CH 19.5

Meanwhile, imprisoned at Marquis Benière’s, Charlotte was trying to think of a way out. She could not stay here any longer.

She hated Alfonso for treating her like a toy, but she also feared her body, which was changing as it became accustomed to him.

He called it corporal punishment, and to Charlotte, it was violence. At first, she thinks he’s just crazy, and that he’s only doing it to torment her.

But Alfonso’s corporal punishment became insidious. He would only start spanking her when she did something wrong.

At first, he pressed and pinched her here and there like he was a four-year-old with a new toy, but not anymore.

It became systematic and regimented, like a seven-year-old who has learned how to play with a doll.

And there was always a sweet reward after the punishment. Alfonso, who usually didn’t give her what she wanted, would be ecstatic when Charlotte endured her punishment, and he would praise her and treat her to something she had always wanted, whether it was a sweet dessert or a beautiful dress.

In the absence of anyone else, these changes gradually took root and imprinted themselves on her mind.

It’s not so bad to live like this, after all…

“No, get a grip.”

Charlotte snapped out of her momentary distraction and checked the time. It was getting close to the only time of day when she could see other people.

Even as Jin Yura, she had already grown accustomed to life here. No, even as Jin Yura, she had never cleaned or done anything with her own hands.

There was no way she would clean up after herself, and there was no way Alfonso would let Charlotte do that.

Finally, the long-awaited knock came.

“Miss, I’ll be in, in a moment.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened slightly, recognising that it was not the voice of her usual maid.

She chewed on her lip, feeling like her plan was off to a bad start.

If Alfonso had seen the look on her face, she would have been given a corporal punishment. Alfonso had an obsessive aversion to marks other than his own.

Even if it was Charlotte who had inflicted the wounds.

Unsure of the sound of her voice, Charlotte felt a twinge of panic as the new maid entered the room, but quickly recovered.

Perhaps it was for the best.

The frequent visitor would know her personality, and would no doubt have been given specific instructions by Alfonso.

Charlotte clutched her stomach and tried to scream and make the fuss she planned.

Screaming madly that her stomach was hurting and she was going to die would get her a doctor, but she knew Alfonso wasn’t at the mansion, so she added one more lie to try and get out of there.

She said she had a rare disease that could not be cured except by Count Pinatelli’s physician…

“Miss, there is no time, trust me and follow me.”

Simulating the situation in her mind, a habit from her acting days, Charlotte stared at the maid who spoke not the lines she had in mind.

“What are you saying…”

“I am a person from the Duke’s household. I’ve come in to rescue the lady, and there’s only time now, so hurry.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened at the maid’s words, and she moved.

At her words, Charlotte felt her foggy mind clear, as if someone was controlling her.

The handmaiden held her steady as she swayed. Pulling her robe over her head, the handmaiden walked quickly.

Charlotte stared at the maid as she walked, aware of her surroundings, and the bright sunlight stung her eyes.

Passing through what appeared to be the Marquis’s back door, Charlotte climbed into a ramshackle carriage.

Only then could she ask.

“If you’re from the Duke…”

“Yes, my lady. Duke Frederick is desperately looking for you.”

Charlotte was a little disappointed by her words. She knew Lucas wouldn’t come to her rescue, but she secretly hoped he would.

“…I see.”

“Yes. I know it’s inconvenient, but bear with me, I’ve only managed to arrange for a wagon to transport the food.”

“…”

Charlotte should have been happy just to be out of the Marquis’s hellhole, but she wasn’t.

Why?

Charlotte was vaguely aware of a change in her, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something she couldn’t stop was forcing its way down the road.

In the corner of the rattling wagon, she pulled her knees up to her chest. Head bowed low, Charlotte’s words came out of her mouth.

“This is all because of Lila, that bitch.”

* * *

After Lucas and Lila returned to the North, a new fad began to sweep through the capital.

The young ladies, with Monaca leading the way, organised an ‘ugly party,’ where they dressed up in unique outfits and ugly make-up for a relaxed teatime.

It was a time to drink, eat, play, laugh, and gossip, with no regard for etiquette.

The ugly teatime was quite popular.

“Lady Arias, you really do carry yourself well with freckles!”

“I know, I really don’t look good with freckles.”

“It’s okay if you don’t look good, it’s our ugly day, you just need to relax and enjoy it.”

“Ho-ho, you’re right, Lady Brad.”

Monaca laughed, fanning herself leisurely. She dominated the social scene without Lila and Charlotte.

The title of the Crown Prince’s lover still followed her around.

“I admire your sense of style, Lady Arias. How could you have thought of such an ugly day?”

Monaca answered as if she had been waiting.

“The Duchess of Montefeltra once told me that she wanted to meet someone who would love her for who she is, not just what she look like on the outside.”

“Oh my…”

“She’s very romantic, the Duchess of Montefeltra.”

“She is. Her words were an eye-opener for me. I wish I could have that kind of fateful new relationship.”

She prepared to spill the beans to the young ladies who still knew Monaca as the Crown Prince’s lover.

As if she’d been waiting, the young lady who had always admired the Crown Prince responded.

“If it’s a new relationship… Do you mean you’re breaking up with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Monaca had eyed the Crown Prince at the Autumn Ball. She couldn’t tell where his gaze had gone.

