Chapter 178: The Long-Awaited Opera (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 178: The Long-Awaited Opera (1)
"My dress must be the most flamboyant, no matter what."
In truth, Madame Ramondria’s personal taste leaned toward the delicate and elegant, but to keep up with the trends of the capital, she too had been adorning her dresses with a profusion of jewels and ornaments.
However, Ladriel’s demands were bottomless.
"Since the hem is already so ornate, removing some of the decorations above the bust will make you stand out much more."
"Who asked for your opinion, Madame? And what is this with the frills on the sleeves? I told you to make them voluminous and puffed out!"
"Puffing the sleeves any further would violate imperial etiquette."
It was while Ramondria was struggling to persuade Ladriel that her head employee stepped forward.
"Lady Ladriel, I’ve taken the liberty of crafting a sleeve myself. What do you think of this?"
The employee had made the sleeves on her own, without consulting Ramondria at all.
"Oh? Finally, someone who speaks my language."
Just like that, the production of the dress was handed over to the head employee.
After Ladriel’s debutante ball ended in success, that employee declared her independence and opened her own boutique, 'Sharaide.' Not long after, a ridiculous rumor began to spread: that all of Ramondria’s designs had actually been stolen from that head employee.
Work began to dry up. The staff, who had initially been outraged on Ramondria's behalf, began to quit one by one. She later learned that every single one of them had gone to Sharaide.
After moving to the North, Ramondria abandoned all her artistic convictions. She made dresses as gaudy and voluminous as the noblewomen desired, without hesitation.
She had just managed to establish herself when she met the Grand Duchess—Ladriel’s younger sister.
She couldn't describe how terrified she had been at first, fearing she would lose the small life she had managed to rebuild here.
But the dress the Grand Duchess picked as her favorite was the only one Ramondria had made following her own heart.
"I don't want it to look like the clothes are wearing me. I want to be the one wearing the clothes."
To her surprise, the Grand Duchess’s taste perfectly aligned with her own creative vision. For the first time in years, Ramondria found joy in making dresses again.
The Grand Duchess even possessed an aesthetic sense far superior to her own. Ramondria couldn't help but marvel at the Grand Duke’s formal wear, even though she had crafted it herself according to the Duchess's specific requests. Had they been in the capital, the Grand Duke’s attire would have set a new social trend instantly.
And today, seeing the couple standing together in her creations made her heart pound uncontrollably.
"Why don't you have a suit tailored for His Highness the Grand Duke as well?"
It had been an impulsive suggestion, but she had unexpectedly received the Grand Duke’s permission. The Grand Duchess was the benefactor who had opened a new chapter in Ramondria’s life.
‘Every noble in Blenheim will gather on the opening night of the opera.’
She wanted to make Her Highness the Consort more beautiful than anyone else there. And according to the message she had received later, 'that person’s' attire had to be a perfect match as well.
After agonizing over it for a long time, Ramondria finally picked up her pen and began to draw bold, decisive lines.
*
Viscountess Terito finished her long, meticulous grooming and left the estate with the Viscount. They were headed to see Goddess of Judgment, the first new opera to be staged in Blenheim in years.
"Aren't you proud of Cecilia?"
Inside the carriage, the Viscountess asked excitedly, but Viscount Terito let out an anxious sigh.
"I thought she’d become more demure once she became the Grand Duchess’s lady-in-waiting, but it seems she’s just getting involved in more schemes. It’s worrying."
"Schemes? Her Highness worked so hard to open this opera, and Cecilia was able to help her. It’s wonderful."
"You know as well as I do that the more she puts herself forward, the higher the chance she’ll cause an accident," the Viscount grumbled, feeling as though he were walking on thin ice every day.
"Cecilia isn't a child anymore. Besides, Norton is by her side to look after her, so it will be fine."
With two of their children—excluding their eldest son—serving the Grand Duchess, the couple couldn't help but be concerned. Initially, they had been terrified that Cecilia might offend the Grand Duchess and bring ruin upon them.
Contrary to their fears, however, the Grand Duchess proved to be a very wise woman. She had embraced the eccentric Cecilia and even given her wings to fly. Even the stoic Norton became talkative whenever the Grand Duchess was mentioned. To the Viscountess, the Grand Duchess was nothing short of a savior.
