33
Famous prostitutes are arrogant. Their beautifully adorned faces overflow with confidence as women, and their coquettish swaying gestures seem lewd as if to highlight their own charm.
They don’t possess the elegance of a swan, but they exude a dangerous allure like a wild beast. On the bed, any man becomes a lowly slave.
There are not many who can command men with the tip of their chin like a prostitute. That’s why they know. How much power a woman who monopolizes a man’s love can have.
Perinuel seemed already mastered in that regard. She watched me with a very confident attitude, as if she had forgotten that she was a prostitute. The sight of her fanning a fan adorned with plenty of bird feathers and occasionally giving an eye smile was bold to the point of being impudent.
“Are you mentally prepared?”
She comes a bit closer. Her swaying hips as she walks were smooth like a snake slithering. Perinuel approached the long chair decorated with satin and began to gently stroke the flower-carved ornament.
At the same time, she sticks out her tongue and licks her lips, and there was no part that wasn’t provocative. She was arrogant yet vulgar, and vulgar yet very lewd.
A well-trained prostitute arouses a man’s lust with just a hand gesture, and as she confidently claimed, she seemed to have the most outstanding talent in this field.
In fact, for me now, Perinuel’s actions, coquetry, and the sexual temptation overlaid on top are indeed necessary. Because there is no weapon as powerful as a dangerous beauty that can captivate everyone.
But her visit was too early. It wasn’t time yet. So, I spoke to Perinuel in a slightly prim tone.
“No, there must have been some misunderstanding. So, it would be better for you to leave now.”
“Oh my, really? But next time might be difficult. It’s very hard for someone like me to make time like this. There are so many people seeking me. Therefore, if it weren’t for the Countess’s call, I wouldn’t have come like this. If the young lady isn’t prepared yet, I can help you. I say again, no one can follow me in this field.”
Would a snake’s whisper be like this? Her words had something excellent at tempting people. The small voice flowing out like a whisper smoothly rides my ear with a moist resonance.
Perinuel, half-leaning on the reed de herpo with a languid smile, was seduction itself.
If I were a man, I wouldn’t have been able to endure anymore and would have rushed to her and showered her with kisses. Because the ignorant arrogance would be nothing but endless loveliness in front of her voluptuous body.
But her charm didn’t work on me. Not because we share the same gender, but because an inexplicable rejection towards her surged up.
“If you can change Madam’s mind, I won’t permit it.”
“Oh my, that’s too difficult a problem. Ah, then must I leave like this?”
Perinuel lowers her head while exclaiming in an exaggerated tone as if acting in a play. It was very comical, like watching a scene from a comedy.
“Who knows. If you visit in modest attire, perhaps Madam will permit it.”
“But the mistress of this mansion is the Countess. Why do I need to get permission from Madame de Lavallier?”
Perinuel blinks her eyes as if she doesn’t understand. I approached her. And patting her shoulder, I said.
“That’s a problem you need to think about.”
In fact, someone as clever as her—through the conversation at that time, I thought she was quite intelligent—couldn’t fail to understand the meaning of my words. If she was dragging time to receive the promised reward, that might be different.
However, staying this long is not good for everyone. Therefore, I had to get Perinuel out of my room as soon as possible.
Perinuel puffs up her cheeks greatly as if dissatisfied. Whether intentional or not, all her actions were very lovely and even cute, as if to draw out a man’s emotions. The expression she’s showing now is probably one of the coquettish acts she shows to customers.
“Oh my, you’re so heartless. Alright. I’ll withdraw here today. Instead, please call me again next time. Then, even if busy, I’ll come with a glad heart.”
Fortunately, she understood my anxiety and knew the time to exit beautifully. I nodded to Perinuel, who blows a small kiss on my cheek and gives an eye smile. Thinking that overlooking her rudeness is only for this time.
Less than an hour after Perinuel left the mansion, Mother came to find me. Through your pale face and tear-soaked cheeks, I could predict whom Mother had met first.
Probably Madame de Lavallier.
That coldly elegant woman, unable to endure the fact that a prostitute entered the Wischwaltz family, must have called Mother and harshly scolded her. Without even allowing her to breathe. Surely driving her to taste great humiliation along with shame.
Thinking of her sharp sarcasm close to thorns, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the long time Mother had to endure.
“Oh, Sisse. My baby.”
As soon as Mother sat on the chair, she took out a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. And soon began to utter laments close to complaints. As if having no interest in the tea Marie served, her lips were pouring out endless dissatisfaction.
“As a mother, isn’t it natural to care for you? Other people also call prostitutes at your age to receive education. But I don’t understand why she doesn’t understand. Child, you wouldn’t know my feelings. Do you know the feeling of my heart being miserably torn? I was very ashamed. Really.”
