Episode 11
The biggest incident among her actions was mocking the empress’s ugly face in front of people and pointing out that her charm as a woman was several times inferior to her own. She acted arrogantly, taking advantage of the emperor being deeply infatuated with her.
However, people couldn’t point out such rude behavior of Châteauroux, because the emperor burst into laughter at his favorite concubine’s words and similarly mocked the empress.
The emperor mostly overlooked or leniently tolerated whatever Châteauroux did. Even if it was an act of spreading dirty scandals involving the nobles’ honor.
Châteauroux liked the gossip circulating in high society and was enthusiastic about collecting it. There was even a joke that all rumors floating around flowed into her and then out. And the stories collected like this were whispered intact into the emperor’s ear.
The emperor burst into laughter at all sorts of dirty rumors coming from his favorite concubine’s mouth and rolled around on the bed. Then, he didn’t hesitate to kiss her lips and say, ‘Oh, my lovely cat.’ Until now, no one had ever caricatured the nobles’ scandals to the emperor like Châteauroux.
So the emperor greatly enjoyed his vulgar mistress mocking the pretentious nobles. This was one of the many ways she didn’t lose the emperor’s favor.
***
Numerous people sent letters to Marianne de Châteauroux. They detailed strange tales they knew or the flaws of rival nobles in an attempt to catch her eye.
Marieanne de Châteauroux was not a stingy woman, so she bestowed considerable rewards on the owners of the letters selected by her hand. Most rewards were gold or jewelry. If lucky, one could receive the title of ‘viscount,’ though it was in name only.
Even in a single day, hundreds of letters flowed into Marianne de Châteauroux through the hands of the court servants.
Then, she would lie in a warmly heated bathtub, listen to the letters read by the maids, and set aside those with useful content.
Among them were secret bedroom arts passed down from the Eastern Continent. If there were interesting positions or foods that aroused sexual desire that Marianne de Châteauroux didn’t know, she immediately tried them and enjoyed them with the emperor.
There was a rumor in the streets that Madame de Châteauroux smeared chocolate on her body for the emperor and enjoyed it with him.
It was said that she felt the tip of the emperor’s tongue licking down her body so well that she let out intense moans loud enough for everyone in the palace to hear, and rolled around on the bed for half a day.
People cursed her lewd habits but greatly envied the emperor’s life of constructing sexual fantasies with the beautiful Marianne de Châteauroux.
Even the most famous prostitutes in the capital were not as beautiful or voluptuous as her. Marianne de Châteauroux was an unparalleled seductress and at the same time the perfect whore that all men desired.
It was around this time that the madame created a private opera room for the emperor. The emperor liked gossip, but he was getting tired of hearing it in her consistent voice, and Madame de Châteauroux was straining her throat from reading letters to him every day.
A voice as clear as a bird chirping was one of the virtues a lady of high society should have, so Marianne de Châteauroux wanted her voice to always be perfect. Therefore, she couldn’t bear her voice becoming horribly scratchy like scraping metal because of the emperor.
So she pestered the emperor to create a private opera room in her adjacent room and started performances based on the contents of the letters.
The plays were made by inviting skilled opera actors, so they were of very high quality to watch. The perfect performance flowing from the fingertips of the court orchestra was more than enough to delight the emperor’s ears.
Above all, he would have been pleased with the fact that he could comfortably watch opera while fondling Marianne de Châteauroux’s breasts without observing formalities.
The emperor, greatly satisfied with the performance that maximized the caricature of nobles, bestowed great rewards not only on the actors but also on Marianne de Châteauroux, and she received a large castle located in the southwest of the empire as a villa through the opera room.
In the past, Marianne de Châteauroux’s opera room was one of the rising gossips in high society. People listed from the names of the opera actors she invited to the workshops that decorated the opera room, criticizing her luxury.
The fact that several meters of silk embroidered with gold and silver threads were used to make the curtains decorating the stage was no secret.
It was also frequently mentioned in people’s mouths that she put aphrodisiacs in the ‘Little Cage of Turdarium (made of wood in the shape of a bird, filled with various spices, and hung in a cage like a real bird)’ that she made for the emperor.
People in high society passionately monitored every move of Marianne de Châteauroux and poured all their energy into cursing her.
They were like people gathered just to criticize Madame de Châteauroux. The funny thing is that while people pointed fingers at the debauchery she engaged in as vulgar, they were desperate to be invited to those gatherings. Her parties were one of the most anticipated events in high society.
So I too am now mentioning in the letter the story about the opera room she will create in the future.
In the past, when Madame de Châteauroux created the opera room, she went to great lengths to find artisans who could satisfy the emperor’s refined taste. She was looking for patterns and designs that were dazzling to the eye, yet fitting for the palace’s formality, and unlike anything seen before.
Her pride as a woman leading the trends in high society made her standards infinitely high. So Marianne de Châteauroux spent countless hours and efforts interviewing people who flocked from various places and reviewing nobles’ recommendations, and finally discovered the artisan ‘Benjamin Choiseul.’
