CHAPTER 54………………………………………………….
With a single glance from her, all the open doors of the boutique were closed, and the curtains on the windows, which had allowed people to look inside, were drawn down.
Had I come alone, I might not have noticed, but it seemed impossible to keep the doors wide open when royalty was present.
No one here had demanded it or given any hint, yet moments like these seemed to be why the boutique always did so well.
Persephone, noticing that the boutique staff had visibly stiffened from tension, smiled gently and said:
“I came today for Lady April, so you don’t need to worry about me.”
Even with those words, no one relaxed.
She said not to worry, but with royalty—especially the crown prince, heir to the throne—present, it was impossible to pretend not to notice.
“How can we treat someone in plain sight as if they aren’t here, Your Majesty?”
Damien casually spoke the very words others had only thought but dared not voice.
I let out a soft laugh at Damien’s usual disregard for others’ reactions, then looked at the madam, who clapped lightly to bring the staff’s attention back.
“Then I’ll bring out some outfits suitable for the lady. Come on, what are you standing there for?”
At the madam’s brisk command, the boutique staff moved efficiently.
Persephone sat quietly, scanning the room, and I took a seat beside him, whispering:
“This is your first time in a place like this, isn’t it?”
“I never had a reason to come.”
“Then bring the one who has captured your heart next time. This boutique is one of the most popular among young ladies in the capital.”
I didn’t know who Persephone might have feelings for, but if she ever came here with another woman, I could subtly ask the madam about it.
At my suggestion to come next time with someone else, Persephone’s gaze, which had been scanning the boutique, slowly turned to me.
My reflection, faintly smiling, was mirrored in his golden eyes.
It was a casual remark since we were bound to be broken off anyway, but Persephone’s expression wasn’t emotionless, nor was it the polite smile he usually wore… it was something strange.
If anything, it resembled the face he had shown that early dawn, the one that had made me tell him not to act that way.
“Your Majesty?”
Before I could ask why he looked that way, the boutique madam’s voice rang clearly.
“These are our new arrivals for autumn this year.”
Several mannequins, dressed in the boutique’s dresses, were displayed in a line before me.
Was exposing skin the latest fashion in the capital?
The dresses on the mannequins were bold, to say the least.
Either shoulders fully exposed or backs bare, I couldn’t help but be surprised.
Had the trends among young noblewomen changed so drastically in the three years I had been absent?
As I reached out to touch a dress, the madam brought another of a similar design in a different color and held it out to me.
“Lady April, with your fair complexion, this blue dress would suit you perfectly if you lift your hair lightly.”
“Since the Founding Festival is coming soon, it’s common to give dresses as gifts for fiancées.”
“It’s beautiful,” Persephone said lightly.
“Would you like to try it on?”
The madam carefully removed the dress from the mannequin. She obviously expected me to try it on, though the style, while trendy among young noblewomen, was far from my taste.
“Do you have other dresses?”
Not only was it not my style, but I couldn’t reveal my shoulders or back.
If I showed the unscarred, fair skin of my shoulders or back, everyone would find it odd.
Some might think my scars had simply healed magically, but if Rozian had once exploited my father’s abilities, and someone was still searching for someone with similar powers, a body without scars might seem unnatural.
“Other dresses?”
“Something not so revealing.”
“There are some, but they aren’t in line with current capital trends. Is that okay?”
I nodded in agreement. With a slightly regretful gesture, the madam signaled the staff, and a few other dresses appeared.
These were modest, unexposed dresses, clearly different from the current fashion trends—safe and ordinary.
“Why aren’t you buying a dress?”
Persephone asked as he drew close behind me while we were about to leave, standing at the doorway.
Why not buy one? Just because I entered the boutique didn’t mean I had to buy something. Some dresses simply didn’t appeal to me.
Persephone, who had been quietly observing inside, spoke cautiously, and I let out a soft chuckle.
“Do I need a reason not to buy something?”
“I thought you liked the dresses. If you liked them, there’s no reason not to buy…”
His gaze, previously fixed on me, shifted just over my shoulder.
“I wondered if the reason you aren’t buying is because of the scars I caused.”
Old, dusty memories resurfaced.
The mixture of apology and guilt on his face was the same as the child I remembered—Persephone the moment she visited the duke’s house with flowers after the accident, unchanged.
I had once told her, burdened by guilt, something she now seemed to have completely forgotten.
“Your Majesty, I always told you.”
I held his fist, curled in surprise, and continued with a slightly stern look.
“The injuries weren’t because of you.”
“Even if you say that, it’s true that I got hurt while protecting you, isn’t it?”
Hmph. I tilted my head at his stubborn tone.
“Do you not remember what I said at all?”
“What…?”
No one in the boutique was paying attention to us.
The staff were busy, Damien waited outside for us, and the madam was preoccupied wrapping the perfume I had bought instead of the dresses.
Seeing that no one inside cared about us, I raised my heels slightly.
Knowing Persephone wanted to break off the engagement, I expected him to create distance, but he leaned slightly forward, making it easier for me to speak.
His gentle nature hadn’t changed—no wonder April liked him.
“I told you then, it was just between us.”
“…What…”
“No scars remain on me. So you don’t need to worry.”
As I stepped back, he narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing whether he should believe me or if this was the white lie shown to a young crown prince.
“Was that not a lie?”
“You’ll have to decide if it’s a lie or the truth.”
I winked. Just then, before his lips could respond, the madam appeared smiling:
“Lady, the accessories you requested will be sent to your home through a messenger.”
Persephone pressed his lips together, as if holding back words he wanted to say.
A little later, the two of them stepped outside, noticing young men running somewhere, perhaps drawn by a spectacle.
“Not many people around today,” I muttered.
“Ah, didn’t you hear?”
The madam, who had come to see us off, answered for me.
“What?”
“There’s the Founding Festival sword tournament today, and today’s participant is particularly exciting.”
“Who?”
Who could it be?
“Adonis Betriche.”
The answer came not from the madam, but Damien.
“The eldest daughter of the Betriche family is participating.”
“Sir Adonis is participating?”
I murmured in surprise at the unexpected participant. First, that the crown prince Adonis allowed it; second, that she was actually participating in the festival.
Had she been influenced by what I said when visiting the count’s house?
Whether she participated because of my words or for another reason, I was curious.
As my curiosity swelled, the madam added another detail:
“Moreover, her opponent in the tournament is her younger sibling.”
