Chapter 148. Preparation Is Completed, Part VII
Translator: Khan
Editor: Aelryinth
“You’re in a hurry today.” Vera said, at the appearance of Julietta, who was wearing the maid uniform of the family of Duke Kiellini and a black wig.
“I’m worried about Manny. Amelie and Sophie will take good care of him, but I can’t wait to go and see him.”
Vera’s face was full of questions. “Manny?”
“Oh, Vera, you have not seen Manny yet! It’s a secret to my aunt. Killian His Highness gave me a puppy as a present.”
Vera had already heard all the stories from Simone and knew the situation, but pretended not to know, and Julietta was wriggling with her fingers facing each other as if she was guilty.
“I see. If so, have a good trip. I can’t keep up with you while you’re dressed as a maid, so be careful. I’ll tell them you skipped breakfast because you were sick.”
Julietta, wearing a long-brimmed hat, ran out of the door.
“But you have to come back not too late!”
With Vera’s request behind her, Julietta headed for the dressing shop excitedly.
—–
“It’s just a black wig.” As soon as he saw Julietta, Killian muttered in a disappointed voice.
“What?”
Killian turned to Julietta, who was wondering what he meant. “Your disguise is too weak with a wig. If it’s just the color of your hair, isn’t the way you look just like Princess Kiellini?”
Killian frowned as if he didn’t like it. “I’d like you to wear glasses. Ian! Get out right now and get some women’s glasses.”
Julietta’s expression was strangely distorted at the word “glasses”. She wanted to get out of wearing glasses, but now she had to wear them again. She wondered when her life in disguise would end.
Killian had a mischievous look on his face as he remembered one day when he had mused about ordering a pair of glasses made by dwarves… “It’s not effective even if you wear a wig. They’ll know that you are the princess just by looking at those green eyes.”
Julietta didn’t want to wear her heavy glasses again, and protested. “Wouldn’t they know my eyes even if I wear glasses?”
“If that’s the case, don’t worry. A maid I spoke to earlier, Julietta, wore glasses, and they were so thick that I could not recognize what color her eyes were through those glasses. I think it’s okay to cover your face with those glasses for the time being.”
Julieta’s expression was all the more distorted at Killian’s words. Killian glanced at her and went on.
“But the maid wore those thick glasses since she had bad eyes, so they are too much for the healthy princess. If Ian buys them in a hurry today, wear them only until the glasses I ordered from Bertino’s dwarves come. Ian, did you hear that? It has to be a pair of glasses that won’t let the princess’s beautiful eyes be visible.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Killian pretended to acknowledge the puppy Julietta had carried in her arms. “It’s been sleeping since morning.” His cold words gave Julietta an excuse.
“I guess it didn’t sleep well because its sleeping place changed yesterday. Don’t do that too much.”
“A dog doesn’t need a good place to sleep. They sleep well even on the street…” However, Killian quickly stopped talking when Julietta stared at him fiercely. “Okay, okay. By the way, what is in your hand?” asked Killian wonderfully, looking at a basket containing a piece of cloth.
“A new manager came in yesterday. Starting today, new people will be coming in and out for interviews, so I couldn’t work in the workshop and brought them here to work on.”
Killian frowned at Julietta, who carefully laid down Manny and then pulled her threadwork out of the basket. “You don’t rest for a second. Shouldn’t you ask them to make them after hiring more people?”
At Killian’s words, Julietta picked up a needle and answered. “Yes. Now I have hired more sewing workers, tailors, and doll makers, so I don’t have to do anything myself. Amelie and Sophie are good at making clothes without my explanation just by looking at the designs I have drawn.”
“Then what is the princess making now?” Killian pointed to a small piece of cloth that Julietta was holding.
“Manny’s clothes.”
“What?”
“Now that summer is over, I’m preparing for autumn in advance. Manny is a puppy, so he’s still having problems controlling his body temperature. Sometimes he shudders.”
“A garment for a puppy!”
Julietta looked up at Killian’s shocked tone. ‘Are there no dog’s clothes here?’
Julietta’s hands slid down at the sight of him and the people around who were so amazed. “Well, I think it’d be nice to dress a dog, too. People wear clothes for warmth and beauty. It’s the same thing…” Julietta’s voice was getting smaller and smaller at Killian’s absurd look.
“I knew that the princess had a very unique way of thinking, but the idea of dressing an animal is amazing.”
Looking carefully at Killian’s expression, she couldn’t tell whether he was angry or really impressed, Julietta decided to ask another question. “Your Highness, since I’ve been away from the capital, I’ve been thinking a lot about other people. I imagined a lot because I was bored. So, I’m asking you because I don’t know, um… don’t nobles put necklaces or clothes on pets like dogs, cats, and so on?”
“They have never done such a thing, even to the pets of the Emperor.”
Julietta’s eyes sparkled at the answer. “Really? Oh, my. You mean no one’s done this kind of big money-making business?”
Barely holding back from running about the room with joy, Julietta said to Killian, “Your Highness, make and sell jewelry for pets, too. I need to make and sell clothes, houses, bags and more for pets.”
Killian snorted wildly at Julietta’s words. “What kind of clothes and jewelry do you mean for an animal? Don’t even talk nonsense!”
“Your Highness, this is a big money-making business. Please believe me. It’s a huge business. The nobles will be able to show off their wealth in another direction through their pets. They have the money, and they really care about their pets and love them, and they won’t spare their wealth for the better and the prettier ones.”
To Killian who didn’t believe in himself, Julietta begged him to trust her hard as if she was a swindler. “I’ll also need to get a pet model for the opening party in two weeks. Your Highness, can you make me some pet accessories by then?”
Julietta did not notice herself asking Killian to do a favor without hesitation. She was sure he would listen.
Killian could not refuse her when she was so excited that she was nagging. No, the answer was that he didn’t have the heart to refuse. “If you make and give me the list of the necessary items, I’ll ask the craftsman.”
‘I’m not making it for myself anyway, so what can I not do for her?’
“Yes, yes, Your Highness. I need them made right away.”
Only
Manny had already woken up, and looked at the two with his bright eyes. The black-eyed puppy, with a completely different inner side from its cute appearance, barked loudly, as if warning them while looking at the two.
Their noisy act of waking himself up was, in short, ‘You’re flirting!’ Manny barked once more, trying to get rid of the unpleasant energy that seemed to have turned pink in the air.
“Oh, Manny barked. Your voice is rich and full.” Julietta lifted the barking Manny, hugged him tightly, and put him down on the floor.
Tottering to the door, Manny began to take a dump on a piece of paper by the front door. Killian was surprised to see that for the first time because he was a nobleman, but Julietta clapped her hands and cheered for Manny when he returned from his work. “Oh, you are so nice. Oh, you’re so pretty. Who does he look so smart?”
Killian looked at Julietta with an amazing look and shook his head without realizing it, and his eyes met the ones of Valerian who was waiting next to him. Valerian looked with an exciting look at Julietta who cared not a bit about the noble Prince, and at himself trying to attract such attention.
Killian turned his head to Julietta again, his mouth twitching to hold back his laughter, and laughed together as he saw her laughing with her hands clapping like a child.
‘Julietta, smile like that. It’s been enough of you to hide your true self until this time. I will protect you from now on…’
—-
Comments