Chapter 92
The only person who could enter her room without asking permission. Even so, because it was Sia’s room, Nox made a show of courtesy by knocking before strolling in unhurriedly. Cedric followed behind him, carrying various items.
“I was curious whether you were choosing well.”
As soon as he saw Sia, he promptly took a seat beside her. Then he noticed the paper she had drawn on.
“…Hm?”
“Why? …Is it strange?”
Nox’s subtle reaction made Sia uneasy. He was the one paying for it, so she couldn’t very well make and wear something that didn’t sit right with him. Thinking that the design might feel unfamiliar in this world and cause resistance, Sia waited as Nox slowly answered.
“I think it would suit you well if you wore it.”
At the welcoming tone, so different from her worries, Sia answered with relief.
“Really?”
“As long as you like it, it’s fine to make anything. But…”
Nox, who had been speaking sincerely, trailed off ambiguously. When Sia looked at him, he hesitated for a moment, then continued.
“Inside the estate, you can do whatever you like. But when you go out beyond the estate, promise me you’ll always go with me.”
He looked as though he was about to explain the reason, but then brought up something else, and Sia found it odd, though she nodded. After all, there was no harm in being careful. Nox accepted her as she was, but there was no guarantee that all beastkin would do the same.
What would happen if beastkin other than Nox found out that she was from another world?
A chill ran through Sia, and when she rubbed her arms, Nox wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s wrong? Are you not fully recovered yet?”
“No! It’s not that…”
“Then…”
As he was looking at Sia with concern, Nox caught the intoxicating scent of catnip coming from her, making his nose twitch. Though Nox wanted to ask why she smelled of catnip, Cedric, standing nearby, spoke first.
“Master, you should show this to the Madam.”
Cedric held out what he was carrying with eyes full of anticipation.
“Ah, right.”
Nox, his gaze also tinged with expectation, explained to Sia.
“This is from a silver fox that I caught last winter. It’s rare and difficult to hunt.”
“Wow… its fur really shines like silver.”
“I heard that even after being made into leather, it doesn’t lose its sheen, so it’s hard to obtain even among the nobility. I kept it in storage just in case, and this works out perfectly. We’ll make a scarf from this for you to wear.”
Sia brushed her hand over the silver fox fur placed in her hands. The way it softly grazed her palm felt so wonderful it surprised her.
“You can make a scarf from silver fox fur, right?”
At Nox’s question, Diana answered quickly. She looked more tense than when she was dealing with Sia.
“Of course, Milord.”
“Hm. Cedric, show that fur as well.”
“Yes, Master.”
Cedric immediately presented the fur he had brought to Diana. All of them were furs from rare beasts that were difficult to see under normal circumstances. With an interested gaze, Diana examined the texture of the fur and the size of the hides as she spoke.
“This one could be made into a cape. Even if it only covers the shoulders, it can raise body temperature, and it’s a design many madams and ladies have been seeking lately.”
Sia continued to fiddle with the silver fox fur while looking at Nox, who was listening seriously to the explanation. She had assumed he wouldn’t know much about women’s clothing, but he placed orders smoothly without hesitation. In no time at all, the volume of orders had grown far beyond what Sia had requested.
“Have everything I mentioned made. Start with what Sia requested, and you may bring the rest sequentially.”
“Yes, Milord.”
Only then did Sia realize that the number of garments Nox was ordering was excessive. Startled, she grabbed his wrist and whispered quickly.
“That’s too much.”
“…Doesn’t this just cover the basics?”
“This is?”
“…My mother had ten times the number of dresses you do.”
“……”
When even the previous Duchess was brought up, Sia was left speechless. While she floundered, Nox calmly kissed her on the forehead and disappeared.
Diana approached Sia with a professional smile and spoke.
“Shall you stand up so we can take your measurements, Lady Sia?”
“…Yes, let’s do that.”
Recalling the last time, Sia stood up while discreetly checking the faces of the staff approaching her. With three people taking her measurements at once, it was clearly more comfortable than before.
Because Nox had stopped by so suddenly, she failed to notice the reactions of the staff who caught the scent of catnip she had applied to her body. So she did not realize how flushed the faces of the employees measuring her were, or how they trembled ever so slightly.
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