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Chapter 1710: A War Without Winners
Chapter 1710: A War Without Winners
As Hermione left, she carried a suitcase in her hand. She stood at the iron gate of the estate, gazing back at the beautiful manor covered in snow, before disappearing with a swift Side-Along Apparition.
Isabella had invited Hermione to stay at the estate once more before her departure, but Hermione had declined.
She naturally didn't want to live with a group of strangers.
Although they were all Albert's lovers, and familiarity would grow over time, Hermione still didn't want to live with someone she disliked.
Upon returning home, Hermione was in a pensive mood. She casually placed the suitcase on the table, took a sip of her still-warm milk tea from her thermos, and plopped down on the sofa, pondering the events that had transpired at the Estate Villa.
Making a dress for herself?
This was no challenge for the dexterous Hermione, who had previously knitted sweaters for house-elves, gifted Albert scarves, and recently made a cover for the sofa. If aesthetics weren't a concern, she could complete a dress in just a few hours.
But...
This time, Hermione wasn't making a simple cover or an ordinary dress; she was creating a "dress" for a special banquet.
Hermione looked up at the suitcase on the table, her cheeks flushing once more.
"I should've just declined, then there wouldn't be so much trouble," she muttered, her words contradicting her actions as she reached for the suitcase, set it down on the carpet, and stepped inside.
From the start, Hermione had never intended to casually throw together a dress to get by; she had no such thoughts. She wasn't like Valeria, seeking something from Albert. Instead, she was one of Albert's lovers, a significant partner equal in status to his wives, and their relationship was never tainted by insincerity.
Moreover, this was a surprise Hermione had planned for Albert, a Christmas gift.
She retrieved two books recommended by Isabella from the suitcase: one titled 'Sewing Basics for Beginners', which taught how to create clothing based on one's body proportions, and the other was the girls' design sketchbook.
As she flipped through the sketchbook, Hermione recalled Isabella's advice:
The focus of the dress design should lean towards "sexiness and mystery," creating a strong visual allure rather than simply exposing more skin.
Even Hermione had to admit that these designs, aside from a few less inspired ones, were indeed captivating.
At the very least, they made her cheeks burn, let alone what Albert's reaction would be upon seeing the finished product.
Hermione could already imagine the expression Albert would wear.
No wonder they were creating such items.
However, she wouldn't be outdone.
With so many examples to draw from, Hermione wasn't worried about messing up.
The issue was whether the suitcase contained the fabric she needed; if not, it would be a real hassle.
Hermione closed the sketchbook and ventured into the suitcase once more. In the fabric room that Isabella had taken her to, she found numerous suitable fabrics, all with a similar inclination, leaving her with mixed emotions.
"Come on, you can do it," Hermione encouraged herself, patting her cheeks and focusing on the task at hand.
As long as she could let go and shed her mental burden, nothing would be a problem.
However, when Albert stopped by to visit Hermione, he found her missing. He eventually discovered her at the desk, diligently working away.
Numerous clothing design sketches were scattered messily on the floor, but there was no doubt that none of them satisfied Hermione.
"Are you alright?"
Albert waved his hand, and the scattered papers on the floor flew neatly into his grasp.
"How did you get here?"
Hermione, as if just noticing Albert, abruptly stood up from the table, unconcerned about the toppled armchair, and gave Albert, who was flipping through the design sketches, a big hug.
"Let's eat something first!" Albert patted Hermione's back gently and said, "We can talk about other things later."
Hermione, who had been hiding her design papers, hadn't prepared dinner, but luckily, when Albert handed over the box to her, it was already filled with plenty of food.
After satisfyingly devouring the potato and vegetable pancakes made by Albert himself, Hermione's expression suddenly became a bit unnatural. Compared to Albert's culinary skills, she felt like she didn't even know how to cook.
"Are you designing clothes for the party?"
Albert noticed Hermione's embarrassment and casually flipped through the papers in his hand, asking, "Do you have any ideas yet?"
"Sexy, mysterious, and less fabric."
At this point, Hermione suddenly became embarrassed.
Well, she really didn't have any good ideas; otherwise, she wouldn't need to reference others' work, and she still hadn't finished a satisfactory design.
Hermione secretly glanced up at Albert, and after meeting his encouraging gaze, she gathered the courage to ask, "I wanted to surprise you, but the clothes I designed feel weird. What style of clothing do you think would suit me?"
"To be honest, I wouldn't mind even if you wore a swimsuit. Valeria did that last time." Albert kissed Hermione's forehead and whispered reassuringly, "I already appreciate your thoughtfulness."
"Yes, you don't mind, but it's just that you don't mind," Hermione said as she hugged Albert's neck and whispered in his ear, "But I'm sure you'd prefer me in something more beautiful."
Albert looked Hermione up and down, making her feel a bit shy, and he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just curious what Isabella told you." Albert felt that Hermione had also been influenced by Isabella's ideas.
If all her lovers had the same style, it would seem rather monotonous.
"Do you have any suggestions?" Hermione continued.
"Then tell me your thoughts."
In the end, Albert, based on Hermione's design ideas, drew a limited-edition ensemble for Christmas that combined sexiness, mystery, and minimal fabric.
Hermione examined Albert's design, then looked at Albert himself, and finally couldn't help but ask, "You didn't have a hand in all these designs in this sketchbook, did you?"
"How is that possible? I don't have that much free time, and I haven't specifically studied this stuff," Albert said. He hadn't been involved, but some of the designs were indeed created by Isabella and Katrina based on his ideas.
"But I think you know a lot, and if you didn't like them, how could they have made these clothes?" Hermione continued to scrutinize Albert with a suspicious gaze, almost branding him as a lecher.
To be honest, this was completely unlike the Albert she knew.
Even as Albert's lover, Hermione didn't think of him as a lecher. Their relationship had always been...cozy.
Yes, cozy.
Her role felt more like a wife, a lover, a girlfriend.
(End of Chapter)
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