The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind

Foges stood still with his mouth wide open as he witnessed this miracle.
No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem real. Maybe he was looking at a vision after dying?

“First, I’m going to wear a ruby, so an icy blue would work well. It will suit me, right?”
“Yeah, it will look good on you, Rina”

Duke Desian looked at the mysterious lady with warm eyes. It was like the genre had changed over there. It was very much like a romance novel. On this side, the attendants and Foges were in the horror mystery section.

“W, well are you planning your jewelry before your dress?”

Actually, this was never the case.
jewelry was just an accessory.
Foges felt conflicted between the danger to his life and curiosity. Nevertheless, he was a middle-age man who retained a childish sense of curiosity.
Foges glanced at Desian. There was still a meek atmosphere.
Curiosity won out in the end.

“Lady, are you by any chance fitting a dress to your jewelry?”

Interesting. Quite interesting.
Usually, the dress is selected first and the jewelry compliments the dress. Jewelry is a side note compared to the dress.
But the mysterious lady did not take this path. Foges’ eyes sparkled at this curious situation.

“Yes. I’m going to do that.”
“Th, that’s unusual.”
“Really? It might become common in the future.”
“Really… fascinating. I, I hope such a day will come!”
“Yes, good.”

The mysterious lady smiled brightly at Foges. The face of the notorious Duke Desian Pietro was exceedingly gentle as he looked at her.

‘Am I not going to die?’

As a matter of fact, Foges had washed his neck very well this morning. Before he left the house, he had written a will. This was because Duke Desian Pietro had ordered him to keep all of his boutiques empty and reserved for the day.

‘I don’t think the will was necessary. Surely, it’s like spring in here?’

“Then I’d like to to try this fabric. Can you help me measure it?”
“Yes! Le, let me help you.”

The attendants and the lady entered the fitting room. They would measure her body and check the design.
As she slowly entered the fitting room, Duke Desian’s face hardened horribly. The change in his expression was like night and day.

“The fabric that’s over there only has a certain amount.”
“Yes, yes…”
“Do I have to ask again?”

He came back to the cold manner of before. It was like a knife. Foges felt his breathe catch in his chest.

“The fabric is from a quality cloth store outside of the capital. They can supply as much as needed.”
“Make sure everything is the absolute best.”
“Yes, yes!”

Foges somehow felt a subtle feeling as if his nether region was getting wet.
Stop, bladder! Wake up! Hold it in! Hold it in!

“Why aren’t you moving?”
“Ah, I was going to go.”

Whatever happened to Foges’ fragile bladder, Desian’s expression remained blank.
Foges turned quickly like a puppet on strings.

“Ah, also.”

At Desian’s words, Foges’ body froze.

“Don’t let word get out about today.”
“No, of course.”

Foges wanted to live a long life. He put his index finger to his lips, pretending to zip them up, as befits the owner of such a renowned boutique. He was determined to absolutely not reveal it.
After seeing this, Desian turned around with a frighteningly blank expression. He sat on the chair in front of the fitting room. Even this was done with a classy manner.

“Then I’ll bring the drafts.”

Foges bowed towards the boutique studio. He once again vowed not to reveal what happened on this day.
However it was also true that he was curious. Who the hell was that lady who had captivated the infamous Duke Desian Pietro?
Foges pondered as he came out of the studio with the drafts.
Could it be love?
The ideas was dismissed by Foges three seconds later as being preposterous.

“It can’t be. It can’t be.”

Foges said to himself slowly.
It was well-known that Duke Desian Pietro was devoid of emotion. In a word, he was not human. So it couldn’t be love.
Then perhaps that woman…had a lot of power?
Foges stood with the design drafts in his arms. He somehow shuddered at this convincing hypothesis.
No way….
Was she more evil than Duke Desian Pietro?

While Foges was in the middle of misunderstanding everything, Citrina was being measured for her dress.
Inside the fitting room, the attendants were silent. Citrina thought they might be mute.
Citrina spoke up to try and lighten the mood while they measured her body.

“Could it be that the is something wrong?”
“…N, Not at all, Lady.”
“Are you afraid of me?”

Naturally, they were worried because she was an aristocrat, but it seemed excessive. A little girl with innocent eyes whispered in a small, fine voice.

“Yes, we’re afraid we’ll be killed.”
“Be killed? By me?”

Did she look like she was going to kill someone?
Citrina shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t look that nasty.

“Ah, no. Not the lady.”
“Be quiet. What kind of rudeness is that to the lady? It’s absolutely nothing, lady.”

A taller woman admonished the girl, causing her to close her mouth tightly.
The sentence, ‘we’re afraid we’ll be killed’ and the thought that it was not Citrina passed through her head.
There was only person that sentence could refer to.

‘It’s certainly different from the attitude normally directed at me.’

Citrina was quick-witted and easily picked up on the thoughts and feelings of others.
She slowly pieced together the kindness Desian had showed her, the obsessive attitude that was often visible, and the absence of any stories about him.

“I’ve taken all of the measurements, lady.”

One of the attendants bowed her head politely.
As they were leaving the fitting room, Citrina slowly but surely became confused. Though she fixed her expression right away.
It was Citrina’s way of finding out what her body was telling her.
There was both fear and no fear.
Therefore,
Feeling a bit awkward and unfamiliar, she looked at Desian.

“Did they measure your size?”

And Desian looked at her with a face infinitely full of affection.
Citrina knew.
This was by no means a lie. Her heart melted every time she saw that kindness.

“Yeah. Where is the fabric… ah, there it is.”

Citrina stopped speaking. Foges waddled in front of her. He was holding craft paper in his arms.

“Are these all of the design sketches?”
“Yes, yes!”

Foges was even more intimidated than before. He glanced in Desian’s direction and nodded his head dramatically.
“Can you show me?”
Foges set the craft paper down on the table next to his chair. The pile of paper was so thick that it seemed like it could be made into a book.
“Rina.”
“Yeah?”
“Is there a design you don’t like?”
“Among these? Well, I don’t want to cover my wrist or neck too much… I’ll have to look at everything else.”
“I see, Rina.”

Desian smiled naturally at her.
Citrina looked at him and grabbed the craft paper. Time seemed to be running out to review the drafts one by one.
While Citrina was reviewing the drafts, Desian turned around and looked at Foges strangely before speaking.

“Then make everything except for the draft covering the neck.”
“…What?”
“Are you running out of time?”

Foges pondered.
If he said time was tight here, he would be more likely to lose his head. In other words, it was more likely that his will would be released to the world.
Foges nodded urgently. Citrina, who was watching him, put down the craft paper.

“Charge the bill to the duke.”
“Oh?”
“You are my partner.”
“That’s… right.”
“And also my friend.”
“We are friends, but….”
“Then let me give you this, Rina.”