The Archduke’s Flower Is in Danger - Chapter 9

Marlene closed and opened her eyes again. She even gave her cheek a very slight, discreet pinch. The sharp sting confirmed that this was not a dream.

“You should eat more. You are far too thin.”

The memory of her fragile body, which felt weightless when he held it, came to Kaeron Roman de Helios. He cut a piece of Chateaubriand into bite-sized pieces and moved it onto Idel Fleure’s plate.

Blushing slightly and looking somewhat flustered, Idel picked up a piece of steak and placed it in her mouth.

Did you see that? Just now, His Grace…

I saw it clearly too. To personally serve her food!

And look at that expression!

As if satisfied by the sight of her eating the food he had given her, a faint smile spread across Kaeron’s lips. It was a sight so unbelievable that Marlene and Gregory stood with their mouths agape.

Every servant of the Grand Ducal House standing in the dining room to assist with the meal realized it for certain: the Grand Duke was completely infatuated with the prospective Grand Duchess.

It was not that no women had visited the Grand Ducal House before. Nobles with marriageable daughters who visited for a banquet with the Grand Duke always brought their daughters along. It was a shallow ploy to catch even a glimpse of the Duke’s attention. This was the exact opposite of how he used to treat those women, ignoring them as if they were invisible.

Kaeron, who had been watching Idel eat, turned his gaze toward Gregory. His expression was so different from the one he used to look at the prospective Grand Duchess that Gregory felt almost a little hurt.

“An invitation arrived from the Imperial Palace. It seems Pascal was quite surprised by the news.”

“Ah! Yes, Your Grace. He has invited you to a dinner banquet tomorrow evening.”

“It is sudden, but it would be best to prepare. Marlene, when is the boutique scheduled to visit?”

“They are arriving this afternoon. We have arranged for dresses that can be worn immediately with minor alterations, as well as custom-made attire.”

“Good work. Make sure everything the Grand Duchess needs is prepared without lack.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Idel felt her heart flutter at the sight of Kaeron paying such meticulous attention to her needs. It was a feeling where a strange tension and excitement seemed to coexist.

Don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t for me; it’s for the Grand Duchess.

Convincing herself of the reason for his actions, she desperately hoped her racing heartbeat would slow down. Idel lowered her gaze, hiding her trembling eyes beneath her long lashes.

“If you need anything, tell Marlene. As you heard, we must visit the Imperial Palace tomorrow, so choose appropriate clothing this afternoon.”

“I will.”

“After the meal, it would be good for you to tour the residence. Gregory, what is the remaining schedule for today?”

“After luncheon, there is a legal revision review meeting. Following that, there is a report session regarding trade business within the Duchy.”

Kaeron frowned slightly at the tightly packed schedule. He looked as if he were somewhat disappointed.

“Marlene will guide you through the residence. You can also proceed with your education as Grand Duchess and wedding preparations with her.”

“When will the wedding be held?”

“I intend to hold it before you enter the university. You will be busy once the semester starts. I have already sent word to Count Fleure to convey my intentions. Once I coordinate with him and a date is set, I will let you know.”

“My father must have been very surprised. He wouldn’t have known I was preparing for university, nor that I had entered an engagement with the Grand Ducal House.”

“You need not worry. And from now on, do not trouble yourself with the House of Fleure. You are now a person of the Grand Ducal House.”

A person of the Grand Ducal House. Why those calmly spoken words struck her heart so warmly, she did not know.

Was it because she had lived a life of drifting, never belonging anywhere? She felt the latch on her heart, which she had tried so hard to secure, sliding open once more.

Idel pressed her hand against her chest. Even though she knew this sense of belonging had a temporary limit of three years, she did not want to let go of the warmth filling her heart right now.

After the meal, the Grand Duke left the residence for his external schedule. After seeing him off, Idel began touring the residence with Marlene.

The Grand Ducal residence was much larger and more magnificent than the Count’s estate. It was a classical mansion with a long history, belonging to the House of Roman, a founding family of the Empire.

“This is the library. I heard you are particularly fond of books, Lady Idel.”

“That is right. May I use the library as I please?”

“Of course. There is no place in this residence that the Grand Duchess cannot use. By His Grace’s order, recently published books will arrive as early as tomorrow.”

Calling it a library was an understatement; it was a space of university proportions. Including the rare ancient texts managed since the days of the House of Roman, the number of books already present was substantial. Yet, his consideration in filling it with new releases made warmth spread through Idel’s chest.

Looking at the archives filled with books, she was reminded of the moment they first met in the library. At that time, she was busy trying to flee from him. Thinking back on it now, as she stood in the Grand Ducal residence as the prospective Grand Duchess, she was filled with a sense of profound change.

Marlene led her into a room connected to the library. The room, with a large desk placed before a sunlit window, was cozy but a bit cluttered as if it were being redecorated.

“This is the study the Grand Duchess will use. It is still being renovated, but it will be ready within the week.”

“How will the education for the Grand Duchess proceed?”

“Since His Grace is the first Grand Duke of Helios, there is no precedent for the education of a Grand Duchess. Therefore, we plan to proceed based on the education the late Empress received when she was the daughter of the Duke.”

“Will you be conducting the education, Marlene?”

“Yes. Once the renovations of the study are finished next week, I thought we would hold the sessions here after luncheon. For your information, I am from the House of Count Delpe. I served the late Empress starting from the House of Roman before serving the Grand Duke.”

