"Actually, the Count didn't pay all that money himself. He said there was a way to reduce the original cost. If not, Butler Howard would have prostrated himself at the Count's shoes to stop him! You should have seen that sight."
Mrs. Lux giggled as if just thinking about it was delightful. Esperanza could only contort her face strangely. It was a story that was difficult to laugh along with, but also difficult to remain serious about.
"There aren't many magical tools in this mansion, but in terms of the quality of magical technology, it would be better than most dukes' mansions. Though it's irreverent to say this, it might even be better than the royal castle."
Mrs. Lux's words dripped with pride for her master. He didn't look even thirty yet, but if he was a master with such abilities, it was understandable to worship him like that. He didn't seem particularly kind to his employees, but he also didn't seem like he would spare money.
'Well, how much have I seen to be making all these evaluations.'
Esperanza, who mocked herself, returned inside the mansion on the grounds that it was lunchti. And she casually said to Mrs. Lux.
"I'd like to go out."
"Oh my. I should call a tailor. There are a few of my lady's clothes that don't follow trends, but you'll still need the latest fashionable dresses. How about a blue dress that matches your vivid purple eyes, or a deep purple velvet dress? Or what about a dress completely covered in layers and layers of lace?"
She stepped back from Mrs. Lux, whose eyes were sparkling. Absolutely, it wouldn't end with just dresses. Hats, shoes, gloves to match the dresses... She was almost grateful for the unwritten rule of noble society that you couldn't arbitrarily give away necklaces or earrings.
"I can't keep being indebted to the Count forever, and I have so money too, so I thought I'd just buy a hat or sothing like that."
"Don't say such things! The Count said not to spare money on your attire. That's natural, since you're currently a guest of the Avondale Count family. Your honor is the prestige of the Count family."
He had indeed said 'no matter how much it costs.' No, why was that man trying to trouble people by spending money? No matter how much money he had rotting away.
"But I'm already too indebted."
"Miss, our Count has a lot of money. So very, very, very much that even if you bought only diamonds every single day for a million years, it wouldn't decrease by a penny."
This was definitely a lie. She had no choice but to surrender to Mrs. Lux's bizarre exaggeration.
"And if the Count found out you bought clothes with your own money, we would get in trouble. For our sake too, please! I beg you to use the Count's money."
Let's pay back the money later. There seed to be no other way. If she didn't use the Count's money, it seed like they wouldn't even let her et the tailor.
Mrs. Lux handled everything in an instant.
"The tailor says he can co today!"
"Is that normally possible?"
Let's recall Rosalind Railing's quest. The so-called 'Two Rosalind Railings.' It was about catching a maid who was impersonating Miss Rosalind Railing and the con artist who instigated her.
The fake Rosalind hired a hunter to bring sothing from the mansion where the real Rosalind was confined. She didn't know what the object was, but it was probably sothing like a family seal. It would have been necessary to convincingly act as the real one. However, in the process, the hunter discovered the real Rosalind and rescued her after conquering a suddenly appeared dungeon. That hunter was Esperanza, and this incident also beca the opportunity for Esperanza to make her na known as a hunter in Nine Holder.
When she received that quest, she rembered the fake Rosalind being irritated. It wasn't the exact dialogue, but it was sothing like this.
'How snobbish these tailors are! They insist on taking reservations days in advance, so you can't call them when you need them unless you pay extra.'
So calling a tailor in just one day ant.
"If you pay extra, even non-existent ti can be created. Co, co. I'll call a maid to brush your hair. Such a pretty miss should wear pretty clothes."
She couldn't know exactly how much extra they paid, but the tailor arrived instantly at this early hour.
"Actually, there's no way tailors would have appointnts in the early morning, right? All the noble ladies who would make appointnts would be in dreamland because of the previous night's ball."
Mrs. Lux winked and laughed like that.
"We're having clothes made for our miss. In the latest fashion, don't mind the cost!"
Esperanza was able to choose several outfits. After selecting clothes to her taste, the rest was Mrs. Lux's domain. Mrs. Lux sat there and commanded the tailors like their queen, trying all sorts of fabrics against Esperanza's body as she stood there pitifully.
"Since you're so slender, any style would suit you. But if I had to recomnd, this kind of..."
When the tailor suggested.
"Navy blue and dark green satin that highlights your skin tone would be good. And such thin dresses should be in white. Even when layered, they look cool."
