A House Bought by an Ex-Husband
"What is it?" Chloe tilted her head and asked. "Is it because of my body odor?"
"...That's part of it."
What a germaphobe. Look at him, his ears are red with annoyance. He probably thought he was hiding it perfectly, but to Chloe, who had served as his aide for three whole months, it was plain as day.
Then again, it's a miracle he managed to share a room with me last night.
Chloe grumbled inwardly, burying her nose in her shoulder to sniff herself. He was a man who didn't give a single thought to the hard work of the maids who had scrubbed her raw to make her presentable as the Grand Duchess.
Regardless, Curtis quickly changed the subject. "If you want to repay a favor, there are plenty of other ways. My sister didn't manage to take much of her fortune when she left the palace."
"Wouldn't jewelry or clothes look too much like an outright bribe?"
By now, the ice cream in her glass was nearly gone. Chloe scraped the bottom with her silver spoon as she continued, "Besides, I don't have the confidence to choose something that would satisfy the taste of someone born a princess."
"Ah."
That was the gist of it. Jewelry and clothing were highly subjective, dependent entirely on personal taste. Even Chloe knew that much. She couldn't just recklessly gift such things. However, she had vaguely gathered that the Marchioness had planned to eat ice cream with Miss Monfils...
"So I just thought it would be nice if she could have what she missed out on today because of me."
"And send some ice along with it?"
"Ice?" Wasn't that just to keep the ice cream from melting? As Chloe tilted her head in confusion, Curtis smiled and steered the conversation elsewhere.
"You don't seem to lack taste entirely. The jeweler seemed quite moved by you in many ways."
"Ah. Well, that's only because we bought so much."
In the end, Curtis had purchased about half of the collection Camille had been keeping. It was for Leah and Iris. Although they weren't originally for sale, money talks. Furthermore, Camille, the creator of the pieces, was overjoyed. He had said that ornaments were meant to be worn by someone, after all. It was a sentiment truly fitting for a craftsman.
"Thank you so much. If you ever need my services in the future, please do not hesitate to ask," Camille had said as he saw the grand ducal couple off. Lady Basilure had also beamed, chiming in without a hint of her previous tension, "Of course! Call on us anytime!" After all, Curtis had spent an astronomical sum of money, ostensibly for Chloe.
"Did you say... 'Everything my wife's hand has touched'?" Seeing Chloe repeat the order Curtis had given to Basilure, the man smirked teasingly.
"Why? You don't like it?"
"Of course I do."
"Your face says otherwise."
Even after they left the shop, the man asked persistently. Naturally, they were left alone in the carriage, and Chloe rolled her eyes slightly before speaking.
"Do you really need to hear it?"
"Why shouldn't I? Out with it."
"Well, the items themselves are innocent."
In other words, what she disliked wasn't the jewelry, the money, or even the words he spoke—it was him. The implication hit its mark perfectly, and Curtis's brow furrowed deeply.
"Why did you even come here in the first place?" It was a question she had wanted to ask for a while. The man shrugged.
"Because I couldn't just sit back and let myself be slandered as a heartless husband who merely threw money at his bride on their first day of marriage before running off to work?"
"Right..."
"That was half-joking, by the way."
"I'm sure Lieutenant Noel Monfis was the one who said that anyway."
"So, what is it that you don't like?"
"If I must be specific, do you really want to hear me say out loud that it's Your Grace I don't like?"
"I got that part. But that's not the only thing bothering you."
That was true. But she had tried to brush it off, thinking it was somewhat presumptuous of her to say. The man, however, was highly perceptive. Under his relentless questioning, Chloe scowled.
"I just thought it was terribly wasteful. 'Every jewel my hand touched'? I don't even remember what I laid hands on."
"Just so we're clear, I won't be telling you to leave them behind when we divorce. They're all yours."
"Then I shall pledge my utmost loyalty to the trust you have shown me."
"I like how quickly you adapt." Curtis grinned, baring his teeth.
"What about clothes?"
"Not yet."
