TADQ 12

Chapter :12

Carlos smiled throughout the meal, but he felt terribly uncomfortable. “Why on earth…?” Carlos, who had been holding back laughter at Allen’s actions, turned his head happily at the sound of a small chuckle. Someone else to share this hilarious situation with! However, Ludiana quickly looked away when their eyes met, and from then on, he was busy avoiding eye contact every time. Later, he even deliberately turned his head away. “Why…?” At first, he thought it was simply a matter of unfamiliarity, but he began to feel irritated by her avoiding his gaze throughout the meal. “What on earth did I do wrong?!?” * * * “Let’s go, Miss Ludiana.” “Yes.” Carlos smiled at Ludiana, who was watching Rosaline walk away in vain. Ludiana awkwardly turned and headed for the stairs. The distance between the dining room and her room felt incredibly long. “I can’t look at you!” She walked forward, staring straight ahead. And Carlos followed her silently, without saying a word. After a brief yet long moment, the two finally arrived in front of Ludhiana’s room. Ludhiana squeezed her eyes shut and turned to greet Carlos. “Thank you.” “…Yes.” After a moment of silence, Carlos replied in a dissatisfied voice. At that, Ludhiana glanced up at him. His sharp, cool features were staring at her with dissatisfied eyes. “Well…” “Well, I’ll be off.” Before Ludhiana could say anything, Carlos greeted her first and headed for the stairs at the end of the hallway. “Oops!” She realized her mistake, but it was too late. “Whew…” Ludhiana sighed softly and entered the room. No matter how difficult it was to face Carlos, this was Ludiana’s personal problem, not his. “Besides, he’s only 13…” The thought of hurting the still-young Carlos made Ludiana feel incredibly uneasy. “Miss, are you perhaps uncomfortable with Carlos?” “Huh…?” Michaela sensed this, and cautiously asked her as she sighed on the sofa. Ludiana stared blankly at her for a moment at the sharp question. Michaela, misunderstanding this reaction, cautiously knelt down in front of Ludiana and took her hand. “Miss, are you perhaps uncomfortable with a man your age?” Michaela’s eyes were filled with sadness. The maids assigned to the three mothers and daughters briefly heard their story. Neglect from their biological father, bullying from their stepmother and stepsister. They had been taught to keep their mouths shut and to be more disciplined, so as not to make a mistake in front of the other girls. “What…?” “Kalos is different, my lady. He would never harass you.” Michaela tried to reassure her, but Ludiana’s heart sank even more. “Ah… what should I do?” If Michaela misunderstood, then Carlos must have misunderstood too… Ludiana lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. “It’s okay. My lady, it’s okay.” Michaela gently stroked Ludiana’s small back with her hand. “I’ll apologize for my behavior the next time we meet.” “It’s okay. Really…” Michaela smiled at Ludiana, who gave a wry smile. * * * “Your Majesty, Madame Redney is coming to visit soon.” While Allen was enjoying a walk with Irene, the butler Neil approached him. Allen nodded slightly at him and smiled at Rosaline, who was cautiously following behind him. “Roselle, ah. The head of the Roembek family. I hear a madam will be arriving soon to tailor the ladies’ dresses.” “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Roselle bowed 90 degrees to Allen. “No!” Allen tried his best to accommodate Rosaline, who was uncomfortable with him, and paid her respects. There were many things he wanted to say, but for now, he decided to be content with just having her in front of him. At least, he hoped she wouldn’t make him uncomfortable. That was his only wish. “Let’s go back to our room. Neil, tell Miss Ludiana.” “Understood.” Neil bowed politely and headed toward the mansion. “Wow! Are we getting our dresses tailored?!” Irene, who had been staying in the annex since she could no longer remember, felt like a dream, having her dress tailored. Roselyn was both delighted and heartbroken at the sight of Irene, beaming and jumping amidst the bright yellow freesias blooming in the garden. “Yes. I’ll make you a dress that best suits you.” Allen surprisingly played well with the child, especially attuned to Irene’s rhythm. Rosalind felt grateful, yet also sorry. “Your Majesty, Mother! I’m so happy right now!” But Irene, oblivious to the circumstances of the adults, simply expressed her emotions as they were, reveling in her happiness. “Let’s go!” Irene took Allen’s hand in her left, and Rosalind’s in her right, leading them to the mansion. A blush crept across Allen’s face, as if he had somehow become part of Rosalind’s family. * * * “Hello, Duke Pianus, Lord Roembek. I’m Madame Redney.” Madame Redney, her long blue hair neatly tied up, entered Rosaline’s room with her porters. Inside, the three mothers and daughters, along with Allen, were seated. “Miss Irene, Lord Roembek, and Miss Ludiana, you can watch it comfortably.” “No! The Duke is helping us, so you can watch it too!” Allen stood up, trying to give them a comfortable seat, but Irene grabbed his sleeve and stopped him. Allen, who had stopped moving, cautiously watched Rosaline. “If your schedule allows, let’s watch it together.” “Yes!” Allen sat down happily again. Ludiana, leaving Irene behind as she excitedly picked out a dress, approached him and asked quietly. “That Duke, Lord Carlos…?” “Ah. He’s probably at the training grounds by now.” “Yes….” “Would you like to come and visit later?” “No, thank you.” Ludiana shook her head and turned to Madame and Irene. Seeing her, Allen called Neil over and gave him some instructions. “I’ll have the rest of the clothes made and send them to you before you leave the capital!” Redney took six dresses each from the luggage the porter had brought, one for going out and one for indoor use. They were all for Irene and Ludiana. Since he couldn’t wear those shabby dresses forever, these were sample dresses Neil had requested. “They’re samples, so they’re a bit lacking, but they’ll be more comfortable than what you’re wearing now.” Redney hummed for the first time in a while. In the past, she enjoyed personally tailoring dresses and teaching them how to dress up, but these days, everyone handles everything at home, leaving only the dresses to be made, leaving her with a sense of regret. Dressing and transforming young ladies, who were not yet fully mature, was one of her greatest joys. That’s why, when the Pianus family ordered girls’ dresses, she put everything aside and rushed to get them. She’d been happy before, tailoring Kalos’s training uniform and uniform, but dressing up girls was the greatest joy! ‘I’ll make everyone pay attention!’ Ledni had boasted so confidently, but the moment she saw Ludiana and Irene, her resolve vanished. They were practically finished dolls. They shined as they were, needing no further adornment. Ludiana, her older sister, especially, possessed an elegance that belied her age. “I’m sure any dress would look good on you!” Redney hummed as she and her sister headed to the next room. At Allen’s direction, Neil also left the room, leaving Allen and Rosaline alone. “I think you’re going to be uncomfortable. I’ll be out.” Allen stood up from the sofa in a panic. Just as he was about to leave, Rosaline’s quiet voice stopped him. “Allen.” The moment he heard her voice, Allen froze, just as he had opened the door. Allen felt a twinge of shock at Rosaline’s sudden voice calling his name. His heart pounded wildly, and he felt as if he had become a statue, unable to move. “Thank you.” Rosaline thanked him quietly, but clearly enough for Allen to hear.