CHAPTER 38………………………………..
“You must’ve been very tired yesterday. The area under your eyes looks dark.”
Her voice sounded concerned, but Sina’s expression was subtly sly. It was obvious what she was imagining.
“It’s not like that.”
“Yes, yes. I know it’s not. Hoho.”
Then, beside her, another maid around our age—with flaxen hair and green eyes—made a fuss.
“It makes us so happy to see that the two of you get along so well!”
After I became the Duchess of Northdian, O’Brien assigned me another maid besides Sina—her name was Sarah. Normally, a duchess would take in a lady-in-waiting from a lower noble family, but I firmly refused.
“Oh! Would this outfit be good for going out?”
Sarah picked out a green outer dress that looked rather formal.
I had only complained once about not having any clothes, and the very next day, the Duke summoned the atelier that made his garments and filled an entire room with clothes for me.
Because the fabric was magical, they couldn’t make everything instantly, so only about ten outfits had arrived so far.
The one I was wearing now was one of them.
“It’s so light…”
It wasn’t the old, worn-out dress Cosette had handed down to me, nor some outdated, rustic design.
Made with fabric enchanted with a weight-reduction spell, tailored perfectly to my eye color, hair color, and body shape, it felt as comfortable as my own skin.
Every time, I was amazed by the Duke’s keen eye and aesthetic sense.
“Wow! You look so wonderful, my lady!”
“Really?”
“Really! I wish you could go out every day!”
“I agree! I’d be so happy if I could dress up such a beautiful lady every day!”
“Thank you, both of you.”
Having never been called pretty in my life, I quietly felt my cheeks flush.
My golden-brown hair, grown to my waist, was neatly braided up. I put on a flat, narrow-brimmed hat, thin lace gloves, and carried a small handbag.
I was ready.
Knock knock.
“Eloah, it’s me. May I come in?”
“Oh my, the master must have arrived!”
With a bright smile, Sarah hurried to open the door.
The Duke was wearing the navy-colored outing clothes I’d seen him wear before.
With his blond hair sparkling in the morning sunlight, jewel-like eyes, and perfect proportions… he looked like a statue, no matter when I saw him.
“Are you done staring?”
I had been dazedly watching him as if he were posing for a photoshoot. Startled at being caught, I blushed deeply.
“I—I just need earrings. Just a moment.”
Pretending not to hear his quiet chuckle, I took the small ruby earrings Sina handed me and put them on.
The Duke looked me over once, then smiled.
“Hm. The new clothes suit you well.”
That mischievous smile made my eyes narrow like a Tibetan fox’s.
Did he really think I wouldn’t understand what he meant?
“Right? So stop feeding me so much. I want to wear these clothes for a long time.”
Of course, the amount of food he gave me had increased the moment he started replenishing my wardrobe.
The clothes I bought when traveling from Uberis to Northdian didn’t even fit anymore.
More than anything, I wanted to stop taking digestive medicine.
“Don’t you think I’ve gained enough weight already?”
In the mirror, I saw how my once-dull hair and nails, my rough skin, had begun to look human again.
Even my thin, pitiful body was finally starting to fill out.
With my hands on my waist, I turned toward him like, Well? What do you think?
But of course, the Duke was a formidable opponent.
“Oh dear. Then I suppose we shouldn’t stop by the bakery that won first place at last year’s festival. I heard their bread is incredibly delicious. What a shame.”
“……”
That crooked smile—it had been a while.
And it was truly infuriating.
I really want to hit him just once.
But if I struck that solid body, my hand would break first.
How does he know I like bread?
Just as I was thinking the Duke was terrifying, I realized…
Every morning, I ate a full table of butter croissants, butter rolls, and all kinds of cookies.
Serves me right.
“…Where is that bakery?”
The Duke immediately covered his mouth and turned his head away.
Obviously, he was laughing again.
Fine. Isn’t this all just to survive?
In the end, I chose bread and happiness.
But the places the Duke of Northdian actually took me to were far beyond anything I expected.
I broke into a cold sweat, my eyes darting around.
“Oh. This is pretty.”
“Ahh! As expected, Your Grace has excellent taste!”
We entered a jewelry shop out of nowhere. I only said “pretty” at the sight of a ruby ring that resembled the Duke’s deep crimson eyes…
“From that ruby display case all the way to the diamond case at the end—purchase everything.”
“Th-thank you, Your Grace!”
“……”
Every time new products came out, the Duke wiped out an entire premium jewelry shop—one that set trends by using the Marchioness of Shebora as their model.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Ah. I think my new shoes rubbed my heel a little.”
