🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter : 41
She even put down the cigar she had been holding out of habit.
“Princess Diell Yekaterina?”
Right now, nothing else seemed to matter to the Master.
The woman was coming to the guild.
That alone was important. Nothing else.
“I’ll go to the headquarters myself.”
“Huh? In person?”
Alic was greatly startled.
He had expected some reaction, but nothing like this.
“But…! You’ve never appeared at the guild personally until now, have you?”
Since the guild was founded, no—Master had never personally moved.
He only gave orders and approvals.
“Why does that matter?”
Yet, there was no stopping the Master.
“I’ll receive my guest myself.”
“…Then, until now…”
Alic, who had no words to counter, looked utterly dumbfounded.
“Tell me if there’s a problem. Within three seconds.”
“No, Your Highness—”
Three seconds? Not even one second passed before the Master waved dismissively.
“Done.”
As if refusing to listen any longer, the Master gestured.
“Bring the robes.”
“Then, Your Highness, please wait here for a moment.”
Madam Matilda led me to her workshop.
“You are the only person who has ever come all the way to my workshop, Your Highness!”
Matilda said something, but it barely registered in my ears.
‘They must keep the truly valuable items here.’
I was briefly overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it.
‘Wait, could it be… over there?’
Through the window of the workshop, it became even clearer.
Barbet 24-1.
The wall used as the guild’s entrance was now right in front of me.
I had to just watch it from a distance where I could practically touch it if I fell.
“Girls!”
But I couldn’t examine it closely. When Madam suddenly clapped her hands, sharp and decisive,
“Yes, Madam.”
Women in matching uniforms appeared from somewhere.
“I’ll start by brushing your hair.”
“This is the finest emerald, nicknamed the secret treasure of this auction.”
I was literally dizzy.
Someone carefully brushed my hair, applying fragrance.
Before my eyes, dazzling jewels sparkled on display.
‘Ah!’
Dozens of hands were cleaning and polishing me from every direction.
‘This won’t do.’
I quickly assessed their control panels.
The attendant brushing my hair was E-rank; the one bringing jewels was F-rank.
‘Madam Matilda is D-rank.’
Fortunately, none of the individuals requiring special conditions were here.
“Oh, fantastique! This is it!”
And then.
It was after Madam helped me into the dress.
“Madam, focus!”
“I’ve spent the past 24 years never putting down a needle just to see this moment.”
Matilda wobbled, clutching the corner of her desk.
“You look stunning, Your Highness!”
I had only intended to glance briefly, but
‘Oh…’
I couldn’t take my eyes off the mirror either.
‘It really suits me.’
Perhaps because of my skin, nearly translucent and white.
Even I had to admit the green-accented dress matched perfectly with my rose-colored hair.
“Could you stand like this for a moment?”
“This is truly the perfect creation of the gods.”
All the Camerata staff, including Madam, surrounded me.
No matter where I looked, someone’s gaze met mine.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
When I spoke for the first time, everyone looked at me.
“Is it finally done?”
Every eye that had been inspecting my dress and jewels turned to me.
And then.
‘Now, spray the sleeping fragrance into the air!’
[This material isn’t necessary for the current situation.]
‘Ah, I’ll pay for it!’
I threw the thought into my mind.
[Applying sleeping fragrance.]
[50 Blanc deducted.]
Then, the control panels in front of me began moving one by one.
[Zyla’s fatigue has reached maximum!]
[Matilda’s fatigue has reached maximum!]
[Ceri’s health has dropped to newborn levels!]
“Why do I feel so sleepy?”
“Haaam…”
The women who had surrounded me collapsed.
The constant hum of admiration fell silent.
“…Kehng.”
Only soft snoring could be heard.
‘I’ll wake them in 20 minutes.’
It was time.
Though I felt embarrassed by the overly adorned look, it didn’t matter.
‘I’m not going out into the streets, just going to the guild.’
I opened the external door attached to the workshop.
Immediately, the guild entrance—the massive wall—appeared before me.
From the outside, it looked like a dead-end or a plain building wall.
‘This is it?’
I slowly felt along the wall.
At a certain point, it spun like a revolving door.
“Caraom Delabar!”
I completed the spell I had learned from Catherine.
A magic circle appeared over the wall that had looked ordinary.
Bang!
A dazzling light burst forth, engulfing my body.
‘Hah!’
The wind blew fiercely, and my legs wobbled slightly from the pressure.
“Welcome to the Zauas Guild.”
In an instant, the scenery before me completely changed.
Since that morning, Helsen had been moving the salon’s equipment.
“Move faster! Come on!”
Suddenly, attendants appeared and began locking the doors.
The atmosphere became hectic.
“Manager, what’s happening? Are you closing early today?”
“Ah, Helsen.”
The manager answered.
“We’re not closing. An important guest has arrived.”
“An important guest?”
Helsen tilted his head.
He was temporarily working here while awaiting the final results from the Rom Knights.
Though only a few days, he had seen many nobles rarely seen in a lifetime.
From the late Countess Claude to the Empress and the princesses.
‘Who could it be this time?’
Even when such distinguished guests came, Madam had run the salon as usual.
Helsen, puzzled, watched with curiosity.
“Huh?”
His eyes widened.
“This must be Princess Diell Yekaterina. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Matilda’s expert, even severe expression was replaced by rapture.
She even moved around Diell like a girl who had just gotten a doll she had dreamed of.
‘So, it’s her…’
Helsen already knew who the woman making Matilda glow like this was.
He had met her once in Bontec, in simple attire.
‘I guessed she must be noble.’
Of course, her unique aura couldn’t be hidden.
He had assumed she was related to the Duke of Perzen.
‘…To think she’s a princess.’
Helsen’s expression darkened slightly.
A woman bathed in brilliant light, receiving everyone’s gaze.
And he, in the shadows, watching her.
‘I shouldn’t act familiar.’
The distance he hadn’t felt in Bontec now seemed to block the way.
But it lasted only briefly.
“Then, Princess, shall we go to my workshop?”
Only after Diell disappeared from view did Helsen regain his composure.
“I must be insane.”
He ruffled his own hair in frustration.
What had he been thinking while moving boxes?
He felt strange seeing himself stare foolishly at the woman.
‘Let’s just work.’
After shaking off the lingering distraction, he went back to moving boxes.
“Oh, perfect timing. Helsen, come here for a moment.”
Matilda, hurriedly descending from the workshop, called him.
“Go to Reda’s tailor shop and get some elderberry dye. The Madam there likes you, so you can get it without waiting.”
Leaving only those words, she returned to her workshop.
“Yes, understood.”
Helsen, reluctantly running Matilda’s errand, moved quickly.
As she said, he quickly obtained the dye from Reda’s shop.
“Madam, I’ve brought the elderberry dye you requested.”
“…”
Helsen went straight to the workshop and spoke in front of the curtain.
No response came from inside.
‘Didn’t hear me?’
The workshop had a curtain instead of a door.
It was to make carrying heavy materials in and out easier.
“Madam, it’s Helsen.”
Because of this, sounds could be heard clearly from inside and out.
Even after calling again, there was no reply.
‘I’ll leave it by the door. No choice.’
He was a man.
He couldn’t enter; she might be trying on clothes inside.
Besides, the thought of Diell being there made him want to hide.
“Madam, I’ll leave the elderberry dye here.”
As Helsen carefully set down the dye, a vibrating thud came from somewhere.
‘Eh!’
At the same time, a strong wind rose, making even sturdy Helsen stagger.
The curtain flapped violently.
“…!”
Helsen froze in place.
