Marian followed me behind the curtain and helped me out of the dress.
“It’s pretty, though. He’s just teasing you for no reason, isn’t he?”
I paused while untying the laces and glanced at the mirror.
It was a pale yellow dress with a skirt puffed out by a crinoline, the hem rippling whenever I moved.
The neckline above the bust was intricately decorated with red frills, and gemstones the same color as rubies were scattered here and there.
And since my hair was almost red, too… a cream puff cake topped with strawberries. He was right.
Honestly, that man always knew how to leave me with no comeback.
“I’ll try on something else…”
And so, I tried on the dresses that had been prepared one after another.
I think I tried just about every color, from navy blue and green to teal.
It was only when I emerged wearing a wine-colored dress that Rashak’s gaze changed slightly.
The design featured layer upon layer of pure white lace laid over wine-colored fabric.
The frills encircling the neck, the thin ribbon neatly tied at the bust, and even the single gemstone attached to the bodice had all been arranged with such painstaking care that it was almost excessive.
The silver-thread embroidery shimmered softly under the lights, and the blue gemstone set in the center of the ribbon was unmistakably an expensive sapphire.
In short, overall…
It’s too much!
My red hair already made me stand out, and if I wore this, everyone around me would undoubtedly turn to stare.
Marian had even let down all my hair, which she usually kept half tied back, making me even more conspicuous.
Rashak was probably thinking the same thing.
His gaze remained fixed on me. He was definitely trying to think of another way to tease me…
“We’ll take this one.”
“What?!”
I was so startled that my voice came out louder than I intended. Rashak, however, remained perfectly composed.
“It suits you best. What do you think, Marian?”
“I agree. It completely transforms your entire look, My lady.”
“See? She says it suits you.”
Of course she would! The shop owner only cared about making a sale! Just look at those gemstones, that ribbon, and all that red. How could anyone call this anything but excessive?
“Shall we just have you wear it out? There isn’t much time left before the performance.”
“Wait… Just a moment, Boss. Could we… um, talk in private? Just the two of us?”
When I gave him a pleading look, Rashak’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He soon nodded, and Marian and the other employees disappeared from sight.
Even after we were alone, I hesitated before approaching him and whispering in a low voice.
“She’s just trying to make a sale…!”
“I doubt that.”
“Look at the silver thread and the gemstones…! Even the fabric alone must have cost a fortune. You can’t just buy a dress like this for fun!”
“For fun?”
He smiled.
“I’m not buying it to tease you, Hiel.”
There was amusement in his eyes. But… there was no trace of mischief.
I smoothed the skirt before speaking.
“But you said I looked like a cake earlier…”
“You really did.”
“This one is a little… excessive, isn’t it? There’s so much red…”
“I like it. It reminds me of a rose garden.”
He glanced at the voluminous skirt.
“And if you spill wine on it, no one will even notice.”
“You’re teasing me again…”
“That was a joke.”
He stepped closer and whispered in my ear.
“It really suits you. I mean it.”
I turned to look at myself in the mirror.
The dress itself was… yes, it really was beautiful. But it felt unfamiliar. I had never worn anything like it before.
That made me think of Rashak’s home. Not a single piece of furniture there was inexpensive.
Some of the decorations had left me wondering what on earth they were even for, but… none of it felt excessive.
It certainly looked expensive. But it wasn’t tacky, nor did anything feel out of place in that space.
“So, this one?”
He spoke softly as he watched my thoughtful expression.
I was just about to trust his judgment and nod when a clear bell rang, followed by Marian’s voice.
“Welcome! Oh my, Lady Renoa. What brings you here today?”
Before I even had time to wonder whether it was someone with the same name, she answered.
“You know that dress I picked out last time? I came to buy it. I want to wear it before going to the Grand Theater.”
There was no mistaking that voice. It belonged to my younger sister, Renoa.
“My fiancé said he’d buy it for me.”
“So you must be the fiancé she’s been bragging about! I didn’t get to meet you when she had her wedding dress fitted. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Marian Veloz.”
For an instant, I felt my entire body go rigid.
