Chapter 50
This bastard's Young Lady Rohanson madness shows no sign of improving. He's perfectly normal otherwise, but the moment Young Lady Rohanson gets involved, he ends up like this. This is exactly why I wanted to leave that Michelle brat behind....
"Just move the luggage and go back with the others. Your role ended with bringing Misha here."
"If I've been of help to Young Lady Rohanson, that's satisfaction enough. Sister, please make the finest dress worthy of Young Lady Rohanson. You're the only one in the world who can create clothing befitting her."
I don't even know who he's praising anymore.
"Michelle...."
Raphaela quietly surveyed the situation.
Less than two weeks remained until Evangeline's debutante, and there weren't many skilled enough to produce a dress in that timeframe. Given the tight deadline, even Artemisia wouldn't have accepted the commission if not for her sister. Artemisia had no idea her brother would be this far gone, so the shock must be even greater. That Michelle bastard didn't even feel sorry for his sister—he'd already given her three shocks: once when enthralled by the Danau painting, once when throwing himself into the burning painting, and now as Evangeline Rohanson's zealot.
Artemisia dabbed her tears with a handkerchief.
"Truly, you've fallen into a terrible love...."
What? Raphaela wondered if she'd heard nonsense and scratched her ear.
"To fall for Young Lady Rohanson of all people, with such terrible rumors circulating...."
Raphaela left the two immersed in their own world and went to the carriage to quietly move the luggage. Should have just done this from the start. As Raphaela became a worker ant, Uriel slipped up beside her.
"Sir Raphaela, I have something to ask."
"What is it?"
"The opponent is the Commander, but does Sir Michelle stand a chance? In terms of romance, that is."
Beside them, Seraph was also watching with gleaming eyes, clearly curious too. Raphaela gave up on answering. She just wanted to get back to the Commander's side quickly. Commander, our knight order is ruined.
"Seriously, just move the luggage and leave immediately."
"Huh? Understood."
The one saving grace was that at least they listened to orders perfectly.
***
Wow... is all that fabric? Watching people carry in the luggage, I could only marvel. The toilette room was gradually filling up until it could practically be called a dress room now.
For a villainess, Evangeline had no vanity and possessed very few wearable clothes. Plus, she hadn't even debuted in society yet, so she had nothing to wear to a ball.
With only two weeks left, getting a dress fitted now was too late. I was planning to just buy some ready-made clothes, but Gabriel said he had a method and brought over an entire dress shop.
Not metaphorically—literally. From the shop's designer to the exclusive tailors, seamstresses, and even the fabric, everything was being transported to the Rohanson mansion.
She said I could visit the dress shop, but with time so pressing, if we needed to constantly alter, cut, and fit the clothes, it would be faster to just live together. She was even given a guest room to stay.
"I apologize for making things so chaotic."
Gabriel apologized while watching my reaction. It really hit home that Gabriel was the male lead. Right... a romance fantasy male lead has nothing but money, so spending it to buy manpower is daily life for him.
But Evangeline is rich too! Who is he showing off his money to! I unconsciously felt my competitive spirit ignite with Gabriel, but I took a deep breath and calmed down. Saving money is good, isn't it?
"Young Lady Rohanson, have you been well?"
Today, Raphaela, the sociable vice-captain actively assisting Gabriel's romantic endeavors, came along too. She greeted me like meeting an old friend of five years. Even Daisy beside me looked disgusted.
Hm? But who's that behind her? Someone was trembling behind Raphaela's back.
"Ah, and this is the person who will make clothes for the Young Lady."
Before I could even ask, Raphaela pushed forward the person hiding behind her.
Ah ha. The designer Gabriel bought with money.... She looked like she didn't want to come but couldn't refuse that much money, so she was dragged here against her will. I worried she might run away crying like the tutors before her.
"Her name is Artemi—"
"I-I can't work with human skin!"
Raphaela was about to introduce her name when the Artemisia person interrupted and shouted frantically.
But what?
"Excuse me?"
Question marks floated over everyone's heads at the spirited cry. The toilette room fell silent in an instant.
"These crazy siblings, I'm really losing my mind...."
Raphaela clicked her tongue and buried her face in her palm.
I'm really losing my mind too. What skin? I must have heard nonsense because I didn't get enough sleep today. Or maybe there's something wrong with the translator.
