How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke - Chapter 195

“I doubt that’s going to happen,” Bertha replied confidently. The winter duke’s residents wouldn’t dare to show her any disrespect, knowing Delrose’s unwavering loyalty to their mistress. As Delrose’s maid bowed deeply and opened the door, Bertha called out to Ilyin as she stepped through the threshold.

“Oh, my dear.”

“Yes?”

Ilyin turned back to face Bertha, meeting her gaze.

“Remember, even if trouble arises, it’s not your fault.”

With a kind smile, Bertha bid her farewell.

***

It was summer, though not quite midsummer yet – rather, it was the beginning of the season when the young plants were thriving under the bright, golden sun, with intermittent downpours to break up the heat. Delrose’s carriage crossed over from the winter into the sun in the morning hours, and raindrops dripped from leaves, making it feel as if it were still drizzling.

“Wow, the February sun is something else,” exclaimed the maid on the seventh floor as she changed her clothes. She quickly realized that she had underestimated the strength of the midsummer sun.

The people from the winter regions, who had little tolerance for heat, wore thin clothes, but even those felt too thick for the summer sun. The clothes they wore were only suitable for early winter.

“I never imagined I’d be wearing such thin clothes…” murmured a voice that reached Ilyin’s ears. When Aden turned to look, the maid flinched and lowered her head.

“It’s quite a difference between winter and summer weather,” Ilyin remarked with a smile. She couldn’t forget the strange sight she had witnessed on her journey.

The boundary between the sunny region and the winter region was distinct. As if by some magic, the paper-thin border sharply contrasted the yellow and white landscapes.

The bright yellow light couldn’t penetrate the winter region, just like the cold wind and snow couldn’t escape. It was an unbelievable sight, as if the two regions were separated by a thin, transparent wall and faced away from each other.

What curse did Milton cast? To forever deprive the winter region of the sun? If so, it was a truly cruel curse. The people who lived under those clouds in the winter region must be incredibly resilient to survive.

Ilyin observed Delrose’s maidservants who were busy shielding themselves from the sun. They were not used to the strong sunlight and wore thick cloaks. In fact, the umbrella-like shades were not designed to block the light, but rather to shield their eyes from the snow when the wind didn’t blow in February. They were too long and impractical for proper sun protection.

“Please, come in.”

Ilyin’s visit was unexpected, and Acid had not been notified in advance. The constraints of time and security had limited the number of people allowed to enter and exit. Despite this, Milo seemed to have already been alerted and had taken measures to accommodate Ilyin’s arrival.

Naturally, they had already arranged dresses for the esteemed lady attending the party. Through Delrose’s maids, they had gleaned a rough understanding of Ilyin’s preferences and had selected a range of options accordingly. Ilyin didn’t care for ostentatious dresses. She favored subtle lace adornments over gaudy jewels, believing that they added just the right amount of elegance.

It was her hair, a lustrous silver, that captured the attention of all who beheld it. Its radiance shone so brilliantly in the light that it surpassed the beauty of any gemstone.

“Wow,” she exclaimed as she was promptly ushered to her room.

Although she knew it must have cost a fortune, Ilyin didn’t mind. After all, it was a matter of Biflten’s dignity. However, Aden, who drew closer to her, seemed somewhat displeased.

“Looks like Den doesn’t have any clothes he likes,” Ilyin whispered softly, thinking Milo couldn’t hear her. Unfortunately, Milo’s hearing was much sharper than she had anticipated. Unable to see Aden’s expression due to the two standing behind him, Milo broke into a cold sweat.

“Instead,” Aden began, placing emphasis on his words. Above all else, he prioritized Ilyin’s desires. But his narrowed gaze betrayed a hidden agenda. “I want to gift Ilyin a dress that fits her like a glove. May I have your permission?” Essentially, he was asking for permission to have the dress tailored to her specifications. Ilyin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Do we have enough time?” she asked, unsure of the tight schedule they were already on.

Without answering her, Aden turned to Milo, his expression leaving no room for debate. Milo knew he had to act quickly. “I’ll arrange for the seamstresses immediately,” he promised.

“This will be Ilyin’s debut into society, won’t it?” Aden mused. Technically, it was her introduction as the hostess of Biflten, but for Aden, it felt like Ilyin’s personal debut.

Biflten didn’t crave societal influence. It would be nice to have it, but the region was never interested in the warmer territories. They had lived in winter for too long to desire it. In fact, they had grown accustomed to the point of forgetting the sun and the concept of “summer.” Regardless, the winter region belonged to them alone. It was a domain that only the winter dukes could rule over.