The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 138

Chapter 138 

As she headed towards the office, Scheuer promptly followed Cali. As she led the way, Cali asked quietly, 

“Should I inform the Grand Duke as well? Are you sure you’ll be okay with the fitting alone? ”

Typically, during such preparations, the elders of the household would be involved. However, there was no one suitable in the Netri family, and in Blenga, besides Raygrain, there wasn’t anyone appropriate either. After a brief pause, Scheuer answered without much hesitation, 

“Hmm… Just tell him that I’ll be a little late to the office today because of the fitting.”

After all, Raygrain had never come to see her choose outfits other than her wedding dress. He would see it on the wedding day, so there didn’t seem to be a need for him to come and see the fitting too. She didn’t want to bother him with this when he was likely busy with many duties. As long as his outfit turned out well, that was all that mattered, so Scheuer lightly and joyfully skipped down the corridor.

From a distance, she could hear voices.

“What are you looking at? ”

“I wasn’t looking! Maybe you just think so because my eyes are so beautiful and large? People often mistake it that way, especially at banquets—they all think I’m looking at them.”

“So that’s what the High Priest does at the temple? I’ve finally figured it out. His role is to train the priests’ patience! ”

Perhaps worn out from constantly fighting since yesterday, their voices seemed somewhat subdued. Scheuer approached them cheerfully and welcomed them brightly. 

“Priest Sevi, Lord Leilda, good morning! ”

Sevi, seeing her, shuddered as if he were exasperated. 

“Grand Duchess, perfect timing. Are northern people strange, or is it just that Blenga is filled with strange folks?”

“Why? Did something happen? ”

“Yesterday, that butler kept reciting some weird incantations while dragging me around! ”

Don’t worry!  Mr. Peyton can’t do magic or anything like that! ”

As she answered with a bright smile, Sevi frowned as if in frustration. 

“I heard it clearly! Something about when something was built—what a certain Grand Duke did. Listening to it felt like my soul was leaving my body—this can only be explained as a spell!”

He seemed like he wanted to provide a more concrete example but couldn’t seem to recall anything specific. Seeing this, Leilda shook his head while clasping his hands behind his back, clicking his tongue. 

“Tsk, tsk, going senile, aren’t you? Your memory’s already that bad? ”

As another argument seemed to be brewing, Cali became visibly uneasy. The attendants of Blenga had been put through the wringer all day yesterday, so it was understandable. Scheuer adeptly cut off their conversation and answered, 

“The tailor has arrived, so I’m off to try on my wedding dress.”

Hearing this, Sevi’s face lit up. 

“Oh, a wedding dress! Wonderful. As your friend, how about I come along and take a look? ”

“Wow, I thought I’d be with just Cali. What’s the occasion? ”

From what she knew of Sevi, he wasn’t someone who would be particularly interested in such things. She had expected that he might spend the time until the wedding roaming around the north. It seemed that his claim of coming to help wasn’t entirely untrue. Sevi smirked and answered coyly, 

“I can’t have the bride outshining me, can I? ”

“But it’s the wedding! ”

Scheuer stared at him blankly. On a wedding day, wasn’t it customary for the bride and groom to be the stars of the event? Naturally, they should be the most beautiful people in attendance. But Sevi was different.

“I’m officiating, so shouldn’t I be the most stunning? Especially since my High Priest robes are white, too. The least you can do is make sure the design of your dress doesn’t clash.”

She wasn’t sure where this logic came from, but Scheuer nodded anyway. Leilda, listening in, subtly shook his head in disbelief behind Sevi’s back.

“Some friend you are. What kind of friend competes with the bride’s dress at her wedding? ”

“Leave the tasteless old man behind and let’s go.”

Sevi grinned and dramatically flicked his High Priest robe behind him as he spun around. However, he didn’t get far before turning back and calling to Scheuer.

“Why aren’t you leading the way? ”

Scheuer stared at him blankly. On a wedding day, wasn’t it customary for the bride and groom to be the stars of the event? Naturally, they should be the most beautiful people in attendance. But Sevi was different.

“I’m officiating, so shouldn’t I be the most stunning? Especially since my High Priest robes are white, too. The least you can do is make sure the design of your dress doesn’t clash.”

