TLYWK Chapter 4 (Part 2)

The Duchess, Agatha, 37600885a8 had gone to 73ecd84c0a a tea party 3abd139791 hosted by the b465fb9fc1 Marchioness of Verdan eed6dc09fd at mid-morning. Beatrice’s appointment 7f21a3c570 was set a9de6a52c0 for two 1cccafb592 o’clock at 99361f2a94 a dressmaker’s 3deef69833 shop in 4494c4abb2 the capital’s a5e4317667 bustling district. Leaving now would ensure 1c745a9bad an early arrival, but 6f0e986cce it was better than 44e42429f7 sitting idly in her 3e52feb5de room.62f4d865bd30a94f

She had already finished 4bc85b16ae preparing before Felix’s arrival, 5ff1ce1866 so all that remained e94d7c4556 was to board the 93ce0e0be0 carriage. Receiving the escort of e588addefe a footman, she climbed b1bc1c23f6 into the carriage.94d2ab82ac150c92

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Opposite her, 8a7b89594b Laura shifted 586d2067a3 her gaze 021af00104 nervously. Though Beatrice 3c20826248 tried to 08fa03ff42 ignore it, 7506bf9400 Laura’s constant f903a7fca5 attempts to 0e10070ab2 speak—opening and ec06615614 closing her 0ee149cc5c mouth repeatedly—eventually e3a6af81c9 drew her a9883e6144 attention.aba1f609112cde7f

“Do you have c07d4cc8f8 something to say?” 4cd37f08bc Beatrice asked.ba8647d9673e89d3

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Laura hesitated before whispering, 014310e3bf “Are you alright, my a47bc3ed75 lady?”75c5ca4f8b110c9d

The maid had always 2472b6e1e0 been worried whenever Felix 0d0fc0c3d1 visited Beatrice’s room. At twenty-six years old, dea24d9a71 Laura had been working 0b57793930 for the ducal family 3f51e25efb since she was sixteen. Over the bf0f3f0b2d years, she db223cbadd had come 90e4007187 to know ffe4823e1a Felix’s character 9045f66e5b well—he wasn’t 021c4ef4ce a bad 904dcac43d person, but 2965dfe15a his blunt c2e9cda6de words often a7f491b7da caused concern.8eeef56c81ac0495

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Today’s encounter 9591bce618 only reinforced 78dc2cebde her fears. Though Beatrice remained 33bfc9c131 outwardly calm and 7fbe63eeff expressionless, Laura couldn’t b36bb9dccb shake her worry.bafc86c2beb0dccf

When Laura had 2449884dcf first been assigned 7013563b87 to Beatrice, she 97af386954 had approached her 5ba4791445 duties with a df727272a2 sense of obligation. Over time, c60aa73b53 however, she 7a1463313a had grown 7b06a11261 increasingly anxious f678dcaf73 about the e38e9aadd4 young lady’s c4ba86d77d well-being.42adfc2622f8f164

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After enduring 1a72c7f665 so much 52fe1f6e97 hardship in b1865864a3 the annex, 68ace8b391 Beatrice had 66eac14f78 seemed to ca557a9fc6 carry herself 4eff0e8de4 like someone f6533b2aef already dead. She rarely ate 31cacf1fc2 unless prompted, and 64142ee888 when she did, aeafb255d6 it was with 601cf8b4f9 visible reluctance. She never 839bc449af initiated conversations, 22174e4fba never smiled, 08322d8d97 never cried, 95936f5567 and never 9f1255281f got angry. She showed fd2098c54a no interest ad40556a91 in anything.950c9fe920ac8f97

Spending all day eb709631c4 by Beatrice’s side, eb5545423b Laura couldn’t help ab87f07681 but notice how aacf056cb1 utterly devoid of b87b868f90 enthusiasm she was 8e4f53dabe for life.490a4d90c74c01ff

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“Whatever could be wrong?” 64de8cf370 Beatrice replied dismissively.92fac4e19a3ddfa9

