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Chapter 27
“What kind of fabric would you like to choose?”
“Do you prefer a flashy design or a simple one?”
“We have a few design samples here—would you like to take a look?”
“You should also choose accessories that match the dress. Would you like to see our newest collection?”
Not even five minutes had passed since they entered the shop and said they wanted to have dresses made, and those were already the things Karin had heard.
Her mind was in complete chaos because of the salesclerks constantly recommending things. Karin kept throwing out rejection lines like, “No thanks,” “I’m fine,” and “Maybe later,” while trailing closely behind Iris.
They had only just started shopping, but somehow it felt like they’d already spent two hours wandering around.
So the original Karin used to do this for every party? Seriously, what an incredible woman.
“Karin, over here!”
Meanwhile, Iris showed no signs of being tired at all.
As if it were perfectly natural, she received a warm welcome from the employees and headed toward the inner section of the store. Taking a catalog of dress designs from a clerk, she handed it to Karin.
“You just need to pick one from here.”
Karin quickly skimmed through the dress samples and chose one she liked. It took less than ten minutes to pick a design and decide on the fabric type and color.
Iris looked utterly amazed.
“Really? Wow, you’re so quick at making choices. Amazing!”
Being praised for something so insignificant felt strange.
Why praise me for something like this? How embarrassing.
Exactly five hours later, Karin deeply understood why Iris had said that.
For exactly five and a half hours, Karin had watched Iris turn the pages of the design book with her index finger resting on her chin in deep thought. Finally, Karin stepped behind her, looked through the pages, and pointed at one.
“Hey, how about this? I think it’d suit you really well.”
Iris looked at the design Karin chose and slowly shook her head.
“Hmm… I thought about that one earlier, but the neckline is too low. It feels a bit revealing.”
Right, okay. That could happen.
With a gentle smile, Karin patted Iris’s shoulder and pointed at another design.
“Then what about this one?”
“That one’s hem is too long.”
Right. Two strikes. It’s fine. Totally fine.
Experiencing firsthand what Buddha must have felt before reaching enlightenment, Karin pointed to another design.
“How about this? The neckline isn’t low, and the hem isn’t too long either.”
“I thought about that one too. But it has too many jewels on it.”
“Then this one. This is perfect. Perfect! The neckline isn’t low, the hem isn’t too long, and it’s simple. Let’s go with this!”
After thinking for a long time, Iris finally spoke.
“But… it’s too simple.”
“……”
“Karin, I seriously can’t choose. There are too many options.”
She wasn’t wrong.
The catalog Iris was holding looked at least twice as thick as the major textbooks Karin used to carry around split into three volumes.
It looked like even if they gathered every designer in the world and made them draw day and night for a month, they still wouldn’t fill all of it.
Still!
Who spends five and a half hours choosing clothes?!
Karin gave up helping with dress selection and collapsed into a chair behind them.
How much longer was she supposed to be trapped here?
At this rate the sun would set.
Maybe not only tonight, but tomorrow night too, they’d end up eating and sleeping here.
Overwhelmed with a sense of crisis, Karin irritably twisted her hair around her fingers.
“…Sorry. I’m taking too long to choose, aren’t I?”
Seeing Karin twist and nearly pull out her own hair, Iris spoke.
She let out a long sigh and sat beside Karin.
“At this rate, the sun’s really going to set.”
And you know that, so why—?!
Desperate situations required desperate measures.
Karin jumped to her feet and stood before Iris with the determination of a knight heading into battle.
“Iris.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s stop doing this and try a different method.”
“How?”
Actions spoke louder than words.
Karin grabbed a nearby clerk who had been standing around and brought her in front of Iris.
The clerk carefully looked Iris over before immediately opening the design book and pointing at one.
“This would suit you nicely. Adjustments for height and body shape can be made separately. Young Lady, rather than extremely flashy designs, something moderately elegant while still somewhat simple would suit you best.”
“Wow, that sounds really nice. Right—moderately elegant while still somewhat simple. This is perfect, perfect.”
Karin had absolutely no idea what “moderately elegant while still somewhat simple” was supposed to mean…
But survival came first.
Iris rolled her eyes suspiciously.
“Really? This is perfect for me?”
“Of course!”
Answering enthusiastically, Karin secretly poked the clerk in the thigh.
Immediately, honey-coated sweet talk poured out of the clerk’s mouth.
“Oh my, absolutely. I can guarantee this design suits you the best, Young Lady. And if you look here, this design was personally created by the world-famous Master Le Dvoré. It’s also a very trendy style these days.”
Thankfully, the clerk was quick-witted.
