Chapter 22

The day after the bizarre and incomprehensible incident, the revelation that Lord Weatherwood was actually the "Relic of Dian Ket" caused me considerable confusion.

'If only it had been a real egg.'

Of all things, it had to be the Weatherwood that the Head Gardener cherished so much... no, the egg... no, the magical artifact that turned out to be a relic of Dian Ket.

'Now, it would be much harder to steal or borrow it secretly, wouldn't it?'

According to the magical interpretation that Rua performed, the "Eye of Dian Ket," one of the relics of Dian Ket, had a clear purpose: to protect the Weatherwood family.

To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what kind of protection this is. It allowed assassins to enter freely, so what exactly is it protecting?

Still, there was one definite advantage.

'The fact that the relic exists. Just knowing that is a significant gain for me.'

Hmm. But do I really need to gather five of these to have any hope of healing my shattered soul?

'That's... too complicated.'

The Eye of Dian Ket, for instance, is said to be imbued with various area-of-effect spells. How can such an object heal someone who is dying? It's not like it kills them and then brings them back to life, right?

'Genius mages are generally crazy. Dian Ket was a demigod, so there must be some profound meaning behind it.'

At least two relics need to be gathered. Only then can we speculate on how the relics of Dian Ket work and how they can be used.

"Ha."

I straightened my legs and moved to the side. As I watered the rows of flowers, a sense of peace washed over me.

When I saw the small leaves moistened by the water, the desires of the world faded, and my body and mind felt lighter.

'Well, I might not be able to gather all the relics of Dian Ket, anyway.'

If I can't, I'll just die.

What's the point of living a long life?

But if I die, what about the potted Rua and the flower bed Rua...?

"Do you plan to drown the seedling in water?"

A long shadow covered the seedling and me.

When I lifted my head at the tap on my forehead, I saw Rua, who had taken off his apron and was wearing a brown fedora deeply.

He was dressed in a dark jacket over his vest, ready to go out.

"Excess water can rot the leaves. If you understand, get up, change your clothes, and come out."

"Why?"

"There's a place we need to visit. I've already told the Head Gardener, so hurry."

The Head Gardener allowed me to slack off?

That woman wouldn't do that. She must be sending me on a more troublesome errand than usual.

'If that's the case, I should pretend to slack off even more.'

I changed into my only precious outfit and came out. Rua handed me a long-brimmed women's hat he had tucked under his arm.

What is this? Is it really an outing, not an errand?

"Is this the Head Gardener's?"

"No. It's the only women's hat in this mansion."

It must have belonged to the late Lady Weatherwood.

Despite its age, it was well-maintained, with no fading and was quite useful.

I awkwardly put on the hat. The only hats I had worn before were military caps, uniform caps, and straw hats.

'The hole is so small, but my head fits in.'

Women generally have smaller heads! It was a surprising discovery I made a month and a half after waking up.

I followed Rua, keeping a step behind him.

He headed to a square on the opposite side of the market, a bustling but slightly quieter and more upscale area.

During the nearly 10-minute walk, Rua didn't turn his head to check if I was following or speak to me. His natural demeanor made me feel no awkwardness at all.

'Does he usually walk like this?'

His habit of walking straight ahead without wavering, his leisurely pace, and his ease in not initiating conversation to lighten the mood.

The way someone walks reveals a lot about them.

Rua was more accustomed to being followed than leading.

'He's definitely of high status, but not a noble. A powerful mage with connections to Dian Ket...'

Who could it be?

'Royal mage?'

Hmm. That's quite plausible.

Royal mages receive knighthood, but knights are not nobles.

However, high-ranking royal mages are accompanied by attendants and secretaries, and they can accumulate wealth comparable to nobles by accepting requests from all sides.

'At least a department head. Given his skills, he could be a minister...'

Ah.

I touched my forehead, which had bumped into his back, and looked up.

