Who Regressed the Timekeeper? - Chapter 52

On the way to the Grand Duke’s office, I saw Joseph climbing the stairs. Just as Amy raised her hand to greet him, Joseph carefully looked around and suddenly started shrugging his shoulders.

‘What is he doing?’

As she lowered her hand and watched quietly, he went beyond just slightly shaking his body and started taking steps. And it was proper waltz steps, which amazed Amy.

“Hmm, hmm hmm~”

He even added humming as accompaniment, making quite a spectacle. Amy stood with her arms crossed and one leg forward, tapping her foot to the beat.

“Hmm… Huh!”

Joseph, who had been turning while supporting an invisible partner, discovered Amy standing firmly in front of him and fell backward. Amy clapped her hands and said.

“I enjoyed the performance. Are you going to do it at the festival? I think it’ll be a huge hit.”

“M-Miss Head Maid! When did you…”

Joseph stammered, his crooked glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

Seeing how pale he had turned from the shock, she felt like a bully for teasing him. Amy removed all playfulness and slightly bent her waist as if asking for a dance, extending her hand.

“Get up first.”

“Y-Yes…”

As he closed his eyes tightly with an expression of wanting to die and was about to take Amy’s hand,

Grab.

“…”

Amy stared silently at the long, masculine hand gently placed on hers, then turned her head. Noah, the owner of the hand, was looking down at the two of them with his lips pressed into a crooked line.

“When did you arrive? Please make some noise next time, people with weak hearts might fall over in surprise.”

Amy greeted him casually as she subtly withdrew her hand. Joseph, the epitome of a weak-hearted person, was breathing heavily with his hand on his chest. He seemed to have been genuinely startled.

“Just now. I came running when I saw a strange sight.”

Noah’s cold golden eyes fixed on Joseph. Joseph started to groan again. Amy quickly rolled her eyes, trying to change the subject, then said, “Huh?”

“Your Highness. You’re wearing new clothes.”

After returning from the ancient god’s altar, Noah had grown even taller again. Now Amy had to tilt her head up to see him fully. That’s why Lady Weaver had recently called a tailor to make a whole batch of clothes for the Grand Duke.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t they say those clothes would arrive today?’

The thought that he had rushed to show her his new clothes first made her want to laugh. Amy kept a straight face and circled around Noah once. As she did so, she let out exaggerated exclamations.

“My goodness, is this really our Prince? It suits you so well. I had no idea you could look this handsome…”

“…The tailor made good clothes.”

Though his expression remained blank, the twitching at the corners of his mouth suggested he was trying to suppress his happiness. Seeing Noah’s mood improve, Amy secretly gestured to Joseph, who was still sprawled on the ground. Joseph, who had been blankly blinking, hurriedly stood up and stammered while straightening his disheveled clothes.

“Well, you really look different, yes… so full of dignity, and authority…”

Oh no, Amy squeezed her eyes shut. Noah, having been suppressed since childhood, disliked words that weighed people down, like dignity and authority. Sure enough, his face, which had relaxed, tensed up again.

“Is the budget adjustment finished?”

When Noah cut off Joseph’s words, Joseph simply froze. Before Joseph could burst into tears, Amy quickly rushed in front of Noah, drawing his attention.

“Joseph was working hard on calculations with James. They worked late into the night yesterday too. If the festival ends successfully, it will be thanks to their hard work.”

Amy waved her hand behind her back again. It meant for him to leave quickly. Joseph, who had been hunching his neck like a turtle, stood up straight and adjusted his glasses properly.

“Well, I still have work left… I’ll excuse myself first.”

“Mm. Good work.”

That he was leaving seemed to please Noah, as his face relaxed slightly. Amy inwardly clicked her tongue. Tsk, what’s the use of just growing taller, you need to grow more generous too…

As Joseph scurried away like a deer fleeing from a carnivore, Noah finally turned to Amy and said gently.

“There are clothes for Amy too. Let’s go try them on.”

“…What?”

Amy, who had been choosing her words in her head about how to tell him that Spencer Coleman was coming, understood a beat late. What did he say there was?

“No, clothes for me? Why, when I didn’t even order any?”

When she asked in bewilderment, Noah shrugged nonchalantly, but muttered while averting his gaze slightly.

“Let’s call it a benefit of the Grand Duchy.”

“…Was there a benefit I didn’t know about?”

As Amy narrowed her eyes, Noah stuck close to her side and rested his chin on top of her head, murmuring.

“It’s something the Grand Duke bestows upon a specially favored servant. Not just anyone can receive it. So enjoy it.”

“…Treating employees differently could cause discontent.”

