I stepped into the clothing shop with Anne.
The shopkeeper, who’d been greeting customers cheerfully, froze and blinked when he saw me.

“W-welcome…?”

Being so close to the capital, plenty of outsiders must come through here. He looked surprised because I wasn’t the sort of customer he usually saw, someone with an uncommon appearance. It’s awkward for me to say, but right now I looked like a walking doll.

‘Honestly, I was a doll.’

Besides, I wasn’t alone; I’d come with Anne, a maid from the lord’s household. That probably made him even more curious.

“Anne, long time no see.”

“Hello.”

“Who on earth is that woman? Since you brought her, she must be connected to the lord.”

Anne looked like she didn’t know how to answer, then replied awkwardly.

“I don’t know the details, but she’s an acquaintance of the lord.”

“An acquaintance? Then she must be the owner of the clothes His Lordship just bought…”

They glanced at me as they spoke. Receiving both their stares, I forced an awkward smile.

“By the way, she’s really pretty… Could she be—y’know—more than an acquaintance?”

“I don’t know that far. The lord only said ‘an acquaintance’ and told us not to pry.”

“Still, it’s clear they’re special.”

They continued whispering to each other, and when their eyes met mine they broke away, suddenly awkward. Only then did the shopkeeper address me.

“Are you here for a fitting?”

“Yes. I need comfortable indoor clothes and something to wear outside. One set isn’t enough—if possible, please get as many as you can.”

Keris had told me to buy as many clothes as possible.

“And what price range would you prefer?” 

I hesitated. Keris had said not to worry about cost and to choose the most expensive items, but it felt odd spending someone else’s money. Before I could answer, Anne replied for me.

“Please match the quality and price to what His Lordship wears. The house steward will pay—just hand him this note. Also, please send one set now and deliver the rest to the lord’s house when they’re ready.”

Anne spoke like she’d done this many times. The shopkeeper nodded and, pulling out his measuring tape, began taking measurements. Then he fetched several garments.

“These are sizes that should fit. I’ll have the rest made and send them to the estate when they’re finished. For now, choose one to wear.”

I picked the dress that suited my appearance best from the shopkeeper’s selection and was led to the back room to change. When I came out, the air felt suddenly awkward, different from before.

‘Did I do something wrong? Why is it so tense?’

It didn’t take long to figure it out. Between the shopkeeper and Anne stood a tall, familiar man. Keris was there. I must have missed when he arrived. Happy to see him, I moved forward to speak.

“Keris, didn’t you say you were going to the palace? You didn’t go?”

The shopkeeper gaped at me in shock when he saw Keris there. Was it really that surprising? Keris ignored the man and answered my question.

“I went. I finished something a bit earlier than expected and came back sooner.”

“Anyway, it’s nice to see your face again.”

I smiled as I said it. Keris looked at me with a strange expression. When I stared back, he turned his head aside, then asked, 

“Is that a new dress?”

“Huh? Yes. They said they’ll send the rest to the estate, this is just the one I’m wearing for now.”

“It suits you.”

It was short, but coming from someone who rarely showed feeling, it felt unexpectedly warm. Embarrassed, I looked away, and noticed the shopkeeper scowling at Keris with obvious hostility. He clearly didn’t like the idea of Keris being in his shop. The contempt was so blatant even an outsider could sense how the townspeople regarded Keris. Yet Keris seemed unconcerned; he only told me to return to the estate.

Could he really be oblivious to such open scorn? I suspected not, this was probably the look he’d grown used to. I felt sorry for him. On the walk back to the estate, the cold glances only intensified; people who recognized Keris murmured and gave him unfriendly looks.

‘Has Keris always had to live under stares like these?’

I’d guessed tension existed, but not to this degree. Maybe his eagerness to be at the palace wasn’t just devotion to work, perhaps he wanted to escape the domain.

Walking beside him made those looks feel heavier. When we arrived, the steward who took Keris’s coat eyed me oddly. A stranger, what was she? Keris ordered the steward.

“Prepare a room suitable for her to stay in.”

The steward blinked at the command and asked, “Very well. How long should I prepare the room for?”

I tensed with him, worried—Keris had told me to stay before, but what if he only meant temporarily and would soon toss me out? Keris answered without hesitation.

“Prepare a room she can stay in permanently.”

The steward looked taken aback. 

“Permanently…?”

“Yes. Take your time and prepare it properly.”

The steward glanced at Anne, who met his eyes and shrugged as if to say she didn’t know the details either. 

‘How many more awkward moments will this be?’ 

Still, the steward ordered the maids to ready a room, and they set about the task efficiently.

Keris excused himself to change. I sat awkwardly on the sofa watching the maids bustle. One of them tripped while carrying what looked like bedding; the items tumbled out in a heap. Reflexively, I moved to help pick them up and pull her to her feet, but as soon as I reached out, the maid slapped my hand away.

“……”

She recoiled and looked at me with the same disdain one might show a filthy insect. Silence fell. Embarrassed, I withdrew my hand. The maid hurried off to gather the scattered things, then slipped away as if to avoid me. Left alone, I clasped my hands and stared blankly. The other maids, who had seen everything, continued working as if nothing had happened.