The Beauty of Ille Town

Days passed, and Inez never once left her bedroom. Everything was brought to her by Anne, and Inez also plans to spend the rest of this day lying on her bed while reading romance books that are becoming increasingly unfamiliar to her.

"The crown prince finally married a beautiful girl from the Baron's family, and they met a happy ending." Inez chuckles at the sentence written in the book. "Marrying a marquess or duke is difficult, moreover, marrying the future owner of the kingdom is difficult," she continued skeptically. "And a happy ending? The crown princess will stress out all her life."

"Who are you talking about, My Lady?" Anne places the plate of evening snacks for Inez on the table.

Inez, who is leaning against a pile of pillows, closes the novel and laughs blandly. "Now I know why you said not to expect more romance like in novels," she said.

Anne looks at Inez, and she is silent for a moment. She shrugs. "Well, some novels are created just to quench the thirst for something that can't possibly happen. But that doesn't mean there's no love in this world, My Lady."

"I knew. At least, my parents are the closest example I've ever seen." Inez jumped down from the bed. She walks over to Anne and picks up a chocolate biscuit with chocolate chips on top. "Did you make it, Anne?" She asked while chewing.

"Yes. The lady is getting less and less energetic every day. So, I made these biscuits for you," replied Anne, who is happy to see Inez eating her biscuits with enthusiasm. "The sky this evening is also very nice. Don't you still want to go out for a walk? At least in the courtyard?"

"No." Inez flatly refused. The girl sits on a chair and takes another biscuit. "I'm avoiding Arabella."

"Alright, Lady." Anne nods in understanding. She had heard what happened that night directly from Inez, and she understood quite well why her lady was acting this way.

Knock, knock, knock.

Inez and Anne's gazes immediately turned to the closed door. They looked at each other then.

"Who is that?" Inez shouted slightly.

"It's me, Anthony. May I come in, Inez?"

The girl holds her breath for a moment.

"How is it, Lady?" Anne asked first.

"Open the door!" pleaded Inez, who immediately covered the plate of biscuits with her handkerchief. She doesn't want to offer the biscuits Anne made for her to Anthony. Inez watches as Anne steps toward the door and opens it.

Anthony stood there in his work suit. It seems that he rushes to Inez's room after coming home.

"Are you still in a tantrum, Inez?" Anthony asked as he stepped inside.

Inez furrowed her brow. "Is that your conclusion?"

"What else?" Anthony sits on the empty chair opposite Inez. His gaze is fixed on a plate covered with a handkerchief.

"No way." Inez covered it again with her hand. She looks at Anthony. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Huh..." Anthony lets out a long breath. "Have you prepared the dress for the ball?"

"I have," Inez replied with a nod.

Anthony raised one eyebrow. He stares incredulously at the girl, then turns to Anne, who is keeping her distance from them. "Is it true, Anne?"

"That's true, Count. But,"

"But what?"

Anne holds her breath for a moment as her gaze meets IInez who is glaring at her. She swallows heavily. However, she must talk to Anthony about this. "Lady Inez didn't buy a new dress. She asked me to remodel her old dress at the tailor's."

"What?!" Anthony glared. He looks sharply at Inez. "Aren't you stupid, Inez?"

"Indeed. Who said I was stupid?" Inez shot back a sharp look at the man. "There's no need to exaggerate. Our financial situation is not good."

"Not until you remodel your dress for Countess Turin's ball," Anthony shook his head in disbelief, "how many days until the ball?"

"Five days, Count," Anne replied, which made Anthony sigh in resignation. "If you want, I can buy a ready-made dress at the boutique," she added.

"Anne!" exclaimed Inez, not agreeing with the idea.

"That's better than remodeling a dress, Inez. Really, I'd rather invest in you than anyone else," Anthony said frankly, and that made Inez feel annoyed.

"Investment..." Inez muttered under her breath. "Our talk is over," she said.

"Yes?"

"Get out!" Inez gets up from the chair. "I'll buy a dress, but you have to get out now!"

"Inez?" Anthony looks at the girl in confusion.

"Get out, Count!" Inez pointed at her bedroom door. She squints sharply at Anthony. "What are you waiting for? Get out!"

The man lets out a long breath. He is getting up from the chair and looks at Inez once more. "I'll give the money to Anne," he said.

"Yes, thank you. So, please get out!" Inez is still pointing at the closed door, but for sure, her tone doesn't sound friendly anymore.

"Are you sure you want to go alone to the ball with that kind of temperament?" Anthony asked dubiously.

Inez smiles sweetly. 100% contrived. "No need to worry, Count. I'll be back with the best future husband for me and this family. So," Inez winked and pointed back to the door that Anne had opened.

Anthony sighs softly. He nods. "Alright, I'm going. Can we..."

"This bastard!" Inez glared at her brother. "Are you joking with me?"

Anthony giggles at Inez's response. "Alright, alright. I just want to tell you to have dinner together."

"...." Inez said nothing. A second later, she turns to leave Anthony in the bathroom and closes that door roughly.

