Chapter 3 – [Part 1]
“It is of great honor to finally meet you, Princess Deborah. I’m Helen, the second wife of Baron Zihto.
Helen, who visited today, was one of the most popular designers in the capital. Deborah was the one who demanded her to come here.
As soon as she saw the dresses displayed in front of Helen’s shop, Deborah rushed inside and threatened her to personally design dresses for her.
Well, thanks to her, I had an advantage.
“I’m so glad that I’d be able to show you our dresses.”
As the silence prolonged, Helen’s cheeks became ragged.
In fact, I was deliberately not speaking. I’m afraid that if I open my mouth, I’ll be seen as a pushover.
It was ridiculous and quite reassuring that everyone would be convinced that I am Deborah as long as I had quite an attitude.
“Princess, this is the style of dress that’s been trendy among the noble ladies lately. The material of its sleeve is made of fur. Would you like to take a closer look?”
Helen managed to put on a business smile and began to explain the dress she had designed.
Some dresses were designed with a sapphire placed on the chest, while some were closely adorned with pearls on the collar of lace.
As the gorgeous dresses all came into sight, I felt as though my soul had left my body.
As a poor citizen, who had to wear her old sister’s uniform, my heart began to pound faster.
Is this what a person’s life, who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, is like?
I never envied children born with a silver spoon in their mouth because they were moderately compromising with reality, but when I personally experience such an environment, I was embarrassed but happy inwardly.
‘I think everything will look good on you.’
Wouldn’t you be able to pull off any look if you possess such a beautiful face and body?
The thought of me putting on such a dress with a stunning face and model-like body makes it feel as though it’s the start of a new year.
I frowned and bit my lips as I looked carefully at the dress as I felt like I was about to sneeze because of the dress with sleeves made of fur.
However, Helen interpreted my expression in such a way that her face turned red.
“P-Princess. These dre-dresses are just a small fraction of what I have prepared for you.”
‘Erm, these are a lot already, yet you’re telling me there’s more?’
I stared at her as I bit my lips to hold back my sneeze.
Upon noticing my expression, Helen looked as if she was going to lose consciousness anytime soon.
“I’ll bring you a more colorful, sophisticated style of dresses. Just g-give me three more days……”
Helen, who was looking at me, suddenly knelt down before me.
“I deeply apologize! I’ll fix your dress according to your taste at this instant!”
“…..Make sure to add a lot of gemstones to make it as fancy as possible.”
The more jewels, the better.
I can take it off and change it into gold in the future.
I rubbed my sore nose and added in a gentle tone.
***
‘So what if she’s a wicked woman? Her face looks absolutely stunning.’
From time to time, I would be mesmerized by my face as I looked at the mirror for a long time like a narcissist.
I love this face.
I could feel the same aura my older sister had.
Even if someone wanted to ask me how to find the way, they wouldn’t dare come within 100 meters close to me. That was the aura I had now.
As I was immersed in Deborah’s sharp and cool features, I managed to come to my senses when a servant informed me that a tutor of mine was waiting for me.
In the morning, Deborah would study and learn about astronomy, history, poetry, and so on from the distinguished professors of the Empire.
Most of the high-ranking aristocratic families have been taught at home since childhood. The identity of the professors they would invite to their homes served as a measure of their power, while the number of women that were well-taught in arts served as a measure of their honor.
‘I envy you.’
I was told that having a personal lecture was expensive.
Comparatively speaking, she gets a high-priced private tutor worth hundreds of thousands of won per hour from a university professor.
Of course, Deborah, who is not interested in studying at all, skipped classes every time.
As she was a villainess, it was a common practice for her to avoid her tutor. There was even a time when a tutor, who was nagging her about not doing homework, was hung upside down by the window outside.
That was an incident where the rope snapped and the neck of the history professor, who had a prestigious reputation in the Empire, broke, which almost made the professor die. It was so well-known that he had himself written about it and described in detail in the novel.
‘The more you think of Deborah, the more rumors you remember.’
Every time I looked into the fragments of memories floating in my mind, I would sigh and be filled with deep enlightenment at the same time.
The law of conservation of mass.
I have realized the truth that I was more comfortable than anyone else, along with the fact that I was still a pushover.
‘…….But, no matter how much you walk here, there is no end.’
I came out of the room for private tutoring and began to walk down a long corridor.
Every time I walk around the mansion, it fascinates me. Perhaps, it’s because I’m an architectural engineering major.
How much money must be spent and how much manpower was needed to build such a magnificent and beautiful mansion?
As I enjoyed the pieces lined in the corridor, I encountered a silver-haired young man who resembled the Duke of Seymour.
‘Belreck Seymour.’
He was the second son of this family.
As I looked into the silvery blue eyes of the young man momentarily, I instinctively felt the need to show hatred towards him. It seemed as though that reaction was deeply engraved in Deborah’s body.
Deborah despised her brother, Belreck Seymour.
That is because Belreck showed contempt towards Deborah. The reason for that is because he detested people who were incompetent and didn’t even try to do things.
Perhaps, it’s because his life itself is marked by a bloody effort to outrun his twin brother, Rosad Seymour.
Strangely enough, the heir to lead the Seymour family has always been born as twins for many generations now.
Besides that, the seal of the Seymour family is ‘a snake with two heads’ which symbolizes the family’s characteristics.
The talented twins fell into a fierce competition to become the head of the Seymour Household as soon as they were born.
That’s probably the reason why most of the twins in the Seymour family develop such indifferent attitudes at an early age.
Following the tradition of the family, Rosad and Belreck, who grew up as intelligent monsters, were forced to abduct and detain Duke Miya Vinoche.
And so, it was difficult for me to think of a single good trait of the two, except for their faces, especially since I knew the sadistic tendencies of the twins through the novel.
“Deborah.”
Belreck, who I had thought would just walk past by me, suddenly swept in front of me with his long silver hair and called out to me in a low voice.