DTSML 04

Chapter 04

What did you say?”
“Either way, you had no intention of buying something someone else had already purchased, did you? So stop giving the staff a hard time. Buy something else or just leave.”
It was a rather cold thing to say, at least to anyone listening in.
But to the employee, those words were nothing short of salvation.
Nanael’s outrageous behavior was already infamous throughout the shopping district.
And lately, her reputation had only gotten worse, as rumors spread that the princess had been causing a scene everywhere she went.
Honestly, the employee had been terrified the moment she saw Nanael.
So when Duke Ainluke stepped in personally, she was so grateful that tears of emotion nearly streamed down her face.
“This looks better. Has anyone bought this one?”
Alpheren casually pointed to a new item in the pamphlet and asked.
The employee immediately shook her head.
“No! No one has bought it yet!”
“Then I’ll take this one. Send the bill to the Ainluke family.”
“Duke! What on earth are you doing…!”
When Nanael protested, Alpheren muttered coldly,
“You brought me here just for show anyway. Isn’t this enough?”
“But…”
“I mean that the time I can spare for Your Highness has already run out.”
At his response, which suggested that his patience had reached its limit, Nanael flinched.
As if treating his fiancée coldly weren’t enough, he was even radiating an intimidating aura.
His icy attitude wounded Nanael’s pride.
She knew perfectly well that Alpheren had no affection for her and that their engagement was merely a formality.
If not for the Holy Water, their engagement would have been called off long ago.
She was the one who needed something from him. She should have been bending over backward to accommodate him, yet here he was, holding his head high instead of showing her even the slightest deference.
It infuriated her.
But his behavior was possible precisely because he belonged to one of the Four Great Ducal Houses.
Even with a hostage in their possession, the imperial family couldn’t afford to make an enemy of someone like him. Nanael swallowed her anger.
“I was planning to choose that one anyway. You really do know my taste.”
Nanael smiled sweetly, and the employee hurriedly wrapped the shawl.
“Thank you for accompanying me despite your busy schedule. I’ll be going ahead. There are a few other stores I’d like to browse.”
Nanael handed the shopping bag to her maid and left the store.
Alpheren had effectively been abandoned, but he didn’t seem to care.
Only after confirming that Nanael had completely left the floor did he tap lightly on the fitting-room curtain.
He tried to pull it aside, but it wouldn’t budge.
He let out a chuckle and whispered softly,
“You can come out now, Deli.”
A moment later, Rodelia asked in a small voice,
“Is the princess gone? Has she left?”
“Yeah. She’s gone.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
After confirming it several times, Rodelia cautiously drew the curtain aside and peeked her head out.
She glanced to the left and right before letting out a sigh of relief and escaping the fitting room.
“Don’t expect me to thank you. I almost got into serious trouble.”
She shot him a brief glare before smoothing out her wrinkled clothes and grumbling under her breath.
She must have been badly startled, because her face was flushed bright red.
Seeing that, Alpheren’s fingers twitched.
A moment later, he asked quietly,
“Tell me you didn’t do that on purpose.”
“Do what?”
“That shawl. The Third Princess was about to buy it, too.”
Alpheren nodded toward the shopping bag.
Having been hit right where it hurt, Rodelia practically jumped.
“W-What are you talking about?! I-I’m not some kind of mind reader! H-How was I supposed to know which shawl the p-princess was going to pick?!”
Rodelia rambled on, desperately trying to explain herself.
“I was really looking forward to this one, too! The moment I saw it, I knew it was mine! Look at it! It’s practically made for me!”
She even pulled the shawl out of the bag and draped it over her shoulders.
Her excessive display of innocence only made her look more guilty.
What on earth is going through that head of hers? I’m starting to want to peek inside that adorable little mind of hers.
Alpheren’s shoulders twitched as he struggled to suppress his laughter.
The employee had clearly said that Lady Ferris had placed her order without even looking at the pamphlet.
What would happen if he pointed that out now?
The thought alone was amusing, but he suspected it might overload Rodelia’s brain.
The way her eyes darted around as she desperately tried to come up with excuses was simply too cute.
He was tempted to tease her a little more, but there was always a chance that the Third Princess might return.
He decided it would be best to let Rodelia escape while she still could.
“Fair enough. It must have been a coincidence.”
“Exactly! That’s what I’ve been saying!”
Rodelia huffed indignantly as she put the shawl back into the shopping bag.
Alpheren smiled leisurely and held out his hand.
“I’ll walk you back.”
“Shouldn’t you be heading to training?”
“It should be over by now.”
Alpheren lied smoothly, and the innocent Rodelia immediately believed him and took his hand.
“I was just about to leave, actually. My legs were getting so weak that I wasn’t sure I could make it back on my own.”
“So you were scared.”
“I was not!”
Rodelia pouted and tugged on his arm.
Alpheren let himself be pulled along, chuckling softly.
Honestly, she’s just too cute.

