Adele, blushing all over, received the underwear while stammering. It felt like warmth was emitting from her ears.

“I, I’ll go back over there now. I’ll put on the clothes in a moment.”

She quickly put on the underwear and fastened the straps.

For a while, only the sound of fabric rubbing against fabric was heard in silence. Suddenly, breaking the silence, Valentine asked,

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“What?”

“With a weak body, fussing over such a small thing…”
The ‘small thing’ referred to underwear. Adele, flustered, rolled her eyes in confusion before finally responding.

“Well, of course, it’s a bit uncomfortable, but still bearable.”

There wasn’t really another choice to begin with. Unlike a hundred years ago, now it was commonplace to have such underwear.

Recently, dresses that were trending, especially in Bavaria, exposed the ribs and upper chest. Therefore, wearing these snug-fitting undergarments became essential.

“Doesn’t it feel like you can’t even breathe properly?”

“Even so. It’s better than unnecessary flaws being pointed out due to not being modest. It’s not just my issue; it can also negatively impact Ansgar’s reputation.”

Adele examined the dress carefully, then cautiously turned it inside out from her head.

Recalling the memories of what the maids used to do, she skillfully spread out the frills along the hem.

‘If I roughly put everything in place, the maids will tidy it up.’

She inspected her back from various angles in the mirror, then exerted all her strength to tie the loosened straps.

If Margaret were here, it would have been easier, but with her own strength, it was all she could do to clumsily tie them together.

Moreover, such complex and intricate clothes were a first for her.

As she made a grunting noise, Valentine’s voice came from behind the screen.

“If maintaining a reputation requires only such clothes, it would be better if there were none at all.”

“…You shouldn’t say such things.”

“Well, no matter how you dress, it all looks the same to my eyes. The concept of respecting someone more just because they wear more clothes or finding someone amusing when they are bare is quite funny. Human perspectives are sometimes confusing.”

“…I’ll help you.”

The curtain was lifted almost simultaneously with those words.

“Haak!”

Adele, startled, made a strange noise and took a deep breath. She raised her head with her shoulders hunched.

In the full-length mirror in front of her, Valentine was reflected.

His arrogant and graceful features leisurely scanned her image in the mirror.

“It suits you well.”

“…Doing such presumptuous things, you really know how…”

“I just realized that now?”

Ignoring Adele’s rebuke, he approached her closely from behind. Her breath caught in tension.

Valentine, however, showed no particular reaction even when he saw Adele’s bare back. He seemed indifferent.

“Grab the hair a bit.”

At Valentine’s words, Adele hesitated but gathered her hair to the side with both hands.

His large hand grabbed the strap of the stretched-out dress. Unlike Adele, who didn’t know what to do, he appeared emotionless in the reflection of the mirror.

Contrary to Adele’s expectations, he neither sent a smile nor looked at her with affection. There seemed to be no interest in her exposed back.

“Let me know if it’s too tight.”

Adele, with her cheeks flushed, simply nodded, and Valentine began to tie the straps behind her back.
It was the face of a completely unfamiliar man.

“…….”

Adele suddenly thought that he looked intensely anxious. Well, why did she have such a thought?

The unease that didn’t show at all when he was smiling felt vivid as if it could be touched.

Something dark seemed to be deeply rooted in Valentine’s heart. She cautiously spoke up.

“Do you have something troubling you?”

“Hmm?”

“Your expression, it seems not the best among those I’ve seen lately.”

“Um.”

He smiled, as if finding it difficult to answer.

“Why? Do you want some comfort?”

“…If you say that I can be of help.”

Their gazes briefly met through the mirror. The golden brooch, shining transparently in the sunlight, looked directly at her.

Eventually, his lips slowly opened.

“There hasn’t been a time when I didn’t want it.”

“…….”

“Even now, I want it.”

No matter how innocent Adele was, she could read between the lines. With a blatant implication, Adele bit her tender flesh inside her mouth.

“Well, then, why…”

Aren’t you demanding more than this now? Adele barely swallowed the question she was about to blurt out.

Anyway, Valentine was her contractor and, externally, her husband. It was a time when if a husband wanted his wife, the wife should not refuse. But why?

“Because you’re human, and I’m inexperienced in human concepts.”

Valentine spoke while leisurely tightening the straps on her back.

“Don’t cross the line recklessly, don’t fall for me unintentionally, until you properly say that you want me.”

“……. ”

“I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

She looked up with bewildered eyes. The reflection of Valentine in the mirror looked strangely unfamiliar.

An elegant forehead, a straight nose, a perfect jawline. A man with nothing unattractive, who, if he set his mind to it, could take over the whole world…

Well, no matter how she thought about it, it just seemed like a dream. Above all, the fact that there was someone who respected her choices to this extent.

“That’s enough.”

Eventually, he released his hand and stepped back. Adele glanced briefly at the back through the mirror and let out a bitter laugh.

That’s enough? Nothing was enough. Everything was messed up, tied up haphazardly.

“……. ”

Adele looked at her back in the mirror and let out a deep sigh.

It was messy, but she felt that she might be able to fix it somewhat when Margaret came later.

“So, when do you think you’ll start loving me?”