~Chapter 17~
Leah had accompanied Hanna, who was on her way to visit family outside the capital, to the entrance of the shopping district.
Hanna had kindly told her about a jewelry store known for giving fair prices.
Leah made her way through the crowded street and entered the jewelry shop.
“This won’t fetch much,”
The jeweler, peering at the gemstone through his monocle, looked up.
“…Sorry?”
“It looks like a real sapphire at first glance, but it’s mixed with impurities.”
The jeweler explained, noticing Leah’s confused expression.
It looked clear and blue like a real sapphire, so ordinary people might not tell the difference,but nobles and jewelers would notice right away that it wasn’t genuine.
‘So… Lady Carolina gave this to me knowing it wasn’t real?’
The jeweler, seemingly uncomfortable himself, advised her to check a few nearby stores just to be sure.
But every jeweler she visited said the same thing.
“This is cheap junk!”
“Miss, I can’t give you much for this.”
“This is the kind of thing poor commoners use for engagement gifts.”
She’d been completely fooled.
Carolina had clearly tricked her.
Leah wanted to run back to the ducal estate and demand to know why she was given something so worthless.
‘But even if I did, would that woman give me anything better?’
More likely, Carolina would shamelessly take even this cheap stone back.
Leah looked down at her worn-out clothes.
They were really beyond saving.
With a sigh, she returned to the first jeweler and sold the fake sapphire.
She got exactly 1 gold coin for it.
‘Maybe I can get two or three ready-made dresses and a hat with this.’
That was only possible because of the festival discounts.
“…I was such a fool to trust her.”
She muttered to herself as she walked back into the even busier street.
It wasn’t easy to get to the area with the clothing shops.
There were so many people—adults, kids, everyone—and she kept bumping into them, constantly apologizing.
Thud!
“Ouch, I’m sorry!”
She had bumped into someone hard.
It wasn’t really anyone’s fault—it was just too crowded—so Leah apologized right away.
But before she could even finish, the boy she bumped into had already disappeared.
‘…What the heck?’
She found it strange but soon arrived at the clothing stores she had been looking forward to.
There were signs everywhere saying clothes were half-off for the festival.
Leah carefully browsed three or four shops and finally chose one with cheap and durable clothes.
She decided to buy three dresses and a hat.
“That’ll be 80 silver.”
“Okay, just a moment.”
She reached for the gold coin she had safely tucked away in her bag.
But it was gone.
She searched again and again—still nothing.
‘That boy from earlier!’
She finally realized she had been pickpocketed.
But it was too late.
When the store owner saw she couldn’t pay, their attitude changed completely.
“You don’t even have money? Then what were you trying to buy clothes for?”
“No, it’s just that someone stole—”
“Whatever the reason, if you’re not buying, get out. You’re blocking real customers.”
She was kicked out.
‘First the fake sapphire, now I’ve been robbed. God, how pathetic can I be?’
Maybe it was because she grew up in a mountain village—Even after turning back time, she still felt like a clueless fool.
She had never experienced big crowds like this in the countryside.
Let alone being robbed.
The same went for jewelry—before or after reincarnation, she had never handled such expensive things, so she didn’t know how to tell real from fake.
None of what happened today was really her fault.
But knowing that didn’t make her feel any better.
‘This might be the worst day of my life… nothing’s going right.’
She didn’t know how she’d smile and pretend like everything was okay when she saw Raphaella later.
She bit her lip, trying not to cry.
“…Mom!”
Was she hallucinating now?
She thought she heard Raphaella’s voice.
No way.
This part of the city was mostly commoners—there’s no way Raphaella would be here.
But—
“…Rafi!”
It really was Raphaella.
Wearing the pink dress she’d put on her that morning, her daughter came running.
‘…Good thing I held back my tears.’
She almost cried in front of her daughter.
She hugged Raphaella tight and patted her back, and suddenly a tall shadow fell over them.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Ah, well…”
Leah hesitated.
‘I really don’t want to tell anyone what happened today.’
“Were you out buying clothes?”
He asked another question when she didn’t answer.
“…Yes.”
“Then why are you empty-handed?”
“…I couldn’t find anything I liked.”
“I thought you’d wear just about anything, the way you usually dress.”
He muttered, and her face turned bright red.
To him, it probably looked ridiculous that someone who usually dressed like a mess was now saying the clothes here weren’t good enough.
‘He must think I look so pathetic right now…’
But she didn’t want to explain everything.
She still had pride—especially in front of her husband.
“Hmm. Then let’s go to a place I know.”
He suddenly offered.
If it was a place he knew, it’d probably be way more expensive than the shops she’d visited.
“…I don’t have that much money.”
“Mom has pocket money too!”
Raphaella blurted out.
Leah tilted her head in confusion.
“Right?”
Raphaella looked up at Johann with sparkling eyes.
“…Yeah, we’ll talk on the way.”
What was that about?
Johann took the lead, pushing through the crowd, and Leah followed, holding Raphaella’s hand.
She thought she’d be walking back to the mansion all alone, crying miserably.
But here she was, holding her daughter’s hand and following behind her husband—
a man with broad shoulders and a sturdy back, who almost looked like he was shielding them as they walked.
‘…Strange. I feel like I’m bumping into people less now.’
Soon, the crowd thinned out and they entered a much fancier area.
The clothing stores here looked completely different—beautiful exteriors, stunning displays.
Even Leah, who didn’t know much about dresses, felt excited.
“This way.”
Johann confidently led them into one of the stores.
It had a glittering blue satin dress and a matching men’s suit in the window.
The store’s name was Evelyn’s Dress Salon.
“Raphaella asked me if you got pocket money too, since she did.”
Johann said softly as he rang the bell.
“I didn’t really know how to explain family allowances to a child, so I just said yes.”
Now she understood why Raphaella had said that earlier.
“…You’re still my guest, and I brought you here—so don’t worry about the money.”
Maybe it was because he had spent all day with Raphaella,but his tone seemed a little gentler than usual.
Leah looked at him in surprise.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“…Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“No need to apologize.”
…He probably didn’t realize how just that softer tone made her feel better.
Soon, the door opened.
“Oh my, if it isn’t Duke Blumhardt!”
Madam Evelyn, the store owner, greeted Johann excitedly.
“Right this way, please.”
She led them into a VIP lounge and ordered warm tea for the adults and juice for Raphaella.
“If you had called, I would’ve come to you. What brings you here today?”
She chatted with Johann naturally and politely, glancing at Leah and Raphaella.
“Did you come to order a dress for the young lady?”
She clearly knew about Johann’s daughter—rumors had spread.
But she acted as if it were nothing new, like a true professional.
“…Didn’t we already get Raphaella’s dress made?”
Johann asked.
“Oh no, sir, it wasn’t from our shop.”
Johann frowned slightly.
“The former Marchioness Sprecher didn’t use our salon, I believe.”
“…I see.”
Madam Evelyn wondered if she had somehow offended the duke.
She wanted to make sure she didn’t ruin a chance to restore a long-standing relationship.
She noticed the dress Raphaella was wearing was high-quality, but clearly from a past season—She kept that observation to herself.
‘Better to stay quiet. Nobles don’t like nosy merchants.’
Whether she knew something or not, it was best to play dumb.
“The one who needs new clothes is this lady.”
Johann said, pointing at Leah.
Only then did the madam turn to fully look at Leah.
Her eyes sparkled as she examined Leah from head to toe.
