The Stepmother Loves Harems - Chapter 5

At social parties held in various shapes and sizes, nobles showed off each other’s wealth and sophistication.

It was an important setting where people sometimes made profitable deals with each family, and even talked about marriage.

Above all, this party was held by the prestigious Count Othelli with royal support, so the party was quite large.

Eliana looked at the dress book and checked out the dress designs that looked good. She needed a dress that could show off her narrow waist and voluptuous chest a little more. It was a sexy and alluring charm that was different from Sharchen’s thin and delicate image.

‘I don’t have to be scared. I’m going to do something more flashy.’

Whenever Eliana tried to withdraw herself, she looked at the pictures, trying to calm herself down.

The slim line dress that was popular these days did not fit Eliana. The top fell smoothly to reveal neatness, and the skirt was spread like overlapping petals. In particular, frills and romantic embroidery used to add elegance to the bottom, which spread more splendidly as it went down.

It emphasized a person’s personality by adding their own likes, such as a stiff collar around the neck or a little revealing of the collarbone. Usually, the chest opened in a V-shape, and the skirt flared out in an A-shape.

Eliana wanted to pursue a style that was different from that. She looked at the designs carefully and circled the dress she was going to wear several times. A corset made of solid whalebone and fins was to be tightened at the waist to reveal a little more voluptuous chest, and a pannier would exaggerate the hips.

In particular, she was thinking of raising her hair high and using colorful flowers.

Eliana smiled as she looked at the old attire lavishly embroidered with feathers and flowers. The person who led the trend would dominate the aristocratic society. And Eliana was confident of that.

Aristocratic women were already getting tired of the current styles, but were unable to look for alternatives.

The textile trader who was close to her was a person with bright ears and a light mouth. Eliana closed the book, thinking that she would not waste the precious hints she got from him.

***

Eliana looked at the clothes that Lujan had bought and chose a purple dress. She ripped off all the mesh and put the dress on the mannequin and added her designs to make the dress look more lewd. Then, she put the corset she had obtained from the textile merchant on the waist. The black-dyed whale bones and fins took on a dark and fascinating color.

Eliana stretched out the black frill endlessly, added it to the place where the mesh was torn off, and inflated the hips by using the pannier imported from the neighboring country of Conter. Purple ribbons were stacked in layers to decorate the end of the waist.

Eliana’s hands were fast. Lujan did not watch her fix the dress, but waited outside the dressing room. Eliana kept working on the dresses one after another, as if she had forgotten that Lujan was there.

Wrong rumors circulated that the Baroness, who had been in the library for days, did not know what was going on in the room now. But Eliana pretended not to care and continued to do her job. The source of the rumors must have been Lujan or Sharchen. It was a positive sign that they were curious what she was doing.

Eliana quickly filled the dressing room. In fact, she was fast when it came to sewing. Party dresses, home dresses, evening dresses, etc…she changed the shape a little bit according to need, but the fact that it was gorgeous didn’t change anyway.

All week, Eliana only worked on her dresses. Then she tried out the accessories, and repeated putting makeup and erasing them several times. It had to be perfect from first appearance. Lujan pretended to tell her what to eat at every meal and secretly snuck her head in, but she couldn’t fully see what Eliana was doing.

After all preparations had been made, Eliana called Lujan into the dressing room. The clock signaled that dinner was coming soon.

“Lujan.”

“Yes, Baroness.”

“Go tell them I’ll be having dinner with them tonight.”

“Yes?”

“Did I say something I shouldn’t say?”

“Oh, no. I’ll tell you.”

Lujan left the room in a hurry, and Eliana sighed. Then she picked out a green dress from among the dresses she had made. Although the material was soft and luxurious, it was a dress with a fabric that was stuck in the workshop because of the color.

The original design was very ordinary, but when the fabric was wrapped along that line, it became magically elegant. The square-shaped neckline that raised up to the collarbone would make Eliana look more mature.

Eliana wore the green dress without Lujan’s help. The chest was pulled together to emphasize her slender waist and voluptuous breasts, and the corset was pulled as tight as she could. Eliana, who reflected in the full-length mirror, felt like she was looking at a stranger.

She raised her hair high, as seen in the book. A very small amount of beeswax was melted to fix the hair, and the face was painted with colorful cosmetics. Literally, it was more like painting than applying. The lips were painted red, the eyebrows darker, and the eyelids a little deeper and more seductive.

