Chapter 11
I held up my dress and moved quickly.
I didn’t come here just for a stroll.
As I made my way to the capital, I temporarily erased the name Karvella Ludwig.
From now on, I was Blake Ariandel, the cherished daughter of a wealthy nobleman no one had ever seen.
The Ariandel Count family.
They used to be insignificant nobles who suddenly struck it rich. I heard they got lucky and managed to gain entry to the capital, but they frequently travel by sea, and since their daughter is sickly, they rarely visit the capital.
This year, Count Ariandel’s health has significantly declined, so he won’t be setting foot in the capital at all. That information, of course, came from Mr. Schuwald.
In other words, it was the perfect identity to borrow. And since we intercepted the invitation before it even arrived, there was no risk of exposure.
In fact, the identity Schuwald first brought me was even better—much larger and grander mansion than this one. But the reason I chose Ariandel was because she is the true other half of Valery Ahibara Cassineph.
Granted, that’s only after I die in the original story, due to the atrocities she commits with her mother.
Still, I figured that if this connection was inevitable, I might as well speed it up to avoid my own death. But the real reason I rushed was—
On the carriage ride, I overheard that there would be a banquet at the imperial palace three days from now.
When I first received the order to come to the capital, I already knew it was too late to avoid the prince. But things were moving even faster than they had in the original plot.
My powers still hadn’t manifested, but everything kept accelerating faster than I anticipated.
So, I received the invitation and my mother’s order to attend—with no say of my own.
I had no idea where the real Blake Ariandel, the true other half of Valery, was right now. She was a character who appeared much later in the story.
I’d never seen her in real life, so I didn’t know if she’d been captured, gone missing, or was simply in hiding. All I knew about her was that she had red hair and red eyes—plus a few other distinct features.
I was merely borrowing her name for now, and I planned to return it when everything was over.
As for the aftermath… well, Mr. Schuwald would probably handle that.
I had enough on my plate without worrying about someone else.
Passing through the heart of the capital in the carriage brought back a flood of memories.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Alright.”
I stepped out of the carriage and entered the boutique.
“We’ve been expecting you, Lady Ariandel.”
Since we’d made a reservation before arriving in the capital, I didn’t have to wait.
“I’d like it done in this style.”
Behind me, Ian pulled out a stack of documents and handed them to the madam.
They were all designs completely opposite to my taste.
I liked dark, ornate styles with flair. But these dresses were light in color, vivid, and had plain patterns that emphasized elegance.
“Wait here.”
I told Ian before following the madam into the fitting room.
“Could you lift your arms, please?”
I obediently raised both arms.
The woman, the boutique’s owner and designer, had her hair neatly tied up as she quickly took my measurements.
It didn’t even take a few minutes to get my full measurements.
She began sketching new outfits, combining Ian’s designs with my own preferences.
“Can you add some roomy pockets inside?”
“Inside the dress skirt?”
“And by the chest as well.”
It’s something I always requested when having clothes made.
No matter how well-guarded I might be, I still needed to be able to protect myself. The best method, of course, was always to escape as fast as possible.
“No need for a mid-check. Just deliver it here once it’s finished.”
“Are you sure?”
“I trust your eye for design.”
Her face immediately brightened at that.
“You’ll love it. I’ll have it delivered by the agreed date.”
“I’ll count on you then.”
The madam gave me a deep bow as I boarded the carriage.
I was planning to head straight home, but as I looked out the carriage window, something outside caught my eye.
“Wait.”
“Did you forget something?”
When I stopped the carriage, Ian looked puzzled.
“No. There’s just somewhere I’d like to stop by. You don’t need to come.”
“I’m afraid I must.”
He didn’t look like it, but Ian was extremely rigid and stubborn.
I had no choice but to take him along.
We stopped in front of a dessert shop that looked a bit shabby and mostly empty.
It didn’t match my current outfit at all.
“This is it. Are you going to follow me in here too?”
“I’ll wait here and keep watch.”
“Alright.”
I opened the door and stepped inside. The smell of sweet desserts greeted me immediately.
“Welcome!”
“Nothing’s changed here.”
I responded to the greeting and walked further in. Various desserts were displayed in twos and threes, some of which I recognized.
This shop had been running for over ten years.
The reason I came here was because my mother had brought me here once when I was young.
It was shortly after I left the orphanage. There was only one time I ever ate outside with my mother, and it was here.
I’d completely erased the memory, thinking the shop had long disappeared—but the sign had caught my eye, so I came in without thinking.
The dessert I’d eaten that day was still being made. Thankfully, none had sold yet. I ordered one and sat by the window.
The same seat I had sat in as a child.
Soon, the cake and black tea arrived. The moment I saw them, I felt like I had become that child again.
Back then, I had nearly died.
Most of the memories from that time were gone, only faint traces remained. It was just before I began remembering the reincarnation.
My mother had brought me here, placed a piece of cake and a drink in front of me, and silently watched. Then she told me to wait for a bit and left.
It was the first time she ever bought me a snack, so I nibbled at it, savoring each bite. But she didn’t return even after the shop closed.
She was always a busy person, so I thought she might have forgotten me. I waited calmly for her return.
When the clerk informed me that the shop was closing, I put the last bite of the cake in my mouth and stepped outside.
If I remember correctly, the sky was already dark, and it had started to rain.
I stood by the closed shop and waited for my mother.
My clothes were drenched, but I waited stubbornly. And that’s when I saw her shoes from the ground—perfectly clean and spotless.
She silently put me back in the carriage and didn’t say a word. We returned home like that. She never explained what had happened that day.
If I had been abandoned then, I wonder what kind of different pain I’d be dealing with now.
I didn’t touch the cake. Instead, I silently stared at Ian through the window.
“Excuse me.”
I turned and called a staff member.
“Could you pack this for me?”
The clerk gave me a puzzled look at the untouched dessert. When I explained there was nothing wrong with it, she smiled and took it away.
Soon, she returned with the cake packed in a small box.
I took it and stepped outside, handing it to Ian. He looked at me as he accepted it.
“It’s a gift. It’s really good.”
He stared blankly at the box for a while, then gave a slight nod. Every time I saw him, I was reminded of how dull he seemed.
Just as I was about to board the carriage again, I paused.
“Ian.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Go over there and buy me some sanitary pads.”
I gave the order casually.
“…Pardon?” Ian blinked.
“It’s almost that time of the month. I left everything up north, so there won’t be any at home. Buy as many as possible in advance.”
“I’ll buy them as soon as we return home.”
Apparently, he didn’t want to leave me alone and offered to get them once he dropped me off.
I shook my head.
“Why waste time? The coachman is here. I’ll be fine. Go now.”
I tapped the carriage to hurry him. After a moment of hesitation, Ian agreed.
Since we were in the center of the capital, there were lots of people and guards around. I think he considered the risk minimal.
“…Then I’ll be back shortly. Please wait just a moment.”
“Sure. Be careful.”
I smiled. The moment he disappeared from sight, I turned my body away.
I walked only a short distance from the carriage.
Once I turned a corner, I slipped into an alley.
“Somewhere around here…”
