TDWO Chapter 41

“By the way, the ladies couldn’t stop praising your dress.”

Anri quickly put on her business smile.

“Thank you. I really like it too.”

“I know a thing or two about ladies’ dresses myself, but I’ve never seen one quite like the one you’re wearing.”

Anri and Erze exchanged a silent, quick conversation. There was no time.

“Oh, it’s a one-of-a-kind dress made by my servants.”

“Servants? Are you saying the servants of the duke’s household made it themselves?”

“Of course. They’re all skilled women who graduated from fashion schools or built their experience in dressmaking.”

“My goodness, I’m envious. They must have quite the eye to make something that fits you so perfectly.”

Naturally, Erze had access to an endless array of luxurious dresses made by the kingdom’s best designers and tailors.

But no matter how expensive or extravagant they were, one grows tired of seeing the same styles again and again.

Even if it was a custom-made dress for Erze alone, the only difference was the fabric and jeweled embellishments.

The design was hardly different from what other noblewomen wore.

However, Anri’s dress exuded a special aura, a sense of dedication and care solely for its owner.

It was an uncommon style, which made it all the more eye-catching.

“Thank you for your kind words, Your Grace.”

Anri smiled brightly.

Erze felt her heart skip a beat at Anri’s sweetly curved eyes.

Ugh! So adorable!

But just then, it was time to change partners.

There was still more she wanted to ask…

Erze felt gloomy.

‘This blasted disguise!’

She should have come in a dress and her usual long wig.

If she had, she could have had more conversations with the new bride, like the other noblewomen.

Earlier, when the women gathered around the bride for a chat, she had wanted so badly to join in!

While dancing with a lady whose name she didn’t know, Erze soon had another chance to face Anri.

Erze, now in high spirits, spoke up.

“Madam, may I ask you just one question?”

“Yes? What are you curious about?”

Anri’s eyes sparkled like sugar.

Erze quickly spoke, fearing this precious moment would pass too quickly.

“Your name—Anri—it’s so unfamiliar. How is it spelled?”

“Oh, so that’s what you were wondering!”

It wasn’t the first time she’d heard this question.

People often found Anri’s name peculiar when they first met her.

“My name has quite a story behind it. My mother gave it to me, inspired by the name of Princess Henrietta Maria, who later became queen of a neighboring kingdom long ago.”

“Ah, I know her! That was over 200 years ago. Two of her sons became kings.”

“Yes, that’s right. My mother was deeply moved by her life, so much so that she named her daughter after her.”

“Interesting! Could it be that ‘Henrietta’ is pronounced ‘Henriette’ in the queen’s homeland?”

Erze and Anri spoke faster and faster, as if they were competing to see who could talk quicker.

“Oh my, you figured it out right away. Yes, that’s correct. So, it’s written as Henrietta, but pronounced Henriette. However, since it might sound too foreign, my mother was concerned I might be mistaken for someone from another country, so she decided to go with ‘Anri,’ like Angelica or Lillian.”

“…Your mother is very thoughtful.”

Anri gave a slightly awkward smile.

In truth, her full name was Anriette Wentworth.

However, the story of Queen Henrietta Maria was politically complicated, so Anri was always cautious about sharing it with others.

Her mother, however, believed that Queen Henrietta Maria had a will as strong as iron.

She had named Anri with the hope that her daughter would inherit that same strength.

When Anri was a child, she listened to her mother tell the queen’s life story and couldn’t help but admire her unyielding spirit.

The memory of that day resurfaced.

‘Queen Henrietta lost her father not long after she was born. He was assassinated. Her brother, only nine years old at the time, became king, and her mother took on the role of regent. Unfortunately, her brother and mother didn’t get along well at all. Her mother didn’t want to step down, even after he came of age. In the end, the son banished his own mother.’

‘How could a mother and son be like that? I’ll never fight with my mother and father!’

Young Anri buried her face in her mother’s dress and sobbed.

In reality, it was the sixth year since she had been reincarnated, and she was going through adolescence. She would have preferred to drop the act of being a child and enjoy a glass of vodka.

But in this life she had to be an utterly lovable daughter, so that wasn’t an option.

‘Imagine how unhappy young Queen Henrietta must have been amidst all that conflict. At sixteen, she married into a foreign land, but unfortunately, her relationship with her husband wasn’t great either. They had different religions, and there was a duke her husband was especially fond of who drove a wedge between them.’

So, when did the queen finally find happiness, mother?

