TLYWK Chapter 4 (Part 2)

The Duchess, Agatha, had 5a9e84c5cf gone to a tea d9744c835f party hosted by the 9d24f894e6 Marchioness of Verdan at c26d3257bc mid-morning. Beatrice’s appointment was set de69fc081b for two o’clock at 890080fd31 a dressmaker’s shop in 531c4df6fa the capital’s bustling district. Leaving now would ensure e2ccb72c37 an early arrival, but 40e5913106 it was better than f3e4b1d784 sitting idly in her 39c2414d3a room.9b42510a1bb44e0b

She had already finished d992ec964a preparing before Felix’s arrival, 14642da17f so all that remained 5fd82aba0c was to board the 45ff268c48 carriage. Receiving the escort of b3c0806b1c a footman, she climbed fb8a94589b into the carriage.9a9bc94a2cc0c883

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Opposite her, Laura 864e3855ae shifted her gaze b3c2aaadf9 nervously. Though Beatrice 0a87e42027 tried to 0d6e5f9f3b ignore it, 02f64ca821 Laura’s constant 93f31fa3da attempts to 7840258017 speak—opening and c0855e7142 closing her 78578ff288 mouth repeatedly—eventually 4847180702 drew her ca004e3391 attention.238c425ba51f6fe4

“Do you have something 1993bc8fd0 to say?” Beatrice asked.5fc05aef3aebe664

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Laura hesitated before whispering, 17279a50ac “Are you alright, my 65c4e9c0ef lady?”4558b58ece0a5cee

The maid had always 5b59495da7 been worried whenever Felix 7a7cc1aa89 visited Beatrice’s room. At twenty-six 0c99ee3c61 years old, c8114fcd8d Laura had e76e0a0364 been working e54a19d339 for the 5e54a4494e ducal family b0733a9788 since she 9e78276381 was sixteen. Over the years, she c47d2f8fb6 had come to know dceda4d580 Felix’s character well—he wasn’t 953aefa442 a bad person, but 74ad6ee483 his blunt words often 1c14729e8c caused concern.5f56bf1e291cba99

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Today’s encounter 33992dc4d7 only reinforced a9e99d0fbd her fears. Though Beatrice 821c4b8500 remained outwardly 2b3ce9ba09 calm and 0778b8ac0f expressionless, Laura d0fcfb32d1 couldn’t shake dbc81c170c her worry.af24271f444cf2ce

When Laura had first 8cb2ce1767 been assigned to Beatrice, 9de2ed1341 she had approached her 82cdae58bf duties with a sense 00b6a1ca8d of obligation. Over time, however, she 08f7ec3d2e had grown increasingly anxious 7bd082591e about the young lady’s d38cefd16e well-being.5474e45d04f32cc3

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After enduring so 74ac0f2df1 much hardship in 119b5a0952 the annex, Beatrice 665460b0a6 had seemed to 429b9088b4 carry herself like 90ef3d1b39 someone already dead. She rarely ate dc382b7c01 unless prompted, and 8bd44f1fd2 when she did, c3f90b0a23 it was with b613cb33ed visible reluctance. She never initiated 5d91b91bf1 conversations, never smiled, 44d1ea1b14 never cried, and 7903ef3c47 never got angry. She showed no interest 1588d84481 in anything.a85c88fe1c921830

Spending all day by 62820bd7ba Beatrice’s side, Laura couldn’t 62b8fcd6b1 help but notice how a81e9eb9b7 utterly devoid of enthusiasm 713fed19f8 she was for life.e14e0f89ed5464c1

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“Whatever could be f149d31158 wrong?” Beatrice replied d8e4168196 dismissively.99ef21f507a3eb88

