TYLSA 08

Chapter 08

“…I’m sorry, sister. Please accept my apology on behalf of my maid’s rudeness.”

<system> Successfully obtained Eleni’s apology!

Penalty event passed safely.

—

Th-thank goodness.

‘I almost ended up with negative grace stats before they were even unlocked.’

As I was letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, my stepmother was quietly watching me while covering her face with a fan.

…I smiled as if at ease and said,

“If Eleni insists that much, I’ll forget about what happened today.”

“Th-thank you, Lady Yuri.”

“Now, now.”

My stepmother clapped her hands.

“That’s enough of that, isn’t it? I think we’ve kept Master Kaminsky waiting too long.”

Master Kaminsky merely cleared his throat in silence.

‘That’s only natural.’

In this world, Master Kaminsky was currently the most sought-after tailor.

There were countless noble ladies who didn’t hesitate to visit his shop directly just to have their clothes made by him.

With that much popularity and demand, it was only natural for him to have a stiff neck.

‘But…’

“First, I will present some sample garments from our atelier’s new collection.”

Master Kaminsky explained that the sample garments were “half-finished clothes made specifically for clients in urgent need of new attire.”

“Of course, the designs are one-of-a-kind in the world.”

The dresses that Master Kaminsky’s assistants brought out from boxes and bags were only bright and fresh yellow, green, or white dresses.

“How about it, Yuri?”

“Well…”

For now, I readily gave my stepmother the answer she wanted.

“I think yellow and green would suit Eleni since they’re close to her hair and eye colors, and the white dress would also be lovely for Eleni, who is making her debut this year.”

“You think so too?”

My stepmother gestured toward Eleni.

“What are you doing, Eleni? Your sister is saying all this. Go ahead and try on the dresses.”

“Yes, Mother.”

I quietly watched as Eleni stood up and, with the help of her maids, tried on the half-finished dresses.

“Eleni, you look so pretty!”

As expected, the forsythia-yellow dress suited Eleni perfectly.

“Hmm…”

Eleni stared intently at the mirror. In the reflection, her eyes met mine.

Smiling, Eleni said,

“…But this dress—the color suits me, but I think if the color were changed, it would also suit you, sister.”

…Huh? Me?

“Um, Master Kaminsky. Would it be possible to make a dress with a similar design to this one but in a different color?”

A smile spread across my stepmother’s face as she listened.

“…Oh my, Eleni. That’s a wonderful idea!”

“!”

It was an unexpected remark.

“Yuri, what do you think? In my opinion, doing that would make the two of you look like truly lovely sisters.”

Ah…

‘So that’s how it was.’

Only then did I recall an event from the original work.

‘It was around the middle of the story, wasn’t it?’

There was an episode where rumors spread that Yuri was copying Eleni’s dresses.

The basis of the rumors was, of course, Yuri’s dress being similar to Eleni’s.

‘The subsequent development was the Crown Prince introducing a new tailor to Yuri, who had been humiliated.’

The method of humiliation wasn’t complicated.

Have similar dresses made, overlap the timing of when they’re worn, and spread rumors behind the scenes.

But within the game, the reason for the similarity between Eleni’s and Yuri’s dresses was simply explained as being “the work of the same tailor.”

I never imagined there was such a backstory.

‘I can’t precisely determine Eleni’s intentions…’

But my stepmother’s intention to actively push this forward seemed very clear.

‘Hmm.’

What should I do?

“Yuri? Look here. If we slightly modify the ribbon decoration, it seems it could look quite different. Master Kaminsky, what do you think?”

“If you’re asking for advice from a design perspective, I would say my thoughts align with that.”

Watching the two of them exchange words, I thought.

If I have a similar dress made now and let things unfold as in the original, I could trigger the Crown Prince’s affinity event.

But…

‘As I said, I’ll pass on such a frustrating development.’

Even if I could gain the Crown Prince’s favor, I had no desire to be humiliated.

“How about it, Yuri?”

“Well…”

If I had a dress made here and didn’t wear it, I’d face pressure about why I wasn’t wearing it.

The best option was not to have the dress made at all.

“In my opinion, this dress looks lovely and suits Eleni well.”

“Oh my… Yuri, why would you think that? This mother thinks it would suit you very well too.”

“Sister, I think so too.”

I gently shook my head.

“I don’t think so. And while Master Kaminsky’s dresses are lovely, I don’t think there’s a design here that suits me.”

“!”

Everyone was surprised by my words.

The first to bristle at my calm, smiling face was Master Kaminsky himself.

“Are you saying I have failed to meet your high standards, my Lady?”

“Master Kaminsky, our Yuri didn’t mean it that way…”

“No, Duchess. If that is Lady Yuri’s intention, then I shall not sell my dresses to her.”

“!”

Not being able to buy Master Kaminsky’s dresses.

