Chapter 28: A Surprise Gift (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28: A Surprise Gift (1)
‘I don’t have to buy everything she brought, right?’
The jewels encrusting every inch of the garments were clearly genuine, and judging by the exquisite quality of the fabric, the raw materials alone must have cost a fortune.
‘Wait, the Grand Duke was the one who summoned the Madame, so is he paying? Or is this coming out of my privy purse?’
A cold sweat suddenly broke out down my spine.
‘I can’t exactly ask how much a dress costs when I’m supposed to be the Grand Duchess.’
“Your Highness, would you like to try this one on?”
When I hesitated to speak, Madame Ramondria held up a blue silk dress that matched the color of my eyes.
As I tried it on, my dilemma only deepened.
Even to my own eyes, the dress looked stunning on Annette’s face.
“Heavens, Your Highness! It suits you perfectly!”
Ramondria let out a gasp of admiration with every dress I put on.
When I tried on a pink dress adorned with a large decorative ribbon in the center, not only the staff but even the usually stoic Whitley gave a small nod of approval.
However, my mind was racing with practical concerns.
‘Maybe I should just buy one or two for now?’
“I’ll take this pink one. And…”
I was wavering between a white dress I liked more and a blue one that seemed more versatile when Ramondria spoke up.
“If these are not to your satisfaction, I will prepare different designs and return as soon as possible.”
She bowed her head, seemingly interpreting my hesitation as dissatisfaction.
“Oh, no, that’s not it. They’re all so lovely that I’m just worried about which ones to choose.”
“Ah.”
At those words, the tension that had gripped Ramondria’s face finally began to thaw.
Whitley, who had been listening to our exchange, stepped forward cautiously.
“You will likely need many dresses once spring arrives. Even if you intend to place new orders, perhaps you might consider purchasing all the pieces she brought today?”
“Pardon?”
“His Highness the Grand Duke specifically instructed me to ensure you feel for nothing.”
Whitley lowered his voice so the Madame wouldn’t overhear.
“He has already promised a generous payment. He might actually be disappointed if you only order a couple of dresses.”
It was a subtle suggestion, as if he knew exactly why I was hesitating. My cheeks flushed slightly at his words.
‘He’s telling me not to worry about the money.’
Come to think of it, Whitley might have heard about the state of my dressing room from the maids.
‘I tried to bring as many dresses as possible from the Marquis’s estate, but they were so bulky I couldn’t pack many.’
Anyone with eyes could see I had been rotating through the same few shabby gowns.
The Grand Duke must have noticed as well.
I knew he was a considerate man, but I hadn’t realized he was meticulous enough to look after his wife in a way that wouldn't cause her embarrassment.
The realization made his surprise gift feel all the more precious.
“Now that I think about it, I suppose I do need more dresses.”
I looked at Ramondria with a slightly brighter expression.
“I’ll take everything I’ve tried on so far.”
“They will look even better once they are tailored to your exact measurements.”
At my decision, both Ramondria and Whitley beamed with satisfaction.
“Oh, and while you’re doing the alterations…”
I spoke up tentatively.
“I’d like to request a few changes to the designs.”
Ramondria’s busy hands paused.
There was no denying that her dresses were masterpieces crafted with immense effort. The stitching was impeccably neat, and the necklines and cuffs were densely packed with elaborate decorations.
But that was exactly the problem.
‘Everything is just too… full.’
In my past life, I might have dressed like a pauper, but I prided myself on having a discerning eye. Advertising models and clients were notoriously picky about wardrobe. To find the right references, I had never missed a single famous magazine or fashion show from around the world. My standards were naturally high.
‘Which only made my own reality sadder, but still.’
In any case, it was obvious that Ramondria’s dresses would look far more sophisticated if she just toned them down a bit.
“A-As expected…”
Ramondria stammered, uncharacteristically flustered.
“I also thought they might need to be a bit more extravagant. If you give me a little more time, I will supplement them with more jewels and ornaments.”
“Huh? No, that’s not what I meant…”
“Or perhaps you would prefer more volume with extra frills and lace? If you tell me your preference, I will do my best to match it…”
“Wait.”
I calmed the rapidly speaking Ramondria.
“I don’t want these dresses to be any more extravagant than they already are.”
“Of course, more extrav—pardon?”
Ramondria’s eyes widened as if she had misheard me.
“In fact, I’d like you to make them much simpler than they are now.”