Laura clenched 66fe0ac9f1 her teeth 61fdda8011 at the 46457eb2f6 memory of 44f93b89ec Felix questioning 9eb6fef777 Beatrice and 4ef2933af8 accusing her 1264caaac3 of lying. Though she was 00e0be7063 careful with her 28cc2e13de words, she couldn’t 05ed5e997f hold back her 3abf0d1bcd concern any longer ccf3d525c6 and whispered softly.6c213a2bd77e64cc

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“Should I bcc719031c inform the bcc38625a5 Duchess?”6d4558d7bd05edfe

Beatrice raised an e01c8cab7d eyebrow. It was 551ae16882 an approach 0f98fcf48d she hadn’t 67f362ded5 considered before.e539f23c2a33dbcb

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In truth, 5c0e2b81c7 Laura was cbe0733a5e already reporting 3eed63a55d Beatrice’s daily 9d7e509d64 life to 1dbda40d97 the Duchess. This conversation would undoubtedly ae8bcd4ec9 be included in her f79b9dfd15 next update. But Laura brought it a21b540994 up now, hoping it 0a620b63a6 might lift Beatrice’s spirits, fe06c5570f even if only slightly. Whether she a1c15a7964 understood Laura’s df9f370e54 intention or 8955d98783 not, Beatrice cd1e996012 responded indifferently.d92d064577c98f7e

“Do as you b072faad64 like.”04b1a6563e3406b6

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She knew Laura 53e278313e would report to 94a3dd0ee3 the Duchess regardless 2d4a36c1fb of her permission. Not knowing 3f3b9dd5d0 Beatrice’s inner ece595ced5 thoughts, Laura 5d8bcb3ae3 nodded vigorously.2534cd248b87e85b

With that c40ab9df57 exchange over, 5198834183 Beatrice turned 757da585bf her gaze f8418b175f out the 9923a47ec6 carriage window. She listened idly 5d50d15235 to the coachman’s fac5420704 calls as he b9e0b9d8da urged the increasingly 473d91fb1b eager horses to a682f13cfe slow down. ‘What’s she 82c7b7acc3 so determined b563aab256 about?’ Beatrice 17687385ce wondered as 597ec13e39 she glanced 41acdb69e6 at Laura.94b79313ca06b899

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The carriage 551827077a soon stopped 2851558ea2 in front 04d1622761 of the 712dbf75c8 dress shop. The building’s 8649590104 exterior exuded 8f4dcee47f opulence at 4f1f136b4d first glance. Beatrice recalled how the de356e60e3 Duchess had mentioned, almost 98b470a55a in passing, that this 53fb2c592e shop was run by aafe77a1c3 the most renowned dress 45fbe5b34f designer in the capital—so 6ca43c4e8b sought-after, even the Imperial 0ceb859b28 Princess had insisted on 80d0441a91 commissioning her debutante dress 4aaa5b195b here.d9fa220a96882fa0

Considering how 3bb1d0f956 noble ladies a37751ed0e began preparing b415e48389 their debutante 29c05ca8c0 dresses months 1c819d8255 in advance, b9bcdaf4d2 Beatrice found 34847b3768 it remarkable c54f37fb2a that her d9d4c9ce17 turn had 4510e9f3ff come so e92b3acee9 quickly. Then again, 5a1e24a9e9 nothing was 053e153e1a impossible for 1db39ff3a2 the Ember 9b8462830a Duchy when c23d10a420 it set 2f6323bf98 its mind ced7d8d5fa to something.f4cbf158d1ca2956

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‘The price 696e101d2a must be 028f664ebc astronomical. I wonder how much c822ea1977 the Duchess spent to c69763142a shorten the wait.’7fe932bd86b2f20d

As Laura held the 9f7e230bfc door open for her, 3fbf2eee9b Beatrice stepped inside, greeted 39bd4e9d79 by a faintly sweet f9def4ab66 scent. The fragrance hinted at d1b0ae1242 meticulous attention to even 4b6f0128ac the smallest, unseen details, cf483a0357 though its cloying sweetness a43ea2c247 tickled her nose.6a844d954e64eff7

