“……You want me to wear this? The one you gave me last time was much more flamboyant.”
She offered the reaction that Charlize naturally would have.
Noah’s answer was prompt.
“Yes. It is by no means intended for you to replace that necklace with this one. Rather, the instruction was that you wear them together.”
I had wondered, *‘Does this mean that, like this subtle necklace, I should also stay quietly tucked away somewhere like baby’s breath at a party?’* but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
“Together? Even though I already have a necklace?”
“His Majesty said that with only that necklace, the ‘most important necklace in the world’ would not be entirely covered.”
Ah.
I naturally touched my throat.
My fingertips traced the necklace Charlize’s mother had given her.
It was true that the previous necklace hadn’t fully concealed this one, and in close proximity, the two looked quite discordant.
“It is not an item that can simply be detached, after all.”
If I wore the new necklace the tyrant brother gave me, it would likely be covered well enough.
……Did that man really think about such minute details?
“Also, there is an important message His Majesty asked me to convey.”
“……What is it?”
“The message is that once you receive this, please go and cause as much of a scene as possible.”
“……Oh, I hate that.”
I knew it.
I snorted.
So, gifting me flamboyant clothes and jewelry was a sort of weapon for inciting a scene, was it?
Because it would make me stand out more?
*‘I was planning to keep my promise even without going to these lengths.’*
Given Charlize’s personality, did he think I would try to run away?
*‘The answer is yes.’*
Actually, just before Noah appeared, I had been thinking about grabbing my fiancé’s hand and fleeing before the Grandfather could announce the engagement.
Even if it is Grandfather, would he really make such an announcement when the parties involved weren’t even present?
Besides, even if he did, what could he do if I flatly denied it?
Of course, this was nothing more than a stopgap measure.
I glanced at the box Noah held out and turned my head.
“Fine, I got it. Is that all?”
Noah looked up.
A flash of doubt crossed his dark eyes for a moment.
“……Are you not going to take a closer look?”
“Why would I? It’s not my taste. What, does your brother want me to make sure I thank him?”
“That is not the case. No such order was given.”
I crossed my arms.
“Then that’s fine. Leave it there and go.”
I felt these were the words Charlize would have said. She was, after all, a woman with firm tastes.
Yet, for some reason, Noah’s expression shifted, and a hint of gloom flickered across his face.
“……If you do not like it, you do not have to accept it.”
“What?”
What is wrong with him?
Did the tyrant brother secretly give him an order to elicit a certain reaction from me?
*‘……If he fails to get it, will he end up taking the heat for no reason?’*
It was a reasonable deduction.
In my mind, the tyrant brother had long since ceased to be the charismatic figure from the book, replaced by a man armed with childish, petty spite.
“It is—it is nothing, but His Majesty ordered me to deliver it. Though as he is busy, the choice was left to me. So, if by chance it is not to your liking, I will exchange it for something else……”
It was strange. His tone was definitely that of someone walking on eggshells.
It gave me the eerie feeling of watching someone perform a forced prostration.
*‘……I’m not imagining it.’*
Noah’s gaze seemed to be scanning my expression.
It was a look that felt like watching, or perhaps observing.
For some reason, the slight gloom he showed bothered me.
“……I don’t particularly like it, nor do I hate it. Happy? It’s not bad. At the very least, it’s worth wearing around my neck.”
I picked up the necklace and held it up.
Strangely, it sparkled with an even more elegant light as it caught the sun.
Looking closer, it matched the necklace my tyrant brother had sent perfectly.
I walked over to a nearby mirror and held it up to my neck.
The size seemed about right, too. If I handed it to the maids, they would know how to fasten it for me.
“Tell him I said thanks for the gift.”
That should be enough, right? In a way, you’re just an employee yourself, so I’m sure this is a lot of trouble for you.
Having had my fair share of lousy bosses, I know that feeling all too well.
“…….”
For some reason, Noah stared at me, then smiled thinly.
If there was one thing I’d forgotten, it was that this man possessed a face where softness and coldness coexisted.
I flinched inwardly at his smile, from which all softness had vanished.
As if his previous fidgeting had all been an act, Noah tilted his head slightly.
“……Not at all. I have merely been faithful to my role, and it is my honor.”
