Chapter 82
“It’s my first time hearing about it. The territory I lived in was so rural that it was hard to even hear the names of such salons.”
Damn the Fordley Barony, but it was helpful at times like this.
She could gloss over most of her ignorance with ‘I lived in the countryside.’
Kylus’s eyebrow raised slightly.
“So you know secrets others don’t, but don’t know facts that everyone else does.”
Kylus whispered in a low voice.
But his voice was so low that Alice couldn’t hear him properly.
What did he say?
Alice asked Kylus again.
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.”
Kylus lowered his raised eyebrow and shook his head slightly.
But his expression just now seemed quite meaningful.
Surely he didn’t just call me stupid.
As Alice’s eyes narrowed, a carriage prepared at the mansion entrance came to a stop.
As Alice turned towards the carriage, Kylus approached from the side and elegantly extended his hand.
“Shall we go then, my lady?”
“…Alright.”
Taking Kylus’s hand, which she was now accustomed to, Alice boarded the carriage with him.
Madame Rosewell’s dress shop was on Vicente Street, so it didn’t take much time by carriage.
However, regardless of the quick arrival, Alice felt bewildered as soon as she got out of the carriage.
It was because of Kylus.
“Just me alone?”
Alice asked again, wondering if she had heard Kylus correctly.
Kylus nodded with a nonchalant face.
“Yes. Alice, please go to the dress shop first. I have somewhere I need to visit briefly.”
“Wait, didn’t you have business here, Your Grace?”
“Here?”
Kylus asked back, as if finding it somehow absurd.
If anyone should find this absurd, it’s me.
“Yes. I thought we came here to have your clothes fitted.”
The most famous dress salon in the capital. And since Kylus was the one who suggested going out, she naturally thought he had business here.
As Alice spoke confidently, Kylus stifled a laugh.
“Alice, you really don’t know anything about this place, do you? I can’t believe you haven’t even heard the name of the most famous women’s clothing designer in the empire.”
Women’s clothing designer…?
Alice hesitated and glanced at the shop behind Kylus.
[Madame Rosewell]
Below the ornate sign, the mannequins inside the shop were faintly visible.
Despite the distance, it was clear that all the clothes on the mannequins were dresses.
“Ah…”
Women’s clothing…
She thought the dress salon didn’t distinguish between men and women.
But to think it’s the most famous women’s clothing designer in the empire.
Alice pulled out her trump card once again.
“The place I lived was such a remote countryside…”
“…I see.”
Alice asked with an awkward smile.
“Then why… did we come here?”
“Obviously, to have clothes made for Alice.”
“My… clothes?”
She already had quite a few clothes. She had brought some from the Fordley Barony, and although some were given by that woman Quillian, many were fine to wear.
“…Soon there will be a royal hunting competition. Besides that, you’ll be attending various parties with me from now on. So the dresses you have now won’t be enough.”
It was something Alice hadn’t thought of.
After all, for the next year, she would be the Duchess of Dearrut.
She would inevitably have to attend major events and parties.
Even more so if Kylus supports the Third Prince.
So the dresses she has now wouldn’t be appropriate for such occasions.
Although they were fine to wear, they weren’t of particularly high quality.
She had been so focused on thinking about future events that she hadn’t considered these subtle details.
But to think Kylus would take care of this.
He really is more considerate than he looks.
“Madame Rosewell’s skills are considered the best in the empire, so I’m sure she’ll satisfy your aesthetic sense as well.”
It was a kind remark, but Alice’s expression wasn’t very bright.
His thoughtful consideration was appreciated, but the fact remained that she had to go into that salon alone now.
If it was going to be like this… he could have at least let me bring Aileen or Rhonda.
Kylus had said they should go out alone because he had important business today.
That’s why Sienna had been so excited, talking about dates and such.
A dress salon run by the empire’s best women’s clothing designer.
All the reputable noble ladies and young ladies would use this place.
And usually, social power struggles take place in such places.
To think I have to enter alone into what’s no different from a battlefield without weapons.
Alice didn’t want to send away Kylus, who would have been a reliable shield. But she felt awkward about asking him to stay because she was scared.
Moreover, Kylus really seemed to have business elsewhere, as he took out his pocket watch to check the time.
“…Will you be back late?”
She asked, just in case, and he replied as he put the watch back in his coat pocket.
“I’ll be back soon. I’m just going to pick up something I had left. And don’t worry. I’ve sent a message to the salon madam in advance, so the noble ladies won’t tear you apart.”
Kylus let out a light laugh as he looked at Alice, as if he knew everything.
Feeling like her true feelings had been exposed, Alice rolled her eyes.