“Not yet,” Monaca replied, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Not yet, but… I’m not without a bit of a spineless feeling. The truth is, I wasn’t originally interested in the Crown Princess position, I just wanted to be loved, but…”

The lady urged Monaca as she stuttered.

“Oh my, what happened with the Crown Prince? Are you really going to break up with him, I don’t think I could do it if I were you, it would be so sad to break up with someone so wonderful.”

“Of course it would be sad, but Lila is… ah.”

Monaca blurted out Lila’s name without realising it.

“Wow, you call the Duchess by her first name, when did you get to know her?”

“Yeah, well, from the last ball, it didn’t seem like much…”

At the mocking voices, Monaca covered her face with her fan.

“It hasn’t been that long, I saw her separately before he went back to the North.”

“What, you were invited by the Duke?”

Monaca cleverly mixed a lie with the truth.

“Yes, he let me in.”

“You never responded to any of my invitations before…”

One of the young ladies muttered in a tone that was tinged with disappointment, and then the one who admired the Crown Prince spoke up.

“No, more than that. When are you going to break up with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“I don’t know… Hmm, I suppose that’s up to His Highness.”

Monaca decided that the Crown Prince was an unusable hand. And she couldn’t imagine wooing a man who could only look at Lila so intently.

She needed a new source of power. One that would use Lila as a temporary measure, and one that would stick around for good.

Charlotte had been thrown out of society, and Heinrich would no doubt abandon her.

‘If the ugly young lady can become a duchess, I can’t be inferior.’

Although she was no longer the ugly young lady, Lila’s words still encouraged Monaca.

To the young ladies, who were noisy with her remarks, Monaca bluntly suggested.

“On that note, I was thinking that next time we could have an ugly party and invite the men too… What do you guys think?”

Fanning her face lightly with a fan, Monaca was reminded vaguely of Charlotte.

The assembled young ladies were delighted by her words; they had no reason to say no.

“Well, that’s a clever idea, and I look forward to it.”

As the young ladies laughed and praised her, Monaca vowed to herself. She would definitely try to seduce Heinrich.

* * *

The carriage carrying Lucas and Lila pulled into the Northern city centre. Leaning against Lucas in a relaxed position, Lila felt the lively atmosphere and raised her upper body.

Pulling back the window curtains, she smiled at the sights of the North she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Good to see you?”

At the sound of his amused voice, Lila turned her head.

“Yes, I’m very glad to see you.”

“Yes, it’s good to see you too.”

Lucas gritted his teeth, remembering what had happened in the capital. Lila had been through a lot in that short time.

“Let’s just get you some rest for now, you didn’t get any in the capital.”

At Lucas’s insistence, Lila shook her head quickly.

“We don’t have time, and if we’re going to prepare for the wedding, we won’t even have time to sleep. You said you wanted to have the ceremony before winter.”

“We can have it in the middle of winter.”

“But then we won’t be able to invite our guests, will we? I haven’t experienced northern winters, but I know by hearsay that you shouldn’t think about winter in the capital…”

“You don’t want to have a wedding without guests?”

Lila shook her head as he spat out the words with a gruff expression.

“If it’s just the two of us, it would be… very romantic. But I haven’t forgotten that my husband-to-be is a Duke.”

“Pfft.”

Lucas chuckled at her comment, his eyes twinkling as he stroked Lila’s hair.

“Oh, I really don’t want to do it, I don’t know why I’m doing it.”

Tugging at Lucas’s lips as he pouted with a playful expression, Lila replied firmly.

“You’ve got to feed me and Michael, so it doesn’t matter.”

Lila then pressed her lips to his ear and whispered.

“Please be strong, honey.”

At the sound of her affectionate tone, sparks flew in his mint-coloured eyes. He immediately grabbed Lila’s waist, but her expression remained resolute.

“I’m just going to stop by Kate’s dressing room for a minute.”

“What?”

Ignoring Lucas’s shout, Lila tapped on the window of the coachman’s room.

“Lila!”

“Lucas, we really don’t have time, I thought you said the north was already preparing for winter, so we have a lot to get ready for!”

The uncharacteristically straightforward manner in which she insisted made Lucas feel queasy. The image of her very plump backside flashed through his mind, and then the carriage stopped.

Lila, who had prepared her robes in advance, quickly stepped out of the carriage while Lucas was still dazed.

“Well, I’ll see you at home, honey.”

Lucas stared at her, dumbfounded, in the carriage, but he couldn’t find the words.

Lila’s expression was so full of life that he could only stare.

“Jessie, let’s go.”

“Yes, Madame!”

Before she knew it, Jessie, who had been in the other carriage, dismounted and stood by Lila’s side. The two hurried off.

As Lucas watched, Vincent approached and asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t have another carriage ready for you. If you’d like to return to the manor first, I’ll send another carriage to my lady.”

“…Yes, I’ll do that.”

Lucas said, his eyes doggedly following Lila’s trail as she disappeared into an alleyway and was no longer visible.

“We return to the manor.”

Vincent, who had been waiting for his command, moved in unison and the open door slammed shut.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself.

“You know, honey, the word… sounds a lot better than I thought it would.”

Lucas’s mouth fell open, red-faced.