Feeling unnecessarily self-conscious, Roselia avoided the gaze of Closette, who was sparkling with excitement right in front of her, and changed the subject.
“Is that enough now?”
“Enough? Not at all! I’m so tempted to call a painter right this instant to capture this on canvas!”
Surely it wasn’t that impressive. Unlike Closette, who was constantly pampered, Roselia had neglected her appearance even more since she began cross-dressing. Perhaps that was why she found the praise exaggerated and burdensome.
“This mask seems to suit Antonio’s black hair incredibly well, too… I have the urge to put a wig on you right now.”
Sensing danger in the somewhat dazed look in Closette’s eyes, Roselia cleared her throat and turned her head away.
“I think this is enough.”
Just as Roselia made a move to take off the mask, Closette dragged out the moment with a look of extreme disappointment.
“Just a little longer, hm? Melda said that beautiful things are better the longer you look at them.”
“Just how long exactly…”
For a moment, Roselia swallowed her words.
Klaus, having just stepped into the mansion, happened to pass by the reception room and locked eyes with her.
“Your Grace, you’ve returned. You must be hungry; I shall tell them to prepare dinner immediately.”
As Melda hurriedly rose and bowed, Klaus nodded and looked back at Roselia and Closette.
When Roselia met his navy-blue gaze, the events from the private room of the tavern that night flashed through her mind, and her face grew hot.
Caught off guard and forgetting she was even wearing a mask, Roselia snapped back to reality only after Klaus spoke.
“The mask suits you well, Antonio.”
Only then did Roselia realize she was still wearing it; she pulled it off with a jolt of surprise.
A sense of shame washed over her, as if she had been caught secretly wearing a dress far beyond her station.
Unlike Roselia’s burning face, Klaus wore his usual cold, indifferent expression.
While she bowed her head in embarrassment, Klaus’s gaze drifted toward her green eyes.
“Do you have nothing to say to me?”
For a moment, a chilling sense of déjà vu crawled up her spine.
There was no doubt he was talking about their meeting at the tavern.
Roselia put on an intentionally blunt expression and asked as if confused.
“I do not… is there something you wish for me to do?”
When she asked back with feigned innocence, Klaus stared at her intently for a long moment.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seemingly changed his mind and shut it with a stoic look.
“Never mind. Get back to work.”
With that, Klaus gave her a chilling look, as if he could see right through her, and vanished.
Watching him leave, Closette rubbed her arms as if creeped out.
“Ugh, that look. Seriously. He acts like he’s about to peel me down to the bone. Who said anything about not paying back the money? Don’t worry, Antonio! When I come of age, I’ll have my own land and estate, so I’ll lend you some at a low interest rate!”
“Are you suggesting I borrow money from you to pay back His Grace…?”
“It’s better than being in debt to Klaus, isn’t it?”
Like brother, like sister.
As Roselia looked at her, exasperated, Closette pretended to clear her throat and changed the subject.
“More importantly, Antonio, do you have a tailcoat to wear to my debutante ball?”
As if that were even possible.
“Can’t I just wear what I usually wear?”
“What are you talking about? You’re not attending as a servant, but as my partner! This won’t do. Melda!”
As if she had been expecting the summons, a sighing Melda approached Roselia with a tape measure in hand.
Caught off guard and forced to submit, Roselia looked at Closette with a troubled expression.
However, Closette remained unmoved, seeming to enjoy the situation.
Glancing at her, Melda spoke with a hint of concern.
“Lady Closette… um… would it not be better to have His Grace’s tailcoat tailored as well?”
Instantly, Closette’s expression hardened.
Usually, when a family member held a debutante, it was standard to coordinate the style of their tailcoats. But Closette and Klaus were far from being a typical pair of siblings.
“Why ask me about that man’s tailcoat?”
Unlike how she had pounced on the idea of tailoring Roselia’s, her reaction was the exact opposite.
The temperature difference was so great that one might believe Roselia was her true sibling instead.
“Still… it is a once-in-a-lifetime debutante. Since it is also a banquet to celebrate Lady Closette’s birthday, if you were to speak to His Grace properly…”
“I said forget it!”
Melda had meant well, but it only soured Closette’s mood further.
Closette hung her head, her expression twisted, and gripped her fists tightly.
“Anyway, Klaus is too busy to even show up, so why bother.”
As if this wasn’t the first time, Closette’s face was filled with resignation and resentment.
It was obvious. It was highly likely that the Duke had been using his “busy” schedule as an excuse to brush off Closette’s birthdays with money or gifts.
Even so, this birthday was his own sister’s debutante; surely he wouldn’t skip this, too.
