Chapter 24. New Shoes

What kind of woman is this?

Enoch watched Ellenore as if she were something strange. He felt utterly baffled.

When a man brings a woman to a place like this, it’s usually the man who spends the money. Especially if they’re in the prime of their lives, looking for a marriage partner. But this woman didn’t seem to consider that possibility at all.

She had no expectation of receiving a gift. Her face, her wide-open blue eyes, her indifferent attitude—everything about her was oddly irritating. This noble lady’s condition was likely the fault of that damned stepmother and Baron Lopez.

Wouldn’t it be better for her to just become my mistress?

Swallowing the words that rose to his throat, he sighed deeply. He felt he was paying too much attention to this woman. It was just a passing interest…

“Your Highness… I thought you had mysophobia…”

Even considering his mysophobia, it was unusual. Normally, just touching someone, whether they were a woman or a man, would make him feel dirty.

But touching this woman didn’t feel bad. In fact, he might have even enjoyed it.

Enjoyed it.

He couldn’t believe his own thoughts and let out a hollow laugh. What was this woman? Could she be using magic?

If an unregistered mage from the ‘Magic Tower’ were roaming the capital, it would be a significant problem.

Well, Ellenore Lopez couldn’t possibly be a mage. If she knew how to use magic, she wouldn’t be living like this.

However, the fact that her biological mother was from Katar kept nagging at him. That country had close ties to magic, though not as much as Atreos.

“Hmm… I’ll take these.”

“Understood, miss.”

While he was lost in thought, Ellenore seemed to have chosen her shoes. She picked a pair of plain, dark brown shoes that would be suitable for any occasion. The simple, unadorned design made him chuckle.

A noble lady choosing shoes that a governess or maid might wear.

He wondered if her taste was inherently poor or if her financial situation forced her to make such choices.

Enoch snatched the shoes from the shoemaker’s hands and tossed them aside. The startled shoemaker shrank back like prey before a predator. Enoch felt Ellenore’s horrified gaze on him.

“What are you doing…?”

“Bring other designs.”

Ignoring Ellenore’s protest, Enoch ordered the shoemaker. The shoemaker, sweating profusely, nervously fetched several pairs of shoes.

Enoch picked the most suitable pair and knelt before Ellenore. Grabbing her bandaged foot, she jumped like she was having a fit.

“Wait a moment!”

“Stay still.”

Holding her ankle firmly, he carefully put the shoe on her small foot. The shoe fit perfectly. More importantly, it suited her well. Far better than those plain, dark brown shoes.

“You look better in this blue color.”

“……”

The pearl decoration on the shoes glimmered softly in the indoor lighting. Enoch finished putting the other shoe on Ellenore’s foot. He was extremely satisfied with how they looked.

“Bring more.”

“Y-yes!”

In that manner, Enoch ended up giving her over ten pairs of shoes.

As they left the workshop and headed toward the Lopez estate, he ignored all the questioning and dissatisfied glances she sent his way.

His nature was to act as he pleased, and any protests from her would be futile.

What Enoch overlooked was that Ellenore Lopez had quite a temper herself.

“I’ll definitely repay you for the shoes later. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

As she stepped out of the carriage and offered those words with what seemed like mustered courage, Enoch was so taken aback that he couldn’t even laugh.

It was clear that dear Miss Lopez had completely forgotten the mindset befitting a noble lady.

“Are you joking, Miss Lopez?”

“Pardon…?”

“They’re gifts. Just accept them.”

“Gifts…?”

Behind Ellenore, who looked like she couldn’t believe it, a servant of the Lopez family was carrying twelve gift boxes. Suddenly, Enoch’s gaze caught a red-haired woman who quickly hid behind a curtain upon meeting his eyes. That woman was probably Helene Lopez, the eldest daughter of the second wife.

Without further hesitation, Enoch got off the carriage. He then wrapped his arm around Ellenore’s waist, deliberately making sure the woman behind the curtain could see.

Despite Ellen’s startled attempts to push him away like a frightened rabbit, Enoch slowly lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

“If your stepsisters covet my gifts…”

“……”

“Tell them I’ll personally cut off their ankles.”

Seeing the goosebumps rise on Ellen’s pale neck, Enoch chuckled softly. To be scared by such a trivial threat.

He let her go after feeling a slight regret. Ellen quickly stepped away from him as if to escape.

Watching her wary reaction, Enoch smirked. Didn’t she realize that her guarded response only made things more intriguing?

“Though it was unexpected, thank you for the gifts.”

Her words of gratitude, spoken with a face that seemed determined not to owe anyone anything, were amusing.

Enoch shook his head with a small laugh and turned around leisurely. Until the Bayern family’s carriage left the street, Ellenore stood there, watching, seemingly to see him off.

It was a serene night with a half-moon rising in the dark blue sky.

* * *

“That Lady Ellenore, she really has some skills.”

I stopped in my tracks at the whispering of a maid. I was on my way to the kitchen to get some food, as usual.

“How did she manage to charm the great Grand Duke of Bayern? She’s not even as pretty as Miss Helene.”