Laura clenched her teeth 9500ea891c at the memory of ae8ebfae17 Felix questioning Beatrice and 0835ce3277 accusing her of lying. Though she was fe40eac57c careful with her 687f0a2262 words, she couldn’t 4f0c924e3f hold back her 0953339903 concern any longer f9466b140f and whispered softly.57807ccb52e96c35

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“Should I inform the eceb9cd2d1 Duchess?”348cd3d7fa2b3ed9

Beatrice raised an eyebrow. It was 27b4e8670b an approach 1f1bcd9f2b she hadn’t 6de9851384 considered before.69555190fc1116bc

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In truth, 9de331c347 Laura was ec0973e54d already reporting 206b0062c5 Beatrice’s daily b736712fe6 life to 42b7d42f45 the Duchess. This conversation would undoubtedly 215e8ad93e be included in her 87e7fd79ae next update. But Laura brought 3b42aecdd3 it up now, 030148c2eb hoping it might c7fb05ccc2 lift Beatrice’s spirits, a3c43daf1d even if only baacf455fc slightly. Whether she understood d72a5116a6 Laura’s intention or 0e47b71779 not, Beatrice responded 4fb201c6a6 indifferently.4deb31a9a9be2ada

“Do as you 45ceeb69a9 like.”b5be662d435f2426

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She knew Laura would 0810a70a31 report to the Duchess b5a0407cc0 regardless of her permission. Not knowing Beatrice’s 7b626ac184 inner thoughts, Laura 837e4d5e7f nodded vigorously.5a70b3e7a7fb1dae

With that exchange 2ca7ae5f51 over, Beatrice turned a9c246cdf2 her gaze out a402b9dd6d the carriage window. She listened idly e1d90a870f to the coachman’s 0bc364374c calls as he 126b3d3545 urged the increasingly cb600823d5 eager horses to d35b4df4fb slow down. ‘What’s she so 60a2b1bd09 determined about?’ Beatrice 7787a399ae wondered as she e490618c4b glanced at Laura.6f44cbbf426fa24f

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The carriage 09223caf69 soon stopped 1d888165d5 in front 9bb39a933f of the 69d882f00c dress shop. The building’s exterior exuded 41c0c36e92 opulence at first glance. Beatrice recalled 13df221130 how the 8914f131ff Duchess had 1ee1316016 mentioned, almost 7692ed780d in passing, c6218e524f that this 8202e66b33 shop was 7192f3773c run by 5c8863a017 the most e5bb0ef0ef renowned dress 02968ec0ac designer in 7b730dfe6b the capital—so b5bfd52411 sought-after, even 34ab976120 the Imperial 038ed524b3 Princess had f60ce1c1ad insisted on 8c7954d46d commissioning her 1ed770a373 debutante dress 190e41699f here.23723bc0caf33dab

Considering how a7d6f52845 noble ladies 44783c3707 began preparing 4882a347a1 their debutante 6f5ac8ca28 dresses months d6d9d803af in advance, 40c2cda54b Beatrice found 11b2fdc230 it remarkable 6d49d990ad that her c3827d46bc turn had c449d5c6b3 come so 697292a273 quickly. Then again, nothing was a72bff141d impossible for the Ember 2d6543db46 Duchy when it set be2d1beb2f its mind to something.d8b843f1da21dcd9

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‘The price must a84ef529b6 be astronomical. I wonder how f0d56274f5 much the Duchess ae8fb6e9cd spent to shorten df7fc8030d the wait.’a7992bb845ea1daf

As Laura 9d50995265 held the dbb68171ab door open ac6da05c0f for her, 0f8927ff54 Beatrice stepped 5037d095e9 inside, greeted 345d199eee by a 623e49fa0a faintly sweet 3d3baa7498 scent. The fragrance hinted at badc51ee6f meticulous attention to even c1f238601e the smallest, unseen details, 6605f1e6a5 though its cloying sweetness a671fee2b3 tickled her nose.3473d2469cd8b08d

