Chapter 50
Meanwhile, Aveline, completely unaware of what misconceptions Serio was having, was just coming out of her father’s study.
“Miss!”
Yoni, who had been standing in the corridor looking flustered, spotted Aveline and came running over.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well…”
When the confused Aveline asked, Yoni pointed somewhere with a troubled expression.
At the end of Yoni’s outstretched finger, unfamiliar people were moving enormous gift bundles.
“…What is all that?”
“They said it’s from Sharon Salon…”
“Sharon Salon?”
Aveline tilted her head at the familiar-sounding name, then quickly remembered.
‘Isn’t that where I went with Duke Ribes yesterday?’
But why did they come from there?
With an ominous feeling creeping in, Aveline hurriedly grabbed one of the strangers moving the gifts.
“What is all this?”
“These are the items Duke Ribes paid for at our shop yesterday.”
“…Duke Ribes?”
“Yes. We were just about to escort you anyway, so this works out well. Shall we go?”
“No, wait…!”
Before Aveline could resist, she was led away by the salon employee’s hand.
“Lead the way! Quickly!”
The salon employee urged Aveline along, moving rapidly.
Bewildered, Aveline led the salon employee to her room and felt dizzy at the scene spread out in her room.
“All of this was sent by Duke Ribes?”
“Yes.”
No, this didn’t seem like something to answer so simply.
For that, her previously empty room was now packed without space to step.
“These are clothes roughly fitted by eye, so could you help us take accurate measurements?”
From the pile of splendid clothes, the madam she had seen at the salon last time walked out gracefully.
The madam exuded an aura that didn’t fall behind even among the splendid clothes.
“Gasp.”
“As expected, my eye for measurements is perfect. How can everything fit so perfectly?”
Bewildered, Aveline was dragged behind a partition and had to demonstrate the remarkable feat of changing into numerous outfits in a short time under the madam’s direction.
“This is for banquets, this is just for light outings, this isn’t particularly fancy attire but it’s for appealing that I naturally have good sense… and this is for the ‘everyone’s looking at me but I don’t know it!’ concept banquet outfit, and…”
“…Why do outfits have so many different purposes?”
At Aveline’s question, asked while tired from changing, the madam looked shocked.
“Outfits perfectly suited to situations are also one of the good means to express yourself. You can see with your eyes without having to open your mouth. What kind of resolve I have in being at this place.”
The madam, who had revealed her clear outfit philosophy, only released Aveline after measuring the last outfit.
“Is it finally over?”
“Yes. Since we measured your shoe size at the salon yesterday, we don’t need to measure again.”
“…Shoes?”
Just these outfits alone seemed like they would burst the wardrobe, and there’s more?
When Aveline’s round eyes widened, the madam pointed to one side of the room.
“Like what you bought yesterday, I chose mainly comfortable ones for your feet. The duke specifically requested it. He said he hoped your shoes would be comfortable. Oh, but that absolutely doesn’t mean the designs are behind the times.”
Listening to the madam’s words, Aveline’s feelings became complicated.
‘He’s being this considerate?’
Just noticing that her feet hurt without her saying it directly had already made her feelings complicated, but hearing that he had deliberately chosen comfortable shoes as gifts doubled her confusion.
“This expression right now…”
The madam, observing Aveline’s face, nodded as if realizing something.
“You’re moved.”
“Me?”
Aveline asked back about an emotion she hadn’t thought of at all.
“I’ve survived with this intuition until now. I had to notice what customers wanted or didn’t want even if they didn’t express it directly.”
“…”
Finishing her words, the madam turned around and pulled out one outfit from among the clothes Aveline had been diligently trying on.
“Here, this is an outfit to wear when you need to reveal honest feelings to someone you can’t be honest with. It looks natural without looking dressed up.”
“There are such clothes too?”
“I told you outfits are also resolve.”
The madam’s endlessly splendid outfit caught her eye as she emphasized again.
“Thank you. Um…, your resolve is wonderful too.”
“Of course. My outfit should be the most splendid among the clothes I sell. That’s my resolve.”
The madam smiled brightly at Aveline’s words and raised her hands to clap loudly twice.
“Finish up!”
“Yes!”
