddy up!’ A small postal carriage left the two in a deserted place and hurried away.

Bellringer Shu watched the carriage off for a long time, then looked around.

The summer night, after the sun had completely set, was dark and quite humid.

The imperial capital was mostly flat land, but a mountain range stretched out from behind the palace.

Thanks to this, it was easy to defend the imperial family from foreign forces or rebels, and it also blocked the north wind, making the winters less cold.

The old man counted the stars and shadows of the leaves in the night sky with a sentimental look.

The chorus of cicadas rang out not far away.

-Swish, swish, swish······

-Chirr, chirr, chirrrrr······

······It was still a beautiful place. There were also beautiful memories.

“Haa······. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here again.”

That was true. She adjusted her bundle and looked back at her companion―

“Goodness, Bachelor! You can’t touch that carelessly!”

Mother Goddess!

-Aeoh?

“Come out here quickly, do you know where this is!”

“······.”