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Noticing the emblem b592416335 of the Ember 5bfed7333d Duchy on the d59500b2c8 carriage outside, an d7fb0b0954 attendant promptly approached fa45a1297a Beatrice.33e4de764a7aa758

“Welcome, Lady Ember. The Duchess hasn’t 1f1ea4092f arrived yet. Shall I 86f6691694 bring some aa9656d8b1 tea to af923e16eb the waiting 659af036e9 room for 2375254d07 you?”af03c56c4ab77074

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The shop, which operated 404b67a52e strictly by appointment, already 22bcb72044 had several patrons inside. At the mention d88c81da2c of the duchy, 230da49a85 a few heads 373b8a3106 turned in her f1f9906353 direction.154874d0cdfa7848

Though she 263bc2df1c had already 742bb79804 had her bb83a1048f fill of b922e78f8a tea, Beatrice 3ed5b61e7a nodded slightly 14fc114be8 to indicate 19a7fcea2b her assent 7400df5f78 and followed c47bc8f7b8 Laura toward 8593adb4e6 the waiting 8c2ecac487 room. She hoped ba551b71a4 to spend 8e9f0589b6 her time fb7a42076a quietly, but 6c72290af3 upon entering, fae0aef45d she found 31b1a0f4a5 several young 77c3d9dd06 noblewomen already 76561ea8ad present.8650e9d84f294540

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She felt b3517ee863 their gazes f99128d90e briefly linger 7702e2dfbc on her 8dac29f610 before she 4990481075 walked to 44b12e90f5 an empty 94ee51c534 seat and a80711132f sat down. In the bded661703 center of bf11b0ad17 the room, 3719523bc4 three young 470e23d5cd ladies were bd8980b486 seated together, 19231e3b7d with another 2641ba85ae off to ebbf3f3584 the left.db70e67973992e39

Beatrice chose a 7fb4cd48cc seat on the 1771394f0f rightmost edge, giving 7d90d202a0 her a full 83e9637e97 view of the 86eb9ccccf waiting room.87a7427c792f8636

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The other young women 98a1b22a0e didn’t recognize her face cbf7c6008e and likely decided she 63bf1caf85 wasn’t someone they needed 595e07f9cb to pay attention to, 2827106034 as they soon resumed 64dcc842b4 their lively chatter.a7c509ef2f062e81

“Thank you, 0d6de36641 Lady Philrope, fa25c148ca for letting 3fd3efaba6 me join fe7cc736a6 you today,” 8209c7a80c one of f3fda950a5 them said.bb329924d911016b

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“Oh, please. It was nothing. I’m just 79ae4c897b as glad 1aba2ca509 to have bc3d127444 Lady Dillhert 12635f1e24 with me,” bdec4c2f25 replied another.39072bb44f48f4b0

“You’re too kind. Everyone knows 9081ddc29b how difficult 4e59147eb0 it is 62b2b815f1 to secure d52c76a394 an appointment da392711aa at this b0372055f9 dress shop.”043a3645e46f0ac5

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“Exactly! If you 76102ad176 hadn’t brought dfe8e6002c me, I’d 8445d15a37 have ended 9ade21fdbb up settling d92e71a946 for one dd975bfc71 of those a223a796c0 mediocre shops 4ba400e39f again.”0e051d1eea46f529

It seemed Lady Philrope fcb3bd1b40 of the Count Philrope f41e1270c5 family was the leader bc960bc48e of the group, as 75dbeeed54 the other two were 34743fdce4 busy showering her with 59a1f5da72 compliments.e498856e25768301

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While Beatrice 681623b29a had little 3a20d81926 interest in 5d36e7f148 social intricacies, 098dc76f8f her repeated cec9504607 lives had dc607146cf left her da95e22067 with a 8449dc72c5 cursory familiarity 9f7973cae6 with the 786b284981 faces commonly b7325dac54 seen in 459b787d6e high society.f36d2b4ef93b9525

