Chapter 20
It was the kind of reaction that said, there’s no way a duke of that rank would come all the way here—much less wear something like that.
“Why would someone of his standing come to a place like this…?”
“How long must I put up with this nonsense from the likes of you?”
The doorman, who had no sense or information but at least took pride in guarding his post, eventually lost to the sheer pressure in Arius’s gaze.
Not long after he bowed his head and went inside, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing out.
“Oh my, oh dear, heavens above, oh my!”
It was Madame Beaumont, the owner of the shop, her face as white as the powdered wig she wore.
“You who are blessed by both the Ibanes Sea and the mighty Andimir Mountains—lord of the Romero domain…”
Her lips trembled so violently she couldn’t lift her head.
And when her turn came to address me, her voice was strangled and hoarse, as if someone were squeezing her throat.
“And you, the first young lady of the Sephardi territory, blessed by the great Betis River and the light of the sun…”
“Madame Beaumont.”
“Lady Sephardi, before you pass judgment, please—please hear me out! The doorman who dared bark without knowing his true master is no longer one of my employees as of this moment!”
She collapsed to her knees, trembling all over, and the sight stirred pity in me before anything else.
When one manages people from above, such mishaps are bound to happen.
I was about to tell her it was enough and help her up, but Arius stopped me.
“Such rudeness was shocking even to me. The law requiring passage permits for the Moro people was abolished a year ago.”
“I beg your pardon, my lord, but in Sephardi, it is still…”
“Still?”
“I beg forgiveness, Your Grace.”
In truth, it was Sephardi that had suffered most from the war with the Moro people—along with the existence of me, their illegitimate daughter.
From the duke’s position, he had to soothe my stepmother, Laura, and calm the public outrage as well.
So I could imagine why such tight restrictions on Moro passage remained.
Besides, I rarely left the ducal estate anyway, so I’d never thought much of it.
If I’d figured that much out, Arius certainly had too.
Yet he only frowned and questioned Madame Beaumont coldly.
“You received word from the duke’s household that the young lady would be visiting.”
“Yes, but we were told the young lady would arrive accompanied by a red-haired gentleman…”
Her tone carried a trace of injured innocence.
Of course, my father had assumed Pedro would escort me—he hadn’t been informed of the change in plans that morning.
“Then that unfortunate doorman was merely doing his duty, acting on the information he had.”
With a sigh, I placed a hand on Madame Beaumont’s shoulder as she knelt on the floor.
“Beaumont, it’s a shame to dismiss someone for simply doing his job. How about reducing his pay for a few months instead? A doorman should have better judgment, after all.”
She looked up at me with trembling eyes, and I smiled calmly.
This incident would surely reach the Sephardi duchy. I had no intention of appearing in the rumors as some vicious, hysterical noblewoman.
I couldn’t disappoint Gabriella.
“My lady,” Arius said.
“Yes?”
“Excessive leniency can be poisonous. This concerns your honor.”
Just when I tried to act the part of the kind one, he had to interfere.
His expression remained severe, and I couldn’t help a small, incredulous laugh.
“Excessive harshness is poisonous too. Besides, what great honor do I have to protect?”
“Are you saying the daughter of the duke has no honor to be wounded?”
“My lord, if the laws of Sephardi are still written that way, what could a mere doorman do? If there’s a problem, it’s with the law—not with him.”
“My lady—”
“Enough with the scolding. If you must complain, take it up with my father, not the doorman.”
I waved a hand, clearly done with the conversation, then composed my face again.
“Beaumont, we’ve wasted enough time. May I see the fans now?”
“Y-yes, radiant and merciful lady, of course!”
As I moved deeper into the shop, I glanced sidelong at Arius, who still wore a displeased frown.
I was the one who’d been wronged, so what exactly was his problem?
“My lord, if you’d rather stay here and keep complaining, please do so.”
“This matter will be reported to the Duke of Sephardi.”
“You’re free to do as you please.”
Without another glance, I entered the shop, though I heard him sigh behind me—
and still, he followed.
Like a faithful dog.
“In the south, these bright lace decorations are most fashionable, but in the east and the capital, more subdued colors are preferred. Isn’t that so, Your Grace?”
Madame Beaumont, unfolding one ornate fan after another atop a huge cushion, looked toward Arius for confirmation.
“Well…”
He trailed off vaguely.
The towering man looked utterly out of place amid the dainty, pastel interior of the shop—
as though he’d been crammed into it by mistake.
Still, Arius was doing a fine job playing escort.
Even I had to stifle a yawn as the endless explanations about delicate fans and subtle shades went on, yet he betrayed not a hint of boredom.
Feeling slightly guilty for his patience, I blinked and asked,
“My lord, do you know what’s in fashion in the capital these days?”
“I spent most of my time in the war, not at balls. And even when I attended, I was hardly observant enough to recall trends.”
“Oh, I see.”
I nodded as if accepting his excuse, though I knew it was a lie.
He’d attended far more balls than that.
But for Arius, a ball wasn’t a place to build camaraderie or flirt with potential partners like other nobles.
It was a stage—one where he pretended to socialize while tracing the shadows of his lost family, gathering whispers to uncover who had been behind it all.
Well, I had my own reasons for using such gatherings too, so I wasn’t one to judge.
“Do you see anything you like, my lady?”
“Not these. That one, over there at the end.”
“Oh, this one. The ribs are made of mother-of-pearl—it’s quite exquisite, isn’t it?”
I pointed to the fan I’d noticed the moment I entered.
Unlike the others, its ribs bore no ornate carving or embellishment—only the shifting hues of nacre, simple yet beautiful.
“I like it because it’s uncommon. Do you have something other than lace for the fabric? Preferably in white.”
“Lace would complement you better, my lady. And white might contrast too starkly with your… coloring.”
Beaumont’s eyes flicked toward my hair.
I wasn’t too dim to catch what she meant. Wouldn’t that make you stand out even more?
But that contrast was exactly what I wanted.
For what I planned, white was the most neutral starting point.
“That contrast is what makes it interesting. My hair color won’t be hidden by a mere fan anyway.”
“Ah, in that case, we do have a fan made with white peacock feathers. It’s rarely used here, but imported from the eastern continent—very unique.”
At her signal, an assistant brought over a fan with soft, luxurious plumage.
I examined it closely, then nodded.
“I like it. Can you combine this feather design with the mother-of-pearl ribs to make my fan?”
“Of course, though…”
She hesitated briefly before bowing.
“It’s such an unusual combination that I worried it might not suit Lady Maribel’s… reputation.”
“Reputation? I hardly have one worth worrying about. I just want something that pleases me.”
“Then perhaps you’d like to see a sample first? It won’t be finished, but I can show you how it might look if you wait a moment.”
Given how far my request strayed from current trends, I understood her hesitation.
As a former designer myself, I knew how troublesome such clients could be—
those who asked for eccentric designs only to later blame the maker.
I leaned back comfortably on the sofa, signaling that I was willing to wait.
Then my gaze met Arius’s—he’d been watching me like a well-trained hound.
“Are you bored?” I asked.
“No. Only…”
He paused again.
Sunlight streamed through the large window, gleaming on his silvery hair—it was almost dazzling.
Then he finally spoke, and his words caught me off guard.
“I simply don’t understand why you insist on belittling yourself so much, my lady.”
