Knock Knock
"Come in."
After only three hours of sleep, I was very tired.
While I was sitting with a sunken face and writing the ledger, the servants appeared, holding something arduously.
'Is it some kind of gift?'
I was speechless.
In the package, was a box containing high-quality tea leaves and a congratulatory card from Isidor.
'Congratulations on being the Academy's Top Student.'
The fifth Princess also sent a gift and a card. She also sent chocolate and an expensive-looking wine.
'It seemed that everyone is now aware that I am the top student. Ahh... probably because my name is hung in the Academy's hall of fame.'ತâ _â Êâ ತ
I received not only gifts but also many letters. It made me realize that my position in the social world is better than when I first arrived in this tragedy novel.
'I didn't get any gifts or invitations when I first woke up because Deborah has a bad reputation but it seems that it has improved by a lot.'
The first letter I received was from Marquis Bert the Dean of the Magic Department. He was asking me to stop by his office when the new semester started.
I thought of giving up my studies at the Academy so that I could focus more on my business, but then I realized that if I turn my back on my studies most probably the talk about marriage will pop up, and I was too afraid of that.
Dean Bert also said that although he didn't know what kind of business I had, there was nothing good about putting the studies at the Academy behind me and that he would see me soon.
Another was an invitation to a small tea party from a social club.
'A tea party?! I first thought that it was a letter written by a servant to a group of people and was accidentally sent one to. But it seems to be legit, it gives me the feeling that I really joined a social club.'
I was feeling excited about it, because my only club activity was the study of theses about mana with the fifth Princess in a place that looks like a haunted house.
'What should I wear?'
As if feeling my worries, in the afternoon, my exclusive designer Helen arrived with new clothes to wear for the new fall semester.
The clothes arranged in a row were in the latest fashion sense of the social world.
'All of them are pretty.'
I looked happily at each dress but I stopped at the very last one.
Maybe because it had less decorations and the style was bold, it looked similar to the modern dresses from my previous life.
'But I don't think it would look out of place even if it was hung in the store.'
Because I stood still in front of it for some time, Helen's face turned white.
'What is wrong with her?'
"P-Princess, that is a new style of dress."
"Hmm."
"O-of course it may look simple, but the asymmetric style changes the monotony and the bright blue sapphire highlights its elegance.
'The skirt is not very wide, and the fabric is soft, it looks comfortable.'
"It is a dress that doesn't match with the Princess splendid beauty, so I will put it awaâ¦"
"Why put it away? I will take all of them. You can leave now."
"T-thank you! I will take my leave."
'Why are you thankful?...Well, since Deborah's evil reputation is big, a lot of people are grateful to me just for not being wicked. Like the professor of history, for example.
At the end of each lesson, he says thank you, and then leaves the classroom like he is running away from the devil.
This is the life of a ruffian and it's not bad at all.'
I crossed my arms and slowly nodded my head.
...
'Making clothes for Princess Deborah isn't as bad as I thought it would be.'
Helen thought as she left the Seymour mansion.
'Of course, it is scary. When Princess Deborah first ordered me to make her clothes, I felt the urge to abandon everything and move to another country.'
Helen actually secretly looked into how to leave the country by ship.
She still felt anxious, like she was walking on a rope bridge, every time she came to the Seymour mansion.
But apart from the gloomy feeling she felt when she had to come to the Seymour mansion, she realized that she didn't have to worry about the operating cost of the boutique anymore and she was able to make all the dresses she designed as much as she wanted.
'Realistically, it is better to work for Princess Deborah than the nobles who postpone paying the balance.'
At first Helen thought Princess Deborah only liked fancy things, but who knew that the Princess had a great eye for style and that greatly inspired her.
Last time, during the Spring Flower Festival, Helen was able to design a boldly purple dress with the Princess instructions to focus only on the image of the person wearing it.
'Working with a menswear designer was also a great experience.'
Thanks to this, Helen learned about different types of fabrics and stitching methods, and her perspective with clothes widened.
The last dress was also a great challenge for Helen. It was a dress designed with Princess Deborah's image in mind, by thinking about clothes that genuinely suited the Princess, rather than following the conventional customs and social trends.
When she was asked why she took on such a reckless challenge while being afraid of the Princess, she had nothing to say.
'I must have been out of my mind.'
Helen rubbed her trembling chest with her hand.
'Luckily, it seems like she liked it.'
Princess Deborah was the type of person that didn't hold it in when she had a complaint. If she doesn't like something, she would immediately point out.
'Wouldn't it be alright to include one or two bold designs for the winter? The Princess seems to like it.'
Helen kept hearing the devil's whisper in her ear.
"Haa... I can't believe that Princess Deborah is my muse."
Even though Princess Deborah was scary, every time Helen saw her, she felt like she wanted to cry because she felt insanely inspired.
...
"Princess, you are so beautiful."
"You look like a swan."
"How can you look so urban?"
Today, without exception, I proudly flipped my hair amid the servant's compliments, which came one after another like a storm.
"Of course."
"â¦"
My talent in acting audaciously was getting better day by day.
After I went down the stairs wearing one of the new dresses in which Helen poured her soul to make, I faced a neat-looking woman who was waiting for me in a straight position.
"Nice to meet you my lady. As per the order of His Excellency Duke of Seymour, I have come to assist the noble Princess starting from today."
In exchange for revealing Enrique's nanny character, Duke Seymour gave her to me.
'Finally, I have a maid too!'
...........................