Adele was ultimately selected as the Crown Princess of Galdensia.

Everyone, including Lea, was as happy as if it were their own affair. Moreover, orders from the nobility poured in.

Although Rivette didn’t make it, many wedding dress orders came in, and Sonya also had a stream of party dress orders.

“We’re fully booked until next year. Many people requested dresses made from the silk we wore.”

Sonya couldn’t hide her excitement.

“We’ve also received many orders for men’s suits.”

Adolf chimed in. At that moment, Lea’s mind worked very quickly.

“We need to make a clothing catalog. We’ll put the clothes we’ve made so far in a book so customers can choose what they want.”

“Are you saying you’ll make ready-made clothes?”

“We’ll create catalogs divided into high-end and mid-range. There’s no law saying only nobles should wear good clothes. We should allow commoners to have custom-fitted clothes of good quality at reasonable prices.”

That’s why we brought in sewing machines in large quantities and hired staff.

“Miss, there’s time until the banquet, so I’m going to look around the Galdensia Imperial Palace with Chainer.”

Just then, Pauline came with Chainer to ask for permission.

“Don’t go too far.”

“Yes!”

The two were excited about sightseeing in the foreign imperial palace. Meanwhile, Terran was busy exchanging greetings with the nobles even here.

“Sonya, Mary, thank you both for your hard work.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Miss. It’s the greatest honor for our house that Miss Adele was selected as the Crown Princess wearing the dress I made.”

It was then. Mary’s expression, which had been cheerful throughout the conversation, suddenly hardened upon seeing someone.

Lea and Sonya followed Mary’s gaze, and there stood Count Armand.

He hesitated slightly, then, as if he could no longer resist, walked towards Mary.

“Darling, have you been well? You’ve changed so much I almost didn’t recognize you.”

The Count looked Mary up and down. Unlike her modest appearance before, Mary was now perfectly adorned from head to toe.

She could easily pass for a court lady. Bluntly put, she was in no way inferior even compared to Emily.

“Who are you calling ‘darling’?”

Mary retorted coldly, seemingly dumbfounded. How dare he call her ‘darling’ now, when he was so obsessed with Emily that he asked for a divorce?

“I was wrong. So please come back home.”

The Count grabbed Mary’s hand, almost pleading.

Lea and Sonya stepped aside to give them space. This was something for the two of them to resolve, and in such situations, it was best to step back.

“That man is really shameless.”

Sonya clicked her tongue.

“Will Mary go back to him? If it were me, I absolutely wouldn’t.”

For some reason, Lea had the opposite thought to Sonya’s words.

“I think Mary will go back to her husband.”

“What? How could she live with such a person unless she’s crazy? I could never do it, even if I died.”

If it were just about hating, it would be very simple, but love wasn’t so straightforward, and that was the problem.

If she hadn’t seen Mary tearing up at the sight of her husband, she wouldn’t have thought that way. But for Mary, hatred and love coexisted.

At that moment, someone hugged Lea from behind.

“!?”

Lea turned around in surprise, and the person she saw was unexpectedly Salame.

She knew he was quite uninhibited in his actions, but this was still a breach of etiquette.

“I can’t believe Grace is in our house.”

It felt strange to hear him refer to the imperial palace as ‘our house’.

“I’ll go greet Adolf and His Majesty.”

Sonya looked at Salame as if he were an ill-mannered boy and left.

“Lord Roberto, please maintain at least a minimum of courtesy towards me. I have a fiancé.”

“You’re not married yet, so what does it matter? Even if you’re married, doesn’t everyone have a lover or two?”

“Not me.”

“Are you saying you’re confident you’ll only love the Duke?”

“Yes.”

“Will the Duke be the same? All men change.”

“Not all men are like that.”

As if to refute Salame’s words, Terran’s voice was heard.

Terran approached, looking at Salame with a somewhat rigid face.

“It’s very dangerous to generalize that all men are like that.”

“You’re a man too, Duke, so you know well, don’t you?”

“I don’t know. Is it Lord Roberto who claims to know so well because he’s a man?”

When Terran asked with one corner of his mouth raised, the smile disappeared from Salame’s face.

He closed his mouth tightly, as if struck at a vital point. Then, his eyes flashed as he said to Terran,

“I’ve never seen a man who would refuse ten women.”

“Grace is worth more than ten women to me.”

“That’s…!”

“That’s what? Finish your sentence.”

Salame was about to flare up but suddenly lost his fighting spirit like a deflated puppy.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Ha! This is ridiculous.”

Terran found the innocent being in front of him merely amusing. It was tiring to deal with him, but the conversation wasn’t boring.

“Thanks to you, Duke, I’ve learned. That there might exist a woman who is worth more than ten women.”

Salame left their side, constantly tilting his head.

“Everyone in this place is out of their minds.”

