The first boutique I thought of was the place Deborah had introduced to me before.

It was her regular boutique and the shop where I had ordered a dress for Duke Celsior’s party.

There was nothing wrong with cousins going to the same boutique, but there was a problem.

“I’m sorry, Miss. We operate as a small membership system for marquis families and above.”

The boutique owner came out and bowed politely while apologizing.

Last time, they had only accepted me once as a favor to Deborah.

This was a top-class boutique where I could never become a regular customer.

‘Of course, if I used the Duke of Diart’s name, I might be able to squeeze in somehow……’

But it would be impossible to collect gossip smoothly in a place I forced my way into.

Usually, you overhear such information by becoming close with boutique staff or the owner.

In the end, I gave up on Deborah’s boutique and decided to tour based on a list of capital boutiques.

To find a place that suited me.

Of course, I wasn’t alone.

“Bondservant, are you ready?”

When I asked solemnly, Carl raised one eyebrow and asked back.

“Ready for what?”

“Ready to shop non-stop for several hours.”

I brought Carl along as escort knight, pack carrier, and dress-choosing assistant.

The first place we headed to was a medium-sized boutique in the capital.

I deliberately started from the middle rather than going to big places from the beginning.

Originally, it’s more fun to go from bottom to top than from top to bottom.

“Welcome, customer. This is Ocona Boutique, where we serve you with all our heart. What is your name?”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Shailyn Sharofe. I’d like to look at clothes, is that possible?”

“Oh my, of course. Please come this way.”

The staff member smiled warmly and guided me inside.

She efficiently prepared catalogs and refreshments, then said she would call a designer and asked me to wait a moment.

“Carl, these cookies are delicious. Try one.”

“……They’re too sweet.”

“That’s what makes them delicious.”

Carl frowned and gulped down his tea.

I crunched on chocolate cookies while flipping through the catalog.

Hmm, this ambiguity of being neither pretty nor ugly.

If there were a hundred clothes, half were mediocre and half were decent.

I was checking off a few things I liked when it happened.

“Recently— Lady Sharofe— did you hear?”

I faintly heard my name through the slightly open door.

“Carl, did I just mishear?”

“If they’re talking about your name, Master, I heard it too.”

When even the bondservant agreed like this, I couldn’t help but be curious.

I got up from the sofa and went outside. The source of the voices was the room right next to ours.

That door was also loosely closed, so the chatter from inside was leaking out freely.

“You mean Lady Sharofe who recently became the owner of the magic mine, right?”

“That’s right. That lady, well, she almost bankrupted her own family!”

“Oh my, how did that happen?”

“She was originally extravagant, accumulating debts here and there with reckless spending, but she dumped all that on the count and her younger sibling while she herself clung to the Diart ducal family.”

“My goodness, how terrible!”

What kind of b*llshit is this?

Even if it differed from the facts, could it differ this much?

Unlike my rotting expression, the young ladies visible through the door crack had faces dying of interest.

‘This is what the system window was talking about.’

If such nonsense was circulating behind my back, it would definitely be ruining my reputation.

If I wasn’t careful, it might even damage the crown prince’s favorability toward me.

“No, I heard she also sent numerous letters to young lords she met at Lady Celsior’s party.”

“She completely collapsed her own family with debt, and that lady alone is trying to escape—”

“No, that’s not true.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and interrupted.

The young ladies who had been chattering among themselves simultaneously turned their heads sharply.

And when they saw me, they all turned pale as sheets.

Since they were caught red-handed gossiping.

“L-Lady Sharofe……?”

“Yes, hello. I’m Shailyn Sharofe, the owner of that Sasha Magic Mine.”

“N-no, how are you here……?”

“I also came here to buy clothes. But since I heard my name, I wanted to join the conversation.”

I smiled brightly and sat next to the closest young lady.

Then her shoulders jumped up with a start. She couldn’t even look at me with eyes shaking like there was an earthquake.

Looking at such a young lady, I cleared my voice and opened my mouth again.

