Chapter 36 - 36

* * *

"Hmmph..."

I yawned lazily.

Even though I slept in today, my eyes kept closing on their own.

'They say if you sleep more than a certain amount, your body actually gets more tired.'

If not for that, maybe Charlize's stamina is just weak?

...No. Looking back at the havoc Charlize wreaked, she seemed more like a strong, violent, drunkard tyrant?

'Well, she could hold her liquor well and felt less hangover than others, right?'

It's just that she could hold her liquor twice as well as others but drank even more than that, becoming a violent drunk.

But so what?

'I'm an alcoholic lightweight now, aren't I? I'm doomed. So doomed...'

I felt a fresh wave of injustice.

If you're going to make me act like Charlize, at least give me the same body. What is this?

I grumbled inwardly and lifted my head.

"..."

Currently, I was sitting casually on a comfortable chair in front of the carriage my tyrant brother had arrived in.

Roxidian told me to sit inside the carriage, but I didn't want to wait inside on such a nice day.

It feels stuffy.

In front of me now stood a silently waiting knight.

It was Jet, one of my escort knights.

"Jet."

"Yes."

I tilted my head.

"Why did you follow me?"

"...Because I am the Countess's escort knight."

I meant, all the other escort knights are still standing in front of my door.

Why did only you follow me?

"If you keep moving with me like this, Grandfather might just summon you and punish you, you know?"

"My master is the Countess."

Hearing that, instead of reacting, I propped my chin on my hand and stared blankly at Jet.

Hmm, even seeing him again, he's quite handsome.

It's just that I'm used to my fiance's and the tyrant brother's looks, so he doesn't catch my eye, but if I had met Jet first after opening my eyes here, I would have been sufficiently impressed.

A large build, a blunt impression, but an aura giving the feeling of a giant beast like a wolf.

Especially his dark green eyes are very impressive.

"Anyway, you're just a knight assigned by Grandfather, aren't you?"

"..."

When I casually said that, Jet looked a little surprised.

Then, with a slightly subtle, sullen expression, he carefully opened his mouth.

"In case you have forgotten..."

"What is it? Why are you here?"

I turned my head.

The tyrant brother was sauntering over.

'Hmm, seems like he won the power struggle with Grandfather, huh?'

He looked very satisfied.

Well, if the two are going to fight, I also hoped the less unpleasant one would win.

I was going to think of a way to prevent the breakup with my fiance while the tyrant brother was away, but it seems I got distracted by random thoughts and conversations.

"Why are you sitting in a dirty place?"

"It's not dirty."

I gestured towards Jet.

"My knight cleaned it for me."

"No, everything here is dirty."

"Then why didn't you just say you hate it because it's Altsbeit property?"

I grumbled and stood up.

Then I followed the tyrant onto the carriage. Surprisingly, he showed manners by holding out his hand to help me up, which was surprising.

The funny thing is, after holding my hand, he made a 'yuck' face as if he had grabbed something disgusting, which dampened my mood too.

"Ugh, I can't believe I held your hand."

"...Like I'm happy about it? Don't help me up next time."

This bastard is really acting exactly like Yoon Ji-hoon. Exactly.

"I don't want to? You're just going to chase after that bastard's tail at the banquet and then ask me to hold your hand? Do you think I will?"

"Ah, yeah, yeah. Please mind your own business regarding my engagement, brother."

What exactly does he dislike about my fiance?

Or I don't know how my fiance offended the tyrant, but we bickered with each other until we arrived at the Imperial Palace.

Finally, I glared at him and asked him to please leave me alone, but he seemed to enjoy that even more, so I decided to just ignore him.

'I wonder if he's a male protagonist or a grade schooler.'

I inwardly clicked my tongue.

Soon, we arrived at the Imperial Palace.

When the door opened, Noah's face appeared.

He politely bowed his head.

I was immediately guided to the fitting room in the Imperial Palace that I had visited before.

Upon entering the fitting room, the previous designer, assistants, and maids were lined up as if waiting.

They all had tense expressions, probably because of what happened here last time.

"Your Majesty, you have arrived."

The tension on the maids' faces seemed especially high.

"We greet the Countess."

I nodded.

Today, the curtains fluttered slightly, as if the windows were open.

Enjoying the quite refreshing breeze, I turned my head.

