Chapter 71
***
Ronny’s efforts didn’t stop there.
Even in this cold winter, he managed to find green plants that symbolize the ducal house, enabling him to create comfortable and beautiful indoor decorations.
Of course, he had the help of Higgins, but successfully completed a contract with a famous decorator.
He also chose matching tableware with the help of the servants.
The only barrier was the letter from the Tower Master regarding Jeremiah, which was still written in incredibly large script, but fortunately, ‘Kind lody’ was able to solve that with her reading.
“You’re really amazing,” Ronny said, resting his chin on his hand after hearing her read the entire letter.
“What’s so amazing? It’s all thanks to the Tower Master writing such a kind and simple letter.”
lody returned the letter and took an apron from her wardrobe.
In fact, what Ronny found ‘amazing’ was lody’s ability to skillfully decipher such worm-like script.
But at that mont, sothing even more astonishing caught his attention: lody’s wardrobe.
He knew it was impolite to snoop through a lady’s wardrobe, but this was an ergency, so he approached and inspected the inside.
“What is this ss in your wardrobe?!”
lody frowned. This wardrobe was the most luxurious and expensive collection of clothes she had ever owned, spanning her past and present lives.
Yet, he was insulting it.
“If you speak so unpleasantly, I’ll be hurt, Young Master.”
“The one hurt here is ! Are you really planning to attend the feast for the best at in such clothes? Do you think that’s respectful to the grand at?!”
“Respect for at is enough if you chew it well and eat it neatly.”
“No, it’s not enough. If you don’t want my elegant banquet to turn into a vulgar village festival with these plain clothes, then go buy new ones.”
As expected, lody looked troubled at the ntion of ‘buying.’
“Who’s asking you to pay? The money will co from the ducal house’s banquet budget.”
Ronny pulled out a tal badge with the family crest from his pocket. It was a very precious item that only those belonging to the ducal house could receive.
“Show this at the store, and you’ll be able to have any dress you want tailored for you. Don’t forget to ask them to finish it as quickly as possible.”
lody wanted to say that she didn’t know how long it takes to make a dress, but Ronny left before she could speak.
Regardless, Ronny was right.
No matter how fine the materials of lody’s current clothes were, they fell into the category of casual wear.
‘My standards have certainly risen.’
Until recently, she thought her clothes were like those a princess would wear. Now, she classified them as ‘casual wear.’
lody pondered for a bit but decided to take Ronny’s advice.
‘If I don’t dress appropriately, it will be troubleso for the Duke as well.’
Besides, Ronny might not give her the large piece of at if he disapproves of her ‘miserable’ clothes.
‘Large at…’
lody montarily swallowed her saliva, imagining that beautiful shape in the air.
Ronny, despite his annoying words, was a tsundere who definitely took responsibility for what he said.
If lody dressed appropriately, he would surely reward her with a fantastic piece of at.
***
The next day, lody managed to get a ride to the city by asking the postal delivery man who had just arrived. She carefully carried the ducal badge Ronny had given her, tucked inside her thick coat.
The servants of the ducal house offered to get a carriage ready for lody, but she felt guilty about mobilizing a coachman just for her, so she firmly declined. Instead, she promised to et Mrs. Higgins, who had gone to the yarn store in the morning, and return with her.
“It won’t take long to get to the city.”
The postman said so, but as ti passed, the carriage didn’t seem to make it to the city. lody poked her head out slightly to check the front. For so reason, many carriages were lined up, unable to move forward or backward.
“Is there sothing happening today?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t hear anything special… Maybe there’s a roadblock or sothing.”
Just when she started to worry, the carriage slowly began to move forward.
“Ah, it seems to be clearing up now.”
Noticing lody’s anxious face, the postman lightened the mood by starting a different conversation.
“By the way, Miss lody, what brings you to the city?”
lody slightly bowed her head. She felt sowhat embarrassed about going to buy sothing that didn’t fit her status.
“I’m going to look at dresses.”
“Is Miss Loretta still unwell?”
“What?”
“But you know Miss’s heart well, so you’ll definitely choose sothing good.”
It seed he misunderstood that she was going to look at dresses for Loretta. Actually, it was for lody…
lody decided not to correct him, fearing the kind postman would fret over apologizing to her.
