“What?” As Jucid furrowed her brows sharply, Roselia calmly continued.
“If I am not a servant, then I have no reason to remain here under your instructions, my lady.”
Jucid, who had been frozen with her mouth agape in disbelief, quickly twisted her expression at Roselia’s words.
“A-are you ignoring me, a mere Il Domestico?”
Roselia let out a deep sigh and spoke coldly.
“You were the one who said just moments ago that I wasn’t a servant.”
“Ugh! Stop with the backtalk! I just wanted you to stay with me for a little while, that’s all!”
Roselia sighed heavily and reluctantly sat on the sofa opposite her, keeping a wide distance. Well, since she had asked to stay together for a brief moment, there was no reason to refuse and cause a scene; she decided she would simply sit and take a rest.
As Jucid watched her cautiously, she suddenly began to take off her mask and said slowly.
“By the way, isn’t it a bit hot in here?”
“Is it? I don’t really…”
In an instant, her head spun and dizziness washed over her. A blur clouded her vision as a wave of heat surged throughout her entire body. While Roselia was bewildered by this sudden physical reaction, Jucid rose from her seat and approached her slowly.
“See? It’s hot, isn’t it?”
“What is this…”
Roselia had to grip her head, dropping the champagne glass she had been holding. The clear liquid splashed all over her shirt.
“Oh my, look at that… your shirt is all wet. Shall I help you with that?”
Roselia’s blurred gaze turned toward Jucid in anxiety. Could it be that she had done something to the champagne? Why? For what reason? What could she possibly gain from someone who was merely a servant of the Duchy?
Before she knew it, Jucid was sitting next to her, pulling off her own mask. Roselia glared at her, struggling with all her might to keep from losing consciousness as her face flushed bright red.
Ignoring her reaction, Jucid sat pressed closely against her, stroking Roselia’s face as she muttered lazily.
“It’s truly a waste for you to be nothing more than Closette’s Il Domestico.”
Even through the fog of the drug, goosebumps rose across her skin. *You wretched woman! I’m a woman too, for heaven’s sake!*
However, Jucid, unable to hear the inner cry of Roselia’s heart, licked her lips and smiled deviously.
“If I can’t have you, I won’t let Closette have you either.”
I’d thought she was strange from the start, but what on earth is this crazy woman muttering about? In her mind, she was already pushing Jucid away and escaping the reception room, but as time passed, her body grew heavier, like soaked cotton.
“Do you think Closette will still take you in once she finds out you’ve been dirtied by me?”
A sickening chill raced up her spine. This insane woman—could it be?
Jucid’s white hand was already undoing the buttons of Roselia’s shirt. Roselia’s mind went blank. She couldn’t tell if it was due to shock or the drug.
*Damn it. If this continues, the bandages wrapped around my chest…!*
Even as her consciousness faded, she worried about the chest she had hidden with bandages beneath her shirt. She never in her wildest dreams imagined her identity would be revealed in such an absurd situation.
*Ah… I don’t know. I’m so… sleepy…*
That was when it happened.
CRASH-!!!
With a sound so loud it felt like a thunderclap, the door to the reception room burst open violently.
And in the doorway stood a woman, breathing heavily.
“Clo…sette…”
Closette’s face contorted like a demon as she took in the sight of Roselia and Jucid, who was sitting on top of her.
“You crazy bitch!!!!!!”
After that, Roselia’s vision went pitch black. Right before she fainted, she thought she saw a blue dress flutter in the air, and Closette’s long, slender leg fly out and slam into Jucid’s side… but she couldn’t remember anything after that.
* * *
When she opened her eyes, her body felt much lighter. It was as if something that had been constricting her was released, allowing her to breathe freely. To be precise, her chest felt completely liberated.
Her chest…
Roselia’s eyes snapped open at the sudden memory, and she sat up with a start. She clearly remembered fainting the moment that drugged champagne began to unravel her shirt…
But as she scrambled to look around, all she saw was Closette, who was watching her intently with her chin resting on her hand.
“You’re awake?”
“My Lady…?”
Only then did she remember hearing Closette’s voice right before she lost consciousness. And the way Closette had flown like a butterfly to deliver that flying kick to Jucid…
“…!!! What about Lady Jucid…!”
To Roselia’s anxious question, Closette replied bluntly.
“I gave her a sound scolding and kicked her out.”
While she was still stunned by Closette’s words, Roselia felt a strange sense of emptiness, and her gaze naturally drifted downward.
Only then did she realize that the cloth that had been binding her chest was gone, and she panicked, frantically clutching at her chest.
Closette, who had been watching her leisurely, finally spoke up.
“It was all soaked, so I changed it for you.”
Just as Closette said, Roselia was wearing a loose, silk slip dress instead of the tailcoat she had originally been wearing. It was undoubtedly one of Closette’s nightdresses.
Roselia’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Closette. That means…
“You… saw everything…?”
At Roselia’s voice, which trembled as if it would break, Closette replied with a bright smile.
“It was quite large, wasn’t it?”
“My Lady!”
No, that wasn’t it. Why was Closette so calm even though she knew she was a woman? Had she noticed from the very beginning?
Bewildered, Roselia tentatively probed, watching Closette’s reaction.
“You don’t seem very surprised. Did you know all along?”
Closette answered her question flatly.
“No? I found out today for the first time.”
“Then why… aren’t you saying anything?”
