Chapter 48: Chapter 48 - Give It To Me

Chapter 48 – Give It To Me

***

I came back home after 7 p.m. that day. Odeletta begged me to have dinner, but it seemed rude to have dinner on my first visit, so I turned her down and went home. Countess Bellafleur praised me after hearing my story. It was not wrong to say that most parents hated it when their children freeloaded at their friends’ houses, as my parents in Korea were also like that.

Martina, meanwhile, seemed happy that I was getting closer to Odeletta, and Count Bellafleur bore a similar reaction. As I suspected, Count Bellafleur and his wife weren’t all that pleased that their daughter had been friends with Dorothea.

Just as I promised with Countess Bellafleur, I emptied my entire schedule the next day for our outing. She seemed excited about the date with her daughter and, after lunch, we headed to the boutique she mentioned. I was forced to reflect about my indifference towards my own parents. In any case, I was here instead of the real Maristella, and I had to act as a daughter on her behalf.

As soon as I walked into the boutique with Countess Bellafleur, Madame Reavoir greeted us in a fairly high voice.

“Oh my! Welcome, Lady Bellafleur.”

“Hello, Madame. Long time no see.”

“Yes! It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

I didn’t know if Madame Reavoir’s eagerness was sincere or if this exchange was simply a pretense by the owner, but she looked delighted to see us. It wasn’t relevant to tell that apart, however, and I greeted her.

“Hello, Madame Reavoir. It’s been a long time,” I said gracefully.

“It really has been a long time, Lady Maristella. Why didn’t you come to my boutique? Did you move to another boutique?”

“Not at all, Madame. It’s just that I don’t go to many big parties, so naturally I don’t need to open my purse.”

While I was smiling awkwardly, Madame Reavoir dragged me inside the boutique quickly to cover her words earlier. Countess Bellafleur’s expression was cheery as she watched us, so I followed the madame without any objection.

“Very well,” Madame Reavoir said with a nod. “The reason I asked you to come today is that even though you’re not my muse, there’s a dress I think will end up looking perfect for you.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I replied, smiling secretly to hide my excitement. Usually female characters who transmigrated into novels didn’t like these sorts of things, but not me. I loved beautiful and fluttering things. What’s more, it was a dress that was supposed to be perfect for me—or, to be exact, Maristella. Just thinking how pretty it would look excited me.

“Marie?” a voice said.

My expectations cracked a few seconds later.

The expression on my face momentarily slipped, but I quickly rearranged it into something neutral and turned back. Two familiar women were standing there.

“It’s really you!” Dorothea squealed, and she came up to me with an animated face. I froze on the spot.

How could there be such a damned coincidence? If there was a goddess of fate, I wanted to ask her if this made any sense at all. Of all the days, 24 hours, 1440 minutes, why did Dorothea have to visit the same boutique as me at this moment?

“Doro…thea?” I said dumbly.

“Marie.”

Dorothea smiled brightly and held my hand. But I didn’t hold her hand back. More like I couldn’t.

I turned around and looked at Madame Reavoir with questioning eyes. It was common here in the Yonas Empire to have two groups of customers in the same boutique, so this made even less sense to me.

Madame Reavoir caught the meaning in my face. “After hearing that you would come today, Lady Dorothea really wants to come at this time too,” she explained. “It’s okay because you two are close, right?”

I obviously didn’t like her explanation. But that was my own business. I couldn’t frown and breach my contract when I already accepted the job as part-time stooge.

“It’s alright, but I prefer to be in a quiet setting. It’s difficult to make a clear judgment with many people around. I thought you knew that, but I suppose not,” I said.

As soon as I expressed displeasure, Madame Reavoir answered quickly. “Of course. I’m sorry I didn’t ask for your consent in advance. I apologize if I offended you.”

Countess Cornohen interrupted our conversation with a hollow laugh. “Not at all, Madame Reavoir. You know how close these two are. There’s no way she’s offended. She’d rather meet her close friend in a place like this.”

Countess Cornohen was smiling as if this were a scene from a play. Don’t tell me—she enjoyed watching me in this kind of situation? Was she a sadist or what?

“It’s perfect timing,” Countess Cornohen continued. “My Roth also needs to select a dress. Lady Maristella, you can help her then. I hear you have superb eyes.”

“…”

It was an explicit demand to act like the contract. I sighed inwardly, but on the outside, I gave a thin smile.

“I’m flattered, Countess Cornohen. I’m not really that sensible. I’m afraid my advice might have an adverse effect on Roth’s choice.”

“Not at all. I trust you.”

“Thank you for trusting me,” I answered flatly, then turned to Madame Reavoir again. “Can you show me the dress you were supposed to give me?”

“Of course, Lady Maristella. This is the dress.”

At her words, two employees pulled aside a curtain. When the dress was revealed, it was at that moment that I discovered what people meant when they were tongue-tied.

Countess Bellafleur was the first one to speak. “Oh my god. It’s so beautiful, Madame.”

Madam Reavoir shrugged as if she were pleased to hear such a compliment. I didn’t say anything for a long time, until a sigh of admiration finally left my mouth.

“Wow…”

The dress was truly beautiful. It was so pretty that I would have cried tears on the spot if I were a little more emotional. My heart fluttered at the thought of wearing such a dreamy dress.

It was closer to a pearl color rather than white, and for me who liked a graceful and elegant style, that was a bonus. Pearls beaded the chest, and small, shining gems scattered the hem. I didn’t ask, but I suspected they were all diamonds.

A dress like this was sure to be expensive. However, it was so dazzling that I didn’t want to consider the price at all. I blinked dazedly, as if I would be blinded if I kept looking at the dress, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it at all. I had seen many dresses ever since I came here, but this was by far the one that perfectly suited my tastes the most. And even if it didn’t, it was still the most beautiful dress of all.

Madame Reavoir, who caught my open expression of adoration, laughed as if she were amused.

“You must like it quite a lot, Lady Maristella. You have been staring at the dress without saying a word,” she noted.

“Yes. It’s really…pretty,” I murmured with a trembling voice. “I can’t believe you were reminded of me after making this dress. It’s too much for me.”

Of course, Maristella was incredibly pretty, so the idea wasn’t completely absurd. But even so, it was shamefully pleasant.

Madame Reavoir continued. “I thought you would best suit this dress in the capital. Your skin is fair, but your hair is black. And this pearl dress is fantastic.”

“Thank you for saying so. It’s an honor.”

“You should try it on. It should fit you just right, but just in case. You can—”

“Wait a minute,” a voice interrupted from behind, and, at that moment, I was seized with an ominous premonition.

“Are you really going to give that to Marie?” Dorothea asked. Her shining gaze was locked onto that dress. I had to admit that my intuition was never wrong. I’m sure the next thing she will say is…

“Why?” she asked.

“Pardon?” Madame Reavoir replied.

“Why does it have to be Marie? Can’t you give it to me?”

Madame Reavoir looked visibly flustered. “What do you mean, Lady Dorothea?”

“Just what I said. Give that dress to me.”