“No, I didn’t ask because of that… exactly…”
“I know. I just took precautions because I was worried about you. So enjoy your shopping at ease.”
“…Thank you.”
“Then I’ll be going now.”
Kylus gave a smooth smile and a greeting before getting back into the carriage.
As the carriage carrying him left, Alice turned towards the entrance of the salon.
The salon was a large three-story mansion.
Passing through an arch covered in flowering vines, there was a small garden.
And at the end of the stone path was the large door of the salon.
A golden doorknob.
From the entrance, it exuded an atmosphere that would intimidate any mediocre person from even attempting to open the door.
Don’t be intimidated.
It was no different from taking her first step into the social circles of the Pentaum Empire.
There were already many rumors about her circulating in society.
To avoid being disregarded at the many future parties, she needed to make a good first impression.
Alice straightened her back and opened the door.
Ding-.
As the clear bell sound from the door rang in her ears, Alice came face to face with a woman with light blue hair tied up.
“Duchess Dearrut, we’ve been expecting you.”
She bowed politely to Alice.
And at the nameless woman’s greeting, the gazes of the people sitting in the first-floor lobby and lounge all turned to Alice at once.
“Oh my, is that…”
“The one from those rumors…”
The sound of fans opening and whispers mixed together.
I wonder what those rumors are.
At this point, Alice was curious about the rumors about herself.
The woman who had straightened up gave her a bright smile.
“I’m Rylie, Madame Rosewell’s assistant. Originally, Madame was going to come out to greet you herself, but due to a sudden issue with another customer, I came out instead. My apologies, my lady.”
“That’s quite alright.”
Alice spoke softly with a benevolent smile.
Just like a real noblewoman.
“Thank you for your understanding. Then, shall we go up to the second floor right away? Tea and desserts have been prepared.”
“Let’s do that.”
Alice felt the intense gazes of the noble ladies, but she didn’t unnecessarily turn her attention towards them.
Whatever the rumors about her were, she was currently the lady of the Dearrut Duchy, so it wasn’t her place to greet them first.
With Lady Quillian gone, there’s no need to lower myself.
Alice went up to the second floor with Rylie, who was showing excessive kindness.
* * *
“You can’t imagine how surprised I was when I received a direct message from Duke Dearrut. In my over 30 years of running this salon, I’ve never had a husband personally send someone to ask me to take special care of his wife. Such an affectionate and considerate request, I was truly envious!”
“Haha, I see.”
Alice let out an awkward laugh as she watched Madame Rosewell make a fuss.
Madame Rosewell. She was quite a unique woman, unlike what Alice had imagined.
She was rather free-spirited, more like a gypsy than the owner of a salon.
Her dark brown hair was carelessly tied up, and the red dress she wore was quite daring.
It doesn’t even look like she’s wearing a corset.
She seemed like a very free spirit, unlike what you’d expect from the madam of a salon catering to noble ladies.
Of course, her talkativeness was as expected, if not more so.
“By the way, you’ve been eyeing my dress intently for a while now. Do you like this style?”
“Ah, it’s not that. It just looks comfortable without a corset, so I was looking at it.”
The dress Rosewell was wearing had a deep neckline and a slit up to the thigh.
It was a design oozing with sexiness, definitely not something that would suit Alice.
“Ah, I see the corsets have been uncomfortable for you. Well, they are quite suffocating things. If you’d like, I can make you dresses that don’t require corsets. Would you like to see some designs first?”
“That would be nice.”
“Oh my, look at me. I forgot to bring the design book. Would you mind waiting a moment, my lady?”
As Alice nodded, Rosewell hurriedly entered a curtained area next to the lounge.
In the meantime, Alice looked around the second floor, which she hadn’t had a chance to observe properly.
The second floor of the salon had both a place for taking measurements and a lounge for conversation.
Unlike the first floor, the lounge with its luxurious sofas had very wide spaces between the sofas, so there weren’t many of them.
It seemed like… a place reserved for only the most esteemed guests among the customers.
As Alice looked around, her eyes met with another guest who was already there.
A brown-haired noblewoman and a platinum blonde young lady who had been there before Alice arrived.
The two, who appeared to be mother and daughter, seemed to be quite high-ranking nobles.
Among them, it was the platinum blonde young lady whose gaze met Alice’s.
Crimson eyes.
While not as pretty as Sienna, she was still quite a lovely young lady.
As their gazes met precisely, it was awkward to look away, so Alice was about to give a polite nod when the young lady frowned and turned her head abruptly.
And then, in a voice that was not quiet,
“A dress without a corset, that’s something commoners wear… She’s not even trying to hide her lack of breeding.”
The words pierced Alice’s ears precisely.
What’s this? Is she picking a fight with me?