"The dress is almost finished. Once the Countess tries it on, we will proceed with the final fitting."

Looking at the partition, I slightly frowned.

"Can't I just say I saw it and take the dress? Or I'll try it on at home."

Having tried it on, dresses are more cumbersome than I thought.

The thought of putting it on and taking it off didn't appeal to me.

"...Besides, I still don't understand why His Majesty came in person for such a trivial matter. Don't you think it's pathetic?"

I tried to provoke Roxidian into letting me go home, but this tyrant brother just smirked mischievously at my snide remark.

"As an emperor, preventing my tyrant little sister from tarnishing my reputation is also one of my duties. A very important one."

"...That's nonsense."

"I said it's important."

Roxidian smiled at me and narrowed his eyes.

A fierce smile. The tyrant brother made a coin shape with his fingers, as if he had been waiting.

'Until you repay me, what am I?'

'Your slave.'

...Damn it. I cursed inwardly and strode towards the partition.

The designer and assistants hurriedly followed.

"If there is any inconvenience, please, please feel free to speak up, Countess!"

"..."

A short while later, with the help of the assistants and even the maids, I put on all the clothes and came out.

The maids had neatly arranged my hair and even accessorized me.

"What, are you done?"

Having turned me into a doll for them to dress, perhaps he was busy himself, as the tyrant brother was sitting in a chair holding documents, which didn't suit him. Next to him, Noah was also standing by with documents, presumably assisting.

When our eyes met, an expression of half amusement, half interest appeared on the tyrant brother's face.

"Wow, drawing a line on a pumpkin makes it a watermelon?"

"Watch your words. I was a watermelon from the start."

No, it's a premium melon, you bastard.

I could say this with confidence.

Charlize's beauty is not called the empire's greatest beauty for nothing.

She has a somewhat fierce and vicious impression, but the point is, she has the crazy beauty to pull off anything she wears.

'Right, I thought so, but...'

The red dress I wore was strangely revealing all of Charlize's strengths.

More than just revealing, it was enhancing them.

An off-shoulder dress exposing her shoulders.

Moreover, the neckline slightly showing her cleavage seemed to reflect Charlize's taste.

And the blue jewel around my neck. Seeing its huge size, I first thought it was a sapphire, but...

Charlize's memory informed me.

This is not a sapphire.

It's a blue diamond.

According to Charlize's knowledge and memory, having been surrounded by all kinds of jewels, this was a huge blue diamond that only comes from a specific region in the northern part of the empire.

Wasn't this a jewel the Imperial Family had a monopoly on?

'I think Charlize wanted something like this.'

Of course, Charlize already had something similar, but she wanted a bigger and larger one.

The one around my neck now was exactly what Charlize wanted.

I inwardly chuckled.

'Could it be he's supporting me with this to help me act even more like a tyrant?'

* * *

The room was quiet.

Charlize, busy admiring her necklace in the mirror, didn't notice this atmosphere, but those looking at her were all in awe.

People often become speechless when they feel overwhelming emotions.

Their common feelings were surprise and admiration.

'Oh my, I knew she was a beauty, but...'

'She's truly beautiful...'

'I'm jealous. How can she have such looks...'

Among the assistants and maids here, some were excessively scared, fearful, or even hated Charlize because of her bad rumors.

The maid who had been wearing Charlize's hairpin was also one of those who believed the rumors about Charlize to the bone.

But even those who disliked her were convinced by Charlize's beauty.

"C-C-Countess!"

The Imperial designer suddenly knelt down and prostrated himself in front of Charlize.

Charlize looked at the designer's crown in puzzlement.

'...Why is this person like this?'

She was inwardly flustered, but no one could tell because she showed nothing outwardly.

The Imperial designer, no, 'Rona', as a designer of 20 years, had a great inspiration.

'I must, absolutely must not miss this...!'

He had lived as Roxidian's designer.

So, although commanded by the Emperor, he wasn't keen on designing clothes for anyone else.

Especially if that person was the notoriously wicked tyrant, the Countess Altsbeit.

She was as beautiful as the rumors, but that alone didn't change Rona's perception.

But she was the Emperor's vassal. She decided to do her best in her given role.

And when Charlize came out wearing the dress she had made with her best effort, the story changed.

Rona felt her perception as a designer waver.