Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Shopping
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Bella repeatedly picked up clothes and put them down.
"Hmm. How about this one?"
"It suits you well."
"Hmm... What about this one versus that one?"
"Both suit you well."
"...Blanche."
"Yes, Miss."
"Look at it seriously and tell me. If everything you show me suits me, I can't decide."
"I am being serious. Everything suits you, Miss."
"You're just saying that...
The place where Bella and Blanche were shopping was the oldest department store in the imperial capital.
However, it had recently undergone remodeling and reopened as a clean, modern space.
Bella and Blanche had arrived right at opening time, but the store was already packed with people.
The reason for the crowd was the same as theirs.
It was the remodeling commemorative sale.
"Look at this, Blanche. This blouse is 70 off."
"I see."
"If there's anything you want, just tell me. I can buy you one or two outfits. Hehe."
"Miss... If I may, isn't our budget a bit tight?"
At Blanche's worried question, Bella puffed out her chest and said,
"Hehehe... I've been saving my allowance for a day like this!"
"Miss, you didn't take your next month's allowance early, did you?"
"Shh! Even if I become rich someday, today's sale won't come again!"
"......"
"Your pretty face is all scrunched up. Relax a bit. Oh! This dress would look good on you, Blanche, don't you think?"
"No. It wouldn't suit me."
"Hmm..."
Bella scanned Blanche up and down.
In a word, a cool beauty.
Tall with long limbs, giving her perfect proportions.
Her posture was straight, like a mannequin standing there.
However, the sad truth was that despite her superior figure, Blanche was dressed in baggy tracksuit pants.
She wore a suit while working at the mansion, so it hadn't been an issue, but on weekends like this when she wore casual clothes, problems arose.
Her only casual outfit was this one tracksuit.
Bella had felt people's stares since entering the department store.
Some were directed at her, but others at Blanche.
Especially Blanche, who drew more stares from women than men.
A beauty with few words and minimal expressions.
That gave her an oddly alluring aura.
Of course, the fact that such a beauty was wearing a tracksuit made her stand out even more.
In the luxury section of the department store, no less!
She was the only woman dressed so sloppily here.
First things first, I need to do something about that tracksuit...!
"Blanche."
"Yes, Miss."
"It's the weekend, but you're still so stiff?"
"I'm on weekend duty right now. Of course, I get overtime pay."
"Really? And you still came in a tracksuit?"
"I left my work clothes at the laundry. It's my only set, so I have to on weekends."
"Sigh... Fine, since you're working, I'll give you an order."
"Yes. What is it?"
"Right now, pick out something suitable here and try it on. I'll buy it for you."
"......May I refuse?"
Hmm?
Blanche, who was always a yes-man, was showing dislike for the first time.
Bella smiled inwardly and said,
"No. It's an order."
"......Understood."
Blanche reluctantly nodded and began looking at clothes.
If she had ears and a tail, they'd probably be drooping.
'Hehe... So cute, our Blanche.'
Still, it was a huge improvement compared to when they first met.
Back then, she really seemed like a machine.
Bella remembered the girl who did her work silently without showing any emotion.
"Miss... I picked one."
"Let me see."
The outfit Blanche held out uncertainly was, as expected from the luxury section, made of high-end material... a tracksuit?!
"No, why is there a tracksuit in the luxury section? And Blanche, how did you even find this?"
"I used elimination. Excluding clothes that seemed least suitable for me left only this. But it's too expensive..."
"No, no. No way. I won't accept this. Pick again."
"Miss..."
"No, wait. I'll pick for you myself. Follow me. I don't want people saying I can't dress my bodyguard properly."
"Ah, Miss...!"
Bella grabbed Blanche's hand and plunged into the crowd.
It was like a general charging into enemy lines.
"Welcome, Tristan."
As the door opened, Tristan's uncle and guardian, Arthur Ruelverta, spread his arms in welcome.
"How is it? This is the department store the family just acquired. We remodeled everything."
"......Not bad."
I glanced around the department store.
Chandeliers sparkled on the high ceiling, and young nobles were admiring the displayed goods here and there.
Its size rivaled a large shopping mall in the real world.
