THSMW 56

Chapter 56

“…All the payments are already done here too?”

I calmed my startled heart and asked again.

“Yes, that’s right. Miss, you just have to pick out whatever dresses you want.”

The boutique owner answered kindly once more.

Pick out whatever I want?! Yay!

“Then I won’t refuse and will buy everything from here to there.”

I had no idea who had prepared such a surprise gift, but I had no reason to refuse. So I wandered around the boutique, choosing clothes.

Actually, I think I already know who came and paid for everything. There’s only one person around me who could pull off something like this.

But on the other hand, as a twist, it could be Avusion instead of the person I expect.

Three years ago, Avusion heard that the claws of the sirens we hunted every year were hard and beautiful enough to be used as noble jewelry.

Since then, Avusion signed a contract with a merchant guild to buy those claws in bulk.

Thanks to that, the Elifritz family had amassed enormous wealth in just three years. So it could be Avusion.

Moreover, Siegfried recently gave me an enormous gift. It arrived just in time on my birthday morning — a royal treasure that had been lost 200 years ago.

A gorgeous garnet headpiece and necklace that would draw everyone’s gaze at once if I wore them on my head and neck.

Although said to have disappeared, it seems the Western Kingdom had stolen them. When Siegfried sent me those jewels, he was in the middle of a war with the Western Kingdom.

But what am I supposed to do if the royal treasures are sent to me? Wouldn’t I get into big trouble if someone found out?

Still, I decided to keep the garnet headpiece and necklace safely in my jewelry box for now. Hehe. They’re pretty.

Of course, I wrote a polite letter saying I couldn’t possibly wear such precious jewelry.

Still, when there were occasional balls in the South, I showed up wearing those red jewels jingling.

Siegfried just scoffed. Of course, if he became emperor, there wouldn’t be any problem at all. But these were royal treasures!

“Hmmm…”

Thinking about it carefully, I felt like this might be a surprise gift from Avusion at this timing.

Even if Siegfried was already at the prince’s palace, he would be busy with the return ceremony and welcome party.

While hiding this puzzling thought, I entered the fifth boutique.

“…Here too?”

At the next boutique, all the payments were already made under my name.

At this point, I had to correct my guess. Avusion doesn’t have that kind of wealth.

Randomly entering boutiques on the island and finding the bills already paid at each place?

This must be the work of someone who heard I should show off my wealth.

This is insane. Where did they find the time to go to all these boutiques and pay for everything?

Even thinking this, I stubbornly bought thirty dresses, countless hats, shoes, gloves, and stockings.

Shopping ended only when the carriage was so full that I barely fit inside.

Since it was my first time on the island, I might have shopped a little too much without realizing it. But everywhere I went, they told me to pick as much as I liked, so what could I do…!

Shopping for too long is tiring. My feet hurt from the shoes, so I headed straight back to the mansion.

“Where are you off to, moving out or something?”

Milad, whom I met at the mansion entrance, asked. His peach-colored eyes were already full of exhaustion.

“Where did you go then?”

“To the casino, of course… Ah, wait. Don’t tell my brother. I didn’t spend much money.”

“Alright, alright. You’re in a good mood today anyway.”

“It’d be strange if I wasn’t, buying all those clothes like that.”

Milad shook his head. He didn’t seem to have heard that Avusion had visited several boutiques.

“The casino was a bit chaotic because of the party at the palace tomorrow. Staying long wasn’t easy.”

“What? Why?”

“Strange rumors are going around. That His Highness the Prince is aiming for the next throne. The island’s nobles are betting on that.”

“Why is that strange?”

I blinked in confusion. Since Siegfried had returned, it was only natural for him to reclaim his rightful position.

“Because the crown prince is still alive. If rumors like that spread, it causes trouble. Every time there’s news of victory, three or four servants die.”

Milad shuddered, saying it was terrible to imagine. He seemed to fear Aisa even more after a previous incident.

Yes, Aisa must be on high alert against Siegfried by now. Some brave newspapers were refusing to submit to the absolute monarchy.

They boldly published headlines like, “The empire’s successive victories! Who will claim the next throne?”

Of course, most of those papers were shut down eventually. Tsk tsk. Aisa wouldn’t let such things slide.

Still, the empire’s nobles with their fast information were fascinated by the royal situation.

Some nobles even started to declare they’d join Siegfried if he rebelled.

Especially the nobles from the South who fought alongside him in monster hunts. They were further away from Aisa’s reach, so they dared speak more openly.

So will Siegfried grab the throne?

Unfortunately, the novel in my memory stopped somewhere around here. I remember how beautiful the young Siegfried was when he returned.

But strangely, I can’t recall any scene about how Aisa was dealt with.

Still, I firmly believe Siegfried will become emperor. Given the current situation, it seems very likely.

It’s not hard to imagine how well Siegfried would fit sitting on the throne.

Even when I first saw him five years ago, I could vividly picture him dressed in formal clothes sitting on the throne.

Although I haven’t read that part directly, I bet that’s how it would be. He would have become emperor.

“…But the welcome party is tomorrow?”

Oops. I had been focusing too much on the rumors on the island and missed that detail.

Recalling the story from the novel, I realized I had the date wrong.

“Why are you so surprised? The carriage wheels got stuck in the mud on the way here, so we’re about a day late. So it’s tomorrow.”

“I forgot about that. I thought it was the day after tomorrow.”

I had deliberately pushed Avusion to leave early, thinking it would take longer, but in the end, we arrived just in time for the party.

Why is the South so far from the island? No wonder Aisa wanted to get engaged to me.

If the only daughter of the Elifritz family, who tightly controls the difficult-to-manage South, marries Siegfried, naturally his influence would shrink.

But that was just in the novel; reality might be different. Many things had already changed.

I wondered how Aisa would act. Especially since I had no idea what would happen after the welcome party.

I think Aisa brought up the engagement during that party too.

Honestly, I didn’t expect Aisa to stay so quiet for five whole years. Once or twice she had come to the palace offering to lower taxes again. She also sent someone to apologize about the monster summoning stones.

But that was all. Besides that, there was astonishingly little contact with us.

By the way, I had already decided which boutiques to visit tomorrow, but what is this! Damn. I wanted to try the dessert shop that only exists on the island too!

I shed tears inside as I had to cancel my plans.

Well, sightseeing on the island could wait until next time. More than that, I wanted to see Siegfried again after so long. I wondered how prettily he would have grown to please my eyes.

I also wanted to see Siegfried on the battlefield once. Maybe I should have asked him to send a portrait of himself in armor over his uniform.

I thought Siegfried would grumble but do it anyway. Though it wouldn’t compare to seeing him in person.

Looking forward to our reunion after five years, I went upstairs to pick out a dress.

Somehow, my heart was beating a little faster.