TLYWK Chapter 4 (Part 2)

The Duchess, Agatha, had ab327bdd1d gone to a tea 1d12ff8478 party hosted by the e580d5a5c9 Marchioness of Verdan at ada587fad9 mid-morning. Beatrice’s appointment was 9746cb3d1f set for two 6797b79a9d o’clock at a 07d4e152d7 dressmaker’s shop in 42b8aee20d the capital’s bustling 09da812d39 district. Leaving now would ensure ace967bbab an early arrival, but a2753fe48b it was better than 48c3b162ea sitting idly in her 8861d363de room.ef444d6df3b3a6dd

She had already finished 95bdd5811f preparing before Felix’s arrival, 3f3ade41d2 so all that remained c8c6decf30 was to board the 4759521551 carriage. Receiving the escort of e55348809f a footman, she climbed 3ca7a2223a into the carriage.6109b30187a197c3

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Opposite her, a02815f62d Laura shifted e37c7127e2 her gaze d61a846ebc nervously. Though Beatrice tried f037832c02 to ignore it, 2049dad7df Laura’s constant attempts ec0147b7d8 to speak—opening and d4c3848053 closing her mouth 62f1a961a6 repeatedly—eventually drew her 47728d816e attention.3254f902880bcf2f

“Do you 0af20e87c9 have something 54a2a7c8f7 to say?” 03c764646b Beatrice asked.e26137e9cd5dd012

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Laura hesitated 437f82c161 before whispering, c81bfc5049 “Are you 37a3a419ea alright, my b45fc915e5 lady?”d93739127040b919

The maid had always 4e18639ce0 been worried whenever Felix a7e832954a visited Beatrice’s room. At twenty-six years 11e06990f1 old, Laura had 9af1dae43e been working for 9f41f14421 the ducal family be5e6ecc2e since she was f07933b5a3 sixteen. Over the d90aa05bd2 years, she db0f8a5bab had come 36ca79b934 to know 105d33417d Felix’s character b72b4a3b35 well—he wasn’t 64c56f35dd a bad 2b039cea46 person, but b55aa88d00 his blunt 1bb1eea04d words often 2bb65ffbda caused concern.67b554fa849004a5

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Today’s encounter only 48c3c04366 reinforced her fears. Though Beatrice remained 000e46a3ab outwardly calm and 94ce529d75 expressionless, Laura couldn’t 0d0668fdbd shake her worry.a78f227099686a45

When Laura had 6f1a7119d7 first been assigned 558de4f9f4 to Beatrice, she 9facfcff65 had approached her 41352af130 duties with a 5d13641db6 sense of obligation. Over time, however, she 6d61db9075 had grown increasingly anxious b9f1c6f203 about the young lady’s bb49c77e0d well-being.947e22f73e55a676

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After enduring so d51ff04158 much hardship in a939244514 the annex, Beatrice feededf9c0 had seemed to 17b6aad206 carry herself like c43da0293a someone already dead. She rarely ate 789ba90e60 unless prompted, and fd4af3958f when she did, c0f8394d47 it was with 4823d04971 visible reluctance. She never 5c7d2eabe1 initiated conversations, b29dea0c3a never smiled, 5505fdcb37 never cried, a12d1d0c48 and never 4ab76654a1 got angry. She showed no 033ec58618 interest in anything.34b6159672d7a77f

Spending all 94c900db0e day by 32b1723de9 Beatrice’s side, 65035e11da Laura couldn’t b507f70222 help but 79cc09e76c notice how 935a8441cc utterly devoid 8174c7cfee of enthusiasm d9cc2f9758 she was b9f24cec00 for life.3b430599df86b86c

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“Whatever could be wrong?” 75a9d1b138 Beatrice replied dismissively.b02436f21e164ff2

