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Chapter 12
Inside the rattling carriage, Railey cautiously asked Maddy,
“Um, how many outfits do you think we should buy?”
“Why would we need multiple? We’re buying them because of the guest coming today. One outfit should be enough… right?”
Railey looked at Maddy in shock, as if she had been struck by lightning.
“What are you saying?! Just one outfit?!”
“Hahaha! Your face is hilarious!”
“One outfit? Seriously?! What about when guests come over, when we go to someone else’s party, when we host our own parties, when you accompany the Grand Duke to the imperial palace, and even just for casual indoor wear! That’s already several outfits! And this guest isn’t a one-time thing—they’ll keep coming! Just one outfit? You may have grown up in the slums, but you’re completely out of touch with the world…!”
Railey abruptly clamped her mouth shut with a gasp.
Maddy just smiled, unbothered.
“I didn’t know. I’ve never bought new clothes before.”
“Oh… th-that’s… I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine. You didn’t know either, did you? That you’d end up serving someone like me.”
“No, that’s not what I meant… Ah, geez.”
Railey pouted for a moment, then clenched her fists with determination.
“A-anyway! You seriously need a lot of clothes! We’re going all out! The Grand Duke told me to buy whatever you needed! Jewelry too! Shoes! Handkerchiefs, hair accessories, even hats! Everything!”
“Is it okay to buy so much at once?”
“Why not? You’re the one who said even if you get kicked out tonight, it’d be nice to have some memories! Let’s go!”
With sudden fire in her eyes, Railey pulled Maddy confidently toward the boutique the moment the carriage stopped.
“There’s no need to be nervous! I’ve got your back!”
Railey flung open the boutique door with flair and shouted,
“Hello! Please call the owner! We’re about to spend a lot of money!”
Maddy smiled sweetly at Railey.
Such a kind girl, she thought. Innocent beyond belief.
While the staff went to get the owner, Maddy (pretending to be amazed) widened her eyes and looked around the store.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful. Railey, look at that fabric—it’s shining!”
“You want it?! Should we get it?!”
“Oh my. That handkerchief—looks like the lace was handmade. So delicate.”
“That one? It looks like a master artisan knitted it stitch by stitch! Should we buy it too?!”
“That green dress is lovely.”
“Try it on!”
“Wouldn’t it be too small for me?”
“If we cinch it tight with a high-quality whale-bone corset, it’ll fit! Don’t worry!”
Railey enthusiastically darted around the boutique, picking out items left and right.
“Please bring us the high-end corset. Our lady—no, our young miss—will be wearing it. And use silk ribbons, please!”
Maddy stepped forward cautiously, looking a little thrilled.
“There’s so many beautiful things.”
“Would you like to look at rings first, miss? Please give me your hand—oh my.”
The boutique clerk, carrying a box full of rings, gasped when she saw Maddy’s scarred hand.
A silent exchange of glances passed between the staff.
With Railey’s overly confident tone, they assumed she was a noble with money. But it turned out she’d brought a beggar.
What kind of noblewoman looks like that?
These salespeople were veterans at spotting customers who wouldn’t spend money.
The clerk, still smiling sweetly, told another to put the jewelry box away.
“This shop might not be right for you, miss. About four blocks down, you’ll find shops with more affordable options.”
“What did you just say?!”
Railey burst out angrily, but Maddy spoke first.
“You must mean Flory’s General Store.”
“You know it well.”
“Of course. It’s that secondhand store that sells people’s discarded things.”
The clerk’s fake smile didn’t budge.
“Yes. That price range might suit you better.”
“Oh, really? So I’m not ‘up to the level’ of this place?”
Maddy’s tone and expression changed, but the clerk’s smug smile remained. She even gave a strained, condescending smirk.
“Please don’t make a scene and leave quietly. There are other customers here.”
Maddy briefly clenched her fist, then shook her head and relaxed.
Let’s not hurt anyone yet.
“Huh, none of you seem to read the newspaper. If you’re in business, you should know what’s happening in the city.”
“Enough nonsense. You’re better off at the secondhand shop.”
“Railey. Let’s go to Fetisha Boutique. Like this clerk said, this place isn’t ‘up to our level.’”
“Ha! Do you think Fetisha Boutique takes just anyone? That place is in the city center. Hey guys, they’re leaving!”
The staff kindly opened the door and gestured for them to leave.
Railey was about to pull Maddy away when Maddy took out a gold coin from her pocket and walked up to the jewelry counter.
She opened the jewelry box herself, picked up a ring, and placed the gold coin in its spot.
She held up the ring and tilted it under the light, then chuckled.
