TSKSML 21

chapter 21

‘What a stroke of luck.’

Helene took the business card Blaine handed her.

「Fly Moon CEO, Blaine Diark」

No matter how she looked at it, Blaine’s company name didn’t suit his stiff personality at all.

‘Fly Moon’? Seriously?!

Did he even have a sentimental side?

Was he just surrounded by loyalists—or perhaps flatterers? Did no one raise an objection when naming the company?

Then again, maybe the name suited his business philosophy: making the impossible a reality.

Helene let out an involuntary chuckle.

“…Is there something wrong with the card?”

“No, not at all.”

But in the end, Helene was no different from the rest.

‘If the CEO says jump, you jump!’

She set the card down and looked at his face.

‘The richest man in the world is offering to be on my side…’

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t siding with just her, but with the three sisters. Still, with Blaine’s support, she wouldn’t fall short of any nobleman in the Empire when it came to marriage conditions.

In the original story, Blaine had completely cut ties with Helene for using his name. Even if he had wanted to help the sisters later, he couldn’t.

The only reason the original Helene could attend the imperial ball despite her terrible reputation was because a rival company gave her an invitation just to spite Blaine.

That invitation ultimately led to Helene’s death.

“Well then… I’ll be going.”

Blaine left the Count Emeldia estate in his flashy, noisy scrap-metal of a car once again.

✦✦✦

Helene still had an important task left.

She needed to give the sword and dresses she’d bought today to the three sisters.

She had planned to give them at dinner, but it felt too much like showing off, so she hadn’t.

This was her first time realizing that giving a gift is harder than picking one out.

When she entered the mansion, the three sisters were either washing dishes or organizing the food Blaine had sent.

It was the perfect opportunity.

Giving them the gifts individually would’ve been even more embarrassing.

Helene quietly placed the sword and the two dresses on the now-cleared dining table.

Three pairs of emerald eyes turned toward her, filled with curiosity.

“If you see something you like… just pick one.”

The sisters began examining the items on the table.

A razor-sharp stiletto sword that revealed the skill of its blacksmith.

A regal purple silk dress.

And a cute pink dress.

There were no name tags, but it was immediately obvious which belonged to whom.

The sisters shared everything with each other.

They surely already knew that Liliana had become Angelina’s chief maid, and that Jayna had passed the Imperial Knight’s exam today.

Even as they held the gifts in their hands, the sisters couldn’t believe Helene had bought them and looked to each other for reassurance.

Liliana spoke on their behalf.

“Thank you, Stepmother.”

“Ah, sure. I’m tired, so I’ll go to bed now.”

Helene hurried off to her room after saying that.

Liliana tilted her head and looked at the clock.

It was only 8:30 PM, still early in the evening.

✦✦✦

There was now only a week left before Princess Angelina arrived in the imperial capital.

Liliana, as the newly appointed chief maid, had a lot to do.

The most important task was decorating Angelina’s room.

She had the walls painted pink—Angelina’s favorite color—and arranged the room to match the familiar layout of their home in Herbient, to make the princess feel comfortable.

She also brought in royal furniture adorned with gold.

Unlike the warm southern region of Herbient, the capital, Repia, was cold, so she hung colorful floral curtains for insulation and chose lightweight but warm bedding.

Today, Angelina’s room was packed with people for some reason.

The portable clothing racks inside the room were filled with dozens of beautiful dresses, and the portable shoe racks held dozens of dazzling shoes.

Beside them stood five maids carrying jewel cases filled with priceless gems.

Liliana looked confused, and Zighardt, who had been sitting on the sofa, jumped up and explained.

“T-These are to fill Princess Angelina’s wardrobe…”

‘And also…’

Zighardt swallowed his words.

Today, Liliana was wearing a purple silk dress that he was seeing for the first time.

Zighardt was not the type to judge people based on clothing, but for some reason, he couldn’t stop thinking about how worn-out and ill-fitting Liliana’s usual clothes had been.

He had planned to gift her new clothes under the pretext of preparing for the princess.

Ideally, he wanted to give her an entire dressing room’s worth of clothes, like he did for Angelina. But knowing Liliana, she would definitely refuse, so he had prepared the gift in this roundabout way.

“I see. Is there a set budget or limit?”

Liliana asked while examining each dress one by one.

There was no set budget. And even if what was there wasn’t enough, more could be ordered.

“There isn’t. And since you are the princess’s chief maid, you are welcome to choose anything you like.”

Liliana quickly understood what Zighardt meant.

She was sharp in that regard.

For someone in her position, her wardrobe was woefully inadequate.

Today she was wearing the dress Helene had bought her, but before that, she had been wearing old, ill-fitting clothes.

She’d long known that people whispered about her appearance, but the fact that Zighardt—of all people—also thought that way was unbearably embarrassing.

Already feeling small around him, she now felt even more insignificant.

She wanted to bow her head in shame, but she straightened her back even more and answered like the noble lady she was.

“I’m fine. As you can see, I’ve already received a new dress…”

It was her inferiority complex talking.

Her pride was too stubborn to accept the Duke’s kindness at face value.

“I see. The dress suits you well, Lady Liliana. But a beautiful dress deserves a matching jewel, don’t you think?”

Zighardt took a pearl earring from the jewel case.

It was a simple design, but its brilliance made it look very rare.

He held the earring up to Liliana’s ear.

Just seeing herself in the full-length mirror with the earring against her ear—it was stunning.

Liliana couldn’t take her eyes off her reflection.

Despite being a noble lady and a princess’s chief maid, she didn’t own a single jewel.

She once had three full jewelry cases, but after her family went bankrupt, she gave all her dresses and jewelry—including a pair of pearl earrings from her mother—to unpaid servants as severance.

That’s why, in truth, she really wanted these pearl earrings.

“This is my way of thanking you for perfectly preparing the princess’s room. If you refuse, I’ll be embarrassed.”

Zighardt, who had been mesmerized by her reflection, collected himself and spoke firmly.

Liliana couldn’t refuse anymore.

He was right.

The room she had prepared for the princess might even be more beautiful and cozy than the one in Herbient Castle.

“Then… just the earrings…”

“And these shoes too, please. It’s not just for you but for all the maids. A gift from me.”

Zighardt picked out a pair of satin shoes, slightly darker purple than her dress, with a ribbon and a large crystal on the toe—very expensive-looking.

Refusing them would mean the other maids couldn’t accept theirs either.

Liliana reluctantly accepted the shoes, bowing her head.

Zighardt knelt down and removed her worn-out black shoes, putting the new ones on her feet himself.

It was a servant’s task, but somehow, when the Duke did it, it just looked gentlemanly.

Amazingly, the size he’d eyeballed fit her perfectly.

When he stepped back, Liliana took a step in the new shoes.

Just like in the fairy tales she loved as a child, it felt like she’d been enchanted.

Her tearful, conflicted face soon melted into a soft smile.

She had always dreamed of a debutante ball once her father recovered, but she never had one—even past the age of twenty-two.

Always busy fixing her stepmother’s messes and caring for her sisters, Liliana hadn’t properly dressed up since she became an adult.

In the mirror stood a woman she didn’t recognize—beautiful.

‘…When did I grow up like this?’