“Because she’s a chaste person. So, she probably couldn’t understand.”
“But child, I am the Countess. Managing the Wischwaltz family is this mother’s job.”
“But you didn’t receive the key.”
At my words, Mother’s face turns bright red. Pretending not to know, I calmly sipped tea and continued speaking.
“That symbolizes the authority of the Countess. No matter how much you manage the household, without the key, you won’t know the details, right? What’s the point if the butler prepares the list and submits it? Or were you planning to keep touring the warehouse with Roena?”
“But that’s also a memento…….”
“Mother.”
I called Mother in a firm tone. Then, you noticeably flinched and checked my expression. Because through long experience, you know that when I lower my voice like this, you absolutely can’t win.
“This is a matter of respect. If she thought of Mother as the mistress of the Wischwaltz family, she couldn’t have done that. A memento? Alright. I won’t deny that it’s so cherished that it can’t be handed over carelessly. But before being a memento, it’s the key that can control the household of the Wischwaltz mansion. If it were me, I would overcome the sorrow and hand the key to Mother. Because there’s nothing more precious than the family. Am I being cold? Or am I judging rationally?”
Mother is a kind and gentle person. I love your humble character, warm temperament, and the considerateness to embrace others.
But sometimes, like the past Mother, I wished you would become a bit more ruthless just for me. Maintaining a desirable mother-daughter relationship by getting along intimately with Roena is only good for the adoptive father, Count Wischwaltz.
I hope Mother suspects Roena and constantly hates her. So, I hope Mother returns to her appearance at that time. I love and respect you, but sometimes this weakness makes me sad.
The snake whispers with a strange smile. Sss sss shh shh. As if that alone is the magical power that can solve all problems.
“If Mother obtains that key to manage the assets of the Wischwaltz family, no one will be able to drive Mother anymore. Because you are the true mistress.”
The bright red tongue flicks and bewilders Mother’s ear. I thought it would be painted redder than Perinul’s lips.
***
Meal time is enjoyable. The cleanly polished silver tableware, the wrinkle-free clean tablecloth, up to the candlestick with delicate engraving technique standing out, the scenery of the well-maintained table is elegant and captivating.
Above all, the fragrant bread smell tickling the nose tip, the sweetness of sweet wine, the well-roasted meat grill and salted fish dish—there is nothing that isn’t appetizing.
Especially, the time to wash hands with orange-scented water and remove moisture with a dry cloth is the best. Washing hands with water is an act announcing that we will eat soon, making one taste piety like a monk.
In the past, the young me often went hungry. The flat, dry stomach grumbled at any time, telling of starvation.
But with Mother’s income, we couldn’t buy and eat delicious and nutritious food. The food we could eat while living on the street was only black, burnt, rock-hard bread.
That bread, which had a very bad taste, could only fill the hunger by gnawing it with teeth to make pieces and then melting them with saliva.
Only at the beginning of the new year could we eat cheese-filled oat bread with warm vegetable stew.
Of course, sometimes if lucky, we could eat thin soup with a few small pieces of meat. But such cases were maybe once or twice a year.
The vegetable soup Mother served was close to bland water just imitating, with a few carrot pieces floating on the water.
We couldn’t even dream of savory cheese and fragrant wine. Vegetables like cucumbers, cauliflower, shell beans, celery were vegetables that only wealthy people could buy for us.
Spices were treated as worth their weight in silver, and seasonal fruits were close to ornaments that only enter noble mansions, so we couldn’t even dare to think of them. Eating eggs was also possible only when raising hens in the front yard.
So, I often drooled while looking at the fluffy bread sold at the store. Because the fragrant smell flowing from the store came like an unbearable temptation.
The sight of women in neat attire entering the store, choosing bread, and paying was quite close to admiration for the young me. Because I envied that economic stability to buy something without hesitation.
Perhaps that’s why? The past Sisse, that is, the pitiful Sisse who didn’t know her place and rampaged like a foolish idiot, liked eating.
It was common to switch the utensils used for food or drop them on the floor because she couldn’t use them properly, but still, she always savored the dishes given to her with a happy heart.
Well-roasted pheasant dish, quail steam, salt-grilled beef tongue, veal breast, marzipan made with almonds, sugar, and eggs…….
The foolish girl who was faithful to instinctive desires like eating and wearing didn’t know at all what the nobles’ meal time meant.
She just thought it was good to eat plenty of delicious food. If it weren’t for the incident with Sir Halberd, if she hadn’t burned with inferiority towards Roena, I would have become quite plump due to the greasy food I ate every day.
☆☆☆☆
By Anna 💓
