Chapter 16
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By the time Evina arrived at the Kepine Salon, it was around six in the evening, just as darkness began to fall.
In noble society, where people woke late and started their day slowly, six was the busiest time. As expected, a line of dazzling carriages stretched out in front of the salon.
Her carriage pulled up to the entrance.
“Who may I ask?”
“The Viscountess Derise.”
At that, the salon attendant glanced around with a slightly troubled face.
“Ah… thank you for visiting us again. But as you can see, we have no available seats at the moment.”
“My lady, they say there’s no room. What should we do?”
Therese fidgeted beside her.
She had expected this.
It was the season for New Year’s dresses, and this was a popular salon. It couldn’t be helped.
If she could afford an expensive, dazzling new piece, it wouldn’t have mattered at all. But Evina couldn’t, so she had to stay on the salon’s good side.
She thought for a moment, then opened the carriage window and leaned out.
“Is there really no space at all?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. We’re fully booked with reservations.”
“Is that so?”
She fell into thought.
Then the attendant carefully spoke up.
“Um… would you be able to wait just a little while? It has been quite some time since you arrived. If you wait just a bit longer, you should be able to enter.”
“Really?”
Evina’s face brightened.
“Then I’ll wait.”
“Yes, understood. I’ll let them know.”
Anyway, it was better to slip in when there were fewer people and buy what she needed quickly, rather than showing her face when it was crowded.
She began to pass the time by gazing out the window.
Twenty minutes passed. Then thirty.
“My lady, do you think it’s still too early?”
Therese, growing bored, asked carefully.
“Yes. We’ll probably have to wait a while longer. It seems the Duchess of Diamo and her daughters arrived before us.”
Getting dresses fitted for the Duchess and three daughters would take far more than just an hour or two.
And in her position, buying recycled dresses, she couldn’t exactly rush them.
More time passed.
“Viscountess Derise, thank you for waiting so long. Will you come in?”
Evina and Therese, who had been waiting in the carriage for over an hour, finally stepped out.
“This way…”
The attendant led them not through the front door, but the back.
“See you out, Duchess! Thank you for your generous patronage today. We look forward to seeing you again!”
Evina walked into the salon, listening to Kepine herself, a woman she had never even met, see off the Duchess and her three daughters.
“This way.”
It was a familiar path.
She walked past dresses displayed under bright, dazzling lights and entered a dim, dark storage room.
Rows of secondhand dresses and out-of-season pieces hung there.
“Please look around and call for me when you need anything, Viscountess.”
“Thank you.”
The attendant disappeared, and Evina began rifling through the dresses with practiced ease.
She couldn’t pick something too far out of season. That would look tacky. But if she chose something only recently out of fashion, not only might someone recognize the fabric or pattern, but it would also be too expensive.
Too expensive even for the thousand eron she’d gotten from the Viscount.
So Evina always browsed the dresses hanging somewhere in the middle.
That was when it happened.
“…Hm? There’s another customer here?”
Kepine’s voice drifted over.
“Yes, ma’am. The Viscountess Derise…”
“Viscountess Derise? Who is that again? Ah… that woman who only buys secondhand dresses?”
Kepine let out a cackle.
“Yes, she’s choosing a dress now.”
“Is she? You handle her yourself. She clearly has no intention of spending money anyway. No need for me to deal with her. I’m going to rest. Call me once whatever-her-name Derise or Terise has gone.”
Evina’s hand paused mid-search.
“…My lady.”
Therese glanced at her, checking her mood.
Evina turned to her and smiled gently, shaking her head.
“I’m fine, Therese. I didn’t want to drag this out anyway. This works out. Let’s hurry and pick something.”
Therese nodded and started picking through dresses with a fighting spirit, as if she wanted to get out of there just as badly.
They had waited over an hour, but it took less than twenty minutes to choose a few dresses. Evina pulled the cord.
Soon the door opened and a young employee poked her face in.
“You’re done already?”
Her voice was curt.
“I’ve picked four. I’d like to try them on and buy one.”
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