Laura clenched aa2b8d715a her teeth 6a4069e62a at the 642b1713a2 memory of 868df0bdf5 Felix questioning 8434a12040 Beatrice and abe46ecbe9 accusing her d736ceab89 of lying. Though she was 94aa1b3e97 careful with her a6329c3938 words, she couldn’t 3e00c0bc92 hold back her dc40e359fd concern any longer c2f1cb3da2 and whispered softly.b88312e34c2d4e0a

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“Should I inform the 59de13e476 Duchess?”2e670b53a6e45b83

Beatrice raised c1be28b210 an eyebrow. It was an approach 51aaf76c2b she hadn’t considered before.26bccaf08dc1e870

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In truth, df0a8fd927 Laura was 757703a81d already reporting 8e7e7611a4 Beatrice’s daily c2b1d517eb life to f44cf39c09 the Duchess. This conversation would undoubtedly c7bcd8702b be included in her 000e3e032c next update. But Laura 7795b93f09 brought it 7b772912cd up now, c79e514b7a hoping it b3fbdc7060 might lift 174f22519c Beatrice’s spirits, 04ab9fe639 even if 197d7c152e only slightly. Whether she 9a7b935fe0 understood Laura’s eeb851f16a intention or f103b54446 not, Beatrice 46c1174622 responded indifferently.79b1a51bf36493b5

“Do as you 489ae6c5ed like.”7e4a875e07dff90f

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She knew c06225a6d7 Laura would 649ba5d1e4 report to 53e86fe707 the Duchess 263461476e regardless of a0665f2832 her permission. Not knowing Beatrice’s inner 50674f41f9 thoughts, Laura nodded vigorously.014a51a188db28e9

With that 327e7aeb68 exchange over, d71ed6a101 Beatrice turned d5abbeb5df her gaze f005009a4e out the 81e3f1785d carriage window. She listened b24e70e8be idly to 9dc8751775 the coachman’s 7bee90c466 calls as 79f772d04a he urged f40d70d694 the increasingly dea370aee9 eager horses 3b9473f39c to slow 5629860722 down. ‘What’s she 370c167997 so determined db82401459 about?’ Beatrice 6de8bc16d9 wondered as 137470dbf7 she glanced a132d0cac9 at Laura.ff38c1587401b80b

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The carriage 192bbdeadb soon stopped f1cc08dc46 in front 18997060fa of the 2ce9670233 dress shop. The building’s exterior exuded ce346dc618 opulence at first glance. Beatrice recalled ce45f82832 how the 31b5a3729d Duchess had ed8724bcc1 mentioned, almost e46c628cc8 in passing, 624b9f2bf8 that this 330164f124 shop was 0706187f12 run by c3bd05202e the most 787ff1bd71 renowned dress 190373bfc7 designer in 5828bf882e the capital—so 8804da2c48 sought-after, even 8154f378bb the Imperial bcbadc174a Princess had 838a9b2146 insisted on 2140a370a0 commissioning her a57f9de6b0 debutante dress 402bf4c473 here.99233e5adbfa3c76

Considering how noble ladies c20c25e352 began preparing their debutante fbf7cca6e0 dresses months in advance, 1b36c8d893 Beatrice found it remarkable 55aa15d1a6 that her turn had f82e76d761 come so quickly. Then again, nothing was 5bab5341bc impossible for the Ember f2371caa4d Duchy when it set f7fc5589fe its mind to something.d405127dd7bab2f0

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‘The price 92111036fe must be 695a59485d astronomical. I wonder abd07f0279 how much 2614874c00 the Duchess f2a4aa3a7a spent to 018ef8fad5 shorten the 2dac1e868f wait.’979b69438b3ffd67

As Laura held the ddbc3eb15b door open for her, 2b30699ed9 Beatrice stepped inside, greeted ec85e30377 by a faintly sweet 018861dcba scent. The fragrance hinted 8f5c6ca8dc at meticulous attention 2cd8080329 to even the 3f0d5a8d67 smallest, unseen details, 94b2fca647 though its cloying 85b5cf5b29 sweetness tickled her bb0040e538 nose.3a74b0652811b89a

