C 109
Adam pulled Easter back as if he had seen my and Laurent's expressions sour.
"Don't act like a Casanova while you're on duty."
"Oh. I get it, I get it. Shall we go, milady?"
He waved his hand and looked at me.
"Hmm, yes."
I glanced at the overly excited knight and got on the carriage with everyone.
It didn't take long to reach the market where the commercial districts converged.
However, since the carriage was so conspicuous, we decided to get off and walk a bit before entering the commercial district.
"But what are you going to buy here?"
I smiled at Laurent's question. Today was the day to take care of things that had been postponed for a long time.
"Dad's birthday present! And a gift for Uncle Chronos."
I received birthday presents for the five years I was absent, but now that I think about it, I never took care of Dad's birthday presents.
"Because I looked at the calendar a while ago and it seemed like Dad's birthday was approaching."
So, this time, I will definitely give him a birthday present.
Mayla, the companion who took care of me in the past and disappeared after stabbing me in the back, said that the "Night of the New Moon" was my father's birthday, but I thought it was a lie at the time.
But it wasn't a lie. Dad's birthday that year was really that day.
"That day, I hit the back of my head."
Although I knew Mayla would do bad things, I pretended not to know because it was part of the original story.
But why was the mansion so quiet at that time? No matter what, it was the birthday of the youngest young master.
"Birthday?"
"Yes."
"Oh, now that I think about it, I heard about it this month. Duke Erno really hates celebrating his birthday..."
The three of them walked to the jewelry store and stopped.
"Yes...?"
"Yes, but I think he would be happy to receive anything from the lady."
Laurent laughed.
"Is that so?"
Well, I thought Dad would like anything I gave him. Still, I wanted to give something he could use often.
"But why does he hate it?"
"Well, I think it's better if you ask about that yourself."
Laurent spoke her words with a smile on her face. I looked at the knights, but they all reacted the same way.
"What happened?"
I became a little anxious.
"I have to make up for the value of five years for everything I haven't given."
"Five years?"
"Yes, so I'll buy five."
When I extended my five fingers, Laurent's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.
"May I take a single shot with that pose, milady?"
Then, with teary eyes, she discreetly took out the stone figurine and showed it to me.
Seeing the tears flowing, I felt that I shouldn't refuse.
I simply nodded in the same position, and she began to move and take pictures.
"Thank you, milady, you're an angel."
"An angel... Not really."
"No, you must be an angel. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. You're so lovely! You also have a kind heart! Arma must have made a mistake in creating a creature and giving it all the good things!"
I shyly nodded toward Laurent. I was very embarrassed and couldn't bear to listen any further.
"Let's go to the jewelry store first!"
As I arrived on the boutique street, noble and aristocratic ladies formed a crowd of people.
I moved my steps slowly, scanning with my eyes the various products displayed in the glass.
"Um, where was it?"
It was clearly in the novel.
A shop that looked like a pearl buried in the earth.
I asked Sharnae lightly, saying I was going to buy a gift for Dad, and Sharnae told me where to go.
It seemed to be Sharnae's usual boutique, but unlike other places, it was in poor condition, and the store was not eye-catching.
However, as I recalled, the value of this boutique skyrocketed at the same time Sharnae made her debut.
Although I was a fan of the heroine, it was a common cliché that there was a talented designer working in a run-down shop pushed by other competitors in the midst of a commercial street.
And when Sharnae wore her clothes and made her debut, interest in the store grew, and it quickly became a popular boutique.
"I should say something too."
That's why I asked Sharnae.
In the future, innovative and stunning dresses and accessories would appear, but the designer became the first assistant who listened to Sharnae's request, ignoring everything else.
"Miss."
Laurent opened her mouth, probably feeling anxious as I gradually approached the end of the street, a place where the crowds were sparse.
When I turned my head, Easter and Adam also looked puzzled.
"I think there are no more shops on this side, so why don't you try going back that way?"
"No, it's here. My sister Sharnae said it was right here."
"Lady Sharnae?"
"Yes."
Laurent nodded while wearing an unreliable expression.
Fortunately, as I walked a little further, I saw a shop almost hidden in a corner.
Unlike other boutiques adorned with flashy colors, the run-down hut-shaped shop certainly didn't attract attention.
"It's here."
"... Is it here?"
Laurent asked with a surprised expression.
"Yes, I'll go in."
"M-Milady... I think there are many interesting and pretty things there?"
Laurent crouched down with a tearful expression on her face and held onto my clothes. I shook my head firmly and pointed my finger at the shop.
"Laurent."
"Yes..."
"You can't judge something by its appearance if you want to be truly wealthy. Do you understand?"
Only by finding the invisible gem can a person truly become rich.
... It's a bit funny to say that after reading the cheat-filled sheet called 'Adopted.'
"Yes..."
Laurent obediently nodded while still showing an expression of disbelief and followed me.
Tiring-
The door opened with the soft sound of a bell. The brass bell swayed a few times, made more noise, and then quieted down.
"Ah, ah. Welco... Ouch!"
As the bell rang, a woman rushed out from inside, but her foot got caught in a piece of fabric hanging from the floor, causing her to fall forward.
"I-I'm sorry. I accidentally dropped the fabric... Welcome to Scarlett Boutique. I'm the owner, Scarlett. How can I help you?"
The raggedly dressed woman was a young woman with freckled cheeks and rather old-fashioned dark orange hair, carefully tied up at the back.
The young woman, who appeared to be in her twenties, wore round, thick glasses that made her eyes look particularly small.
She quickly began to gather the spilled fabric on the floor and stack it to the side.
"I want to see some jewelry for my dad. And I also want to match my dress!"
I need to make connections before she becomes more famous.
"Oh, of course! Just wait a moment. Oh, you can sit here! Wait a moment!"
What was surprising about this designer was the fact that she was a talented person who knew how to melt and craft jewelry pieces.
She had an excellent sense of design but also made jewelry.
Other boutiques are more inclined to sign contracts with other companies than to manufacture jewelry themselves, but Scarlett doesn't.
She makes everything she sells in her boutique. Although it's a small inconvenience, it takes quite some time.
"W-What kind would you like?"
After entering to find the item I mentioned, she asked, poking her face out between the scattered pieces of fabric.
She also handled the fabric herself and used it while weighing price and quality.
Sometimes the color was applied directly.
So, none of the dresses or accessories she made were the same.
Recalling the information from 'Adopted,' I sat on the couch and waited for her to bring the items.
"I'm going to buy several, show me what you have!"
Hyuk!
A very loud gasp came from inside.
"Yes, yes! Just wait a moment!"
Perhaps thinking that it was a very special customer, she packed a leather box and came out.
"Here you go!"
They were all of high quality.
I thought for a moment, then smiled and raised my finger.
Anyway, today I also had the purpose of leaving a great impression on her.
So, this is not selfish at all.
"Scarlett! I'll take everything from here to here."
I smiled as I blurted out the lines I had always wanted to say if I had a lot of money.
"Oh... yes...?"
Bam-
Then Scarlett fell backward and fainted.
"...Did she just faint?"
Quite different from the wonderful scenes in dramas and novels I had imagined... It was a very realistic ending.
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