“But in the Capital, the trend is definitely toward more ornate designs…”
Ramondria trailed off awkwardly.
Judging by her reaction, the current fashion in the Capital was all about going overboard. Come to think of it, Ladriel’s dresses were so encrusted with tiny jewels they were practically blinding.
“We aren’t in the Capital, are we?”
“Well, that is true, but…”
“It would be quite silly for me, the Grand Duchess of the North, to blindly chase Capital trends.”
Ramondria’s hands tightened as she clasped them together.
“I have spoken out of turn. Forgive me.”
“I’m not scolding you. I just want them altered to suit my taste, regardless of the trend. For example…”
I pointed to an olive-colored dress covered in dense frills.
“The point you wanted to emphasize here was the hemline, wasn't it?”
The skirt of the dress was layered in elegant tiers. The delicately pleated lines were enough to catch the eye on their own.
“The frills make the gaze wander. It’s the same with the other dresses. There’s no breathing room.”
“Y-You mean all of them?”
At the word ‘all,’ Ramondria bit her lip slightly.
‘Did I bruise the artisan’s ego too much?’
Seeing the Madame’s face darken, I quickly added, “Oh, but the one I’m wearing right now is exactly to my liking.”
I turned side to side, admiring the white dress I had put on last. Unlike the others, it had a simple silhouette, yet the delicate embroidery made it look incredibly luxurious and elegant.
“Is this one… your favorite?”
The Madame looked shocked.
I nodded firmly to confirm.
“This one doesn’t even need alterations. I’ll wear it right away.”
“Madame?”
At my call, Ramondria seemed to snap out of it and spoke cautiously.
“But for a dress belonging to the Grand Duchess, isn't it perhaps a bit too plain…?”
I shook my head at her lack of confidence.
“The craftsmanship stands out more this way, so it’s fine. The detailing is so exquisite that it’s already magnificent on its own.”
I ran my hand over the details of the dress.
“More than anything, I don’t want it to look like the clothes are wearing me. I want to be the one wearing the clothes. Do you understand what I mean?”
While it would have been more effective to give specific instructions for each dress, I wanted to trust Ramondria one more time. A designer capable of making a dress like the one I was currently wearing would surely understand my point.
Ramondria spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“…I will try altering them as you’ve suggested, Your Highness.”
The Madame looked conflicted the entire time she was taking my measurements, but I did my best to ignore it.
‘The Grand Duke is spending a fortune on these clothes; I can’t just wear whatever.’
Still, to personally arrange for clothes for the Grand Duchess—the daughter of his enemy, no less. What a pushover… no, what a devoted husband.
Especially when he doesn't even seem to care about his own clothes.
Come to think of it, the Grand Duke would look so much better if he just changed his style a little. Had he ordered any clothes for spring?
When I asked Whitley, he shook his head just as I expected.
“I regret to say that he hasn't commissioned any new clothes since the winter before last.”
‘It’s practically a crime to leave a face like that neglected.’
I quickly leaned toward the Madame, who was dictating measurements to her staff.
“Do you happen to have the Grand Duke’s measurements? I’d like to order a few outfits for him as well while we’re at it.”
“I have them right here.”
Before the Madame could even answer, Whitley stepped forward with a look of renewed delight.
“Quickly, bring out the men’s fashion plates.”
A hint of color returned to the Madame’s face as she hurried to instruct her staff.
I had always felt a sense of regret whenever I saw a plain cravat tied around that statue-like neck. As I imagined dressing the Grand Duke in new clothes, my mind began to overflow with inspiration.
*
“So, the gist of the Keltara Merchant Guild’s argument is this: Merion is intentionally lowering prices to poach small and medium-sized traders, so they want us to forcibly intervene…”
Loik nodded half-heartedly as he listened to his aide, Perel.
Leon, acting as a guard, followed a step behind them.
They were on their way back to the main castle.
The path was softly illuminated by magic stone lamps as the sun began to set.
He felt a bit sorry for Perel, but the dispute between the two merchant guilds camping out at the port had already been completely erased from Loik’s mind.
Perel, who had been talking for quite a while, looked at Loik with a puzzled expression.
“…Are you perhaps thinking about Her Highness the Grand Duchess?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, I’m only asking because there’s no way the Keltara Merchant Guild would make you wear such a wistful expression.”
Perel shrugged, his tone teasing.