“How about this dress? It’s a dress designed with the petals of a red tulip.”

As soon as Madame Pluto finished speaking, the staff brought a new dress. It was a beautiful dress, as if red petals filled with water were blooming.

“Buy that one too.”

Edwin said as soon as he saw the dress. Madame Pluto’s face brightened, while Olivia’s face turned a shade paler.

There were already a plethora of dresses set aside for purchase. All of them were Madame Pluto’s premium works.

The premium line was five times more expensive than the regular dress line, something Olivia knew best. Even the partner dresses sent from the palace were occasionally tailored at Madame Pluto’s boutique.

“Your Highness.”

“Are there no more dresses?”

Despite Olivia’s call, Edwin pretended not to hear and spoke to the madame. The madame grinned.

But it couldn’t go on any longer. Olivia called Edwin as if sounding a final warning.

“Edwin.”

At her soft call, Edwin momentarily stiffened. Olivia seized the moment and spoke to Madame Pluto.

“Madame, it seems we will need some more tea. Could you please bring some hot tea?”

“Of course. Preparing hot tea will take a little time. Please take your time looking at the dresses.”

Fortunately, Madame Pluto was quickwitted. Even the staff retreated, leaving only Edwin, Olivia, and Winstar, who stood as if guarding the door in the lavishly decorated reception room.

Olivia glanced at Winstar. His face, which had been smiling as if watching something interesting, quickly hardened like a knight.

He feigned innocence as if he had never thought anything else, but Olivia didn’t let it slide.

“Sir Kaltor, would you mind stepping out for a moment?”

When his name was called, Winstar looked at Olivia with a face full of lingering disappointment. Surely, something fun was about to happen!

But even aside from the glaring Duke, there was a strange power in the young lady’s words that he could not resist.

“……Yes. I will wait outside.”

It was only after Winstar had left the reception room that Olivia turned to Edwin. Olivia called Edwin softly, as if to calm him.

“Edwin.”

“……Why? My lady.”

It was a slightly gruff voice, different from his usual kindness. But his handsome mouth curled up slightly.

Although Edwin tried to manage his expression by clearing his throat, he was already caught.

Olivia chuckled.

“Just laugh if you want to laugh. Why are you making such a scary face?”

“A scary face? I’m just showing a bit of resentment.”

Edwin made an aggrieved expression.

“If you feel resentful one more time, I’ll buy the whole boutique.”

“That’s a good idea, isn’t it?”

Edwin’s eyes sparkled as if he had just realized. Olivia quickly shook her head.

“I misspoke. I don’t need that many dresses.”

Especially such bright and beautiful dresses, even more so.

From a pink dress adorned with rosecolored frills to a blue and silver dress designed with the motif of the Milky Way in the night sky, an elegant white dress dusted with pearl powder. A dozen more dresses were lined up behind them.

But despite Olivia’s words, Edwin shrugged.

“Wow. Where did that earlier determination to only choose the best go?”

“Ah, that…….”

“You didn’t even pay attention when I asked you to tell me your taste.”

Edwin spoke sullenly. Olivia felt a prick of conscience.

He was right.

Excited as soon as they entered, Edwin was different from her, who hadn’t even properly looked at the dresses.

Visiting Madame Pluto’s boutique without a reservation was really not an easy task, and she had even looked at the dresses insincerely.

It wasn’t until Edwin said he wanted to see the premium line that she merely nodded her head. Remembering that, Olivia was at a loss for words.
With an apologetic heart, Olivia fiddled with her fingers. What should she say first?

In fact, as soon as she saw Madame Pluto’s boutique, thoughts of Acella distracted her. The thought that the tailor must have gone to the Duke’s place kept swirling in her head.

But before Olivia could even open her mouth, a languid laugh reached her ears.

“You can’t even get angry with Miss. Why do you make such an apologetic face?”

“……I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be distracted, but I kept having other thoughts, so I couldn’t concentrate on the dress.”

Olivia poured out as if to confess. A worry spread over Edwin’s face, which was momentarily tilted.

“What’s bothering you? It’s not that you were lying about not being tired, is it?”

“No, that’s true. I’m not tired. It’s just…”

Olivia hesitated for a moment. It seemed silly to think of her younger sibling even after leaving the Duke’s house. But Acella was special to her.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Shall we continue choosing the dress?”

Olivia slowly opened her mouth, looking at Edwin, who was trying to change the subject considerately.

“……Before I left the Duke’s house, I reserved my sister’s dress at Madame Pluto’s boutique. It just came to my mind.”

“……Just like last time, you seem to think a lot about your sister.”