‘How do you receive so much love?’

Her surroundings were always lively. Especially when Reibella became an adult. When Reibella was in the banquet hall, laughter bloomed and happiness overflowed.

Even now, it wasn’t different from then.

Surely they must be meeting for the first time. Yet she showed familiarity to Reibella and poured out her affection freely.

‘What makes you so special?’

What was so different that you could gain others’ favor so easily without any effort?

‘I have to work hard to earn it.’

For Erina, people’s favor was something that could only be gained through effort and more effort. In her previous life, she couldn’t do that and died lonely.

But for Reibella, gaining people’s favor and showing great courage as if risking her life seemed easy and simple.

She envied that so much, and also……”

“……Your Highness?”

Erina turned her head at the voice calling her. Her close friend Dona Jacqueline was looking at her with familiar eyes.

“What are you looking at?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“I see.”

Dona, gentle as she was, nodded understandingly without saying much. Then she gave a worried look.

“Are you feeling alright? Your complexion seems pale.”

“Yes. I’m fine. Maybe it’s because I suddenly saw the sun.”

“Then come over here quickly. The tea is refreshing.”

“Okay.”

As Erina moved toward Dona’s gesture, she hesitated. Dona turned and swiftly drew the curtains, and the magic curtains instantly absorbed all external noise.

The interior became quiet in an instant.

At the same time, Erina’s heart settled peacefully. 

 * * *

 Before officially starting work as a maid, the reward vacation given by the Head Maid continued. But while vacation sounded nice, she painfully realized that true vacation was impossible as long as she lived in the palace.

“Reibella, how do I do this?”

“Should I do it like this?”

“Thank you! But you know……”

Perhaps word had spread about her helping the new maid, as more and more people began asking Reibella for help. The main reason was her accessibility and apparent free time, as she stayed in the Princess’s Palace during her vacation with nowhere else to go.

As a result, she only rested for three days, and had to help the maids throughout that period.

‘If it’s going to be like this, wouldn’t it be better to just work?’

Thinking it would be better to just work, on the fourth day of vacation, Reibella got up early, dressed in her uniform, and left her quarters.

But what greeted her was news of the princess’s absence.

“Um, Her Highness went to the Sun Palace yesterday. She said she wanted to see His Majesty the Emperor.”

Daisy Nevins, one of the princess’s personal maids, told Reibella about the princess going to the Emperor, though she seemed awkward upon seeing her.

So Reibella decided to continue her vacation. Meeting the Emperor made her uncomfortable.

‘Should I go back.’

Though the time spent preparing was regrettable, it seemed better than wandering around aimlessly.

So she was about to return when—

“Excuse me.”

Someone tapped Reibella’s shoulder. When she turned around, there stood a maid with a somewhat sophisticated appearance.

‘Ah, the princess’s wardrobe attendant.’

She was one of the maids in charge of the princess’s wardrobe. Her name was Sia Terrant.

“If you’re free, could you help me?”

“What is it?”

“Her Highness needs to choose an outfit for receiving foreign envoys soon, but since she’ll be back late today……”

In short, she needed a child to act as a stand-in to fit the clothes the princess would wear. Reibella nodded readily.

“I’ll help if it’s something I can do.”

“Thank you, shall we go then?”

“Yes!”

Reibella followed behind as she rushed ahead, wondering what the hurry was. 

 * * *

 The destination was the princess’s wardrobe room. There was a small room attached to one side of the large wardrobe, which appeared to be Sia Terrant’s private workshop.

The first thing visible upon entering the room was the drawings messily placed on the desk.

‘They’re dress drawings.’

The clothes in the drawings looked vibrant and cute just by looking at them, exactly like custom clothes for the princess. They were sophisticated and pretty.

“Wow, there are so many drawings. Did you draw these yourself?”

When Reibella asked, Sia answered while bringing armfuls of clothes.

“Yes. I drew them while thinking of Her Highness.”

“I see. They’re really pretty. More than the clothes in the market.”

“R-really?”

“Yes!”

Actually, though she didn’t know much about clothes, even Reibella thought they were exceptionally pretty. They seemed capable of catching children’s attention at a glance if made and sold as is.

‘Ah, so this is that person.’

Now that she thought about it, she had been mentioned in the original work. There was one maid who was passionate about fashion, skilled with her hands, and had outstanding sense.

A being who devoted her talent solely to the protagonist.

‘They say all of the princess’s clothes will come from her hands 10 years later.’

She remembered that she only made clothes for the protagonist. Something about only the princess inspiring her.

Knowing her identity made the clothes look different.

‘It’s a waste of talent to make clothes only for the princess.’

With such skill, she could make a name for herself beyond being in charge of the princess’s wardrobe.

If she opened a dress shop, she could surely lead the Empire’s fashion.

“Have you thought about opening a dress shop?”

“I don’t have the money or talent for that. Um, could you come over here?”

She answered dismissively. When Reibella stood in front of the large mirror, she put a blonde wig on her.

“Looking at it like this gives a different feeling. Blonde suits you well too.”

“Does it?”

Her reflection in the mirror looked somewhat unfamiliar. As Reibella blinked and stared blankly at her own appearance, Sia laughed.

“But pink hair suits you better. It makes you look more lively and lovable.”

“……Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I’m just stating the obvious. Now, if we hold this dress up……”

True to someone immersed in clothes, her professional approach showed in how she examined the clothes in detail and matched accessories. Thanks to that, there was quite a lot to learn just from standing and watching.

“I think you have overflowing talent.”

“D-do you think so?”

“Of course. You’ve been in charge of Her Highness’s wardrobe until now, right? Wherever she goes, everyone praises Her Highness’s fashion sense. It’s not just my opinion.”

“That’s because Her Highness wears my clothes properly. Because Her Highness shines in them.”

“While it’s true that Her Highness shines, it’s also true that Maid Terrant’s ability is outstanding. Without a doubt.”

When Reibella said this with a bright smile, Sia smiled wryly.

“Praising me like that won’t get you anything.”

“I didn’t say it expecting anything. Have you been interested in clothes since you were young?”

“Yes, I have. That’s why I got scolded a lot when I was young.”

“Since the Terrant family is a Count’s house, I can see why.”

“Right. I was scolded a lot, being told nobles should wear fine clothes, not mend them.”

“That must have been hard.”

“That’s why I’m really happy now. Just having Her Highness wear the clothes I make makes me happy.”

It made sense to be proud, having achieved something everyone had opposed. And it was understandable to be devoted to the princess who had given her such a sense of liberation.

“Was there a reason you came to like clothes?”

“Just because. I was always interested in what kind of dresses people wore, what they wore normally.”

“Did you first make clothes for Her Highness?”

“No. My sister. I have a younger sister.”

Sia continued with a bright smile.

“The first clothes I made were for my younger sister. You can’t imagine how happy I was when I first saw someone wearing clothes I made.”

Her eyes deepened as if reminiscing about her childhood. Then she murmured wistfully.

“Yes, that’s how it was then. I wanted to see many people wearing my clothes.”

“That will happen!”

In 10 years, after the princess’s debutante, everyone would become curious about the identity of her wardrobe attendant. It still felt regrettable that in the original work, she remained satisfied with just making clothes for the princess. Wishing she would dream bigger, Reibella murmured a few more words.

“Many people really will wear the clothes you make.”