Yet here I am, making clothes for Rozenne to wear.

Why doesn’t Vairen just marry Rozenne and live happily instead of doing strange things that put me in difficult situations? How did he make a dead person his crown princess?

“This ridiculous story……”

It’s so unfair.

I hope Rozenne trips while walking and tears her dress. May her shoes be completely ruined too!

And you, you Vairen, you…… don’t live like that.

Actually, I didn’t hate Vairen. While everyone I had lived with packaged me as dead and pushed me toward death, he didn’t believe in my death and was looking for me.

He was someone who remembered me. Someone who was searching for me.

Whatever his reason, that alone made my hostility fade away.

Ah, it’s so frustrating. Should I go find him and ask why he’s looking for me? What his business is. And why he’s doing such strange things. People are whispering that he’s gone mad—why did he make a dead girl his crown princess?

But a high wall of status has now formed between Vairen and me, making it impossible to approach him recklessly.

“Argggh.”

And I can’t reveal that I’m Ires either! This is driving me crazy.

While I was channeling all that anger into passion, Laurel came in from the hall.

She spoke with a startled expression.

“……You’re making the clothes quite passionately, aren’t you?”

“I’m trying to make them as beautiful as possible, beautiful.”

“It doesn’t look like beauty—it looks like you’re making battle armor…… By the way, boss.”

“What?”

Laurel looked at me and smiled brightly. She gestured toward the outside, as if telling me to come out quickly.

“A customer is here. She said she wants to consult with you in person.”

“……You should have said so earlier.”

I straightened my casual clothes and pressed down my veil firmly. I need to be careful, extra careful here. When I came out from the workshop into the bright store, as Laurel had said, a customer was waiting for me.

The back view seemed somewhat familiar. And my anxiety proved correct.

The customer turned her head toward me and smiled brightly.

“We’ve been seeing each other quite often lately, haven’t we?”

……Laurel. You didn’t tell me the customer was Rozenne.

I don’t particularly want to see Rozenne often, but for some reason, I keep running into her.

I smiled awkwardly.

“Hello, Lady Rozenne.”

“Are you busy today?”

“Not at all. I was just finishing the design for your dress and cutting the pattern. Are you curious about the preparation process?”

“No, that’s not it. I came to give you an invitation, Iris. I have no doubt about the dress. Her Majesty the Empress praised you highly, so I believe you’ll demonstrate your skills.”

Rozenne held out the invitation she was carrying.

Again, with such trust…… Hmm. I’ll try my best. But what kind of invitation is this?

What kind of rule is this?

If I run away, they chase after me, and if I try to avoid meeting, we keep running into each other. Even now, while I’m thinking about leaving this capital, I’m encountering Rozenne almost every day.

Rozenne spoke with a kind smile. Her eyes were gleaming like a snake’s.

“The invitations for the debutante ball next weekend have finally been issued. I thought it would be good if you attended as well.”

Why me? I had no intention of going to such a public place. What if someone recognizes me! But Rozenne didn’t seem to think for a moment that I would refuse.

That’s not an invitation—it’s coercion.

“Her Majesty the Empress wants to meet you personally. And she wants to introduce your dress shop at the event.”

“……A personal introduction?”

“Yes. This will be a great opportunity for you, Iris. It could be the stepping stone for your dress shop to establish itself and become famous in the capital.”

Money or life.

I might die if I’m discovered, but I could also make a lot of money.

I gulped hard. How much I had struggled all this time. Remember when you had to buy one loaf of bread and split it over two days because you had no money.

Being driven out with nothing wasn’t easy. I had saved some money while preparing to leave, but d*mn it.

When Ires Liberk died, my bank account was frozen too.

All the money I had carefully saved was attributed to the Liberk ducal family. After using the jewels and cash I had on hand to find a house and a small workshop, there was nothing left to eat. Those bitter days flashed before my eyes.

Well, if I’ve died once, would I die another time?

I can’t starve again.

I smiled brightly at Rozenne and said.

“Thank you for providing such a wonderful opportunity, Lady Rozenne! I will continue to serve you to the best of my ability!”

Right now, I could even be your footmat, Rozenne.

“I like this about you, Iris. I look forward to working with you in the future. Perhaps we might have many, many things we can do together. Well then, see you that day.”

Rozenne smiled brightly and left the dress shop.

Laurel approached from behind me.

“Phew.”

“……What are you planning to do?”

“I don’t know. It’ll work out somehow, right? After all, the Empress is personally introducing me. How could I pass up such an opportunity, Laurel?”

“Well, that’s true, but……”

“This world runs on capitalism. Nothing works without money. I’ll just become a rich pig.”

“What are you talking about……”

Laurel’s sigh lingered in my ears.

“Still, be careful, extra careful. It seems like unimaginable things keep happening in this world.”

“……I think so too.”

Ever since returning to the capital, unexpected things kept happening. As if they had been waiting for me.

“……Should I dye my skin too?”

“It’s already too late for that.”

“You think so?”

Laurel nodded.

My sigh deepened involuntarily. I hope I won’t get my throat slit while trying to become a well-fed pig.

“……Let’s think about the dress I’ll wear too. I can’t wear just anything. It needs to be a dress that doesn’t stand out among people but still catches the eye.”

“Do you realize what you’re saying……”

“……Yes.”

I nodded listlessly. I could hear Laurel clicking her tongue softly.

I might die of a heart attack if I stay in the capital too long.

※※※

It had been a while since I’d been to a banquet hall.

This was a social gathering I had attended countless times when I lived as Ires.

Duke Liberk had ‘pretended to love’ me, and I was dragged to every event as the duke’s precious daughter.

And I acted.

‘I’m truly happy.’

‘I love my family so much.’

Now it’s just a distant memory.

The magnificent chandeliers, the excited voices of young girls making their first appearance in society, and a large crowd gathered inside the social hall to see the event prepared jointly by the Empress and Lady Rozenne.

My heart swelled with pride seeing the young ladies wearing the dresses I had made. These were dresses I had created while risking my life to stay in the capital.

Yes, it would have been too wasteful to give up such an opportunity.

“Are you Madame Iris from Iris Dress Shop?”

A maid who recognized me approached with hurried steps and bowed her head.

“That’s right.”

“Lady Rozenne is waiting for you. I’ll guide you.”

I passed by those excited about the banquet and headed toward the private room arranged in the innermost part.

Rozenne, who was adjusting her dress in the private room, greeted me.

“Madame Iris. You came.”

“How could I refuse your invitation, my lady? The dress suits you very well.”

“Thank you, Iris. I think it’s quite nice too. Your skills are good. But I think the hem of the skirt needs a little adjustment. Here.”

At Rozenne’s words, I obediently bent down to check the hem of the skirt.

“I accidentally stepped on it.”

Some threads had come loose. This kind of repair wouldn’t take long.

I had a maid bring sewing supplies. Using the needle and thread already prepared in the room, I quickly finished the repair while Rozenne’s voice fell upon my head.

“I’d like it if you’d continue to come running whenever I call and do whatever I ask of you.”

So the conclusion is that she called me here to give me a warning, using a dress repair that anyone could do?

She seemed a bit pitiful when she was being mistreated by Vairen. But now I just want to slap her.

I have two hands, so why am I just sewing dresses? I should be sewing that mouth shut.

“……Yes.”

I answered somewhat submissively, thinking there wasn’t much I could do about it.

“I hate people who don’t know their place and try to climb up. There was once a woman who was in a position that didn’t match her status and was driven out penniless. I don’t know what she’s doing now.”

The blood in my body turned ice cold. She’s talking about me, isn’t she? My fingertips trembled slightly.