chapter 28
Stella was returning to her room with the maids after searching for materials in the library when she ran into Caroline in the hallway.
“…What? Why are you here?”
She had been excitedly thinking about what kind of tea party to host, but the moment she saw Caroline, Serena’s cutting words immediately came to mind.
Stella had tried not to care, but even the mocking look flashed in her memory, sending her mood plummeting to the depths.
Because Stella frowned openly at her, Caroline responded, equally sour-faced.
“I’m going to stay here from now on.”
“What do you mean? You? Why?”
Even nonsense has limits, and hearing such a thunderbolt of a statement left Stella completely dumbfounded.
Caroline straightened her shoulders proudly, as if to answer Stella’s rude reaction, which seemed to suggest she had eaten something wrong.
“I’m part of the Rozelantis family. I’ve decided not to change my surname with my family. I’m going to remain Caroline Rozelantis.”
“…What?”
Stella heard the words, but she couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.
Earlier, she had snapped at Harpe, insisting she wasn’t stupid, but now she felt like a complete fool, unable to comprehend a word Caroline was saying.
“Miss Stella, may I explain?”
“Go ahead, quickly.”
Fortunately, a maid attending to Caroline explained the situation.
It wasn’t until Stella heard that Serena and her family had already left the mansion that she finally understood what was happening.
“You mean because you didn’t change your surname to Rosegold, you’re staying here as Lady Rozelantis? And your father allowed this?”
“That’s right. I will never change my surname and I will live here.”
Staring blankly at Caroline, Stella subconsciously looked around, suspicious that someone might have concocted such an absurd prank to mock her.
But Caroline’s attitude was far too confident to be doubted. The maid explaining the situation also lowered her eyes politely, as if to emphasize she spoke only the truth.
How could an entire family manage to astound someone in such a bewildering way?
While Stella was marveling at this, Caroline, apparently out of things to say, turned and walked away.
“Since it’s settled, could you stop bothering me? I have no intention of getting close to you here, so I’d prefer if you didn’t speak to me anymore.”
Before Stella could even argue, Caroline had disappeared down the opposite hallway.
They say that when something is too ridiculous, you’re left speechless. That was exactly Stella’s state.
“Who would want to be friends with someone like you?! She’s completely lost it…!”
As Stella continued staring at the shrinking figure, the maid Ledirin, who had been watching carefully, made a remark.
“Miss, how about making new acquaintances the theme for this tea party?”
Ledirin’s gaze followed Caroline to the end of the hallway.
“You should have at least one conversation with someone you don’t know.”
Understanding the hint quickly, Stella’s eyes sparkled.
“That sounds perfect! Alright, let’s do that. I’ll invite as many people as possible to this tea party, even those I’m not very close with. Everyone will get an invitation.”
Just imagining it brought a smile to Stella’s face.
A little later, after various twists and turns, Serena finally returned home.
Clack! As soon as the carriage door opened, Daisy darted out like lightning.
“Clothes! Buy me clothes! You said if I behaved on the way home, I’d get new clothes! Buy me! Buy me! Hurry—!”
Daisy, releasing all the words she had held in, rolled around on the ground, causing quite a commotion.
The coachman, thinking the dust and chaos might result in a head injury, panicked.
“How can she act differently every time I see her?”
Even if she were placed anywhere, Daisy was shamefully reckless, and yet she was Serena’s own sister. At this point, it was almost a point of pride.
Clicking her tongue, Serena opened the carriage window and spoke to the coachman.
“Could you take us to the shopping district? I’ll pay the fare. As you can see, if I don’t buy clothes for my sister immediately, I won’t be able to show my face anywhere.”
“Ah, yes…! Understood…!”
Realizing it wasn’t his fault, the coachman relaxed and returned to his seat.
Serena then turned her gaze to Daisy, now covered in dust.
“Do you think the clothes will come to you if you stay there? We have to go to the boutique to buy them. If you plan to walk alone, go ahead. I’ll take the carriage first.”
“…!”
The moment she finished speaking, Daisy climbed back into the carriage. Rianna, who had been about to get out in annoyance, also sat down again.
“Hurry! Let’s go! Faster! Faster—!”
Now that she didn’t need to hold back, Daisy pounded the driver’s seat and shouted.
Startled, the coachman set off reflexively. Everyone swayed as the carriage suddenly moved.
“Faster! Even faster! Run! Run quickly!”
Even though they had already started, what more could she possibly want?
The horse snorted, seemingly protesting Daisy herself. The adults blocked their ears in annoyance.
“If you remain quiet until we reach the boutique, I’ll buy you shoes too.”
Daisy immediately fell silent, realizing the trick. It seemed she really believed she’d only get clothes.