They had spent too much time at the jeweler's. In truth, clothes were far more urgent than jewelry—in more ways than one.
"Go buy some clothes. In your size."
"That's welcome news. The clothes I'm wearing right now are rather uncomfortable."
"If you're going to complain about clothes being wasteful too, then feel free to live in discomfort."
"I'll show you a display of extravagance like you've never seen before."
"Now that's an attitude I like."
Just like with Basilure, they visited a boutique that had been arranged in advance. The designer, who had received word beforehand and had been waiting anxiously, made a massive fuss upon seeing Chloe. Not only did they purchase several sets of loungewear—which the designer claimed to have made with a tall, beautiful lady as their ideal muse—but they also ordered several evening gowns.
"I'd prefer boots over unfamiliar heels. Please line the insides with pigskin, all of them. And keep the heels low."
"You have very distinct tastes!"
"Um, Your Grace, what kind of hat would you prefer?"
"Hats don't really suit me. Bonnets especially. I'd rather you design a variety of hair ornaments instead."
"But you'll need to shield yourself from the sun."
"Then make the brims short. And keep the ribbons as simple as possible."
Watching Chloe place her orders without a moment's hesitation before the shoemaker and milliner, Curtis seemed quite amused.
"You're acting completely different from how dazed you were at the jewelry shop."
"That's because I've ordered clothes for Leah and Iris many times before."
There were many reasons Chloe had lived like a miser, but providing outdoor clothes for Leah and Iris had taken up a significant portion of her funds. The reason was simple: Leah went to school. Though Chloe had joined the military at eighteen, she understood the hearts of girls that age well enough.
"You can't wear the exact same clothes to school every day. Besides, the law department has plenty of networking events to meet graduated alumni."
"Even though you only ever wore a uniform?"
"That's exactly why the military seemed so appealing to me."
Furthermore, Iris's appearance made it obvious to anyone that she had foreign blood. Xenophobia was common everywhere, and Iris's dark skin and the mark behind her ear were particularly conspicuous.
"I never thought she stood out."
"That's because you've never looked at my sisters closely, Your Grace. You saw it today, didn't you? Leah and Iris find you intimidating."
That was certainly true. From the moment Curtis had briefly stepped into the jewelry shop, Leah and Iris had kept their distance. Curtis stroked his chin and nodded. "I see."
The neighbors on Le Martin Street, where the Amboise family lived, were generally kind people who doted on the Amboise children.
"But that was only on Le Martin Street. Iris was rejected from every school in the area."
"...Then what did you usually do?" Iris was only ten years old. She wasn't at an age where she could be left home alone.
Chloe smirked. "I asked the lady next door to watch her. Of course, I had to pay her a decent sum from my salary."
Aside from that, she had always tried to dress Iris in the finest clothes possible. Making her look like a child from a respectable family through her attire was a way to minimize trouble.
"Hire a tutor." Chloe's eyes widened at his words. Curtis added, almost defensively, "Surely a tutor can be allowed to enter the grand ducal residence."
"No, it's not that." Chloe tilted her head, looking utterly baffled. "Even among high nobles, I don't think it's normal for unmarried siblings to live in their married sister's home when their parents are still alive."
"..." As Curtis opened his mouth to speak, Chloe quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, if I'd had to pay for Eric's clothes too, it would have been truly difficult. But somehow, we managed to survive on a monthly salary of forty thousand sings."
...Leaving aside her sarcastic tone and Eric, who had gone to the military academy, it meant Chloe had spent quite a bit of money on her sisters' clothing and appearances.
"For someone who did that..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Carry on. I think that blue fabric looks quite nice."
"Your Grace has magnificent taste. That fabric came all the way from Tawaiye, crossing coasts teeming with pirates..."
Chloe winced at the mention of Tawaiye. Anything associated with Tawaiye was bound to be twice as expensive. But did that matter? It really did suit her.
"We'll take all of that fabric. It suits her well."
"An excellent choice!"
