Episode 37

It didn’t quite make sense to me. As if understanding my confusion, Harmott smiled softly.

“Actually, I need a muse. A muse who will wear my clothes without being bound by gender. For example, there’s Marié. He became my greatest muse. He enjoyed cross-dressing as well.”

“…”

“Would you like to try on this dress after taking off the male clothes?”

When I hesitantly accepted the dress in a blush color, Harmott turned around.

“Especially for someone like me who looks good in women’s clothing, I also need a woman who will dress in men’s clothing for me. The world where clothes are chosen based on gender will pass, surely.”

Although I took off the male clothes, I didn’t have a clue how to wear this dress. It had been a long time since I had worn a dress, and I had never worn such a formal dress before.

As if noticing my confusion even from behind, Harmott spoke kindly.

“You can just roughly put on the dress. I’ll help with the details. Oh, and just in case, don’t remove the bandages.”

Following his instructions, I put on the dress roughly.

“I-I’ve put it on roughly…”

“May I check?”

“…Yes.”

Harmott turned around. Then, he approached me and began to fasten the back of the dress. He continued speaking quietly.

“What I want to say is simple.”

He grinned.

“As long as you become my muse, I’ll protect your secret.”

“A muse… I’m not sure what I should do…”

“Just wear my clothes. I want to design men’s clothing for women.”

Harmott, who had fixed the details of the dress, soon brought a wig and makeup.

“Of course, this is a threat. If you don’t become my muse, I’ll immediately go to the lady.”

He grinned.

…I had no reason to refuse. I cautiously nodded at his words. Finally, he sighed as if relieved.

“Good.”

What he brought was a wig exactly the same color as my hair.

I recalled the day I went shopping with Amy last time. Ah, I remembered where I had seen Harmott before. It was the same face I saw at the boutique.

Instead of a brooch, was this the gift… for today?

Harmott finally put the wig on my head.

“Oh…”

After quickly arranging the wig, Harmott applauded briefly and exclaimed in admiration.

“This alone is a masterpiece.”

But it all felt uncomfortable, like wearing ill-fitting clothes. I became anxious.

“…Will I not be exposed as a woman?”

“You have to pray to God for that.”

“…”

With a blissful expression, he brought the makeup in front of me. I paused for a moment watching him.

“…Do I really need to put on makeup? Just in case—”

When I hinted at my concerns, Harmott shook his head firmly.

“Among the other Maries, the lady will surely notice that you’re the only one not wearing makeup.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just do it lightly.”

Seeing the pile of makeup, his words didn’t inspire much confidence. But in the end, I closed my eyes and entrusted my face to him.

“…You’ll definitely keep the secret, right?”

“I don’t speak with a double tongue. I’m a businessman before a designer. And business starts with trust.”

“…”

“Besides, if your secret is revealed, it’ll be a big loss for me too.”

A soft brush lightly swept over my face.

“…Very good. Open your eyes and see.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw Harmott smiling broadly. As if extremely pleased, he led me to the mirror with light steps.

“…The reflection in the mirror didn’t seem like me at all.”

The blush evening dress had a shallow off-shoulder style. A white brooch was attached to the center of the neckline.

Unconsciously, I touched the brooch. It was a brooch similar to the one I had planned to gift to Raiden last time.

“How do I look?”

I rolled my eyes as I looked at myself in the mirror.

“Hmm… It feels awkward. It feels strange.”

Feeling nothing touching my ankles felt odd. It wasn’t the stiff ceremonial attire; the flowing hem barely touching my calves felt strange.

Everything about me just felt awkward.

“It’s charming,” Harmott corrected my words.

“You’ve never worn high heels before, have you?”

“No.”

“Then high heels could be a bit risky.”

Harmott moved aside the high-heeled shoes and brought a pair with relatively low heels.

“How about this? Would this be okay?”

I nodded at his words.

After smiling faintly, Harmott stepped back from me. He carefully examined my appearance and clapped again.

“It’s truly a masterpiece. If it’s not too much trouble, may I take a picture later?”

“If that’s okay—”

“Great. Let’s go to the lady now.”

Harmott nodded lightly towards the tent entrance. However, as I prepared to step out in this attire, I started to worry.

Harmott noticed my concern and approached me.

