Then, my father’s voice echoed from the foot of the stairs.

“Lord Kardien, the carriage is ready. Please come down. I took out some of the tea I saved for you. It’s called ‘Mixregal’, I bought it when I traveled abroad half a year ago. I had a hard time finding it, but it tastes great!  If you add sugar and milk to it, it tastes like honey. It’s so great I drink it after every meal. I highly recommend it.”

Only then did I realize why he had come.

“You didn’t come to see me, but my Father?”

My face burned slightly at the thought of me misunderstanding his intent.

I rushed to say something to hide my embarrassment.

“You and my father are unexpectedly close. But it’s hard to speak to my father. He’s a little talkative. If you can’t stand it, just say something like, ‘Marquis, do you know what the chicken’s wife is called?”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“It’s a code phrase. It may make my father a little sad, but it’s better than your eardrums bursting. Well then, I’ll get going now.”

Click Clack Click

The moment I was about to pass him—

“Lady Pernia, I am not here to retrieve money from you or to make friends with the Marquis. I…” He continued.

“I came here because I missed you.”

What did I just hear?

I didn’t understand, perhaps my ears were broken?

I stared at him, stunned, not even thinking of closing my gaping mouth.

His slightly flushed face looked shy but his red eyes shone with clarity.

It wasn’t a joke. He meant it.

The moment I realized, my face grew hot.

I looked at him as looking at a fool and said, “It’s only been a week since we last met.”

Lucian’s face filled with resentment.

“It’s already been a week.”

“…”

The difference between ‘only’ and ‘already’.

Only one word was exchanged in each of our statements, but the difference in meaning produced made it clear how we both felt in this moment.

As soon as I understood that, the corners of my mouth crept up without me realizing it.

I covered my mouth with my hands to hide the frivolously encroaching smile.

‘What to do. This is making me happy.’

I guess he liked me more than I thought.

I really wanted to say, “Oh, yeah? Do you want Pernia to play with you?”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t risk it now.

After barely managing to lower my curving lips, I looked him in the eye and said, “Oh, I see. But it will be difficult to spend some time with you at the moment. I have to go out now.”

“May I ask where are you going?”

“I arranged to go shopping with a friend.”

I thought he’d understand but he looked at me with doubtful eyes and asked.

“I heard that the lady doesn’t have any friends.”

……..Look here.

In the past, I would have shed years due to his manner of fact and merciless manner, but it was different now.

Because that’s not true.

“I just got one, a friend! We were on the same page, got along, and decided to meet, shop, and exchange diaries.”

As I boasted, Lucian muttered, “Exchange diaries,” with a look on his face that couldn’t believe what he just heard.

Then he said.

“I wonder who could become such close friends with the lady. It would be nice if you could introduce them to me too.”

He spoke with such a friendly expression, but why did my spine feel a chill?

I swallowed, sensing something was amiss.

‘In fact, my best friend was someone you can’t even look directly at because you love her so much. Are you jealous?’

Is something that I can’t say.

Yeah, it won’t work.

But contrary to my thoughts, Lucian asked one more time.

“Tell me, my lady. What kind of person are they?”

In that moment, my eyes quivered and I was stumped on how to answer.

“Lord Kardien, why aren’t you coming down?”

Suddenly, my father appeared and popped his head into the room.

Good timing!

However, my father, who arrived so pompously just a moment before, seemed to feel the peculiar ominous energy surrounding myself and Lucian.

“You must be having an important discussion with Pernia. I’ll take my leave, you should finish up your conversation first and come down after.”

‘You can’t disappear like that, Father!’ 

I shouted a magic spell at my father, who was backing away.

“Father, why don’t you tell Lord Kardien your love story? It’s the perfect spring day to do so.”

‘Love story.’

That is a taboo word that anyone who knew my father should never blurt out.

Even Anne, who was listening to our conversation quietly in the corner, covered her mouth with a pale face.

As expected, the look in my father’s eyes changed.

My father glided back into the room and spoke in a shrill voice.

“Ah, so I haven’t told Lord Kardien that story yet. I can’t believe I have yet to tell such an important tale to my son-in-law…”

My father shook his head and turned to face Lucian.

