PLML 11

CHAPTER 11

“You don’t like me? When did I say that?”

“Huh? You don’t like me?”

“You told me earlier to leave because you didn’t want to talk to me.”

“Wait—how does that mean I don’t like you?!”

Honestly, Jaina had thought this for a while now: Theoris had way too little self-esteem. Just because they had a little argument, he thought she hated him?

“That’s a relief. I was worried you wouldn’t want to speak to me again.”

Theoris suddenly hugged Jaina. This time, it was Jaina who gently patted his back.

“Theo, sorry to interrupt a moment like this, but can I say one thing?”

“Of course. Please say anything, Jaina.”

“I’m hungry.”

Theoris agreed to let her keep the beast, but he had a few conditions.

1. Never remove the control device.
2. If going on a walk with the beast, she must be accompanied by Elina Homel or Theoris.
3. No jumping out the window.

That last one had nothing to do with the beast, but he let it slide.

At first, the beast was uncomfortable with the control collar, but it soon got used to it. The iron chain was too heavy for walks, though, so they switched to a magic-infused leather leash.

Jaina named the beast “Cotton Candy” because its fluffy fur looked just like it.

Despite Theoris’s worries, Cotton Candy was surprisingly well-behaved for a monster. Other than occasionally whining for Jaina to pet it, it mostly just lay on the bed and lazed around.

“Smart beast. Knows the bed is king.”

Since the escape incident, Homel stopped forcing Jaina to study.

At first, Jaina enjoyed her freedom by doing absolutely nothing all day. But eventually, she found herself sitting at her desk. Not because she suddenly liked studying or wanted to be productive—

“I’m just bored!”

Why do people love lying in bed so much? Because even just lying there, they had stuff to look at.

Back in her world, even doing nothing in bed meant entertainment—one smartphone could offer everything. YouTube, web surfing, games, social media… The whole world in your hand.

But here? No smartphones.

So, to kill the boredom, Jaina started reading the books Homel had left for her. When it was “studying,” she hated it. But when it was just for fun, it wasn’t so bad. Without even trying, she started to memorize things.

Before she knew it, she’d absorbed all the essential knowledge Homel had recommended—history, politics, economics, culture. Boredom had turned her into a well-rounded lady.

While Jaina was evolving into a refined noblewoman, the ducal estate changed drastically too.

The once-bare path now bloomed with pink roses, the same color as Jaina’s hair. The eerie old iron gate had been replaced with an ornate new one. Sunlight now streamed through what used to be dark, shadowy halls.

The number of servants grew by the day, and soon the estate truly looked like it belonged to a duke. Jaina was more than pleased by the transformation.

“Good day! I’m Anjeli, your new personal dressmaker. I look forward to working with you.”

A personal dressmaker? Since when did she have one of those?

“Nice to meet you.”

Before she could say more, maids rolled in racks of dresses—at least ten outfits per rack, just like a boutique.

“Wait… these designs look familiar…”

As she let Anjeli help her try them on, she realized—they were the clothes she’d seen during that shopping trip with Theoris.

“Anjeli, did you run a boutique in the village before this?”

“Yes! I had a small shop, but a few weeks ago, His Grace offered me a position—he asked me to be your personal dressmaker.”

…What?

“Excuse me—I need to go see Theoris real quick!”

Jaina rushed to the study.

“Theo!”

Instead of Theoris, it was Homel sorting through documents.

“Where’s Theoris?”

“His Grace is out training in swordsmanship. Likely in the forest behind the castle.”

Without even saying goodbye, Jaina sprinted toward the forest.

There, Theoris—shirtless—was swinging a greatsword. He didn’t notice her watching as sweat glistened down his muscled body.

Jaina clamped a hand over her mouth.

His strong arms, broad chest, those perfectly defined shoulders and the veins running down his neck…

He looked like a sculpture of a god from some ancient myth. She forgot why she even came.