“Terran, someone might hear you.”

“It’s exhausting. I wish we could leave right now.”

“We still have the banquet, don’t we?”

Terran held Lea’s hand tightly.

“Now that the Crown Princess has been selected, they’ll soon try to marry off the Princess.”

“The Princess?”

“That’s what the Galdensia ministers of state were saying.”

If so, it was credible information.

Lea was also aware that Empress Theresa had a princess. However, the Princess had never appeared at any official events.

Instead, there were only rampant rumors.

There was talk that when Empress Theresa contracted smallpox, the Princess was also infected and her face was ruined. There were also stories that she had developed a disability and was sent to a detached palace for recovery.

“Terran, was Her Majesty’s married life unhappy?”

Despite having lived in Galdensia for a long time, Lea didn’t know much about Empress Theresa. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say she wasn’t interested.

“I heard her husband possessed all three vices.”

“Three vices? You don’t mean gambling, women, and opium, do you?”

“That’s right. He didn’t live long either.”

No wonder Rivette’s wedding dress looked horrible to her.

Although she might have been filled with joy at the moment of marriage, the days that followed must have been arduous.

Because the private lives of royalty were strictly confidential and little was known, Rivette probably made such a mistake.

* * *

Pauline and Chainer explored various parts of the Galdensia Imperial Palace, which was markedly different from Rubec. The scale wasn’t much different, but the architectural style was somewhat distinct.

“The colonnade here is unique.”

While most places had rows of marble columns, this place had a series of arched doorways.

Chainer also gazed in awe at the beautiful architectural style and patterns.

Pauline wondered about the always cheerful Chainer. She was curious whether she really had no worries or if she was hiding them.

“Chainer, have you given up on Luke?”

Pauline hesitated before carefully asking.

“It ain’t right to like an engaged man. That’s somethin’ only bad women do.”

“So you’ve decided to like Louis?”

“Nah, I ain’t gonna like anyone anymore. What man would like a fool like me?”

“Hey! Why are you a fool? Didn’t you see today? I think the wedding dress you made is the most beautiful in the world. How can someone who creates such masterpieces be a fool?”

Pauline scolded Chainer, feeling upset.

“Tch! I know. I’m just sayin’ my head’s not so bright, but my hands are smart.”

Pauline felt a sting in her nose.

“No! Just wait and see! I’ll introduce you to a man a hundred times cooler than Luke!”

“Really?”

Chainer’s eyes sparkled, and Pauline gently hugged her.

“Sis, if you don’t keep your promise, you’ll grow hair in your butthole.”

“Oh my!”

Just when she was trying to control her emotions a bit, it wasn’t easy.

At that moment, Pauline’s eyes caught sight of two familiar people.

It was Allen and the Chief of the Tuazo Police Department. She had seen them before at a banquet at the MacDowell house.

But why did they look so serious? Well, Rivette wasn’t selected, so that must be why.

‘Could it be that they’re upset because we made Miss Adele’s dress?’

Pauline suddenly became curious about that. From Allen’s perspective, it was certainly an issue he could take issue with.

She felt she needed to listen to what the two were talking about.

“Chainer, you have good hearing, right?”

When Pauline asked, Chainer nodded.

The two moved closer to where Allen and Tuazo were.

Fortunately, a wall was blocking them, so they couldn’t see each other.

Pauline whispered in Chainer’s ear, telling her to listen carefully to what they were saying.

Meanwhile, Allen was furiously berating Tuazo.

“Rivette wasn’t even selected, and you’re bringing up money to me again?”

“Mr. MacDowell, this is the last time. Just help me once more.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to stop gambling! How much money have you already taken from me before? I can’t give you any more.”

“I have a big deal this time. If it succeeds, I’ll pay you back right away, so help me one last time. I’ve even touched public funds, you see.”

“A deal? You mean selling police weapons to outsiders? If you’re caught, Chief, you’re finished. Don’t you know it’s life imprisonment?”

“I’ll take care of all that, so don’t worry. I can return it to you right away in a week.”

Pauline and Chainer slowly backed away, holding their breath.

Fortunately, the two men seemed unaware of their presence, engrossed in their heated conversation.

Pauline scurried away with Chainer to a far distance.

“Chainer, did you hear?”

“Yep.”

“I heard everything too. What should we do? Should we tell the Miss? But what does it have to do with us?”

“Stealin’ is bad, ain’t it? My grandpa don’t do bad things no more. So we should tell them fellas to live right too.”

Pauline pondered. Although Grace was acquainted with Empress Theresa, there was no need to meddle in another country’s affairs.

But ignoring it pricked her conscience.

If she gave Grace a hint, she would probably tell the Empress. Then they could prevent those men from selling weapons just anywhere.

‘No, it’s none of our business. We should pretend we don’t know.’