Amy, momentarily stiffened by the position of being almost embraced, managed to reply casually. Noah, knowing she was feeling awkward, pretended not to notice and rubbed his cheek against her soft hair.

“I chose them myself, won’t you even look? If not, I might be too upset to work today.”

“No, aren’t you declaring your intent to slack off a bit too boldly?”

Amy, who couldn’t stand the sight of neglecting work, promptly objected. Noah raised the corner of his mouth slightly at her expected reaction.

“So let’s go see together. I’ll work hard immediately after confirming they suit Amy.”

“…”

But Amy, who would have normally agreed and followed along by now, was hesitating for some reason. Was this not enough? Noah reluctantly pulled out another card.

“Did you hear about my test results from the other day?”

“Ah, I saw that the tutor looked pleased. How did it go?”

Amy’s face immediately brightened. The tutor had cornered her and sputtered excitedly that he had never seen a student show such progress in such a short time, so she had been looking forward to hearing about it.

Facing her beautiful face shining with expectation, Noah said slowly.

“He said I could even skip a grade if I went to university.”

“Skip a grade…”

Amy murmured after him, then suddenly clenched both fists. Her eyes sparkled and blinked rapidly, as if she was thinking hard.

‘She must be thinking of putting it in the promotional materials for the festival.’

Noah, who could now somewhat understand what was going on in Amy’s head, smiled with narrowed eyes. The reason Amy was excited now wasn’t just because she could raise the Grand Duke’s reputation.

It was because she found him admirable and praiseworthy. He hadn’t known before that someone being proud of him could make his heart feel so ticklish.

‘I experience so many firsts when I’m with Amy.’

But it doesn’t make him afraid or scared, rather it makes him excited and motivated. The thought that Amy will be happy again fills him with energy.

‘Isn’t this kind of human relationship truly healthy?’

A relationship where you lead each other in a direction that benefits the other person – no matter how much deep knowledge you cram into your head, human life is ultimately completed through such relationships. Noah realized this perfectly after meeting Amy.

Amy seemed to have finished thinking and glanced at Noah. Then, as if she had no choice, she raised one eyebrow slightly and clasped her hands in front of her chest.

“Since Your Highness has personally prepared this for someone as lowly as me, of course I should go see. With both hands full of gratitude, I will gladly try them on.”

“Really? You promise?”

Noah suddenly brightened. Huh? Amy tilted her head.

‘What’s this, isn’t this too much of a reaction for just one outfit…?’

Before Amy could come to her senses, Noah quickly pushed her back towards the reception room, herding her like sheep. Amy, who had entered the reception room in a daze, felt uneasy again when she saw the tailor greeting her with excessive enthusiasm.

The tailor clapped her hands and made a fuss.

“Oh my, she matches exactly the image His Highness described.”

“Image…?”

As Amy murmured in bewilderment, the tailor looked her up and down with hawk-like eyes, then nodded.

“The size should fit too. Your Highness’s eye for detail is remarkable.”

“I haven’t just known Amy for a day or two. There’s nothing about her I don’t know.”

Amy felt uneasy about the warm conversation passing between them.

“So where are the clothes I’m supposed to see…?”

Feeling like a fish put up for sale, Amy tried to change the subject while scanning the reception room. Then she unconsciously gaped at the colorful gowns densely hung on the screen.

‘Surely all of those aren’t for me?’

Yeah, that can’t be. While trying to reassure herself, she saw Lady Weaver smiling just as contentedly behind the tailor, and her head began to spin.

“…Your Highness.”

“Yes, Amy. How about this?”

Noah took out one outfit and held it against Amy’s body.

It was a deep navy blue with silver embroidery, the square neckline and sleeve ends trimmed with white fur, and below the waist-cinching bodice, the navy silk skirt split diagonally in the middle to reveal a glimpse of a lace-filled underdress.

“No, are these all diamonds?”

Amy widened her eyes at the tiny sparkling jewels densely set on the front of the bodice.

“Yes, do you like it?”

Noah praised the tailor again for producing the gown exactly as he had envisioned, and at his nod, Lady Weaver handed the pre-prepared money pouch to the tailor. The tailor received the pouch, bowing excessively.

“I’ve also brought jewelry to match the gown. Please take a look.”

As the tailor raised one hand, her assistants who had been standing behind her came out in a line and opened the lids of the wooden boxes they were holding one by one. Amy unconsciously closed her eyes. No, why is the sun coming out of there?

“It’s amazing.”

Lady Weaver murmured in an excited voice. Amy reluctantly opened her eyes to see colorful jewels with dazzling craftsmanship competing to shine in each box.

Everyone except Amy looked at her with expressions that said, ‘Surely you’ll like at least one of these.’