Lucian noticed the unusual demeanor and his shoulders flinched, but it was already too late.

Father’s Too-Much-Talk attack has started.

“Lord Kardien is about to get married, so you’d better listen closely. Hearing other people’s love stories is a good guide to your own. Now, where should I start? Yes, the beginning of my love began when I was five years old. The nanny who took care of me, Efrenda, had a daughter the same age as me. Her name was Anna, and so…blah blah blah.”

This was my father’s lethal move which occupied 48 hours from start to finish.

Lucian’s gaze turned to me at the beginning of his unexpected bombardment, but I turned a blind eye.

‘I’m sorry, Lucian.’

But I have to go.

Because…..

“Miss NIa, there you are.”

The lovely Estelle is waiting for me!

────── 〔✿〕 ──────

I approached Estelle who was standing in front of the fountain, waving her hand.

“I’m sorry I’m late, something came up. You must have waited a long time.”

“Not at all. It’s fine if it’s you, Miss Nia. Did something big come up?”

….Something big indeed did come up.

From Lucian’s point of view, it would be something big. In fact, it’s a serious disaster.

I laughed hard, despite my conscience pricking me within.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing big.”

“That’s a relief.”

Estelle smiled sweetly like a little girl.

‘Pretty.’

Meeting Estelle on a sunny street, not in the Imperial City, nor the Medical Center, was just lovely.

Even though she wore an extremely plain beige dress and old shoes, she still looked so lovely, it’s sad that there were no cameras in this world.

‘Is there nowhere else I can save this sight except for my head?’

Estelle’s ears reddened with my gaze.

She looked at me shyly and said, “You’re wearing makeup? You look good when you dress up, Miss Nia.”

“Miss Estelle too, the blue ribbon is a perfect match with your pale skin.”

Starting with that, we began to praise each other like an unbridled colt.

“But my face is a little puffy, right? I was so hungry last night I ate a piece of bread before I went to bed.”

“Oh, not at all. I couldn’t tell. You look the same as always. Doesn’t my lip color stand out too much? It’s a lipstick I got as a gift, but the color is so dark. Maybe I shouldn’t have worn it.”

“No. It looks good on you.”

Yes, this is it.

Exchanging-compliments-with-your-bestfriend time!

I felt really good because of the endless barrage of long-missed compliments.

After a long chain of exchanging praise, we were able to get down to business.

“What kind of dress would you like, Miss Estelle? If you’re going to wear it all four seasons, the silk will be nice, but I think muslin would be good because it will get hot soon. I also think it’d be better for it to fit your body rather than having too many layers. What do you think, Miss Estelle?”

Estelle hesitated as she fiddled her fingers, then made a surprising confession.

“Actually, I don’t know anything about dresses. It’s my first time buying a dress myself.”

‘Culture shock.’

“It’s your first time buying a dress?”

I asked with a perplexed face. “Then how did you choose the dress you’ve been wearing?”

“The priest gave it to me as a gift.”

The shabby dress wasn’t picked up from somewhere, but it was a gift?

That part was more surprising.

‘Damn it, priests. If you’re going to give someone a present, you should choose it properly.’ 

Estelle carefully continued to mumble.

“And I have one more thing to tell you. I broke the piggy bank I save money in, but it’s not that much. I don’t know if I’ll be able to buy a proper dress with it.”

Luckily, this part was expected, so I proclaimed proudly.

“Don’t worry. I know a cheap dress shop.”

“Really?”

“Yes, trust me!”

────── 〔✿〕 ──────

We passed by the row of fancy dress shops on the streets of the capital.

There were shops lined up with small sign boards in a back alleyway a little ways off the beaten path.

Estelle widened her round eyes.

“There’s a place like this?”

“Anyone can become a famous designer, but not everyone can buy expensive dresses. If you can find a corner shop, you can get a nice dress at a reasonable price.”

After thinking about what store we should go to, I chose a shabby building with no sign hanging.

When I opened the rusty door and entered the store, Estelle whispered.

“Isn’t this the way to the dump?”