Dark aura gathered around his blade. As he swung, a crescent-shaped wave of energy sliced clean through a tree, which fell with a smooth, polished cut.

“Jaina.”

Finally noticing her, Theoris smiled warmly.

“That dress looks beautiful on you.”

At some point, he had become comfortable smiling around her—his unwavering gaze and soft expression always made Jaina’s heart skip.

Embarrassed, she tried to change the subject.

“It’s just a regular dress. Pink hair with a green dress? Not a great combo.”

“No—it’s like a blooming flower. You look stunning.”

His sweet words left her heart in ruins.

She suddenly recalled the day she arrived in this world. When he gave her that first green dress—did he already think it would suit her?

Blushing, Jaina looked down. Theoris stepped closer.

“So, Jaina, what brings you here?”

She snapped out of her trance.

“Theo! The boutique owner from that day—she’s now my personal dressmaker?”

“Yes.”

“Explain.”

“You said you wanted to have a shop like that in the castle, so I brought her here.”

Did I? …Maybe I did, kinda?

“That was just small talk! Who actually hires the shop owner just because someone liked their store?!”

“Didn’t you like that boutique?”

“…Well, yeah…”

“If it’s about money, don’t worry—I handled it within budget.”

“It’s not the money—”

“I’m not like Count Blake. I don’t think it’s wasteful for Jaina to spend money on clothes.”

He remembered that…? Seriously?

“If you change your mind, just say the word. If you want, I can even bring in the empire’s best designer.”

“No! Anjeli is plenty.”

Anjeli, I just saved your job.

Looking into Theoris’s serious eyes, Jaina made a mental note:
Never say she wants something, even jokingly, in front of this man.

As they walked back to the castle together, an uneasy thought crossed her mind.

“Theo, what if I asked for something impossible?”

“If it’s you asking, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do. What exactly do you mean?”

“Like… say I asked you to bring me a star?”

“Just let me know which one, and I’ll bring it to you.”

…He said it like it was picking up a pebble off the street.

Anyone else, and she’d laugh it off as romantic exaggeration. But with Theoris… she was pretty sure he’d actually try to bring her a star.

“Then, what if—just hypothetically—I said I wanted to be Empress?”

“Do you want to be Empress?”

“No, not really! Just ‘what if’—you know?”

Theoris paused in thought, then calmly replied:

“It might take a little time, but if that’s what Jaina wants, I’ll gladly make you Empress.”

Okay.
Note to self:
Never. Joke. In front of Theoris. Ever.

“Ellie.”

“Yes, milady?”

“Am I not pretty?”

“…Excuse me?”

Ellie blinked at the sudden question. Jaina twisted a lock of her pink, waterfall-like hair around her finger.

Jaina stared blankly into space, then suddenly stood with resolve. She spun in front of a mirror, leaned in close, blinked, and puckered her lips.

Ellie thought:
“Okay. Lady Jaina has officially lost it.”

To be fair, she had always been a little odd. Jaina didn’t act like a typical noble lady at all—her speech, behavior, and attitude toward servants were completely offbeat.

Sometimes Jaina would use words Ellie had never heard before. It made Ellie wonder if she really might be from another world.

It wasn’t too far-fetched—after all, history recorded that saints had once come from other worlds.

When Jaina had escaped by tearing old curtains into rope and climbing out the window, Ellie had been too stunned to speak. And when she’d brought back a monster and insisted on raising it—with the Grand Duke, no less—Ellie gave up trying to make sense of anything.

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter.

Even without “noble refinement,” Jaina was kind—always gentle with clumsy Ellie, polite and grateful to the servants, never acting like a highborn.

Ellie genuinely liked her.

Still… she had always wondered if Jaina was completely sane.

Now she had her answer:
“Nope. Lady Jaina is absolutely not sane.”

“Ellie, answer me. I’m not pretty, am I?”

“…No, you’re pretty.”

“Not that robotic response! Be honest!”

Jaina was dead serious.