How To Ruin The Original Work (16 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 7

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“Well then, my lady! Now that you’ve chosen your outfit, of course you must try it on! Time waits for no one. Soo, Rina!”

Clap clap!

Cheerful clapping echoed through the dressing room.

Once again, without any regard for Nigel’s opinion, Soo and Rina led Nigel behind the changing screen.

And then, they smiled at Nigel with an unreadable intention.

And a little while later…

“Aaaahh!”

A beast-like shriek, resembling an animal’s cry, rang out multiple times from behind the screen.

“Hmm~ Ahem~”

Even amidst the ear-piercing screams, Madam Ludin meticulously inspected Nigel’s garments and jotted down alterations in her notebook.

Swish!

Just as Ludin finished reviewing all of Nigel’s casual attire, the screen parted smoothly open.

And then…

…Thud.

Ludin’s notebook dropped limply to the floor.

“…Good heavens.”

Ludin covered her mouth with both hands.

Soo and Rina looked confidently at their employer.

Even by their own judgment, they deserved praise.

The dress, woven meticulously strand by strand from silver threads with a bluish sheen, flowed beautifully along Nigel’s silhouette.

Every slight movement Nigel made caused the elegant blue glimmer trapped within the silver threads to sparkle in all directions.

The heart-shaped neckline, revealing Nigel’s neck and décolletage, accentuated the graceful line of Nigel’s neck, enhancing its beauty.

The sleeves, flaring out slightly toward the ends, followed a design popular among young ladies, adding an air of youthful innocence and purity.

To sum it up in one word…

“Elegance!”

Indeed.

Ludin circled around Nigel, gazing at the customer with infatuated eyes, thoroughly pleased that Nigel had perfectly embodied the vision behind the dress.

Soo and Rina trailed closely behind Ludin, nodding their heads eagerly in agreement.

‘…What’s this? Like giving a diamond to a crow.’

Nigel frowned, staring at their reflection in the mirror—hair as dark as a crow’s.

The dress itself wasn’t the problem. The issue was Nigel.

Though Soo and Rina had diligently applied some unidentifiable oil to Nigel’s broom-like hair and styled it as prettily as they could, it remained dry and lifeless.

Nigel’s face, seriously fatigued beyond words, looked rough from accumulated exhaustion, with dark circles beneath the eyes.

The reflection in the mirror looked utterly awkward, like a wild creature forced into its first harness.

“…Is this really okay?”

Nigel pointed accusingly at their own reflection.

“Of course not.”

Madam Ludin, who had been bustling around Nigel without pause, suddenly stopped and spoke firmly.

“Lady Nigel, this is merely the fitting; the dress isn’t finished yet. When you return next Tuesday, it will be perfectly tailored just for you—oho ho!”

“…”

Just as she thought.

Nigel let out a hollow laugh.

‘…Well, whatever. It’s not even my money, and no matter what I wear, I’ll look ridiculous anyway.’

Yes, clothes—none of it mattered.

If she wore Ludin’s dress, her scrawny frame would look pitiful against its lavish volume; if she wore a silk gown, she’d only be unfavorably compared to the heroine.

“Oh, shall I prepare a corset for you next week as well? With a corset on, you’d look even more beautiful.”

“No.”

Nigel flatly refused.

Though appearance did affect life in some ways, Nigel would rather eat lunch in peace—even if it made her look more like a tree stump—than endure pain just to achieve a slender waistline.

“If the fitting’s done, can I go now?”

Trending

“Oh, yes, of course.”

Clap-clap!

For the first time, the previously annoying clapping sounded genuinely cheerful.

“Soo, Rina! Help the lady change back.”

Finally freed from the changing-room hell, Nigel changed back into the clothes worn upon entering the shop and stepped out from behind the screen with a light step.

“My lady, I was thinking of sending several sets of casual wear to you sometime today—would that be alright?”

“Yes, please send them.”

Without being asked, Nigel quickly wrote down the inn’s address on a sheet of paper and handed it to Ludin.

“Received. Then, Lady, I’ll see you next Tuesday morning.”

Nigel nodded and swiftly exited the dressmaker’s shop without waiting for an escort.

“Phew…”

She’d left early in the morning, yet the sun was already high overhead.

It really was time for lunch.

[This is the timeline separator]

Having devoured three bowls right where she sat, Nigel finished paying while inwardly grumbling about the capital city’s inflated prices.

Then, Nigel headed toward Evans Trading Company’s central bank.

It didn’t take long to find—the bank was housed in a tall, lavish building adorned with gold, and all one had to do was walk straight toward it.

Though she did wander into a few dead-end alleys, that was still forgivable by Nigel’s standards.