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Noticing the emblem of 52deaeb8c1 the Ember Duchy on 375cf6294e the carriage outside, an 40d64937c0 attendant promptly approached Beatrice.ca536b665bf65cfe

“Welcome, Lady Ember. The Duchess hasn’t fe50f7b0a9 arrived yet. Shall I bring some 97800477b3 tea to the waiting ea5178b6c9 room for you?”56313d3e281e1d20

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The shop, which operated 46ba5055e0 strictly by appointment, already f8d111d308 had several patrons inside. At the e465eafc55 mention of 45e7e4552e the duchy, 3ecd33b05c a few e6705af2e5 heads turned 88b96c3669 in her 970cb1dae9 direction.cc357a9dea88725e

Though she had 30562a635c already had her 3a360652e6 fill of tea, ce96248b6e Beatrice nodded slightly 3a5b6350c4 to indicate her 379bfb2193 assent and followed 52db043810 Laura toward the 3238e89c1b waiting room. She hoped to spend 2eb95bd342 her time quietly, but d2d44035d4 upon entering, she found b264c40bc8 several young noblewomen already af9b9670e0 present.93fd6332a32c7f13

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She felt d31b1d521b their gazes 9e24c512b2 briefly linger 9342a073ed on her 4953f59b68 before she 40bce56c9c walked to c988ecfd3b an empty 2c60035fc4 seat and 5405f814be sat down. In the center fb5d14039a of the room, 9b22e24f10 three young ladies 6e0a870a55 were seated together, aa54f8f026 with another off 7c330866d9 to the left.452a6af791f18315

Beatrice chose 028e2b4144 a seat edd0e5f645 on the 23bba8ed7e rightmost edge, b1d11407ba giving her 84a338107b a full d49e86f82b view of 193949f778 the waiting 3a9a394af6 room.1daf4872dbdb26fd

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The other young 174112850d women didn’t recognize 381efc1fe4 her face and 21cd4becfc likely decided she 7483c196af wasn’t someone they 63835b2397 needed to pay 2a5ce66021 attention to, as 524c5bab7d they soon resumed fe58bb9295 their lively chatter.326a11752bef38b6

“Thank you, Lady 703930ab0b Philrope, for letting 0f45c65d94 me join you d52a481a60 today,” one of bfbf15ae8a them said.8778b63e47e8b772

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“Oh, please. It was nothing. I’m just as glad 62937a0143 to have Lady Dillhert c8c143c508 with me,” replied another.9c196a9108b7a557

“You’re too kind. Everyone knows how 840fa1b60b difficult it is 48d5d74cc2 to secure an 4012f9f186 appointment at this 8843d5ff6b dress shop.”8541dca97337e0b8

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“Exactly! If you hadn’t 05495c3284 brought me, I’d a1cf5b95bb have ended up 9236caaab6 settling for one c2973e46ed of those mediocre 69ac09226b shops again.”670f47d834e000ae

It seemed Lady Philrope 54ea574a09 of the Count Philrope 63850bf420 family was the leader 76b97a3779 of the group, as e812cc3f13 the other two were 2300fa255f busy showering her with d282efbd0e compliments.906c33e95cf8989d

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While Beatrice c576ca2b65 had little 5567a69e20 interest in 313b8b251f social intricacies, 8d71447a0c her repeated 064f1a2d6f lives had e333710fd6 left her 3271f30d6f with a d8e9b44e09 cursory familiarity 839064da1e with the 646476dabe faces commonly a02d7665fb seen in de2a217342 high society.660636c25d72f9b3

The lady in d0d53771be the center was 9344441445 from the Philrope 5024822e14 family, the one 2ff2b39a65 to her left 0e7fc63b79 belonged to the aa15f90bd9 Dillhert Viscountcy, and 8ddf7055eb the one on f857bfae93 the right was 67b99ab9f0 from the Ellamos 5d64cf0fce Barony. And then—375db076b6a5bc86