In social circles, that was a declaration tantamount to a death sentence, but…

“What a pity, Master Kaminsky. I trust you will do your utmost on my younger sister’s dress.”

When I spoke in a tone that was perfectly polite but showed no actual regret, Master Kaminsky couldn’t hide his wounded pride and gritted his teeth.

But even with my stepmother as his backing, he couldn’t be any more rude to me, a lady of the house.

“…I will do my ‘utmost,’ as you say, my Lady.”

He retreated, vowing revenge in the only way he could.

“Sister, um…”

Just as Eleni was about to say something to me.

Knock, knock—someone tapped on the door. It was the butler.

“My Lady, and Ladies.”

Bowing respectfully, he held a silver tray with a letter on it.

My stepmother reached out her hand as if it were only natural.

“An invitation. Hand it over…”

“No, my Lady. This is not an invitation.”

“…Not an invitation?”

“Yes. This is a letter addressed to Lady Yuri.”

“A letter?”

The butler nodded and respectfully offered the silver tray to me.

“Lady Yuri, this is a correspondence from the Tower Master.”

“!”

At the mention of the Tower Master’s letter, I could feel everyone in the dress room stirring.

And for good reason—Tower Master Elijah Marakesh was one of the empire’s most eligible bachelors, with skills that matched his handsome appearance.

“The Tower Master—Elijah Marakesh? Why would he send something to you, Yuri…?”

Instead of answering my stepmother’s question, I leisurely took out the letter and looked at it.

Everyone swallowed their saliva, their curiosity plain to see. My stepmother’s eyes in particular were fixed on the letter as if nailed to it.

But Elijah’s letter contained just a single line, a very simple request.

—

-Your first lesson will begin tomorrow at 3 PM. Please be prepared.

—

‘That figures.’

After briefly checking the letter, I slowly tucked it back into the envelope.

“…Sister, are you acquainted with the Tower Master?”

To Eleni’s question, I smiled generously and answered.

“Well, I suppose it would be more accurate to say we will be.”

“What do you mean by that, Yuri?”

“I will be receiving instruction from the Tower Master from now on.”

“Instruction… you say?”

“Yes.”

I smiled brightly at my stepmother and answered.

“I’ve blossomed as a mage.”

“…”

“Well then, since I need to prepare for my lesson… I’ll take my leave here, Mother.”

—

* * *

—

After Yuri withdrew with light footsteps.

“…My Lady?”

“…”

Duchess Letisha remained strangely silent for a long while.

“Ahem, Duchess, I shall take my leave now.”

“Yes, Master Kaminsky.”

At last, a slight smile appeared on Letisha’s face.

“It’s a shame about Yuri’s dress, but you can do your utmost on our Eleni’s dress, can’t you?”

“I will certainly do my utmost so that all of society will look only at Lady Eleni.”

“Good.”

After Master Kaminsky politely kissed the hands of Eleni and Letisha and departed.

“Everyone, please withdraw for a moment. Eleni and I have matters to discuss in private.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

In perfect order, the people flowed out of Eleni’s dress room like an ebbing tide.

Click—the door closed, and Letisha slowly turned toward Eleni.

“My beloved daughter, Eleni.”

“…Yes, Mother.”

Letisha’s beautifully manicured hand, down to the very tips of her nails, caressed Eleni’s soft cheek.

Contrary to her words, the eyes looking down at Eleni’s creamy cheek, lovely lips, and shimmering hair were ice-cold.

“Eleni, I know. That you are the best among all the daughters I could have borne.”

“…It makes me happy to hear you say that, Mother.”

“I’ve given you the qualities to become the best. And even now, I’m doing my utmost to help you, yet…”

“…”

“Sometimes I wonder. Is your one and only sister, Yuri Elrose, too much for you to overcome? What do you think, Eleni?”

“Mother…”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

A bitter smile rose on Letisha’s lips.

“Eleni, you’re still only at the starting stage. Isn’t that right? You’ve only just made your debut as a debutante.”

“…”

“Look at your sister from earlier. That gaze, that expression… She was proudly showing off her achievements.”

At the thought of her stepdaughter who hadn’t been following her plans lately, clear hatred rose in Letisha’s eyes.

“I simply cannot bear to see that woman’s daughter looking so happy.”

Letisha’s hand, caressing Eleni’s cheek, gradually applied pressure.

But her sharp nails never once scratched her daughter’s face.

Because her daughter’s face was a precious resource, a commodity.

“Eleni. My daughter. You can do well, can’t you?”

At the hand pressing against her cheek as if urging an answer, Eleni obediently showed a smile.

“…Of course, Mother. Don’t worry.”

“Ah, yes. As expected of my beloved daughter.”

Letisha released the pressure from her hand and reached out to embrace her daughter.

Eleni simply remained in her mother’s arms, her green eyes quietly subdued.