Rowan looked around the shop and then looked at me with a kind gaze. When I was at the academy, every time I met those eyes, I would run behind a pillar and hide like a prisoner. I swallowed and met his gaze.
“Wow, Daphne, you really look like an adult now.”
Did he forget that he and I are the same age?
“…”
“Daphne, you’re beautiful even with heavy makeup on.”
I could feel my face getting hot at that moment. It seemed that his playful kindness hadn’t faded with age. I quickly came to my senses and said,
“I’ll show you to the parlor.”
“We’re not on such formal terms, are we?”
I was conscious of Sophia, who was sitting behind us, listening to our conversation. Sophia’s eyes would light up when she heard an interesting story. I wanted to take him to the open parlor inside as quickly as possible.
“Lady Sophia, I’m sorry, but…”
“Don’t mind me, just go and do your work!”
Don’t normal people show some tact and leave in a situation like this? I thought that she must have come because she was bored and led Rowan and Rachel inside. I then served them tea and meticulously closed the door.
Rachel, who had a sip of tea, gave a belated greeting in a soft voice.
“I’m Rachel, the second daughter of the Leodid Marquisate. As you know… but I’m greeting you in case you’ve forgotten.”
“I would never. How could I ever forget you, Lady Rachel?”
Rachel was two years younger than me. The last time I saw her was when I was sixteen, and she was fourteen, around the time I submitted my withdrawal from the academy and grew apart from Rowan. Her face still looked the same, so there was no way I wouldn’t recognize her. Besides, she was chosen as the Crown Princess a month ago. It would be strange if someone in the empire didn’t know her, as she was second to none in beauty and wisdom. Since she was going to get married and enter the Imperial Palace soon, only a newborn baby wouldn’t know who she was.
“May I ask what brought you here?”
“I heard that Daphne is running her shop again. I want to entrust Daphne with my sister’s engagement dress and wedding dress this time.”
“…To me?”
It hasn’t even been six hours since I reopened the store. The news sure spread fast. Since they came to have a dress made, I opened a consultation notepad. Rachel, who was watching me, respectfully continued Rowan’s words.
“Lady Daphne’s wedding dresses are the dream of all brides in the empire. I was so upset when I heard that you were going to close the store for a year.”
To think that the child who used to call me ‘Unnie’ was speaking to me with such formality. I felt awkward and put on a professional smile.
“I have reopened for some reasons. Could you briefly tell me what kind of dress you want?”
“Ah… about that. Is it okay if I get back to you with the design later?”
Brides usually had a clear idea of the dress design they wanted. There were various types of silk alone: taffeta, mikado, organza… They knew whether they wanted to add lace or stardust from the magic shop. What kind of lace to layer on, what kind of jewels to add. But she was chosen as the Crown Princess a month ago, and she came to see me without having a reference for the dress?
‘Is she not that ambitious about clothes?’
Something was off, but since the engagement was still about two months away, I decided to accept it. There was still plenty of time.
“Today, I just wanted to place the order. By the way, Daphne, I read the article. It said that the passionate romance was misinformation.”
“Yes, I was also very surprised when I read the article. The corrected article is correct.”
“That’s a relief then. It’s a good thing you’ve accepted our request, too.”
Rowan smiled brightly and prepared to leave, saying he had somewhere else to go. He seemed to have something more to say and was about to part his lips when he turned around and looked at me before leaving the parlor.
“Daphne, my sister’s outings might not be as free as before. Could you come to the mansion directly to see her next time?”
“Yes, that’s not difficult.”
“And… I want us to be like we used to be. Next time, please speak to me casually.”
I didn’t answer that. The only reason I had spoken to him casually during my academy days was because I hadn’t corrected my childhood habit of speaking informally. After I grew apart from him and started working, speaking formally became the most comfortable for me. I saw them off with the same demeanor of a professional shop owner until the very end.
‘What on earth was that?’
I was left with a feeling of bewilderment.
It wasn’t strange that I got a commission right away. Everyone wanted to wear one of my wedding dresses. But I never expected it to be for Rowan’s sister. Although I had a strange feeling when I was with them, it was a great honor for me to be the one to make the Crown Princess’s dress.
‘This is amazing and exciting.’