At the madam’s shout, the salon employees began moving in perfect order.
Amazingly, it didn’t take long for Aveline’s room to become neat and tidy as before.
“My purpose is finished, so I’ll take my leave now. Please come find me anytime you need help with outfits.”
“Take care.”
With Aveline’s farewell, the madam and salon employees all rushed out of the mansion.
Finally alone in the quiet room, Aveline leaned against the sofa as if collapsing.
“What’s all this commotion since morning?”
Then Ares’ voice came from above Aveline’s head.
“I clearly told you to knock when entering my room—”
“It was open!”
When Aveline grabbed any cushion from the sofa, Ares was startled and made excuses.
“Really?”
The salon people must have forgotten to close the door when they left earlier.
When Aveline quietly loosened her grip on the cushion, Ares visibly relaxed.
“So, what is it?”
Then he sat facing Aveline on the opposite sofa.
“Duke Ribes sent gifts from the salon.”
“Salon?”
Ares’ expression subtly hardened upon hearing Aveline’s words.
However, Aveline continued speaking without caring about her brother’s expression.
“And the documents you were supposed to steal, I decided to do it.”
“What?”
At the following words, Ares jumped up.
“Do you think that’s easy? What if things just get worse for no reason!”
“Realistically, it’s easier for me to approach Duke Ribes than you.”
“…”
At Aveline’s point, Ares reluctantly kept his mouth shut with a displeased expression.
“Anyway, keep that in mind. Now I need to change clothes, so get out.”
Having finished what she had to say, Aveline dusted off her hands and stood up.
“Why change clothes? Where are you going?”
Ares stood up following his sister and asked.
To this, Aveline revealed the plan she had made when briefly alone.
“I’m planning to visit Duke Ribes’ mansion.”
“…What?”
Ares’ mouth fell open as if it was completely unexpected.
In fact, it was a somewhat impulsive decision for Aveline too.
Perhaps she had made this decision because of what the madam had said earlier.
-You’re moved.
She couldn’t tell exactly what it was because of.
That he understood the discomfort of wearing shoes that didn’t fit?
Could it be just because of that?
‘I need to go see his face directly and confirm.’
Exactly what emotion was filling her heart right now.
Moreover, like the conversation she had with her father earlier, she also wanted to visit his house and look around for places where documents might be.
“Did you send a visiting letter?”
“No?”
“You’re just going?”
“Yes.”
At Aveline’s confident answer, Ares shook his head.
“I’ve never heard of Duke Ribes receiving guests until now.”
“…It’ll work out somehow.”
Though she answered confidently, hearing Ares’ words made Aveline belatedly worried.
‘What if I go and just have to come back?’
That would be embarrassing in its own way.
However, she soon changed her mind.
‘No. To maintain the concept that he’s currently courting me, he would at least let me in.’
He would be aware that there are many watching eyes.
“Get out.”
Having finished thinking, Aveline hurriedly kicked out her brother.
She had come after all.
Getting out of the carriage, Aveline felt overwhelmed standing before the massive iron gate.
Since Theron’s mansion was on the outskirts of the capital, after the carriage left, Aveline was alone standing on the road.
“Ahem.”
She had come, but.
She was torn between wondering if this was the right thing to do and how to open this massive iron gate and enter.
“I can tell it’s huge even without going in.”
She couldn’t even see the mansion from the entrance.
This alone made her guess that the distance to reach the mansion would be tremendous.
She didn’t know there was a mansion of this scale besides the imperial palace.
“Your Grace!”
She shouted, hoping some nearby servant would hear.
…
However, all that returned was quiet silence.
‘Should I have really sent a letter first?’
Wasn’t this too impulsive a choice?
She felt slight regret.
“Sigh.”
If only this iron gate wasn’t this enormously large, she would have shaken it noisily to announce her presence.
It was when Aveline placed her hand on the iron gate while grumbling internally.
Clank.
A tingling current like static electricity shot out from Aveline’s hand, and the massive iron gate opened by itself.
“…Did I open it?”
The tingling sensation still remained in her palm.
“Or did someone open it knowing I came?”
She didn’t forget to look around just in case.
However, she couldn’t sense any presence around.
