RYL Chapter 04

Chapter 04

Sabrina and I widened our eyes in surprise as Lilianne smiled kindly.

“The Marquis Sinclair family is hosting a ball soon. Since they’re the ones organizing it, the young duke will likely attend.”

Lilianne was the only daughter of the Sinclair Marquisate, a prestigious family with strong ties to the crown prince since childhood.
If such a powerful family was hosting a ball, Mathieu, the heir of the Laurentino Duchy, would almost certainly be there.

And, as they say, a leopard never changes its spots.
With so many beautiful ladies around, Mathieu would definitely misbehave behind the scenes.

Normally, invitations would have been sent to noble households, but Ophelia, the lady of the Devonshire Count’s estate, would never have given one to me.

I took the invitation Lilianne had handed over so seriously and grinned.
“Thank you, Lilianne.”

“No need to thank me.”

At that moment, Sabrina awkwardly scratched her cheek as she held the invitation.
“But I’m just a maid. Is it really okay for me to attend such an event?”

“This is my personal invitation. As long as you have this, stamped with my seal, you can enter as my guest. Don’t worry.”

Lilianne reassured her, but then she turned to us with a serious expression.
“More importantly…”

Then, with a determined voice, she declared:
“You both need to visit a dress shop. Sabrina, since you don’t have a ball gown, that’s understandable, but Claire… you’re not seriously thinking of wearing that to the ball, are you?”

What’s wrong with my dress…?

As I pouted, Lilianne just smiled brightly and took my hand.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything—from makeup to the dress. I’m really good at this.”

Then, she confidently grabbed both Sabrina’s and my hands and stood up.
Sabrina, seeing this new side of usually timid Lilianne, asked curiously,
“Lilianne, were you some kind of makeup artist or fashion coordinator in your past life?”

Leading us forward, Lilianne smiled sheepishly.
“No, I was an extra actress.”

Then, she laughed softly.
“I wasn’t famous, so I had to do my own makeup and styling. But I did it for nearly ten years, so you can trust me.”

What the—?! My friend was an actress?!
Suddenly, I had more confidence in her skills.

 ***

“Show us everything from there to there that would suit these ladies.”

The moment the Sinclair Marquis’ daughter walked in, the boutique staff’s faces lit up like lanterns.

A well-dressed woman, who seemed to be the shop owner, approached me.
“You must be the Lady of Devonshire. Would you like to try something on first?”

Before I could respond, I was whisked away by the shop assistants.
As I was being pulled along, I looked back at Lilianne, who simply smiled and waved as if to say, Good luck!

As expected of someone who reincarnated into a noble family, she seemed completely at ease in this situation.

The next thing I knew, I was in a fitting room, with three assistants rushing around me.
In a blink, I was dressed in a completely new gown.

I had no idea what was happening, but a staff member led me to a curtain.

What is this place?

Before I could figure it out, the curtain opened.

Sitting on a couch, sipping tea, were Lilianne and Sabrina. Our eyes met.

‘Ohhh… so it’s this kind of thing.’

Normally, a man would be sitting there for the perfect romantic scene, but…

Feeling awkward, I forced a smile.

Sabrina, however, gave me a serious look as she examined my dress.

Meanwhile, Lilianne, without even a second glance, smiled brightly and said,
“Next.”

She… she rejected me with a smile?!

Then, before I knew it, I was dragged back into the fitting room by the assistants.

Another quick change.

This time, I made sure to look at what I was wearing before stepping in front of the curtain.

It was a soft, flowing, ocean-blue dress.
Elegant and refined.

Feeling a bit more confident, I struck a little pose as the curtain opened.

But the moment it did—

“Next.”

The curtain closed again.

Ugh… Lilianne! You’re so ruthless in this setting!

After several rounds of changing, I lost count.

By the tenth dress, I was exhausted, barely standing in front of the curtain.

Then, finally—

The curtain opened, and Lilianne nodded and clapped her hands.
“This is the one. Prepare ten similar gowns in this design and color.”

The boutique staff, who looked just as tired as I did, instantly lit up with joy.

Curious, I finally looked down at what I was wearing.

A bright pink dress.

If I had chosen it myself, I wouldn’t have even considered this style.
It was so… cute.

Really? This suits me?

Suspicious, I looked at Lilianne.

She just smiled.
“Claire, your strong hair color makes vibrant dresses stand out beautifully. And surprisingly, this delicate design matches your delicate features.”

I turned to the mirror with a doubtful expression.

But… now that she said it, I could see it.

Still unsure, I hesitated. That’s when Sabrina sealed the deal.

“Wow. Clothes really do make a difference.”

Really…?

Feeling a bit shy, I scratched my head.
“Was my old dress that bad?”

Without missing a beat, Sabrina replied,
“To be honest, my maid uniform was better.”

I clutched my chest in mock pain.

You’re so dead, Sabrina.

Seeing my reaction, the ever-kind Lilianne quickly reassured me.
“She just means you look so much better now.”

At that moment, the boutique owner walked over with a delighted expression.
“As per Lady Lilianne’s request, we have prepared ten dresses of this design for you.”

Lilianne turned to me with a serious look.
“For the time being, only wear the dresses I picked. Absolutely no choosing dresses based on your own taste!”

Seeing her so determined, I awkwardly scratched my head.
“…Okay.”

Satisfied, Lilianne smiled brightly before turning to Sabrina.
“Alright, next is your turn, Sabrina.”

But… Sabrina already had a dress in her hands.

“I’ll take this one.”

Wait… when did she even pick that?!

It was an entirely black dress.

Is she going to a funeral?!

Seeing her determined expression, Lilianne just smiled and nodded.
“Alright. Personal taste should be respected. Let’s try it on first.”

Wait, wait, wait.
You just told me not to pick based on my own taste?!

As I pouted, Sabrina entered the fitting room with the assistants.

Moments later, a voice came from behind the curtain.

Why do I feel like I’m waiting for my bride to come out in a wedding dress?

Just as I swallowed my saliva in nervous anticipation, the curtain opened, revealing Sabrina.

She stood there in a jet-black dress, her long, dark hair flowing down her back. The all-black outfit could have looked dull, but her confident presence added a striking, almost mesmerizing charm.

Lilianne, resting her chin on her hand, studied Sabrina thoughtfully before gesturing to a staff member.
“Can you pick out some accessories for her? Something in purple tones.”

The staff member bowed and quickly left. Moments later, several employees helped Sabrina put on the accessories. Now standing there a little awkwardly, she looked noticeably different—even to my eyes.

With just a few purple accessories, her dark and rigid style had transformed into something elegant and chic.

Lilianne, nodding in satisfaction, called for a staff member again.
“Ten dresses in a similar style, please.”

Before the staff could respond, Sabrina quickly added,
“Only in black!”

Wow. Her dedication to black was impressive.

Lilianne chuckled, then whispered to the staff,
“Make sure to mix in some deep purple and dark cobalt blue too.”

“Yes, my lady,” the staff member replied before leaving.

With that settled, Lilianne stood up, a bright smile on her face.
“Now, let’s pick mine!”

Seeing how happy she looked, Sabrina and I exchanged awkward smiles.