“But there’s something you’re misunderstanding. I never lived extravagantly in the count’s territory, nor did I accumulate debts and dump them on my family.”

“Ah…… W-we just heard rumors going around……”

“Rather, I always lived being cursed at for being disgusting, not receiving proper support for meals let alone dignity maintenance fees. If the Diart ducal family hadn’t accepted me, I would have had to marry an unwanted nobleman old enough to be my grandfather.”

I displayed acting talent I didn’t know I had while pitifully confessing.

Then the young ladies’ eyes began to shake rapidly. Sympathetic gazes toward me began to seep out.

“I-is that really true……?”

“Yes, it’s a fact without a single lie. If you just go near the count’s territory, everyone will testify to what my situation was like. Of course, I did send many letters because my dream was to marry a blond handsome man. But it was absolutely not because of money.”

I bowed my head, took out a handkerchief, and pretended to wipe away non-existent tears.

Then the young ladies who had been exchanging glances gathered around me and patted my back.

“We misunderstood you without knowing the truth. We’re really sorry.”

“We won’t carelessly spread such talk anymore. You must feel so wronged.”

“Sob, thank you for understanding. If there are others who misunderstand like you did, please convey my true feelings.”

“We will. Don’t worry and just trust us!”

Feeling sorry for badmouthing me with wrong information, the young ladies clenched their fists and promised.

I shook hands with each of them, greeted them, and came out.

Phew, now they won’t badmouth me for a while.

‘But who’s spreading such strange rumors?’

Even if it differed from the facts, could it differ this much?

‘This is why they told me to create a regular boutique to collect gossip.’

Because friends or acquaintances come together to get clothes made and talk about such things during their spare time.

“Still, was it fortunate that I caught it at the very first boutique……”

But that was a huge misconception.

Because I heard gossip about me at the next boutique, the one after that, and the one after that too.

Even in gossip magazines placed in corners of boutiques, my story was published.

As Miss A who accumulated debt and fled in the night.

D*mn it.

“Master, why is your reputation like this?”

It was bad enough that even Carl asked me this.

“Some bastard must be badmouthing me behind my back. If I catch them, I won’t let them off easy, d*mn it.”

I gritted my molars and muttered.

The tone of the fake rumors was generally similar. That I was very extravagant and had severe vanity.

So I was a malicious person who caused trouble everywhere around me while shamelessly playing innocent.

The problem was that this seemed to have spread quite deeply into high society, more than I thought.

Feeling a great sense of crisis, I changed my mind.

The fact that boutiques were centers of gossip meant……

‘Conversely, I could also spread other gossip quickly, couldn’t I?’

Of course, for that, it would have to be a popular place frequented by many noble women, not a moderately-sized boutique.

I researched high-end boutiques that ranked in the top five in the capital.

Among them, I chose a shop famous for being frequented by many young ladies these days.

Cream Rose Boutique.

It was a place that led trends with sophisticated and stylish designs, gaining explosive support from the younger generation.

It had recently moved to the center of the commercial district and was prospering enough to do so.

‘If I create connections here, I’ll be able to spread word throughout all of high society.’

I immediately made a reservation at Cream Rose and visited the boutique.

“Welcome to Cream Rose. I’m Rona, the owner of this place, Miss Shailyn.”

A woman with glamorously curled bob hair greeted me.

Her bright red lipstick and the mole below it were impressive.

“You look even more elegant in person. As expected, poverty and wealth can’t be hidden.”

Rona covered her mouth with her hand with sharply grown nails and laughed.

Why do I smell Lord Arco’s scent from this woman……

“I’d like to have three or four dresses made that would suit me, would that be possible?”

“Of course it’s possible! I’ll specially guide you to the VIP room, Miss.”

She winked one eye uncomfortably. Isn’t she being too obvious about wanting my money?

It wasn’t that I felt bad, but I followed Rona feeling slightly uncomfortable.

She seated me in a large and fancy room and immediately called the staff to bring out dresses.