While Chloe blinked in surprise, the designer rapidly sketched a design before her eyes. "Since Her Grace is tall, if we use flowing, draped sleeves..."
Her pink eyes quickly became absorbed in the sketch. Resting his chin on his hand, Curtis found himself somehow able to picture Chloe Amboise—no, Chloe Le David Berk—going to get clothes tailored for her sisters.
For a woman who claimed she liked the military simply because she only had to wear a uniform, the way she skillfully ordered exactly what she wanted proved it. If she were to get something for herself, she had probably thought quite a lot about how she would like this kind of ribbon or that kind of hat.
Yet, those thoughts had likely never once crossed her lips. It wasn't because she disliked getting clothes made. Her sparkling, rather cute eyes were proof enough of that.
On the other hand, Curtis could guarantee one thing: regardless of her interest in such things, Chloe Le David Berk had likely never once felt sorry for herself for not having things of her own.
Though it had only been a few days since they had begun speaking on a personal level, he could tell that much. It was naturally evident from the way she made sure her sisters were fed, or how she found joy in simply sliding a hairpin into her second sister's hair.
Thus, Curtis felt a small sense of satisfaction at having brought a sparkle to those pink eyes.
Regardless of his thoughts, the woman proudly lifted her chin, having the designer present the bill. "What do you think? I told you I'd show you a display of extravagance."
Curtis took the bill himself and let out a wry laugh. "So it seems. Good grief."
"Are you shocked?" Her face so clearly screamed, How's that! Shocked, aren't you! that it was both hilarious and absurd. How could she think that, especially after managing the entire budget of his estate just yesterday? The amount written on the receipt was incredibly meager compared to Curtis's wealth.
"No. I was actually thinking that we really ought to buy a house as well."
Chloe's brow furrowed. The designer blinked in surprise, but quickly realizing this wasn't a conversation they should be privy to, tactfully excused themselves. "I shall go instruct the staff to wrap the ready-made items you purchased!"
"The house your family lived in. It would be best to sell it." He was referring to the small Amboise family home on Le Martin Street.
"So suddenly?"
"The fact that your clothes and jewelry won't fit there is a secondary issue... It's dangerous." It was highly problematic for the Grand Duchess's maiden family to reside in a small house on a street accessible to anyone.
Chloe also seemed to agree with his reasoning, as she nodded. However, she quickly added, "I don't mind moving them temporarily, but we cannot sell that house."
"Why not?"
"Because of my parents."
Those irresponsible parents who have been abroad for years? Curtis recalled the documents on the Amboise family he had received from Noel before the wedding.
Chloe's parents had met and married at university. Even now, they were abroad studying the sea. Granted, research would be difficult in Ivannes, which had no sea except for the Prado Coast. Still, leaving their growing children entirely to the responsibility of their eldest daughter did not make them good parents.
However, it wasn't Curtis's place to interfere. Thus, he simply replied, "The new house will likely become famous soon enough anyway. If you're worried your parents won't be able to find you, you needn't concern yourself with that."
"I don't know how grand the house you'll buy for us will be, but that's not the only reason." Instead of asking why, Curtis merely raised an eyebrow. Chloe shrugged.
"How ridiculous would it look if, after our divorce, I went back to live in a house my ex-husband bought for me?"
"...I see." After a brief silence, the man replied and turned his gaze out the window.
To Chloe, it seemed he simply had nothing left to say. Well, watching a woman shop for clothes probably wasn't very entertaining anyway. Had a man like him ever stood beside a woman shopping for clothes in his entire life?
With that thought, Chloe turned awkwardly back to the mirror. Her tall stature, the lavish decorations, and the gown she had never worn before. Although the designer had praised her to no end, Chloe knew the truth: these kinds of clothes didn't really suit her.
Perhaps because she was so used to wearing trousers, she couldn't manage the way the dress draped and tangled between her legs. The way she waddled about was utterly ridiculous.
"It suits you, so stop staring at the mirror." Chloe flinched and turned her head. The man was still looking out the window. Had she misheard him?