When he lifted his eyes, for one brief moment, it felt like the first time I had faced Loxidian.
Curiosity.
“However, if I am not mistaken, the Duchess-To-Be…… seems different from how you were before your travel.”
* * *
Noah had left.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be what he had originally intended to say; after bringing it up, he apologized politely, claiming he had been rude.
Perhaps interpreting my furrowed brow, he apologized again and again.
Having returned to his original gentle demeanor, the look on his face when he asked me seemed to fade. But it was a remark that could not be dismissed.
*‘Even a question asked without a second thought is dangerous.’*
Because if I slipped up and got caught, I would die.
Though I remained composed on the outside, I felt as though my lungs were constricting from the tension.
After Noah left, I intended to call for the maids immediately, but I didn’t feel like starting the dressing process. I decided to get some fresh air instead.
The moment I stepped outside, I stopped in my tracks. A carriage stood before the main entrance.
“Huh……”
It was truly massive and flamboyant.
*‘Is this the carriage Grandfather was talking about?’*
He had been bragging endlessly about a new carriage made specifically for me, so it had to be this one.
It was deep black, enveloped in dark blue hues.
Moreover, it was drawn by six horses—black stallions that stood out for their elegance and strength.
I found my mouth hanging open involuntarily.
*‘……Wow, it’s impressive. This is something else entirely. Isn’t this the perfect carriage for a villain’s entrance?’*
It felt like seeing a top-tier luxury sedan in the style of this world.
It was just like the kind of vehicle a villainous chaebol would step out of in a drama.
Perhaps as a focal point against the black background, patterns were carved in gold. They were tasteful accents placed in all the right spots.
*‘The more I look at it, the prettier it gets.’*
They must have spent a fortune on it; even the roof and door handles were crafted from gold.
It was dazzling.
“……Crazy.”
The masterpiece had a familiar name engraved, albeit small, on the carriage door.
「Charlize Alzbeit」
My goodness. I’d seen celebrity names engraved on one-of-a-kind luxury goods before, but I never expected to see it in this world.
The impression I got, staring at the door with none other than my own name engraved in gold, was……
*‘Is this what it feels like to burn money?’*
I stared at the clearly engraved name several times, then wiped my face and swallowed a groan.
Someone else might like it, but to me, having lived as an ordinary office worker, it looked no different from elementary school kids writing their names on their stationery.
*‘……How embarrassing!’*
Honestly, the carriage is pretty, but this completely ruins it!
I can’t ride that. I really don’t think I can!
After standing there for a long time, Susan approached hesitantly to inform me that I needed to change for the banquet preparations. I had no choice but to head back to my room.
Nevertheless, that massive carriage kept floating in my mind.
Because of it, I failed to notice another carriage approaching from a distance as I turned back.
* * *
After Charlize entered the building, a carriage rolled up to the entrance and came to a stop.
All the servants and knights nearby widened their eyes.
*‘A carriage that massive? Who is it? A guest?’*
It was no wonder; the vehicle was as large and flamboyant as the one Duke Alzbeit had specially commissioned for Charlize. The servants had assumed they would never see anything more extravagant than that piece.
However, this new arrival was so splendid that it shattered such a conviction into pieces.
“……Hey, were we expecting a guest today?”
“No, I haven’t heard a word about it……. Nothing from the butler.”
While the servants whispered among themselves, someone stepped out of the building.
It was none other than Duke Alzbeit, dressed and ready to depart.
The servants immediately silenced themselves and bowed low.
Duke Alzbeit, however, frowned the moment he laid eyes on the newly arrived carriage.
“What on earth is that?”
The look of the excessively flamboyant carriage did not sit well with him.
Though flashy, it lacked the intricate gold ornamentation of the carriage he had commissioned, making it seem utterly unimpressive to his eyes.
*‘A carriage for a clown to ride in. Tsk.’*
Who on earth would dare come to his residence in such a gaudy thing?
Duke Alzbeit’s narrowed eyes, which had been scanning the carriage, widened slightly.
To his surprise, he had spotted the imperial crest engraved on the carriage door.
Soon, the knights standing around the new arrival approached the Duke and bowed their heads.
“We greet Duke Alzbeit.”