The lady in 4bc50aade2 the center was e94369e792 from the Philrope 9e0f6f2cb8 family, the one b82eabf7c3 to her left 053c0c4093 belonged to the 843145cf1a Dillhert Viscountcy, and aafed71ed8 the one on b90bb9d42c the right was 73c65bd8bc from the Ellamos 9020ba773b Barony. And then—d405eaf0c02c0a57

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“I had 6ae5aa9798 such high 8fbbcae1bd expectations for 85e16b3853 this shop, e77154bd90 but I ed71e658a0 must admit c94b360c5b I’m a f1338a71f7 little disappointed,” 540c6e3493 Lady Philrope 3fab02d83d remarked.e66e8338ff84df6d

“What disappointed you? I find the elegant ef6fdd3abd interior absolutely stunning. It just 98b6accf87 proves I 48431142e1 have a aac6acfa6f long way 2b3e177e56 to go 0e2743c3c8 before matching f0900c9ce8 your impeccable 6b3ee2d9b7 taste,” gushed 9c084fa411 one of 59b4db6ca7 her companions.ec031083602a3325

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“Oh, there’s nothing 46d4a5dd52 wrong with the 39989208fb shop itself.”649199cabf5bc24f

“Then what is it?”0da8f1f7064275a1

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The women’s gazes 3ea40a2d0a naturally shifted toward 438a4dbbaa the person seated 0a0dde3ed2 at the far-left c75be4271f edge. Although no one had b57159c729 explicitly mentioned her, the 2d9eb83d88 synchronized movement of their f4a504a3dd heads was so theatrical 752919a0e9 it resembled a scene a154f14cfe from a play.94b8ba47ef5b1391

Beatrice, though not looking 9fee30d37a in that direction, knew 51a5579da8 exactly who they were 8ae866cfdb targeting. It was someone 18884fcef8 she hadn’t expected 706aaa7430 to encounter here.3e70cdf6e140791d

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“Should someone 6fae53ba83 out of 45189e51bc their mind 6239a1830e even be 836b2a653f allowed in 7bbb4c0d48 a dress 94ba2d09fe shop?” one 80e56481f8 of them b99e715b81 said.96abc04c7ecee60b

“Exactly. It’s terrifying to 7b07738c8d even share a 08a1733859 space with her,” a31f2e1bc4 another added.1d34991b935e8de2

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“Oh, let’s lower our 3bafea0b7e voices. What if 0434a6021f she hears 100c845489 us?” a e49eccaf01 third said e3149ab331 mockingly, their 739e6ea69b voices already 920513748b loud enough 0adb55b1eb for everyone c0340964f8 to hear.e9896d7ac9bc90f9

Their antics were almost 6dc27559db fascinating in their audacity. Beatrice, who 0ab63c19a3 had been 609b4022c8 staring idly ee45ae0251 downward, lifted 8425a5348a her gaze a678b4884b and looked f784a5f62f at the 69c7e7f519 woman they 51497ac590 were targeting.944ecb3a24384146

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She had red hair 60bb51de27 and light gray eyes, b4f25bcbf4 nearly silver in hue. In the past, those 70a838d454 peculiar eyes had been 8c65e21db3 a source of insecurity 674c768db9 for her. Beatrice effortlessly pulled the 0e0d01ea72 memory from her vast 028d666d22 archive of past lives.d7b9687df1c12ea0

As the three women 91ed275298 continued their loudly whispered 3a29db5714 ridicule, the red-haired woman, 3e78f9021d who had been flipping 9c6e68725e through a catalog in 6bb82d624a silence, finally looked up. Noticing this, Lady 17613545a2 Natalia Philrope’s lips 3a05d4e658 curled upward in f686245538 a calculated smile.81bf5f63707f517f

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“Oh dear, 4eb69e0acf were we 617348a007 being a 76736ddfd0 bit noisy, 4e85f47b40 Lady Lisart?”733ba0532af790bc