Seeing Closette’s darkened expression, Roselia tried to lift the mood.
“But since this is for your debutante, wouldn’t he make time for it, even if he has to force himself?”
At Roselia’s words, Closette looked as if she had heard something ridiculous.
“Are you saying that even after experiencing Klaus the way you have?”
Her heavy sigh made her seem less like a young girl about to have her debutante and more like a weary, middle-aged woman.
“Antonio, you have a lot more to experience. It’s clear you still don’t know Klaus. That man doesn’t show up for my birthday, nor even for our parents’ death anniversary.”
Closette’s expression distorted, revealing the resentment she had harbored all this time.
“That cold-blooded man has no regard for family. He’s a man obsessed with work and money.”
The shadow that crossed Closette’s face as she spoke was closer to heartbreak and bitterness than mere anger.
Watching her, Roselia’s chest grew heavy for no reason.
It made no sense.
In the original story, Klaus was described as treating the heroine, the Crown Princess, like his own sister; after the Crown Princess married, that affection distorted into something akin to love-hate and obsession.
He was so kind and devoted to a woman who was practically a stranger, yet so indifferent to his own sister?
The face of the Duke, who had coldly driven her away in front of the Crown Princess, flashed in her mind, and annoyance flared up.
And that displaced emotion eventually pushed a rash statement out of her lips.
“I will speak to him.”
“What?”
Roselia was just as shocked as Closette.
*Are you insane! What did you just babble?!*
She could barely avoid the Duke as it was—what was she going to do about it?!
“Forget it… don’t waste your time…”
Despite her inner turmoil, the sight of Closette’s dark expression forced a sigh from her.
*Damn it, if only Closette were a little less cute…*
“I’ll just mention it. Who knows? He might already be preparing to attend.”
“……”
Seeing how insistent Roselia was, Closette didn’t oppose her any further.
Perhaps there was a part of her heart that was still hoping.
Despite wanting to act like she didn’t care, Roselia moved toward the study with a resolute expression at the sight of Closette’s deflated face.
* * *
The moment she knocked on the study door, Roselia regretted it.
This was truly walking into the lion’s den.
Regret gnawed at her, but a voice already drifted from inside the room.
“Who is it?”
Swallowing hard, Roselia answered in a tense voice.
“It’s Antonio.”
“……”
A moment of silence passed. The brief stretch of quiet felt agonizingly long.
Then, Klaus’s cold voice followed.
“Come in.”
Opening the door and stepping into the study, Roselia carefully observed him.
Klaus was busy scanning and signing the stacks of documents on his desk, as if her arrival didn’t matter.
He looked quite occupied and didn’t even look up. As she hesitated, Klaus set down his pen and looked at her with an intrigued expression.
“Do you have something to say?”
Klaus’s question left her speechless.
She had been bracing herself, expecting him to bring up their encounter at the tavern.
She had prepared to deny everything—whether he suspected her of being Roselia or of spiriting his sister away—but his reaction was so indifferent that the wind was knocked out of her sails.
“Are you going to just stand there?”
At Klaus’s irritated prompt, Roselia stiffened and spoke instinctively.
“By any chance… are you aware that the Lady’s debutante is in one week?”
At her question, he lowered his gaze back to his documents as if it were a trivial matter.
“It is the single largest expenditure of the Duchy this year, so why wouldn’t I be aware of it?”
Gaining a little courage from his calm voice, Roselia continued.
“And you are aware that it is also the Lady’s birthday?”
The Duke, who had been scanning the papers, looked up at Roselia.
“What is your point?”
Roselia swallowed a dry lump in her throat and opened her mouth cautiously.
“It is your only sister’s birthday and debutante… you are obviously planning to attend, right?”
At her question, Klaus set down the papers he was holding and looked at her with a chilling gaze.
“Do you not see the pile of documents here with your own eyes?”
“Yes… I know you are incredibly busy, but… it is your only sister’s birthday…”
Seeing Roselia speak her mind despite the awkwardness, Klaus irritably swept back his bangs.
“Every year on Closette’s birthday, I have sent her the most expensive gifts in the Empire. Where do you think that money comes from?”
“But… to the Lady, things like that are not as important as…”
“Antonio.”
At Klaus’s low, growling voice, Roselia was forced to clamp her mouth shut.
He stared at her with navy-blue eyes that seemed to emit a freezing chill.
“I told you before—do not meddle in things that don’t concern you, if only for your own sake.”
“……”
Klaus’s overbearing tone, which drew a sharp, clear line of hierarchy, rankled her.
“If you showed even half of the interest you show the Crown Princess toward Lady Closette, the two of you wouldn’t be on such terms.”