“Hmm… well, I was a bit surprised, but still, Antonio is Antonio, right?”
Closette’s simple answer left Roselia feeling dazed. Watching her, Closette even flashed a mischievous grin.
“And honestly, there were times when I secretly wished Antonio were a woman, so this is for the best.”
“Pardon??”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep it a secret from Klaus. It’s because of Klaus that you were cross-dressing, right?”
Closette’s intuition was as sharp as a ghost’s. When Roselia kept her mouth shut, Closette rested her chin on both hands and smiled innocently.
Feeling burdened by that gaze, Roselia tried to avert her eyes and continued bluntly.
“Um… by the way, where are my clothes?”
“The ones you were wearing? They were soaked, so I sent them to be laundered.”
“Pardon…? Then what am I supposed to wear…”
When Roselia looked at Closette with wide, startled eyes, Closette snapped her fingers with a knowing smile, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
Then, Melda and two maids slowly emerged from the powder room in one corner of the reception hall.
Startled, Roselia hunched over, covering her chest. Closette, who gave her a reassuring grin, crossed her legs gracefully.
“Don’t worry. Melda and my personal maids are completely my people. No matter how much Klaus pressures them, the secret won’t leak.”
The maids were holding an elegant green dress that Roselia had never seen before. Melda, who was bowing her head in front of them, looked as dry-faced as ever.
As Roselia stared at them, flabbergasted, she looked toward Closette with unease. Closette beamed, as if confirming exactly what Roselia was thinking.
“What is that dress…?”
“It’s truly a coincidence. Actually, when I was having the tailcoat made, I had a dress made for you for later, but I never expected to have you wear it this soon.”
Just what kind of ‘later’ was she thinking of…? Roselia recoiled, shaking her head.
“C-couldn’t you just bring me some servant’s clothes?”
Despite Roselia’s request, Closette shook her index finger with a stern face.
“Where would I have servant’s clothes in my room? Besides, Jucid is probably lurking outside like a starving lioness. Just stay dressed as a woman for today. Well, you are a woman, so ‘cross-dressing’ is a bit off… but anyway.”
With that, Closette clapped her hands, and Melda and the two maids approached Roselia with a look of determination.
“Eh?!”
Before the bewildered Roselia could even protest, she was dragged away by Melda and the maids. In an instant, she was changed into the dress, and thanks to the flurry of hands from Melda and the maids, she was finished with makeup and standing blankly before Closette.
Melda examined Roselia with a look of professional discontent, as if something was lacking.
“If we had only had more time, we could have made the disguise even more perfect.”
*No, seriously, I told you I’m a woman…*
On the other hand, Closette’s eyes sparkled as if she had received a birthday present, her hands clasped together.
“My goodness, Antonio! You look so beautiful!”
At Closette’s praise, Roselia awkwardly scratched her forehead, fidgeting. As Closette had said, the green dress adorned with shimmering gold embroidery suited her incredibly well. It was, after all, a dress custom-made by Closette specifically for her, so it was only natural that it looked perfect.
As Roselia, with her short black hair, rolled her eyes awkwardly, Closette smacked her lips as if something was missing.
“It seems we’ll need a wig.”
As Closette muttered to herself, Melda produced a golden wig as if she had been expecting it. Roselia broke out in a cold sweat as she watched Closette examine the golden wig with the serious expression of someone inspecting a piece of fine jewelry. A golden wig of all things—if she wasn’t careful, she might catch Klaus’s eye.
“That blonde one is a bit…”
“True, isn’t it? I’ll have to order a long black wig separately.”
*No, that’s not what I meant…*
At Closette’s very serious reply, Roselia had to wear an even more embarrassed expression.
“I’ll just wear that one.”
As Roselia slumped her shoulders in resignation, the waiting maids swarmed her and finished fitting the wig. It was much higher quality than the blonde wig Roselia had gotten in Algrisha village, smooth and glossy. The blonde hair, combined with Roselia’s green eyes, created an incredibly feminine and elegant atmosphere. Furthermore, once they decorated her with the updo and hair vine that Roselia herself had popularized, a woman so elegant that even the Crown Princess would weep stood before the mirror.
Closette, who watched her with deep emotion, said one thing.
“My goodness, Antonio… you even look good as a blonde…!”
At Closette’s crazed expression, which seemed like that of an obsessive fan, Roselia was overcome with the uneasy feeling that her future was not going to be smooth sailing.
And just then, Closette brought something to Roselia’s face as if waiting for this moment. It was the peacock-feathered green eye mask that Closette had tried on previously.
“Indeed… this mask had a proper owner after all.”
Closette nodded with a proud expression after putting the mask on Roselia’s face. Roselia herself stared at the mirror, momentarily losing her train of thought.
In the mirror sat a woman wearing a bewitching eye mask, her green eyes shining brightly. The eye mask looked as if it had been made as a set with the dress, with gold thread embroidered over the green surface. Beneath it, her red lips, made radiant by the maids’ touch, were as ripe as fruit.
And so, Roselia unintentionally became a mysterious lady attending the masquerade.
* * *
Klaus, having finally shaken off the persistent Young Marquess Belmont, glanced around to find Antonio. Perhaps thanks to the mask that had done such a good job of hiding his face, he couldn’t find him anywhere in the banquet hall.
Klaus suddenly felt a sense of puzzlement at the realization that Closette was also missing.
Just then, Closette and a woman in a green dress descending from the second-floor reception room came into his view.