Julietta’s Dressup

Chapter 136. Preparation, Part XXI

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

Robert visited the Eileen Theater two days after meeting Prince Killian. He deliberately visited in the middle of the night to avoid public attention, and was escorted to Maribel’s basement residence.

Robert asked While looking around the troupe leader’s residence he had only heard about with a troubled face, Robert asked, "Did Stella and Julietta stay here?"

Maribel nodded at Robert’s question. "Yes, sir. As you know, I didn’t have another place to live, so this was the only place to receive them. While you and your wife’s daughter, Lady Anais, grew up surrounded by beautiful clothes and objects in the mansion of the Marquis, Julietta had to hide herself in a dark, sunless basement, with a sack-like garment, a rough red wig and her skin color hidden. That’s what Mrs. Marquis wanted from me."

"I really thank you."

Maribel replied frankly to the thanks of the Marquis, "At first, it was actually more about investing. She was an illegitimate daughter of Your Excellency and I had the weakness of a member of the family of Duke Dudley, Mrs. Ivana. She has been very beautiful since she was a kid. It was just an investment, just like another orphan child who was beautiful."

"Why did you change your mind?"

"You’ll find out if you keep Julietta close. I don’t like someone who conforms to and accepts her fate easily. If I had been a character of that nature, Maribel Grayson wouldn’t be here today. I saw my past in Julietta, who was fighting against fate and trying to seize a better future, even though the methods were different."

Her words darkened Robert’s face. He felt overwhelmed by his daughter’s hard life, when he had only wanted to show her beautiful things and have good things.

"The reason why I thought of Julietta when Duke Kiellini came to see me about this is that I knew that she would not miss this opportunity. If Julietta decided to take the job, I decided to do whatever I could to help her," Maribel said, staring at an empty bottle the size of a finger lying on the desk.

Maribel thought of Phoebe, who was pessimistic about her origin and accepted passively knowing that she would die as a substitute of another person, and Julietta, who proudly told her to let go of her debt because she would pay it off in installments.

If Phoebe had been a child who didn’t give up on her fate, she would have accepted her into the theater when she was lucky enough to survive. But she gave up on her life. It was totally incomprehensible to Maribel.

’What if Julietta was in that situation?’ She would have run away at all costs and tried to make a deal with her.

Maribel said to the Marquis, thinking of Julietta who had been fighting her destiny, If you don’t let go of me, you will get my revenge later.

"Your Excellency, how can I not love her strong life and her boldness? For me, she is as good as my child, as I have no children. However, I believe that the figures should be accurate between parents and children. In addition, we’re not really in the relationship of a mother and a daughter, are we? If I were so infatuated with affection, this Eileen Theater would have fallen into someone else’s hands," Maribel said, giving herself justification for her actions.

"She is the one who has captivated the heart of His Highness Killian, famous for his icy manner and coldness. So how can I not love the child?"

She would not love anyone more than Julietta until the day she died. There was no need. The world was too harsh to waste emotion unnecessarily.

Even though the object of affection was chosen to be in her best interest, her love was sincere enough. Others would laugh, since her love was shallow and selfish in their eyes; however, for her, she had no intention of showing those shallow feelings to others at all.

Maribel raised her eyes and looked at Marquis Anais. Eyes a slightly lighter green than Julietta looked at her with deep gratitude. She said in a slightly exhilarated voice, barely suppressing her feelings bubbled over within, "I think my bet twelve years ago was really accurate. She got the attention of His Highness Killian, even with such ugly looks."

At Maribel’s words, Robert sighed, "How can I believe the Prince’s heart is sincere? I’m sorry there’s no other way now."

"No, Your Excellency. She is to become the Empress of the future. The Empress of Austern is the highest place a woman can climb. What do you feel sorry for?"

Roberta shook his head. "What’s the use of the highest seat? She has to be nervous for the rest of her life. Whether His Highness Killian will be Emperor or not is yet known. Rather, to live in a nervous state is hell. If he loses the race against Prince Francis, Julietta will be in danger. The family of Duke Dudley will never let a potential enemy live!"

At Robert’s words, Maribel led him to the sofa.

"I was only going to show you where Julietta used to be for a while, but our talk is going to be long. Sit at this side, sir. You don’t want to sit with me and have a cup of tea, but I don’t think you should stand up like this. I’ll tell you the secret of why I believe so firmly that Prince Killian will be the Emperor."

Roberta hesitated for a moment, but went to the sofa Maribel recommended.

"What can I get you to wet your throat? Would you like me to prepare your favorite wine?"

"I heard that you know every taste of all the nobles. I guess it is true. I don’t want wine, but give me some tea."

"A lot of information makes life easier. A new tea came in from Tilia yesterday. Why don’t you try it?"

Maribel prepared tea and poured it into Robert’s glass and her own. Robert nodded as he looked at the family emblem of Kiellini on the square of origin, and the tea box surrounded by a gold rim and the sign of top-level grade, with blita petal painting.

"I think so. It’s a top-class blita tea. Most aristocrats can’t even get a glimpse of it."

Because he enjoyed drinking tea, the Marquis of Anais did not fall into the category of most aristocrats. Maribel smiled sweetly, thinking of the family properties and wealth of Anais.

"I’ve heard that you are making big profits from the land you bought in Cherasa, the capital of Vicern."

Robert lowered the tea he was drinking and stared at the woman opposite him. "I’d appreciate it if you could tell me who to cut off around me."

"You misunderstood, sir. Stella and Julietta came to the theater, and then I sent someone to Vicern to get in touch with you, and I happened to find out it. You bought a piece of land in Leicesant which used to be just a small market place."

"Did you send someone to Vicern? But why haven’t I heard anything about Stella and Julietta?"

"I came to know there was a person from the family of Duke Dudley around you, and I retreated from him immediately. Your Excellency knew about that, right? So, you must have hired an agent when you bought the land on Leicesant Street."

Robert frowned, and shut up. He was anxious and annoyed at how much she knew.

It was for Stella’s and Julietta’s future that he had invested in Vicern, avoiding Dudley’s eyes. If he knew it was useless, he would’ve hurried back to Stella and Julietta instead of spending time finding where to invest after the anointing ceremony of the Crown Prince of Vicern.

Maribel began to talk about what she originally intended, diverting the attention of the Marquis.

"It’s a business secret, but there is a Secret Eye in the private seat of each family in the theater."

"A Secret Eye?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. I drilled a hole in the room to see what they are saying and doing."

"I didn’t know it at all. What a disgusting hobby..." Robert shot back with an unpleasant look, recalling all the actions he had committed in that parlor when he was dating Stella twenty years ago.

"Don’t worry, Your Excellency. Most of my surveillance targets are set."

"That’s a relief."

Maribel continued, with little reaction to the offended and sarcastic appearance of the Marquis.

"A month ago, Count Crisver, the grand chamberlain of the Emperor, visited the theater. As you know, he’s a very busy man, and he’s not an opera guy. So, I couldn’t stay still."