Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: In the Changing Room (2)
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Eirin was once again riding in a rickshaw with Julian von Reinhardt, heading toward a women's clothing store.
Uriel followed behind on horseback. Inside the rickshaw, far narrower than the Border Count Family's private carriage.
And right next to Eirin sat the wastrel young master, who had undergone a complete transformation from his filthy state before leaving the mansion.
Unexpectedly, he seemed lost in deep thought.
Julian hadn't said much since leaving the Magic Portrait House's atelier. Eirin, who was usually taciturn herself, wasn't interrupting her master's silence.
'Is he thinking back on what happened at Otto's clothing store?'
But inside the head of Eirin, with her maid's headband on, her mind was buzzing busily.
'What was that behavior I just saw? I can't explain it at all.'
The wastrel young master had definitely been acting strange these past few days. But the things he'd done at the Border Count's mansion had still been within an acceptable range.
However, today's events were utterly inexplicable to Eirin's rational mind.
The fact that the utter scoundrel Julian had shown consideration toward a commoner.
Eirin recalled the conversation she'd had with Knight Uriel just a little earlier, back at the barbershop while Julian was cleaning up his grubby face.
The barbershop was fairly large, so there was space inside for Eirin and Uriel to wait.
The two sat side by side in front of the stove. Instead of the quiet Eirin, Uriel spoke first.
"Lady Eirin. What on earth has happened? Has something gone wrong with the Count?"
"That's... something I'm still pondering myself. And Knight Uriel, you can drop the formalities with me."
Uriel was a noble by virtue of her knighthood. Eirin, as a mere maid, was just a commoner, so it wasn't wrong.
"No, that's not right. As the Deputy Head Maid of the Border Count's mansion, you're more than worthy of respect."
Deputy Head Maid Eirin. Even Uriel had been skeptical about her before being assigned by the Border Count to serve as Julian's escort knight.
Last year, at the tender age of just coming of age. It was Eirin who had been unprecedentedly promoted to Deputy Head Maid of the Border Count's mansion at that young age.
The Border County held an extremely important position even within the Holy Empire. The mansion was where all the county's most critical duties flowed in and out constantly.
In other words, the Deputy Head Maid of that mansion held a position comparable to a key role in the imperial palace. For a commoner like Eirin to claim that seat was anything but ordinary.
However, opinions among the White Night Knights were split down the middle about Eirin.
A sacrificial lamb offered to keep the utter wastrel Julian from going even madder. Or a seductress who had curried favor with the young master to snag the Deputy Head Maid position.
As a woman, Uriel didn't care much for the sexually charged gossip that circulated among the male knights. So she had no particular prejudice against Eirin.
'But after becoming Julian's escort knight, I've come to respect Lady Eirin instead.'
The rumors about Eirin were the complete opposite of the truth. Or rather than pure opposites, they were a subtle mix of truth and falsehood.
Julian was a far greater scoundrel wastrel than the knights had realized.
Wilhelm Border Count, the Lion Count revered by the knights like the heavens themselves—nay, higher than even the Holy Empire's Emperor.
Even he couldn't control the madman that was Julian.
'He was the type to commit indiscriminate murder without batting an eye someday. From what I've witnessed myself.'
But that lunatic only ever managed anything resembling human communication when he was with Eirin.
And after Eirin's secret "attendance" outside the mansion—which was unknown to others—he became somewhat more docile than usual.
'That mongrel worse than a dog. I don't know what that "attendance" is, but to strike someone as delicate and fragile as Lady Eirin.'
And after her "attendance" sessions, Eirin would emerge with her cheeks covered in handprints.
"Lady Uriel?"
When Uriel didn't respond, Eirin spoke again. Seeing this black-haired woman, called the Saintess of the mansion by the servants, only stirred endless pity in Uriel.
This frail woman was personally providing the care that even Julian's birth mother, Saintess Agnes, could not.
