Chapter 93

It had been a long time since they had gone shopping together, and Olivia's excitement was at its peak. When they arrived at a clothing store where one of the top designers in the capital worked, Olivia enthusiastically began selecting new clothes for Leoard.

"This one is nice too. And this one? But I can't bear to leave this one behind either~"

Even though it wasn't her own shopping, Olivia was hesitating over her choices. It was understandable. Leoard usually stayed in Zeath, so they rarely got the chance to go shopping together. Therefore, Olivia was determined to enjoy this moment to the fullest. She wanted to spend as much time with Leoard as possible before they eventually parted ways.

"Hey, Leoard, how about this outfit?"

"I prefer something a bit more subdued."

"Really? But I think it suits you."

"In that case—"

Leoard picked up a different outfit in the same color as the one his mother was holding.

"This one is more to my liking."

"That's nice too! Then, why don't we buy both this one and that one?"

"Wh-What? Wouldn't one be enough?"

"No way, Leoard! You're a young man, so you need to dress up more! Otherwise, you won't keep up with the latest trends!"

Nobles often like to stand out, so they always stay at the forefront of fashion. When a well-known noble makes a statement, similar designs tend to pop up everywhere. As a result, fashion-averse men are often left scrambling.

"You shouldn't buy the same designs just because you find them troublesome, like your father does!"

"Ah, yes..."

It seemed that he had inherited a lot from his father. If Olivia hadn't pointed it out, he would have ended up buying similar designs like Beluga.

After a while, while enjoying shopping with his mother, they unexpectedly ran into someone.

"Sheria...?"

To their surprise, it was Sheria, Leoard's former servant, whom he had sent to Sieg. Sheria noticed Leoard when he called her name.

"Master Leoard?"

Since it had been a while since they last met, Leoard decided to at least greet her and approached Sheria.

"It's been a while. How's life here?"

"Wh-What, really, Master Leoard?"

"Hmm? Don't say such sad things. Have you forgotten your former master's face in just a few months?"

"No, but... you look so different from before..."

Sheria was genuinely surprised. It had only been about two months since they parted ways, so she didn't expect such a significant change. However, Leoard had lost a lot of weight and had transformed into the handsome man she had always imagined him to be.

"Ah, I've been busy since you left. It seems that's why I've lost a lot of weight."

As Leoard laughed, Sheria was captivated by his appearance. Indeed, Leoard looked much more appealing to her now that he had slimmed down. Despite knowing it wasn't right, Sheria couldn't help but think that she could have stayed with Leoard. But that was impossible. She was now serving Sieg, who had a history with Leoard. It wasn't her choice, but Leoard had been thoughtful enough to send her there. She couldn't betray his kindness now. No, she shouldn't.

"I'm relieved to see you doing well. Siegfried is a good man. He treats everyone equally and always helps those in need. I'm sure you can serve him with peace of mind."

"Yes, that's true..."

If she said so, the current Leoard wasn't much different from Sieg. However, Leoard lacked self-awareness. Sheria couldn't help but wonder why such kind and considerate people often had low self-esteem or lacked self-awareness.

"Oops, I've talked for too long. I'm sorry for keeping you. Well, see you."

"Yes..."

She wanted to talk more, but she had come to shop as well. She had to prioritize her own shopping, so she let Leoard go without further delay. However, since Leoard was still in the same store, they might run into each other again.

Leoard returned to his mother, who was engrossed in selecting clothes, and smiled. He was truly grateful to have her as his mother.

On the other hand, Sheria was currently serving Sieg and his friends, Elina, Claris, Colette, and Sonia Potref, who had recently joined the harem. Sonia had an adorable appearance that belied her being a classmate. Coincidentally, all six of them were in the same store. It seemed the women had come to buy new clothes to impress Sieg.

Fate can be cruel at times. Leoard continued shopping amidst the people he didn't want to meet. It was uncertain how things would turn out.

Only the gods knew the outcome. Leoard was being toyed with by a mischievous fate.