Grand Duke, Please Stop Obsessing Over Your Wife! - Chapter 87
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
87.
While Annelize was changing into the dress, over ten boxes were neatly stacked on the counter.
“Just how many dresses did she order?”
“Was the Duke really that wealthy? What’s in the North anyway? Do they have gold mines or something?”
Hearing the other young ladies whispering in the dressing room, Annelize snorted.
There may be no gold mines, but there is a man who can turn stones into gold.
“As you requested, Miss Anna Rose’s dress has been packaged separately.”
Madame Rosetta whispered to Annelize while helping her change.
“Thank you.”
“A wedding dress, no less. It seems your sister has good fortune waiting for her?”
“I’m only telling you this, Madame. It’s a secret, but I think my sister will receive a proposal soon. I prepared it as a surprise gift.”
“Oh my.”
Madame Rosetta’s smile deepened.
A moment later.
Annelize stood before everyone wearing a bright blue dress.
She carefully looked in the mirror and took a few steps.
Honestly, it suited her well.
Gasps could be heard from here and there.
Annelize glanced sideways at the Duke.
He was emanating an aura that seemed like he could turn anything he touched into powder.
‘It’s a shame he has to wear a mask because of the people. I wanted to see what expression he’s making.’
“I did well to make lapis lazuli. I realized the usefulness of those stones too late.”
The Duke’s voice carried deep satisfaction.
People didn’t seem to think much about the hidden meaning in his words. They seemed to think it was nonsense.
“I’m grateful, but… it’s a bit overwhelming. I only asked for just one decent dress. You didn’t need to go this far.”
“What’s the problem? I prepared a decent dress just as you said.”
“Really, you keep putting me in difficult situations…”
Annelize lowered her eyes with the expression of ‘a wife embarrassed by her husband’s affectionate gestures.’
The Duke was scanning every corner of Annelize with an attitude that he could admire her all day long.
He really would have, if only Madame Rosetta hadn’t handed over the completed receipt and spoken to Annelize.
“Your Grace the Duchess. You must be careful. To create an ocean-like feeling, we made the dress hem long, so you might trip over the dress while walking.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’ll never fall.”
The Duke immediately proved his words.
By lifting Annelize into his arms.
It meant he wouldn’t let her walk on her own feet, so the situation of falling wouldn’t occur in the first place.
“Certainly… that would be a good preventive measure.”
Madame Rosetta bowed to the ducal couple with a dazed expression.
“Load the boxes into the carriage.”
The Duke walked with unwavering steps, carrying Annelize toward the jewelry shop.
Similar situations repeated at the shoe store, flower shop, and so on.
Enough time passed for everyone on the street to see the bright blue dress the Duchess was wearing and the Duke carrying her around from place to place.
The two headed to their final destination, the garden party venue.
“You’ve been in bustling crowds for hours. Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m fine. I was only focusing on you, so the other humans didn’t bother me at all.”
As he said, the Duke still looked full of energy.
“How nice for you, Your Grace the Duke.”
Annelize lifted her head that had been resting on the Duke’s shoulder, looking wilted. She needed to recharge her energy.
“Can we go over there for a moment so you can take off your mask?”
The Duke removed his mask in a blind spot where people’s gazes couldn’t reach.
When she swept back the Duke’s bangs, he closed his eyes and made a satisfied sound.
Golden eyes glinted in the shadow created by his straight nose bridge. He smiled crookedly with a satisfied expression.
He was more beautiful than any jewel they had seen today.
‘I think I’m getting recharged.’
Annelize lightly kissed the Duke’s cheek.
Bewilderment crossed the Duke’s face at her sudden action.
“Didn’t you say no physical contact other than hugging or holding hands?”
“Your Grace the Duke said you couldn’t do it. You never said I couldn’t do it.”
“Tch.”
“Should I not do it?”
“No. Do the other side too.”
The Duke frowned as if it were unreasonable, but brought his left cheek over.
When he put on his mask, the lip marks on both cheeks were hidden.
He’ll be carrying those marks around all day. A small satisfaction filled one corner of Annelize’s heart.
“Now let’s go to the party venue. Be careful. At the party venue, you’ll have to actually converse with people. What did I tell you to do?”
“End every conversation with introduction-development-turn-Annelize.”
The Duke repeated exactly what Annelize had said like a good student.
“And if any foolish human happens to displease Your Grace the Duke, please look at my face and endure it.”
“Understood.”
No destroying buildings, no making people faint. Despite various restrictions for image management, the Duke agreed.
As if he could endure it all as long as Annelize remained in his arms.
* * *
The garden party banquet hall was a venue prepared by the Emperor, where only nobles could enter.
It was mainly composed of the Emperor’s close associates and officials working in Imperial Palace departments.
Unlike the Founding Conference, since it wasn’t an event hosted by the Temple, even those not invited to the Founding Conference could freely gather and enjoy the banquet.
When the Duke and Annelize entered, gazes naturally focused on them.
Annelize observed the banquet hall’s reaction to the insanely expensive dress she was wearing.
‘When the Crown Prince gifted an aquamarine silk cloak, people criticized it endlessly, saying what kind of waste was that for a nation’s Crown Prince, and that the money could have built several orphanages.’
The Crown Prince had spent a fortune trying to win her heart somehow, and received criticism worth that price.
But that was because he was the Crown Prince in a position to rule the country.
What did the officials care about the Grand Duchy’s affairs when it didn’t even pay taxes to the Imperial Palace?
‘Whether the Duke goes crazy over his wife and wastes his own fortune or not, it’s not something for the officials to get angry about. It’s just one more interesting topic of conversation.’
As she expected, people’s reactions weren’t bad. Curiosity preceded rejection or disgust.
Various people gathered around the Duke.
Observing gazes and curious looks mixed together.
Annelize greeted those she was acquainted with first, opening the flow of conversation.
While briefly drinking beverages, the Duke spoke up.
“Come to think of it, there’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I want to commission a portrait of my wife. Do you know any painters?”
“Ah. That’s a good idea. I know several people.”
One of the nobles explained the painters he knew and their representative works.
The Duke nodded.
“Good. I want to capture my wife’s appearance today. I should express her hair with gold powder and her dress with cobalt paint.”
A brief silence fell at the mention of using gold in the portrait.
Annelize calmly waited for people’s reactions.
It was an intentional topic.
‘Usually gold is used when painting sacred images of the sun god Ainan. While the Temple hasn’t officially forbidden it, there’s an implicit understanding not to use it for paintings other than Ainan.’
The plan was to let everyone reflect on that meaning before moving to the next conversation.
Before Annelize could begin speaking, one of the nobles objected to the Duke’s words.
“My wife also has blonde hair, so I say this from experience, Your Grace the Duke. If I may dare to suggest, perhaps you should reconsider painting hair with gold powder.”
He was one of the knights of the Imperial Palace, probably a Baron. Annelize looked at him with slight surprise.
‘It’s rare to find someone bold enough to dare challenge the Duke like that. Quite impressive.’
Anyway, this was the kind of talk that would emerge once news spread that the Duke was painting Annelize’s portrait with light.
‘Though I never expected someone to say such things right in front of the Duke.’
Annelize quietly observed the situation, ready to step in if necessary.
The Duke stared intently at the Baron. He seemed to be contemplating what to do.
Annelize stroked the Duke’s nape with the intention of calming him down.
“You mustn’t get angry here, Your Highness.”
The Duke nodded at her whisper.
“Alright. I’ll let it slide.”
His gaze turned to the Baron and the Baroness who was poking the Baron’s side.
“Can’t you even do that much for your wife?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