I couldn’t move even a single step.
A wedding dress…
“Hiel.”
“…Ah, yes, Boss.”
“Take this one. And wear it out of here.”
I managed to nod.
That was the most I could express at that moment.
I needed to focus all my attention on blocking out the sound of Renoa’s voice coming from outside.
“Sit and wait here. I’ll go talk to Marian.”
Even then, my legs refused to move.
Rashak gently took hold of my wrist.
“Hold on to me and try moving slowly.”
His warmth seemed to seep into me little by little, beginning at my fingertips.
I did as he guided me.
Clutching his hand tightly, I moved my feet with great care.
I prayed that nothing else would happen to throw my heart into turmoil.
But, as always, Renoa betrayed my expectations.
The door suddenly flew open without any warning.
“Excuse me for a moment. I need to talk to—”
Renoa stopped in her tracks as she barged into the room.
Her gaze swept over my dress first, then flicked between Rashak’s face and mine before settling on my dress once more.
She looked utterly incredulous.
“What…? It was you, Sister? You’re the one buying that dress?”
Her tone practically screamed, Someone like you?
It was a familiar way of speaking.
But the man standing beside me…
“Did I ever give you permission to open that door, Marian?”
His chillingly deep voice made even me flinch.
Marian, who had been standing behind Renoa, hurried into the room and bowed repeatedly.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“The debt you owe me from last time isn’t exactly insignificant, is it?”
“I’m truly sorry! I-I’ll take care of it immediately!”
Trembling, Marian grabbed Renoa by the arm.
She gave her a desperate look that clearly said to leave at once, but this was Renoa, after all. She stood her ground stubbornly.
Then she openly scrutinized Rashak.
“Come to think of it, you’re that man I saw at my sister’s house back then.”
When Allen entered right after her, the atmosphere became as tense as walking across a sheet of thin ice.
Allen stiffened the moment he spotted me.
Then his gaze fell on the hand Rashak and I were holding, and a small tendon stood out along his jaw.
But Rashak didn’t even give Allen a chance to speak.
“Get out. Both of you.”
Renoa let out a disbelieving laugh as she resisted Marian’s efforts to usher her away.
“Ha! Why should I?”
She even shook Marian off forcefully.
Then she strolled into the room as if she owned the place, sat down on the sofa, and crossed her legs.
As though she were the one in charge here.
“There’s nothing wrong with me being here, is there? We’re family. Aren’t we, Sister? Besides, I have something to discuss with you.”
Regardless of how pale Marian’s face had become, she continued speaking.
“That dress you’re wearing, Sister? I’d actually picked it out for myself. And Allen said he’d buy it for me today.”
“……”
“So I’d like you to take it off. It’s not like you have any money anyway. I’m a little uncomfortable with you having worn it, but… I want it that badly, so I suppose I have no choice.”
Her usual sharp, spiteful tone.
But at that moment, what I felt wasn’t so much irritation as… worry.
Renoa had openly ignored Rashak’s order and barged into the room.
There was no way that man would just let this slide…
“Who says she has no money?”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Of course.
“…I was talking to my sister.”
“I was the one planning to buy it, so you can talk to me instead.”
With that, Rashak approached Renoa.
His footsteps echoed steadily, and with each one, my heart seemed to pound harder.
He looked down at Renoa and asked,
“So, who is it that has no money?”
Rashak’s tall, broad frame cast a dark shadow over her.
It wasn’t just because I was a coward. Rashak genuinely had one of the most terrifying auras of anyone I had ever met.
Surely even Renoa would be intimidated by him…
“Oh, I see you have quite a bit of money, then?”
Wow…
You really are insane.
“L-Lady Renoa…!”
Marian was just as horrified. She looked as though she might faint on the spot.
Allen, however, remained calm. He watched Rashak warily, but didn’t intervene.
…That was only possible because he had no idea who Rashak really was.
“What kind of business do you run to have so much money?”
Renoa continued to taunt him even further.
In this hair-trigger situation, without telling what might happen next, a cruel smile spread across Rashak’s lips.
“Want to know?”
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