Chapter 2.2
I gathered and packed the accessories my uncle had forced me to buy, saying ‘don’t embarrass me at important events.’
Of course, I dressed in Shirley’s clothes so people wouldn’t recognize me as a noble lady.
I wanted to sell off the fancy dresses that would become useless too, but…… who would buy clothes tailored to my size?
Still, I thought the jewels would sell.…… I was mistaken.
The first place I went to was a pawn shop, to find out the lowest possible price.
There, they quoted a ridiculously low price.
As I stood there with my mouth agape, the pawn shop owner clicked his tongue.
“Miss, where did you get these?”
Is he suspecting stolen goods?
“They’re gifts from my uncle.”
“Did you do something wrong to your uncle?”
“Pardon?”
“Look. This ring is fake, this ring is plated, and this necklace isn’t fake but it’s very low-quality sapphire. It’s covered with glass settings.”
That bastard Count Dunbury!
You swaggered around in front of others saying you raised me like a daughter. Did you do this to your own daughter too?
Now I see why that money-grubber so readily gave me jewelry.
While I was seething, the pawn shop owner skillfully sorted the accessories with his thick, rough fingers.
“Alright, these are fake. If you want to sell them, ask a toy shop. These are real. All together, 30 gold.”
30 gold is just barely enough for one month’s living expenses. Even considering this is a pawn shop, it’s too low.
“I’m sorry. I’ll look around a bit more and come back.”
“It’ll be about the same anywhere else. Miss, it’s hard to make money with these things.”
Ignoring the owner’s nagging, I swept up the accessories and left the pawn shop.
I felt dark clouds gathering over my future.
And then the next, and the next.
I visited quite a few shops.
But the fake jewelry never turned into real.
Only a few pieces were confirmed as genuine, and even selling them all would only yield about half of my expected living expenses.
What should I do.
Should I just sell some of the shares as soon as I get them?
As I was walking along, deep in thought.
I heard a voice ahead, sounding pleased.
“Lady Irene.”
Who would be pleased to see me?
I lifted my head.
There, a handsome man in neat attire was blocking my path.
Who could this be…….
While I was racking my brain, he hesitantly opened his mouth.
“Lady Irene……?”
A gentle voice that didn’t match his firm impression.
Only then did I realize who this man was.
“Mr. Aiden?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
His large hands fidgeting shyly, it was definitely Aiden Freier.
There was only one reason I didn’t recognize him.
Aiden was wearing the clothes I bought him, and had come out looking fairly neat.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you in civilian clothes! Wow, and you even swept your hair back stylishly.”
His face flushed bright red.
He seemed unaccustomed to compliments.
“Thank you…….”
“Don’t thank me. You look handsome enough to make me feel rewarded. Did you dress up like this to go on a date or something?”
“A d-date?”
He stammered.
“Oh my, did I misunderstand? Then do you have an appointment…….”
“I have no appointment.”
He took a short breath and said, as if confessing.
“I came because I thought I should show myself to Lady Irene.”
……I was at a loss for words for a moment.
I’m grateful for the sentiment, but. You dressed up and came all the way here just to show me your face?
No, that’s not the only problem.
How did Aiden find out where I was?
“Surely you didn’t go around to all the shops I might visit?”
“Yes. I couldn’t very well show up unannounced at the Count Dunbury’s residence.”
“Thank you……?”
“Then, since I’ve shown myself, I’ll be going back now.”
“……You came all this way just to show me your face?”
Aiden nodded.
“Since it wasn’t promised, I couldn’t very well take up too much of your time for no reason.”
“But you’re visiting the capital after a long time. Isn’t there anything you wanted to do?”
“No. Actually, my hometown is more like the military academy than the capital.”
“What about friends in the capital―.”
“I have none.”
“I-I have no friends either! What a coincidence!”
In trying to keep this stilted conversation going, I ended up saying something ridiculous.
Aiden looked at me with an odd expression.
I know, I said something weird. How delightful it is that two friendless people meet, Irene!
The conversation awkwardly died, and I barely managed to come up with a question to ask him.
“About what I asked you to convey to Ernst. Do you happen to know how he reacted?”
“At first, he denied reality, saying ‘She’s not that kind of woman.’ After that, he seemed to be pondering something. Be careful. My brother, unlike me, is skilled at seducing women.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m already sick of him.”
A gentle smile, a handsome face, warm words.
I’ve learned all too well that it’s all empty.
Even the fact that he could pretend to love me in front of others while keeping another woman.
Ah, perhaps I should have met Ernst once more, for the last time.
It would feel rewarding for being resurrected if I could land a punch on that smug face.
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