Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 22
Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 22
“Miss, are you comfortable in this?”
As the garment, snugly fitted to my body, pulled at the back, I couldn’t help but suck in my stomach. Unintentionally, I tensed up, and Tambor let out a light chuckle.
“It’s tailored to fit you, so you don’t have to exert too much force.”
“No, it’s just that I was thinking about what if it tears…”
“If it tears, we can always make a new one, so don’t worry.”
No, saying that made me even more nervous. Not only that it was my first time trying on clothes tailored specifically for me, but I’d never worn something made from such fine fabric before.
— Shouldn’t we make it a couple of sizes larger to avoid wasting money?
— No, these days, kids prefer clothes that fit perfectly…
— Even useless girls will grow taller and bigger over time. We couldn’t save money if we buy a new uniform each time?
What did I say back then?
— I guess it’s because Grandmother went through a lot of trouble.
I just smiled at the aunt, who looked at me as if I were pitiful. I don’t remember the emotion I felt at that moment.
I’ve forgotten it now.
“Would you like to move around a bit? It might be uncomfortable if it’s too tight, so try moving in various directions.”
Um, even if you tell me to move… is this how you do it?
I raised both arms and waved them before I shook my body as if doing a national exercise routine. As Tambor, who was watching me with surprise, turned her head and burst into laughter, my face turned red at the laughter that couldn’t be concealed.
“Ah, uh, I’m sorry. Maybe this isn’t right…”
“No, no! It’s just that you’re so adorable, Miss.”
Hastily waving her hand, Tambor approached me.
Unconsciously, I stiffened with both arms raised in a yay pose. She, who had been examining the fit of the dress, spoke with a lingering laughter in her voice.
“A moment ago, you were worried about what would happen if it tore, and suddenly, you’re swinging your arms with determination. Hoho.”
That… would be somewhat amusing. It must have looked quite tacky. Waah.
“I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s okay. Ack.”
The small bead ornament attached to the dress suddenly popped off and fell to the floor. Simultaneously…
“Kkukkukkukkkkuku!”
“Oh my.”
“Frii!”
Before the bead could even touch the ground, something white swiftly flew in, grabbed the bead, and disappeared as if being sucked under the bed.
What just happened?!
In a rush, I tried to look under the bed. However, with this dress, it was difficult to bend over and see clearly. In the darkness, I could see something white wriggling vaguely, but…
…Huh?
“Frii! What are you hiding in there?”
“Oh my. It’s a treasure trove.”
Instead of me, who was unsure of what to do, Tambor squatted down and peered under the bed before she turned to me with an amused smile.
“We might need to reattach the decorative beads.”
“No, it’s fine. Frii! Give it back quickly.”
“Shhhtt! Shh! Shhhhtt!”
As a dissatisfied voice echoed from under the bed, my voice also grew louder.
“Frii! I’ll give you something delicious later. Okay?”
“Shhhhhhttttt!”
Hey!
Without realizing it, I almost hit the bed frame. If Tambor hadn’t stopped me, I probably would have.
“It’s okay, Miss. We still have plenty of beads left. Sometimes there are defective ones, so we always order more than we need.”
As expected of a wealthy family! If it were me, I would be thinking about how to discreetly attach those defective beads.
“Could it be a habit of weasels?”
“Well, it seems like it. It’s my first time seeing a weasel, so I don’t really know.”
Weasels weren’t common here, either. I thought he brought a weasel because it was a familiar pet, like a dog.
“Frii, okay. I won’t take that away, so can you give it to me?”
“Shh-ttt!”
Ah, right. It just won’t drop it now. I have to be careful.
“You seem to be able to move comfortably.”
“What? Oh, right.”
“How about looking in the mirror?”
“Umm…”
The dress looked beautiful before I put it on. Rococo-style, they called it? It was a bit cumbersome once I wore it, though.
With an underskirt with a hoop skirt inside, the overdress on top made the skirt look incredibly voluminous. The hoop skirt was thinner than expected. It felt like wearing a mosquito net made of bamboo, but surprisingly, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as it looked.
Though this, I didn’t know.
The lace decoration swaying from my arms wasn’t actually attached to the dress.
It was supposed to be attached to the chemise worn underneath. Moreover, the front of the dress was almost… well, quite revealing, exposing enough of the chest area. It was adorned with a triangular stomacher, fastened separately.
I thought the ribbons, frills, and jewels attached to the front were mere decorations. Apparently, they were individually made and then attached. What if there was an unfortunate incident where the stomacher fell off while dancing?
