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IGF 29
“Rose. Well, do you like the dress?”
“Uh... yes.”
Startled by the sudden use of the nickname, Roselyn barely managed to answer. Aiden arched an eyebrow, seemingly dissatisfied with the brevity of her response. Behind him, she could see Madame Etoine and the boutique staff watching with eyes full of curiosity.
“The dress is, um, too beautiful. It’s all thanks to you, Prince Aiden. Thank you.”
It felt a bit awkward, but surely this answer was enough?
Looking nervously past Aiden, Roselyn stepped closer to him. Because the dress left her back completely exposed, Aiden’s hand was touching her bare skin, but she was too tense to even notice. Aiden seemed to freeze for a moment, but he soon regained his painted-on smile.
“Aiden. You should call me by my name, Rose.”
“A-Aiden. Thank you.”
Only those of the same imperial blood or those granted permission by the individual could call a member of the imperial family by their name. As Roselyn spoke his name, small gasps of “Oh my” could be heard from behind Aiden. She couldn't help but be impressed by the way Aiden looked at her with such an affectionate gaze.
‘How can he put on a face like that without even blinking? My lips are trembling just from forcing a smile...’
“You can buy everything you like. No, wait.”
Aiden turned his head toward the Madame. The smile he had shown Roselyn had already vanished.
“Prepare and send over any dresses that would suit Rose. I don't care how much it costs.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I shall do so.”
Madame Etoine bowed her head, her smile stretching wide. A startled Roselyn looked up to try and stop him, but Aiden was faster. He pressed a brief kiss to the back of Roselyn's hand and spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
“It’s a pity I cannot stay longer due to business. Let us dine together later.”
“Yes. I’d like that.”
“I shall tell them to prepare onion soup. It’s your favorite, Rose.”
Roselyn had never liked onion soup. Though she didn't hate it, either. The Prince was a top-tier actor, but he was a top-tier liar as well. She looked up at him, forcing a joyful smile. A clear, cool scent of wood wafted from him as he stood close.
“I’m... so... looking forward to it.”
At her terrible acting—reminiscent of a child reading a fairy tale—Aiden’s thick, handsome eyebrows twitched. His golden eyes, which seemed to hold a warning, scanned Roselyn’s face before dropping away. Only after Aiden left was she able to relax her stiffened body.
Aiden’s pace quickened as he walked down the hallway. Widening his already long strides, he hurried into his office. There was a dull thud and the click of the door locking. Simultaneously, Aiden leaned against the door, exhaling a ragged breath, and let out a small curse after checking his lower half.
“...Fuck.”
As soon as he loosened his belt, his cock sprang out, the head leaking transparent fluid. He had never imagined the dress would expose her back so completely. He had been in this state ever since he instinctively wrapped his arm around Roselyn’s waist. He wasn't some adolescent brat.
This had never happened before; he didn't know why he kept having this reaction only to Roselyn Bluebell. They called her a temptress—perhaps she was bewitching men without even knowing it. Gritting his teeth and making a snap judgment about Roselyn, he lowered his hand. If he didn't relieve himself now, he felt he would be in this state the entire time he faced her.
“Haa... damn it. Ngh.”
Gripping the vein-ridged shaft with his large hand, he began to move his wrist with clumsy strokes. With a wet sound, the foreskin peeled back, and pre-cum streamed from the reddened glans. The veins engraved on the shaft, which his hand couldn't even fully cover, pulsed.
Recalling the feeling of the soft, supple flesh against his palm, his ejaculation was frustratingly fast. Aiden blocked the spurting semen with his palm to prevent it from splashing, swallowing several curses as he wiped the traces away with a handkerchief. Even after finishing, the image of Roselyn remained etched in a corner of his mind.
The snowy white nape of her neck where he wanted to sink his teeth, the soft skin hidden by her supple waist, and the voluptuous curves glimpsed beneath a thin chemise kept flickering in his vision. As his imagination reached the sight of those innocent blue eyes being stained with lust, his lower half became turgid again, making his previous release meaningless.
How would she react if she knew he was thinking such things about her? Would she blush and throw herself into his arms, or would she step back with a vacant expression? Thinking it would likely be the latter, Aiden gripped his penis again.
He had to admit it. He was feeling sexual desire for Roselyn Bluebell.
Roselyn’s bewilderment did not end with the visit from the boutique. In the afternoon, people from no fewer than three jewelry stores were sent. Claiming they came by Prince Aiden's order, they each carried a staggering number of boxes and looked at Roselyn with sparkling eyes.
“This peridot is on a completely different level from other peridots. There is a small island that requires sailing the Blue Sea for fifteen days to reach; it is harvested in small quantities only there, and its characteristic is this mysterious golden hue.”
“As for the sapphire necklace I brought, it cannot even be compared to the peridot. I have set gems passed down from the ancient kingdom of Filannell together with diamonds.”
“How about this ruby tiara? If you wear this, His Highness the Prince will surely be pleased!”
“Uh...”
“Just buy them all, My Lady.”
At some point, Bertha had become more enthusiastic about the shopping than Roselyn. Ignoring the troubled look on her face, Bertha shook her head while looking back and forth between the jewelry and Roselyn.
“They all suit you so well that you must buy them all.”
Of course, it would be great to buy everything, but how could she do that when they weren't even actually lovers? Moreover, it felt like Bertha was more sincere about bleeding Prince Aiden dry than she was. Had Prince Aiden done something terribly wrong to Bertha? He wasn't exactly a gentle speaker, so perhaps he had accumulated a lot of karmic debt through his words... She shook her head at Bertha's suggestion.
“One set is enough for me.”
Maybe two sets at most. Since participating in social events as the Prince's partner was part of the contract, one set might be insufficient. However, judging by the reactions, these people thought very differently.
“Two sets? Lady Roselyn?”
“There are three of us!”
“I’m telling you, just buy them all, My Lady.”
Roselyn eventually succumbed to the despairing jewelers and the instigating Bertha. After choosing a rough set of accessories and sending away the satisfied merchants, a look of exhaustion and worry clouded her face.
“I think I bought too much...”
“Do not worry. His Highness the Prince has a vast amount of money. With this much, there probably won't even be a trace of money leaving the vault.”
Seeing Bertha smack her lips in regret that they hadn't bought more, Roselyn’s worry eased. Come to think of it, it was absurd for her to worry about the Prince's vault.
“Bertha, you said you knew about the relationship between me and the Prince, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Thank you for treating me so kindly despite knowing everything.”
Bertha blinked at Roselyn’s sudden confession. This young lady had a knack for occasionally catching people off guard with her clear, innocent face. And always in a way that stimulated a great deal of sympathy.
“Well, it is more of a gain than a loss for His Highness. I am fine with anything that benefits my lord.”
If anything, the one losing out was Roselyn. Regardless of what the Prince had promised her, it wouldn't be easy to endure the unwanted criticism with her whole body. No matter if she was the Prince's partner, as long as she carried the label of a divorcee and the rumors of a wanton temptress, she would suffer quite a bit wherever the Prince's eyes were not watching. While His Highness had several sturdy shields, Roselyn's only place to hide was behind the back of her fake lover, Prince Aiden.
Bertha felt a bit concerned, having seen Roselyn struggling at the Marquess's estate. Then, she realized her words might be misunderstood. She waved her hands frantically, her brown eyes shaking.
“That doesn't mean I'm doing this against my will because I dislike you, Lady Roselyn. Please don't misunderstand! I like you too!”
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