ASDEF 13

Chapter 13

Daniel looked at me, my face turning pale, and spoke impassively.

“Scared already? Did you think I wouldn’t have prepared a witness to vouch for you?”

“Wh-Who is it?”

“Emma Churchill. Do you remember her?”

Emma Churchill…?

I quickly rolled my eyes toward the ceiling.

—

[Celestine Filtz. 20 years old. The only daughter of Viscount Filtz.

Father, Paul Filtz. Mother, Grace Filtz.

However, due to the successive deaths of her parents, her maternal grandmother, Emma Churchill, raised her.

The Filtz family has been from the Ines region for generations…]

—

“Ah, the grandmother! She exists!!”

“She’s your only witness, but she’s too old and frail to come to the city. Instead, inside that dowry envelope, there are documents proving you are her granddaughter. Keep that in mind.”

I clapped my hands.

As expected of a villain. A thoroughly prepared schemer. I like it.

My lips were curling up when a sudden thought made me stop clapping.

She’s willing to step forward and vouch for me, someone pretending to be her own granddaughter? What kind of grandmother does that? What, is she a con artist too?

“Why would she vouch for me…?”

Daniel, however, dismissed my curious gaze with a single glance and pointed at the envelope in my hand with a side-eye.

“Pointless questions. Isn’t that money the only thing that matters to you anyway?”

“……”

That was true, so I couldn’t really argue.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t ask! Emma Churchill, that grandmother, gives off a suspicious vibe.

Well, it’s none of my business. Whether Daniel is colluding with that grandmother in some scam or not.

Like Daniel said, I just need this money.

And he even said he’d give me a monthly salary, so let’s not unnecessarily upset that guy.

I chose to change my tune.

“Thank you so much, young master. I’ll use it well.”

I seized the moment and flashed another goofy smile as I naturally put the money into my bag.

Even after seeing my embarrassing smile, Daniel just folded his arms and stared nonchalantly out the window.

I slowly turned my head in that direction and saw that the carriage had arrived in front of a shop.

<Madame Jeanne’s Dress Shop>

Just as my jaw dropped at the sight of numerous women going in and out under that sign.

“Now, get out.”

With that short remark, Daniel got out of the carriage.

I quickly followed him out.

As we entered the shop, a woman wearing a red dress with fancy decorations spotted Daniel and hurried over.

“Oh my! Isn’t this Young Master Benson? What brings you here?”

She looked back and forth between us with curious eyes.

Daniel gave her a faint smile.

“It’s been a while, Madame. I’d like you to recommend some dresses suitable for this young lady.”

“Then you’ve come on the perfect day. We just received a new shipment of dresses. By the way, who is this adorable and lovely young lady?”

“This is Lady Celestine Filtz of the Filtz family. My fiancée, whom I am to marry.”

The Madame looked startled at Daniel’s words and quickly scanned me.

“Goodness… The young master who turned down all sorts of introduction meetings is suddenly getting married?!”

Only then did the Madame greet me with a welcoming face.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Filtz. I am Jeanne, the owner of this shop. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on. It’s an honor to have you visit our establishment.”

“Ni-Nice to meet you too, Madame.”

“So this is the lovely lady who had captured your heart, making you ignore all other young ladies. Now, please come inside. We have a wide variety of dresses.”

Of course, it was probably just the Madame’s sweet flattery to win over a customer, but I melted instantly at the compliment about my appearance and was led inside by her hand.

Inside the shop, dresses of all sorts of designs were displayed by color.

The Madame held up a few dresses that she thought would suit me.

“This is a frilly dress that’s in fashion these days. It also has flower embellishments on the sleeves to enhance Lady Filtz’s lovely appearance.”

“Lo-Lovely appearance…?”

“Or would you prefer a different style?”

I had been dazed by the Madame’s silver tongue, but I finally pulled myself together.

A style I preferred. Comfortable clothes are the best.

But no matter how I looked, I couldn’t find any comfortable clothes here.

I took the sky-blue dress the Madame recommended most and changed into it.

The Madame pinned up my disheveled hair high to match the outfit and adorned it with a sparkling tiara hairpin.

“Oh my, it suits you perfectly. Would you like to take a look in the mirror?”

I stood in front of the mirror with a rather uncomfortable expression.

Truth be told, I hadn’t had many chances to stand before a mirror.

There was no way a rundown shack, barely surviving day to day, would have an expensive mirror.

The goblin restaurant did have a mirror for customers. But that vicious owner never gave his employees any such leisurely break time.

In short, this was the first time I was observing my appearance in such detail here.

“Wow…”

Shiny pink hair, a white face, and cute, well-defined features.

I looked as cute as an adorable girl from a cartoon.

The Madame’s satisfied face was reflected in the mirror.

“It would be a shame to keep this look just between us, wouldn’t it? Now, follow me.”

“Wh-Where to…?”

Before I could finish, the Madame pulled open the red curtain.

In front of it, Daniel was sitting on a sofa, quietly watching me.

The Madame led me toward Daniel.

“How do you like it, young master?”

Daniel’s expression, as he looked me over carefully, gradually stiffened.

What’s with that reaction…

It was clear I wasn’t his type. I quickly turned back around.

“I’ll go change into a different…”

“No. Let’s go with that one.”

At the voice stopping me, I turned back to face him.

I muttered in a creeping voice.

“You don’t have to force it. If you don’t like it, I can wear another…”

“I’ll take this dress in every color, Madame.”

In every color…? Why on earth in every color? That’s such a waste!

I hurriedly stood in front of Daniel. Then, glancing at the Madame out of the corner of my eye as if using magic, I muttered through ventriloquism.

“It’s obvious you don’t even like it, so why buy it in every color?”

Daniel looked down at me and furrowed his brow.

“When did I say I didn’t like it?”

“Ah… So you do like it?”

“Why should I have to answer such a childish question?”

Excuse me. Please explain what’s childish about this part. It’s a matter of money.

Daniel, looking like he didn’t even want to talk to me, abruptly called out to the Madame again, telling her to include the dresses in every color as well as all the basic necessities for a young lady.

The Madame, delighted at the prospect of increased sales, hurried off to wrap everything up.

I just clicked my tongue and stared outside. An awkward silence once again enveloped us.

At that moment, the waiting butler, Wally, stood beside me with a bright smile.

“Wow, you already look like a true member of the Benson family! I will serve you with the utmost respect from now on, Lady Filtz. Ah, I mean, my lady.”

“My lady…?”

“Yes. Since you are becoming the young master’s wife, you are now my lady.”

Daniel shot a glare of warning at our chatter.

“Not yet. Stop it.”

“Why not? She is our lady. We only need to get the marriage license. Internally, it’s already…”

“Shut that mouth, Wally.”

The butler glanced at Daniel’s souring expression and busied himself trying to suppress his own smile.

Just then, the Madame, who had gone to wrap things up, returned with a load of clothes. There was so much that even the butler’s large hands couldn’t hold it all.

The Madame, humming a tune, pleased with the substantial sales, came out to the front of the shop to see us off.

“Do come again, Lady Filtz. Ah, I mean, Lady Benson.”

“……”

And so, the carriage departed, heading past the city’s bustling streets toward the State Church.

Crossing the sun-drenched, sparkling river, the State Church, situated in the middle beyond the bridge, began to come into view.