‘Besides, Blenheim has changed so much thanks to Her Highness.’
Her children were growing up well while serving the Grand Duchess, there was a shopping district as glamorous as the capital’s, and now even an opera. Her heart fluttered with pride.
Arriving at the theater in high spirits, the Viscountess’s eyes widened the moment she stepped out of the carriage. A life-sized poster of a tall, handsome man was plastered across the front of the theater.
"Oh my."
The man in the poster wore a dashing smile, posing as if reaching out his hand toward her.
"He must be the male lead."
The image was so striking it felt as if the man were standing right there; she couldn't tear her eyes away. Looking around, she saw posters of other actors lining the exterior walls of the building.
"Look, there’s a poster of Isadora too!"
The captivating face of Isadora, the prima donna of the Cariso Troupe, was also on display.
"I’m so disappointed that Cochibiel isn't performing," a group of noblewomen standing nearby whispered.
The Viscountess narrowed her eyes at the sound. Having already heard of Cochibiel’s 'outrageous behavior' from Cecilia, she arched an eyebrow.
‘As if Cochibiel is anything special.’
"I’m so looking forward to seeing such a handsome actor as the lead!" the Viscountess said loudly, making sure she was heard, before entering the theater with the Viscount.
"This is impressive."
Inside, the Viscount marveled at the bustling crowd as he exchanged their tickets.
"If you take your tickets to Gold Lane within a week, you can receive a discount," the staff at the ticket booth explained kindly, adding that the participating shops were listed on the back of the tickets.
"I was actually planning to buy a new hat. I’ll have to stop by Gold Lane soon. What’s going on over there?"
In one corner of the lobby, a crowd had gathered, holding wine glasses as if for a tasting.
"It looks like the Snow Wine is finally out!"
Having tasted the Snow Wine once before at the banquet for the delegation, the Viscount licked his lips and led his wife toward the crowd.
"This is Blenheim’s specialty, Snow Wine! It’s brewed with the purest groundwater from the Pogen Mountains and Elfberries, which are said to intoxicate even dragons!"
‘Intoxicate even dragons?’
It was the first time she’d heard that, but it was a clever marketing line. The wine bottle featured an illustration of a dragon with an Elfberry in its mouth, set against a backdrop of snowy mountains.
"It really is delicious."
The Viscountess, who had heard all about it from her husband, tasted the wine and hummed in appreciation.
"If you order from your seats, a staff member will bring it to you immediately."
"Can we buy it by the bottle?" someone asked.
The staff member nodded readily. "Bottles purchased at the theater come in a special package engraved with the title of the opera. We are only selling 150 bottles a day as a limited edition, so I recommend ordering before the performance begins."
Looking to the side, she saw a purple package designed like a pamphlet. Beneath the title Goddess of Judgment, a single line of dialogue was written:
‘Before the snow melts, my flames shall consume you all.’
"Should we buy one?"
The Viscount shrugged at his wife’s question. "Surely it won't sell out? It’s a hassle to call a servant now; let’s just buy it after the show."
The two also browsed the merchandise stall in the lobby. It was stocked with items like wooden wine glasses, stationery, and ink bottles, all elegantly engraved with the opera’s title.
As the couple examined the goods with interest, the entrance suddenly grew noisy. The Grand Duchess was entering the theater.
Dressed in a radiant lavender gown, her mere presence seemed to brighten the entire theater. The nobles who spotted her immediately paid their respects.
"How can she be so beautiful?"
"...Where on earth does she get those dresses made? It’s like she’s from a different world than us."
The noblewomen nearby couldn't hide their excitement. The elegant dress left her shoulders bare, highlighting her white neck and collarbones. Below the short sleeves, the dress emphasized her graceful waistline, and the skirt was layered with voluminous chiffon, creating an atmosphere that was both feminine and sophisticated.
It wasn't adorned with the usual excessive jewels and frills favored by other noblewomen, but that only served to make the gown’s refined elegance stand out more.
"I hope you all have a wonderful time."
The Grand Duchess gave a bright, smiling greeting to a few familiar faces. It was then that a man of arresting beauty appeared from the inner part of the theater, his ornate robe fluttering behind him.
With his dazzling blonde hair catching the light, he walked straight toward the Grand Duchess.