Chapter 25

During the date event, Mary, who was interfering, looked every bit the part of a young lady shopping. Wearing a luxurious dress that seemed out of place in the city, her attendant, Adi, followed behind with a mountain of boxes, and to top it off, she insisted on getting all the new items. She flaunted her wealth to the fullest, and upon spotting Alicia, she sneered, "Commoners struggle just to buy a single piece of clothing."

Thinking she might have been a bit more subdued after the condemnation event, her attitude immediately reverted, which only made the player dislike her even more.

"So, you're trying to make me carry all these boxes, huh?"

"That's right. The towering stack of boxes, which is taller than I am, really adds to the image."

"Is that so...?"

Adi sighed, as if to say it was no easy task to carry them, but he still followed Mary into the next store.

During the date event, Adi, who was positioned behind Mary, was carrying an enormous amount of boxes. Of course, all of these were from Mary's shopping spree, and the height of the stack made it difficult to even walk, perfectly illustrating her capricious and wasteful nature. While Mary's actions and their outcomes were crucial to the event, Adi's role as a porter was a minor detail, merely part of the background. However, the scene effectively portrayed Mary as a typical spoiled young lady. Adi, carrying the tall stack of boxes, contrasted sharply with Mary, who carried nothing and showed no concern for others, further emphasizing her character. Moreover, by flaunting the tall stack of boxes to Alicia, a commoner, she clearly demonstrated the difference in their social status.

This is why he thought he needed to do the same and buy a lot of things, stacking up the boxes.

"That's what I thought..."

Mary muttered, taking a sip of tea, to which Adi nodded in agreement.

The setting was still the city, in a café. They were seated at a terrace table, enjoying a cup of seasonal tea recommended by the owner, but it was not a leisurely tea time; it was a serious strategy meeting. After just two hours of shopping, they had encountered a significant problem. Mary, who was so engrossed in the issue, couldn't even enjoy her tea and was holding her head in her hands. The problem was...

"I'm at a loss, there's nothing left to buy..."

For her, it was a serious issue. Meanwhile, next to Adi, who was ordering more tea, were three small boxes. These were the items they had bought in the past two hours. They were far from impressive, and even when stacked, they could be carried in one hand.

Not that Mary was frugal or lacked material desires. As a young lady of the Albert family, she had a healthy appetite for shopping and often bought a lot of things. However, her desires sometimes veered into areas that were not typical for a noble young lady... but that was not the issue at hand. As a young lady of the Albert family, she was used to having anything she wanted immediately provided for her. Her dresses and shoes were always custom-made by her personal designer. She couldn't imagine wanting the mundane clothes sold in city shops. Surrounded by top-quality items since birth, and everything she owned being custom-made, it was no wonder that even the most enthusiastic exploration of the city failed to stimulate her desire for more.

But this very privilege was the root of her current problem, and Mary sighed, feeling at a loss. Still, she glanced at the few boxes they had bought.

"But we did buy three things... maybe that's actually pretty good, isn't it?"

"Miss, your standards are getting lower. Two of the three items could have been carried in paper bags, and one of them was my purchase."

Adi said this matter-of-factly and took a sip of the newly ordered tea. He seemed to enjoy it, as he called over a passing waiter to order some tea leaves, asking for them to be packed in a box. He then told Mary, "That makes four boxes," but the tea leaves were too small to make a significant impact. The items they had bought so far were also not large enough to carry, and they still needed to flaunt their wealth more.

"But I don't really want anything... maybe a pen? I'll need a lot of ink to list all the arrogant attitudes of a certain someone."

"No, Miss, pens will just end up in a small box..."

"Adi?"

Adi, who was trying to brush it off as usual, suddenly seemed to realize something and trailed off. Mary, noticing this, leaned in to look at his face. His serious, contemplative expression was unlike his usual self.

"Adi, are you taking this seriously...?"

"Miss, it's the boxes!"

"Huh?"

Mary, who was worried about something else, was taken aback by Adi's sudden outburst. She thought he had finally realized his precarious position—though he had been in it for nearly ten years—and was concerned for himself, but it seemed that was not the case. Mary felt a slight relief and decided to deal with the matter later, focusing instead on the boxes.

"What do you mean by 'boxes'?"

"Listen, Miss, you're too focused on what's inside the boxes."

"Well, even to add some prestige, we can't just buy unnecessary things."

"That's why the shopping isn't progressing. So, I thought, if you don't know what to buy..."

Mary's encouraging gaze prompted Adi to continue with a satisfied smile...

"If you don't know what to buy, just buy the boxes!"

He puffed out his chest proudly.

A few hours later, Mary, who looked every bit the part of a wealthy young lady, was eagerly waiting for Alicia and Patrick to arrive. Behind her, Adi was carrying a stack of boxes that seemed to defy gravity. Naturally, such a sight in the city drew attention, and some people even envied the boxes Adi was carrying.

Anyone would think Mary had gone on a shopping spree. A young lady of the Albert family, accompanied by her attendant, buying up the city—how could other young women, especially those from common backgrounds, not be envious? Of course, most of the boxes were empty, but no one would know unless told.

"Adi, everything is ready. Right now, we look like a young lady who has spent a fortune and her attendant."

"Yes, but I won't forget the cold stares from the shopkeepers when I bought just the boxes anytime soon."

"It's fine. Whether it's boxes or anything else, buying them makes us good customers. Besides, boxes are never a waste, no matter how many you have."

"True, they do have uses."

"I'll give you a few to help clear the hidden mountain in your room."

"I've already cleared it! I've already cleared it!! And don't give it such a weird name!"

Adi complained, and Mary laughed mischievously, spotting a familiar figure and smiling even more.

"Alright, it's time for the report."

Adi, looking at Mary's face with a puzzled expression, then seemed to realize something and turned to look behind him.

There, standing together, were the affectionate couple, Alicia and Patrick.