FMLDM 22

Chapter 22

Coral Turned the Dress Shop Upside Down! (2020.11.17)

The emperor, who had lived not as a father but purely as the sovereign of the throne, searched for his son in this moment. Of course, he looked for him not as a son, but as the crown prince candidate. Ironically, the emperor, who had never once shown love, wished more than anyone else for him to become the crown prince. Macaron lifted his head with an unusually furrowed brow.

“Clear my schedule for the afternoon.”

“What about Marquis Tally, then?”

“Handle that yourself.”

“But if he takes offense to the secretary, we don’t know what he might say once back at the palace.”

Macaron, lying back, gave a faint, unreadable smile.

“Anyway, he’s not the kind to speak well of me. If he says something bad, all the better.”

Whether they were secretaries or emperors, trying to look good was only done when there was something to gain. Macaron, who had no intention of becoming crown prince yet, had no reason to act differently.

“Still, he is a secretary. Shouldn’t you show at least minimal courtesy?”

“Courtesy is for those worthy of it.”

Momont could only click his tongue at Macaron’s unwavering resolve. As the lord of the Craide territory, Macaron had been sincere and devoted. But as a prince, none of that appeared.

“What about tomorrow afternoon’s schedule?”

“I have an important engagement.”

Momont stared, unaccustomed, at Macaron’s first genuine smile since entering his service.

“An important engagement?”

Recently, Macaron had been visiting the eastern annex more often, sometimes making strange jokes. Just last night, he had unexpectedly arrived there and said something completely out of the blue:

“Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?”

Was he drunk? Normally, Macaron would never say something like giving me the honor of a date—it would be utterly out of character. But he hadn’t been drinking. His flushed face suggested how hard it had been for him to speak. If he was struggling this much… was the date just an excuse to ask for something?

“What is it?”

I spoke too formally, and Macaron hesitated before finally opening his mouth.

“I want to buy a dress for Coral.”

At first, I had been uneasy watching Macaron try to get closer to Coral. How long would his efforts continue? If Macaron changed, how disappointed would Coral be? Yet I was secretly grateful he was still trying.

“For Coral?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“I owe Coral a lot.”

Owe Coral? How did I suddenly discover a secret I didn’t know? I was curious to death, but I doubted Macaron would tell me. Should I ask Coral? Anyway, if he came to repay a debt, it was a relief that, though Macaron had abandoned humility, he still had a conscience.

“Coral will be thrilled. Thank you.”

But who describes that as a ‘date’? More importantly, had Macaron ever been so shamelessly bold?

“Don’t call it a date—it’s confusing.”

After confirming Macaron had left, I immediately ran to Coral. When I relayed Macaron’s words, Coral’s smile stayed glued to her face even as I stepped out.

“Stop smiling like that, you’re breaking my heart.”

Coral, who had slept in my room again, tossed and turned like an elementary schooler the whole day before the outing. The next morning, as expected, Coral overslept. Puffy-eyed and sulking, she looked miserable. I cheered her up and hurriedly finished preparations without even eating. But I felt a little bad leaving Kai behind. Looking at the training grounds, Kai was engrossed in practice. Duke Schupen was diligently overseeing as usual, but somehow, he seemed different from before. Once suspicion sprouts, every move of Duke Schupen seemed questionable.

“Could the injured arm of Duke Schupen be part of some scheme too?”

I had no intention of confronting someone hurt, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.

“Schupen could have treated himself… so why was he only watching Kai?”

“Is he trying to learn something from Kai?”

Lost in thought, time slipped by until Coral grabbed my hand.

“Mom, let’s go!”

When we reached the front gate, Macaron was waiting, sharply dressed in a suit. Lately, he had been making more effort in his appearance, but today he was in peak form. He clearly cared about how he looked outside. Yet my mind was entirely on Duke Schupen.

“Should I tell Macaron I think Duke Schupen is the Luna Guildmaster? Does he suspect it? Maybe that’s why he’s letting it slide.”

“But I’m not sure yet… will I just be stirring trouble for no reason?”

Even on the carriage, I couldn’t escape my tangled thoughts. Macaron’s questions barely registered; I answered so carelessly I hardly remember. Coral seemed to be sensing something too. Sigh. People can’t multitask well… focus on one thing, and another is neglected. I organized my thoughts and smiled faintly.

“Do you have a particular dress shop in mind?”