Why did they make the dress like this?
In that case, it might be indecent exposure… hmm.
Anyway, it was easy to imagine the amazement the moment Chaperil wore it without having to imagine it. Undoubtedly, it would be incredibly beautiful.
However…
“I’ll see the finished product later.”
“Will you?”
Seeing the completed version later might diminish the impact. That was a bit regrettable, so let’s wait until later to see it.
“Now, I’ll take off the dress, so could you please raise your arms for a moment?”
“Oh, yes.”
As the dress swayed, Frii, who had been watching carefully from under the bed, stealthily came out. Once again, Frii looked to see if any beads had fallen. It was so cute that I wanted to give it to it, still…
“Just a moment, Lady Tambor.”
I gestured to Tambor to stop for a moment and picked up Frii. Placing Frii on the bed, I warned it.
“As cute as you are, Frii, this is not okay. It’s not allowed anymore. Got it?”
“….!”
At first, Frii’s eyes froze like ice before they suddenly sparkled, and it started to frolic on the bed.
No, why all of a sudden?!
The texture of the bed felt nice! It’s soft and fluffy, and even though it was thick, it feels cool, making it perfect to cover up even in summer!
“Frii seems to be in a good mood.”
“Uhh. Frii! Stop it!”
With both hands raised, I waited for an opportunity and then grabbed the white and slender body. Something firm caught my fingertips, and Frii’s body came quietly into my hands.
“Oh, my, the blanket is a mess now.”
A lot of white fur was stuck on the light blue blanket. Glancing at Tambor’s reaction, she gently stroked Frii’s head, which was held in my hand.
“It must have felt good because it was soft, right, Frii? Next time, I’ll bring a blanket for Frii.”
…She was truly a kind person.
If I hadn’t read about her, I might have thought it was a pretense. Nevertheless, Tambor was always someone who, even when Chaperil vigorously refused and vented her frustrations, would smile as if she were sad and accept it.
Surely, she is a character carefully arranged so that Chaperil’s mind does not break down by the author.
Her life… No, no. Let’s not think too deeply.
“I think you need to let go of Frii to take off the dress, miss.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Gently letting Frii down on the floor, the little one alternated between looking at Tambor and me with its black eyes, then smoothly disappeared under the bed. And, with only its face peeking out, it looked at me.
…It was still eyeing the beads, huh?
As I held up my hands while keeping Frii in check…
“What’s the matter?”
A sharp knock resounded, and the door swung wide open without waiting for an answer. Without any attempt to block it…
“….”
“….”
Both the person who suddenly entered the room and those who suddenly met with an intruder in the room stiffened. The golden eyes that were fixed on me soon lost their way in the air, and my eyes turned down.
Tambor’s hands, who had been frozen along with me and Enfrise, were now just about to untie the straps of the stomacher and take it off the dress. This meant…
…Enfrise could see my chest—
“Grand… Duke.”
“….!”
Enfrise couldn’t utter a single word and just went out.
“…Lady Tambor.”
“Yes, miss?”
“Did the Grand Duke see everything?”
“Uh, well… Probably… not?”
A face that I couldn’t tell if it was smiling or pitiful. Looking at that expression, I…
“…Kuhp.”
I felt defeated.
Enfrise headed to the study. There, there was his secret place.
Next to the bookshelf in the study, there was a small door that led to a narrow space originally intended for use as a storage room. However, ever since he started living in this mansion, it has remained empty.
He needed this space to calm his agitation.
“…Ho, hooh, hoooh—”
A dark space with no light.
Only after entering there could Enfrise barely catch his breath. The next moment, suddenly, his lungs began to ache.
A radiant, white light in front of his eyes.
“Ugh…”
Enfrise shook his head as if trying to erase something engraved in his eyes. He bit his lips tightly and slammed his head against the wall.
Bam.
Even though there was a sound in his head, the afterimage did not disappear.
“Why did this happen….”
He had no intention of doing that. He simply ran because Chaperil called him, pressing on Frii’s jewel. Even though Tambor was probably there, too, he couldn’t help but think that something had happened.
And what he saw there was…
“No, I shouldn’t have thought that way… I… I—”
Chaperil’s face turned pale as she looked at him. The guilt in his chest surged at the memory.
Yet, the afterimage of the white, flawless skin still lingered…
“Darn it…!”
Enfrise pressed his forehead against the wall as if trying to cool down his heated face. However, instead of the heat subsiding in the cold, it seemed like the wall was getting hot from his own heat.
—
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