Chapter 69

Before Riorem brought me here, he said he used to buy clothes by just roughly looking through catalogs.

If it was a fairly famous salon, they all had experience making clothes for Lady Peroa, so knowing her measurements wasn’t difficult.

But bringing a famous designer all the way to the territory to make custom clothes was a task requiring much more effort.

They brought samples from the salon, I tried them on myself.

Then I picked what I liked and had it tailored—quite a tiring process.

Riorem, who had already gone through such chaos just with the Dynamis salon, agreed with my suggestion to “narrow down the salons and bring only those from the capital.”

So, we sent out invitations in advance and coordinated the schedule.

After that, all we had to do was wait.

The salon shows require a large number of staff.

Especially since this was not the Dynamis castle fully under Riorem’s control but a salon in the capital.

It was a perfect opportunity for someone to sneak in spies or something similar.

“So, I just have to endure it.”

I furrowed my brows and sighed without realizing it.

I lost count of how many times I had changed clothes.

Just today, I had changed more than ten times, so the total number of outfits I had worn must be in the hundreds by now.

Of course, choosing clothes was enjoyable.

Observing Riorem’s expressions, so fully focused on me, change from moment to moment was also entertaining.

But waiting patiently for all those buttons to be fastened was unbearably tedious.

Moreover, during the relay-like salon shows, no one took the bait at all.

When I went behind the tent to change clothes, Riorem couldn’t see me, and I deliberately brought only one maid with me.

Yet, an attack always comes at the moment you let your guard down the most.

“I’ll tie your belt now. Please hold your breath.”

Following the salon staff’s instructions, I took a deep breath.

At that moment, I felt a strange sensation along my spine.

Behind me, one staff member was tying my belt, two workers were adjusting the hem of my dress.

Lastly, I glanced at my maid, who was a bit farther away, preparing the next outfit.

Pressing through the belt that cinched my waist tightly with whale bone, something sharp and pointed was aimed at my back.

For some reason, the prince’s words came to mind:

“When a close aide gets a light attack like this, a fatal strike usually follows immediately after. That’s the pattern.”

Indeed, the previous note-contact was too crude.

The method was clever enough, but the bait ‘Duke Peroa’s son’ was too poor.

It was probably intentional.

When someone is on high alert, pulling such a ridiculous trick makes the target relax their guard.

“Still, they see me as a person with ‘ordinary emotions.’”

I straightened my back. I thought that acting stiffly, as if to protect my pride, would be more advantageous against them.

As expected, the woman kneeling on the floor, tidying the dress hem, took out a tablet from her bosom.

I quietly stared at the white letters written in the imperial official language.

[Riorem Velic, proceed to the battlefield]

After I confirmed I had read the message, the staff wiped off the text on the tablet.

And a new phrase appeared:

[If ignored, one of the gates of Dynamis castle will be set on fire one by one]

As soon as I read this new message, the letters on the tablet disappeared again.

The unknown object, whether a dagger or an awl, pressed sharply against my spine.

If pressed a little more, it would pierce through my flesh and lodge in my organs.

I quietly moved my lips:

“Give me time.”

Then I spoke to the designer beyond the curtain.

“Do you also handle indoor clothes besides going-out outfits? I like this salon’s designs.”

The woman beyond the curtain couldn’t hide her joyful voice and excitement.

“Yes… yes, we do! We have various indoor clothes. Would you like a demonstration? Or you could visit our salon…”

“I’d like to request another demonstration next week. Is that okay?”

“Of course!”

“Please discuss the detailed schedule with the butler.”

After naturally setting the next meeting, the knife pressed against my spine disappeared as if it was never there.

The three people quickly adjusted their appearances.

I returned to the other side of the curtain and stood with Riorem in front of the mirror.

Wearing the fluttering one-piece dress, I fell into thought.

“They might think I have actually fallen in love with Riorem.”

If what was written on the tablet had been a threat to kill the remaining refugees of the duchy, I would have slapped the staff member immediately.

Anyway, Riorem would have come running before I was stabbed.

But Dynamis castle was different. Riorem had spent a long, arduous time to acquire this territory.

Moreover, near the castle walls, the local residents of the territory were densely gathered.

A situation where many of the residents were sacrificed could be fatal to Riorem, the lord of the territory.

“Besides, summer is coming soon. It’s the time to harvest the crops of Dynamis castle.”

In other words, their threat was something fatal not to me, but to Riorem.

That’s why it worked well on me too.

I glanced back at Riorem.

His eyes were fixed on the sleeve that draped down from my shoulder.

Seeing that made me smile.

“Thank goodness. At least the compliment about liking these clothes isn’t just an excuse, but sincere.”

Though it seemed Riorem liked the clothes more than I did. I put the clothes I was wearing onto the order list and changed into the next dress.

As if the threats around me earlier never happened, the three spies meticulously adjusted my appearance.

Judging by how they handled things, they weren’t just bribed staff but trained operatives.

“…Then it’s more likely they were sent from the Empire, an external force.”

After all, telling me to come to the battlefield bordering the Empire was exactly the kind of thing they would do.

They intended that if I came to the border area, they would secure me and take me to the Empire.

“A political marriage? Or do they really intend to make Peroa a vassal state?”

While the spies were changing my clothes, I kept thinking, but no clear conclusion came.

After changing several more outfits, narrowing down the designs and filling out the order form, the sun was already setting.

Before finishing payment, Riorem left the room.

Since he had split his schedule to attend the shows, it seemed he wanted to finish urgent territory matters before nightfall.

In the end, I returned to the bedroom with only my maid.

My legs ached from being overwhelmed by piles of clothes all day.

Noticing that, the maid started to massage my legs.

While massaging my tense muscles, she finally spoke.

“…Did something happen earlier, when I was choosing your clothes?”

“Well, yes.”

“I’m sorry. I should have stayed with you the whole time…”

“Those three probably pushed you toward that side anyway. Don’t worry too much. It wasn’t anything serious.”

The thick flesh of her palm pressed firmly on my calf.

“…Shall I call Teumesia? She should still be at the manor.”

That was a good idea.

Teumesia was a discerning person.

At least she wouldn’t go berserk and let the Dynamis castle burn just because she found out I was threatened.

But time was an issue.

I looked at the darkening sky. If I were to have a secret talk with Teumesia at this hour and run into Riorem…

He would surely say, “I’ll make sure you have no strength left to cause trouble,” and relentlessly pound on my womb again.

In the end, I shook my head lightly.

“Please just tell her that something happened later, okay? Teumesia can probably guess most of it anyway.”

“I understand.”

The maid seemed to recognize the problem with Riorem as well and nodded quietly.

As I continued to receive the massage, I fell into thought.

Until now, I had been racking my brain to keep Riorem from going to the front lines, and now I had to go there with him.

“A place where it’s hard enough to even bathe every day, and where you can’t even put a bed.”

Riorem would never take me to such a place.

I still didn’t want to send him to such a place either.

I raised my hand to stop the maid’s massage.

“Do we already have summer clothes in my wardrobe? Something thin like what I wore today, that falls lightly over the body.”

“There are a few inside. Shall I show you?”

“No, it’s okay. Bring me the simplest one with the least decoration and the softest texture. I want to change before Riorem comes back if possible.”

At my words, the maid peeked out the window, then lightly nodded and went into the next room.

I lay down on the bed, waiting for her.