Chapter 25
“Thank you so much!”
After finishing her turn, Agnes ended up choosing two dresses. She was told that the alterations wouldn’t take long, and she expressed her gratitude with bright energy.
As they stepped outside, Romond and the shop clerk came to see them off, and Agnes shook her head.
“That duke’s young lady better not come back and cause a fuss again.”
“Exactly. Honestly, it might be better if she never returns at all.”
Agnes thought to herself that running a business, especially one catering to nobles, must be very difficult indeed.
“But my lady, aren’t you getting in the carriage?”
Since their dress shopping was done, the two of them decided to stroll through the busy streets before heading back to the mansion. Tamohan trailed a few steps behind, claiming he had nothing else to do.
“It’s not like we have anywhere in particular to go or that it’s far away. Just thought it would be nice to wander around.”
The outside world wasn’t only hills and forests. She figured it was good to get used to walking among crowds too, just in case she needed to face many people later on.
“They say once you enter the imperial palace, it’s hard to get out again, so enjoy yourself while you can!”
Tarin was so excited that she kept walking ahead of Agnes, practically dragging her along. Agnes worried that she might get tired from all the walking, but Tarin was so full of energy that it was a relief.
“Wow, is that a jeweler’s shop? Look at it sparkle!”
“It really is beautiful.”
Though there weren’t many jewels displayed, just three or four, they shone with such refined brilliance that it felt luxurious.
“My lady, this one would suit you perfectly!”
Agnes had only glanced casually and meant to keep walking, but Tarin’s eyes were already locked on the shop.
“Wow. Look at this blue glow! It’s just like your eyes.”
Seeing the glittering jewels before her, Agnes felt a pang of desire she hadn’t expected. She could understand the urge to keep looking—the beauty was captivating.
“But isn’t it too flashy? If I wore something like that, it would look like I picked up someone else’s jewel off the street.”
Agnes didn’t like flashy things. Even her dresses were modest for a marquis’s daughter. The blue jewel was lovely, but the necklace was lavish, with ornaments and gems scattered across it.
“But earlier, that duke’s young lady was wearing something similar… Don’t you think it would suit you if you became the crown princess? I’d really love to see it.”
Tarin never once said she wanted something for herself. No matter how pretty the dress or expensive the jewel, she always said she wanted to see Agnes wear it.
The duke’s young lady had worn one too… Maybe if the price was reasonable, she could buy one. Or… maybe she could give Tarin something instead.
As she stared at the jewels, Agnes even found herself wondering how much money she had brought with her today.
“Well, well, pretty young lady, do you want a jewel?”
At that moment, the door opened, and a man stepped out from the jeweler’s shop.
“Ah, no… well…”
Since she had been considering buying something anyway, Agnes didn’t immediately answer. The man waited, then gave a soft, charming laugh.
“How about coming inside to take a look?”
Agnes turned to check on Tarin, worried she might snap back at his rude tone. But Tarin was staring in a daze. Curious, Agnes looked back and immediately understood why.
The man smiling at them was dazzlingly beautiful.
His hair was a vivid red, and his eyes gleamed silver. Though his gaze could have been intimidating, his smile softened it, making him seem even more striking.
“May I take a look?”
Without realizing, Agnes had asked the question. The man smiled brighter and, holding the door open, walked inside.
“I think that’s an invitation.”
Tarin’s face was already glowing with excitement. Perhaps she was leaving the decision to Tarin—her sparkling eyes made the choice clear.
“I’ll stand guard outside,” Tamohan said, stepping back once he sensed Agnes had decided.
Inside, the jeweler’s shop was spotless. Most of the space was filled with deep gray, almost black, surfaces, making the scattered jewels shine all the brighter.
“The things in the display are all extravagant and expensive. Come this way.”
The lighting reflected off him just so, catching both the shadows and the sparkle. There was something dangerous about him, yet she couldn’t help but keep watching his graceful smile.
He led them to a display case at the back. Opening the flat, neatly arranged drawers one by one, he revealed delicate necklaces—thin chains with small, shimmering pendants.
“How about something like this? It would suit the clothes you’re wearing now.”
So, he must have overheard their conversation outside. But he was right—these pieces weren’t overwhelming. Agnes thought she could wear one without feeling uncomfortable.
“Tarin, do you see one you like?”
Agnes called over to her maid, who was peeking from a distance.
“M-me?!”
Startled, Tarin jumped. She had been content just admiring from afar, so being asked directly made her flustered.
“Come closer. I can’t give you something extravagant, but one of these might be fine as a gift.”
Agnes asked seriously.
“Tch, you can’t even buy something for yourself, and now you want to waste money on a maid?”
His tone suddenly turned cutting. Agnes frowned openly at the rude words, glaring at him, but quickly softened her expression as she turned back to Tarin.
“Come on.”
The shopkeeper’s curt speech grated on her, but since her lady didn’t object, Tarin decided not to interfere.
After all, Agnes had already shown earlier at the dress shop that she could put arrogant people in their place. The memory still thrilled Tarin—how Agnes had silenced the duke’s young lady with a few sharp words.
She promised herself she would tell the mansion maids all about that scene. But this moment in the jeweler’s shop… this one she would never speak of.
“Wow… but it’s too much for me…”
“Are maids forbidden from wearing jewelry?”
“N-no, nothing like that…”
Her eyes sparkled, but Tarin knew there was a difference between thinking something was pretty and actually receiving it as a maid. She wondered how she could admire it so much without being greedy.
“A maid who knows her place, hm? Then how about this one?”
Though his words were arrogant and insulting, his demeanor wasn’t crude. For a shopkeeper, he was unusually blunt, almost as if he had no interest in flattery.
The red of his hair flickered in the light, and his silver eyes looked sharp—like the smile was only there to hide the true edge beneath.
With long, elegant fingers, he opened another drawer. Inside lay a fine silver-white chain with a small, round jewel no bigger than a fingernail.
“Your maid has brown hair and dark eyes. Not showy, but isn’t she like this—something modest yet still precious, quietly shining?”
“Wow…”
Having the jeweler himself choose a necklace for her felt surreal—like she’d become a noble lady for a moment.
“You’ve got a good eye. I was ready to just browse and leave since you kept being so rude, but…”
Agnes admired not just the necklace but also the words he added. It wasn’t mere sales talk—he had noticed the same things about Tarin that she did.
Tarin’s brown hair wasn’t striking like Agnes’s platinum blond, nor bold like his crimson. Her eyes were ordinary too. Yet to Agnes, they always sparkled and warmed her heart.
“Then… I’ll take this one.”
“Very well. That one, please. Gift-wrapped.”
Agnes smiled slyly, and the jeweler’s silver eyes flickered with what seemed like disapproval. Perhaps she imagined it.
“The price is five gold coins.”
“Reasonable.”
“M-my lady!”
Five gold coins! Tarin gasped, calling out in shock. She was torn—delighted, but also feeling she shouldn’t accept such a gift. Still, her lady was so decisive today that she couldn’t argue. The feeling was overwhelming but oddly pleasant.
But Agnes’s thoughts had already shifted elsewhere. Giving Tarin a gift reminded her of another person she wanted to buy something for.
“Do you have anything for men?”
The jeweler paused for a moment, startled. Perhaps he doubted she could afford more. Agnes opened her mouth to reassure him, but he spoke first.
“…Yes.”
He retrieved another necklace and placed it in a dark gray box, the same shade as the shop’s wallpaper, finishing with a ribbon. While he worked with delicate hands, Agnes turned her gaze to another display.
Since she was already here, she thought, why not choose something meaningful for the people she cared about? That kind of spending wouldn’t be wasteful—it would be worth it.
