*** *** *** *** ***
Adele woke up at dawn. It was a habit from living in poverty.
‘The ships must be coming back.’
When the ships that had been out fishing all night returned, Pellegrin Street would host a party of scaled creatures. It was the fish market.
Adele used to go there once or twice a week, looking for work among the merchants.
Sometimes, someone would give her fish scraps out of kindness. Rarely, they would give her a proper fish to eat. Those were party days for Adele and Clarice.
‘Now I can eat whatever I want.’
Adele waited for morning to come while lying in bed. Epony came to wake her later than Adele had expected.
“Did you sleep well, Miss?”
“Yes.”
“Shall I help you with the bath?”
“Yes, please.”
Adele followed Epony to the bath. The bathroom with pink tiles had a bathtub made of white porcelain that was as white as snow.
‘Yesterday, I was so surprised by this that I almost fainted.’
Adele had never bathed in a bathtub before. She had never even used warm water for a bath.
Thankfully, her natural expressionless face seemed to have prevented Epony from noticing her shock.
“Shall I add myrrh to the water?”
Epony asked, showing a small glass bottle. Adele nodded, as the scent was pleasant.
Epony sprinkled myrrh into the hot water filling the tub and then helped Adele into it. The heat felt good against her skin.
“The scent is lovely…”
She was being washed by Epony’s hands when she heard a knock.
The knock sounded somewhat urgent, even to Adele.
Epony quickly rolled down her sleeves and adjusted her skirt before heading to the door.
“What is it?”
“Epony, it’s urgent…”
The one knocking was a maid from the inner palace, dressed in a black cotton dress with a white apron.
“Immediately…”
“This is nonsense…”
They whispered something in small voices, like grains of rice rolling, and then Epony, looking tense, spoke up.
“Miss Adelaide, I need to leave for a moment.”
Epony left the bathroom with just those words.
She returned a few minutes later, her face showing signs of agitation.
“A guest has arrived. We need to finish your bath quickly.”
Adele sprang out of the tub.
“Towel.”
“Here, dry yourself… No, there’s no time for that. Just put on the robe immediately.”
Epony seemed in a hurry. Adele noticed a bang from the parlor down the hall.
“Where is she!”
A shrill voice was also heard.
“It’s Madam Flavia Loredan. She is to be your tutor.”
Epony hastily explained as she tied Adele’s robe tightly.
“The Loredan family are vassals of the Buonaparte family. Though recently they’ve been pushed out of the central social circles, they are a very prestigious house. Madam Flavia, who has come to tutor you, is renowned in society as an exemplary lady.”
Adele didn’t ask why someone of such status had come so early in the morning. The reason was obvious.
“How should I greet her?”
“It’s customary for the higher-ranking person to greet first. Ordinarily, you, as a Buonaparte, should be greeted first, but now…”
She meant that since the tutor knew Adele was a shoeshine, she should wait.
“…You must not anger her.”
Epony warned softly and led Adele quickly to the parlor.
As soon as the parlor door opened, the first thing Adele saw was an elderly woman with fierce eyes glaring at her.
Her age appeared to be between fifty and sixty.
She had elegantly styled chestnut hair adorned with a pearl hairpin. Her pale blue silk dress, though slightly worn, exuded grace.
Despite her somewhat stern look, Adele briefly admired the beauty and elegance of the old lady.
But the old lady screamed as soon as she saw Adele.
“Vulgar!”
“…”
Adele’s evaluation of Madam Flavia plummeted.
“What is that appearance?”
“I’m sorry. I was in the middle of a bath…”
“Who told you to speak!”
“…”
What should I do then? Don’t ask if you don’t want an answer…
Adele swallowed the words that could cost her her neck and bowed her head silently, maintaining the expressionless face honed by years of shoe shining.
Madam Flavia trembled with disgust at Adele’s dripping hair and robe.
“They expect me to teach this! Vulgar and mannerless!”
At that moment, someone entered the room.
“If she had known manners, we wouldn’t have called you.”
