My Dear Grand Duke on a Leash - Chapter 4

Chapter 2.2 — Princess’ Wedding (2)

Erasing her interest in the two men from the Empire from her mind, she fixed her gaze on her sister’s thin, white wrist, which was trembling slightly.

‘She’s not feeling well…’

Her sister coughed all night again yesterday, so she was certain she would have no strength in her hands. So…

“Sister, I’ll pour the tea instead. If you burn your hands like this, mother might collapse again.”

“This. No matter how weak I am, can’t I hold a teapot myself? And, since mother went to meet His Highness at Montbéliard, it will be a long while…”

“Her Majesty the Queen is entering!”

Riette and Bea turned their heads to the doorway at the same time, and the crack in the door widened horizontally, revealing the silhouette of Queen Chalonné.

It seemed that Queen Chalonné, Riette’s mother, had passed by. On top of her wheat-colored hair, she wore a feathered caplin hat and silk gloves, and though she wore her ivory bustle dress, she was rather lovely than elegant.

“Bea. His Highness has arrived. You should have greeted him, but I decided to send Lariette instead. His Highness is looking for you, so please focus on taking care of yourself… Oh my God, Bea!”

She stopped at the door like a swan struck by a sudden downfall of water.

“To be up without a gown while coughing until dawn. Come on, go back to bed. I can’t believe you’re pouring the tea like this. Leave it to Riette rather than doing it with your own hands!”

“Don’t worry, mother. I feel pretty good today—heup, cough! Aheuk…!”

“Oh, it’s hot!”

“Bea!”

“Princess!”

As the teapot was tipped over by the cough, the overflowing hot tea water eventually struck Riette’s hand.

Doctors hurriedly rushed in before placing Bea on the bed and checking her temperature and pulse. No one looked at her. It seemed as if she had disappeared entirely from everyone’s unconscious.

As always, it was an innocent oblivion.

Lariette just held on to the back of her hand and looked at the back of the heads of the people in front of her quietly as if a disaster had struck. It was a sight familiar of Bea throughout her twenty years of life. It had been a lifetime experience for twenty years, so it wasn’t unusual anymore.

Holding back the burning pain, she poked her head through the crowd.

“Sister, are you okay? Since you’re coughing again in the morning, I’ll instruct them to put away the dress for now. I’ll call the shop…”

“Lariette de Chalonné! Talking about dresses in this situation, when are you going to grow up?!”

Riette’s shoulder flinched at the scream.

The Queen didn’t even turn her head toward her second daughter. She just stroked the forehead of her first daughter, who was starting to break out in a cold sweat, while spitting out those words sharply.

“You obviously know how careful you have to be with your sister at this time. Pulling her out of bed and treating her like a handmaid…”

“Mother, cough—no, Riette, keuk, I myself…”

“Shh. Don’t talk. You have to catch your breath first, Bea.”

Hiding the burned and swollen hand behind her back, Riette smiled cutely at her mother’s side face.

“I’m sorry, mother. I was thoughtless, okay?”

“….”

It was unknown whether she didn’t hear her or was she pretending… or, was it meaningless to listen to her? Whatever the reason was, the Queen steadfastly turned a blind eye to her second daughter.

Riette, who leaned over slightly to look at her mother and sister, spoke cheerfully again.

“Then, I’ll go see His Highness, mother. I’ll be serving him in the drawing room, so don’t worry and stay with sister.”

“Yes. You’re good at that kind of thing, so I can trust you. Go ahead.”

Lariette bowed to the simple decree and left the bedroom. Until the door slammed behind her, the faint cough and her sister’s delicate voice calling her name caught her ankle. After taking a few steps out into the hallway, she frowned slightly and patted her wrist.

‘I’m a little unlucky today.’

It wasn’t a new routine. As if it was not a big deal, she hurried her steps toward the central staircase.

‘I should wear gloves.’

˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚

“Lord of Katak. I’m Kaisaros Acheron.”

His voice was very low.

Arriving at the annex where the Helios envoy was staying for a week, Riette ran into a huge man who was just about to leave the drawing room.

Prince’s cousin, Grand Duke Kaisaros Acheron.

He was the one who came with His Highness Narkissis as a congratulatory envoy.

Moderately indifferent and polite expressionless expression, that stern face matched perfectly with the sharp features that weren’t superfluous. Black hair shone like obsidian in the sunlight, and light blue eyes were staring at her. Even the well-proportioned muscles that couldn’t be hidden by the uniform were a work of art. No matter how upright a person stood, there would always be signs of breathing, yet there wasn’t even the slightest disturbance like a cast statue.

A stunning inanimate object.

For her, Cain’s first impression was just that.

“I greet Princess Beatrice.”

Until he called his sister’s name.

‘Did sister follow me…?’

Riette reflexively looked back. According to common sense, no man would mistake her for Beatrice, the Venus of Chalonné.

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