How far has Evangeline's notoriety actually been upgraded? I've never heard of a romance fantasy villainess making clothes from human skin. No matter how bleak this world's setting is, shouldn't there be a reasonable limit? I felt nauseous just imagining it.
"What did you just say?"
"Eek, I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please just don't kill me!"
I only asked her to repeat it to confirm I'd heard correctly, but the Artemisia person was now bowing at the waist, begging for her life.
"...Why would I kill you?"
No, I'm someone whose possession has been discovered by everyone around me because I'm too kind for a villainess, yet somehow the rumors circulating about me haven't changed. Haven't they actually gotten worse?
"You're someone Sir Gabriel brought."
Didn't Gabriel explain? Gabriel, did you not even explain beforehand?
Well, what can you expect from a stoic male lead who seems to have few words. As long as they don't misunderstand each other and make things worse, that's lucky. This was Raphaela's fault for not explaining on Gabriel's behalf.
Raphaela seemed to realize her mistake and hurriedly made excuses.
"The Young Lady doesn't kill just anyone."
If she doesn't kill just anyone, does that mean she kills specific people? She just doesn't kill, period.
This won't work. If I leave it to Raphaela, another rumor might spread that I pick and choose who to kill. I should just explain myself.
"I don't know what rumors are circulating about me, but don't lend your ears to wicked words. See for yourself and judge. What do you think of me, having actually seen me?"
"You're beautiful...."
As I swept back my disheveled hair from bowing and emphasized my kindness, the Artemisia person murmured as if spellbound.
As expected! My romance fantasy experience isn't going anywhere. My speech skills seemed to shine especially bright today.
Or maybe Evangeline's face was doing all the work. Every romance fantasy has that one dress shop designer who shouts "Young Lady, you're my muse!"—she seemed exactly like that character.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding! I am Artemisia Schmittiana. Michelle's older sister."
"I'm Evangeline Rohanson."
That name is really long. I don't think I could ever memorize her full name. But who's Michelle?
"She's the benefactor who saved Michelle. I apologize for frightening you based only on rumors."
Ah, saved—now I remember. The incredibly polite melon-headed knight. The siblings were both chatterboxes with overflowing charisma, exactly alike.
"What exactly did you hear?"
"Ah, well...."
"I won't blame you, so speak comfortably."
When Artemisia hesitated, I urged her to speak freely.
I was curious if all my good deeds until now had any effect at all. I hoped she'd tell me quickly. Artemisia, who had been gauging my reaction, finally spoke.
"That... there was a rumor that the real Young Lady Rohanson died of illness, and the Count found a replacement for the deceased Young Lady. But seeing you in person, that's not true at all! The Young Lady is very dignified, and if you were truly a replacement, the servants wouldn't follow you so sincerely."
What? Aside from being in the same body, that's actually correct. At this rate, everyone in the world is going to figure out I'm a possessor. Sorry, but my people like me even knowing I'm a possessor....
"And there was also talk that if you encounter the Young Lady, your soul gets stolen. That even noble knights were bewitched—but surely that's because everyone falls in love with the Young Lady's beauty!"
This is heading toward typical villainess territory again. The knight must be Gabriel, right? They think he's completely smitten with me because I used some kind of sorcery.
"And also that Young Lady Evangeline purchases young children."
That was just me getting Daisy's siblings back. Wait, they're the ones who did human trafficking, so why are they pinning that crime on me!
"There were many theories about why she would buy children...."
Among various speculations, the human skin story must have left the strongest impression. That's why she said that to me. It was certainly shocking enough that once heard, it couldn't be forgotten.
"But it was all baseless rumors!"
"Hmm...."
At her bright declaration, I unconsciously swallowed.
What should I do? It's almost all true. It just got distorted in strange directions, but the basis was factual.
"I thought it was just wild rumors too... but seeing you in person, you were a little, just a tiny bit scary, so I...."
In other words, the biggest problem was Evangeline's face—beautiful but intimidating.
"I'll make sure such malicious talk never circulates again! I will support you with all my might so that the Young Lady can have the finest debutante with Sir Gabriel. I will create the greatest debutante dress for you."
Artemisia looked at me with shining eyes. It seemed fake that she was afraid of me just moments ago. Would she be scared again if I told her the rumors were true?
"Doing it roughly is fine."
"But Young Lady, clothes are a letter of introduction that represents yourself. No matter how beautiful a person is, if they wear unflattering clothes, they'll be constantly disregarded."
Is that so?
"Then what about the clothes I'm wearing now?"