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Chapter : 31
Behind the dressmaker stood several maids and tailors lined up. In that moment, Miela recalled what Istin had promised her before they left the village:
“The fiancée of a young master shouldn’t be wearing rags. I’ll buy you new clothes.”
‘So… this is what he meant by “buying clothes”?’
At most, she had imagined going to a local clothing shop and picking out a few neat dresses. That was the extent of Miela’s modest expectations. Who would have thought he’d summon a dressmaker to the mansion to have custom-made outfits prepared?
Even if she was now being called things like young mistress or lady fiancée, she was still just a betrothed. Nothing more.
‘Ahaha… is this really okay?’
Miela couldn’t help but feel like she was being treated far too well. Awkward and shy, she timidly greeted them in a small voice.
“Um… Nice to meet you. I’m Miela.”
“Oh my, just as lovely as I’ve heard! I’m so pleased to meet you, Lady Miela. Now, shall we start by taking your measurements?”
At the same time, Elena gave a quick side glance—a silent nudge to respect the little lady’s privacy. Istin stood up and whispered by Miela’s ear, seeing how stiff she had gone.
“I’ll step out with the butler for a bit. Don’t be nervous, just stay still. That’s all you need to do.”
“O-Okay…!”
Miela nodded. A moment later, as Elena measured Miela’s arm with a tape, she asked curiously,
“Lady Miela, may I ask how old you are?”
“Oh, I’m ten years old!”
“Oh my…”
A small gasp escaped Elena’s lips. She was the exclusive dressmaker for the Baloir family and had been briefed with some basic info—like how Miela was originally of common birth.
So she did know Miela was ten. But the girl’s small frame made her ask again just to be sure.
‘Her height is about average, but her limbs… even for an eight-year-old, they’d seem thin.’
Compared to girls her age, she was visibly frail. Not to mention the scratched tops of her feet and callused fingers she spotted. Definitely not how an average ten-year-old looked. She must’ve had a rough time. Elena couldn’t help but feel sympathy.
‘I should recommend designs with puffier sleeves to help hide that.’
Elena quickly formed a plan. Once Miela settled into life as the young master’s fiancée and ate well, she’d surely gain some weight. So better to design the dress with that in mind.
‘Did she notice?’
Meanwhile, Miela curled her fingers, feeling self-conscious. She’d caught the change in Elena’s expression as she examined her.
The rough calluses on her hands felt embarrassing. They didn’t match the soft, flowing silk dresses she was now supposed to wear.
Ugh… What if I ruin the fabric just by wearing it?
“Miela, are your measurements all done?”
Right then, a knock followed by Istin’s voice brought relief to Miela’s face.
“Mm-hmm!”
“Then it’s time to choose a dress. Let’s pick one together.”
Once seated on the sofa with Istin, Elena handed over a thick book—it was a design catalog filled with sketches of countless dresses. Each one was colored in so vibrantly that it felt like real dresses were right before her eyes.
“Wow… they’re all so pretty…!”
With every page she turned, Miela couldn’t help but gasp. Each dress seemed even more beautiful than the last! They looked like something princesses would wear.
Are these what Mom called “fairy tale dresses”?
But they didn’t have wings.
‘How much would something like this cost? Probably a lot…’
Miela suddenly became curious. If only the sample dresses had prices listed beside them. Unfortunately, there was no such detail in the catalog.
‘Still, if I can… something cheaper would be better…’
She started flipping the catalog back and forth, searching for a dress that was simpler, with less decoration and fewer patterns.
Noticing this, Istin suddenly spoke.
“Pick the one you like. Anything is fine.”
“R-Really?”
Miela’s face lit up. But her expression soon darkened again.
‘They’re all so beautiful and extravagant… how am I supposed to choose?’
Istin misread her hesitant expression and added,
“If nothing stands out, you can tell us exactly what you want instead.”
Miela’s eyes sparkled as if she’d just realized something.
“Then…!”
“Yes, Lady Miela. Please tell us,” Elena leaned in attentively. Honestly, she felt a little disappointed. The catalog was filled with her proudest masterpieces. She hadn’t expected none of them to be chosen.
‘Still, if it’s the sweet and charming young fiancée’s request, I’ll do anything!’
But Elena’s intense enthusiasm made Miela even more nervous.
“U-Um…”
Her twirling brown eyes were almost painfully adorable, and it caused Elena to raise her voice in excitement.
“What kind of dress would you like? The color, decorations, design—anything! I can make it all!”
Then came Miela’s completely unexpected request:
“Um… I’d like a plain dress without lace or jewels, please. And any color is fine as long as it’s not too flashy.”
“…Excuse me?”
Everyone stared blankly—the dressmaker, her assistants, even Istin, who chuckled as if saying, “I knew this would happen.”
Miela, not understanding why everyone reacted that way, started to feel uneasy.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
Worried she’d made a mistake, she quickly clarified.
“I didn’t mean the dresses in the book aren’t nice! It’s just… they’re too pretty and fancy.”
The more she tried to explain, the more she felt small and foolish.
“I just think… they wouldn’t suit me. I like simple things.”
Even after all that encouragement, she still looked insecure. Istin liked that about her—but still, he hoped she would change just a little. Being meek wouldn’t help her survive by his side.
Let’s be clear: the Baloir family has many enemies.
“Miela, remember what I told you before?”
“What was it…?”
“Don’t talk yourself down. ‘I don’t think it would suit me’? Why worry about that? Clothes are clothes. You’re you. You’re letting the outfit take center stage—that’s backwards. Got it?”
After pouring out his thoughts, Istin delivered a final blow.
“And what’s this nonsense about ‘liking plain things’? When you were looking at that design book, your eyes were practically burning holes through it.”
It’s not just crows who like shiny things—it’s human instinct. That’s one reason Istin liked her. When her usually blank eyes sparkled, she was more dazzling than any jewel.
“You saw that…?”
Embarrassed her feelings were so obvious, Miela shrank back, fiddling with her fingers. Istin chuckled and offered a new solution.
“All right. Since it’s hard for you to choose, I’ll help you this one time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But from now on, you’ll make the decisions. After all, you’re the young mistress now, Miela.”
And then, turning to Elena, he said,
“Order every dress in that design book.”
“Eh? W-Wait a second…!”
Miela’s brain short-circuited. She tried to stop him, but it was already too late.
“Yes, as the young master commands.”
Elena beamed with delight.
Indeed, her designs weren’t wrong. The famously picky young master had no complaints, and even more—he was being incredibly generous. It was clear Miela held a special place in his heart.
“This is insane! I don’t even have ten bodies to wear all of those—Istin?!”
Miela stared in shock and poked Istin’s side.
Naturally, he didn’t budge. It was his way of saying he had no intention of taking it back.
