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chapter 18
He didn’t look at me strangely for not knowing the etiquette that any imperial noble was supposed to be familiar with.
Perhaps he didn’t think much of it, knowing that Liely had never once gone out accompanied by anyone.
And so, without hesitation, I pointed out the practical issue.
“Then… what about young masters?”
“Well, that’s—”
My question was resolved in an instant.
Edgar, Amon’s attendant who had been waiting beside the knight earlier, naturally knelt on one knee and extended his gloved hand.
“You may step on it to climb up.”
His voice was perfectly calm.
…Step on a person’s hand? Just to help a child into a carriage? Is that really necessary?
Yet I seemed to be the only one who found this absurd.
Even Amon looked as though he intended to step on the offered hand, calmly lifting his foot.
I hurriedly stopped the both of them.
“Wait, Edgar! There’s no need.”
If we had to step on someone’s hand every time we got in and out of a carriage, just how many gloves would end up being thrown away?
Of course, a few pairs of gloves wouldn’t dent a ducal household’s finances.
Still, was it really necessary to tolerate such discomfort and waste for something so pointless?
We wouldn’t be living confined to the house anymore. I would be going out here and there with the child, which meant we’d naturally use the carriage often.
And doing this every single time we boarded what was essentially our personal vehicle? It was inconvenient and utterly unnecessary.
‘I should just have them install a proper footstep on the carriage. Honestly…’
I grumbled inwardly, though outwardly I spoke kindly.
“You can just hold my hand and climb up. Stand back.”
The moment I said it, I extended my hand to Amon. He glanced between my hand and the carriage, visibly conflicted.
“You’ve grown up already? You won’t even hold your sister’s hand anymore? My heart aches…”
I put on a pitiful act with embarrassingly poor acting skills—yet somehow, it worked.
“That’s not it! It’s just… I’m heavy. I was worried it might be difficult for you, Sister…”
Flustered, Amon grabbed the hand I’d offered, looking as though he might break into a cold sweat.
I clasped his small hand firmly and pulled with strength.
His body, lighter than I’d expected, rose up in one smooth motion.
“Heavy? You’re incredibly light.”
I teased him lightly, and Amon replied with a slightly pouty expression.
“…I’ve been exercising consistently, and I’m still growing. I’ll grow quickly and become heavier.”
“Yes, yes. You’ll shoot up in no time.”
As we chatted quietly, Edgar carefully climbed in beside Amon and closed the carriage door.
“May we depart, My Lady?”
“Yes.”
At my answer, he knocked lightly twice on the carriage door.
That must have been the signal, because the carriage began to move smoothly forward.
Even though it was clearly designed with money poured into it, I hadn’t expected much in terms of comfort—it was still a carriage, after all.
But it shook less than a subway train. I was honestly a little surprised.
‘What did they do to this thing?’
Was it enchanted with magic? Or was this simply the power of money?
Lost in such thoughts, I turned my gaze out the window.
The area where we currently resided was a district filled with the grand estates of the capital’s most powerful families. The roads and landscaping were impeccably maintained.
Amon, who usually focused solely on me whenever we were together, seemed completely captivated by the world outside the window for once.
Once we passed the stretch of dazzling mansions visible even from afar, wider roads, shops, and pedestrians began to come into view.
An elderly couple with white hair. A young man dressed sharply in a suit. A middle-aged woman in a neat one-piece dress walking briskly somewhere.
It felt more advanced than medieval Europe.
‘It has a certain charm.’
I had never even been to Europe in my past life, yet I felt as though I were traveling in some distant land. The thought left me slightly excited.
As buildings and rows of shops slipped past the window, it seemed clear we were nearing our destination, so I glanced at Amon.
He was still completely absorbed in the scenery.
Where had his usual composed and mature demeanor gone? For this moment at least, he looked exactly like a child his age—eyes wide and round, lips slightly parted in innocent wonder.
Seeing Amon finally look like a child befitting his years, a soft smile curved my lips without me realizing it.
Just then, the carriage came to a smooth stop. The flawless halt almost made me applaud.
Was this the coachman’s incredible skill—or, once again, the power of money?
“My Lady, we have arrived.”
Even at Edgar’s announcement, Amon’s gaze remained fixed outside, and I couldn’t help but call out to him with a hint of laughter in my voice.
“Amon.”
He startled, whipping his head toward me so quickly it almost made a sound. His face was faintly flushed.
Apparently, he was embarrassed at having been so immersed.
“Let’s get off. We’re here.”
