BXBX NOVEL Chapter 161 161. Fashion Show, Part I
Editor: Aelryinth
While Killian was speaking, Adam answered, thinking for a moment. "That’s right, Your Highness. I have a distant relative named Dian Pahuran, and I think she’ll fit in. She has no land, but she is the daughter of the family of the Baron."
"Good. If so, we should send Dian Pahuran up to Dublin as soon as she’s ready."
"Yes, Your Highness. I’ll take care of it when I go to Bertino tomorrow," replied Adam, who understanding Killian’s meaning.
"Miss Dian, I’ll have you wait on the fake lady in the annex for a while, until another attendant arrives. If this is done safely, Ms. Dian will be given the title of Dian Pahuran of the Pahuran Baronial Family. You will enter the Imperial Castle with Princess Kiellini, who will be the Empress."
As Dian’s mouth dropped in surprise, Killian continued, "Of course, everything will happen when Princess Kiellini in Dublin marries me safely. So, I hope you will do your best to manage and supervise this Tilia Territory with Sir Caden. If you do that, I’ll recommend you to marry a decent nobleman later."
Dian held her thumping chest unknowingly. It had been a dream to be out of the brothel, but she had realized her dream of rising to status only because she wanted to protect the lady who had been kind to her, and taught her how to write and dance. She had said, "The situation can change anytime," she remembered. ’Oh, Miss. I guess I’m here to meet you. I will do my best in everything to repay you for this good fortune.’
Only Killian, Oswald, Adam, and Valerian were left in the parlor as Sir Caden and Dian stepped out.
"Your Highness, did you mean to do that?"
Killian laughed at Valerian, who spoke with a stiff look, as if the maid did not deserve what he had given. "What can make her do her best as a sweet reward? Ahhh... You don’t think the Duke is going to let it go. He’s on his knees now, but he’s going to face up to the reality he and his daughter are facing and try to find a different way."
"So wouldn’t it be better to kill the Duke?"
Killian nodded in Valerian’s answer. "It’s the most convenient way. But it will be shocking if Julietta finds out that the Duke and his daughter are dead. She’ll blame herself for what happened. I don’t want to put that burden on her mind."
"So that’s why you’re using the girl?"
"It’s not about using, it’s about giving her a chance. We’ve got someone to watch the Duke and his daughter for a sweet reward. If the Duke tries to do something, he’ll move before I will be declared the Crown Prince. So, by then, I need someone to be loyal and watch over them."
Killian had no intention of leaving a seed of discord. But he gave them one chance because the Duke was a cousin of his father, Claudio, and he was worried about Julietta. The family of Kiellini will be wiped out the day the Duke kicked away the chance given him.
Killian added with a quiet smile. "It’s about making another Prince Kiellini. It’s an easy job. Isn’t that right?"
"I think that would be better."
"I’ll give Julietta a perfect background. After she marries me as the best lady of Austern, her half-sister who will become the Duke of Kiellini will help Empress Julietta both materially and morally. It’s difficult to create such a background if the Duke does nothing."
When Killian said that, Oswald looked up at the ceiling and laughed as he admitted himself beaten. "Don’t you know that he won’t stay calm? I wondered for a moment why you were being so generous, but you had a different idea."
Killian stood up from his seat and said as if determined. "Julietta deserves something she’s never had. I’ll make it come true."
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12. Fashion Show
The capital was currently boisterous, with stories of the Chartreu Dressing Shop’s unique outfits and the opening party where it was announced it would be presenting its designs. People were particularly interested in the fact that the owner of the Chartreu Dressing Shop was Princess Kiellini, and that it was invested in by Prince Killian, the Marquis of Rhodius, and the Marquis of Oswald.
The public was interested in whether the unknown faceless designer of Chartreu would appear at the opening party. They wondered how the designer came to be sponsored by the family of Kiellini.
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The day of Chartreu’s opening party finally dawned. The whole staff of the dressing shop was busy from early morning to prepare for the afternoon party.
As even the confined Princess Kiellini had to show up as if she had overcome her illness, Julietta began to dress carefully in the morning. She got up early in the morning to check the fashion show and arrived at the dressing shop after finishing her dress-up a little after lunchtime.
Julietta went inside through the side door of the shop which, unlike usual, had its shutters and windows firmly down. Passing through the cafe connected to the coach house and out into a wide hall, she looked around the room where she had prepared for the opening party.
A long stage for the fashion show connected the stairway to the second floor with a round staircase in the center, which passed across the hall. Chairs were arranged on either side of the stage for sitting and looking.
Julietta checked the stage and the seats of the guests, then went upstairs to the waiting room. Models would check their clothing on the second floor. They were to walk down the stairs and pause for a moment on the round stage, then walk out to the end of the long stage in the center of the hall and walk back. The models who disappeared behind the scenes would go back to the waiting room on the second floor using the stairs of the attendants.
The models’ temporary waiting room was set up in an empty bedroom in front of the doll room. It was Phoebe’s choice to stay as far away from the room as possible. The two bedrooms were divided into men’s and women’s waiting rooms.
As Julietta entered the women’s waiting room on the left side of the second floor, the actresses under Maribel’s leadership were getting dressed up.
"Princess Kiellini, it’s an honor for you to come and see us." As soon as Maribel saw Julietta, she greeted her politely, and the actresses followed her courtesy.
Julietta smiled a nod of greeting, and left the room. Maribel followed her to the stairs. "The preparations are going well, princess."
Julietta looked back and congratulated Maribel, "It’s all thanks to the troupe leader. I’m sure you’ll take care of it without me."
As she followed Julietta downstairs, Maribel said in a low voice, "Don’t worry about the order of the ceremony, since I will follow the list you gave me. But my baby, let’s talk about the lady in the other room."
Maribel had arrived in the waiting room on the second floor early in the morning with the actors. Phoebe was unable to resist the noise, peeked out her door, and saw Maribel. At first, Maribel couldn’t recognize her because her hair had turned white. She only saw the limp of the woman who looked at her and rushed back into the room.
Maribel hardened when she recognized Phoebe, who she did not want to be around Julietta more than anyone else. "Why are you here?"
Phoebe also stammered with surprise because she met Maribel, whom she had not expected to meet here. "The lady, the owner of this dressing shop saved me..."
Maribel frowned at once. ’Should I have let her die that day? Isn’t this girl a stumbling block for Julietta’s future?’ Maribel endured what she wanted to say to her to get out of there right away, but pondered over it and asked, "Did the owner save you?"
"Yes. I really didn’t want to trouble her, but it ended up happening like this." Phoebe told Maribel what had happened.
"Wait, the doctor told you that your hair color had turned white because of poison?"
"Yes. He asked me where I drank the poison, but I couldn’t answer it."
Maribel hit her knee at Phoebe’s words. It seemed that this girl could be of help to Julietta, not of hindrance. She remembered that she had heard it before. The Duchess of Kiellini had died of a strange disease with white hair. But it was strange again when she thought about it.