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“I had such high 3e9c623bfe expectations for this shop, ae28a86cfa but I must admit b03732dea5 I’m a little disappointed,” 23e852c7bf Lady Philrope remarked.95627d5b2fc41f3c

“What disappointed you? I find the elegant e13f846b00 interior absolutely stunning. It just proves I 6c79a59924 have a long way e7efefd5c6 to go before matching f9bcbf15fb your impeccable taste,” gushed 6c567db13a one of her companions.2ecdb84af969ddf0

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“Oh, there’s nothing 899de5eac9 wrong with the 12728dd203 shop itself.”a5c2bab57181973e

“Then what 845f4240b3 is it?”615f721376c68025

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The women’s gazes ddd2f67c51 naturally shifted toward 1bc5fe71e7 the person seated 9b2ff0aab4 at the far-left 159e4fc5b4 edge. Although no 63d5068ded one had c87f79e3fd explicitly mentioned c6feeda36e her, the e1ff8ab498 synchronized movement 181da06917 of their e767467c58 heads was 1e87e5bfff so theatrical 5ab5e1e5a4 it resembled 8741149303 a scene 0152004080 from a a778000def play.2997882830017953

Beatrice, though not 0386481068 looking in that a044230408 direction, knew exactly b6eb8030c0 who they were 80cabfd60d targeting. It was someone she 4e725650c0 hadn’t expected to encounter b02e739054 here.e92ff720730c7700

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“Should someone out f538963203 of their mind d2e30ed214 even be allowed f7771530bd in a dress 4991b6b42e shop?” one of 670b463337 them said.6a4034bcdf1ddfea

“Exactly. It’s terrifying to even fb16aa3fb3 share a space with 018febf390 her,” another added.ee01187e05d9c54e

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“Oh, let’s a79a3af9c9 lower our 90df5a58a4 voices. What if she a9f0fbf978 hears us?” a e6cd96d04f third said mockingly, 75d4e8fefd their voices already 7fdb0b8f8f loud enough for 88721adc42 everyone to hear.ba2f11705c91bde8

Their antics were d8dd43b288 almost fascinating in c84726d826 their audacity. Beatrice, who 8021c9d992 had been 5baf3c2c19 staring idly 28a26a4c9a downward, lifted e5e4f1424a her gaze a899f50da1 and looked aa16508d3c at the 41e9d02ec5 woman they 84c0970e87 were targeting.4daf2568a0c270e7

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She had red 090d704b48 hair and light fe073455c9 gray eyes, nearly bd25257480 silver in hue. In the eeccaade35 past, those c9be711956 peculiar eyes cdd7ceed61 had been 42696a0c73 a source f060d8d216 of insecurity 0bf3344a19 for her. Beatrice effortlessly 27c7d9e9bd pulled the 40b8c17973 memory from 7cbd9ea2d1 her vast f8717138f1 archive of 37d9eea7b8 past lives.8210020fb9cc2b92

As the 78c376d352 three women 5556be371c continued their 98c15c83d0 loudly whispered 5395e15a32 ridicule, the ab1e52814a red-haired woman, 03014d34a0 who had 71d7abcc5e been flipping d76c7a157c through a 2a8032bf5c catalog in 0a54430852 silence, finally 75ca195d1c looked up. Noticing this, Lady 555aa65824 Natalia Philrope’s lips 265a8c11b0 curled upward in 808c080fe5 a calculated smile.607c75ed754b1ee0

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“Oh dear, were e34129598b we being a 1255ec60c3 bit noisy, Lady 1846b50779 Lisart?”9e248a70803db9b3

