Masterpiece - Chapter 10 - Belle Reservoir

Chapter 10

Translator: Yonnee

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Today marks the fourth day. Vessia meticulously explored the vast mansion, much like a detective.

When the artist left the mansion that day, she examined one floor each day after that.

After all, she had promised to find a discreet place for the two of them.

The mansion’s first floor housed multipurpose spaces like the foyer, kitchen, and study.

The floor between the first and second held accommodations for servants and guest rooms, not providing an ideal location.

The second floor was dedicated to her father’s space, and the top floor—the third floor—was Vessia’s domain. The banquet hall was in a separate building.

Therefore, the place where she could spend time with Couven might be found today between the second and third floors, or rather, the 2.5th floor. A maid opened the door to the second room.

There was a servant dusting the interior. Having politely greeted Vessia, the maid stepped aside and left.

This place was a former classroom, no longer in use. This was where Vessia had studied with her private tutors in her youth.

Various books and leftover school supplies were neatly arranged on the desk. A globe and an astronomical telescope for observing stars were also placed on one side.

No one had touched anything, likely following her father’s orders, and there were hardly any traces of anyone regularly using this place.

This seemed to be an excellent place for their discreet moments during the portrait sessions with Couven.

“What do you think of this room, Baudry?”

“It seems to be the best among the places I’ve seen while accompanying you.”

“Alright. I need to check one more place before I decide.”

“Yes, of course.”

The handmaid opened the door to lead Vessia to another room. Before leaving the classroom, Vessia lightly smiled at the maids standing in the corner.

“You three over there, clean up the room. Don’t touch any important items.”

“Yes, Milady.”

Afterwards, Vessia continued to inspect several rooms with the handmaid. It had been a long time since her childhood, and she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she roamed the mansion so extensively.

Although there were some nice spaces, none of them appealed to her as much as the classroom.

After finalizing the location choices, she returned to her bedroom. After a foot bath in the bathroom, she lay down on the spacious bed, her tired body sinking into the mattress.

The ducal lady contemplated while receiving a leg massage.

She hoped the location she had carefully chosen would also please Couven.

* * *

Vessia had been busy dressing up early in the morning. She had heard news through the butler from her father.

Finally, today, Couven would visit the mansion again.

Even though it was just for his art commission work.

‘He probably doesn’t know how eagerly I’ve been waiting for the day we’d meet again.’

She woke up without having to be woken up at daybreak today. Stretching and feeling lightened, she lifted her body from the bed.

When she opened the door leading to the bathroom, a subtle scent of lilies wafted through. She entered the bathroom, and the fragrance of lily oil diffused in the water in the bathtub. The diligent servant had prepared the bathwater in advance.

Vessia undressed and immersed herself in the pleasantly warm water, where the scent of lilies surrounded her. As she gently poured water over her feathery shoulders, the maid, with meticulous hands, combed her wet hair. The subtle and thorough touch made her whole body relax.

“Hmm—”

A hum escaped her lips involuntarily. The maid wrapped her wet hair in a towel. After washing, it was common to warm oneself by the fireplace to prevent the body temperature from dropping.

However, the ducal lady went straight to the vanity table—far from the fireplace—while wearing only a thin chemise. Vessia sat comfortably in the chair and left her hair, which was wrapped in a towel, to the maids’ care.

She looked at herself in the vanity table’s mirror. The mark that Maybach had left on her shoulder had long disappeared.

The issue was the kiss mark. Despite steaming with a towel soaked in hot water and gently rubbing ice on the swollen area, it wouldn’t relent.

With a furrowed brow, Vessia glared at the still-faint, remaining mark.

Unaware of this situation, Couven was diligently on his way to the mansion, so preparations to welcome him needed to be made.

After Baudry handled Miss’s hair, other servants came with jewel boxes in their hands to assist with the adornment.

Jewelry boxes were neatly placed in front of the ducal lady as she was getting dolled up. The previous day, they had carefully chosen dresses and matching accessories for Vessia, which she had personally chosen last night, before she went to bed.

Tiaras, hairpins, earrings, necklaces, brooches, corsages, bracelets, rings…

In each box separated by the type of jewelry, countless accessories were stored.

“This also suits Your Ladyship well.”

When she chose the jewelry, a maid would lift it up to the appropriate part. She carefully examined how she looked in the mirror after adorning herself with the accessories.

“I’ll go with this.”

A pair of tiny earrings, no bigger than a fingernail, came into the ducal lady’s palm. She had chosen opal earrings that dangled delicately from the end of the hoop.

Despite choosing and rechoosing to make up for the ruined first meeting, there was nothing quite like this.

“Pardon, Milady?”

The servants and the maid helping with Vessia’s adornment were astonished when they saw the opal earrings.

“Miss, your face is so radiant that any accessory would complement you. Why must you choose such small earrings?”

“Just these simple opal earrings won’t be able to accentuate Milady’s beauty!”

“It won’t even be enough to put rings on each of Milady’s ten fingers.”

“When is Milady going to wear the blue diamond bracelet that you received as a gift from Lord Maybach?”

Vessia ignored the servants’ outcry, calmly locking each jewelry box and quieting their commotion.

“You’re all too much. I’m not attending a ball today. I’m just posing for a portrait.”

“Even still, Milady should always be radiant!”

“None of my words are getting through to you all, seriously.”

Unable to resist the maids’ insistence, Vessia eventually chose a necklace as well. She reached out as she locked all the jewelry boxes, signaling them to stop.

The maids, who lived off the joy of adorning their lady, fell silent.

As the lady pushed the jewelry boxes aside, the maids stepped back.

There was still some time before she had to don her dress. Vessia looked out the window to check if Couven had arrived already or not.

And right then, her eyes met someone at the mansion entrance.

She discovered a familiar figure in front of the fountain. She leaned against the window.

The man’s hair, reminiscent of red velvet, captivated Vessia’s attention.

yonnee’s note: this will be the last chapter of this series from me! but don’t worry, nana will continue translating this novel, still here at belle reservoir <3

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