Madam Flavia turned sharply.
“…Lord Cesare!”
“I didn’t expect you to come so early in the morning, Madam Flavia.”
Cesare smiled. He wore a white shirt with his jacket draped over his shoulders. His broad shoulders and partially exposed chest were still suggestive.
He walked straight to Madam Flavia.
“Lord Cesare, I…!”
“Greetings first, dear lady.”
Cesare laughed softly, touching his right cheek to Madam Flavia’s.
“Now, Lord, I…!”
Despite her anger, Madam Flavia had to hold her shout until they touched left cheeks.
After the greeting, Cesare looked at Madam Flavia with a playful smile.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Of course, but I…”
“That’s good to hear. I hope you’ll join me for lunch. I wonder if you’ll have time.”
“…Oh, if it’s the Count’s invitation, I am always delighted! But…”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you…?”
Madam Flavia’s face showed confusion mixed with displaced anger.
Cesare stared at her as if he had something more to say or wanted to keep her attention.
The dimples on his left cheek were flirtatious, the right ones coquettish, and his teardrop mole was seductive.
Madam Flavia, whose lips had been twitching, finally sighed.
“Lord Cesare, you are truly…”
“Handsome.”
“…Far too clever!”
“Isn’t that why ladies love me?”
Cesare said cheerfully and then looked at Adele. He hesitated when he saw her soaking wet appearance.
But soon, the dimples on his cheeks reappeared.
“We should have bathed together!”
“Lord! Such talk is not appropriate!”
“But it’s not improper since it’s only to a beauty.”
“Lo..Lord…!”
Madam Flavia, looking as if she blamed Adele for all this, began to glare at her.
“Lord Cesare, if you care for my opinion, this is unacceptable. How much has the Loredan family supported the Buonaparte! I’d rather face the trials of hell!”
“Trials? It’s just a bit of doll play.”
“A doll would be better. How can I make a lady out of this dirty girl from the streets!”
“What does it matter where she came from? Even among my ladies…”
“They are noblewomen! And what indecent talk in broad daylight!”
“There’s nothing we can’t do during the day. Some things even look better.”
“Lord Cesare!”
Cesare pretended not to hear, his mischievous smile showing he knew he would never be disliked by women.
“Besides, I heard she’s a virgin.”
Madam Flavia’s forehead veins bulged. Epony, standing far away, closed her eyes gently.
He was indeed a man who could rile up everyone.
Madam Flavia, seemingly giving up on pointing out his debauchery, turned her anger back to Adele.
“How can you be sure!”
“Hmm. Are you asking me to confirm it?”
“Lord!”
Madam Flavia yelled, her face turning red and blue.
“Don’t ever joke about that! Why would the master of Buonaparte touch a shoeshine! What if that lowly girl gets strange ideas!”
Adele, observing the situation, swallowed a sigh with a blank expression.
‘I wish they would consider the lowly girl’s perspective…’
At that moment, Cesare laughed out loud.
“She doesn’t seem to have any such thoughts. That hurts my pride.”
“What! How dare she look down on Buonaparte as if it’s not enough for her…!”
At that moment, Madam Flavia, who was glaring at Adele’s whole body, paused.
She suddenly grabbed Adele’s robe and pulled it down to her chest.
“…!”
Adele quickly moved her hands to stop the robe from falling further.
But all she managed to cover was her chest. Her bony shoulders were revealed, covered with dark bruises.
“…”
Cesare’s smile faded slightly.
Seeing this, Adele spoke up involuntarily.
“It’s nothing. It will heal soon and leave no scars. It won’t affect the plan at all.”
“…”
Cesare frowned slightly but remained silent. Adele bit her lip and clutched her robe tightly.
“Look! She’s damaged! How can such a flawed body pretend to be a noble!”
Madam Flavia exclaimed in disgust and let go of Adele’s robe.
“This girl is impossible. She is low even among the lower classes, lazy, and lacking any spirit!”
“…”
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