“Hm.”
And when he realized my heels hurt…
“Pack every hat and bag my wife tried on today and send them to the estate.”
“Thank you, Your Grace! And Madam! I will serve you loyally for life!”
“……”
At a boutique where one had to book six months in advance for a custom hat, he ordered:
- 30 pairs of spring and autumn shoes
- 50 pairs of upcoming summer shoes
- 100 pairs of the finest winter leather shoes
To wear all that, I’d need to become a centipede with multiple feet.
He even personally put the latest calfskin shoes on my feet.
“I-I can put them on myself!”
“Just stay still. I want to see for myself if they suit you.”
Then why are you doing it yourself?!
But the Duke looked so excited that I could only cover my face and fail to stop him.
And then, remembering I’d once asked for a mana stone…
“I heard some good ones came in recently. Including the ones you looked at earlier, remake one of each type to match my wife’s eye color and send them.”
“Thank you! I will devote my bones to Northdian!”
“……”
The bell above the door rang brightly, as if reflecting the shop owner’s joy.
After ordering ten full sets of top-grade mana stone accessories at the largest shop in the world, headquartered in Northdian, the Duke turned back to me with a satisfied face.
“Shall we go to the next shop, Eloah?”
Unlike the Duke, who was gleefully throwing checks around, I was starting to feel terrified.
I wanted to grab him by the collar and cancel everything immediately, but…
At the first shop, the Duke had smiled elegantly—and dangerously—and said:
“Today, I will make it very clear what kind of man Rektarion Eden Northdian is. So relax and enjoy. It may not be magic, but it will be a magical day.”
After such a bold declaration, I lost all will to resist.
I could only be swept along in a flood of luxury goods.
My eyes were spoiled by all the beautiful, fascinating things…
But imagining those astronomically priced items piling up in my room made it harder and harder to breathe.
Why? Why did things turn out like this?
How did my offer to pay for desk repairs lead to this suffocating shopping spree?
At least now I understand why the Duke’s family is the richest on the continent.
Watching three carriages roll away, I asked blankly:
“Is there… still more to buy?”
He looked like he was barely holding back laughter, as if he understood my desperate please stop stare.
“Hm. I still think it’s lacking, but… we’ll stop here for today. The last destination will be something you’ll like.”
What expensive thing is he planning to buy now…
I could only laugh emptily.
But soon, the Duke brought me somewhere completely unexpected.
A shabby-looking shop.
“This place is…”
There wasn’t even a proper signboard. You could easily pass by without realizing it was a store.
He had left the knights far behind, and the shop sat in a secluded area.
Without thinking, I moved closer to him.
It feels like a ghost might jump out…
Whoooosh.
A chilling wind blew from somewhere, making another shop’s sign creak eerily.
It sounded like a ghost laughing.
“Eek!”
Startled, I clung to the Duke’s arm.
He gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders, as if protecting me.
“W-where are we?”
“You’ll find out once we go inside.”
Even though I could hear him suppressing laughter, I was too tense to relax.
He pulled me closer.
“As long as I’m here, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“O-okay.”
If anything happened, I’d use him as a shield and run.
Creeeak.
The door opened with the sound of time itself.
“E-excuse me…”
In a trembling voice, I stepped into the small shop—barely ten pyeong in size—crammed full of odds and ends.
Every wall was lined with shelves, packed with objects.
There was no pattern:
A sealed jar, a thick book, a random tree branch…
I couldn’t tell what this place even sold.
“What kind of shop is this?”
Even calling it a general store felt wrong—it all looked secondhand.
Then…
Something stood out.
A long branch with no visible cut surface.
It was about as thick as a gold coin and taller than me by a head.
It looked as though it had grown into that shape naturally from a seed.
Without realizing, I reached out—
“Don’t touch that. It’s dangerous.”
“Hiiik!”
An old woman suddenly appeared behind me and whispered into my ear.
I jerked back, clutching my tingling ear.
“W-who are you?”
The frail, short elderly woman looked at least seventy.
Wrinkled skin, dark age spots, half-lidded eyes, messy white hair…
She looked exactly like the “witch hag” from the fairy tales of my past life.
“Can’t you tell? I’m the owner of this shop.”
“Ah… hello?”
At my greeting, the witch—no, the shopkeeper—softened slightly.
“Hmph. At least you have manners. Unlike someone else.”
She immediately shot the Duke of Northdian a sharp glare.
“It’s been a while, proprietor.”
The Duke smiled pleasantly and dipped his head slightly toward her.