I started this to help Edin, but I ended up getting a good hand myself. I tried to calm my beating heart and went to Sophia, who was waiting for me.
“Oh my… you knew Lord Rowan? You never showed it before!”
“We got to know each other during my academy days. I never expected to run into him like this.”
“Goodness… Daphne, you know how famous Lord Leodid is in high society now, don’t you?”
I know. That’s why I couldn’t even greet him whenever we ran into each other at a ball.
“I looked into Lord Leodid’s eyes, and I’m sure. The fact that he came to your shop as soon as it opened, and that he told you not to speak formally to him!”
“What are you so sure about?”
“He has feelings for you, Lady Daphne. I’m sure of it.”
I burst into laughter out of disbelief.
There was no way that was true. Rowan was originally closer to Lena than me. Around the age of fifteen, I remembered the days when I was insecure because of my family’s instability but pretended to be strong and that nothing was wrong at the academy.
‘Rowan!’
I wasn’t good at calculating numbers, but during my mathematics classes, I was the most cheerful child in the classroom.
‘Daphne Algerf, so what’s the answer to this equation?’
‘It’s 0.’
‘What on earth… Lady Daphne, why are you so confident about a wrong answer?’
I giggled and glanced sideways. I liked Rowan, who burst into laughter at my absurd answer. I loved Lena, who sat next to me and quietly wrote ‘the answer is 10.’ They took good care of me, who had suffered from amnesia after getting a fever before entering the academy. When I felt down because I couldn’t understand the trends that had swept through the empire before I lost my memories, they would hold my hand. My grades at the academy were terrible, but they genuinely loved the gifts I made with my skillful hands. Furthermore, they treated me without any discrimination, even though they knew my status as a baron’s daughter. They were the kind of people who would be the first to tell me not to use titles and formal language. Lena was always the one who looked after me closely. But I liked Rowan, who would sometimes keep his distance from me with a mature smile. I liked how my heart would pound when I looked at his light purple hair. I was overwhelmed with the conviction that I could wonderfully love this moment.
After I ran away from the academy and started working at my relative’s dress shop, Rowan didn’t come to look for me. But I was so overwhelmed with making a living that I never resented him for it. Even when we ran into each other at a ball, we didn’t even greet each other.
The feeling I got from talking to Rowan for the first time in a few years was, sadly, that I had no feelings for him.
My heart was pounding, and I felt excited. But this was just the same feeling I got when I received an expensive commission. As I looked back on my memories, I also felt complicated emotions because of the painful memories that came with them. It’s not easy to still love your first love from years ago, anyway. After reminiscing, I leaned back on the sofa and shook my head with a laugh.
“My heart pounds the most when I think about the townhouse management fees.”
“Why?”
“The amount is quite intimidating. I hope you’ll be careful if you ever buy a townhouse, Lady Sophia.”
“But! Wouldn’t your feelings for him grow as you go in and out of the Leodid Marquisate, Lady Daphne?”
“…Did you hear all that?”
“Oops.”
The parlor’s soundproofing was excellent, but it probably couldn’t block all the sounds echoing in the silent shop. I stopped my teasing and drank the rest of my tea.
“When you leave today, Lady Sophia, I think I’ll go back to the mansion too.”
I put a piece of chocolate in my mouth as a final touch. The sweetness gave me a boost of energy. I must have been overwhelmed by meeting Rowan and Rachel.
On my way to the tea time with Lady Salvia that Sophia had arranged, I leaned back in the carriage and let out a deep breath.
‘I don’t have anything to offer Lady Salvia.’
I had been out of high society while preparing to decorate the townhouse, so I was lacking in information. And because I was trying to fulfill Edin’s order, request, and trust, I was clearly in a position of weakness in front of her.
“I don’t want to get married…”
I was sure that looking at the portraits of various noblemen that she had spread all over the table and giving an awkward laugh was a form of torture. The carriage stopped before I could even wipe away my tears.
“We’re here already…”
Why is the Lophessen family’s mansion so close? I stumbled out of the carriage with the help of the coachman’s escort.
‘First, straighten my back.’
Lady Salvia was always ready to scold anyone who looked unconfident. I was determined to survive the tightrope walk she was about to present without losing my balance. I lifted my chin slightly, entered the mansion, and began to brainwash myself that I was a confident person.