The long-awaited day of the debutante ball had finally arrived.
My outfit, styled according to the villainess’s tastes, was the very epitome of extravagance.
Since it was completely different from my usual preference for simple, understated designs, I felt rather awkward wearing it.
“Is this a bit too much?”
“Too much? It looks absolutely wonderful on you! This is the kind of day I’ve always dreamed of for you, Miss May!”
My personal maid, May, launched into an impassioned speech, practically snorting with excitement.
“Honestly, my lady, you’re far too frugal! I hear that other young ladies never wear the same dress twice, but you keep wearing the same clothes over and over again!”
“Comfort comes first.”
“Anyway, I’m disappointed that I never get to play dress-up with you, my lady.”
“Don’t people usually keep that sort of thought to themselves, May?”
“Let’s just pretend I said it in my head!”
May declared this proudly as she applied another layer of lip gloss to my lips.
May had been by my side since we were children, and she was practically a friend to me.
That was why we could speak so casually with each other.
She had her quirks, of course, but she was a delightful person to have around.
Just as we finished getting ready, Adrian knocked on the door.
“Oooh! Good heavens! Who is this? Has an angel descended from heaven? Ah, no, that’s right. Our Deli was an angel all along!”
Adrian showered me with praise the moment he saw me, and the butler readily agreed.
“Indeed. You look absolutely beautiful, Lady Rodelia. How you’ve grown so much before I even realized it…”
He even dabbed at the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, leaving me feeling rather embarrassed.
“Everyone, that’s enough. You’re going to make people think you’re insulting me!”
“If anyone dares insult you, Deli, I’ll kill them with my own hands.”
Adrian’s expression turned icy as he made the threat, and the butler chimed in enthusiastically.
“Leave the cleanup to me, young master. I’ll make sure no one ever finds out.”
“This won’t do. You’re too beautiful. At this rate, every suspicious man in the room is going to have his eyes glued to you. Good thing I came prepared.”
Adrian rummaged around and pulled out a ridiculous-looking hat.
It was a wide-brimmed hat covered in tiny flowers, with a design that rivaled the infamous bomber-style work pants in sheer ugliness.
In short, it was a hat that absolutely could not go with an evening gown.
Where on earth did he buy that monstrosity? Honestly, whoever sold it might be worse than the person who bought it.
I stared at the hat in disbelief, appalled by his atrocious fashion sense, when Adrian approached me.
May immediately spread her arms and stepped in front of me.
She looked as though she was prepared to die.
“Surely you’re not planning to make her wear that hideous hat, are you?”
“I am.”
“No! It doesn’t go with my styling at all!”
“Move.”
Adrian flashed her a grin.
A smiling threat was always more frightening than an angry one.
May held her ground for a few seconds before her expression crumpled into a miserable pout. She looked at me, pleading for help.
Her eyes were practically begging me not to ruin the outfit she had finally gotten to dress me up in so beautifully.
Honestly, I didn’t want to wear that hat either…
In the end, convincing my brother was up to me.
“Brother, I like how I look right now.”
“But…”
“Even if some weird man tries to approach me, you’ll stop him, won’t you? I’ve been counting on you to protect me.”
My deliberately sweet words caused Adrian’s expression to crumble.
A moment later, he looked as though he might burst into tears.
“Deli, I had no idea you trusted me that much.”
I actually don’t trust him at all.
But if I didn’t say something, I was pretty sure I’d end up wearing that ridiculous hat.