"Do you have to poop, Inez?" Anthony shouted a little, then chuckled.

"Piss off!" Inez retorted from inside the bathroom.

Anthony laughs in satisfaction, then steps out of the room. He stops and looks at Anne. "Is she still moody?"

"Yes, Count. And you're making her mood even worse."

"I thought it would cheer her up." Anthony gives a little smile. "I don't want Inez and Arabella's relationship to be awkward. So, you should make her attend the dinner."

"I'll try, Count," Anne replied.

"Thank you," Anthony said, leaving Inez's bedroom.

~•|•~

Yesterday, Inez didn't come for dinner. She stayed in the bedroom, even skipping dinner. So this morning, after her first breakfast in the dining room with her family again, Inez decided to prepare to go to the clothing district on Beetheaven's main street with Anne.

"Anne," called Inez, is smoothing the satin ribbon ties on her hat.

"Yes, My Lady?" Anne, who is tidying up Inez's makeup kit, stops her work and turns to look at Inez.

"Do we still have a coachman and carriage?" asked Inez with a joking smile.

Anne smiles at Inez's joke. "We still do, Lady. Would you like to ride in the carriage?"

"I was going to take the car, but Anthony would have used it for work. Someone said the tram was already installed. Is it true?"

"Yes, but only in the tourist areas. After shopping in the main district, would you like to go to Ille Town? I heard that there are so many cafes. You can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while watching the trams pass by," explained Anne as she resumed her work to finish on time.

"Not a bad idea, Anne. But, let me think about it after shopping." Inez turns around with a big smile. "If I'm tired, we'd better go back to the mansion."

Anne smiles broadly at her. "Yes, My Lady."

"Are you done?" asked Inez.

"Just a little more," Anne puts the lipstick in place, then turns to Inez and says, "Done. Are you ready, Lady?"

"Yeah. Let's go!" Inez took the first step, and Anne followed.

~•|•~

Anne was right. Buford still had carriages and coachmen, although only one remained. And Inez saw it as a setback for Buford in this era.

"We've arrived, Lady." The coachman announced this as Inez and Anne's bodies were pushed forward.

Both women look out the window. They had arrived in a crowded shopping district.

"If we had enough capital, opening a business in this area wouldn't be a bad idea at all," Inez said as she sighed softly.

Anne watches Inez in silence. The coachman opens the carriage door, and Anne's gaze immediately shifts. The maid gets off first, then she extends her hand to Inez.

"Thank you, Anne," Inez said as she got off the carriage without trouble. Her gaze was drawn to the passing people in front of her. She glances over and finds Anne talking to the coachman about their schedule. Inez smiles. 'When I get married, can Anne come with me too?" she thought. She shook her head, although she still hopes for it.

"Lady," Anne called as she approached Inez. "Where would you like to go first? The boutique or the shoe store?"

"The shoe store?" Inez was stunned. "We're just buying a dress, Anne."

"The Count gave me more money. He asked me to buy a dress and matching shoes for you," Anne replied, clutching her purse tightly.

Inez chuckles. She looks away from Anne. Her gaze fell on one of the busy apparel boutiques. "Let's go to the boutique first," she said. Inez has no intention of buying shoes. Instead, she thought it would be better if the excess money went into her bank account.

"Yes, My Lady." Anne follows while looking around. "Perhaps because of Countess Turin's ball soon, the shopping district is very crowded."

"Of course." Inez nods in agreement. "The countess's reputation is huge in Schubert. She is the spring flower chosen by Her Majesty Queen Virginia."

"You are right, My Lady." Anne smiles very proudly. Inez was the center of attention for the few people they passed by, even though her face was slightly covered by the hat. Her lady was indeed gorgeous. Anne dared to say, Inez was among the most beautiful women in Schubert. But Inez was a little insensitive to the attention that was directed at her.

The two of them climbed the stairs and entered the busy boutique.

"Welcome, Lady. May I help you?" One of the staff members approaches them.

Inez looks around. And Anne replied, "My Lady would like to find a ready-made dress for the ball."

"Is it for Countess Turin's ball?" The staff looks pleased.

Inez looks at her, then nods. "Can you recommend a suitable dress for me?"

"Of course, Lady. I have some references after seeing your beautiful face," the staff praised.

Inez responds with a faint smile. She lowers her front hat. 'Is my face still visible?' she thought.

"Come follow me, Lady." The staff led the way. "Would you like to buy a VIP dress?"

"Yes. VIP dress is much better," Inez replied.

They go to a slightly quieter room. Only three women were picking out dresses, and their attention was immediately drawn to the entrance when Inez arrived.

"Ah, it's the Lady of Buford!" One of them immediately recognizes Inez, and Inez recognizes her too.

"Lady of Buford? Is it Lady Inez?" said the other.

Inez simply smiles. 'It looks like my face is still visible,' she thought.

"I didn't expect to see you in here, Lady Inez." The last girl approaches Inez without further ado. They aren't exactly close enough to call each other's names.

"Neither did I, Lady of Hermilia." Inez smiles formally. "It's been a long time since we met," she said.