He lowered his eyes and answered softly.
“Yes, Sister.”
I stepped down first with the knight’s escort, then extended my hand toward Amon.
This time, instead of refusing like earlier, he smiled gently—still slightly red-faced—and placed his hand over mine.
He looked so pretty like that.
Is this why people raise children? My adorable little one…
Well, not mine. My younger brother.
Our first destination was the salon of the designer I’d liked most from the catalog I’d seen when purchasing Amon’s clothes in bulk.
The catalog had been made for wealthy high nobles, yet given the era, I hadn’t expected much from its rather crude appearance.
But once I received the clothes, I’d been so satisfied that I wanted to visit in person.
At the entrance of the clean-looking building hung a small sign with the name “Roseni” written in elegant script.
Was this entire building one salon? It was far larger than I’d imagined.
I was about to lead Amon inside when I paused at the sign that read Preparing.
As I stood there, holding Amon’s hand and pondering what to do, a staff member who had noticed our presence came out.
“Good day, My Lady. Is this your first visit to our salon?”
“Yes. It seems I’ve come at the wrong time. What are your opening hours?”
“If there is no reservation, our regular opening hours begin at eleven.”
“In that case, I’ll come back then.”
It wasn’t quite ten yet. A short walk around the area before returning seemed like a good idea—we’d planned to look around anyway.
“If you would kindly give us your name, we will prepare accordingly for the opening time, My Lady.”
“Liely Robert.”
“Yes, Liely Rober— Robert? As in… the Robert ducal house?”
The staff member froze mid-note, wearing a stunned expression.
Seeing their slightly stiff posture, I nodded.
“Yes, Liely Robert of the Robert ducal house. Is there a problem?”
“Not at all! A problem? Of course not. My apologies, Lady Robert. We will escort you inside immediately.”
Quickly composing themselves, the staff member opened the door with a bright smile.
“But you said you weren’t open yet. We can come back later…”
“Not at all. The guest who had a reservation for ten o’clock canceled rather suddenly, so preparations are already complete. If Lady Robert and the young master do not mind, we would be honored to assist you right away.”
At those words, I cheered inwardly.
“Well, in that case, please lead the way.”
“This way, please.”
So they intended to fill the canceled reservation slot with me?
If that was their judgment… I’d like to applaud their insight.
That’s right. I plan to spend generously today.
Just like the building’s exterior, the interior design was simple yet refined, free of unnecessary embellishment.
The reception room we were shown into was quite spacious.
Though numerous ornate decorations were placed throughout, they didn’t feel excessive. The arrangement had clearly been done with care.
‘Even the paintings on the walls—I don’t know much about art, but those frames look incredibly expensive.’
As I sat observing the decor, a staff member brought refreshments.
I’d been feeling a little peckish, so I immediately picked one up. It tasted quite good. Since Amon was sitting quietly, I popped one into his mouth as well.
I ate a few more myself when a knock sounded at the door.
The attendant by the door looked to me, and I gave a slight nod.
With my permission, the door opened—and a striking woman entered my view.
Her pink-tinged red hair was elegantly styled up, and her vivid attire harmonized naturally with her bold coloring. She was beautiful.
Behind her, several staff members filed in and arranged themselves neatly.
She lifted the hem of her dress and greeted me.
At the same time, her red eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled—a truly lovely sight.
“Thank you for visiting our salon, Lady Robert. My name is Roseni Melanis, and I am the proprietor. Please, call me Roseni.”
Her slightly high-pitched voice rang clearly through the spacious room.
She looked around my age, yet she was already a capable designer. It was impressive.
“It’s a pleasure, Lady Roseni.”
As I returned the greeting, Roseni approached me with a smiling gaze and spoke warmly.
“You recently placed an order for the young master’s clothing, did you not? Have you come for additional garments?”
“I liked the clothes you designed and wanted to visit personally. This time, I’d like to look at something for myself.”
“Oh my! Is that so? Of course, I do make dresses for young ladies, but lately I’ve primarily focused on gentlemen’s attire, so the selection may not be as varied as other salons.”
Roseni gave a light gesture toward the back.
At once, several staff members who had hurried off returned, wheeling in racks filled with dresses.
I never said I was looking for dresses. My, what an eager personality…
“No! Not dresses—I’d like to look at riding outfits.”
“Ahh, riding attire? My goodness… You must enjoy horseback riding!”
As I stared blankly at the dresses presented before me and belatedly mentioned riding wear, Roseni’s gaze changed instantly.