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Noticing the emblem 13abf5ffb0 of the Ember e6ae8ed065 Duchy on the e59d74b75f carriage outside, an 52dea427e5 attendant promptly approached 07c144381c Beatrice.22b2e664665d3998

“Welcome, Lady Ember. The Duchess hasn’t 091308e912 arrived yet. Shall I bring some 818fc965fe tea to the waiting 1f81134ef3 room for you?”5d047c2ca602a75c

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The shop, which operated 30aa5352e1 strictly by appointment, already f83c5bfdcf had several patrons inside. At the mention 627c678fb2 of the duchy, 7033015a0f a few heads 1da5a99ddf turned in her 1acc74ef6f direction.2c0545d807c5ac04

Though she had already c3d131bae9 had her fill of d2536190c9 tea, Beatrice nodded slightly cc5e79fc83 to indicate her assent 8d7ffcebcf and followed Laura toward 1871c19b43 the waiting room. She hoped to 0fcc48f86c spend her time 91af833e76 quietly, but upon 02b9bb6af0 entering, she found a36ee5f968 several young noblewomen d8c473e571 already present.66567ff92aada64e

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She felt their b47921ad93 gazes briefly linger bf69a2a04d on her before c44bb616b8 she walked to e347064e0d an empty seat 00d36805ba and sat down. In the center of 8638c82058 the room, three young eea752e059 ladies were seated together, 5f6728a5f3 with another off to 80176fcad8 the left.fe5e47d488bc4e74

Beatrice chose a 3741179ae0 seat on the 595d47bea1 rightmost edge, giving 13d6e92413 her a full 1856d44a8a view of the 10658d619d waiting room.b6de813fea811697

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The other b5f399b4f3 young women da28dfa101 didn’t recognize ac6440e5bb her face 00e22ae459 and likely f84d3f4fe5 decided she ee303ed8a4 wasn’t someone 02921353a1 they needed 348508b15b to pay 0da1c476e6 attention to, 7fb5f9da8f as they 6b0b2b1ad1 soon resumed be5a5ed3ee their lively b67af0cd61 chatter.bf5213b64cfa2781

“Thank you, c1864bcbc9 Lady Philrope, fea2504118 for letting 7340785b91 me join 0578723cd9 you today,” 84de7919a8 one of 171ed4f701 them said.e7d9253c32d20c74

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“Oh, please. It was nothing. I’m just 754713c58b as glad 3d6171e017 to have 9481a2b67d Lady Dillhert 9da187b4ce with me,” 9647252cc6 replied another.8f4556b9e847ebeb

“You’re too kind. Everyone knows 582531ac40 how difficult 8e02224de3 it is 6f530001a3 to secure bdf011402c an appointment 3417a27791 at this 13079e5495 dress shop.”abd5419d9edb1c20

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“Exactly! If you 398a001b8d hadn’t brought 5552f86113 me, I’d cbdcab9fd4 have ended 1e7ac1fbcb up settling e83b7042e2 for one 2d17464880 of those caddb5bc47 mediocre shops daa3407805 again.”e8205ca4e7edd977

It seemed Lady Philrope 0b57c1d07d of the Count Philrope 963b5a213c family was the leader bfb93307e3 of the group, as 8d7bc30268 the other two were 5b38193452 busy showering her with 9e29041063 compliments.23a6d0d11e5291e0

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While Beatrice had little fd84c81692 interest in social intricacies, fc41733f63 her repeated lives had bc7f6be83c left her with a 5f9c1c14bf cursory familiarity with the 04c12326c1 faces commonly seen in 2f201f3520 high society.e4b64c43b10c42b9

The lady in 3b50df9fbd the center was cebad58c4d from the Philrope b14ce5a5cc family, the one 4e5ff6f251 to her left b984c05eb2 belonged to the 8fdaf71fcc Dillhert Viscountcy, and 2c42352954 the one on 240eb610e9 the right was 29e092a46e from the Ellamos c8421d17a6 Barony. And then—b19df09fe22276aa