Mrs. Lux countered.
"Such vivid purple eyes are a first in my 30 years as a tailor. And you're so beautiful, if you just went to a ball, you'd captivate all the gentlen's hearts."
Esperanza's appearance was worth the careful customization. Though she was particular about colors, she didn't look strange in any outfit. Mrs. Lux selected fabrics even more passionately.
Among them, Esperanza chose the purple dress and blue dress she liked most, and two white dresses made of thin fabrics layered together. All were clothes that emphasized slender curves rather than being excessively puffy.
The reason was simple. That was the fashion 13 years later. As long as there wasn't suddenly a trend of inflating petticoats by 3 ters in between, she would be able to wear these clothes with appropriate alterations in the future.
Additionally, she purchased hats, shoes, gloves, and so on. Fortunately, all of those could be bought as ready-made items. Since she could borrow from the Count's wife's wardrobe for anything other than outdoor clothes, this was sufficient.
"The dresses will be completed and sent next week."
"Would this weekend be difficult?"
Mrs. Lux arrogantly lifted her chin and said.
"Of course it's possible."
Additional money changed hands. Esperanza didn't know what to do with herself and bowed her head deeply.
"It's just past twelve, so why am I so tired?"
"That's because you haven't eaten. They'll have prepared a al when we go down."
"......Where's Lord Avondale?"
After spending a chunk of the Count's money, she didn't have the confidence to face him. Mrs. Lux wouldn't have spent that much money without the Count's permission, and she had certainly seen the Count say not to worry about the cost, but.......
This bastard, he didn't intend this kind of overwhelming gratitude from the beginning, did he?
??????°??☆????°??????
Count Avondale didn't open his eyes until the afternoon was almost over.
"Count......."
Millen stood at the door looking at him like he was an impossible lazybones. But the Count had sothing to say too. He had only fallen asleep at four in the morning. And that was only after Millen had practically begged him.
"If you live like this, you'll really die. You'll die before you even turn thirty!"
"Hmm. That seems likely too."
He fell into thought while smoking paoran instead of eating breakfast. Actually, last year he had hardly smoked paoran at all. He had smoked it too often the year before, and his health had deteriorated so much that he got tired quickly even when researching late into the night.
But he picked up paoran again, probably because of those words.
'Dying... And in just one year at that.'
Others might not understand, but he believed those words. Excluding the unrealistic nature of ti travel, there was no reason not to believe it. He didn't have any particular thoughts about the words that he would die next year either. Just the thought that he no longer needed to take care of his health. He was unmarried with no heir, and had no remaining blood relatives or wards to care for.
When he died, the territory would be inherited by so distant relative's relative he didn't even know, and from the fact that he didn't know them, it was obvious that the future heir also didn't know Avondale blood flowed in him. Preparing recomndation letters for his employees was about all he could do.
Should he enjoy the remaining year?
The Count, having made up his mind like that, roughly washed the traces of sleeplessness from his face. His head was still sowhat foggy, whether from the paoran smoke or because he had imrsed himself in research using his brain to its fullest after a long ti.
"Tea is prepared in the drawing room."
"You're making every effort to drag
out of the study. You and Howard both."
"The study has too much book dust, so it's bad for your health."
Since everything was already prepared, there was no choice. Rather than making the employees work twice, he just went down to the first floor.
In the modest drawing room, a splendid tea set and tea food carefully baked by the cook were arranged. The scent of heavy black tea, to the Count's taste, filled the air. The Count, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he entered the room, paused.
There was a woman in the drawing room.
A perfectly mature lady with dark brown hair pinned up. Though there was no way to know who she was, he originally didn't know most of the faces of society ladies anyway, so he didn't know the identity of this elegant beauty either. He habitually approached, extended his hand, bent his waist slightly, and kissed the back of her hand.
"Good morning."
Wasn't it morning? Well, whatever.
"I don't believe there were any scheduled visits... Which lady might you be?"
For asking sothing obvious, the reaction was a bit strange. The lady with delicate features was contorting her face oddly. Millen, with a pale face, shook his head and rushed over to whisper in his ear.
"Huh?"
He approached again and examined the lady carefully. From head to toe, there wasn't a single resemblance to yesterday's woman.
"Aha."
When his gaze, which had gone down to her feet, ca back up to her eyes, he recalled the vivid purple eyes from his mory.
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