“Philip says she has a charm that only men understand. Something subtly captivating…”

“Which makes her even more annoying, doesn’t it? Honestly, until recently, she was in the same situation as us. Always covered in soot from cleaning the fireplace, wearing old, worn-out clothes…”

“But she’s still a noble lady. She was born with that status.”

“What’s so great about that status? Anyway, I don’t like her. At least Miss Helene is pretty even to other women.”

“Don’t be too harsh. She won’t be able to marry the Grand Duke anyway. She’ll probably end up in a suitable marriage, given this family’s circumstances. In that sense, we’re better off since we can choose our husbands…”

“Honestly, I want to marry a noble. Like in romance novels.”

“Wake up. You’re not as pretty as the madam.”

Their laughter continued. I sighed quietly, standing by the door.

The employees of this estate were few in number, so they were close-knit, often gossiping and speaking ill of others.

It seemed to be a kind of hobby for them, but it was something I couldn’t understand. The problem was that I was often the target of their gossip.

Since I never got angry no matter what they said about me, I had become an easy target, frequently the subject of their backbiting.

“Did you see the shoes the Grand Duke of Bayern gave to Ellenore? They’re all too good for her…”

Unable to stand it any longer, I threw the door open, cutting their conversation short. The maids, seeing me, widened their eyes and scrambled to stand up.

Their heads drooped as they peeked at me, indicating they still had some conscience.

I glared at each of them before gathering food onto a wooden tray. The maids exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.

‘Did she hear us?’

‘She must have.’

‘What do we do?’

‘Just act like nothing happened.’

Their silent conversation was obvious.

Ignoring them, I picked up the tray and headed for the door. They seemed visibly relieved, thinking I would leave without saying anything.

Just before stepping out, I turned to them and spoke with a sharp edge in my voice.

“If this kitchen isn’t a filthy pigsty and you aren’t pigs,”

“……!”

“then stop oinking loudly when you should be working.”

Their eyes widened, and their mouths dropped open in shock. Satisfied, I gave them a scornful look and left the kitchen, making sure they heard my derisive laugh.

Ah, I should have done this sooner.

It was surprisingly satisfying.

* * *

After returning to my room and finishing my meal, I checked the date on the calendar on the wall.

Today was April 28th.

The deadline I had agreed upon with Father was April 30th.

‘Not much time left now.’

I needed to make a decision.

I recalled the gentlemen I had noted while attending social events. About five of them had shown interest in me, sending flowers and letters, which was a decent outcome.

However, none of them were as wealthy as Anderson, which meant Father would likely disapprove.

‘If I need someone wealthier than Anderson…’

Enoch Bayern.

There is no one else but him.

…But would I be crazy to marry that man?

In the first place, that man wouldn’t even think of marrying me. If I were to confide my situation and ask for help, he would probably ask me to become his mistress.

Despite making such demands, it didn’t seem like he harbored any sweet kind of affection for me. In his eyes, I was still just a toy.

I knew that giving me shoes as a gift was because of his whimsical nature. Falling into that man’s hands and becoming a broken toy was never a good choice… No matter how much I wanted to avoid the worst-case scenario with Anderson…

‘So… I have no choice but to use this.’

My magic.

It returned to me the moment I opened the jewelry box, but I had never properly used it until now.

…Upon investigation, it turns out that all mages must register their identity at the ‘Mage’s Tower’ on Roslecia Island and undergo training there for two years.

Running away to the Mage’s Tower to avoid marriage wouldn’t be a bad choice. If only my magic were something trivial and simple…

‘But this… is such a tricky and dangerous thing. Of all things…’

As I focused my mind and gathered strength in my fingertips, a mass of colorful light floated above my palm.

It soon spread out wide and thin, forming a mirror-like shape.

However, what was reflected in it was not my current self, but a distant landscape somewhere.

Last night, when I briefly glimpsed this magic, I realized. This power is foresight.

Through this colorful mirror, I can see the future.

…It was truly a power ripe for political exploitation.

‘Therefore, escaping to the Mage Tower is also out of the question.’

I now understand all too well why my mother sealed this magic and intended to give it to me once I became an adult.

If it had been discovered that I had this ability as a child, I would have become a puppet for those in power…

I honestly don’t know which life would have been more unfortunate—one that didn’t come to fruition or my current life…

‘What’s certain is that I can peek into my future with this magic, and if possible, change it.’

So I decided. To use this ability for myself.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. After calming my mind, I opened my eyes again. Then, I gazed deeply into the shimmering, resplendent mirror before me, as if to immerse myself in it.

Suddenly, my vision flipped—no, it spun wildly as if being sucked into the eye of a storm, and my consciousness fell into the mirror.

I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a silent scream.

Then, when the spinning abruptly stopped, I slowly opened my eyes…

I was no longer in my shabby attic, but in a completely different place.

The floor was covered with a luxurious carpet, the walls adorned with splendid tapestries, and a bed with a velvet canopy dominated the center of the spacious room.

‘This is…’

Someone turned me around as I stood there in a daze. Startled, I looked up at the person.

It was Marquis Anderson.