For a moment, Marlene’s eyes took on a distant light as she recalled her memories of being the Head Maid of the Empress’s Palace. She remembered a woman with black hair that shone elegantly like polished obsidian.

A noble woman born as the only daughter of the House of Roman who ascended to the position of Empress. Marlene occasionally caught glimpses of the late Empress in the Grand Duke, who was called the perfect royal blood.

Ending her reminiscence, Marlene turned her gaze to the new mistress she would serve.

The profile of Idel, carefully examining the guidebook for Duchesses on the desk, felt more like a subtle watercolor painting than a bold oil painting. Her slender frame and delicate features made her look fragile enough to break at a glance.

On the surface, her impression was the exact opposite of the Grand Duke, who overwhelmed others with his aura alone. However, Marlene guessed that this woman’s inner self was not as weak as she appeared.

Though she did not ask, there must have been circumstances for her to leave the Count’s estate so abruptly with only a single bag. Furthermore, there had been no correspondence from the House of Fleure asking after her.

Occasionally, her wavering eyes reflected complex emotions that were difficult to describe. Yet, seeing her quickly regain her composure made her feel more like a wildflower that had weathered storms alone rather than a plant raised tenderly in a greenhouse.

Marlene found herself wishing that the prospective Grand Duchess, who seemed to carry many stories, would find peace and stable happiness here. Believing that her happiness would eventually become the Grand Duke’s happiness, Marlene sincerely hoped for it.

“It is time for Madame Ponfuen from the boutique to arrive. It would be best to go to the dressing room.”

With a warm smile, Marlene guided her to the dressing room connected to the Grand Duchess’s chamber. Madame Ponfuen, the designer of the Charlotte Boutique, and her assistants were already waiting there.

Madame Ponfuen had closed her boutique and rushed over, eager to meet the protagonist who had set the Empire abuzz since early morning. If the Grand Ducal House called, it was only right to set everything aside and go.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ponfuen, and I run the Charlotte Boutique. It is an honor to meet the prospective Grand Duchess.”

“It is a pleasure. I am Idel Fleure.”

Madame Ponfuen subtly examined the woman entering the dressing room from head to toe. This was a professional habit of hers as a haute couture designer. It was a long-standing habit formed from observing her models and clients.

The woman offering her greeting with a calm expression was a beauty the likes of which were not easily seen in the Empire. To Madame Ponfuen, who was accustomed to the flamboyantly decorated women who visited her boutique, this beauty possessing a pure yet noble dignity felt special.

Her posture is straight and correct. Her balanced shoulders and décolleté line are excellent, and her waist is so thin she won’t even need a corset.

Looking at the prospective Grand Duchess’s form in a thin negligee to take measurements, Madame Ponfuen was certain. The clothes tailored to the measurements of a mannequin with perfect proportions would fit her body perfectly without any major alterations.

“You have an ideal figure.”

Madame Ponfuen let out a satisfied sigh as she put down the measuring tape. Seeing Idel’s long arms and legs, an inspiration suddenly struck her, and her eyes sparkled as she made a proposal.

“Besides day dresses and evening gowns, how would you feel about having a tailored suit made?”

“A tailored suit? Isn’t that clothing only worn by men?”

As Marlene tilted her head and asked, Madame Ponfuen replied with a full smile.

“It has been so until now. But society is changing. Women have begun to do productive work equal to men. The time has come when we need to step out of dresses that restrict our movement, if only for a moment.”

Madame Ponfuen had finally found the muse who would represent the new trend she had been envisioning.

“Will the prospective Grand Duchess not be entering the Imperial University? It will be difficult for you to wear cumbersome dresses for every external activity.”

Walking toward the hanging garments, Madame Ponfuen pulled out a women’s tailored jacket that was still in the basting stage.

“You would wear a combination of a tailored jacket that emphasizes the natural curves of the body with comfort and practicality, paired with trousers or a skirt.”

Madame Ponfuen lightly draped the tailored jacket over Idel’s shoulders. Though she had only draped the jacket, the atmosphere changed instantly. It felt much more enterprising and refreshing than before.

“I like it. I would like to have a tailored suit made as you suggest.”

“Among the noblewomen of the Empire, no, among all women in the Empire, Lady Idel, you will likely be the first to wear a tailored suit.”

Leading a trend by giving a variation within an existing framework was easy. However, creating a trend that broke the existing mold was a different matter entirely. Madame Ponfuen carefully reconfirmed Idel’s intention.

Idel’s eyes, as she answered after a moment of thought, shone as steadily as a tree holding lush green leaves.

“It sounds good. Something no one has tried before. It is the same as entering the Imperial University, after all. Marlene, do you think wearing this clothing would be a nuisance to His Grace?”

“Not at all. His Grace would want you to do as you wish, Lady Idel.”

It was the Charlotte Boutique, where any noble in the Empire was anxious to have clothes made. Was it not the Grand Duke who had brought its lead designer, Madame Ponfuen, by offering a blank check?

From undergarments to outerwear, hats, accessories, and shoes, recalling the Grand Duke who had commanded her to fill every clothing need the Grand Duchess had without lack, Marlene was filled with certainty.

“I will return soon for the fitting of the custom-made clothes.”

Madame Ponfuen’s cheeks flushed pink, eager to see her muse in the new attire.