Eliana thought she was wearing a mask. Lastly, she put on her gloves and picked up a fan. The cheap fans sold on the market were painted green and black frills were added. The fairly luxurious appearance made it impossible to know it was the cheap fan of the past.

From head to toe, for a week of hard work, she looked quite satisfied.

“Oh my!”

Lujan couldn’t hide her surprise as soon as she returned to the dressing room. While she was visiting the kitchen and Sharchen’s room, Eliana had become a completely different person.

The dresses worn by the housewives were old-fashioned looked new and fresh, and on her face, she could feel a gentle energy that she had never seen in any other woman. The rich and beautiful curly hair that was firmly fixed high made her look even more gorgeous. His lips were as dark as poison.

Eliana smiled broadly and said to Lujan.

“How was Sharchen’s reaction when she heard that the stepmother suddenly will appear at the dinner table?”

“I, I didn’t go to Lady Sharchen. Just in the kitchen…… .”

“I told you not to lie.”

“No, I’m not….”

Eliana turned around, as if she had no regrets, and checked her well painted face once more. It was time for dinner to begin.

After the final inspection, Eliana passed Lujan and grabbed her by the shoulder and whispered in her ear.

“After the first social party is over, I’m going to fire you.”

“…”

“Tell Sharchen that.”

“Yes, but you said you won’t fire me…”

“I changed my mind.”

Eliana spoke lightly and started walking. Lujan looked around the dressing room. The old clothes and fabrics she had brought disappeared, and there were only gorgeous and beautiful dresses.

They were clothes she had never seen before. No noble lady ever wore this style of clothing. It was like looking at a dark, dense, glittering black pearl.

Lujan  stood there and thought she might be a unlucky maid caught by a very scary person. To a much scarier witch than she thought.

****

It was Eliana who was late for dinner. As Eliana half-covered her face with a fan and walked down the stairs, Karman’s gaze turned to her.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Everything had changed, from her hair, her fan, her hands, to her clothes. She said she bought the peasant’s clothes, but it didn’t seem like that. Rather, it was closer to the style of aristocratic ladies that was popular 100 years ago. It was a glamor that no one was looking for these days.

However, all she had spent was the unused fabrics left in the workshop and some money.

A very small amount of money that would not even mark a nail on the property was given to her.

As she lowered the fan, her alluring face was revealed. When Karman couldn’t take his eyes off Eliana, Sharchen cleared her throat.

“I see the Baroness.”

“Yes.”

Ignoring Sharchen’s greeting lightly, Eliana turned her gaze to Karman.

“Baron.”

“…”

“Can I continue to attend dinner in the future? Even though I’m a wicked stepmother, I feel that if I just stay away like this, only empty rumors will be spread. It doesn’t seem right for a Baroness to stand by and watch the noisy atmosphere of the household.”

She spoke in a common-sense but sharp tone. In the meantime, not attending the dinner was to give Sharchen peace of mind and a little debt to Karman.

From now on, she would attend all dinners and see Sharchen and Karman every day. However, she was not interested in their relationship. She just wanted to establish her position in this family.

A witch-like, dangerous stepmother, but a person who was guarding the Baroness’s seat, who should not be treated recklessly.

“Baron…”

Sharchen called Karman as if telling not to allow it. The thin, shaky voice sounded weak. Karman’s gaze turned to Sharchen and then to Eliana again.

He had no reason to reject Eliana’s suggestion. Even though he recognized Sharchen as his only woman, the reality was different. On the surface, as it was intertwined with the system of marriage, there were actions he had to do to a minimum

“Do whatever you want.”

Karman spat out the best answer he could give.

“Baron. Then I’ll miss the dinner. The Baroness will be uncomfortable with me.” (Sharchen)

Sharchen indirectly expressed her disappointment at Karman’s words. Eliana spoke to Sharchen.

“Sharchen.”

“…”

“I don’t mind. Rather, it would be better to be closer together. Then the rumors will disappear.”

Eliana said lovingly, raising the corners of her lips and smiling. Sharchen tightened her hands that held the knife and fork. And then she spoke.

“If the Baroness wants, I’ll have to do it. I’m not in the position to refuse.” (Sharchen)

“If you think so, you should. I’m glad you know your place well.” (Eliana)

At Eliana’s words, Sharchen clenched her teeth.

“Please refrain from being rude to Sharchen, madam.” (Karman)

“Am I rude? I just wanted to make her grow up to be a better kid…I’m sorry if I was rude, Sharchen,” said Eliana, without losing her smile the whole time.