‘Thankfully, the troublesome duke died soon after. The queen’s relationship with her husband improved somewhat. But then her husband began to clash with Parliament. Queen Henrietta tried to support him as best she could. Unfortunately, a revolution broke out, and her husband was executed. The queen had no choice but to flee with her children back to her homeland.’

‘What happened next? What happened?’

The revolution her mother was talking about was the English Revolution of the 17th century. The king had acted recklessly, enraging Parliament to the point where they rose up and executed him. After that, a man named Oliver Cromwell led the country. But after his death, the country became unstable again.

In the end, the people sought out a king once more.

‘For about 10 years, the queen lived in hardship, having lost her status. But miraculously, her son was able to ascend the throne again. It was 11 years after her husband’s death.’

‘Wow!’

‘To endure for 10 years—doesn’t that seem incredible, Anri? If your father died, I wouldn’t last a month, let alone a year. But you see, life is about living to the very end. The one who holds on is the one who wins.’

At that moment, Anri thought her new mother was truly amazing.

What a precious lesson to give her child.

“So, Anriette, you must also learn from Queen Henrietta’s strong spirit and perseverance. Surviving without losing hope, even in the face of misfortune, is the true victory.”

“Yes, Mother!”

Anri wholeheartedly agreed with her mother’s words.

But in her effort to survive too well, she somehow ended up marrying the man who destroyed her family in her previous life.

Haha…

Just then, it was time to change partners, and she had to take that man’s hand again.

Edwin approached Anri.

However, Anri didn’t let go of Evans’ hand.

“Oh, excuse me for a moment, Your Grace. I haven’t quite finished my conversation with the duke here yet.”

“…?”

Both Edwin and Erze’s eyes widened simultaneously.

Edwin looked utterly betrayed, while Erze’s eyes gleamed with excitement, as if she had just struck gold.

Edwin, who had been staring intently at Anri, shifted his gaze to Evans.

Beside Edwin, the young lady he had just been dancing with blushed shyly, clearly happy to be dancing with him again.

But Edwin was bewildered.

‘What in the world…?’

How on earth had that woman in men’s clothes managed to charm Anri into ignoring the rules of the dance and continuing the conversation?

“…Understood,” he muttered.

Still in a daze from the shock, Edwin buried his simmering desire for revenge deep within his heart and took the hand of his new partner.

Meanwhile, Erze, thrilled, laughed and eagerly listened to Anri’s story.

It had been a while since someone asked Anri about the meaning of her name, so she felt oddly excited.

“Actually, I like the meaning behind the name Henrietta more than Queen Henrietta herself.”

“Henrietta? If I recall… ah! Doesn’t it mean ‘ruler of the household’?”

“That’s right! But since Henrietta is the feminine form of Henry, which means ‘ruler of the household,’ some interpret Henrietta as ‘protector of the home.’ That part disappoints me a little. It doesn’t necessarily mean a woman is just supposed to stay home and protect it… I prefer being the ruler rather than just a protector.”

“…I see.”

As Anri gave a bright smile, Erze’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“I agree. May you rule over the duke, just as your name suggests.”

“Oh my, how embarrassing,” Anri replied, blushing slightly.

Anri covered her mouth with one hand, pretending to be shy. She hadn’t said those words to receive such a response, but it did make her feel unexpectedly good.

Then, in a low whisper, as if sharing a secret, she said, “The duke is already mine, you know.”

It was a lie, a joke, so it had to be whispered.

Evans didn’t seem to mind.

“Haha! Then it’s time for you to take control of the duke’s household.”

Erze’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Anri, as if stars filled them. It was the look of someone who had spotted something they wanted.

“That would be nice. There’s an old saying that what the left hand does, the right hand shouldn’t know. Isn’t that a sign that being a behind-the-scenes power broker can be quite rewarding?”

“Hahaha!”

Erze couldn’t stop laughing. The use of the proverb was a bit off, but it was still endearing.

“Madam, the truth is, I…”

Erze had decided to reveal her true identity. Spending more time with the Duchess of Briston meant she needed to be honest. It would also make it easier to arrange future meetings. No matter how kind Anri was, she wouldn’t willingly meet with another man in secret. And holding onto the bride’s attention for too long in male disguise didn’t seem right either.

She regretted her decision to dress as a man. If she hadn’t, she could have approached the new bride more easily.

“…?”

When Erze began speaking, Anri blinked curiously, sensing that something important was about to be revealed.

Evans leaned closer, as if about to share a confidential secret. Naturally, Anri leaned in as well, intrigued by what he was about to say.

But before anything could be said, someone grabbed Evans’ wrist.

It was Edwin.