'To think such an angelically beautiful person... No noble lady in the capital is prettier than her.'
Uriel herself had escorted him all the way to the Pantheon. So she'd seen the Count's much-rumored fiancée, Third Imperial Princess Lillia, right up close.
'The Princess? Honestly pretty, sure, but Lady Eirin is far better. The Princess just has disgustingly huge breasts.'
Uriel had heard whispers among the knights about her own subtle beauty. But she was a knight, not a woman. Compared to those two, she was nothing...
"Is something troubling you?"
She'd been lost too deep in thought. Uriel shook her head vigorously.
"No. I was just reflecting on the Young Lord's past improper conduct."
"But today, he showed a side different from usual, didn't he?"
"Indeed, Lady Eirin. I'm wondering why he suddenly changed like that today... That's why I wanted to ask you. Treating a commoner like Otto with such consideration was nothing like the usual Young Lord. And he even admitted his past mistakes."
At Uriel's words, Eirin wore a pensive expression as well.
Eirin found today's behavior puzzling too. At a stretch, she could chalk it up to one of Julian's whims even today.
He'd shown the astonishing sight of considering a commoner's plight, but that could just be another of his eccentricities.
But there was one thing nagging at Eirin.
'What on earth... was that brilliant proposal?'
In Eirin's judgment, Otto's clothing store held far greater value than the people of Essenmont County and Reinhime City realized.
Otto's near-perfect tailoring skills were impressive, but what she valued even higher was his son Philip's design sense for clothing.
Last year, Eirin had personally attended Julian at the Pantheon. There, she'd seen countless examples of the latest noble fashions from the capital.
But she'd never seen designs surpassing Philip's innate sense.
'My fallen homeland, Gloria, enshrined the god of art, Hesos, as its patron deity. As a princess, even I had an eye for beauty unmatched by anyone.'
That's why she knew. Julian's aesthetic sense was utter trash.
The grotesque designs he called "art" were rags that even traveling troupe clowns would recoil from and discard.
'For such a young master to propose personally wearing and advertising Otto's store clothes?'
That proposal held tremendous potential. Enough to create a new engine of growth for the Border County.
What if his consideration for the commoner and ready admission of past faults were born of foresight into that future...
Perhaps Julian possessed more talent as a lord than Eirin had imagined.
Eirin said to Uriel,
"I'd like to know the reason too."
And so, in the barbershop, the two pondered Julian each in their own way.
Back inside the rickshaw.
The women's clothing store wasn't far from their starting point, so they were almost there.
Eirin checked Julian's demeanor again.
'He's even quieter than usual. Could it be... that "precursor"?'
Very rarely, Julian would show a normal or docile side.
It was a time of utmost joy for the mansion's servants, but also their greatest fear.
Once that temporary calm passed, he would revert to a tyrant even fiercer than before.
To prevent that natural disaster, Eirin diligently attended to him without fail.
'The carriage attendance should have been enough to soothe him... Could it not have been sufficient?'
Today he'd shown far more intelligence and common sense than usual. He might already be on the verge of exploding.
'I've been too lost in thought by myself. At the very least, I should have attended to him right here in the rickshaw...'
She was glad to see his brighter side, but anxiety swelled even more. If he caused some unexpected incident at the women's clothing store they were heading to...
Especially in Reinhime, the heart of Essenmont—bad rumors could spread again.
'No, I can't let that happen... If there's even a moment at the women's clothing store...'
Reinhime's finest clothing stores, like Otto's, had fitting rooms. In that space shielded from prying eyes.
There, with her attendance, she could preemptively soothe the young master's anger. Then...
She might get to observe his changed demeanor a bit longer through the rest of the day.
I couldn't calm the delusions flooding my mind in the rickshaw.
Something I hadn't considered until now suddenly hit me about my current situation.
'Dressed in luxury clothes, all dolled up at a high-end barbershop. And now...'
