Episode 64

“…Pardon?”

Chris, uncharacteristically flustered, repeated my suggestion in a slightly raised voice. His reaction made me feel oddly anxious.

Chris already saved me during the hunting festival.

Though my memories of riding with him afterward were hazy, the overwhelming sense of relief I’d felt back then was still etched in my heart.

I, too, wanted to do more to help him. I wanted to show Chris that this was a worthwhile project that could benefit him.

Just seeing the cape sitting quietly on the mannequin didn’t do justice to its charm.

That’s why Chris’s reaction felt strange.

“This cape will involve a significant contribution from northern artisans. It’ll be a boost to the northern economy, so if it’s alright, I could model it as an example…”

“Wait, my lady.”

I started to remove the jacket and lace decorations I was wearing over my dress. I could feel Chris stiffen momentarily, but I was in too much of a hurry to stop.

In hindsight, I wondered if I should’ve called for Marie instead of acting on impulse.

As I removed my jacket, the scars on my shoulders and arms, which I hadn’t bothered to conceal, were revealed. The scars on my neck and collarbone also came into view.

I draped the white, translucent cape from the mannequin over myself.

It was slightly awkward trying to put it on alone.

“Um… This is…”

“…Allow me.”

Perhaps noticing that I was struggling, Chris quietly stepped forward and adjusted the hem of the cape to spread it out naturally.

I found myself staring at Chris as he held the cape for me.

In his hands, the translucent fabric looked like a veil.

The sight of Chris, dressed entirely in black, holding the delicate, snow-white veil…

It was devastatingly beautiful.

This isn’t the time for such thoughts.

I forced myself to shake off the stray ideas and continued arranging the cape.

Chris avoided touching the areas of the cape that were directly on my body, leaving those adjustments for me to handle.

“…Would you like to take a look?”

I felt my voice tremble slightly and cleared my throat before speaking again.

“What do you think?”

“…”

As I spoke to Chris, I glanced at the full-length mirror in the corner of the room.

My brows furrowed slightly.

Through the translucent cape, my scars were clearly visible—a stark and unfiltered sight.

I swallowed hard.

I should’ve brought in a proper model for this.

Though I was no longer embarrassed by my scars, this outfit was designed for ladies with flawless, fair skin, like Aria.

I thought back to the scene in the original story where Aria wore this cape. The translucent fabric over her white skin had been described as looking like true fairy wings.

Imagining her soft pink hair and vivid emerald-green eyes, it was easy to see why.

But with my ashen complexion, the effect felt a bit off.

This might be counterproductive.

It would’ve been better to showcase this on a more endearing young lady, I thought with regret.

Chris murmured softly, “The snow…”

“Pardon?”

“…Nothing.”

Seeing Chris at a rare loss for words made me uneasy.

He turned his head to the side, clearing his throat a few times.

“Ahem.”

I noticed the tips of his ears were slightly red, which left me even more confused.

Does he find it so unseemly?

While I inwardly broke out in a cold sweat, Chris composed himself and turned back to me. His calm demeanor reassured me slightly.

After observing me for a moment, he finally spoke.

“I noticed you’re familiar with the northern fairy legends.”

“Yes, about the man-eating fairies.”

He had told me about them in the underground prison.

Remembering that, I smiled faintly. Chris seemed to take in my smile for a moment before speaking in a quieter tone.

“Do you know how they’re said to consume people?”

I perked up at his question.

I always enjoyed hearing Chris share stories about the North, even if I’d heard them before. But this part was new to me.

“You mentioned they’re beautiful, so they must lure people in.”

“When their beauty doesn’t work, they use curiosity.”

“Curiosity?”

“You know how rare flowers are in the North.”

Of course, that was common knowledge. The harsh and barren climate made it difficult for most flowers to grow.

Chris lifted his hand slightly and carefully placed it near my scarred shoulder.

I flinched but didn’t move away or push his hand aside. The warmth from his touch felt oddly comforting.

“They say these fairies bloom flowers from their bodies.”

“…That’s believable.”

“Yes. Especially flowers that are rare and beautiful in the North. For example…”

“Roses?”

Chris nodded at my suggestion. It was late rose season outside.

“They would suit the cape well.”

