“I have received the news from Viscount Dion. My word, to think that your Majesty, the face of God and the Sun of the empire would bless us with his presence at our humble shop…such is an honor to the clan and I cannot thank the Supreme Lord Therez enou…”

<“Save that for later.”>

Rashid told the dress shop owner, who was practically glued to the ground, to get on with it with a sharp flick of his head.

As expected of this man…or it would’ve been, if not for what happened outside of this shop just before.

“…Do I really know this man?”

Even if I did, so what?

I wanted to turn around and slap my cheeks but I settled for squeezing my hands into a tight fist instead.

No matter how I think about it, it’s all because of my lack of experience.

If it were the other female heroines, affection from the male sub characters or even the main character would only produce a response of “Hmph, again?” and act as if nothing happened, but unfortunately I am some random extra that has never experienced any sort of romance whatsoever.

Maybe I wouldn’t have thought of it too much if a man I’ve never seen before simply fell for my looks, but with him…we’re basically like an open book to each other, aren’t we?

And to top it all off, it’s not like he said that in a kind or romantic way either.

<“Catherine, what are you doing there all by yourself?”>

“……”

<“Hm, is your Ladyship all ears for me yet again?”>

That. He used that condescending, workplace-style tone.

He was probably annoyed by my reluctance to go inside the shop, so he meant to stop wasting his time – nothing more, nothing less.

After all, he was staring at me with a sharp look the whole time in the carriage.

I thought about all cases of characters who became “fish food after misunderstanding” from the various novels I’ve read.

“Ah….”

It’s working, it worked! Finally, I can calm down a little!

Nothing better than the primal instinct to live to calm one’s nerves.

After hurrying on over before he could get angry at me, the female dress shop owner gave me a curious look as if she recognized me.

“Not that surprising.”

The Emperor of the glorious empire and the witch of the North, who is said to have devoured her husband on the first night.

No duo in history would’ve been stranger than us two, but that’s why we were the perfect duo to agitate one’s curiosity.

Since this was a matter with the Emperor, she wasn’t going to ask directly but there was a need to clarify the situation.

“Then, I will have to choose a dress to wear for the banquet. It is his Majesty’s first banquet after visiting the North, and as someone who has to sit next to his Majesty, I have no desire to stick out like a sore thumb.”

“…I see.”

She did sound somewhat like an NPC, but it looked like she understood.

Seeing my worn-out clothes convinced her even further.

Yep, those clothes are definitely not suitable.

Unlike her gaze full of pity, Rashid became more and more impatient.

<”Instead of making idle talk, how about..”>

“Ok, I get it. I’ll go look at the dresses.”

That tone was cold enough to shatter the dangerous misunderstanding just before.

Through the gaze of the dress shop owner next to him, I realized once again the limits of the relationship between him and I.

A relationship where just by being together, requires explanation to some.

“…Oh well.”

It was bittersweet but that’s reality. Before I became more depressed, I left Rashid’s side and went further inside the shop.

As long as he wishes it, I was gonna have to choose a dress in order to leave anyways, so I figured I might as well take a look at what the shop had to offer.

“Wow…”

Was I a plebian? Or were the dresses just that beautiful?

There were rows upon rows of gorgeous dresses that shattered my depressed mood in an instant. Step by step, everywhere I walked, there were dresses that looked so amazingly exquisite, as if flowers were about to bloom from its fabric. I couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Compared to these artforms, the black dresses inside my closet were nothing. As if the fabric would flow like gentle streaming water when touched, the dresses were as soft as clouds in the radiant sky.

“…No. There’s no point in touching.”

Just as I was unknowingly about to touch the soft fabric, I hurriedly took a step away. No reason to dwell onto something that’s not mine.

But that firm resolve crumbled into pieces as I spotted a dress showcased in the middle of the shop.

“….”

A crimson purple dress that was as intense as it was elegant.

A simple design laced with shimmering satin.

As I looked at the chest line that reached all the way underneath the collarbone, I couldn’t help but be reminded of something.

“Ah…”

That was the color of my iris when I saw the lake’s reflection at that time.

When I first fell into this world, the feeling of shock when I saw how beautiful I was – that feeling was stemming from this alluring dress.

This time, I reached out and grasped the hem of the dress without hesitation. So silky and soft…I wanted to hold onto this fabric forever.

“….”