Later, the ornate decorative pattern called the ‘Choiseul technique’ was discovered by Madame de Châteauroux’s hand.
《I have never seen patterns as beautiful and original as the furniture of the artisan named Benjamin Choiseul. The furniture combined with the mysterious culture of the Eastern Continent is gorgeous yet very elegant. I dare say that his skill will not disappoint the madame’s expectations.
Benjamin Choiseul works at the ‘Red Bird’ workshop in the bustling area. If the madame summons that artisan to the palace and meets him, she might be surprised that he is a younger man than expected. But his skill is genuine.
The girl wishes that Madame Marianne de Châteauroux would show generosity in discovering a young artisan with a bright future.
I earnestly hope that the madame will lend an ear to my loyal words. (abridged)》
If this letter properly reaches Marianne de Châteauroux’s hands, perhaps I might get a chance to enter the palace and meet her.
If that happens, I plan to do my best to win her favor and at the same time request her to assign me a chaperone (a guardian for a young lady going out in high society).’
I can confidently say that the madame will not be able to refuse my request and instead will be overjoyed and make efforts to attach a suitable person.
There have been many people who requested a ‘chaperone’ from her so far, but they were all mediocre people just to debut in high society, and there were no high-ranking nobles. The ones who assign chaperones for noble young ladies are only ‘ladies’ famous in high society, and everyone considers it an honor.
There was no madman who would put forward a prostitute in an important event connected to their honor. Even though she is the emperor’s favored mistress, because of her lowly origin, she cannot become a true lady respected by all.
Therefore, if my prediction is correct, Châteauroux will surely welcome my request, as I am in the position of a count’s young lady, even if adopted.
In the past, Madame de Châteauroux showed deep interest in me. That was because I was the only person who showed hostility toward Roena Wischwaltz, who is famous for her high reputation in high society.
So whenever she saw me, she would offer a few compliments and try to continue the conversation. Strangely, the madame showed a remarkably kind demeanor toward me.
But at that time, I had no interest in Marianne de Châteauroux. It was because I feared the gazes of people who would curse us for meeting as those with lowly bloodlines. So I tried my best to keep her at a distance.
Looking back now, my behavior back then was nothing but the whining of someone who had plenty. At that time, I was already being mocked by many for being a young lady of commoner origin.
Therefore, adding Madame de Châteauroux on top of that wouldn’t have made much difference. But why did I back then repeat such foolish actions out of fear of something?
So now that I’ve returned, I am trying to approach her. For me, who needs a powerful backing, there is no thicker lifeline than Madame de Châteauroux. The fine-sounding name of honor is nothing in front of power.
Choosing the future called Marianne de Châteauroux is better than the honor of the name Sisse de Wischwaltz.
After finishing the last sentence, I stopped writing the letter by signing at the end.
I reviewed the writing carefully to check if there were any awkward sentences or any words that might anger her. This is truly the lifeline that will make my future rosy.
In the meantime, perhaps having finished preparing for the outing, Marie comes in with a dress and hat. I changed clothes with Marie’s help. I tied a white ribbon as a waistband and hung a pendant made from a miniature portrait around my neck. Marie quite deftly grabbed the ends of the puff’s folds and made them voluminous.
All the items I am now wearing and putting on were sent in advance by my adoptive father so that I wouldn’t have difficulty living in the Wischwaltz family.
To prevent me from feeling intimidated, he sent artisans to make dresses and shoes fitting the latest trends. These, numbering in the dozens, were all lavishly adorned with pearls, flounces, ribbons, and jewels, making them very beautiful.
Some were more gorgeous and expensive than what Roena had. Because of this, the maids who saw them whispered, ‘He must be properly bewitched by that girl.’
This silk-made dress had a voluminous ruffle collar at the neckline, emphasizing my ample bosom to the fullest. With a wide-open neckline, it added a seductive yet innocent feel, and there was no outfit that suited me better, as my body was mature for my age.
I lightly pressed down a hat decorated with fresh flowers and feathers and put on blue satin shoes embedded with pearls.
“Let’s go, Marie. Guide me to the general store.”
Marie glances toward the capsule and looks anxious. She seems very concerned about leaving Seril behind.
“At that level, even if she wakes up, she won’t be able to get up right away. If you’re that anxious, why not lock the door and go? We decided to eat dinner in the hall, so no one will enter my room. So don’t hesitate and quickly lift your heavy butt like a pig.”
Only after I kicked her foot with my shoe did she finally start walking. I followed behind her only after putting on gloves over a silk coat embroidered with flowers.
We first stopped by the butler to inform him we were going out. The butler said with a impassive expression, ‘Please return by dinner time.’
And he assigned me one knight. The one with a well-trimmed mustache was a young man just over twenty.
I looked with a calm expression at the knight who introduced himself with a stylish gesture. Judging by the fact that his name isn’t in my memory, he doesn’t seem to be someone with remarkable skill.
But regardless of his skill, as the young lady of the Wischwaltz family, now accompanied by a knight as an escort, I boarded the carriage with a majestic stride.
