Sister, I'm the Queen This Life - Chapter 50
The dress was from the Collegioni dressmaker and arrived in an unfinished state before the fitting. Instructions stated that it should be fitted to the recipient’s measurements to complete it.
Upon discovering the hundred red roses, Isabella assumed they were naturally a gift for her. Isabella often received presents from anonymous and named gentlemen.
It was just another ordinary day, and gentlemen’s gifts arriving at Cardinal De Mare’s residence were always for Isabella, so it was a reasonable assumption.
Isabella fanned herself with the fan in her hand as she gazed at the roses.
“Oh my, they’re so beautiful! Such refined taste too! Which gentleman sent these?”
Isabella asked as if it was a given, and the servant in charge of mail felt an ominous premonition as he cautiously replied.
“It is a gift from Count Cesare de Como.”
Isabella’s eyes widened.
“From Count Cesare? Oh my, why would he send me a gift? We haven’t had much interaction.”
“Well, that is…”
“Have the roses brought to my room. I must try on the dress right now. Would you mind scheduling a fitting appointment at Collegioni for me?”
In a good mood, Isabella gave orders to the servant in a suggestive form rather than the imperative for the first time in a while. However, that good mood was soon shattered to pieces. The mail servant cried out with his eyes tightly shut.
“I apologize for the audacity, elder lady. But this gift is for the second young lady.”
“What?!”
– Snap!
Isabella broke the fan she was holding in her hand.
[This is the timeline separator]The actual owner of the rose gift that shattered Isabella’s refreshing morning was not at all pleased to receive it.
“They sent this to me?”
“Yes, second young lady.”
It was the servant in charge of mail who had barely escaped Isabella’s tantrum and safely delivered the mail to Ariadne. However, despite his efforts, this gift that was so difficult to deliver did not please Ariadne at all.
“Red roses, Ariadne, right?”
“Yes, second young lady. Here is a letter from the sender.”
It was Cesare’s letterhead decorated with silver leaf. Opening the envelope sealed with red wax, a note written in very neat handwriting emerged.
“From your debutante partner.
It was an honor to share your life’s first waltz with you. Enclosed is an item befitting a beauty who resembles a red rose.
– Count Cesare.”
A hollow laugh escaped at the absurdity.
– “Lily of the valley resembles you. Obedient and known only to me, just like you.”
Those were the words Cesare had said while plucking a lily of the valley in the woods outside San Carlo and placing it in her ear.
A small white flower. A flower with a bowed head. A flower that blooms in the fields, plucked for free.
It felt like just yesterday when he treated people that way, and now his treatment changes so drastically because his circumstances have changed a bit? Ariadne was angry. It was a rage that disregarded the fact that Cesare of this life had not done anything yet.
The red roses were top-grade, lovingly grown in a flower garden. Gathering a hundred of them, a bouquet was made so heavy that it would be difficult for a woman to carry alone. A single bouquet would easily cost 50 florins (about 500,000 won) or more.
‘If you had paid even half as much attention to me in your previous life, I would have served and attended to you for the rest of my life.’
In fact, it was pointless to criticize Cesare for investing too little. In her previous life, all Cesare gave her were lily of the valley flowers blooming in the fields, but Ariadne of the previous life had faithfully served Cesare until the end.
Muttering to herself whether he had invested just the right amount for her worth, Ariadne looked at another gift sent by Count Cesare.
“What is that again?”
“It’s a dress. I heard it was sent from the Collegione dressmaker.”
The mail servant removed the cloth covering the mannequin wearing the garment. A evening gown made of blood-red crimson silk revealed itself.
Indeed, befitting the renowned name of the Collegione dressmaker, not a single stitch was done carelessly. It was a masterpiece that had been meticulously and thoroughly crafted, with careful thought put into making each and every lace pattern as visible as possible when moving.
The bodice of the crimson silk dress was made with three layers.