Matching shoes to go with the new outfit would be purchased as well, but allowing her to learn to close her mouth like this would make life much more peaceful.
Though the distance wasn’t far, Daisy kept silent until the carriage stopped, then ran to the boutique like the wind.
“Ugh, that girl…”
Rianna, swept along by the atmosphere, followed Daisy, shaking her head in exasperation.
Ashbel, who had been gloomy the entire time, disappeared somewhere in a hurry, leaving Serena to pay the carriage fare and turn toward the grand building.
Even though it was just a clothing store, it was as luxurious and extravagant as the Rozelantis mansion.
Serena clicked her tongue, bitter at the thought.
“I never imagined I’d come here…”
This area was for aristocrats or wealthy commoners.
Serena, though a noble, had looked far worse than any commoner, so she hadn’t even been allowed to pass through this district—just yesterday morning, in fact.
She recalled the guards berating her for simply walking through.
‘You miserable wretch! How dare you even come here?! Get lost!’
Yet today, the same guards bowed politely to her carriage, without checking her identity or destination. They stepped aside as the carriage approached, allowing it to pass, and Serena arrived at the boutique.
A bitter reality indeed. Comparing past and present made Serena frown further.
At the entrance, she approached the mother and daughter arguing with the staff.
“Why! I said I’m buying something!”
“If you don’t have a reservation, you cannot enter.”
“What? Why a reservation?”
“It’s to ensure you’re served comfortably. We ask for your understanding.”
“Ah! Enough! We’re buying it anyway!”
Daisy stomped her feet angrily, but the staff remained unmoved, used to such situations.
Serena recalled Isabella, who had never even made a reservation for Stella.
‘Is it because only nobles come here?’
Assuming that expensive boutiques operated this way, Serena asked the staff:
“How do I make a reservation?”
“If you leave your name and contact information—”
The staff stopped and looked at Serena, a hint of surprise in their expression, unlike their previous neutral demeanor.
“Are you part of the party?”
Annoyed by their evaluating gaze, Serena replied curtly:
“Yes, we are.”
The staff suddenly seemed to remember something and checked a paper in their pocket.
“I forgot that the person who was supposed to arrive canceled the reservation.”
“Really?!”
Daisy clasped the staff member’s arm in delight. Rianna seemed dissatisfied but only crossed her arms and muttered complaints.
“This should have been checked earlier. What is this?”
“We apologize for the mistake. We will guide you immediately.”
Before Serena could intervene, the mother and daughter followed the staff inside, and Serena, seeing no other option, trailed after them.
After walking along a lavish corridor decorated with ornate wall lamps and paintings, they arrived in a room even more luxurious than the hallway.
Seated on a sofa that was almost indistinguishable from art or furniture, Serena looked around as several clothing racks were brought in.
“Welcome. We will do our best to ensure a pleasant shopping experience.”
Daisy ignored the staff’s polite bow and swam through the clothes, rummaging wildly.
“Daisy! Hey…!”
Rianna chided her, concerned about the staff watching, but it was useless.
‘If she had done that once or twice, it would have been embarrassing.’
Having behaved this way every time, there was no longer any shame. Daisy, instinct-driven, simply didn’t know how to browse clothes politely. Expecting proper behavior was foolish.
Meanwhile, Serena was curious about the prices. It wasn’t Isabella’s clothes, but given the lavish treatment, it had to be expensive.
She got up and approached a rack. Fortunately, a tag was attached to the sleeve.
Flipping it over, Serena’s eyes widened.
‘500 gold…?’
This ordinary outfit cost 500 gold?
It was elegant but lacked any notable decoration.
Moreover, Serena had already seen and worn Isabella’s clothes.
Even if she knew nothing, fine—but a daily outfit costing 500 gold, even at a boutique, was beyond comprehension.
‘Maybe they attached the wrong tag.’
Checking another outfit, it said 700 gold. More decorative and colorful, yes, but still not worth 700 gold.
‘700 gold… that’s more than three years’ worth of living expenses…?’
Considering Ashbel had stolen from her before, living on less than 10 gold a month, this was almost a year’s worth of comfortable living.
Even for boutique clothes, this was an unbelievable expense.
At that point, Serena noticed something odd.
Narrowing her eyes, she looked up.
The staff, standing next to Daisy, were smiling politely, hands folded, like living pictures.
Watching more carefully, she noticed staff near the entrance smirking quietly at Daisy.
Though brief, Serena had seen it and her mood plummeted. Something was off from the very entrance, and she knew she had to investigate properly.
“I’ll be right back. I’m just picking out clothes.”
She didn’t expect a reply, and the mother and daughter, absorbed in choosing outfits, didn’t care whether Serena left or not.