“Think of yourself as Marie. There are all kinds of people in the world. Those who don’t think there can be beautiful men like you are fools.”

But his words didn’t alleviate my unease at all.

“Then let’s do this. Consider yourself enchanted for today. You’ve drunk a witch’s potion. If you think a special gift has come to you, wouldn’t you feel a bit better?”

Harmott pulled me along. I hesitated for a moment before taking a trembling step forward.

* * *

Amy Herwin was originally a greedy woman. If she wanted something, she had to get her hands on it, no matter what. That was a given.

‘It’s unsettling.’

Raiden Akaruth’s attitude towards her and the ceremony wasn’t any different. If anything, he was warmer towards her. Didn’t he kindly agree to wear the brooch I offered?

Whether it was an escort request or anything else I desired, he would simply nod in agreement, no matter what it was.

He treated me differently from the rumors widely spread throughout the kingdom. It made me feel like I had become someone special.

However…

‘Young lady should look around.’

It was the first time.

Raiden Akaruth didn’t fulfill my request.

Among the things I asked for, asking for a simple servant was easier than anything else. Much easier than asking him to marry me or become engaged.

Nevertheless…

Amy bit her lips tightly.

Did that man truly love that child? But in Raiden’s eyes, there was no sign of affection.

Moreover, considering the person in question was a man, there had never been any talk of Raiden Akaruth enjoying the color blue.

There was a clear line for Raiden. His family, his lineage. As long as I didn’t cross that line, I could stay by Raiden’s side. That’s what Amy had sensed in all the times she had seen him.

Beyond that line, no matter what she asked for, Raiden would simply nod with an indifferent expression.

It was undoubtedly feigned indifference masked as affection.

“…Miss Amy?”

Lost in thought, Amy snapped back to reality at Catherine’s call.

“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

Catherine smiled, understandingly.

“Miss Amy, did you place a bet with the Duke?”

“Yes. Did you… participate, Catherine?”

“No, I’m still considering.”

Catherine raised one corner of her lips and fanned herself. Then she approached Amy and whispered in her ear.

“Actually, it’s not the winner of the hunting competition that I’m interested in, but Miss Amy.”

“…What do you mean?”

Catherine nodded subtly.

It meant placing a bet on the winner of this year’s Marie and her owner. Catherine seemed ecstatic.

“How about it, Miss Amy? May I trust you and place a bet?”

Amy’s eyes shook slightly at Catherine’s words. However, she quickly composed herself, and no one knew that Amy wavered.

“Sure.”

Amy took a sip of wine. Today, the wine seemed more bitter.

‘Did I make the right choice by selecting that child as Marie?’

When I locked eyes with those clear green eyes and met that gaze, something felt strange in the depths of my heart. At first, I didn’t know what this emotion was.

Actually, saying I didn’t know was a lie. I didn’t want to admit that I, a mere servant, felt such emotions.

However, Amy decided to face this emotion head-on. To truly overcome it, she needed to confront what she was afraid of.

This was anxiety.

It felt like I would lose what I coveted. There was no clear reason. Even in Raiden’s actions, there was nothing to pick on.

But the anxiety that had been growing in a corner of my heart was gradually growing larger and devouring her.

“Miss, the preparations for the Maries are all complete.”

“Tell them to come in.”

Amy nodded. Soon, those who had finished dressing one by one came inside.

“Goodness…”

“…You’ve become a pitiful sight, thrown onto the ground like a mere Lafrean.”

Sighs and cheers erupted here and there. Then, only after meeting the sparkling emerald eyes did Amy realize it perfectly.

Amy gazed at the ticking clock, making a faint ticking sound. Only then could she smile.

I have never had what I covet taken away even once. She had to get what she wanted.

The Herwin family members were originally like that. Greed ran too deep.

* * *

“Is Raiden really…?”

I tightly clenched the hand I had placed on the hem of my dress. As a servant, I belonged to Raiden Akaruth, and it was conceivable that he would send me to Amy, who was to be his fiancée.

The reason he took care of me was nothing more than sympathy, neither more nor less.

It just felt too heartbreaking in this situation. It felt like… maybe I had truly become someone’s possession, neither more nor less.

“Hasn’t the winner already been decided?”

Countless eyes were on me. Feeling suffocated by those gazes, I couldn’t raise my head properly and instead stared quietly at the tabletop.