More ti passed, and soon the carriage reached the city. The postman stopped in front of a clothing store filled with lavish decorations. lody rembered receiving several catalogs from this store through the mail.
It was a newly opened place, and they had sent a letter hoping to be entrusted with making clothes for the ladies and guests of the ducal house, welcoming them anyti.
“How will you return?”
“Mrs. Higgins is nearby. She said she was going to Mr. Neil’s store to look at yarn today. I plan to et her there and return together.”
“Hmm.”
Mr. Neil’s yarn store was fortunately only a block away.
Yet, the postman looked sowhat concerned. As she got off the carriage and asked why, he pointed to the sky far away, where a bit of grey smoke was rising.
“It seems like there’s been an accident in the city. I’m worried about leaving young Miss lody alone. But I need to hurry with the mail…”
“I’ll be fine. I’m not going that way, and haven’t you already been delayed because of the traffic jam?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Hurry on. There’s nothing more agonizing than waiting for a letter.”
lody gently pushed his arm, urging him to go. Even as he started the carriage, he repeated at least five tis, “You must absolutely not go in that direction.”
After the postman left, lody stood alone in the heart of the city.
She glanced around at the high-end stores, then checked her reflection in the shiny glass window.
She adjusted the ribbon in her hair and dusted off her skirt, which had beco wrinkled in the carriage.
She then rummaged through her pocket and gripped the small badge made with the ducal family’s crest.
‘Act gracefully, as you’ve been taught.’
Counting to three in her heart, lody opened the door of the store. Nervous, she closed her eyes tightly.
A sweet scent wafted through the
gap in the door, lifting her spirits, and her eyes sparkled open.
The first thing that caught her eye was a dress made of fabric with a beautiful shimr.
As she took a step forward, the rug under her
shoes felt incredibly white and soft, making her hesitate to step on it freely.
She stepped back a little from the rug and circled around it. It looked expensive, so she decided to be careful.
Once fully inside, the lavish interior was visible in every corner.
She looked at the walls hung with lace and then at the display cabinet below. Buttons adorned with jewels twinkled, tempting those who looked at them.
‘This would suit Loretta well.’
lody smiled softly as she looked at the green jewels. She liked how, even in such a situation, Loretta naturally ca to her mind.
‘When she gets better, we must visit together.’
Loretta liked anything interesting, so she would certainly like this place too…
“Oh dear, child. What would you do if you entered through the front door?”
Caught up in the cute buttons, lody was startled when a clerk suddenly appeared and tapped her on the shoulder, scolding her.
“It’s you, isn’t it? The errand runner that Mr. Brook recomnded.”
“What?”
“I heard you could read, is that true?”
The clerk picked up a nearby catalog, flipped it open to a random page, and handed it to her.
“Read this.”
“Actually, I’m here to…”
lody tried to say she ca to buy a dress, but the clerk’s sigh was quicker.
“I knew it! The kids Mr. Brook sends are always like this! All dressed up fancy but…”
She snapped the catalog shut with a sigh.
“How can I use a child who can’t even read?”
The rolled-up catalog hit lody’s forehead with a thump.
“Ouch.”
“You shouldn’t hang around those lying adults either. Got it? Already trying to be cunning at such a young age.”
“That’s not it…”
lody looked up at the clerk, holding her forehead with one hand.
“Anyway, get out quickly. Today, we have guests from a long-ti-prepared noble family coming.”
The clerk grabbed lody’s arm and started pulling her out of the store.
“Wait a mont.”
lody quickly tried to clarify that she was from the ducal house.
“I don’t have a mont to waste on you.”
But the clerk didn’t give her a chance to speak and soon pulled her out of the store completely.
“Oh, right.”
As if rembering sothing, the clerk tossed a small coin to lody.
“Here, take this.”
The shining coin landed in lody’s open hands.
“Tell Mr. Brook. If he sends another absurd child like you, I will never use any child sent by him ever again.”
Still visibly irritated, the clerk hit lody’s head a few more tis with the rolled-up catalog.
“Understand? Got it?”
“……”
lody didn’t respond, and the clerk sighed deeply before going back into the store.
‘What should I do now?’
While she stood there with a troubled expression, soone soon tapped lody on the shoulder.
Not expecting anyone to approach her in the middle of the city, she was startled and turned around.
“……?!”
There, smiling gently, stood Claude.
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