But Rua was so tall that I couldn't see anything. Fortunately, he stepped aside, allowing me to see our destination.

We were in front of a tailor's shop that sold women's clothing.

"Why are we here?"

"We need to have clothes made. The Weatherwood family doesn't have proper attire for the Viscount and Viscountess. They sold all their fine clothes and jewels to help refugees."

"...Ah, the Noble Assembly."

Of course, the head of a prestigious family and his wife can't wander around in simple clothes.

Moreover, according to the Head Gardener, this Noble Assembly is being held alongside an upper-class gathering.

They will enjoy a luxurious trip on a giant airship with wealthy commoners. The nobles will undoubtedly dress more extravagantly than ever.

"But the Weatherwoods are poor."

They even sold their estate. Buying a few outfits might cut into our wages.

Rua pushed open the door of the tailor's shop with a look that suggested he was worried about everything.

"But I am wealthy. Let's go in."

Indeed, Rua. A man with nothing but his face and money. Practically the strongest in the world.

As we stepped into the elegantly decorated interior, a neatly dressed young woman greeted us.

The employee's friendly smile turned slightly indifferent when she saw my rough attire, but it froze when she noticed Rua's sharp jawline and perfect nose.

"Welcome, customers."

But I didn't care about her reaction, so I boldly made my request.

"Order."

But what should I order?

I took a step back, and Rua, as if waiting, spoke up.

"We need to have clothes made. A ball gown, a dinner dress, two everyday outfits, a spring coat, two to three sets of hats and gloves, two nightgowns, and four sets of socks and underwear. Oh, and a tea party outfit."

I looked at Rua in confusion.

Is it really necessary to have so many outfits made for just one attendance at the Noble Assembly?

'Is this the basic standard for noblewomen?'

Or is it some secret desire of his...?

The employee, who had been recording the order in a notebook, smiled very politely, unlike before.

"Wedding trousseau, I see. Are you getting married? It's the first time I've seen a husband and wife come to have their clothes made together."

Mistaking Rua for my husband. Ugh. The thought made me feel sick.

Regardless, Rua stuck to his business.

"Please have them ready within two weeks."

"Two weeks? I'm sorry, but that's impossible. We need at least two to three months."

Rua looked down at the employee with a gaze that said, "If you can't do this, why do you even have a tailor's shop? You're incompetent. Close it down."

The employee, who had been secretly eyeing Rua's body, changed her stance, fidgeting.

"However, there is a tailor's shop run by a cousin of the owner nearby. If we split the work, we can complete it in a month and a half..."

"I'm not sure if Lady Weatherwood can wait that long."

'...Is it okay to say that?'

The employee, who had stiffened, asked with wide eyes.

"Lady Weatherwood... of the Weatherwood family?"

"There's no other Weatherwood family. Lady Weatherwood's destination is the capital, Lagal. If the schedule is impossible, we'll go to another tailor."

"Please wait a moment."

The employee hurriedly turned and disappeared into the back of the shop.

She soon returned with a middle-aged woman with heavy makeup, who seemed to be the owner of the shop.

The owner, speechless at Rua's beauty, finally managed to speak.

"We will have them ready within two weeks. Please leave it to us."

Rua shrugged.

"If it's possible, then let's do it."

The owner's face lit up with obvious joy and excitement.

Lord Weatherwood has been a mysterious figure for a long time.

If the existence of the Lady, who was thought to be uncertain, is confirmed, and the Lady's outfits for her trip to the capital are made by this tailor, it could be a new turning point for the tailor.

"Then I'll start taking measurements. Lady Weatherwood...?"

"Lady Weatherwood is busy. However, her measurements are identical to my companion from head to toe, and their skin color is similar. She has left a message for the clothes to be made based on my companion."

Who decided that?

"Understood. This way, miss."

But a poor maid has no right to refuse.

If Rua pays with money, I'll have to pay with my body. I obediently followed the owner.