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“I had such d9a2b9380b high expectations for 0d25b51716 this shop, but 773e94dcd8 I must admit c0d1d68f3a I’m a little 89a9454797 disappointed,” Lady Philrope f4f37782b4 remarked.53b92be5a8c2a6e4

“What disappointed you? I find the elegant de1c678633 interior absolutely stunning. It just proves d7532cc4de I have a 18b02bb155 long way to a93e3d8abc go before matching 4a8f5f789c your impeccable taste,” da62e8e6b3 gushed one of 50b6772dcd her companions.d23561bac784ada2

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“Oh, there’s 8ceac095c1 nothing wrong 41828706d6 with the 41696fa96e shop itself.”12a7fe11bd178b2e

“Then what 9b8db36344 is it?”ddf05b16a1c1cf82

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The women’s gazes naturally 1ed2e251cd shifted toward the person 991d265679 seated at the far-left 5d8e148880 edge. Although no one had e0c43b2860 explicitly mentioned her, the f261b4566b synchronized movement of their be2c9d9b50 heads was so theatrical 5eae52a7ec it resembled a scene af37fef015 from a play.ce197ee60e2bf47e

Beatrice, though not looking 773bb05b84 in that direction, knew adef3d9257 exactly who they were c0f7736fb1 targeting. It was someone f8b4f88f1b she hadn’t expected ba8eb68e3d to encounter here.fdf6ae57a359fd74

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“Should someone b089e0f43c out of 93517216b1 their mind d4dae33bcf even be b1fb534586 allowed in 62e7719d65 a dress 1fc3bb3fce shop?” one 612f6e1db1 of them b5449e0212 said.2154b0171c60a195

“Exactly. It’s terrifying to even 5f6f89ac55 share a space with ea0f646884 her,” another added.f402db6710564164

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“Oh, let’s lower 384425c32c our voices. What if she hears 9a86b57c94 us?” a third said 1d1a43aa10 mockingly, their voices already d5de2ea8d8 loud enough for everyone 1304a86d61 to hear.5486fdb1d5a37900

Their antics were 8dfb544c4a almost fascinating in c1f23ec086 their audacity. Beatrice, who had cbc47b6e3a been staring idly 5598cb64ac downward, lifted her ac8757d25e gaze and looked 842402dc23 at the woman 88c5fa26f6 they were targeting.26083da6bca9c14b

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She had 18fbbc9af0 red hair 70e2fa1ea8 and light ec96eab13c gray eyes, 01bf691543 nearly silver 4f3038a1a8 in hue. In the past, those a634a5eb62 peculiar eyes had been b922b6a571 a source of insecurity d770d3a485 for her. Beatrice effortlessly bbc912fe81 pulled the 9f4a3d61e1 memory from 8109bbe9e6 her vast 2c9aaf6ec3 archive of 46d370dccb past lives.811fae1d18841dc9

As the 66fcca88e7 three women fb2c07a8ab continued their 6b0829c725 loudly whispered 347a4fc9db ridicule, the 84ec4a53d6 red-haired woman, dea6437454 who had 7cb5d0fb6c been flipping aa23d9b789 through a 7784531575 catalog in 91152be5af silence, finally abb49bb3b8 looked up. Noticing this, Lady 82c8dcada0 Natalia Philrope’s lips 6b493c7207 curled upward in 9adcdfceff a calculated smile.28f0b8f558eb4e77

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“Oh dear, were b2a84a6c02 we being a 0bb3521d1a bit noisy, Lady 469510b343 Lisart?”55c07d612cf3c60d