She wasn’t sure where this logic came from, but Scheuer nodded anyway. Leilda, listening in, subtly shook his head in disbelief behind Sevi’s back. 

“Some friend you are. What kind of friend competes with the bride’s dress at her wedding? ”

“Leave the tasteless old man behind and let’s go.”

Sevi grinned and dramatically flicked his High Priest robe behind him as he spun around. However, he didn’t get far before turning back and calling to Scheuer.

“Why aren’t you leading the way? ”

***

While deciding on the guests to whom the invitations would be sent, she had already narrowed down the dresses to some extent. She selected several dresses that she thought would be suitable and planned to try them all on when the tailor arrived, ultimately choosing one from among them. Raygrain had no choice in his attire. The wedding outfit had long been Scheuer’s responsibility. Since Raygrain didn’t care much about it either, it was now up to her to make the decision.

The tailor presented a dress from Scheuer and said, 

“Given Your Grace’s temperament, I believe this design would suit you well.” 

He nervously held up a dress that gently flared out into a bell shape from the waist. Clearly tense, with even the High Priest present, the tailor was sweating nervously. Sensing his anxiety, Scheuer smiled reassuringly and said, 

“Your craftsmanship is excellent. It’s even more beautiful in person than in the catalog.”

The dress had delicate outer lace with a sheer bodice, subtly revealing her skin in a way that was more elegant than overt. It was also a style she often wore. After changing into the dress with the help of the maids, she emerged to find Cali and the others unable to hide their admiration.

“Your Highness, you look so beautiful. How could it fit you so perfectly, just like all your other clothes?”

“If you decorate it with flowers, it would be even more stunning. How about putting your hair up like this? I’m already excited!”

However, Sevi and Leilda, sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, didn’t seem impressed. They eagerly offered their critiques.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a special day? This isn’t much different from the dresses we’ve seen before,”

 Leilda commented, resting his chin in his hand, looking bored.

Sevi, not to be outdone, added, 

“I like it. My High Priest robes don’t have such delicate lace. It’s a bit bothersome that it’s more elaborate than mine, though.”

Listening to them, Scheuer looked at herself in the mirror but couldn’t quite gauge how it looked. Perhaps it was because it was the first dress. 

“Are there any other designs? ”

As opinions varied, the tailor trembled even more than before as he presented another dress. 

“This is a silk dress that emphasizes simplicity and elegance. How about this one?”

The A-line dress exposed the shoulders and, as he said, had no patterns or embellishments. Since she had never tried such a style before, Scheuer shook her head. It also didn’t seem to match Raygrain’s attire very well. Especially since the portrait would mostly feature the upper body, and she had chosen a dress for Raygrain adorned with gold embroidery, this simple design seemed likely to create a strange dissonance in the painting.

As expected, Sevi and Leilda had similar reactions.

“It’s simple, which makes me stand out the most! I like it!” 

Sevi exclaimed, clearly pleased.

Leilda shook his head in disagreement. 

“What are you talking about? You’re just judging it based on your own standards.”

He glared at Sevi so hard that his eyes seemed to narrow to slits, and he appeared to be mouthing silent curses. Then he turned to Scheuer and shook his head to indicate his disapproval. With their reactions being even less favorable this time, the tailor’s face grew increasingly pale as he nervously moved on to the next dress.

***

“Scheuer is nowhere to be seen,” 

Raygrain muttered as he looked at her empty table. Jess, who had been briefing him on the western affairs, quietly responded,

 “I heard she went to look at wedding dresses. The High Priest and Lord Leilda accompanied her.”

“I don’t recall receiving a report about that.” 

Raygrain set his pen down with a decisive tap and fixed his gaze on Jess.

Jess, his face worn with exhaustion, closed his eyes briefly. Taking a deep breath, as if to compose himself, he replied in a weary tone, 

“Josephina informed you on your way from the training grounds to the office.”

He added, looking at Raygrain with hollow eyes, 

“You seemed preoccupied even at the training grounds this morning. Is something troubling you?”

Jess spoke, but Raygrain didn’t hear him.

A wedding dress? Why were Leilda and Sevi accompanying her instead of him?

“How is the weather inside you?”