The items Ariadne had to cover with a budget of 150 ducats (about 150 million won) were her own grooming and all the preparations for the debutante ball on the day.
This included food, alcohol, interior decorations, the orchestra, order of events, and other features. Ariadne first checked all the items in the house.
“The items we can use include the family crest, furniture, and wines from the basement cellar… That’s about it.”
Sancha replied,
“We could also use the kitchen staff. Lady Lucrezia surely wouldn’t prohibit that. Though I suspect she won’t let us touch the ingredients.”
“Although she always surpasses our imagination, we have to consider my father’s opinion. We can buy the ingredients from outside. The quantity we could make with the ingredients at home isn’t enough anyway. The cost we absolutely can’t cut is the orchestra.”
“Eh? Miss? Aren’t you going to get the tapestries?”
In 1122, when decorating for a ball in San Carlo, they usually picked a particular concept, and matched the banister covers, chair covers, tablecloths, etc. with the fabric fitting the concept to unify the atmosphere of the entire hall.
And they produced a separate embroidered tapestry that reminded people of the theme of the ball and hung it on the wall.
“We have the family crest, but we have to match the party tapestry separately. Time is running out. The best embroidery shops in town are probably already fully booked.”
If it was a victory celebration ball, the most important battle was depicted, if it was a royal birth celebration ball, the birth story of the royal patron saint was embroidered and installed.
The more embroidered tapestries there were, the more elaborate they were, the more effort was put into the ball, and for luxurious balls, it was often the case that 12 years of production time and 200300 ducats (about 200300 million won) were spent on embroidery alone.
“Come here.”
Ariadne pulled Sancha over and whispered a few things into her ear.
“What do you think, can we do it?”
“Eh?! Certainly, it would save money… If you say so, I can do it. But… are you sure, Miss?”
“Trust me. The reaction will certainly be good.”
‘It’s about bringing forward the latest trend of 1123. It will soon be banned though.’
Ariadne forcefully closed the ledger and said with enthusiasm,
“It seems possible. Let’s do it!”
“Yes, Miss!”
[This is the time separator]While Ariadne was adjusting the entire budget for the ball with 150 ducats, Isabella was investing 50 ducats (about 50 million won) in grooming herself.
“‘The girl who sees through the truth’, can you believe it?!”
Isabella vented all her anger on Maletta, who was helping her with her grooming.
“I don’t even have a nickname like that yet!”
“Miss Ariadne really is out of line. In terms of appearance, talent, and character, she falls short of Miss Isabella, so why is she making such a fuss?”
“Exactly my point!”
Isabella, unable to hold back her anger, snapped the thin wooden stick she was using to apply perfume to her eyelashes.
“At this debutante ball, I must show who is superior. I absolutely have to be prettier than her.”
“That’s possible just by you breathing.”
“That’s true! But firmly! Surely! There should be no doubt that I am prettier!”
Maletta reassured Isabella while brushing her hair.
“In thirty minutes, Madame Clemenza herself will arrive at the Collegioni Dressing Room. The Collegioni Dressing Room on Tiberius Street is the unrivalled top dressing room, isn’t it? The hanger is better, the outfits are better, the adornments will be perfect. How could Miss Isabella not be prettier than Miss Ariadne?”
“That’s right? That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, it is.”
The Collegioni Dressing Room on Tiberius Street was a shop worthy of Maletta’s affirmation.
In San Carlo, places that made clothes for the nobility and social figures were usually divided into dressing rooms and tailors. The latter could be comfortably used by ordinary people if they could afford it.
But the former was a space open only to special people.
The ateliers were located on the roadside of the Tiber River, utilized the finest fabrics brought in by sea trade by the merchants of the Republic of Porto, and it was difficult to use without a connection as reservations were backed up for months.
It was only natural that the prices were exceedingly high.
If the dress shops followed the fashion, the ateliers led the fashion, and Collezioni Atelier was at the forefront.
“Miss Isabella, Madam Clemenza has arrived.”
Isabella greeted the maid with a frown.
“Bring Madam Clemenza to mother’s reception room.”
“Yes, miss.”
Isabella’s guests were usually greeted in the girls’ reception room on the west side of the second floor, which was shared by Arabella and Ariadne, but today Isabella had no intention of showing Ariadne what she was wearing.
Isabella, who greeted Madam Clemenza in Lucrezia’s eastern reception room, treated her very sweetly.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
