32 A Villainess Wears Red Lipstick (1/2)
TILLY was dressed to kill.
Well, she wouldn't kill people literally but she would make sure that the nasty rumors about her with end today.
In her past life, she had witnessed high-ranking noblewomen bullying the low-ranking ladies by spreading false rumors. As a duke's daughter, she never experienced that. Well, at least not until her crimes were exposed and she was shunned by the high society.
[I will not let them bully me.]
So for today's tea party, she wore a black draped off-shoulder backless A-line midi dress and paired it with stiletto sandals that were starting to become popular these days.
Anyway, her dress was from the collection that Kiho got her from Pillas Islands. Since Pillas was a tropical country, she wasn't surprised to know that the women there wore clothes that exposed ”too much” skin by Moonchester Empire's standards. Thankfully, the weather in the Royal Capital right now was warm enough to be used as an excuse to wear a ”revealing” dress.
[Again, my outfit is only revealing because the current trend in the empire is still the heavy and conservative types of dresses.]
Princess Nia had only started to wear light dresses recently so it would take a while before the other ladies copied her style. There had to be a demand first before the tailors in the empire start to make light dresses.
[Hmm… should I import clothes from Pillas Islands and sell them in my store along with the jewelries I'm currently designing?]
Wait, this wasn't the right time to think about business.
Tilly looked at herself in the mirror once again.
For her makeup, she asked Leni and Lani– the twin maids with light chocolate brown hair and eyes– to make her lips as red as possible. The current trend here was equivalent to the ”no makeup makeup look” that was quite popular in the modern world, particularly in the Asian countries. In the empire, ladies put makeup as light as possible to make them appear ”innocent.”
To hell with that. She wanted to express her anger in bold red lips. Thankfully, her ”mature charm” matched it.
As for her hair, she told Leni and Lani to tie it in an elegant braided bun. Then, she wore the layered necklaces that she showed Kiho that morning. She also put on a pair of pearl earrings and a bracelet with a dainty thin chain. She didn't wear a ring because she was waiting for the one that Kiho would give her.
[Yes, I'm assuming that he'd give me an engagement ring one of these days.]
”How do I look?” Tilly asked the twin maids. She stood up and twirled around in front of them. ”Do I look beautiful?”
”You're very beautiful, Lady Prescott,” Leni and Lani said in unison.
The twins were a year older than her and had different personalities. Leni was prim and proper while Lani was kind of tomboyish and energetic. But both girls were nice to her and Kiho. Even in her past life, the two served her with respect despite her terrible attitude.
”Thank you,” she said to the twins. ”You did a good job.”
And that was true.
Leni and Lani gave her one of the best baths she had in her life. Plus, they meticulously chose a perfume that complimented the rose scent that she got from her bath a while ago.
”Thank you, my lady,” Leni and Lani said at the same time, again.
Tilly giggled at the twins' amusing rapport. She wanted to talk to them some more but the communication device on her table rang. ”You may leave. I'll call you when I need you.”
The twins bowed and answered at the same time. ”As you wish, Lady Prescott.”
When the maids left the room, she sat in front of the mirror and picked up the dangling earrings that also worked as a communication device. She put her on her ear like a bluetooth earpiece. Since the jewelry had a spirit stone, it had the magical ability to attach itself to the user's ear for easier access.
”Yes, Father?” she politely answered the duke's call.
”Tilly, I've heard the rumor about you and Captain Denver,” her father said on the other line, his voice filled with worry. ���I don't believe it but it will surely hurt your reputation. If this goes on, the business you're planning might get doomed as well. But most of all, how would Captain Kiho feel if he hears the rumor when you're just about to get married?”
”Don't worry, Father. Kiho won't believe the rumors,” she assured her father. ”And I've already came up with a plan to use this opportunity to promote my upcoming business.”
”Daughter, I don't think this is the right time to think about business.”
”Bad publicity is still publicity, Father,” she insisted. ”The ”spotlight” is currently focused on me so I won't waste the chance to promote my business for free. But I need your help.”
”What do you want me to do, daughter?”
Tilly smiled while her brain was busy working out exciting scenarios in her head. ”Father, we know people in the newspaper industry, right?”
***
KIHO made an ice sculptures out of the men who dared to talk dirty things about Tilly.
Thanks to Amilo's information, he was able to track down the people who were spreading the nasty rumor about his fiancée. He ended up at the mansion of Baroness Alphonse in Blanca. Apparently, one of the baroness's servants saw Tilly and Captain Denver at Mount Elea. When the madam heard it, she didn't think about spreading the rumor without verifying it first.
When he arrived at the mansion of House Alphonse and requested an audience with the baroness, the knights tried to make him leave by making fun of him. He didn't care when the foolish knights said that Captain Denver was better than him since he was a noble and the master of the Fire Wielder Guild.
But when a knight said that Tilly was a loose woman for seducing two captains of the Four Orders and the others laughed, he lost it. The next thing he knew, he already froze every single knight around him.
[I can't kill them though.]
Not yet, at least. He wanted these foolish knights to kneel and beg for Tilly's forgiveness first. Only after that could he kill these bastards.
”Baby?”
Kiho was surprised to hear Tilly's voice in his ear. After that, the plain round silver earring in his right ear appeared. It was a communication device that was designed to be in stealth mode when inactive. But once someone linked to his device called, the earring would appear. It was very convenient and thus, the high price.
[Well, all the stuff in Prescott's Choice is expensive.]
”Yes, baby?” Kiho answered. ”Is everything alright?”
”Not really,” Tilly said. ”Have you heard of the stupid rumor about me and Captain Denver?”
”Yes. I'm taking care of it.”
”Whatever you're doing, stop it,” she lightly scolded him. ”But if you found the source of the rumor, bring them to the royal palace now.”
He noticed that she sounded confident. That could only mean one thing. ”Do you have a plan, Tilly?”
”Yes,” she said. And even though he couldn't see her, he could hear the smile in her voice. He had always known that she was smart but now, he could also see that his fiancée was cunning. And he liked that about her even more. ”But I need your help, baby.”
”Just tell me what you need me to do and I won't disappoint you.”
”Kiho, I need you to use your connection to our emperor,” she said, her voice more serious than a while ago. ”Do you think you can convince His Majesty to help us?”