Convinced by the recommendation, Iris finally chose the design the clerk suggested.
After that, everything progressed smoothly.
Choosing the fabric type and color ended quickly, and now only measurements remained.
They should’ve done this from the start.
“Karin, I’m almost done now. Just wait a little longer.”
Having already finished her own measurements ages ago, Karin sat in a chair with her legs crossed and her chin resting on her knee while waiting for Iris.
Maybe because she’d been under bright lights for too long, her eyes slowly drooped as drowsiness overtook her.
Another customer, being led deeper into the shop by a clerk, saw Karin and visibly recoiled in surprise.
Apparently finding that unacceptable, one of the clerks approached the half-asleep Karin.
“Princess, would you like to choose accessories as well?”
“Waaah, accessories! I almost forgot. Karin, should we pick some together?”
Hearing the clerk from nearby, Iris suddenly joined in, and all of Karin’s sleep instantly fled to the opposite side of the planet.
Karin shot to her feet and shouted:
“No!”
“Ah… okay.”
Startled, Iris nodded obediently.
Accessories too?
Were they trying to kill someone here?
Worried Karin might fall asleep again, the clerk still didn’t back down despite her firm answer.
“Then at least have a look around.”
“No thanks.”
Karin escaped from the clerk and sat in a chair on the opposite side.
“Oh my, Princess. That’s the men’s clothing section.”
Men’s section or not, she was just sitting in a chair—what did it matter?
Yawning, Karin absentmindedly looked around when she noticed something sparkling on display and found herself drawn toward it.
It was a silver tie pin.
A gemstone was set at the end, and the design looked refined and luxurious.
And Karin knew exactly one person who would look really good wearing it.
“Are you buying a gift for someone?”
The clerk who had approached her at some point asked.
I’d like to give it as a gift…
But she couldn’t suddenly give someone a present for no reason.
Saying, “I just happened to think of you while passing by,” would be too much at their current relationship stage.
She didn’t want to overdo things and make things awkward.
Karin shook her head and stepped back.
“No.”
“Karin! Perfect timing!”
At that moment, Iris suddenly jumped in again, apparently having overheard the conversation.
“The aide helped you before, remember?”
Ah, right. That happened.
“Wouldn’t he like it if you gave it to him as thanks?”
At those words, the clouds parted and brilliant sunlight poured down.
This perfectly compensated for the six-hour ordeal.
Karin smiled brighter than the sun.
“Iris, you’re a genius! Please wrap this one up.”
A few minutes later, Iris finished getting measured.
Karin and Iris paid, wrote down their names and addresses on a card, thanked the employees, and left the store.
In Karin’s hands was the beautifully wrapped tie pin.
Iris looked as happy as if she were the one receiving the gift.
“This is great! Karin, when are you going to give it to him?”
“Hmm.”
If possible, Karin wanted to run straight to the First Duchy’s estate right now.
But if she ended up running into Duke Lucas, things would get troublesome.
Karin hadn’t bought a gift for the Duke.
And honestly, she didn’t really want to see his face either.
“Duke Lucas isn’t at the estate right now.”
Iris had been staring at Karin thoughtfully before saying that.
It almost felt like she’d read Karin’s mind.
“How do you know?”
“I saw him this morning while leaving. He said he had a meeting with the territory residents that would go on until late at night. And the aide wasn’t with him.”
“……”
“I heard him mention something… what was it again? He said the aide had something else to do at the estate.”
Which meant…
“So if you go now, you can be alone with the aide! Karin, this is your chance!”
Iris stretched out her hand.
Karin stared at it for a second, wondering what she meant, then raised her own hand and smacked it against Iris’s with a clap.
Iris looked delighted that Karin had understood her intentions.
“By the way, Karin, thank you so much. It took me forever, but you waited for me. I really don’t know how lucky I am to have a friend like you.”
Iris smiled brightly at Karin.
It was a smile as pure and clear as white clouds in a blue sky.
How could anyone hate you?
Karin mentally exiled her past self far away for ever thinking of Iris as a burden.
“Hm? Karin, why are you shaking your head?”
Apparently, she’d unconsciously shaken it.
Karin quickly made something up.
“Exercise. Exercise.”
“I want to do it too!”
Then Iris enthusiastically copied Karin and started shaking her head too.
She looked so adorable that Karin naturally burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny? Tell me too!”
“Nope.”
“Kariiin.”
Iris puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away, only to glance back at Karin with a soft smile.
Karin smiled back.
Holding hands, Karin and Iris walked down the streets together with light steps.
The sun sinking beyond the horizon bathed their backs in golden light.