Macaron’s slightly tense face softened as he looked at me.

“Trust me today and follow me.”

He seemed excited at the thought of buying clothes for Coral, his rare smile spreading across his face. Coral couldn’t take her eyes off the flashy streets, grinning ear to ear. Soon, the carriage stopped, and Macaron escorted me while lifting Coral in his arms.

“Shall we go?”

Coral peeked at me and placed her tiny hands on Macaron’s large one. Whispering to each other, Macaron and Coral walked ahead, looking every bit like father and daughter. Occasionally, they glanced back at me while chatting, smiling warmly. Honestly, I had never imagined such a scene when we first contracted. I had hoped Macaron would act as a father, if not a husband, but “contract marriage” carried no obligation. Still, since he doted on his son, I never expected he would neglect or mistreat Coral… but I certainly didn’t imagine they could become this close.

Seeing Coral laugh more brightly than ever reminded me of that day when she tearfully said she didn’t want anything to change. Coral, who grew up too fast, had that one line that shook my heart. Coral, who said she needed her mother close, and the Coral now who doesn’t want to leave this moment…

“Could I have both?”

It was possible if we truly became a family.

“But is that just my selfish wish?”

I wanted to be by Coral’s side longer than anyone, as long as it didn’t affect her happiness. Macaron walked ahead with Coral, occasionally checking the distance to me. Matching his pace and seeing his rare shy smile made my heart flutter, though I wasn’t foolish enough to mistake it for more—he was merely a dutiful contract partner. I just needed to be a faithful counterpart.

The dress shop we arrived at was larger and more extravagant than any I had seen. I paused at the familiar sign.

“Frill Dress Shop?”

This was the very shop Coral had been clipping and collecting notes from. Seeing Macaron smile at Coral, I realized he had known and brought us here. This shop was the most famous in the empire, supplying most social attire. The interior matched its reputation, and dresses ranged from elaborate to elegant, beautifully displayed by theme. The staff glanced at me and then at Macaron, creating a lively, bustling atmosphere.

“Please come in.”

I worried they recognized Macaron, but it turned out the fabric he wore…

“This fabric is from a brand even we couldn’t source… Your taste is truly exceptional.”

How much must that have cost? I thought he just looked good naturally, but today it seemed money amplified his charm. Apparently, he had really prepared for this outing. I considered picking a new outfit for myself but quickly shook my head. There were more important things to do for Coral than for me. Thanks to Macaron, we were treated with utmost courtesy. As we sat on the sofa, staff brought out dress catalogs. Coral’s eyes sparkled as she held Macaron’s hand, delighting the staff.

Flipping through the catalog, gorgeous dresses appeared in a line.

“If Coral wears this, she’d look like an angel. This marine outfit might be needed for summer… Oh, this sparkling dress suits our fairy perfectly.”

Everything suited Coral. At that moment, shouts of admiration came from inside—Coral had emerged from the dressing room. Wearing an elegant, little queen-like dress, she was so adorable I could barely speak. Without holding back, tears might have come… so cute! I might have demolished the shop if no one had been around.

“How do you find it, madam?”

Macaron’s calling me “madam” snapped me back. He sounded unusually tender. But right now, he wasn’t the focus. If I expressed my feelings openly, I’d seem ridiculous. After carefully composing myself, I spoke:

“She looks like an angel.”

Coral emerged several times from the dressing room, each time melting my heart. Little Queen Coral, Angel Coral, Princess Coral, Snow Queen Coral, Beach Coral…

All beautiful. How could I choose? This was harder than any mystery in history. Every adorable look gave me renewed determination. Our Coral, wear whatever you want.

“It’s just clothes—how expensive can it be?”

Given how chainers at auctions always hit record prices, I felt confident. Resolute, I approached a dress while Coral went into the dressing room again. After exploring for a while, I checked the price tag. But… it wasn’t just a dress. It was a masterpiece worthy of reverence. Yes, when it was too beautiful… when it was perfect for Coral… I should have realized it. If I hadn’t looked, it wouldn’t have been so painful. How could I leave these behind when Coral loved them so much? Every time Coral left the dressing room, a weight settled in my heart. If only she didn’t look so perfect… then I wouldn’t agonize like this. The chainers now had a purpose—to create tirelessly, even through sleepless nights. Just as I wrestled with whether to be happy or sad, Coral emerged once more.