“The box is very nice, master!”
Juliet exclaimed in awe, her eyes wide open. But the gifts did not end there.
I also removed the cloth covering the next tray. There were dozens of pairs of earrings made of rose quartz and opal neatly placed there. The dark pink rose quartz was called ‘rhodochrosite’ here, and it was mainly favored by wealthy commoners. It was something that the maids of a archduchy would wear.
“Here, take this box and these earrings, one for each of you. The three of you can choose whatever you like then please distribute the rest to the other maids.”
They probably developed a hierarchy among themselves while I was away. And I did not intend to interfere with the tacit status differences among the servants. Juliet would figure it out.
“Shall we go now?”
“Yes, I guess so.”
I stood up, leaving the maids, including Juliet, squealing happily.
“Have a nice day, my love.”
Eventually, Lacius who was now fully dressed, kissed my forehead. The cape that flows down over one of his shoulders and the white uniform match breathtakingly well.
I stood in front of the wide, open window and watched him gallop away on his horse. It’s so nice to see his blonde hair sparkling under the clear autumn sunlight.
A day when even the air feels sweet. It’s a morning where you’d think everything that happened in the desert was a dream if it weren’t for the bells placed in front of the vase on the table.
“Master, I will help you change clothes!”
As I was tapping the bell, I heard a lively voice coming from outside. Juliet entered energetically, having already distributed the earrings.
“The weather is quite chilly now, so you should definitely bring a coat.”
“Is that so? I think the temperature is just right right now.”
“It is now, but it’ll get cold as soon as the sun goes down, and I can’t have you catching a cold as soon as you get back!”
Juliet pulled out a light wheat-colored dress and a cape of a slightly darker but nearly identical tone. The fabric is thin, so it shouldn’t be too hot, but just looking at these clothes makes me realize something. The seasons have changed.
From spring to summer in the desert, and now into fall. Before I knew it, I too had become a person of this world. Even the ornately decorated wide-brimmed hat made me feel like a Terran noble, no matter where my soul was from.
“Wow, you look so elegant, master.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“I think this fall dress has more of a madam’s feel than a young lady’s. But you carry off this look so well!”
As I was looking in the mirror, I silently agreed with Juliet. This is definitely mature attire. Madame probably had something in mind and made it like this, but I was curious. Did I lose the immature atmosphere because I was going to get married soon?
“Cat says he’s tired and wants to rest, so why don’t you come with me, Juliet?”
“Yes, master!”
The carriage carrying me, Juliet, and the two escort knights rode leisurely through the city. We weren’t in a rush, so we moved slowly. Well, it is also partly because speeding up was impossible.
‘Is it just my feeling? There seem to be quite a lot of people on the streets.
‘
Was there always that much foot traffic here?
I sat comfortably in the carriage as it turned onto a familiar road and stared outside. For some reason, my eyes keep looking outside. This was a street where nobles mainly shopped for clothes, yet the crowd grew thicker.
It felt like people were staring at me, though it could just be because it was the archduke’s carriage. In a confused state, I finally reached the corner of the street where my dress shop was located, and I was speechless at the sight before my eyes.
“Master, what do you think is going on?”
Juliet also looked puzzled as she glanced outside and then back at me. But there was no way I would have any idea of what was going on.
People had formed a barrier around my dress shop. They were camped out as if they were protesting, but they didn’t look violent. In fact, they were sitting in an orderly manner and seemed to be waiting for something.
“Are they demanding improvement in the treatment of low-income workers… … ?”
Looking closely, I saw that the large flag waving in the center of the people was made by patching tops and pants together. It was probably work clothing worn at work, but it looked more like rags than clothes. The cloth, covered in grease and dust, bent this way and that way as the wind blew.
“What’s going on? Are they here to protest against me?”
Why me?
I couldn’t understand, so I tilted my head slightly. However, as the carriage rolled to the entrance, no matter how hard I searched, there was no familiar face in the crowd. It didn’t seem like someone with a grudge against me had orchestrated this.
“Master, it might be dangerous. I’ll get off first.”
Juliet clenched her fists with a very nervous expression. I scratched my cheek and stopped her.
“No, look over there. They don’t have any weapons. Those people are unarmed.”
“Still, there are too many of them. What if they charge at us in a horde?”
“Well, I don’t think so. Everyone is keeping order. They’re just gathered together, and it doesn’t look like they’re trying to make threats or terrorize the store.”
But the fact that they’re doing it in front of my store means they want to talk to me, even if it means disrupting my business.
“Madame!”
“Ah, miss… … !”
When we went inside, everyone, including Madame, was in tears. Honestly, this is an unprecedented situation. It was the kind of thing that would cause the number of customers to drop significantly.
“Since when has this been happening?”
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