Priscilla Lisart. The daughter of a 0bb642c8a7 marquess, infamous for her 8be604fff2 reputation. In a previous life, 6faf372d40 she had been nearly e8200b11fe as notorious as Beatrice b3c098b51d herself, once considered the 4f981f6289 empire’s foremost “madwoman” until b60db6e124 Beatrice claimed that title 2c6e77be1c for herself. If Beatrice 53fdee7024 hadn’t, Priscilla 324f251ed4 might have 6233b178e0 retained her b3c62fb8fb crown as aa49547070 the empire’s a8e2e662d1 most deranged d69dc8cb7e noblewoman. Even now, db06a22028 her peers 6e484b6a51 treated her 90586a01a7 as if 770d474d2a she were b7f7264d28 unhinged.143d65d4b1ab73f1

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If one were to c39b084503 ask whether Priscilla truly c8b8403272 lacked sanity, the answer 41a17a87c8 would be no.c8d2dcfb368eb0f4

“Why are you 54cda5c34a staring like that? You’re not planning e3495e3478 to grab someone’s 23991c5d7a hair again, like 5e2e8c72ae at that last 128212330c party, are you?” 06186571c1 Natalia sneered.fea7d90ccc7e8555

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Priscilla was not insane—just f7d6275820 perpetually angry. Despite her polished appearance, a34c55dbb2 from her neat braid 0d1a6cea09 of red hair to a96447bbb2 her high-necked long-sleeved dress, 1b87a28a17 she was notorious for 27865cb4c7 her violent tendencies. For noblewomen, such 6b358173e1 behavior was a 6b3999b45e fatal flaw.22a3c01962863c2d

Rumors could ruin even 4a5f995ed2 a well-mannered noblewoman, so 96b0a7ad4c Priscilla’s habit of raising daceac8525 her hand in the 5eb39eda82 middle of social gatherings b26979dfc5 had made her the 0c2183d2c6 talk of the empire. She was 192ebc482b widely referred 352b9fc710 to as 4b51a3a5a2 the “reckless 52117f8de1 daughter” of 229af23a23 the Lisart 15a843990a Marquessate.a1f4eb2d660cbde0

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Priscilla didn’t respond to 3b8a8dff26 Natalia’s provocation. Instead, she fixed her 5b9bba8a8d pale eyes on her, 4a6701b293 then calmly lowered her 62a302d476 gaze back to her 5389dee5ef catalog as if nothing 2aa966dee6 had happened. The deliberate indifference c65e6c04bd should have been 9ca0ee1829 enough to end 073623e49f the matter, but 5b00d929c9 the three women 6ce9e2fb0d interpreted it as 49cd5549e8 submission and raised 8548c34171 their voices even f40cf6dc65 more.0acc6f148e368d87

“At least she 829ece7cad has some shame 35be090ea5 left,” one said.5c527e06d7114390

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“Better late than never, 847f96980b I suppose. Honestly, I 936ffa054c can’t forget 5c0a8f9ab4 that chaotic 06b44f77df scene at fd86756c8c the last 8f7bd18286 party,” another f58882d0ab chimed in.d946499c961bc234

“Which noblewoman grabs a 471ddc3fdf young man’s hair just c223b1d257 because he asked her 73df5753ba to dance?”4977dfa6f00a9427

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Their laughter rang sharp f1a5f78d08 and loud, grating on b580aa1920 Beatrice’s nerves. While she 823020a28e rarely took fe0c528a4e interest in d65bd9dc2a others, the 6101c0686b noise was 1d2f280b56 enough to 790a6e0b22 draw her 0ccbef6ffd attention. Deciding it 2eb57fe30a wasn’t worth 8511d5d108 letting this 51a13f578a continue, she 48d2b53ab0 considered intervening. After all, c8c2e7d08a she had 52094ecc76 her own 6b217eb2d2 reasons for 5205cc18eb wanting to 873a91ce71 earn Priscilla 2684e6c4ff Lisart’s favor, 1c605b2823 and this 517e640d38 seemed like 117af6ec5a a good f980eca25d opportunity to 379dcd6d57 leave an a3221b6f65 impression.64de26fe9ecd0220

 c1d00d59a0ad65c8

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