The outermost thick silk layer, then a thin silk layer arranged to overlap like a tulip bud inside it, and then another translucent organdy layer arranged to cover the skin inside that.
With this design, even if the stitches of the dress were to burst, the remaining two layers would provide coverage. It was a design that carefully considered preventing any accidental chest exposure.
“He put thought into it.”
But that was that, and this was this.
“Send it back.”
“Pardon?”
The mail servant stared at Ariadne with a dumbfounded expression. But Ariadne was resolute.
“He and I are nothing to each other. I cannot accept such an expensive item. Besides, I have an arrangement with the Ragione dressmaker, so I cannot wear dresses made elsewhere for the time being. Kindly explain to Count Cesare and return the flowers and dress.”
“But my lady! The roses are fresh flowers, so if we return them, they will all wither.”
The servant hastily added.
“It would be the same as sending garbage, my lady.”
The servant elaborated at length on why it would be rude. Outwardly, it was etiquette education, but internally, it was a plea of ‘Please don’t make me go to the de Como estate with flowers.’
Rejecting sent flowers was an act of publicly humiliating a gentleman, and Count de Como was known for his foul temper, and the servants of the count’s household were notorious for their roughness. Usually, when people could not retaliate against the master, they would vent their anger on the servant who acted as the messenger.
Considering the servant’s practical difficulties that he could not openly mention, Ariadne pondered the handling of the items for a moment but still shook her head.
“Alright, then just return the dress. The dress can be sent directly back to the Collegione dressmaker, so it will be less of a burden on you as well. Place the roses outside.”
“Not in the young lady’s room?”
“Yes, put them somewhere out of my sight.”
And Ariadne had more important business to attend to today. She had no time to spare for gifts sent by Cesare.
“Is the carriage ready?”
“Yes, my lady. Shall I inform the coachman that you are coming down now?”
“Good.”
Today was the day of the young ladies’ tea party hosted by Julia de Valdesar. Ariadne was as nervous as the day she went to San Ercole Cathedral to meet the Apostle of Aseretto. She secretly wiped the sweat on her palms on her dress.
[This is the timeline separator]“It is an honor to have you visit the Valdesar Marquis House, Lady de Mare.”
The Marquis House’s il domestico bowed deeply to her in greeting. Ariadne received the greeting with a smile that she tried to make appear graceful.
“Please come inside, Lady de Mare. Lady Julia is waiting in the drawing room.”
Today, Ariadne’s title was not ‘the little Lady de Mare.’ Since Isabella was not invited, there was only one Lady de Mare.
Ariadne wore a modest pale green dress for outings and a net veil adorned with tiny green topazes the size of a baby’s fingernail on her head.
It was a neat look carefully chosen to avoid being called shabby as the sole representative of the de Mare family.
As Ariadne in the green dress entered the drawing room of the Valdesar House, the gazes of the girls who had gathered earlier all focused on her at once.
Some were friendly, some were full of curiosity, and some looked her up and down as if evaluating her.
As if to block those gazes with her body, today’s hostess, Julia de Valdesar, stood up from her seat and approached Ariadne.
“Lady de Mare!”
Julia clasped Ariadne’s hands.
“I’m so glad you came. I was waiting for you.”
Ariadne responded to Julia’s kindness with a bright smile.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
“There may be some unfamiliar faces to you, Lady de Mare. Allow me to introduce you.”
There were four or five young ladies gathered at Julia de Valdesar’s tea party today.
The brown-haired Lady Rinaldi, filled with a sense of justice; Lady Dellatorre, whose family had a prosperous estate in northern Etrusca; and Lady Elba, whose father was a renowned lawyer, were relatively unfamiliar faces.
“No need, Lady Julia.”
Ariadne smiled brightly as she replied to Julia’s kindness.
“Lady Cornelia…”
Ariadne first looked at Lady Rinaldi and offered a handshake.
“And I believe I met Lady Gabrielle at the debutante ball before.”
