Sister, I'm the Queen This Life (330 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 45

Since a man could not stay long in a maiden’s private quarters, Alfonso quickly slipped out of Ariadne’s room unnoticed as soon as she had calmed down.

It was to ensure that, should anyone have seen him, they could only say, “He merely escorted her back.”

Alfonso had never deeply considered before why men were barred from entering a young lady’s room—but now, he thought he understood.

Her personal space, her intimate belongings, the scent of the room—distinctly unlike a man’s chamber, carrying the faint fragrance of flowers mixed with powder, infused with the girl’s own delicate aroma—and Ariadne herself, utterly vulnerable within.

The image kept replaying in his mind. It was certain that if society freely permitted men to enter a maiden’s private quarters, many unfortunate incidents would inevitably occur.

Alfonso shook his head and clenched his fists tightly, trying to banish such thoughts.

‘I am a gentleman of honor. This won’t do. Even imagining such things is an offense against a noble lady’s dignity.’

After cooling his head for a moment in the hallway, Alfonso believed he had sufficiently composed himself.

‘I can exercise restraint.’

He was a devoted adherent of chivalry, educated to the highest standard, and widely regarded as the most outstanding young sovereign. Self-control and patience were virtues he had cultivated his entire life. It shouldn’t be difficult—he truly believed so.

Yet Alfonso failed to notice that he had gripped his hands so tightly that his fingernails had dug into his palms, leaving raw marks.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘When you gain something, you also lose something.’

Isabella was truly feeling the truth of this proverb today. It had been fine to tamper with Ariadne’s debutante gown.

Replacing the iron hooks with soft ones heavily alloyed with lead—using Ariadne’s new maid, whose name she’d already forgotten, to ensure the coarse fabric would unravel—had been a good move. So too was ordering Maleta to secretly loosen the stitching on the front of the dress.

Read full content of this chapter on r e d c a t t y . c o m