I was shopping with a heavenly beauty I'd already been intimate with. To buy her a gift, no less.
This was like the insider experiences I'd never had in my previous life...
'No way... is this a date?'
The thought made my heart race without me realizing. Over the past few days—and even today—I'd tasted unimaginable sex.
But as a man, I'd skipped too hastily over the proper steps of romance.
'No. I can't act like a pathetic solo loner and show it. Since I've decided to treat her, I'll take the lead with Eirin.'
As I sorted my thoughts, another delusion surged. The word that had lingered in my mouth earlier: fitting room. The steamy changing room sex from those old pornos I'd seen...
It popped into my head unbidden.
Lost in that torment, I'd kept my mouth shut quietly. In the meantime, the rickshaw arrived at its destination.
"We've arrived. Please watch your step getting out!"
Eirin and I entered the women's specialty clothing store. Not as grand as Otto's, but it seemed decent enough.
A friendly-looking female clerk greeted us.
"Welcome. Oh my, a handsome gentleman with such a beautiful lady."
Unlike Otto, this clerk didn't seem to know who we were. Then she spotted Uriel behind us and caught on.
"My apologies. Please wait just a moment!"
Someone who travels with a personal maid and escort knight isn't ordinary, after all.
Soon, a woman who appeared to be of higher rank than the clerk—likely the shop owner, a middle-aged lady with an elegant air—came to greet us.
"It's an honor to receive such esteemed guests. I hope you have a wonderful time here."
Sharp as a tack. The owner had figured out who I was.
The owner personally explained the store's clothes to me and Eirin.
"Though our shop is in Reinhime, we carry the latest trends from the capital..."
"Hold on. Keep the explanation short. I'm here to buy a gift for this maid. Not commoner clothes. Dresses fit for noble ladies."
And I added,
"I want a quiet shopping experience, so I'll rent out the place for a bit. I want to select gifts calmly."
"Understood, Young Lord Julian."
At those words, Eirin looked more surprised than I did.
"A gift, you say, Young Master?"
"That's what I said. Is it strange?"
"No. Perhaps you're planning a new... no, surely conceiving a new work of art."
I could see Eirin changing the subject due to the onlookers.
'A bit guilty, yeah. I did have expectations, but... this is also a gift for Eirin, who's suffered so much because of Julian.'
I set aside those ulterior motives for now and quickly bought a trait from the system.
User Advanced Trait Unlocked 50 GP consumed to unlock Julian's advanced trait.
* Trait: Artist with Aesthetic Sense (B)
Grants the aesthetic sense of an ordinary artist.
* Mana Cost:10 MP per hour
A whopping 50 GP trait this time. Compared to the 10 GP Ordinary Noble Scion last time, that's five times as much.
'Probably because Julian's aesthetic sense is so abysmal. Even same B-rank traits get classified as advanced.'
But it'll be useful going forward, so no regrets.
With this trait, I diligently selected clothes for Eirin. Viewing them through the trait confirmed this was a high-class store.
I focused on dresses commonly worn by noble ladies, picking carefully.
'Better prepare in advance. When attending nobles' parties at the academy, if Eirin wears her usual maid outfit, she'll get looked down on.'
In other words, a gift for Eirin, but also preparation for the future.
With the aesthetic trait, I planned to have her try on everything I picked.
'And if possible... use that as an excuse for the fitting room too.'
As that sordid impulse surged, I barely reined it in. That's when I noticed Eirin's expression was off from usual.
She looked urgent and anxious.
"What's wrong, Eirin? Is the gift too much?"
"Ah... no. It's just."
"Just what? What's the matter? Speak up."
"I have one request."
Suddenly, Eirin tugged my sleeve lightly and led me to a corner of the store. She pointed to a dress hanging there.
"I know it's an unreasonable ask, but... could you buy this for me?"
I looked at the dress Eirin indicated.
It was a pitch-black dress with an brazenly revealing design, like something a salon prostitute might wear.