The second greeting was to Lady Gabrielle Dellatorre. The two ladies were delighted that Ariadne, who had only met them once and was currently the hottest topic in San Carlo, remembered their names.
She exchanged introductions with the last one, Lady Elba, with Julia’s help, as they were truly meeting for the first time. There was also a slightly unexpected familiar face present. It was Camellia de Castiglione.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Lady de Mare.”
Strictly speaking, Camellia was Isabella’s friend, but she was sociable and good at agreeing with others, so she had a wide network and, above all, was well-informed about rumors, so she was regularly invited to other girls’ parties.
It seemed that even Julia, who was at odds with Isabella, had no intention of completely cutting people off just because they were close to Isabella.
Ariadne steeled herself against the feeling of disappointment welling up inside. Of course, it makes sense. I’m just being invited here for the first time today.
“It’s a pleasure, Lady Castiglione.”
Ariadne exchanged greetings with Camellia with a smiling face, showing no displeasure at all. The girls’ social circle was just beginning.
[This is the timeline separator]When a group of teenage girls gather, the topic of boys is an unavoidable subject of conversation.
“I heard Gabrielle received a marriage proposal this time!”
Lady Dellatorre smiled and spoke with modesty.
“A marriage proposal is an exaggeration. It’s just a suggestion for now. We’ll have to see if it goes through or not.”
“But I heard the gentleman is the eldest son of the Montefeltro Marquis House.”
The Montefeltro Marquis House was a very old and distinguished family and old nobility with a large estate in central Etrusca.
In Etrusca, where primogeniture was the principle, marrying the eldest son of the Montefeltro Marquis House meant becoming the Marchioness of Montefeltro if there were no major issues.
“It would be a blessed union between old noble families, as the Dellatorre Count House of Gabrielle is also a great noble family of the north.”
Julia, who had the sharpest political insight among the girls except for Ariadne, pointed out the degree of likelihood of the marriage’s success. When the rank and interests of the families aligned, marriage proposals usually smoothly led to marriage.
“I’m so envious.”
Lady Felicita Elba expressed her innocent envy towards Gabrielle.
Her father had risen to the capital with his own talents, although his inherited estate was unremarkable, so he was closer to a court noble than a feudal lord, strictly speaking. Naturally, she had admiration for the old nobility.
Marrying into the old nobility with a large estate and becoming the lady at the top of the existing order was a common dream for most daughters of the new nobility. However, Gabrielle Dellatorre smiled bitterly.
“Well, ruling over a grand estate may be a kind of happiness, but can it bring lasting happiness?”
Petruccio, the eldest son of the Marquis of Montefeltro, had a deceased wife. Already in his 30s, he had an eldest son who was not quite ten years old and even a young second daughter.
Petruccio de Montefeltro, known for his serious and thoughtful personality, was an ideal candidate for a husband, but there was a slight discrepancy in fitting into the happiness dreamed of by a girl in her late teens.
It was a sentiment that Julia de Valdesar fully agreed with. Does a man’s status have to be high? Can’t we just get along well with a handsome and honest partner?
However, she soon sighed and made a remark to keep both herself and Gabrielle in check.
“Love is just a fleeting, ephemeral joy.”
It was a mature remark delivered in a teenage-like decisive tone. However, Julia, who was about to continue, found herself at a loss for words.
Her mother used to talk about the happiness that blooms from the tranquility of everyday life and a harmonious family, rather than the burning fever of love, but for Julia, whose blood was still boiling at her age, such gentle stories did not resonate with her at all.
Fortunately, Felicita took over the rest of the story.
“Still, once you become the Marchioness and make your entrance at the ball in San Carlo, it will feel real, right? Everyone’s eyes will be on you, Gabrielle. I’m so jealous!”
“Indeed. I’m so envious that things are going smoothly for you.”
This time, it was Camellia who heaved a deep sigh.
“Why, Camellia? You have Sir Ottavio as your fiancé, so what’s troubling you?”
“Well, about that…”
[CODE BLOCK END]
*
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This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
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In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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