"Ah, you still remember that." Lady of Hermilia hides a smile behind her hand. She was a little embarrassed that Inez didn't call her name as she did. She sounded like she was praising Inez now. "It's been almost a year, Lady."

"Yes." Inez nodded briefly. She looks at Hermilia's maid, who was holding some dresses. "Are you here for Countess Turin's ball?"

"Uh, yes, Lady." Lady Hermilia looks down for a moment. "Our private tailor couldn't finish the dress I was going to wear. So I decided to buy a ready-made dress. How about you, Lady?"

Inez immediately smiles sweetly. She retained her sanity. Of course, she's in here to buy a ready-made dress that is cheaper than a private tailor because her family almost went bankrupt. 'Lady Hermilia is still the same,' she thought. "May I recommend a dress for you?" asked Inez, changing the topic.

"Pardon?" The Lady of Hermilia turns to her maid. "Oh yes, how pleased I am."

"That pink dress will suit you well. Your blonde hair will be more radiant." Inez nods briefly. "I have to choose a dress for the ball as well. Excuse me, Lady of Hermilia."

"Oh yes, thank you very much, Lady of Buford." That young lady bit a finger, watching Inez, who had gone to a different corner.

"Good job, My Lady. You handled it well," praised Anne, giving a thumbs up to Inez, who chuckled a little in response.

"The Lady of Hermilia never changes. But I also have my tactics to not deal with her," said Inez, smiling proudly.

"Did you hear that the crown prince will be at Countess Turin's ball?"

Inez could faintly hear that.

"Kyaa! Really? I'll have to choose the nicest dress then!"

Inez sighs softly. 'So what if the crown prince comes? He never shows his identity directly,' she thought. Inez, who attended parties quite often, had never met the man whose picture had never been published in the newspaper.

"Is Captain Dante going to be coming? I heard he got the invitation too."

Inez glances again. She is a little curious about the captain whose often on front the page of Beetheaven's newspaper.

"Ah, how could it be? The captain is the captain. He leads the war. Not dancing at the ball."

And the giggling laughter was heard next. Inez sighs softly again. It was better for her to focus on choosing a dress for the ball than to keep eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

By the way, this situation is much better than Inez thought.

~•|•~

"Ah, so tired..." Inez leans back on the cafe chair, facing the street where the tram was.

Anne chuckles a little at Inez's complaint. Even though Inez was tired, her lady still wanted to go to Ille Town. She said it was better to be tired but be able to relax while looking at the twilight scenery than to stay at the mansion.

"Are you sure you only ordered tea, Anne?" Inez looks at her maid with one eyebrow raised.

"A cup of tea is enough for me, Lady." Anne nods slowly. Inez had been too kind to her, who was just a common maid without a noble title. Even though noble titles have faded recently, but Inez is still her lady.

"Hmm, if you want anything, just order it. We have plenty of extra money," Inez said, not taking her eyes off the bustling Ille Town.

Anne nods. She was silent for a moment. "Oh, Lady, after this, are you sure you want to go to the bank?"

"Of course." Inez turns to Anne and gives her a mischievous wink. "Why we must return the excess money to Anthony?"

"Hehehe... okay, Lady."

At the same time, the waiter who brought their order arrived. He set down a pile of desserts, then poured lavender tea into Inez and Anne's cups.

"Enjoy your meal, Lady."

"Thank you," Inez replied, smiling at the waiter. She takes a sip of tea while looking at the passing trams. A brief moment of peace amidst the crowd "I don't regret coming here," she said as she was putting down the teacup.

"Are you satisfied, My Lady?" Anne did the same with Inez.

"Yes." Inez nods happily. "But, Anne..." She turns to the woman. "Why do I see armies in here? One, two, three, four." Inez counted the armies she saw. Some of them were still in full uniform but seemed to be walking around casually with girls whom Inez assumed to be their partners.

"Usually they are resting for a while, Lady. Ille Town is quite close to the army barracks. And amidst the soldiers' busy schedules, they also have time to love," Anne replied, observing the soldiers Inez was referring to.

"Oh my, how romantic," Inez said with an embarrassed smile. "So they're on a date in between breaks?" She looks at the dating couple.

"Yes. Usually just for an hour or half," Anne explained again. "Well, but who cares? A date is a date, even if it's only for five minutes."

Inez laughs with satisfaction at Anne's joke. "You're right," she added. She picks up an éclair and chews it while enjoying the twilight sky at Ille. "When the rest is over, will they return to the barracks?"

"Of course. Some even go straight to the war again," Anne explained, leaving Inez in awe.

"So, there are also armies who came in during the war," said Inez with a small chuckle. "How lucky they are. They're busy, but they can still feel love," she added, chewing another éclair in the hope that the bitter taste on her tongue would soon disappear.

"Lady Inez will get one someday," Anne said with a genuine smile. She stares at Inez. "I mean, pure love from a nice man."

Inez giggles. "I hope so," she said. 'I hope so, Anne,' she repeated in her heart.

———