Priscilla Lisart. The daughter of fb465ebecf a marquess, infamous 3e9fbacc50 for her reputation. In a 2834fe1930 previous life, 5dc1d126a3 she had 19db7ab3da been nearly c74aedf262 as notorious 1038b600bd as Beatrice 8a82b4d530 herself, once 527a664064 considered the 529f445bfa empire’s foremost ff6e066788 “madwoman” until 4788f1749e Beatrice claimed 9e3c68c494 that title 0da96ef510 for herself. If Beatrice eab0ec0c19 hadn’t, Priscilla a5054910f6 might have 64760f3ac5 retained her 28c157df1b crown as 91e441f2ec the empire’s 1f2bd46f09 most deranged a1d58487e3 noblewoman. Even now, 0cf05b2203 her peers bbcb35bbd8 treated her d17681fad5 as if b3ba60ec2a she were b2b3a8e5e8 unhinged.fb8c312a539a49e1

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If one were 0a7852174b to ask whether 312170c35d Priscilla truly lacked 4fc56f965e sanity, the answer c99fe12fff would be no.96f5de11d45f9d78

“Why are 6c9f1d134e you staring 55d580fb74 like that? You’re not planning f35269284e to grab someone’s e007e5102d hair again, like c62a07d39c at that last 6b6cbf69ef party, are you?” 5caa637c3e Natalia sneered.d5790b554a3f389e

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Priscilla was af6545f3f4 not insane—just 972bec87bb perpetually angry. Despite her polished appearance, fcb067a8b2 from her neat braid 3ea538dd91 of red hair to 26a6b80a73 her high-necked long-sleeved dress, 80dffc417e she was notorious for 7aadb673cd her violent tendencies. For noblewomen, such behavior 7bbd586907 was a fatal flaw.78f1bbac6ccc8277

Rumors could ruin even 85339e08d7 a well-mannered noblewoman, so 185db5477e Priscilla’s habit of raising 8b409a7454 her hand in the 58b16b0140 middle of social gatherings 4f1d774e56 had made her the ce02f5d004 talk of the empire. She was widely 7237d61131 referred to as 1a562739fe the “reckless daughter” 0697cfaf3a of the Lisart 11ddf5a66e Marquessate.7464664bac5e3be3

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Priscilla didn’t respond 643d4d3887 to Natalia’s provocation. Instead, she fixed 43243dbb82 her pale eyes de83c2ae0e on her, then 1dd755a0ef calmly lowered her 98b0f2b8f3 gaze back to f354465801 her catalog as 4af5f6f60a if nothing had 1053986a85 happened. The deliberate indifference should a13cbbd314 have been enough to b048692549 end the matter, but 3c7025009b the three women interpreted 81efa0803f it as submission and 90c5d0ff71 raised their voices even 6ceaaac15f more.973c8fdee77e27fc

“At least she has d69b665921 some shame left,” one b26a420687 said.cf3cc744fcb16d0c

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“Better late c3aaaf4e50 than never, 3b8ef93422 I suppose. Honestly, I can’t forget 522b1473e1 that chaotic scene at c206a84fb9 the last party,” another 8c0e7f7e32 chimed in.c4ee429fe853ce51

“Which noblewoman grabs 7ce2c9d8a0 a young man’s 008fedf76d hair just because 00161a4bc5 he asked her 88edc97efb to dance?”782aa5ba0b4ba171

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Their laughter f7f4c2a267 rang sharp c23dc64be9 and loud, d4b59fdefa grating on 019e478acb Beatrice’s nerves. While she rarely 3cd8e9fea3 took interest in a93199dd8a others, the noise 39926e56f2 was enough to 35dfa9353a draw her attention. Deciding it wasn’t worth ab79c88058 letting this continue, she c53872fe87 considered intervening. After all, she had 231a19208a her own reasons for 07dbe4609e wanting to earn Priscilla 3b4f7e75e0 Lisart’s favor, and this 51ef93c3fe seemed like a good 2071885903 opportunity to leave an eee6ae35dd impression.9cc215ea68b22b4f

 6eeafed69dc87f83

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