Chapter 11
“Make her look as presentable as possible. We don’t want her looking like she’s been ill.”
The maids gathered in front of the dressing table and followed Karin’s orders like well-trained dogs.
“Don’t overdo the makeup. Duke Delsen prefers a pure look. You all understand what that means, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And don’t forget to apply enough perfume so that there’s no trace of blood.”
“Understood, Madam.”
As soon as morning broke, the locked door was roughly thrown open. Rayliel was dragged out by the maids and almost tossed into a bath filled with flower petals.
The hands that washed her body were so rough that she couldn’t tell if they were cleaning her or scrubbing laundry.
After the frantic bath, Rayliel was dragged to Seltin’s room—the room that had once been hers before those cursed women appeared.
The reason why the mother and daughter, who despised even touching Rayliel, brought her here was simple: in the small, cramped room that had become little more than a storage space, they couldn’t prepare her properly.
“Hurry up and finish! Why does it have to be in my room…?”
“Just be patient a little longer, Seltin. It won’t take long. As soon as she’s dressed up, we’ll send her off in the carriage that Duke Delsen sent.”
As she listened to the mother and daughter’s loud conversation, which was clearly meant for her to hear, Rayliel looked around the room that once had been hers, now unrecognizable.
The books that once filled the room, the well-worn bookshelf, the tapestry her mother had carefully stitched by hand, all were gone.
All that remained were gaudy furniture adorned with jewels, jewelry boxes carelessly left open around the room, and newly purchased dresses hanging messily.
It made her feel nauseous.
What should I do?
Do I really have to be sold off like this?
As countless thoughts raced through her mind, Rayliel cursed her own stupidity with all her heart. Or perhaps she envied the cunning of those who had found such a despicable way to fake her v*rg*nity.
“Looks like everything’s going well.”
The voice behind her belonged to her father. Turning her head slightly, she saw Heinz reflected in the mirror.
Unlike Rayliel’s grim expression, he was beaming.
In fact, everyone in this house was smiling, except for Rayliel.
And after today, their joy would only grow.
“We’re almost finished, sir. We kept the makeup light, so it didn’t take much time.”
“Then bring her out immediately. The carriage from Duke Delsen’s estate has been waiting for a while.”
“I’ll make sure Rayliel is taken care of, dear. So don’t worry too much,” Karin said with a deeply affectionate smile.
“Rayliel has finally agreed to go willingly to the Duke’s estate.”
In other words, they had secured Rayliel’s agreement to go along with hiding her loss of v*rg*nity. Heinz, who had been quietly anxious, brightened at Karin’s words.
“Good, Rayliel. You finally understand our intentions.”
He spouted such nonsense.
“In times like this, a mother’s support is more valuable than a father’s. Women understand each other better. And you know how much I care for Rayliel as if she were my own daughter…”
Amusingly, Karin’s eyes even welled up with tears.
“Very well. I’ll wait outside, then. Take your time bringing her out.”
“Don’t worry, Father. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly,” Seltin added.
The mother and daughter’s coordination was so perfect, they could have been actors who had performed together for years.
Heinz cast a fleeting, indifferent glance at his daughter before slowly walking away.
And as soon as Heinz was out of sight…
“As I said before, Rayliel.”
Karin murmured ominously into Rayliel’s ear, having been standing quietly behind her, observing everything.
“Don’t get any foolish ideas. You wouldn’t want to see your mother’s bones dragged through the mud because of you, would you?”
“Mother, isn’t it time to take her out? She’s ready!”
Seltin’s voice, laced with impatience, echoed in the room. Clearly worried that lingering might cause trouble for them, a maid quickly announced that they were done with the preparations. Soon, the maids lifted Rayliel’s body up.
Spritz.
They sprayed perfume all over her body, masking any possible scent of blood. Her hair, the white dress symbolizing purity, her wrists, ankles, and even her g***n were doused in the scent.
The hissing sound of the perfume spraying felt like it was mimicking her own silent screams.
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