Upon entering the bank, people greeted Nigel with smiles similar to Sally’s from before.

“How may I assist you, ma’am?”

After waiting her turn and approaching the counter, the clerk welcomed Nigel warmly.

His smile appeared cheerful, but his eyes held no real life in them.

“I’d like to deposit two gold and six silver.”

At Nigel’s words, his eyebrows lifted slightly before quickly settling back in place.

“…I’ll escort you to the reception room, ma’am.”

He immediately stepped out from behind the counter and guided Nigel toward a reception room inside the bank.

Nigel sat on a plush sofa and took a sip of the fragrant tea he offered.

Though her eyes lingered on the beautifully presented desserts, she needed to save room for dinner back at the inn.

To do that, she had to wrap things up quickly here.

Thud.

Nigel set the teacup down on the table.

“I’d like to use a vault.”

What Nigel had just said was a coded phrase used by clients requesting an anonymous vault.

These anonymous vaults were protected by powerful barriers, making entry impossible without proper authorization.

“Yes, understood, ma’am. Before that, for security purposes, could you please enter a password into this magical device?”

When Nigel entered a combination of numbers and letters, the device displayed the number 314-5.

314-5—the vault number belonging to Zeronin.

“Yes, your vault access has been confirmed. I’ll now take you to your vault. This way, please.”

Following his lead, Nigel boarded an elevator inside the bank and descended underground.

Ding!

“We’ve arrived. Please mind the gap between the elevator and the floor when stepping out.”

Following his instruction, Nigel stepped out with a large stride.

“I’ll wait here, ma’am. Take your time and return when you’re finished.”

Nigel nodded and placed a hand on the vault door—plain black wall marked only with “314-5.”

Instantly, the door shimmered and swung wide open as if welcoming Nigel inside.

Creeeak.

As soon as Nigel stepped in, the door automatically closed behind.

Inside, there was yet another door.

The structure was designed for maximum security.

Placing a hand on the locked inner door, Nigel opened it easily once more.

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Ordinarily, vaults stored cash, valuables, weapons, or mana crystals—but Zeronin’s was different.

A chest filled with gold sat tucked away in the corner, while every wall was densely packed with potion bottles.

Among them, only a few rows were filled; the rest stood empty.

Whirrr.

Closing her eyes as if by habit, Nigel layered multiple transparent mana barriers around the room, producing a low humming vibration.

Now, whatever happened inside this room would remain known only to Nigel.

“Phew…”

Nigel exhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

Immediately, the room filled with golden light so intense that even Nigel—releasing her own mana—struggled to open her eyes against its overwhelming depth and magnitude.

After roughly five minutes, Nigel opened her eyes.

Her body, which had felt as though weighed down by a heavy burden, now felt light and refreshed.

All the previously empty potion bottles were now brimming with shimmering golden liquid.

On each bottle’s label, elegant cursive script read: “Lepharo.”

“Now I can finally live.”

It had been over a month and a week since she’d last released her mana due to exhaustion.

Ever since manifesting divine power—a form of mana—at the age of ten, Nigel had suffered from mana intoxication.

Mana intoxication was a condition affecting those whose bodies held more mana than they could handle, accumulating over time; if severe, it could even be fatal.

Most commonly seen in children whose bodies hadn’t fully matured, it usually faded naturally with age—but Nigel continued suffering from it, even approaching adulthood.

She’d never met another holy maiden, so she didn’t know if this affliction was common to all or unique to her.

It had been sheer luck that Zeronin had been the first to find Nigel collapsed from mana intoxication in the orphanage’s backyard.

Having brewed potions since childhood—even at the academy—Zeronin succeeded in transforming divine power into mana-recovery potions.

Every month, Nigel extended her life by channeling mana into intricately engraved potion bottles, while Zeronin sold them for profit.

Zeronin was the only person who knew Nigel was a holy maiden—and her ally in keeping that secret quiet.

That didn’t mean Nigel’s opinion of him had improved.

He remained, as always, an annoying presence who never stopped nagging.

“I’ll take some.”

Nigel opened the chest in the corner and scooped a handful of gold coins into her bag.

[This is the timeline separator]

Jingle jingle.

The clerk waiting for Nigel at the elevator lifted his head at the familiar sound echoing from afar.

It was the sound he heard every day at the bank—and his favorite sound.

The beautiful harmony created by gold coins clinking together.

He instantly fixed on his practiced sales smile and warmly welcomed the young customer.

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  1. Lizymay7 Chapter 15
    The praise for Nigel is growing at the academy; let’s see how this highly talented girl fares there and develops a good relationship with Noah.

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