"Right? As you can see, we put products tailored to young nobles' needs at the entrance. They can't just pass by. Uhahaha."
Arthur looked quite pleased.
As expected of the Ruelverta familyeager about making money.
Gone was the stern facade; he was just a chatty old man now.
"Pick whatever you want. Of course, pay for it."
Just buy it with money...
"Oh? And you brought a new face I haven't seen?"
"Ah, h-hello..."
Wendy bowed politely to Arthur.
"I-I'm the Count's exclusive maid... Wendy..."
"What? Tristan, what's this? Didn't you say you weren't hiring exclusive servants?"
"......I needed one, so I did."
"I see. Wendy, was it?"
Arthur bent down to look at Wendy.
"Y-Yes!"
"Pick whatever you want here too."
"R-Really...?"
"Of course, pay for it."
"Eek!?"
Seeing that, Arthur burst into laughter.
"Puhahaha! Tristan, you hired a fun one. Where did you find her?"
Arthur patted my shoulder.
In this situation, it felt nostalgic.
In the original story, Arthur Ruelverta gets assassinated by Tristan.
Seeing him alive and laughing happily like this.
"Ah, that was a joke earlier, Wendy. Pick whatever you want. I won't make you pay."
"B-But..."
"Don't worry. This guy will cover it."
This old geezer?
I was here to buy what Wendy needed anyway, even without him saying it.
I said to the flustered Wendy,
"Yeah. Pick anything you like here."
"C-Count..."
"Pick something befitting an exclusive maid of the Ruelverta family. As my exclusive, she needs the dignity to match. I'll test your eye for it here, Wendy."
...
"A t-test?!"
"Yes."
"...
"O-Okay! I won't disappoint you, Count!"
Good. Spirited, I like it.
Wendy, about to take a step, suddenly stopped as if remembering something.
"Um, C-Count... This is my first time in a place like this, so..."
She glanced at me slyly and asked,
"By any chance... what's the budget...?"
So innocently naive.
I sighed and answered,
"No budget needed."
"Huh?"
"Everything you see here belongs to the Ruelverta family."
"Blanche. Are you done yet?"
"I've put it on, but..."
Swish!
Bella drew the changing room curtain.
"Heh... See? It suits you perfectly."
"......Is that so?"
Blanche was wearing a black dress with a plunging back.
"Yeah, you could come to the party with me like this."
"......Dressed like this, it'd be hard to protect you, Miss."
Blanche examined the dress.
It clung tightly to her body, exposing her thighs.
Somehow more embarrassing than wearing nothing.
"It's fine. I'm not dressing you to protect me."
"If it's not for protection...?"
"This is a gift for our Blanche, who keeps wasting her looks. When a guy who catches your eye shows up later, try wearing it. Hehe. I guarantee any man would fall for you at first sight."
"Is that... so?"
"Yes. Just trust your big sis, Blanche."
Bella stroked Blanche's hair and smiled.
Blanche nodded silently.
Sometimes, the things Miss said were hard for her to understand.
Like how women need to take care of their looks, play hard to get, act demure, and so on.
Things difficult for Blanche to grasp.
Each time, Blanche thought,
She could never be like Miss.
Not as beautiful, not feminine, didn't know how to dress up.
Above all, she couldn't be as confident as Bella...
"Don't change out of it. Wear it like this."
"Ah, Miss?"
She'd spoken louder than intended.
Amused by the sight, Bella giggled at her.
"Hehe... Why? Should I make it an order?"
"No... I'll wear it."
"That's our Blanche. Hehe. Excuse me, could you ring this up?"
Blanche silently watched Bella like that.
She wanted to keep watching over this Bella forever.
For Bella's smile, she could do anything.
As she turned her head with that thought,
A twisting in her gut.
She had to grit her teeth.
'That man... why is he here?'
Blanche's superhuman eyesight spotted the man in the distant crowd.
Fat, dirty, wretched man.
Bella's ex-fiancé, the man Blanche hated most, was right there ahead.
Blanche couldn't stay still.
"Miss..."
"Yeah?"
"Sorry, but may I use the restroom for a moment?"