“This is a ruby, right?”
She slid the ring onto her finger and tilted her head.
“But the design’s pretty bad.”
Then she handed the ring to the coachman outside.
The coachman, stunned, looked at Maddy in disbelief.
“Mister. Please take us to Fetisha Boutique. You can keep the ring.”
“Uh—ah! Yes! Thank you so much! Please, step in! I’ll take you right there!”
Maddy nodded and returned to the boutique, handing another gold coin to the rude clerk.
“Here’s extra. Just in case you try to overcharge me. Consider the rest your severance pay.”
“What did you say?”
The annoyed clerk began to respond when the owner ran out from the back in a panic.
“You mean the future Grand Duchess is here?!”
“Yes. Hello, nice to meet you. By the way, sir, I think you should fire this employee. She has no sense of current affairs, and no eye for customers.”
“P-please wait! I think our employee made a mistake!”
As Maddy turned to leave, the owner grabbed her wrist—and she turned to look at him quietly.
The owner froze, suddenly feeling like he couldn’t breathe.
Maddy shook off his hand and whispered coldly,
“Don’t touch me without permission.”
“S-sorry…”
“And you’re too late. She already talked too much.”
With that, Maddy walked out with Railey and got back into the carriage.
The owner watched helplessly as the carriage rolled away—he’d missed a big fish, and she wasn’t coming back.
Inside the carriage, Maddy told the coachman,
“Don’t go straight to Fetisha Boutique. Circle around the shopping district slowly first.”
“Huh? Why? The Grand Duke said to hurry because an important guest is coming.”
“It’s fine. That guest won’t leave before seeing my face anyway.”
The coachman tilted his head but obeyed.
“Maddy… why are you doing this?”
Railey looked confused. Maddy winked and rolled down both carriage windows.
“I figured I need to make a splash for rumors to spread. So people start talking about who this wicked woman that seduced the Grand Duke really is.”
She combed through her long, curly hair and hummed a little tune.
From outside the carriage, whispers followed:
“Hey, isn’t that…?”
“No way… Is that really her?”
“That’s the woman?”
Maddy smiled calmly out the window, while Railey held back a small gasp.
She seemed like a different person from the one who left the mansion. Before, she looked innocent. Now she looked like someone hardened and sharp.
Railey, who had worked as a maid in many noble houses, was sure.
‘…She’s not getting kicked out. That woman’s tough as hell.’
After circling the district, the carriage arrived at Fetisha Boutique, and the owner ran out to greet them.
“My goodness, what brings the future Grand Duchess to our humble shop?!”
She said that, but the wide-open doors suggested she was expecting Maddy.
Of course—either the staff or customers from the last store probably spread the word.
Maddy nodded slightly and entered the most luxurious boutique in the city with Railey.
Again, Maddy simply looked around while Railey took charge of the shopping.
“That one!”
“Can we see that too?”
“That would look amazing on our young miss!”
“That handkerchief too!”
“How about this ring, miss?”
“Can we try on that red dress now? Please bring it down!”
Maddy entered the fitting room with a relaxed expression.
“Miss! I’ll help you change!”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Inside, Railey gasped when she saw the scars on Maddy’s back, arms, and body.
“Shocked?”
“N-no. Well, actually… yes.”
“I’ve lived a rough life. Not by choice, of course.”
Railey began to understand this “tough” version of Maddy. To survive such wounds in a harsh world, one had to be strong.
She finally understood why Maddy could seem like a different person in different situations.
(Of course, Railey didn’t even suspect that all of it was calculated.)
“I don’t mind. Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll always help you change, miss—no, my lady.”
“Thank you.”
As Railey fastened the intricate buttons on the lavish dress, she made up her mind.
Maddy is pitiful… and strong.
When Maddy stepped out and looked at herself in the mirror, she gently stroked her skirt and blushed.
“I’ve never seen such beautiful clothes. Let alone worn any… Can I really wear something like this?”
“Of course! The Grand Duke said to get anything you want! Let’s pick out matching jewelry too! And order more dresses!”
“Railey, you don’t have to go so overboard.”
“But he really said, ‘Go and make sure Maddy has absolutely everything she needs.’”
Maddy chuckled.
Clearly, Yulician assumed she’d steal something if she wasn’t satisfied.
That’s probably why he gave Railey such strict instructions.
They filled the carriage with dresses, high-quality fabrics, jewelry, shoes, gloves—everything.
Fetisha, the boutique owner, gave the best send-off she could to the future Grand Duchess, who had brought in the highest sales of the season.
It was truly shopping with nothing lacking.
