VDBO 11

Chapter 11

I gathered my dress and hurried my steps.

I hadn’t come here to enjoy a leisurely outing.

As I traveled up to the capital, I temporarily erased the name Carbella Ludwig.

From now on, I was Blake Ariandel, the precious daughter of a wealthy merchant whose face no one knew.

The House of Count Ariandel.

They were said to have been an insignificant noble family that suddenly struck it rich. Thanks to their luck, they had managed to establish themselves in the capital, but since they frequently traveled by ship—and because their daughter was often ill—they were rarely able to visit the capital.

And this year, Ariandel’s health had deteriorated so badly that they absolutely couldn’t set foot in the capital.

Of course, that was information Mr. Schvalt had given me.

It was the perfect identity to borrow. On top of that, I had intercepted the invitation before it even arrived, cutting off the flow of information.

Honestly, the identity Mr. Schvalt first brought me was even better. The estate was much larger and far more magnificent than this one. But I chose Ariandel for a reason—she was the other half of the real Valerie Ahibara Kashinev.

Of course, that happened only after I was dead, following the atrocities committed by her and her mother in the original story.

If things were going to connect anyway, I figured I might as well connect them early. Maybe that would push me a little farther away from death.

But the reason I hurried was something else.

While riding in the carriage, I heard that a banquet would be held at the imperial palace in three days. When I was ordered to come to the capital, I already thought avoiding the Crown Prince was impossible—but now everything was progressing even faster. In the original story, I was pretty sure things moved more slowly than this.

My abilities still hadn’t manifested, yet everything was accelerating beyond my expectations.

And so, without my will being reflected in the slightest, I received an invitation and my mother’s command to attend.

Where the real Blake Ariandel—the true other half of Valerie—was right now, even I didn’t know. She was a character who only appeared much later.

I’d never actually seen her, so I didn’t know whether she’d been kidnapped or had gone missing. All I knew about her at the moment was that she had red hair and red eyes. And a few minor traits.

I was only borrowing her name for a while, and once everything was over, I planned to return it as it was.

As for the aftermath… well.

Mr. Schvalt would probably take care of it.

I could barely take care of myself—why worry about anyone else?

As the carriage passed through the heart of the capital, I felt strangely sentimental.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Alright.”

I stepped down from the carriage and headed straight into a boutique.

“We’ve been expecting you, Lady Ariandel.”

I had made a reservation before arriving in the capital, so I didn’t have to wait and could proceed immediately.

“I’d like something in this style.”

At that, Ian pulled out a bundle of documents and handed them to the madam.

Every design inside was the exact opposite of my taste.

When choosing dresses, I liked dark but glamorous styles—nothing dull. The dresses sketched on the papers were brightly colored and flashy, but the patterns were simple and emphasized elegance.

“Wait here,” I said to Ian before entering the design room, then followed the madam into the fitting room.

“Please raise your arms.”

I obediently lifted both arms.

The woman—both a designer and the owner of this boutique—had her hair neatly twisted up and measured my size swiftly.

It took only a few minutes to measure my full dimensions.

Combining the documents Ian had given her with my opinions, she began sketching a new design.

“Could you make the inner pockets a bit more spacious?”

“Inside the skirt, you mean?”

“I’d like some near the chest as well.”

It was something I requested every time I had clothes made.

No matter how many people protected me, I had to be able to protect myself. Though, of course, the best option was always to leave the scene as quickly as possible.

“There’s no need for a mid-fitting. Just deliver it here once it’s complete.”

“Are you sure?”

“I trust your eye.”

At that, the madam’s face brightened.

“You’ll be satisfied. I’ll have it delivered on the promised date.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

As I was about to get back into the carriage, the madam bowed deeply in farewell.

I intended to return home right away, but as I gazed out the carriage window, my eyes were drawn to one particular place.

“Wait.”

“Did you forget something?”

When I stopped the carriage, Ian looked at me in confusion.

“No. There’s somewhere I want to stop by. You don’t need to follow.”

“I can’t allow that.”

Despite his appearance, Ian was extremely rigid—and stubborn.

With no choice, I brought him along as we got down.

We stopped in front of a shabby-looking dessert shop that had suspiciously few customers.

It didn’t match my current outfit at all.

“It should be here. Do you still have to follow me inside?”

“I’ll stand guard here.”

“Alright.”

I opened the door and stepped inside. The moment I entered, the sweet scent of desserts filled the air.

“Welcome.”

“Looks the same as ever.”

Returning the greeting, I walked further in. Several kinds of desserts were displayed in pairs. Among them were a few I recognized.

This shop had been operating for over ten years. The reason I came here was because my mother had once brought me here when I was little.

Not long after leaving the orphanage, there had been only one time I ever ate outside with my mother—and it was here.

I assumed the shop had closed long ago and erased it from my memory, but there it was, the sign standing boldly in place. Without realizing it, I had stopped the carriage and come inside.

The dessert I ate that day was still being made. Thankfully, it seemed none had sold today. I ordered one and sat by the window.

In the same seat I’d sat in as a child.

Soon, black tea and the dessert were placed in front of me. The moment I saw them, I felt like I’d become my younger self again.

When I was young, there was a time I almost lost my life.

Most of that memory had faded, leaving only fragments. It was shortly after I barely survived—right before the memories of possessing this body resurfaced.

My mother brought me here, placed this cake and a drink in front of me, and watched in silence. Then she told me to eat and wait for a moment before leaving.

It was the first time she had ever bought me a treat, so I carefully savored it with my fork. But my mother never returned, even when the shop closed.

She had always been busy, so I thought she might have forgotten me. I waited calmly for Lucellai.

The shop clerk told me they were closing. The young me put the rest of the cake into my mouth and stepped outside.

If my memory is correct, it was already night, and it had started raining.

I waited in front of the closed shop for my mother. Soaked to the bone, I waited stubbornly—until my eyes fell to the ground and I saw my mother’s shoes.

Shoes without a speck of dust.

That day, my mother put me back into the carriage without saying a word. We returned home, and even now, she has never explained why she did that.

If she had abandoned me then, would I be worrying about something else instead of this now?

I stared blankly out the window at Ian, without taking a single bite.

“Excuse me.”

I turned and called over the shop employee.

“Could you wrap this up for me?”

The employee looked at the untouched dessert in confusion. When I told them nothing was wrong with it, they relaxed and took it away.

Soon, the cake returned in a small box.

I took it outside and handed it to Ian. He accepted it and looked at me.

“It’s a gift. It’s good.”

Ian stared at it blankly for a moment, then nodded. Every time I saw him, I thought the same thing—he really was a dull man.

I was about to climb back into the carriage when I stopped again.

“Ian.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Go buy some menstrual pads.”

“…Pardon?”

I ordered him casually.

“It’ll be time soon. I left everything in the North, so there won’t be any at home. Buy as many as you can.”

“I’ll purchase them as soon as we return home.”

It seemed he didn’t want to leave me alone, since he suggested escorting me back first.

I shook my head.

“Isn’t that a waste of time? The coachman’s here. I’ll stay. Hurry.”

I tapped the carriage. After hesitating for a while, Ian finally agreed.

We were in the middle of the capital—there were plenty of people around, and guards everywhere. He probably judged the risk to be low.

“…Then I’ll be right back. Please wait just a moment.”

“Mm. Be careful.”

I smiled softly, and the moment he disappeared from sight, I turned my body.

I walked only a short distance away from the carriage.

Turn the corner, and it was an alley.

The moment I rounded the corner, I slipped straight inside.

“It should be somewhere around here…”