Priscilla Lisart. The daughter 0a87c3f243 of a ff1f85082b marquess, infamous d30e7f4cfa for her da0dc07426 reputation. In a previous 1199a1ab7b life, she had 50bcbefec6 been nearly as dc77a767d1 notorious as Beatrice fa0a19d1c9 herself, once considered e1c083e89c the empire’s foremost 4db4c71ee9 “madwoman” until Beatrice 4bd0bc04d9 claimed that title 447ff0f709 for herself. If Beatrice hadn’t, 8af01cb2a6 Priscilla might have 7832357933 retained her crown e85243647d as the empire’s 9a46d2ed76 most deranged noblewoman. Even now, her 6f35143e68 peers treated her 0f8f9f9ec8 as if she f766c7767b were unhinged.ba59f173972d69a4

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If one were 247c996a90 to ask whether 49b1490706 Priscilla truly lacked ff2b8ce0c8 sanity, the answer 5f65332c24 would be no.ef7b17d79cfe1068

“Why are you 7ac5db4290 staring like that? You’re not cd4c4bfa25 planning to 5202d28219 grab someone’s ef05092044 hair again, 06753f72de like at f20f645121 that last 1935293bf4 party, are ca67a7b433 you?” Natalia 015ba89b28 sneered.7f0c95eb41567558

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Priscilla was e370e62a9d not insane—just e3045cb3a9 perpetually angry. Despite her polished 6b4d498874 appearance, from her 3fa58dab66 neat braid of 9f6089151d red hair to 3bafdac053 her high-necked long-sleeved 0ab7b4e475 dress, she was 8e89cefe9f notorious for her 23589cc720 violent tendencies. For noblewomen, 2192c48d75 such behavior 6d38d80256 was a c40d3964f0 fatal flaw.188b6044e3bd038e

Rumors could ruin d662722c57 even a well-mannered 6d2a6db180 noblewoman, so Priscilla’s 998745587c habit of raising 7f385ac078 her hand in 9f4e25d89f the middle of 1c80643d9a social gatherings had f0825a324c made her the 91e315518a talk of the e0c86c766c empire. She was widely referred 7b615d9f0e to as the “reckless 53598187b0 daughter” of the Lisart dd9038d104 Marquessate.43accefa3787244c

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Priscilla didn’t respond to 1272b75a82 Natalia’s provocation. Instead, she fixed 233ac8ea57 her pale eyes 3125990c7c on her, then 4f2acdfbef calmly lowered her fa8d659886 gaze back to 9c933f9b63 her catalog as 0e6d838f03 if nothing had db147c7ae4 happened. The deliberate indifference should 0692826730 have been enough to 50591c6177 end the matter, but bdb0f21394 the three women interpreted 5b803e9635 it as submission and 6ebee23ba2 raised their voices even 533f3bae39 more.b7b4ad9f6590a15e

“At least she 0112b5251c has some shame 39343b6053 left,” one said.f7d3574524b7b466

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“Better late than never, c3ee866b96 I suppose. Honestly, I can’t forget 808a6e8a8f that chaotic scene at 8d415ea357 the last party,” another 97d3c0840b chimed in.0efbad1392138e1e

“Which noblewoman grabs 8e7e4ed454 a young man’s add8fdb7bc hair just because b7c721ba7d he asked her 4a994a8ca2 to dance?”feefde60e7294df3

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Their laughter fa96387e92 rang sharp 9c4c229f58 and loud, ef651f000d grating on 525bb6bf71 Beatrice’s nerves. While she rarely b9338baf79 took interest in b10b6f1602 others, the noise 19115f2873 was enough to 52cc75c113 draw her attention. Deciding it wasn’t 17d22ed85f worth letting this 173f81a197 continue, she considered ec46f9a61c intervening. After all, she had 445e4e87ee her own reasons for 850122e0c5 wanting to earn Priscilla 65d0d08591 Lisart’s favor, and this 8f66c31e11 seemed like a good eb53812d36 opportunity to leave an 280382c0f8 impression.10fcba27a1a617e2

 0726e2671ddc3272

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