“…”

“Though it’s already beautiful as it is.”

Even as I convinced myself that his praise was directed at the cape and not me, I couldn’t help but curl my fingers slightly.

Chris chuckled softly.

“It would match with any flower you choose.”

After hearing those words, I suggested adding floral embroidery to Helena. She readily agreed, as did Countess Claire, who was eager to invest in the outfit.

“Floral embroidery. Adding a unique design to each cape will make them feel more special.”

“And with the added labor, we can raise the price. Perfect.”

Naturally, I ensured that more northern artisans were hired during the production process.

It was an investment everyone could be satisfied with.

* * *

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at the people in front of me.

“……”

They were still silently staring at the scars on my body, intertwined with the embroidered roses on the cape. A sharp tension filled the air as their gazes clashed midair.

The suffocating silence was broken by the Crown Prince.

“Since everyone is so quiet, allow me to share my thoughts,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of condescension. It was the kind of arrogance typical of a man who knew his opinion could sway the situation.

“It’s truly beautiful, Lady Reinhardt.”

“Thank you.”

For now, his comment was favorable, and that was enough.

The better his review, the more appealing the outfit would become. As expected, his words shifted the atmosphere. The young ladies’ gazes grew more focused. Naturally, a dress admired by the unmarried Crown Prince would catch their attention.

“What an unusual fabric.”

“Even though it’s see-through, it doesn’t look cheap or lightweight.”

“And the embroidery is so intricate.”

I could hear their hushed whispers, so I deliberately straightened my shoulders, ensuring the scars were even more visible. Truthfully, this dress had been intended to be modeled by another young lady, but if it served as effective promotion, that was good enough.

My confident demeanor seemed to make some of the young men visibly uncomfortable.

“Ahem, hmm,” came awkward throat-clearings.

I couldn’t help but smirk at their reaction.

I was well aware that in noble society, a body like mine—marked and scarred—was seen as a flaw rather than a badge of honor.

But as someone from a modern world, I didn’t care about such aristocratic trivialities.

I’ve never been ashamed.

Chris’s sympathetic gaze at my scars had once hurt my heart, but in hindsight, his sympathy wasn’t mere pity—it was more akin to the understanding one has when seeing a soldier injured in battle.

It was a stark contrast to the way these people here treated my scars, as if they were gossip fodder.

When I thought about Chris’s eyes back then, the clarity of knowing that those who inflicted the scars should feel shame, not me, became even more vivid.

And that clarity holds true even now.

I glanced briefly at Aria’s surprised face.

If, by any chance—which I doubted—Aria had intended to expose my flaws…

It was a miscalculation.

My scars are not my shame; they are someone else’s.

At that moment, the murmurs grew louder.

“It’s just like during the banquet… those scars are severe.”

“Do you think they’re really from Sethril Reinhardt?”

“Impossible.”

“…But if it’s true, does that mean it wasn’t just her arms? Her entire body?”

“My goodness. Could the rumor about him causing her to fall from the horse be true?”

The murmurs rippled through the room like waves. For a moment, Aria’s face turned pale.

“……”

She stiffened briefly, then forced a serene smile. Even I had to admit, it was a beautiful smile.

And that angelic smile had the effect of drawing everyone’s attention to her.

Once she had their focus, Aria spoke slowly.

“Mindia, your new dress is lovely. It looks great with the one I gave you.”

“Really? Thank you for saying so. And thank you for the dress as well.”

“Yes. Especially because it suits your figure so well.”

Aria tilted her head slightly, maintaining her smile as if she were showing genuine concern.

“I’ve always felt sad about those scars. They came from your time on the streets, didn’t they?”

I raised an eyebrow subtly. Aria’s lashes fluttered slightly before she lowered her gaze.

“I’ve heard about it often from Father and my brothers.”

“……”

“They told me how those scars were from your harsh life on the streets. Thinking about it always breaks my heart.”

Her long lashes trembled faintly, glistening under the light. The moment she finished speaking, her followers began whispering among themselves.

“…So they’re not from Sethril Reinhardt?”

“Well, there were always rumors, but no one’s ever actually seen him hit her.”

“Maybe the stories were exaggerated.”

Aria turned back to me with another dazzling smile.